As Zixin headed back, his thoughts clashed like thunder: Fang Hau has kept so many secrets, how can I be certain that his words were truthful? Hmm, I can't be sure, because that is exactly the nature of 'trust'. Even though he lied, I'm already committed to completing his plan. After all, this was the favor Hope asked of me, so I couldn't possibly turn her down.
Stretching his arms, he cast his gaze at the sky, the indigo hue dying the sunsets' edges as the radiant sun began fading on the horizon.
"Oh, it's already this late, huh? Better hurry up, or she'll scold me." He commented, quickening his footsteps.
"Wait a second." He halted, his gaze set upon the book.
"I almost forgot to read this." He sighed, shaking his head before flipping the pages open.
"This is… a top-class recipe book. Why the hell did Fang Hau have this in his Chamber? It's basically useless with him. Setting that aside, I'm unable to use this because the recipes are too advanced. I can't even understand most of the terms used." He flopped to the ground, lowering his head as he continued, "I have no other choice but to do this, so… I will come up with something." His eyes surged with newfound light as he continued flipping through its pages.
With each page exuding unbridled potential, his gaze drifted from one to another. Accompanied by his heavy breath, his mind searched for answers, his thoughts rampaging like wild bulls.
"I have an idea." He muttered, a new idea forming as he fell onto his back, his body arching backwards.
"This is probably far-fetched, but what if I create a recipe using this book's recipes as a basis? It doesn't sound half bad, now does it?" His lips curved into a smile as he pushed himself up.
He cleared his thoughts and stared at the sky, placing his attention on his recipe: How should I go about creating a recipe? There must be a way for me to–wait, can't I just make a steamed bun with meat and vegetable stuffings? That doesn't sound half bad, but… I'd better think of a name. How about Can Bao? But even if I have an idea, I still need to create the recipe. Sigh, if only I had a spice scaling system…
…
Inside the cabin, Hope lies on top of the couch, her legs stretching forward. With a book in her hand, her eyes drifted from one sentence to another. Suddenly, she frowned, her expression twisting as she muttered, "This girl sure is indecisive; she could have thrown him to bed."
With a push, the door creaked open as Zixin stepped into the room. His eyes darted around, landing on the kitchen.
Noticing his behavior, Hope asked, "So, you'll be cooking today? There's no reason to take my bet seriously; it's not like it changes anything."
Zixin shook his head, replying, "This is an invaluable learning experience, and I can't simply turn it away."
Stepping forward, he placed his belongings and ingredients on the table. He headed to his room, coming out with a pen and paper. After taking a seat, he began writing down his recipe, sweat dripping down his chin.
Minutes later, he took out a handkerchief, wiping his sweat clean, and thought to himself: This should, in theory, be good, but why do I feel so nervous? It's not like I'll die if I fail, or perhaps this isn't exactly what I feel? Elmer's cooking skills have affected me, and that's probably why my knife skills are sub-par. In that case, I'd better be cautious, roughly five times as cautious.
He rubbed his hands together, rising to his feet before beginning to prepare his ingredients.
After washing them clean, he started chopping down the vegetables. After a few minutes, he moved them into a bowl.
He leaned forward, grabbed a bottle of oil and pepper, and seasoned the vegetables. After which, he wrapped a cloth around the lid, sealing the bowl.
He pushed it, setting it aside, and grabbed another bowl. After filling it with flour, he added a cup of water, mixing it into a spiral before adding a teaspoon of salt and cracking three eggs, before mixing it. He took a cup of flour and covered the table before taking the dough out and rolling it around.
He sighed, taking the knife and slicing the dough into a couple of pieces. Once sliced, he flattened them and placed them into a place to be used later.
He grabbed the meat, using the knife and pressing down slowly on it. Continuing for a couple of minutes, he began cutting it down into smaller and smaller pieces. After which, he unsealed the vegetable bowl and added the meat to it.
He washed his hands and lit a fire, placing a pot filled with water. He took out a metallic sheet covered in holes and placed it atop the pot. Atop it, he covered it with an upside-down bowl.
He returned to the bowl, mixing it with his bare hands. Afterward, he began shaping them and placing them into the sliced dough.
Once completed, he began molding the dough, sealing it. After which, he took out the upside-down bowl and then placed it atop the metallic sheet. He then returned the upside-down bowl to it.
He washed his hands and waited for the meal to be finished. After a while, he placed them into a plate and served them to Hope.
She sat down, stretched her arm, and grabbed one forward. She took a bite, her lips curving into a smile as she asked, "This is quite good, but how did you come up with it?"
Zixin replied, "Fang Hau lent a top-class recipe book, and I based this dish on the recipes that I read."
After taking a sip of water, she said, "The seasoning is actually not that bad. Was that also part of the book?"
Zixin scratched his cheeks as he said, "Not exactly, but I did come up with a simple spice scaling system. I'm not in the mood to explain it all, but all you need to remember is that every food has a scale in terms of spice intensity,y, and when certain intensities are added together, they create a good taste."
"That's certainly odd. Most people just go with the flow, tasting the food as they go,o but you, on the other hand, created a system for it. You're one hell of a weirdo." Hope said, finishing her first bun.
"There are a few important skills you could work on. First is your chopping skills, because they aren't precise enough, and second is your mixing skills. Most people mix in a rhythm, but you, on the other hand, seem to take fun whenever it becomes a swirling mess. Either way, the food was good, and I approved it." She added, grabbing another bite.
Zixin sighed internally, his gaze drifting like clouds, but Hope awakened him, "Hey! Have a taste, come on now, you made this."
Zixin's lips twitched, but he still took one, taking a bite as the soft bun layer crumbled inside his mouth. He wiped his lips, hiding the unusual curve of his lips.