Chapter 6

"It seems more even now." When Maige finished cutting the twentieth piece of winter bamboo shoot, he picked up two slices and carefully compared them in front of his eyes. Satisfied, he nodded.

He glanced at the pile of bamboo shoots that had already filled a basin and couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. "It turns out that becoming a chef is not easy. I already have the most standard knife skills in my mind, but it took me so long to achieve this level. Those who start from scratch probably need many years of practice."

Thinking back to his previous criticism of those chefs' comments, he felt a bit embarrassed for the first time. Those comments had now become the standard for him to complete the task, which could be considered as getting a taste of his own medicine.

"System, at this rate, it would probably take me several weeks just to practice knife skills. It's impossible to complete the task in three days, right?" Maige paused and asked in his mind.

"In the Chef's Trial Space, the time ratio is 365:1 compared to the outside world. If the host spends one year in the trial space, only one day will pass in the outside world. Moreover, the host doesn't need to sleep or rest in the Chef's Space, and the body won't experience fatigue. Ingredients can be supplied indefinitely. I hope the host will have a firm determination to become a chef, complete the task as soon as possible, and leave the Chef's Trial Space." The system's voice sounded in response.

"Is it possible to manipulate time like this?" Maige was somewhat surprised. The time ratio could even be adjusted. This Chef's Trial Space was truly remarkable. However, being trapped in this enclosed kitchen, without even the feeling of tiredness, and only able to repeatedly cook dishes, a person without strong willpower would probably go insane soon.

"No, I have to get out of here before Amy wakes up tomorrow morning and make her the most perfect Yangzhou Fried Rice for breakfast." Maige suppressed his impatience. This was his promise to Amy, and he had to fulfill it. He glanced at the calendar nearby, tightened his grip on the kitchen knife, and continued cutting the bamboo shoots.

He now had four months of uninterrupted time. In normal eight-hour working hours, that would be equivalent to one year. It was more than enough time to learn how to make a Yangzhou Fried Rice, especially with the advantage of already having a perfect experience in his mind.

Maige had forgotten about time. Under his hands, the bamboo shoots transformed from chunks into even thin slices, then into uniformly fine threads, and finally into small grains the size of rice. He became more and more skilled, more and more proficient.

From bamboo shoots to tree mushrooms, then to ham and large prawns, Maige chose ingredients from easy to difficult. As his proficiency increased, his knife skills also improved rapidly. With the mutual verification of his mental experience, his progress was astonishing. Even the lively prawns were easily peeled and then cut into rice-sized grains in his hands.

When the time on the wall reached the 100th day, Jiang Hong neatly scooped the fried rice from the pot into a plate. As he put down the pot, he turned off the heat and a confident smile appeared on his face. "System, this should be enough, right?"

The freshly cooked Yangzhou Fried Rice had distinct grains of rice, perfectly wrapped in a layer of golden egg. Green peas, white prawns, gray tree mushrooms, red ham... various colored ingredients merged together perfectly on the plate, with no hint of disorder. Instead, it gave a sense of brightness and harmony.

A small handful of tender green onions was sprinkled on top, adding the finishing touch. The aroma of the ingredients blending together hit Maige's throat, making it involuntarily contract.

The system remained silent for a moment before speaking up, "According to the standards previously mentioned by the host:

1. The rice grains are distinct, each one perfectly wrapped in egg. Achieved!

2. The colors are bright, harmonious, and appetizing. Achieved!

3. The texture is delicate, the taste is delicious, with the right balance of softness and firmness, and it is fragrant, moist, and refreshing. Achieved!

4. The aroma is enticing and has a certain level of distinctiveness. Achieved!

With all four criteria met, congratulations to the host for learning the authentic Yangzhou Fried Rice, completing the task, and receiving a +0.5 reward to physical attributes. At the same time, the purchasing permission for the required ingredients for Yangzhou Fried Rice is unlocked, as well as the corresponding utensils needed for preparation."

