When the Top Chef Transmigrated into a Scum Alpha (GL) - Chapter 9

This was not nonsense at all.

Qu San had once had the good fortune to eat a meal at Juhuaju in the city. In his heart, the food made by that great chef had been nothing less than a heavenly delicacy.

Unfortunately, no matter how delicious the food there was, he did not dare dream of eating it often. Ordinary common households could not withstand that kind of expense.

Now, however, he never would have expected that Miss Shang could use only these few cheap and easily obtained ingredients to create a flavor even more delicious than those great chefs!

Shang Wumian picked up a piece of tofu and placed it into her bowl. Hearing this, she smiled faintly. “Since you like it, eat more.”

She remained calm in the face of praise, mainly because she had long since grown used to it.

During all the years Shang Wumian had been a gold-medal chef, she had heard all sorts of praise from all kinds of people, and she had basically become immune to compliments like these.

As long as others sincerely enjoyed eating her food, that was enough to make her feel pleased.

Only after Qu San ate two little crispy cakes in one breath did he remember to ask, “Miss Shang, how did you think of mixing scallions and tofu together? I’ve never seen anyone eat it this way before. The texture is so refreshing…”

After he went home, he also had to tell Ah Da to try making it like this.

Shang Wumian’s chopsticks paused slightly as they lowered. For a moment, she hesitated over how she should answer.

Scallions mixed with tofu—in the world she had originally come from, this was only the most ordinary cold appetizer.

Her chopsticks fell. Shang Wumian casually muddled through. “I happened to see the scallions sitting nearby, so I mixed them together and tried it.”

Lin Qingwan noticed the pause before this person answered and knew in her heart that she was hiding something again. Her gaze darkened slightly.

This meal left all of them very satisfied. When Qu San left, he carried a good number of little crispy cakes that Lin Qingwan had wrapped up for him in advance, and he felt even more content.

Earlier, Shang Wumian had heard the conversation between Lin Qingwan and Qu San and already knew that the basket of firewood at home had been carried back by Qu San. Then she remembered all the many ways Qu San had helped the female lead in the book and instinctively felt that a favor like this could not be repaid with only a few little crispy cakes.

And so, when she and Lin Qingwan went out together to see Qu San off, she seemed to say casually, “Right, I’ll be making sliced fish congee tonight. If you want some, you can come over too.”

When Qu San heard Shang Wumian say there would be something delicious again tonight, his ears immediately perked up. “…Sliced fish congee? I’ve never heard of it before, but if Miss Shang makes it, it’ll definitely taste great! I’ll come!”

If this book world also had the phrase “gaining a fan,” then Qu San had now completely become a loyal fan of Shang Wumian’s cooking.

Before Lin Qingwan turned and went back inside, she looked at Shang Wumian with a strange gaze.

Sliced fish congee… What was that?

She guessed to herself that it should be something similar to fish soup.

How did Shang Wumian know how to make all these strange things? In her previous life, she clearly had not even known how to heat up a steamed bun, yet in this life, she could have such changes? Even her personality seemed to have undergone earth-shaking changes.

She was nothing like the same person.

Once this suspicion emerged, it immediately became difficult to stop.

But Lin Qingwan quickly denied this possibility. After all, that face was right there. No matter what, she would not mistake it.

All she could say was that Shang Wumian had become a little more capable than she had been in the previous life, nearly causing Lin Qingwan to lower her guard.

Just like when the other party had still been pretending in her previous life, everything had seemed fairly normal. But once her true nature was exposed, she had become another face entirely.

When it came to scum like her, one had to be cautious and guarded at all times.

Shang Wumian did not know what Lin Qingwan was thinking. Once it was almost time for dinner, she began preparing the ingredients.

The knives here were not very good to use, so Shang Wumian could only rely as much as possible on her own knife skills to make up for that shortcoming.

