Socializing

Inside the kitchen, Xiang Kun skillfully prepared the ingredients while whispering to Tang Baona, who wanted to help but didn't know where to start:

"Oh, right, I made you a small wooden carving as a Christmas present. I only made one because I was short on time. It's in the sauce bag over there. Open it after we leave, otherwise if Old Yang sees I didn't prepare one for her, she'll pester me all night, forcing me to sign some unfair treaty before I can get away. Next time we meet, I'll make her another wooden carving as her Christmas present."

Tang Baona couldn't help but laugh, "'Old Yang'... you try calling her that to her face later, I really want to see her expression when she hears that address, haha..." Then she became interested in the gift he mentioned and asked, "What is that little wooden carving you made? Is it an original character or an anime character?"

"You'll see when you go back and look," Xiang Kun said.

"Ah!! You could have just told me later, just tell me now, I really want to go see it right now..."

"Nana, what are you looking at?" Yang Zhen'er's questioning voice suddenly came from the kitchen doorway, startling Tang Baona so much that she almost jumped up.

"Huh? You weren't looking at anything? You were looking at how to cook dinner!"

Yang Zhen'er didn't notice anything strange; Nana's startled reactions in the kitchen were normal. She said, "May I take Xiaoping to your room to see your collection?"

Tang Baona has a large collection of anime and game merchandise, many of which are very rare editions. Qin Ping, the classmate Yang Zhen'er invited today, is also interested in these items.

"Sure," Tang Baona replied, without saying anything else. She knew that with Yang Zhen'er watching over things, there wouldn't be any problems and no one would damage her collection.

After receiving approval, Yang Zhen'er made a fist gesture to Xiang Kun, who was next to Tang Baona: "Go for it, Chef Xiang! My stomach is ready!"

After Yang Zhen'er left with her classmates, Xiang Kun smiled at Tang Baona and said, "Why don't you go and chat with your friends too?"

"Uh, you came to my house to cook for us, but you were busy doing all the cooking by yourself. I feel so bad!"

"Go ahead, go ahead. You're not helpful anyway. You're just taking up my space and slowing me down," Xiang Kun laughed.

"What?" Tang Baona glared at him. "You dare to look down on me?"

"Go away, go away." Xiang Kun waved her out, knowing she was acting.

Preparing dinner for ten people is quite a challenge, even for Xiang Kun in his current state. He had already calculated the entire cooking process in his mind, making detailed steps. Tang Baona's presence in the kitchen was a huge variable, which would indeed affect his plans and workflow. Of course, he knew very well that Tang Baona wouldn't mind him saying this, but if it were someone else, he would have to use a more tactful approach.

"Okay, okay, anyway, you're the one who made me go out, it's not that I was lazy and didn't want to help!"

Tang Baona walked out of the kitchen as she spoke, then was astonished to find that the people who had been chatting in the living room and on the balcony were all gone.

Then she followed the sound and found a large group of people gathered in her room. Some of them couldn't even get in and had to stand at the door.

Although her room was quite large, it was still a bit cramped for so many people.

As Tang Baona walked over, she heard the voice of Xie Peng, Linlin's husband and the game company's art director with the pigtail. "This greatsword, this ahoge (cowlick), were they all carved directly? This is incredibly time-consuming and requires a lot of patience and skill! I used to do wood carving with some of my senior classmates when I was at the art academy, so I know how difficult it is! This maker is a master!"

Then came Yang Zhen'er's voice. "Brother Peng, why don't you take a look at this one? How's the carving?"

Behind a group of people, Tang Baona put her arms around Wang Han and her sister's shoulders, and stood on tiptoe to look between them. She saw Yang Zhen'er pointing at the flawed, half-finished wooden carving Saber that Xiang Kun hadn't done well at first, and asking Xie Peng.

"What happened?" Tang Baona asked in a low voice, puzzled.

Tang Baoting suppressed a laugh and replied softly, "Zhen'er brought her classmate to see your collection, and she was attracted by your Saber wood carving. While they were discussing it, Xie Peng and his wife came over to take a look. Since he had studied wood carving a little before, he started commenting on it."

