MMB Chapter 59 Life Skills
Chapter 59 Life Skills
Chapter 59 Life Skills
Su Yun put down her ivory chopsticks, her fingertips pausing in the air for a moment before she gently clapped her hands. The clapping was soft, yet it carried an irrepressible admiration.
"Wonderful, absolutely wonderful!"
She looked up, her eyes reflecting the flickering light of the stove fire by the pond. "The heat is precise to the millimeter—the outer skin is crispy as paper, while the fish inside is tender and juicy. The flavor of this sauce isn't poured on; it's cooked into the flesh, infusing every fiber of the fish with flavor."
She paused, her nose twitching slightly as she caught the lingering aroma of roasting in the air: "And this heat, this wok hei—it's been out of the wok for no more than three minutes. Compared to this, the dishes in high-end restaurants that have gone through plating, transportation, and serving are simply from two different worlds."
As soon as she finished speaking, her intense gaze fell on the man behind the stove.
Wang Sheng was wiping the edge of the pot when he heard this and smiled: "The fish you caught is fresh."
"Even the freshest fish needs a skilled cook to appreciate it," Su Yun remarked, picking up another piece of braised carp with lingering satisfaction. The moment the fish entered her mouth, she squinted her eyes in contentment, her expression more like that of a little girl who had just stolen a piece of candy than a renowned actress.
After finishing the piece, she rebaited and cast her line, her tone carrying a hint of coquettish sullenness: "Looks like I'll have to try to catch more fish today, otherwise I'll be letting down Master Wang's skills and my own whetted appetite."
Perhaps it was a good start, or perhaps the unique sight of freshly caught fish and the enticing aroma attracted even the fish underwater. For the next half hour, Su Yun caught fish one after another.
Carp and crucian carp took turns coming ashore, and the largest grass carp weighed four pounds. The water splashed when it flicked its tail reflected rainbow colors in the sunlight.
Wang Sheng also got into the zone completely.
The small iron pot he brought with him seemed to come alive in his hands. As the fire flickered on the stove, he seamlessly switched between dry-frying and cooking methods for Sichuan-style fish. Carp is suitable for dry-frying because its firm flesh can withstand heavy oil and intense heat; crucian carp is sliced into thin pieces and quickly poached in boiling red oil, resulting in a spicy, numbing, and fragrant dish.
When the two dishes were presented alternately on the small plate in front of Su Yun, this seasoned actress was somewhat dazzled.
The spicy and fragrant red oil fish has thin, paper-thin fish slices that are glistening and tempting in a secret red oil sauce. It is topped with crispy fried soybeans and crushed peanuts. The moment you take a bite, five sensations explode on your tongue: numbing, spicy, fresh, fragrant, and tender.
The savory and slightly spicy braised carp is a completely different style—the fish is scored with fine lines, and the sauce is fully absorbed into every bit of the fish meat, with slightly charred edges and a juicy interior. It is a flavor sculpted by time, heat, and patience.
Li Jianguo watched from the shade of a tree in the distance, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed repeatedly.
The aroma wafted over in waves, a spicy and numbing flavor with the freshness of fish, the fish flavor infused with the aroma of soy sauce—it was truly the ultimate test of willpower. He wanted to move closer several times, but was afraid of disturbing the two men's "refined enjoyment," so he could only take out a cigarette, light it, and rely on the nicotine to suppress his cravings.
Su Yun ate until her nose was slightly sweaty, and a faint blush rose on her fair cheeks, but she felt completely satisfied.
She no longer offered detailed critiques of each dish as she had at the beginning, but the gleam in her eyes each time she picked up her chopsticks was more convincing than any praise. Occasionally, she would look up and watch intently as Wang Sheng worked—the trembling of his wrists when stir-frying, the precision of his fingertips when adding ingredients, the subtle adjustments he made to the stove valve when controlling the heat—every movement was ingrained with a skill that was not superfluous.
That's not a performance; it's an instinct honed through countless trials.
After finishing the last dish of crucian carp, Su Yun sighed contentedly, pulled out a plain-colored napkin, and elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth.
"That was wonderful!" Her voice was filled with genuine joy. "In those Michelin-starred restaurants and private kitchens, the food is exquisite and classy, but I haven't felt this relaxed and carefree in a long time."
She looked at Wang Sheng with sincere and enthusiastic eyes, and with the excitement of discovering a treasure: "Master Wang, to be honest, the reason I invited you here today is not only because I wanted to have this experience, but also because I really wanted to get to know you, a master like yourself."
Wang Sheng was squatting by the pond washing a pot when he heard this and paused in his work.
