Bai Xiaobai is a twenty-two-year-old restaurant owner struggling to keep the small eatery left behind by his parents alive. Everything changes when a mysterious Gourmet System appears in his mind, promising to train him into a master chef. Starting with an outrageously expensive tea egg, he must complete strict missions, master increasingly difficult recipes, and learn to work with extraordinary ingredients. As word of his food spreads, his once-empty restaurant attracts devoted customers, culinary rivals, competitions, and unexpected opportunities. What begins as a desperate attempt to save a failing business gradually becomes Bai Xiaobai’s journey toward understanding food, craftsmanship, responsibility, and what it truly means to become a great chef.
Chapter 44: Show Your Power!
The Supreme Set Menu (Part 1) Swalloing hard, Lisa made up her mind. “Hello, I’d like one of these set menus, too.” “Sure, 500 yuan each.” Worried that the foreign woman might not have heard him clearly, Bai Xiaobai made a point of repeating it. “Okay.” Lisa pulled out her wallet and counted out five 100-yuan bills. She hadn’t exchanged much foreign currency this time—only 1,000 yuan in total. She’d thought this would be more than enough to sample local delicacies during her business trip to Huaxia, but she never expected that just the first meal would wipe out half of it. In the two years since Bai Xiaobai opened his restaurant, he’d generally let customers eat first and pay later. However, since a customer had offered to pay in advance, he didn’t mind; he simply took the money and said politely, “Hello, our Supreme Chili Sauce comes in mild, medium, and hot. Which one would you like?” Although Lisa said she wanted the same Supreme Set Meal as Wei Hai, the heat levels of the Supreme Chili Sauce varied, so it was best to check with the customer to avoid unnecessary trouble. “Hello, I’ll have the hottest one.” Lisa is the type who can’t live without spice; one of her favorite Chinese dishes is sour and spicy shredded potatoes, which absolutely must have chili—and plenty of it. “Sure, please wait a moment.” With that, Bai Xiaobai went into the kitchen to prepare the Supreme Set Meal. Wei Hai continued to slurp up his Supreme Beef Noodles, alternating bites with the Supreme Tea-Egg, eating with great enthusiasm. To distract herself from her hunger and pass the time, Lisa took a closer look at the shop’s interior decor. Lisa is a seasoned luggage designer. Although her field has no direct connection to furniture design, they share a commonality: both require a distinct design philosophy. As a result, she can’t help but critique the interior design of various stores. The decor of this small shop before her wasn’t overly ornate. Subtle wallpaper, natural wood-colored tables and chairs, and a glass-walled kitchen in the center—all of these elements revealed the owner’s good taste. Simple yet not monotonous. In particular, the glass-walled kitchen built right in the middle of the store was a bold and eye-catching design choice. In addition to its unique decor, the place is spotless—the marble floors are practically mirror-smooth, and it’s no exaggeration to call it immaculate. Lisa is a bit of a neat freak, so when she visits China, she usually dines at upscale Chinese restaurants and rarely eats at ordinary small eateries. She never expected this little shop’s cleanliness to be just as good as that of an upscale Chinese restaurant. Lisa had no way of knowing. When Bai Xiaobai had nothing else to do and was bored waiting for customers, he’d either wipe down tables or clean the floor—so how could the place not be spotless? A few minutes later. Bai Xiaobai carried a large bowl of steaming “Supreme Beef Noodles” and gently set it in front of Lisa. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Please enjoy your meal.” Golden noodles, bright green mustard greens, clear beef bone broth, and slices of beef with a charred, aromatic crust. Just looking at it made Lisa’s mouth water. The beef bone broth was very clear, almost like plain water. Instead of adding chili sauce right away, Lisa picked up a spoon, scooped up a bit of broth, and tasted it first. It extracts 89. 