She knew the origin of these wood carvings, so she knew very well that Yang Zhen'er was up to no good again.

In Tang Baona's room, the most eye-catching items are two wooden carvings: one is a finished Saber carving, and the other is a flawed, unfinished Saber carving. Both are displayed in transparent boxes on a shelf, seemingly given the same level of importance.

"This... 'Evil Goddess Saber', 'Nass Saber'?" Xie Peng examined the unfinished wooden carving and shook his head, saying, "This is clearly the work of a beginner. These two works are not in the same league."

"What if the creators are all at the same level?" Yang Zhen'er asked.

"You mean, he deliberately sculpted it like this?" Xie Peng observed it again and shook his head firmly. "Impossible. Judging from the works, they can't possibly be of the same level. If we don't look at the works, how can we judge the skill levels of the two makers?"

"What if I can prove it? What if I can prove that these two creators are on the same level? From now on, you'll have to call me 'Third Sister,' okay?"

Tang Baona, watching from behind Tang Baoting, immediately understood Yang Zhen'er's purpose. It must be because Xie Peng had jokingly called her "Yang the Third" again today.

"Fine! As long as you can prove that these two creators are indeed at the same level, with so many of us watching, you can't just cheat, can you? I don't believe you..." Xie Peng was very confident in his judgment.

But before he could finish speaking, Yang Zhen'er said calmly and quietly, "Their creator is the same person."

Xie Peng was stunned. He looked at the two wooden carvings again and exclaimed in surprise, "The same person? How is that possible!"

"It is indeed the same person," Tang Baona said with a smile as she walked over. "And you know that person too."

"I know him too?" Xie Peng frowned and thought for a moment, then muttered, "Our classmates, your relatives, people I've met, people I know, it seems like none of them can do wood carving, and at this level..." He suddenly paused, then looked at Yang Zhen'er: "Could it be 'Chef Xiang'?"

He still remembered what Yang Zhen'er said when she introduced Xiang Kun to Tang Baona and her group of friends celebrating her birthday in a private room.

First, they introduced Xiang Kun as a culinary genius, an archery genius, and a martial arts master. Then they asked them to guess Xiang Kun's job. If they guessed wrong, they had to drink. As a result, none of them guessed his profession correctly, and everyone was punished by drinking several cups.

Could it be that besides cooking, archery, martial arts, and his job as a programmer, he can also do wood carving? Oh, and by the way, this guy is also a really good singer, quite captivating.

Yang Zhen'er laughed loudly, "BINGO! You guessed right! Both of these dishes were made by Chef Xiang! Since it's the same person, they're naturally of the same level! Lao Xie, why don't you call me 'sister'!"

"No, it's the same person, but at different times, their skill level is different..." Xie Peng struggled to say.

"What constitutes the same period? How long is the time frame?"

"It will take at least a year... or maybe six months!"

"These two wood carvings were made no more than half a month apart! Quick, call her 'sister'!"

Xie Peng stared wide-eyed at Tang Baona in disbelief, seeking confirmation. The latter could only shrug helplessly, indicating that what Yang Zhen'er said was indeed true.

Xie Peng could only say helplessly, "I never thought I'd be fooled again after you tricked me once by using Chef Xiang's profession... Human nature is terrible! Third Sister! Third Sister! Are you satisfied now...?"

"Hey, little Peng, you're so good." Yang Zhen'er said with a grin.

Xie Peng wasn't annoyed; his group of friends had always been losing money and bickering. His wife, Linlin, was also laughing so hard she couldn't straighten up.

Wang Han, who was watching the commotion by the door, turned to Chang Bin and said, "Xiang Kun can also do wood carving?" She was a little surprised. Normally, if someone had this kind of talent, Chang Bin should have mentioned it when he asked her to introduce Tang Baona to Xiang Kun. After all, although it can't compare to piano or violin, it is still an artistic talent and a plus.