Su Yun paused, her tone becoming more serious, and she leaned forward slightly: "I have a film to shoot in the second half of the year, called 'The Kitchen God'..."
Her gaze fell again on Wang Sheng's hands: "I observed your entire operation, especially your hand movements and strength..."
That ingrained sense of rhythm—that's something acting can't completely imitate. I wonder—would you be interested in helping out on set? As a cooking instructor, or as my hand double for crucial close-up shots?
"clang""
Wang Sheng lost his grip on the iron ladle, and it fell into the basin of water used for washing pots, splashing water everywhere.
Film crew? Hand double? Cooking instructor? For Best Actress Su Yun?
The turn was so sharp that he was momentarily stunned.
He looked up at Su Yun. Sunlight slanted down from behind her, gilding her features. She was dressed simply today: a white cotton-linen shirt, khaki casual pants, her hair casually tied in a low ponytail, and no makeup. But it was precisely this casualness that made her face even more breathtaking.
This wasn't the actress on TV or in movies, but a real person standing right in front of him.
Moreover, she was inviting herself.
Wang Sheng's heart began to race, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
If he joined a film crew, even as a hand double, once the film aired—
Wouldn't that cause their popularity to skyrocket?
Wang Sheng took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He bent down to pick up the iron ladle, rinsed it in the water, and dried it before speaking: "Miss Su, is this invitation of yours—I'm just a school cafeteria cook, can I handle it? The production crew has such high requirements, I'm afraid I'll ruin your event."
He spoke modestly, but his voice was very steady.
Su Yun smiled, her eyes sparkling with encouragement: "Master Chef, don't be modest. I've been in the industry for over a decade, and I've worked with no fewer than twenty catering consultants and technical advisors. I've even met several Michelin-starred chefs, but your skills, your control over heat and flavor, are absolutely top-notch."
She paused, then added, "And don't worry, the hand double will just be using your hands; you won't be seen. The cooking instruction will also be provided internally, so you won't be doing anything you're not good at. As for compensation, it will be based on the standards of top-tier technical consultants in the industry—you won't be shortchanged."
"If needed, I can help you arrange your vacation at the school."
Having said all that, their sincerity is already quite evident.
The scales in Wang Sheng's mind tipped completely to one side.
He gritted his teeth and nodded: "Okay, I agree."
Su Yun's eyes lit up, and she immediately extended her hand: "It's a pleasure to work with you! Come on, let's add each other on WeChat. I'll send you the script outline and preliminary timeline later."
Wang Sheng quickly wiped his hands clean on his apron and shook hands with him.
Her hands were soft, her fingertips slightly cool, but her palms warm. The moment he touched her hand, Wang Sheng felt his heart skip a beat.
"It's a pleasure working with you," he said.
After exchanging contact information, Su Yun fished for a while longer, until the sun rose higher and the light reflected from the pond became a bit dazzling, before reluctantly packing up her line.
Li Jianguo drove Wang Sheng back to school.
Along the way, the usually taciturn fishpond owner kept exclaiming, "Young Wang, I'm truly impressed. Your skills have even won over someone as worldly as Miss Su. If you ever achieve great success, don't forget your old brother!"
Wang Sheng leaned back in the passenger seat, watching the scenery rushing past the window, and shook his head with a smile: "Brother Li, you flatter me. I'm just a cook. Besides, there's still a long way to go with the film crew. Right now, I have to go back to the cafeteria to sell breakfast."
Despite saying that, he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.
When the car arrived at the back gate of Jinling University, it was just past 10 a.m. Wang Sheng jumped out of the car, thanked Li Jianguo, and headed straight for the seventh canteen.
I started making late-night snacks and filmed a video while I was at it.
The video has been published.
The screen suddenly lit up.
A WeChat message popped up.
It's Su Yun.
[The video is well-made, the technique is clean and efficient. Shall I share it?]
Wang Sheng was taken aback.
Forward?
He hovered his finger over the screen for a few seconds before replying: "Suit yourself!"
Almost the instant he sent the message, his phone started vibrating incessantly.
It wasn't WeChat, but notification sounds from various social media platforms, popping and crackling like firecrackers.
Wang Sheng frantically opened the campus forum and saw his video, which he had posted less than ten minutes ago, being viewed at a visible speed.
1 — 5 — 10 —
The number of comments quickly surpassed 1,000.
"Holy crap? What's going on?"
"Wait, the forwarding link shows—Su Yun? Is this the Su Yun I'm thinking of?"
"Su Yun herself reposted a video of the school cafeteria???"
"It looks so delicious! Wait, you're focusing on the wrong thing—why would Goddess Su repost this?!"
