"Over three hundred gold coins for a mere serving of fried rice? Surely, this must be a ruse," Ding Zhenghui privately mused, underestimating the situation.
After Mu Yichun made his purchase, a dazzling golden light flashed, followed shortly by an enticing aroma that wafted through the air. This scent was entirely different from the greasy, smoky fragrance of ordinary fried rice; instead, it was imbued with the refreshing essence of rice. Most astonishingly, there were no visible fragments of egg; upon closer inspection, the yolk had evenly enveloped each grain of rice, transforming them into a rich golden-red hue.
Now it was Ding Zhenghui's turn to be taken aback. As someone who was inherently discerning and had always avoided outside food, she possessed a certain expertise in culinary matters. This experience utterly shattered her previous perceptions of fried rice!
"Zhao Shen, you truly have crafted a golden fried rice!" Compared to Ding Zhenghui, Mu Yichun was somewhat more resilient, yet even he could not suppress his amazement at the shimmering dish before him.
The ability to achieve such even coating of the rice with egg was a skill one would expect to see only in an animated series.
...
Spoonfuls of this golden delicacy met her lips, the softness of the eggs enveloping the perfectly chewy Dragon Spices. The fragrance of the rice melded seamlessly with the texture of the eggs, producing an unparalleled taste.
My goodness! How could fried rice be this delectable? This was no ordinary fried rice!
Such culinary mastery could only exist in the heavens, a rare treasure on earth. The exquisite flavor of this fried rice left Mu Yichun's expression reminiscent of Lieutenant Li from *Cooking Master* when he first savored Chef Abe's fried rice—a look of pure rapture, utterly entranced. The essence of this dish eclipsed even the allure of ten beautiful women.
Forget about game levels, monster-hunting, and battles; the fried rice in his mouth was the singular truth of existence.
I adore this dish—such clear and resolute faith! My heart will not forget this experience.
Eat! Continue to eat.
No need to mention the 333 gold coins; even if it were 3 times that amount, I must taste this exquisite delight.
333 feels like a tremendous bargain—this was the first time in my life I realized fried rice could be this scrumptious.
...
With each mouthful, Mu Yichun could not stop himself, continuously giving Zhao Shen a thumbs-up in admiration. His mouth was too full of fried rice to speak, so he resorted to gestures to express his appreciation.
Zhao Shen merely stood quietly beside him, a composed expression on his face, as if he had anticipated this reaction; after all, he had felt the same way during his first taste.
After observing for a while, Ding Zhenghui was finally convinced that this was not a setup. She declared, "Boss, I shall have a serving as well; if it's not delicious, I shan't return."
The novice village was rather small; once players reached level ten, they would head to the main city. In such a modest locale, repeat customers were invaluable.
"Boss, why is there nothing in this dish but rice and eggs?" Ding Zhenghui asked Zhao Shen after placing her order.
"Yes, it is merely rice and eggs." Even with the allure of a uniformed beauty, Zhao Shen remained unfazed, maintaining his poised and dignified demeanor.
"Ding! As a Culinary Master, you have successfully demonstrated your prestige, earning 1 prestige point."
"Then why is it so expensive?" Although Ding Zhenghui was already captivated by the golden fried rice's beauty and aroma, she could not help but voice her complaint.
This was merely an ordinary stall in the marketplace; how could the price be over ten times that of regular fried rice, especially when it contained only eggs and rice, devoid of any seafood? Watching Mu Yichun relish his meal beside her, Ding Zhenghui felt her long absence from outside dining had rendered her somewhat oblivious to the realities of the culinary world.
Gently brushing her hair back from her face, she gazed up at the risen sun and realized she had little time; she needed to eat before anything else.
...
"Do you have any soup? I would like some."
"Apologies, but I only serve what is available at this stall, including water. There are plenty of options at neighboring stalls," Zhao Shen replied with a shrug. Even a nurse would lose patience after too many such inquiries; he certainly would.
"#%\&*\&￥#" She held back her impulse to dump the 333 gold coins' worth of rice on Zhao Shen's face. What kind of attitude was this?
For such an expensive fried rice, not even a simple glass of water was offered. Had she not already paid, Ding Zhenghui would have walked away in indignation, questioning her sanity for seeking punishment today.
Zhao Shen remained unfazed by Ding Zhenghui's demeanor; he knew that once she finished, she would be begging for another serving of his golden fried rice.
He frowned at the thought of rejecting so many patrons each day; the men were one thing, but he genuinely felt a pang of compassion for the women.
Since entering the simulated life, Zhao Shen had set higher aspirations for himself, never again needing to worry about the preferences of any customer. The products of a Culinary Master must always be classic.
His ambitions had reached new heights, akin to Luffy's quest for the ultimate treasure of the seas; he was determined to pursue his dreams, even if they seemed fantastical.
"Are you really going to eat standing here?"
She was unaccustomed to consuming food in public; it felt somewhat akin to being homeless. Yet, observing Mu Yichun, who stood unabashedly enjoying his meal, she found no reason to hesitate.
...
Mu Yichun was completely absorbed in his own world, devouring the golden fried rice without noticing the uniformed beauty watching him, his enjoyment exuding a certain unrefined charm.
"Is it truly that delicious?"
From the moment Ding Zhenghui purchased the fried rice to the instant she brought it to her mouth, it felt like an eternity, though in reality, it was merely a few seconds, primarily filled with her internal deliberations.
As she poised herself elegantly to taste the golden fried rice, an explosion of exquisite flavor erupted in her mouth.
It was indeed an explosion—akin to the moment a Chang'e X rocket launches, shaking the very ground beneath her. The rich aroma enveloped her senses, starting from her taste buds and cascading down her throat.
It was impossible to articulate the sheer delight of this culinary experience; it filled her life with an unprecedented euphoria. All the pressures from her boss, the fast-paced rhythm of life, and the anxieties surrounding her search for a quality partner—all vanished, leaving only the fried rice before her!
In that moment, Ding Zhenghui finally understood why Mu Yichun had appeared so entranced. She herself was swept away, her expression of bliss entirely genuine.
Initially concerned about her lipstick, she soon surrendered to the bliss of the moment, deciding she could retouch later—eating took precedence over appearances!
...
A few minutes later.
"Boss, I would like another serving!"