Chang Bin shook his head. "This is the first time I've known he can do wood carving. He definitely didn't know that in college; he probably learned it after he started working."

Although Xiang Kun was focused on cooking, he was fully aware of what was happening in Tang Baona's room. He didn't really care that people knew about his wood carving skills; at most, they would say that he had a strong learning ability and was quite talented in wood carving.

However, after leaving Tang Baona's room, the conversation among the group unexpectedly turned to Xiang Kun.

Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er praised Xiang Kun's cooking, saying how good and delicious it was. Tang Baoting kept agreeing, which whetted the appetites of those who had never tasted Xiang Kun's cooking before.

Xie Peng and Linlin then embellished the story of Xiang Kun singing "Someone Like Me" at a karaoke bar during Tang Baona's birthday celebration, saying that someone was moved to tears by Xiang Kun's singing and that his voice was extremely influential. So everyone unanimously decided that they would find an opportunity to have Xiang Kun sing it again after dinner.

Then Yang Zhen'er took out her phone and played the video of Xiang Kun's "heroic act" for Qin Ping, Chang Bin and Tang Baoting, who hadn't seen it, and praised Xiang Kun's "heroic" deeds again.

If it weren't for Chang Bin occasionally recounting embarrassing stories from their university days, even with Xiang Kun's current mental fortitude, he would have found it hard to withstand their flattery.

At 6:11 PM, eleven minutes later than planned, Xiang Kun started having Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er help carry the dishes out.

Given the previous boasts from the Tang sisters and Yang Zhen'er, everyone else also had extremely high expectations for Xiang Kun's cooking.

The first few dishes served are indeed very appetizing, and people are starting to gather around the table, ready to eat.

Xiang Kun brought out the last dish, and based on the positions of those who were already seated, he deduced where those who were not yet seated should be. Then, as he placed the dish, seemingly just to make the arrangement more spacious, he naturally adjusted the positions of the other dishes, placing the ones he had modified for specific tastes closer to their respective "diners".

Knowing that there would be ten people eating together tonight, Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er were worried that Xiang Kun wouldn't be able to handle it alone. They wanted to order ready-made dishes from a restaurant and just have Xiang Kun cook one or two dishes.

However, after doing some calculations, Xiang Kun still felt that he could handle a whole table of dishes by himself.

With the new cognitive model, Xiang Kun can now directly create a cognitive model for each dish when cooking. He can more easily and efficiently adjust how to arrange the cooking process between multiple dishes and how to change the cooking details of which step to suit different people's tastes, making him more at ease in the kitchen.

Tonight, Xiang Kun knew the diners' tastes best, except for himself. He knew Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er's tastes best, so four dishes were prepared specifically for them. He had eaten with Tang Baoting and her fiancé Gao Yao a few times, so he knew their tastes more than 50% of the time, and two dishes were adjusted to suit their preferences. Chang Bin was his college roommate and old friend, and they occasionally ate together after graduation. Although he had never eaten a meal cooked by Xiang Kun, he had a basic understanding of his tastes, so two dishes were made based on his recollection of Chang Bin's cooking. As for Xie Peng, Linlin, Xiaoping, and Wang Han, Xiang Kun didn't know their tastes, so he could only arrange the remaining four dishes according to the tastes of most locals, making them lighter.

Of course, this doesn't mean that dishes made specifically for Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er's tastes are unpalatable to others. Xiang Kun believes that others will still find it quite enjoyable, and if their tastes happen to be similar to theirs, the feedback will be even better. He simply did the calculations beforehand and felt that this combination of flavors should maximize everyone's satisfaction.

Just as everyone was about to sit down and start eating, Yang Zhen'er suddenly stopped them, saying, "Wait a minute, let me video chat with Lao Xia first!"

However, her video call request was rejected outright.

So Yang Zhen'er filmed a short video and sent it to Lao Xia, making a close-up of Lao Xia's favorite crispy pork knuckle. While filming, she said, "Hehehe, did you see that, Lao Xia? Your favorite crispy pork knuckle, made by Chef Xiang! Mmm~~~ It smells amazing! It must taste pretty good too! Oh my, my mouth is watering! Don't worry, Lao Xia, I'll help you finish them all!"

