one two three.
Just three strokes are needed; any more and the crispy skin will soften. Each slice of meat is evenly coated with a glistening amber sauce.
Remove from heat and plate.
(Image of Guo Bao Rou - There are various ways to make Guo Bao Rou, I chose one that looks good for reference only)
Just as the dish fell into the plate, making a slight sound.
On Su Wei's retina, the long-awaited pale blue text finally appeared, more dazzling than ever before.
[The host has successfully completed a cooking task that is difficult and has never been attempted before. Skill assessment successful.]
[Congratulations on acquiring the skill: Cooking LV3 (12/800)]
[ Cooking LV3: You have moved beyond the beginner level and possess unique insights into heat control and seasoning. Even among discerning gourmets, your dishes can hold their own.]
[Additional Passive: Deliciousness Boost (Slightly enhances the color and aroma of food), Nutrient Lock (Reduces nutrient loss during cooking by 10%).]
[Successfully prepared a delicious dinner.]
[Gain temporary buff: Mental Pleasure: Energy recovery speed increased by 10%, Mental Pleasure- being increased by 15%.]
It's done.
Moreover, it starts at LV3.
Su Wei's lips curled up very slightly, and a hint of smugness flashed in his eyes.
It seems that the previous assumptions were entirely correct. The system rewards breakthroughs, not repetitions.
"Cough cough..."
Emily was choked by the intense jealousy, but her eyes remained fixed on the plate, as if afraid it would fly away.
"What kind of magic is this? This smell... it's too overpowered."
She had never seen pork prepared this way before.
Golden and crispy, coated in an enticing sauce, and garnished with vibrant green cilantro and bright orange carrot shreds.
"Chinese magic."
Su Wei carried the plate out of the kitchen and placed it on the simple small round table.
Then, he turned around and brought out the braised pork belly, which had been simmering over low heat and had a bright red color, as well as a bowl of light and refreshing spinach and egg soup.
Three dishes filled the small table to the brim. The steaming white rice, under the lamplight, exuded the aroma of home.
"Is it ready to eat?"
Emily held the fork, leaning forward like a schoolchild waiting for instructions.
"Please."
No sooner had Su Wei finished speaking than Emily's fork precisely pierced a piece of freshly cooked sweet and sour pork.
Put it in your mouth.
Click.
A crisp, extremely clear sound.
The sweet and sour sauce explodes on the tongue, followed by a crispy outer shell, and finally, your teeth cut into the tender and juicy pork tenderloin.
Emily froze.
She continued chewing, her blue eyes suddenly widening, and she even forgot to breathe.
He didn't speak.
She simply chewed faster, her eyes shifting from shock to fervor.
He then swallowed it quickly, and the fork reached for the plate again like a blur.
This time, the speed was twice as fast as before.
"Slow down, it's hot."
Su Wei ladled a bowl of soup and placed it beside her, looking at her with amusement.
"Su..."
Emily's mouth was stuffed full, and she mumbled indistinctly, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster's.
"You're committing a crime... this is absolutely a crime!"
"Um?"
Su Wei picked up a piece of braised pork; it was fatty but not greasy, and melted in his mouth.
Although this dish didn't require any special skills, Su Wei's expert Cooking resulted in perfect control of the heat.
"This kind of thing..."
Emily swallowed the food in her mouth with difficulty, let out a long breath, and her cheeks flushed with excitement and heat.
"If I can't eat this anymore, I'll get depressed, I really will."
She accused him in an extremely serious tone, even with a hint of grievance.
"This is a million times better than those so-called General Tso's Chicken and Orange Chicken I've had in Chinatown! Those are practically just rubber coated in syrup!"
That's an exaggeration.
Su Wei served himself a bowl of rice, in a good mood.
An urgent scratching sensation came from beside my feet.
Cotton Candy stood up in a panic, frantically pawing at Su Wei's jeans with its two front paws, making urgent and pitiful "whimpering" sounds.
It smelled the meat but couldn't eat it; for a fox, this was pure torture.
Su Wei had expected this; the small bowl he brought out from the table was just fried sweet and sour pork.
Take out a piece, tear off the crisp outer coating to reveal the white flesh, and toss it to the Cotton Candy.
The little guy displayed amazing athletic talent, catching the meat mid-air and then, like a protective guardian, burrowing under the sofa, making a protective whimpering sound.
The room was warm and cozy, filled with the aroma of meat.
Outside the window, the snow had not yet melted, and the cold wind howled.
Emily ate without any decorum, sauce smeared on her lips, completely forgetting her dignity as a master's student in animal behavior.
Su Wei watched this scene, his nerves, which had been tense all day, slowly relaxed.
"Oh, right."
Emily devoured the third piece of sweet and sour pork in a flash, then, as if suddenly remembering something, she reluctantly put down her fork, her expression becoming somewhat complicated and worried.
"Are you really planning to participate in Black's practical assessment tomorrow? I mean... although you're a great cook, that old man is really scary."
"Certainly."
Su Wei took a sip of the hot spinach soup, feeling the warmth slide down her esophagus.
"For the sake of the certification, I'd go and try my luck with anything, even a real Kodiak brown bear, let alone Black."
"But..."
Emily hesitated for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts.
"I heard from people in town that Black has been in a really bad mood lately, it's like the prelude to a volcanic eruption."
"I heard it's because someone violated hunters' rules and poached a pregnant doe. The methods were cruel, but they didn't catch the person."
Emily lowered her voice.
"Right now, he's like a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment. I've heard some people are even scared enough to consider dropping the exam."
Su Wei's fingers gently caressed the rough edge of the rice bowl.
An angry examiner.
The standards are so strict they're almost abnormal.
Add to that the elusive poacher rumor.
"It doesn't matter."
Su Wei put down the bowl, speaking in a calm tone as if he were describing tomorrow's weather, but his eyes revealed a sharp glint.
"Whether it's a powder keg or Old Devil."
"As long as his standards remain within the realm of humanity."
Su Wei glanced at the module panel and smiled confidently.
I can shut him up.
Chapter 69 A Night's Stay in the Snowstorm, Just a Sofa Away
The last of the sweet and sour pork was devoured.
Emily used the last piece of meat to wipe the layer of sweet and sour, thick sauce at the bottom of the plate clean.
She slumped unceremoniously in the slightly sunken armchair, her injured left leg propped up high on a stool, and let out a satisfied sigh.