Maige tightly clenched his fist, a sense of achievement surged within him. Looking at the Yangzhou Fried Rice in front of him, he had a feeling that he wanted to cry. It had been so long since he had put in much effort to accomplish something. Truly, the feeling of achieving a goal was the most comfortable and exhilarating.

Of course, what excited him the most was that he could finally make a delicious and aromatic Yangzhou Fried Rice for Amy himself. Just thinking about how adorable she looked when eating, his heart was filled with anticipation.

"System, can I taste this Yangzhou Fried Rice?" Maige, who hadn't felt hungry since entering the Kitchen God's Trial, suddenly felt a bit hungry when he looked at the plate of Yangzhou Fried Rice.

"The host will automatically exit the Kitchen God's Trial in five minutes," the system said.

"Five minutes is enough!" Maige quickly grabbed a spoon from the nearby cabinet, scooped a spoonful of fried rice from the plate, and put it in his mouth. He chewed a few times, and his eyes immediately lit up.

The fragrance of green onions mixed with the aroma of the egg wafted into his nose. The prawns and ham, cut into rice-sized pieces, had an unexpectedly delicate texture. The rice, wrapped in egg, released a sweet taste after being chewed, and the flavors of various ingredients melted in his mouth, continuously stimulating his taste buds. Even after swallowing, the aroma still filled his mouth.

This flavor was simply incredible!

He realized for the first time that Yangzhou Fried Rice could be so delicious!

One spoonful was not enough. Maige almost devoured the entire bowl of fried rice. He licked the last grain of rice wrapped in egg off his lips. While feeling satisfied, he couldn't help but have the urge for another bowl. It was truly enticing to the stomach.

"Little Mi will definitely love this Yangzhou Fried Rice. As for the foodies in the Noah Continent, no one can resist this flavor." Maige put down the spoon and savored the wonderful experience brought by this bowl of Yangzhou Fried Rice. The monotonous mood that had accompanied him for the past hundred days suddenly became fresh and lively.

The five minutes passed quickly. He suddenly felt a flash of white light in front of his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he was already lying on the big bed. He sat up abruptly and turned his head to look at Amy, who was sleeping peacefully on the pink bed next to him. The dreamlike feeling in his heart gradually settled.

Then he looked at his hands with some surprise, clenched his fists, and it felt the same as in the Kitchen God's Trial. The body that couldn't even make a fist before has now greatly improved, and normal activities and cooking are no longer a problem.

"The system is indeed reliable." Maige climbed out of bed, moved his hands and feet, glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table—it was already five in the morning. He looked down at his dirty clothes, took a few steps to the wardrobe, and opened it. Inside, there was only a set of chef's uniform and a black Lolita dress. The chef's uniform, made of white shirt material, had two rows of delicate black buttons. There was also a pair of black casual pants, a black and white striped apron, a pair of white knee-high socks, a pair of black flat shoes, and a pair of white small shoes—clean and simple.

Maige took the clothes into the bathroom, took a careful shower, then took the scissors and cut his wild brown curls into a neat short hairstyle. He trimmed his sideburns with the scissors and cleanly shaved off his beard with a razor, leaving only a faint mustache on his upper lip.

"This is indeed the correct way to start." Maige reached out and touched his sharply defined face. Looking at the completely transformed self in the mirror, with a slight upturn of his mouth, after tidying up, he successfully transitioned from a scruffy wanderer to a sophisticated and refined gentleman.

This time, he was quite similar to his previous life, except for his physique. His current skinny appearance seemed too weak and fragile. The next step would be to eat a hearty meal and engage in some muscle-building exercises.

After indulging in self-admiration, Maige put on the chef's uniform. After a neat preparation, the reflection in the mirror had a hint of a master chef's vibe.

"Hello, Chef Maige." Maige said seriously to his reflection in the mirror, then thought for a moment and couldn't help but smile. "Or should I call you Chef Alex?"