Seeing Yang Zhen'er's smug look after posting the video, Tang Baoting couldn't help but laugh, "Now I know why your cousin didn't accept your video calls."

Tonight, besides Xiang Kun and Gao Yao, who always drink plain water and iced cola, there are two other men Chang Bin and Xie Peng, who can both drink alcohol and are considered heavy drinkers.

But tonight, the girls are clearly the main characters. They're either childhood friends, sisters, or classmates, so both Wang Han and Linlin will be drinking.

Chang Bin and Xie Peng simply joined Gao Yao for some iced cola; they'd be the driver later, so for now they were focused on the food.

Actually, at first glance, the dishes Xiang Kun prepared weren't particularly impressive; in fact, they were rather ordinary.

At first glance, apart from fish soup, there was no seafood at all. There were no lobsters, crabs, prawns, or anything like that. Apart from a few rabbit dishes, there were crispy pork knuckles, braised pork ribs, and stir-fried chicken with soy sauce. The only vegetables were cabbage and eggplant, and even the eggplant was minced meat eggplant.

However, the "diners" at the table, Tang Baona and the others already knew how delicious Xiang Kun's cooking was, while the others had just been hyped up by him and were bursting with anticipation, so they were not disappointed because the ingredients were not "high-end".

But once they started eating, the aroma and the stimulation it brought to their taste buds even exceeded their expectations.

While chewing on a piece of dry-pot rabbit meat, Chang Bin couldn't help but turn to look at Xiang Kun: "You're really that good at cooking? If I hadn't seen you cooking just now, I would have suspected that you just bought it from a restaurant! I really didn't know! You kid... you said you wanted to go back to your hometown to open a farm? I think you should just find a place and open a restaurant in this city instead of opening a farm! If you need anything, I can help you!"

Xiang Kun chuckled and said, "Maybe I really will open a restaurant someday." Then he pointed to another dish and said, "Try this. You prefer stronger flavors and can handle spicy food, so you can try this."

Soon, the table was filled with exclamations of praise, followed by a constant stream of food being picked up, everyone eager to try each dish. In contrast, Tang Baona, Yang Zhen'er, Tang Baoting, and a few others who had eaten Xiang Kun's cooking before ate more slowly, even helping to describe the flavors of the dishes to those around them, showing a tendency to recommend good things they had used to their friends.

"Chef Xiang, I truly admire you." Xie Peng, with his pigtail, raised a cup of cola to Xiang Kun. "The first time we met, Old Yang... Okay, okay, stop glaring, stop glaring, it's Third Sister, Third Sister, alright?" He smiled and responded to Yang Zhen'er's threatening look, then continued looking at Xiang Kun. "Third Sister calls you 'Chef Xiang,' and I thought it was just a joke, but now I finally understand, Chef Xiang really is a chef! Oh, by the way, your wood carving is also quite impressive, I admire you!"

Then the others at the table took turns toasting Xiang Kun, thanking him for preparing such a large and sumptuous meal. However, what was rather unusual was that the three men drank cola, while the six women all drank red wine. As for Xiang Kun, he, of course, drank several glasses of plain water.

Based on the feedback from several people's physical condition, Xiang Kun updated their taste and preference data in real time, and then casually recommended dishes that were more suitable for them.

At the dinner table, it wasn't just about eating; after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they started chatting frequently.

After Xiang Kun's various sensory abilities were greatly enhanced and he underwent training in rapid analysis of sensory information, his brain's related processing abilities were evolved and strengthened. He became much more adept at interacting and chatting with people than before, and was able to analyze based on observations and then provide feedback.

Especially after he learned some psychology and micro-expression techniques, he was able to apply them even more freely.

But after truly mastering and acquiring that new cognitive model, Xiang Kun found himself entering another realm in his communication with others.

Thanks to the new alliance leaders "Tong Tang" and "Huan Yu", I've silently added 6 more chapters to the bonus log...