The Game of Life

Xue Shaoheng had memorized the Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber recipe for over twenty years, yet the recipe in his memory turned out not to be for Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber.

However, Jiang Feng soon realized something. Xue Shaoheng had not actually eaten the Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber back then. What he ate were Two-Color Prawns that Cao Guixiang had wrapped in a handkerchief and stuffed into his pocket. The reason he remembered the Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber was that Zhang Chiyuan had only introduced it to him, and he had no idea what the Two-Color Prawns were.

Having gained a new recipe and also getting the inspiration for the thick sauce of Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, Jiang Feng made a profit.

After figuring it out, Jiang Feng began to watch the instructional video for Two-Color Prawns.

As a signature dish of Tan Family Cuisine, Two-Color Prawns is actually made by cooking the prawns in two different methods. The prawns were divided into two parts at the head and thorax, with the head and thorax stewed in the shell to turn red. The shrimp body was shelled to take only the shrimp meat, wrapped in fat, and fried until golden.

That’s why Jiang Feng saw the prawns with bright red heads and golden bodies.

The most difficult part of this dish was that both cooking processes had to start and end at the same time.

The prawns were fresh and live, large and full of energy. Even in a basin without water, the prawns continued to struggle, attempting to escape.

Cao Guixiang swiftly clipped off the prawn’s feelers and legs, used a toothpick to remove the intestinal tract, made an incision, and divided the prawn into two sections. Her movements were sharp and fast, revealing her experience as a veteran chef.

The head and thorax were sauteed on low heat, adding shredded green onions, ginger, sugar, salt, wine, and chicken stock for seasoning, then covered with a lid to let the chicken stock’s flavor slowly stew into it on low heat.

The shrimp body was shelled leaving the meat. Part of it was sliced open on the back, spread flat, and cross-cut with a knife before being smeared with seasoning and coated with cornstarch. The rest of the shrimp meat was chopped with fatty meat and water chestnuts into a paste, mixed with salt, wine, and egg white to create a filling.

Cao Guixiang’s hands moved without any pause or hesitation, not even sparing a glance for the prawn heads in the pot. She placed the shrimp filling on the cut open shrimp body, sprinkled it with black sesame seeds, and gently pressed it into shape, looking like a flat shrimp ball.

Immediately afterward, Cao Guixiang deep-fried the prepared shrimp until golden and then drained the oil.

At that moment, the prawn heads in the pot were also done. Cao Guixiang turned off the heat, served the prawn heads on a plate, and as the shrimp bodies were drained of oil, plated them as well.

Plating completed, the Two-Color Prawns were done.

Started at the same time, finished at the same time.

Cao Guixiang’s control over timing and fire control was so precise it was frightening.

After watching the process of making Two-Color Prawns, Jiang Feng felt that even if one day he managed to make Yun Chicken, he still might not be able to make Two-Color Prawns.

He suspected that the reason this dish was rated A was because that was the maximum rating in this game. Just like the reason why the top student scores 100 points is that the test paper only has 100 points.

Indeed, Tan Family Cuisine lived up to its reputation of ultimate luxury and show-stopping official mansion cuisine.

Another high-difficulty dish that seemed out of reach, but this one could also be practiced on a regular basis. The ingredients for Two-Color Prawns weren’t particularly expensive nor was the cost too high, so if practiced more frequently on normal days, even if Jiang Feng couldn’t reach Cao Guixiang’s level, he could still greatly improve his own fire control and seasoning.

Putting these miscellaneous thoughts aside, Jiang Feng glanced at the time and realized it was getting late, so he began to wash up.

After coming out of the bathroom, Jiang Feng found that Wu Minqi was stewing Soup with Chinese Caterpillar Fungus and Pigeon in the kitchen. “Minqi, it’s already 10 o’clock, will my mom drink this soup?” Jiang Feng faintly remembered that during this period, Wang Xiulian had also gone to the gym with their aunt a few times.

“I just called Mrs. Wang, and she said she’ll have a bowl of soup tonight, and tomorrow morning she’ll eat the leftover Gastrodia elata stewed pigeon for breakfast,” said Wu Minqi as she handed the kitchen over to Jiang Feng, “I’m going to take a shower, you keep an eye on the soup.”

“Okay,” Jiang Feng took over.

Gastrodia elata stewed pigeon wasn’t difficult to make; one only needed to put the ingredients and seasonings together, add water, adjust the fire control right, and the rest was left to time.

Jiang Feng stood by the Gastrodia elata stewed pigeon, but his entire mind was occupied by thoughts of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon.

Once the Gastrodia elata stewed pigeon was ready, he delivered it to Mrs. Wang Xiulian, who had started her last pre-sleep preparation—applying a facial mask.

After removing the mask and drinking a bowl of Gastrodia elata pigeon soup, which represented the care of her son and future daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang Xiulian began her nightly conversation.

“The guests you brought for lunch today were your classmates and their family, weren’t they?” Mrs. Wang Xiulian asked.

“Yeah,” Jiang Feng didn’t expect Mrs. Wang Xiulian to actually take an interest in this.

“We’ve moved to Beiping now, and you’ll be a senior next term and won’t stay at school. But your classmates have helped our shop a lot before and have provided much assistance. You should invite them to Beiping when you have a chance; don’t let the relationship fade,” Mrs. Wang Xiulian said.

“Like your roommate Wang Hao, and your club members Liu Zixuan and Qiu Chen, they’ve all helped our family a lot. Since it’s summer vacation now, invite them to visit; don’t let the relationship grow cold, the way it happened with your high school classmates, who stopped keeping in touch after graduation.” “Oh, and your Sir Li has finished his retirement procedures; he should be able to move back to Beiping next week.”

“Professor Li will be coming to Beiping next week? Should we find a new place for Da Hua then?” asked Jiang Feng, feeling it might not be appropriate to raise a pig at someone else’s house.

“There’s no need for that; Grandma Chen is considering buying two more piglets to keep Da Hua company, so don’t worry about these things. Sir Li is your professor and, in terms of seniority, also your grandfather. Once he’s back in Beiping, visit the Li Mansion whenever you’re free. And not just thinking about feeding Da Hua, remember to bring something for both of them; it’s a form of respect from the younger generation,” Mrs. Wang Xiulian reminded.

“Mom, don’t worry, I know,” Jiang Feng said, “It’s almost midnight; are you planning to…”

Mrs. Wang Xiulian suddenly remembered she was someone who needed her beauty sleep.

“You, talking to you made me forget the time. You should go back now,” Mrs. Wang Xiulian started urging him out.

Jiang Feng went back to sleep.

He had many things to take care of tomorrow—working as usual, preparing the sauce for the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, and personally escorting the Zhang Zhiyuan family to Yonghe House for a meal.

It wasn’t for any special reason, but because Yonghe House, an old establishment, was somewhat hidden, and that area was under construction recently. The map navigation was notoriously unreliable, and the Zhang Zhiyuan family weren’t good with directions—following the navigation would likely have them waste a lot of time.

That night, Jiang Feng dreamed he was making two-colored prawns.

In the dream, his culinary skills were exceptional, almost on par with Cao Guixiang. Dream Jiang Feng was adept with his hands, quick at processing prawns—peeling, scoring, marinating—all flowed seamlessly.

The dream was so vivid that upon waking, Jiang Feng doubted whether he might have truly learned to make two-colored prawns before.

Or perhaps he had an extraordinary talent for this dish?

Jiang Feng began to daydream..