She sliced the fresh fish evenly into thick pieces, sprinkled them with salt, and marinated them for nearly half an hour. Then she used that time to wash the rice, making it convenient to cook the congee later.

On the other side, Lin Qingwan was watching Ah Fu finish the homework assigned by the teacher. From time to time, she caught the little girl spacing out, always secretly glancing toward the stove.

Her purpose was also very obvious. She was curious about what the “sliced fish congee” Sister Wumian was cooking would taste like, and she wished she could hear that the congee was ready in the very next moment.

A faint, indescribable feeling arose in Lin Qingwan’s heart, but she could only accept that she had been so openly compared and lost: when she used to cook, she had never seen Ah Fu this impatient.

“One cannot split one’s attention between two things. If Ah Fu can’t finish the characters your teacher assigned you later, you won’t be allowed to drink the congee.” Lin Qingwan lightly tapped her fingers on the table, signaling for the little girl to come back to herself.

Hearing Sister Qingwan say this, Ah Fu’s little face immediately wrinkled into a ball. In her heart, she cried that Sister Qingwan had changed. She was actually willing to keep her from eating.

Lin Qingwan took a sip of water. In order to erase the other party’s desire to act spoiled, she said lightly, “There is no room for discussion.”

While Ah Fu was writing her characters in grievance, Qu San came over as promised. He took two malt candies he had specially brought out of his pocket, and only then did he coax the little girl from sorrow back to joy.

Although Qu San was honest and simple, he had followed his family’s Qu Da, who had studied for several years, so he more or less understood some principles.

Although Miss Shang had been the one to invite him to this dinner, he could not really just eat and drink here for free. So he brought over some cucumbers grown by his own family.

There had to be give and take. Only then was it proper. He could not simply take advantage of someone else for nothing.

When Shang Wumian saw those cucumbers, she raised her brows, somewhat regretful that sesame paste was not very cheap in this book either.

After thinking about it, she inexplicably found it a little funny. This was the first time that she, a top chef, could not even afford the ingredients and seasonings she needed.

Shang Wumian finished mixing the shredded radish meant to cut through the richness, then called out to the three people waiting inside. “The congee is ready. Time to eat.”

She had originally wanted to serve the congee for everyone first, but suddenly heard someone outside seemingly calling her name. A little puzzled, she walked straight out the door to take a look.

It was Li Yuyan.

Yesterday, she had been sent away by Lin Qingwan and had failed to see Shang Wumian, so naturally, she was unwilling to give up. Tonight, she had specially estimated the time and once again come over with that basket of eggs.

Shang Wumian did not think too much of it and only felt that the other party was rather enthusiastic.

But she had merely helped pick up a handkerchief. It did not count as anything major. She definitely could not accept this basket of eggs.

Unfortunately, Li Yuyan’s attitude was firm, and she insisted that Shang Wumian accept it.

The two went back and forth over it until a cold, indifferent female voice came from behind Shang Wumian. “Since Sister Yuyan sincerely wants to give it to you, Miss Shang, just accept it. After all, it is meant to express her gratitude.”

Li Yuyan nodded in deep agreement. In the end, she still stuffed the basket into Shang Wumian’s arms. “Exactly, exactly. I liked that handkerchief very much. It’s just a token of my feelings. Little Sister Shang, just accept it with peace of mind!”

Since both of them said this, Shang Wumian could no longer keep refusing. She could only thank her and accept it.

Eggs were both rare and easy to obtain. In households that raised chickens, they were not considered anything especially precious, but in households that did not, one had to spend a few extra copper coins to buy them.

Ah Fu was right at the age where she was growing. It just so happened that Shang Wumian had been wondering these past few days where she could buy some eggs for the little girl. Now, she no longer needed to worry.

Li Yuyan had originally wanted to say a few more words to Shang Wumian, but with Lin Qingwan there too, it was not very convenient to speak. After thinking about it, she decided there was no need to rush. She smiled and chatted idly for a few moments, then prepared to leave.

