CHAPTER 299: CHAPTER 297: CHANGE OF TASTE (PART 1)

Fat Chef’s behavior was extremely attentive. It wasn’t a situation that hadn’t occurred before, but it was rare.

Usually, Mu Shuangshuang would just deliver things to Jiu Si Xuan, let the staff check them over, and then leave.

But today, asking for favors and offering deals like this—perhaps something big was up?

Even so, Mu Shuangshuang maintained a casually composed appearance. "Uncle, if there’s something, just say it. If I can do it, I’ll try my best to help. If I can’t, there’s nothing I can do."

Not making promises lightly is an important rule for Mu Shuangshuang.

"That’s right!"

Fat Chef nodded. He had always appreciated the young girl’s attitude in speaking and acting.

Neither servile nor overbearing. If he didn’t know her age, Fat Chef wouldn’t believe that a thirteen-year-old child could have such a calm mind and sensible nature.

"Ah Fu mentioned that your culinary skills aren’t bad, and you know how to make some tasty dishes. The sausage you taught him to make last time was really good.

Right now, I just want to ask if you have any recipes or methods that can make our Jiu Si Xuan famous with a big dish?"

Fat Chef’s cooking skills are flawless; he can handle all sorts of cuisines. But the people in town have been eating them for a dozen or twenty years. They’ve grown tired of it, just like he has.

Moreover, across the street, a new restaurant called Wenren Nuan opened, taking away many of their customers every day.

Now, if it weren’t for having this novel dish of cold noodles, who knows how many more customers would be lost.

Fat Chef understood that relying on one dish alone couldn’t sustain Jiu Si Xuan’s long-term operation. Having some fresh dishes would indeed be good.

"Uncle, it’s not that I don’t have recipes. I do know some sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty dishes, but I’m just a country girl after all. The rice I’ve eaten surely isn’t more than the salt you’ve eaten, and it might not really work."

"You, young girl, are too modest. You can try it here. I’ll arrange the stove for you. If it’s tasty, I’ll surely offer a fair price."

"I do want to, but Fengzi and I need to hurry to sell these two wild chickens." Mu Shuangshuang pointed, and Fat Chef’s gaze fell on the two wild chickens tied to Lu Yuanfeng’s wheelbarrow.

The two wild chickens looked big and meaty. Fat Chef made the decision almost without hesitation.

"In that case, sell both of your wild chickens to me. Whatever others offer, I’ll match."

"Alright, thank you, Uncle!" Mu Shuangshuang agreed almost as Fat Chef finished speaking, not only that, she urged Lu Yuanfeng as well.

"Fengzi, quickly get the wild chickens weighed for Uncle. Whatever Uncle says, that’s what it is."

"Okay!"

Lu Yuanfeng brought the wild chickens to Fat Chef, who took them over and had the staff weigh them. Shortly after, the staff returned.

"Master Liu, the two wild chickens weigh four and a half jin. At the market rate of twenty wen per jin, that’s ninety wen."

The price of a wild chicken is twenty, but for an ordinary chicken, it wouldn’t be this much because the meat of a wild chicken is more delicious than a household chicken.

Fat Chef paid the money to Lu Yuanfeng on the spot and made a gesture of invitation to Mu Shuangshuang.

The young assistant hadn’t heard the two talking before, so he was a bit puzzled at this moment.

Fat Chef, who made good food and was the shopkeeper’s younger brother-in-law, hadn’t served anyone for years. His good attitude toward a country girl really surprised people.

Upon entering the back kitchen of Jiu Si Xuan, Mu Shuangshuang instantly felt the difference. Compared to her home kitchen, Jiu Si Xuan’s was countless times larger, and it was fully equipped.

Looking at the various foods on the table, and at the top, the half lamb leg hanging there, Mu Shuangshuang’s urge to cook came over her. Of course, what she wanted to make most was spicy chicken.

"Little girl, just say what you need. When it comes to stoking the fire, if you’re unsure, I’ll do it myself."

Fat Chef’s tone was gentle, and he spoke with respect toward Mu Shuangshuang.

The young helper and other chefs standing nearby were all dumbfounded, taking a long time to come to their senses.

"Uncle, I’m about to start cooking. You can assign anyone you like to tend to the fire, just make sure they’re skilled."

The most crucial part of stir-frying is controlling the heat. The large ancient woks were indeed hard to control, so Mu Shuangshuang asked for experienced help as soon as she spoke.

She took a freshly processed fat chicken from the table, washed it clean with water, and picked up the kitchen knife on the table.

Chop, chop, chop—within moments, she cut up a whole chicken. And sure enough, the knife at this restaurant was incredibly sharp, far better than the one she bought at the market.

Everyone watched intently as Mu Shuangshuang worked. From the way she handled the knife, Fat Chef could tell she wasn’t an amateur. In just a few simple cuts, the chicken pieces were all uniform in thickness.

Most importantly, there were no traces of bone fragments, which meant she was very skilled at cutting chicken.

"Little girl, you’re quite amazing for your age with your knife skills!" Fat Chef admired from the side.

"Shuangshuang has always been amazing!"

Lu Yuanfeng watched from the side like a loyal guardian. His gaze followed Mu Shuangshuang consistently, and after she finished cutting the chicken, he showed an approving look.

Next, Mu Shuangshuang moved all the chicken pieces into a large sea bowl, cut some green onions and ginger slices, mixed in salt, five-spice powder, and white wine, and marinated the chicken.

She was the only one busy in the entire kitchen, and everyone else was watching.

The helper in charge of the fire was the best at it in the kitchen. Under Mu Shuangshuang’s direction, he selected firewood of appropriate length and width, and lit the stove with pine leaves.

At this point, the chicken had actually been marinating for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

"Watch carefully, I’m starting to cook spicy chicken!"

Pouring rapeseed oil into the heated wok, in no time, she began adding the marinated chicken pieces. A sizzling sound came from the oil.

The kitchen regulars didn’t think there was much difference; they just watched as Shuangshuang fried the chicken pieces one by one and then took them out.

Then she started preparing something else in another wok.

Again, rapeseed oil was added to the heated wok, followed by Sichuan pepper, ginger, green onions, and garlic. After stir-frying for a while, Shuangshuang added bay leaves. At this point, the kitchen was filled with aroma. When Shuangshuang chopped red dried chilies and added them to the wok, everyone was dumbfounded.

With those red dried chilies in the wok, could the dish really be edible?