Wang Sheng left the forum and opened X, a social media platform he rarely used and which only had a few thousand followers.
Then, he saw his homepage.
Number of followers: 10+, and still rising.
The latest video prominently displays a comment from @SuYun: "Freshly caught and cooked by a chef's daily meals, makes me hungry! Highly recommend this school cafeteria @Shengji Cafeteria."
Number of reposts: 3.
Number of comments: 2.
Likes: 8.
Wang Sheng stared at the screen, his mind going blank for a moment.
He knew Su Yun was a top star and that she had a great influence, but it wasn't until this moment that he truly understood what the "top star effect" meant.
That was a speed of spread that was devastating.
In just a few minutes, his account went from being an obscure account followed only by students on campus to becoming the focus of attention for hundreds of thousands of people.
The system notification sounds started ringing out incessantly, one after another, almost in a continuous chorus:
[Ding! Popularity points +1000!]
[Ding! Popularity points +3000!]
[Ding! Popularity points +5000!]
[Self-media task completed! Reward: 1 random life skill lottery!]
Wang Sheng's heart skipped a beat.
He almost subconsciously held his breath, his consciousness sinking into the system space.
What could be the random life skills lottery?
The wheel began to spin rapidly, the pointer tracing blurry skill icons. After a few seconds, it slowed down, finally stopping on a square with a pale blue glow.
Congratulations on receiving: Intangible Cultural Heritage Level Cloisonné Enamel Craft (Beginner)
A stream of information flooded my mind.
Enameling, cloisonné, filigree, polishing—the secrets of these complex techniques flow like a gentle stream into the depths of my memory. Although it's only at the "beginner" level, my perception of the combination of color, texture, metal, and glaze has already begun to take shape.
Cloisonné?
Enamelware porcelain technique?
Wang Sheng was taken aback—this skill—it didn't seem to have anything to do with cooking?
But the next second, his eyes lit up.
Intangible cultural heritage!
Even if it's just the beginner level, it's still a genuine intangible cultural heritage craft. It will definitely be a killer feature if we want to make custom tableware or develop related products in the future.
Besides, what skill in the system shop is useless?
Worth it.
He logged out of the system space, took a deep breath, and calmed himself down. When he looked at his phone again, Su Yun had sent another message:
[How did your video suddenly go viral? Your followers are increasing pretty quickly.]
Wang Sheng chuckled and replied: 【Thanks to you, it's all thanks to your sharing.】
Su Yun replied quickly: 【Haha, it was no trouble at all. By the way, your account doesn't even have a single personal photo? Where's the autographed photo? It's a fan perk.】
Wang Sheng thought for a moment and typed: "I really don't have one—how about I sign one for you next time we meet?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end.
Then she sent a laughing emoji covering her mouth: "Okay, see you next time. I'm waiting for Chef Wang's autograph."
Wang Sheng smiled and closed the chat window.
He had just put his phone down when it rang.
Caller ID: Su Weiwei.
Wang Sheng answered the phone, but before he could speak, Su Weiwei's urgent and crisp voice came through the receiver: "Senior! Where are you? The forum is exploding! Douyin is exploding too! Is Su Yun that actress Su Yun? She reposted your video?!"
Besides excitement, there was another emotion subtly conveyed in his voice.
Wang Sheng walked to a relatively quiet corner of the cafeteria and explained in a low voice, "Yes, it's her. She's the client that Brother Li introduced today. I went to the fishpond and cooked a few dishes for her. We chatted quite well, and she just forwarded it."
"A fishpond? Cooking?" Su Weiwei's voice rose, "Senior, you—you saw Su Yun in person?!"
"I saw him."
"Is she...is she pretty?" Su Weiwei paused, her voice suddenly becoming softer.
Wang Sheng, in a playful mood, deliberately spoke in a serious tone: "She's beautiful. She's even more beautiful in person than on TV. Her skin is so white it glows, she has a wonderful temperament, and she's so down-to-earth."
There was a full two seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
Then, Su Weiwei snorted, the sourness in her voice palpable even through the phone line: "Hmph! Senior, you have such high standards! You should go look at more big stars then! This little cafeteria is too small for you!"
"Smack."
The phone hangs up.
Wang Sheng paused for a moment upon hearing the busy signal, then shook his head and chuckled.
Is this girl jealous?
They're quite cute.
In the evening, the late-night snack stalls at the seventh canteen opened on time.
The steam from the rice noodle rolls, mixed with the aroma of rice and sauce, filled the cafeteria.
There were also a few people from outside the school who came specifically to check in after watching the celebrity's video.
That's incredibly fast.