In the morning, after Ye Chui purchased ingredients from the market, he cleaned and prepared 500 grams of lamb. Busy until nearly noon, he began preparing the promised special meal for Wang Shiyu – XJ Spicy Chicken.
XJ Spicy Chicken is a modern dish mainly made with chicken and potatoes. However, in this world where vegetarianism is prevalent, this dish naturally never had the chance to be created.
The preparation for XJ Spicy Chicken involves complex and diverse steps. Ye Chui specifically learned the most authentic cooking method from a master chef named XJ. However, he couldn't gather all the kitchenware and ingredients needed for the original taste.
Nevertheless, with his chef skills under the name of the Food God, he could still make this dish exceptionally delicious. Just as it came out of the pot, the rich aroma could be smelled throughout the entire neighbourhood – at least it attracted that fat guy.
Checking the time, which was close to the time when his two sisters finished school, Ye Chui just placed the XJ Spicy Chicken on the table and was preparing the accompanying noodles when a series of knocks suddenly echoed.
"Could it be that Shiyu and An Jing forgot their keys? But this knocking doesn't sound like them..." Ye Chui curiously thought as he walked towards the door.
As soon as he opened the door, a fat guy rushed in. His nose twitched a couple of times, then he sprinted toward the dining table. Seeing the tempting XJ Spicy Chicken on the plate, his eyes lit up.
Without hesitation, he picked up a piece of chicken with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. Following that, he tilted his head back, gasping for air with a big smile. Just out of the pot, the dish was scalding hot, but he managed to endure the heat, chewing and swallowing the meat.
By now, his face showed a look of ecstasy. Thinking about the recent urgent matters he faced, suddenly seeing this XJ Spicy Chicken was like someone delivering a life-saving load of coal to him in the pitch-black and cold night. He felt moved and grateful, and his face displayed an uncontrollable smile as he turned to Ye Chui…
"Get out!"
Ye Chui had already picked up a broom, wearing an icy expression, ready to chase this peculiar and somewhat repulsive chubby man out. After all, anyone would be unhappy if someone suddenly barged into their home to eat the freshly prepared meal, especially when the intruder was someone with a less-than-impressive appearance –the kind that seemed to have just escaped from a mental hospital.
"Friend, how did you make this chicken? I'm not upset; I'm actually quite eager," the chubby man asked urgently, ignoring Ye Chui's cold attitude. "Can you teach me? This taste is incredible. I never thought chicken could be prepared like this. Oh, my name is Tian Xiaodu, and I'm the head chef at Wanlaifu Restaurant. Let me tell you, this dish of yours is extraordinary. If you share the recipe with me, I guarantee I can make it even more famous!"
The chubby guy, Tian Xiaodu, was particularly excited, almost incoherent. After speaking, he lifted his chubby face with an air of arrogance, as if implying to Ye Chui, 'Come on, worship me!'
Ye Chui smiled and waved the broom in his hand, "Get out!"
Ye Chui was aware of the Wan Lai Fu restaurant nearby, a well-known establishment. However, the fact that this scruffy chubby guy claimed to be the head chef of Wan Lai Fu was something Ye Chui found hard to believe.
"Do you expect me to believe that you're the head chef of Wan Lai Fu? Get out of here!" Ye Chui remained firm in his belief that he had encountered someone mentally unstable. Waving the broom, he ushered the chubby guy out, "What head chef? Get out, or I'll call the police."
"I really am the head chef of Wan Lai Fu, I'm not lying to you..." Tian Xiaodu desperately shouted.
However, Ye Chui had already formed a prejudice and wasn't inclined to listen to his words. In Ye Chui's experience, he had encountered some unreliable chefs like Tian Xiaodu before, but they were rare few. He couldn't believe that he had randomly encountered one.
Amidst the loud shouts, Tian Xiaodu was directly swept out of the door by Ye Chui. This fat guy, still unwilling to accept it, continued knocking on the door. Ye Chui, holding a kitchen knife, opened the door, and the fat guy instantly vanished like a rabbit, scampering away.
"Maniac," Ye Chui mumbled, watching the fat guy's retreating figure. He snorted and closed the door with a clang.
Downstairs in the residential building, Tian Xiaodu, covered in sweat, stood under a locust tree, still looking back nervously to check if anyone was chasing him. Suddenly, anger surged within him. As the head chef, he was someone noteworthy. On normal days, praising anyone's dish would make them happy for several days. But today, he never expected to be so attached to someone else's dish. Unexpectedly, he was chased out by a person wielding a kitchen knife.
Tian Xiaodu decided to maintain his dignity and leave. However, he couldn't help but feel reluctant after tasting the XJ Spicy Chicken. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to find a way to visit Ye Chui again. If he could learn the recipe for this dish, it would resolve his urgent need.
Tian Xiaodu made up his mind and planned to pay another visit to Ye Chui. However, he needed to investigate Ye Chui's identity first. With a shrewd mind, he circled the residential area and then entered a small grocery store at the entrance. After buying a bunch of items, he went to the counter and handed a cigarette to the shopkeeper. After a brief chat, he brought up Ye Chui.
"Oh, that young guy, right? Heard he's an orphan, taking care of two younger sisters. Quite diligent. They say he sets up a stall at the night market in the evenings." The grocery store owner, without much thought, shared the information he knew with Tian Xiaodu.
"He has two younger sisters?" The fat guy squinted his eyes, thinking that might be a breakthrough.
"Look over there; they've just come back from school." Suddenly, the grocery store owner pointed outside.
An Jing and Wang Shiyu had just walked by the store. One was a quiet, budding beauty, and the other was a lively and adorable loli. Both dressed in plain but neat attire, they passed by the door, presenting a beautiful scene.
The fat guy quickly thanked the store owner and followed them outside. Sure enough, the two girls entered the house that he had just been chased out of. Standing at the door, he could smell the alluring fragrance wafting from inside, making his mouth water. This strengthened his determination to learn the recipe for the dish.
"The elder one seems a bit challenging to approach, but dealing with children is much easier..."
The chubby man contemplated his strategy.