99% of the nutrients and almost perfectly locks in the aroma of the beef bones; its rich flavor and texture speak for themselves. The broth looked incredibly clear, and every drop contained collagen from the bone marrow, making it incredibly rich and delicious. The deliciousness of the broth enveloped every one of Lisa’s taste buds, and an indescribable sense of satisfaction welled up within her. “It’s amazing,” Lisa exclaimed in English, her eyes already sparkling, after taking a sip of the broth. Scooping up the broth one spoonful after another, Lisa was extremely careful with every spoonful, afraid to spill even a single drop. Only after drinking nearly half the broth did Lisa pause to eat the beef noodles. Lisa had already mastered the use of chopsticks; she scooped a small dish of chili sauce onto the beef noodles, then picked up a pair of chopsticks full of noodles and popped them straight into her mouth. The chewy ramen noodles were distinct and springy in her mouth, offering an excellent texture. As for the chili sauce, it was truly remarkable—spicy with a subtle numbing sensation, and surprisingly, a fruity aroma. The spicy and fragrant flavors spread through her mouth, leaving a lingering aroma and an endless aftertaste. She took another bite of the beef. Lisa had grown up eating all kinds of beef dishes; she’d had countless varieties, so logically, no matter how delicious the beef was, she shouldn’t have been particularly excited. But today’s beef dish was an exception. Although it was grilled beef, it wasn’t greasy at all. It perfectly and skillfully preserved the beef’s most important quality—its tenderness—and with every bite, she could taste the beef juices gently seeping out. The savory, salty sauce instantly burst in her mouth. Truly, every bite was brimming with the aroma of beef. In the blink of an eye, Lisa had devoured several slices of beef in one go. Lisa has a special skill: while eating the Supreme Beef Noodles with her chopsticks in one hand, she can peel a Supreme Tea-Egg with the other. After peeling the Supreme Tea-Egg in just a few quick motions, Lisa took another bite of it. The aroma of tea mingled with the fragrance of the beef noodles in her mouth, instantly creating an unparalleled flavor. “Oh my godness…” Lisa was so excited she could barely form coherent sentences. “So good, good.” A sip of broth, a mouthful of noodles, a bite of beef, a bite of Chinese mustard greens, a bite of tea-flavored egg—Lisa was thoroughly enjoying herself and simply couldn’t stop eating. Watching the foreign woman’s look of pure satisfaction—she gave a thumbs-up after almost every bite—Bai Xiaobai felt a strong sense of pride welling up inside him. Due to cultural differences in dining habits between the East and West, people in Western countries generally prefer Italian-style pasta and rarely—if ever—eat ramen; the differences in taste are even more stark. He never expected that his Supreme Beef Noodles would so effortlessly win over this foreign woman. Truly, these are Supreme Beef Noodles; truly, this is the Supreme Set Meal. Food that brings happiness and satisfaction is what truly qualifies as a culinary delight—this goes beyond the basic function of ordinary food, which is simply to fill one’s stomach. “Mr. Bai, I’d like to pay.” Wei Hai had already finished his meal; he let out a satisfied belch and pulled out 500 yuan to pay. “That’s exactly right.” Bai Xiaobai tucked the 500 yuan into his pocket and said cheerfully. “Mr. Bai, look—my wallet was still bulging this morning, but after two meals here, it’s already gotten a whole lot thinner.” Wei Hai shook his wallet and joked helplessly. “Haha.” Bai Xiaobai was amused by Wei Hai’s remark. “Come back anytime—we’ll have more delicious new dishes coming soon. But it’ll be a while before they’re launched.” “Alright, Mr. Bai. “Let me know the very moment you launch new dishes—I’ll definitely be there to support you.” Wei Hai was as straightforward as ever. Although it had been less than a week since he’d started eating at Xiaobai Restaurant, Wei Hai had already grown genuinely attached to the place. The food elsewhere had become hard to stomach. Anyway, during summer break, all the university cafeterias were closed, so he had no choice but to eat out. Since Wei Hai had to go to driving school that afternoon, he didn’t linger after paying the bill; he slung his backpack over his shoulder and left. “Take care.” After seeing Wei Hai off, Bai Xiaobai cleared away the dishes he’d used and was just about to head into the kitchen to wash them when Zhu Yufei walked into the restaurant in her shiny brown high-heeled sandals. Zhu Yufei had long, light brown hair falling over her shoulders and was wearing a pure white, form-fitting dress that accentuated her graceful figure, making her appear as elegant and noble as a white lotus blooming in clear water. Any girl with even slightly darker skin would never dare to wear a pure white dress like this, but Zhu Yufei, with her fair complexion and beauty, pulled it off effortlessly. Under the scorching summer sun, she was undoubtedly a stunning sight. Bai Xiaobai had a strong impression of Zhu Yufei. She had mentioned that morning that she’d come at noon to try the Supreme Beef Noodles, and Bai Xiaobai had assumed she was just speaking off the cuff—he never expected she’d actually show up.
