Mai Ge went into the kitchen. The rice he'd left in the rice cooker was just cooked. He scooped out a bowl and let it cool slightly before using his credit limit to buy ingredients for a second batch of Yang Zhou Fried Rice.
Mai Ge wasn't considering purchase limits right now; a thousand servings of Yang Zhou Fried Rice was no joke. However, if the restaurant became very popular, limiting purchases would be a way to respect customers and allow more people to enjoy the food.
As for the system's suggestion, he wasn't stupid. This system probably wanted him back to his semi-crippled state.
"The system's suggestions are all for helping the host go further on the path to becoming a chef god." the system's voice suddenly sounded.
Mai Ge raised an eyebrow, surprised that the system had read his mind. He felt more open and asked, "System, then, to help me go further on the path to becoming a chef god, let me give you some advice."
"Please speak, host." the system replied.
"I think you should halve the price of these ingredients." Mai Ge said seriously.
"The ingredients provided by this system are all sourced from…" the system replied.
"I feel the same way about your suggestion." Mai Ge ended the conversation abruptly before the system could finish speaking.
"..." An ellipsis flashed through Mai Ge's mind.
Mai Ge's lips curled slightly as he quickly began preparing the ingredients.
What a joke! He was famous for his sharp tongue back in the day, never losing a verbal battle. He hadn't even gained a single fan account; debating the system was a piece of cake.
Mo Bai was currently sitting, feeling the changes in his body. After finishing a serving of Yang Zhou Fried Rice, the warm feeling in his body began to subside, but the fatigue hadn't disappeared; it was real. He clenched his fist, feeling much more energetic than when he had just woken up that morning.
"At this level, it should be equivalent to half a bottle of intermediate level recovery potion, without any feeling of overexertion. A bottle of intermediate level recovery potion costs 20 gold coins, and I consume one a day, while two serving of delicious and even more effective Yang Zhou Fried Rice only cost 12 gold coins. All things considered, it's incredibly cost effective." Mo Bai quickly did the math in his mind, and the conclusion made his eyes light up.
The forging of each weapon requires swinging that nearly 100 jin (about 50 kg) iron hammer countless times. The high reward corresponds to high intensity labor and forging skills.
In recent years, Mo Bai's physical recovery ability has declined significantly. Everyday, to complete his workload, he needs to drink a bottle of intermediate level recovery potion with a nauseating smell at noon.
However, this substance is highly addictive, and he's already feeling his body slowly being corroded by long term use. At this rate, he can only maintain his forging precision for a maximum of five years.
The day he loses his precision will be the day his reputation, built up over decades in this Chaos City, collapses.
Although the price of a weapon, at least 1000 gold coins, has allowed him to save a considerable amount, he knows that money is far from enough for what he wants to do. Five years is too short; he needs at least ten more years of high intensity forging everyday.
This serving of Yang Zhou Fried Rice is like a ray of light suddenly appearing in endless darkness, giving him a glimmer of hope.
"I'll try another serving. If the recovery effect is indeed good, then I can come here everyday!" He initially felt a little reluctant to spend the money, but compared to the potion that made him want to vomit after just one sip, this incredibly delicious Yang Zhou Fried Rice, which was almost half the price, was a perfect choice if the effects were the same.
"Dwarf Grandpa, didn't you just say you wouldn't love this taste?" Amy finished her Yang Zhou Fried Rice, licked her lips, and looked at Mo Bai with a smile, her little face full of innocence.
Mo Bai blushed slightly under Amy's gaze, coughed twice, and said, "I was just testing the boss, seeing if he was confident in his cooking skills. I didn't expect that despite being such a good cook, he lacked confidence, so I was trying to boost his confidence."
"Is that really true?" Amy looked at Mo Bai with some skepticism.
"Of course it's true. I'm not the kind of person who would say something is bad before even trying it." Mo Bai nodded seriously, his tone carrying a hint of pride.
"Then I'll take it as true." Amy glanced at Mo Bai helplessly, slid off her chair, and carried the plate into the kitchen.
"I...I..." Mo Bai felt like he was being looked down upon again, being stared at with that helpless look from a young girl, as if she had already seen through everything.
Mai Ge, listening to Mo Bai's arrogant conversation from the kitchen, was easily rendered speechless by Amy's sharp retort, and a slight smile crept onto his lips.
This little girl is quite talented. No wonder she's his daughter. With just a little development of her sharp tongue, coupled with her adorable appearance, she can completely roast people until they question their existence, yet they still can't get angry. This feeling is simply too satisfying.
"If you want more, I'll make an extra portion of my one and give you a small bowl too." Mai Ge said, smiling at Amy, taking the plate and placing it aside.
"Daddy, you're so good to Little Amy." Amy said, looking up at Mai Ge with adoration. Her father seemed like a completely different person since she woke up yesterday; he had become so wonderful.
Mo Bai, watching the father and daughter in the kitchen from outside, was stunned. In a daze, he seemed to see a child standing in front the stove, looking up with adoration at the man wielding the heavy hammer. So many years had passed; he wondered how he was doing. He felt he owed him so much.
"Please sit outside. Daddy needs to cook rice for the guest first." Mai Ge said with a smile and a nod.
"Okay." Amy replied obediently, happily leaving the kitchen. She climbed onto the high stool behind the counter, rested her chin on her hands, and looked at Mo Bai. "Dwarf Grandpa, don't worry, your fried rice will be ready soon. Just wait a little longer."
"Okay." Mo Bai finally snapped out of his reverie, nodded in response, and looked at Amy with a rare smile.
"Guest, your fried rice." Mai Ge said with a smile, placing the fried rice in front of Mo Bai.
"Okay." Mo Bai nodded, looking at the exquisitely crafted fried rice, like a work of art. With anticipation, he scooped up a large spoonful and put it in his mouth. The taste was as intoxicating as before, and as he swallowed the fried rice, that warm feeling rose again, nourishing every part of his body.
"It really works! And it's even better than the intermediate level recovery potion!" Mo Bai's eyes were filled with surprise and delight.
Perhaps because he had already eaten one serving and relieved enough muscle fatigue, he felt that the second serving not only relieved fatigue but also nourished his chronically worn muscles. This nourishment was subtle, but those areas, which ached terribly on rainy days, now felt exceptionally comfortable, as if a pair of warm hands were gently massaging them.
"Boss, please give me another serving of Yang Zhou Fried Rice." Before he had finished his fried rice, Mo Bai suddenly looked up at Mai Ge and said, his eyes now showing a hint of respect.