Seeing that she was about to go, Shang Wumian habitually spoke up. “We made sliced fish congee at home. Sister Yuyan, if you haven’t eaten dinner yet, you can join us and…”

Before she could say the remaining words “have some,” she heard the other party answer with a smile, “Since it’s an invitation from Little Sister Shang, I definitely have to accept. Sorry to trouble you!”

“…” This seemed a little different from what she had expected.

Before entering the house, Lin Qingwan looked at Shang Wumian rather coldly. She even seemed to let out a low laugh, carrying a hint of mockery.

Shang Wumian belatedly realized that she had acted a little too much on her own initiative. She could not help guiltily stroking her thumb. She had only asked the other person to stay out of habit and truly had not expected Li Yuyan to agree so readily.

On the other side, Li Yuyan seemed afraid that Shang Wumian would regret it, and she moved into the house very quickly. By the time Ah Fu and Qu San reacted, she had already sat down at the dining table with them.

Qu San and Ah Fu were drinking the congee with great enjoyment, making Li Yuyan’s appetite increase along with them.

There was a set number of bowls and chopsticks on the table. Shang Wumian had originally wanted to first give the set that belonged to her to Li Yuyan, then go get herself a new one afterward.

But Lin Qingwan moved one step faster and had already placed a new set of bowl and chopsticks in front of Li Yuyan. She did this naturally and calmly, making it impossible to see even the slightest trace of intention.

Shang Wumian did not pay much attention to it. Looking at the basket of eggs Li Yuyan had given, she decided to add a simple and easy dish for them. “You all eat while it’s hot first. I’ll go add another dish. It’ll be ready soon.”

Li Yuyan appeared somewhat surprised.

Was this dinner actually cooked by Shang Wumian?

This congee, these dishes—she had thought they had all been made by Lin Qingwan.

Lin Qingwan lowered her eyes and drank the congee. While the fragrance lingered on her tongue, what she cared about even more was another matter.

She did not understand why a bit of rejection had arisen in her heart just now.

What did it have to do with her if Shang Wumian wanted to give her bowl and chopsticks to someone else?

No.

The emotion she had felt just now was not rejection. It was disgust.

Disgust that those two had been entangled with each other in her previous life, and in this life, they still seemed to intend to hook up. That absolutely could not be allowed.

Thinking of the way the two had flaunted themselves in front of her in her previous life, Lin Qingwan unconsciously tightened her grip around the chopsticks in her hand.

There was no such easy thing.

The extra dish Shang Wumian wanted to make was very simple, with eggs as the main ingredient.

She knew the household’s situation. After thinking about it, when frying the eggs, she still did not pour in too much oil.

Although doing it that way would have made them more fragrant.

When Shang Wumian finished making it and brought it over, the four people beside the table almost involuntarily looked at the plate in her hands.

For no other reason than that these eggs smelled far too fragrant!

Shang Wumian sat down in her seat, then briefly introduced it to them. “Try it. This is called fried egg.”

Ah Fu was young, so she was a little faster to take a bite. The instant she swallowed it, her eyes lit up, and she praised it indistinctly, “Sho good!”

Although she did not often eat eggs, Sister Qingwan loved her very much and would occasionally boil one for her as a treat.

Ah Fu guaranteed that the few eggs she had eaten before tasted nothing like this!

She had never eaten such a delicious egg!

Even after Lin Qingwan ate it, her gaze shifted slightly.

As for Qu San, there was even less need to mention him. He kept working his chopsticks the entire time, unwilling to put down his bowl for even a moment.

And ever since Li Yuyan drank the sliced fish congee Shang Wumian had cooked, her favorable impression of her had already risen by several degrees. Now, after tasting this so-called “fried egg,” she only felt even more delighted.

To think there would actually exist such a perfect Qianyuan in this world, one who could grace the hall and enter the kitchen.