The fried rice, fresh out of the wok, was still steaming hot. The aroma of eggs mixed with scallions wafted over, and Amy couldn't help but take a deep breath, her eyes shining as she looked at the fried rice in front of her.
Each grain of rice was coated in golden egg, almost glowing. And it wasn't just gold; there were also greens, reds, whites… a mix of colors. She swallowed hard, looking up at Mai Ge with curiosity, and asked, "Daddy, did you pluck a rainbow and fry it?"
"Huh?" Mai Ge, who had just sat down opposite her, paused, looking at the colorful fried rice in the plate. It really did look like a shattered rainbow. Childlike wonder was truly delightful. He smiled and nodded, "Yes, this is rainbow fried rice. Little Amy, try it and see how it tastes."
"No, Daddy must have a bite first, then Little Amy will eat." Amy shook her head, scooped up a large spoonful of fried rice, and laboriously handed it to Mai Ge.
"Little Amy, eat first. Daddy isn't hungry. I'll make another one later." Mai Ge said with a smile and shake his head.
"No, Daddy got up so early to make breakfast for Little Amy, must be hungrier than Little Amy." Amy pouted, holding the spoon in mid-air, wobbling slightly because she was too weak, but she showed no intention of taking it back.
"Okay, I'll have a bite first." Mai Ge smiled and ate the spoonful of rice. The fragrant fried rice filled him with a warm feeling. The little one had clearly been secretly swallowing several times, yet she insisted on having him eat first.
This feeling of being cared for was so good.
"Then, Little Amy started to eat oh." Amy happily took back her spoon, scooped up another spoonful of fried rice, and looked at the rice earnestly, saying, "Sorry, rainbow, I'm going to eat you."
Mai Ge couldn't help but smile. The little girl's thoughts were so innocent. He rested his chin on his hand, looking at Amy expectantly, feeling a little nervous.
Although he thought this Yang Zhou Fried Rice was delicious, it was, after all, food from Earth, completely different from the cooking style of this world. He wondered if Amy would like it, or if she would be used to it.
Amy's eyes lit up the moment she put the fried rice in her mouth. Her small, pointed ears, half-hidden beneath her silver hair, twitched. The soft rice coated in tender egg, the fragrant shrimp, the savory ham, the sweet tree mushrooms, and the crisp bamboo shoots—all were perfectly blended in this one bite of fried rice. The texture was so delicate, the rich, sweet flavor melting in her mouth. It was indescribably delicious.
The sweet crispy biscuits, which had previously been her number one favorite, seemed like stone compared to this fried rice—utterly insignificant, and she probably wouldn't want to eat them again.
She took a bite, then immediately took another, one bite after another, unable to stop. She felt this was the happiest moment of her life.
"Rainbow fried rice is so delicious! Daddy is so amazing…" Amy mumbled between bites, but her eyes never left the plate. She continued shoveling rice into her mouth, showing no intention of stopping for a break.
"Eat slowly." Mai Ge said, getting up to pour a glass of water and placing it beside her. Watching the little girl's cute little pointed ears twitch, her face was filled with a satisfied smile. Amy's reaction said it all; she was very satisfied with the fried rice. The tedious repetitive practice in the Chef God Space had finally paid off. Just watching she eat made it all worthwhile.
"I guess I'll soon fall in love with cooking." Mai Ge thought to himself. Watching the little girl eat was so rewarding, but she was eating so deliciously that he was starting to feel hungry himself.
After finishing all the fried rice on the plate, Amy licked the plate clean with both hands, not even leaving a single shrimp at the bottom. Putting the plate down, she said expectantly, "Daddy, I want more! Little Amy wants more rainbow fried rice! Rainbow fried rice is so delicious!"
"More?" Mai Ge was a little surprised, glancing at the empty plate. He had cooked an adult portion, and the little one had finished it all, yet she still wanted more.
"Yes, Little Amy want eat more." Amy nodded, blinking her big eyes, looking at Mai Ge expectantly. But then she thought for a moment, glancing towards the kitchen, and said hesitantly, "But Daddy hasn't eaten yet. Is there enough rice at home? I don't need to eat."
"Of course there's enough rice. Besides, Daddy ate a big bite of Little Amy's fried rice, so Little Amy probably not full. Shall I cook another batch and eat together with Little Amy?" Mai Ge smiled and ruffled Little Amy's hair. The little one always thought of him; she was so thoughtful.
Flipping through his memories, Mai Ge realized that although Little Amy was only four years old, she could eat two bowls of rice in one meal, almost like an adult. Having tasted such delicious fried rice for the first time, she definitely wanted another bowl. However, it was so early in the morning, and Mai Ge didn't want the little one to overeat; he'd give her a small bowl later.
"Okay, Daddy cooked so well today!" Amy clapped her hands, her eyes full of admiration as she looked at Mai Ge.
Mai Ge got up, cleared the plates from the table, and prepared to go into the kitchen.
"The free use of ingredients has ended. From now on, all ingredients provided by the system must be purchased by the host before use. Below is a price list for the ingredients; please check it." Just then, the system's voice suddenly rang out.
"Purchase?" Mai Ge was taken aback, suddenly remembering that when he completed mission in the Chef God Trial Grounds, the system seemed to have mentioned granting him the right to purchase ingredients. However, his attention was completely drawn to the Yang Zhou Fried Rice at the time, and he hadn't paid attention, assuming the ingredients were provided free by the system. He hadn't expected to have to purchase them.
Focusing intently on the price list, Mai Ge's eyes widened immediately. "What the heck? System, are you marking the prices wrong?"
"The prices are all marked correctly." the system calmly replied.
"Fifty copper coins for a large prawn is one thing, but charging one copper coin for a green pea... this is ripping people off!" Mai Ge raised an eyebrow. The list clearly stated:
Ingredients for one serving of Yang Zhou Fried Rice:
Large Prawns: 50 copper coins each - 2 needed;
Eggs: 30 copper coins each - 2 needed;
Ham: 40 copper coins per piece;
Tree mushrooms: 30 copper coins per stalk;
Winter bamboo shoots: 30 copper coins per piece;
Rice: 30 copper coins per bowl;
Green peas: 1 copper coin each - 5 needed;
Scallions: 1 copper coin each - 1 needed;
Total: 296 copper coins.
"The price of the ingredients for this one serving of Yang Zhou Fried Rice is enough for 296 sweet crispy biscuit!" Mai Ge was speechless. Was this even allowed to do business?