Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Recipe Synthesis Function, Braised Pork Knuckle Big Meat Bun

A single critical hit from He Shuting had taken Su Chen straight from Level 0 to Level 1.

Back in his office, Su Chen could hear the rustling of his employees getting ready to leave. The last one out, Aunt Fang, even turned off the lights in the outer hall.

Only then did Su Chen feel at ease enough to start his research.

After leveling up, the system panel seemed to have changed.

Player Name: Su Chen

Level: 1 (96/1000)

Skills: Steaming (Proficiency 0/100), Stir-frying (Proficiency 0/100)

Items: None

Main Quest: Repay Debt with Dishes (Progress 0.6%)

Side Quests: None

Hidden Quests: None 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

System Functions: Gourmet Practice Room (Limited-Time Access)

Recipe Synthesis

The entire system panel had become more detailed. Aside from the main quest’s progress, what caught Su Chen’s eye were the two new Skills and the brand-new function he’d received for leveling up!

’Steaming and stir-frying count as Skills?’

Unfortunately, he’d already used up all his time in the Gourmet Practice Room for the day. Otherwise, Su Chen would have been eager to go back in and try them out.

As for the Recipe Synthesis function, Su Chen was also quite curious.

[Recipe Synthesis: Please drag your ingredients into the synthesis slot. The system will then synthesize the optimal recipe for you.]

’Oh?’ Su Chen was a little surprised.

’This function is practically tailor-made for me right now!’

Most of the high-quality vegetables and meat in the Delicious storerooms had already been sold to supermarkets at low prices. The vegetables left over were basically the kind that could be stored for a long time but weren’t of the best quality.

In other words, while the remaining vegetables and meat were perfectly edible, they wouldn’t sell well on the market.

Su Chen had been worrying about what to make for his three meals a day, but now, everything was solved!

Su Chen immediately turned on his computer and started to take stock of the ingredients in the storerooms.

After half an hour of careful searching,

He found that the most abundant ingredients in the walk-in freezer were pork knuckles, followed by pork trotters and frozen ribs.

In the other storeroom, the most common vegetables were dried goods, like dried long beans and dried shiitake mushrooms.

Moreover, while Su Chen had been a food streamer for a time, his main role back then was tasting and critiquing.

Su Chen knew how many dishes were supposed to taste, but when it came to actually making them himself, he was still a bit clueless.

With recipes, everything would be much easier.

Having taken stock of his inventory, Su Chen decided to try the new function.

With a flicker of his thoughts, a white, square box appeared on the system panel.

[Please enter the ingredients you wish to synthesize.]

Su Chen didn’t overthink it.

He typed "Pork Knuckle" into the box.

[Continue adding ingredients?]

’No.’

A flash of light crossed his mind, and in an instant, the white box turned green.

[Synthesizable Recipe: Braised Pork Knuckle. Synthesize? (This ingredient will have a 7-day cooldown.)]

’Oh?’

Su Chen understood.

That meant if he chose to synthesize, he would have to wait for the seven-day cooldown to finish before he could use pork knuckle to create another recipe.

’No.’

’My priority right now isn’t researching new recipes; it’s figuring out tomorrow’s breakfast!’

’Handing everyone a braised pork knuckle for breakfast? Who could stomach that?’

Still, he had to admit, the function was pretty fun. Su Chen tried adding some new ingredients.

Pork Knuckle + Dried Shiitake Mushrooms.

’Hmm... I don’t think I’ve ever had a dish like this before.’

Pork Knuckle + Dried Shiitake Mushrooms + Flour

A flash of light, and the three white boxes merged into a single blue one.

[Synthesizable Recipe: Hearty Braised Pork Buns. Synthesize?]

’Buns?’

As a major hub for wheat-based cuisine, Jingzhou was even known nationally as the "Carbohydrate Kingdom"!

For a true Jingzhou native, a day without carbs was a recipe for a sleepless night!

This time, he didn’t hesitate and decisively chose to synthesize.

[Congratulations, you have obtained a new recipe: Hearty Braised Pork Buns.]

As the box vanished, Su Chen felt as if something new had appeared in his mind.

’Hmm... it’s the detailed recipe for the Hearty Braised Pork Buns!’

Just reviewing it in his mind made Su Chen swallow hard. If he hadn’t already eaten so much for dinner, he would’ve rushed to the cafeteria to steam a basket of buns immediately.

Perhaps because he’d used eight hours in the practice room all at once during dinner, Su Chen started to feel drowsy as he lay on his chair, lost in thought.

As night fell, he gradually drifted off to sleep.

「Meanwhile.」

Back home, Li Mingtao was lying comfortably on the sofa.

"I’m so stuffed today. I ate four bowls of rice."

Zhang Yali, who was tidying up her son’s clothes, replied, "You’re not the only one. Even Zihan ate two whole bowls of rice today! Your boss is a really good cook."

"It was delicious, sure, but unfortunately, I won’t get to eat it for much longer," Li Mingtao said wistfully, rubbing his stomach.

"What’s wrong?" Zhang Yali put down the dirty laundry and sat on the sofa. "Didn’t you say your contract doesn’t expire for another twenty-something days? I was planning to start eating at your company cafeteria during that time."

Li Mingtao sat up and sighed. "I found a new job yesterday. It’s also in the High-Tech Development Zone, and I have to start in a few days."

"What?" Zhang Yali’s eyes widened. "You found a new job and you didn’t tell me? Wait... then you’ll have to resign from your current one, right?"

Li Mingtao nodded, then frowned. "I was going to tell the boss tonight, but I got too caught up in eating..."

Li Mingtao had been planning to bring up his resignation with Su Chen during the day.

But he’d been wondering if he could get his 1,200 yuan transportation stipend back before he quit. He never expected Su Chen to pull something like this.

Then at dinner, he was so focused on eating—terrified he wouldn’t get his fill of the delicious food—that the matter completely slipped his mind.

"I wonder what Boss Su is making tomorrow. Sigh, I’m afraid I only have a few days left to enjoy it~"

Zhang Yali sighed along with him, then her eyes lit up with a sudden idea. "Didn’t you say the company is about to go under, and that you guys can pretty much just clock in and leave as you please during the day?"

"Yeah," Li Mingtao said, looking at his wife, unsure of what she was getting at.

"Look," Zhang Yali said, counting on her fingers. "You clock in at your current company at 7:30 AM, eat breakfast, say a quick hello, and then head to the new company to clock in before 8:00. How does that sound?"

"Ssss... You mean..."

Zhang Yali grew more excited as she explained, thinking herself quite the genius. "Then at lunchtime, you clock out from your new job first, then come back to Delicious to clock out and have lunch. That way..."

Li Mingtao clapped his hands excitedly. "Holy shit, that makes perfect sense! I can freeload off the boss’s meals without it affecting my work at the new company! Plus, my new office is just one building over from Delicious!"

"Perfect!"

The two were in perfect agreement. After tidying up the house, they went to bed, pleased with their clever plan.

...

The night passed uneventfully.

When Su Chen opened his eyes, it was only four in the morning.

Having gone to sleep a little after six in the evening and waking up at four in the morning, he had gotten more than enough sleep and felt much more energetic.

’I’m practically homeless now...’

Fortunately, a small room had been partitioned off within the main office, containing everyday necessities and a bed.

It was perfectly fine to sleep in.

After quickly washing up, he saw the first pale light of the August dawn breaking over the Jingzhou horizon.

’Time to make some hearty pork buns! Let’s get to it!’