The Game of Life

Potatoes are an almost omnipotent ingredient.

Originating from the Andes Mountains in South America, they were introduced to China in the 16th century. As an imported product, they have high yield per acre and are easy to grow. Mrs. Jiang, having nothing better to do, planted half an acre of potatoes, which Jiang Feng could cook however he wanted-steam, boil, bake, fry, saute, cook, deep-fry-you name it, but in the end, they were all for the pigs to eat.

Compared to leafy greens, Jiang Feng also preferred potatoes. Leafy greens only required fire control and a bit of seasoning, but it was different with potatoes, not only could he practice generous amounts of knifework and fire control, but he could also use more seasoning than when stir-frying greens. Consequently, Sir Jiang’s ways of scolding him also increased.

■■Are those supposed to be potato slices? Why are you cutting them so thin? Are you cooking for immortals?

■■Are you stir-frying potatoes or deep-frying them? Can’t even add oil properly. Do you need so much oil for that plate of shredded potato? Cut six more shreds, quick! If the oil gets too hot, let’s see what you’ll do!”

"Didn’t eat lunch, huh? How are you flipping the wok? You’re about to flip the vegetables right out of it.”

"Just praised you the other day and you’ve already become arrogant, huh? Look at those potato slices you fried, don’t you feel you’ve added too much cooking wine?”

Sir Jiang roared like a tyrant, while Jiang Weiming was the assassin delivering the finishing blows.

"You didn’t shake the wok right just now.”

"You added the thickening too soon.”

‘Your knife veered off just a moment ago.

Jiang Feng endured the pain with pleasure.

Being taught by two master chefs was an incredibly fortunate thing. Ordinary cooks would be lucky to get pointers from one master, but here he had two. To complain any more would be ungrateful for his good fortune.

But, it was truly exhausting.

Half an acre of potatoes, over six hundred pounds, Jiang Feng used them all up in less than ten days. The four pigs in the pen ate potatoes every day, laying on the ground with their bellies turned up, especially Erhua, who ate the most. Whatever amount there was, she ate it all, adding yet another layer of fat.

These days, once out of the kitchen, Jiang Feng didn’t want to do anything but lie in bed and sleep. When his eyes were open, he saw potatoes, and when they were closed, he still saw potatoes. His mind was filled with various methods of cooking potatoes, everything he ate tasted like potatoes, and everything he saw looked like potatoes.

After stir-frying the last pan of potatoes, Jiang Feng felt as if he had been through an ordeal.

What would be next-sweet potatoes, eggplants, or cucumbers? Mrs. Jiang had also planted some cucumbers. Picking them all should be enough for a day s practice.

"Alright, you’ve been working hard these past few days, Feng. The new year is almost here. Take a couple of days off and go play in the city with your cousins” Seeing the last plate of sour and spicy shredded potatoes, which was clearly not up to par, Jiang Weiguo not only refrained from scolding him but also gave Jiang Feng a well-deserved break.

Jiang Feng: (i’o’)i

A holiday?

A holiday!

He actually got a holiday!!

Jiang Feng zipped out of the kitchen so fast, not wanting to linger for a moment longer.

Jiang Feng pulled out a sticker that his second cousin often posted in the family group chat from his phone album showing

“I’ll look for you guys to hang out once I’m out,” and sent it to their little cousin group chat.

Studying physics is nice, just can’t understand it: [Image] Studying medicine is nice, except for the cold head: Yo, Fengfeng’s broken out of jail.

Designer’s life is good as long as you have a good temperament: Did grandpa say we could come over for meals again?

Your humble servant from business management (third cousin): Shouldn’t you come over to my place for a meal today, Second Brother?

Learning physics is fine; it’s just that I don’t get it: Grandpa has kicked me out~(SVg)/~

After chatting with a few cousins about this and that, Jiang Feng finally felt a bit like he was coming back to life. He had leveled up his seasoning skill to advanced a few days ago, but at that time, he was so numb from frying potatoes he didn’t feel much.

Now that he was suddenly ‘released from prison,’ he thought of checking his attribute panel.

Knifework (Advanced): Your knifework has surpassed that of the vast majority

Of chefs. (Proficiency: 86111/100000)

Fire Control (Advanced): Your fire control has surpassed that of the vast majority of chefs. (Proficiency: 7962/100000)

Seasoning (Advanced): Your seasoning has surpassed that of the vast majority of chefs. (Proficiency: 4765/100000)

In just ten days, he had increased his knifework proficiency by over ten thousand—a truly painful enlightenment.

Jiang Feng went back to his room to pack his bags, then dragged his suitcase to town, ready to take a minibus back to Alan City. He needed a good return to the life of a normal person, or if that didn’t work out, even lazing around at home for a few days would do.

Jiang Weiming, hearing the noise of Jiang Feng dragging his suitcase in the kitchen, said helplessly,

“Feng hasn’t been in the right state of mind these past two days; he couldn’t even tell light soy sauce from dark soy sauce this morning.”

"Frying dishes nonstop for ten days would wear anyone down-even if they were made of iron, they’d struggle to tell the difference,” Jiang Weiguo, who had been watching Feng’s condition over these days, said with a sigh as he looked at Weiming.

“Third brother, you’re too impatient.”

"You know very well that culinary skills can’t be rushed, and you’ve pushed Feng too hard. If I don’t let him rest for a few days, my old lady is going to have a bone to pick with me.”

"I know, it’s my fault,” Jiang Weiming said, looking at a bucket full of water and potatoes.

“Feng is a good kid.”

"The lad really does obey, and with New Year’s just around the corner, let the kids have their fun. Don’t be so impatient; we still have time to teach slowly. There’s not much time left. Jiang Weiming thought to himself but didn’t voice it out loud.

Beyond the initial euphoria of recognition, Jiang Weiming became increasingly aware that time was running short. Jiang Feng was still too young; his fundamentals were solid, but many of his skills were not up to snuff. And yet, Weiming himself was getting too old.

He possessed exceptional culinary knowledge, but no one to pass it on to.

He was afraid that Jiang Feng was learning too slowly; he was afraid that he wouldn’t have enough time to teach. He was all too aware that his younger brother’s techniques in flipping a big spoon and deboning a whole chicken were not yet perfected-what use was his own high level of skill?

His body, increasingly failing, and his flagging spirits constantly reminded him that he was an old man who could stumble into the gates of death at any moment.

The unique culinary skills of the Jiang family-deboning, filleting fish, caramelizing, and making sauce-thickening slurry-were things Jiang Weiming hadn’t fully mastered himself, but he was stronger than Jiang Weiguo, and he knew much more than him.

He was really impatient, wishing he could immediately pass on all his life’s knowledge to Jiang Feng.

Perhaps, he had been too impatient.

Little brother was right; pushing the child like this would only harm him.

"Let’s take it slow,” Jiang Weiming said, lowering his eyes.

That was the only option left.

*This chapter is an additional update.

If anyone has any opinions about this book, feel free to express them, but please refrain from personal attacks. I generally don’t delete discussions or comments from chapters; you can attack the author, but please don’t attack the characters I create in my writing. I like all the characters I write; I’m not good at writing villains, so I don’t write them.

[No, please don’t attack the author ]

Sir Jiang is a chef, and he is part of that very small top rung of cooks. My setting where he rejects hormone-injected meat because he pursues high-quality ingredients, and my setting where Jiang Family Members all weigh over 200 pounds, are intentional. Whether you mean it or not, whether it’s a joke or not, calling the Jiang family members 200-pound pigs upsets me. I’m upset, I’m really upset, I’m extremely upset!

My comparative-level upsetness. They’re all characters 1 created, characters I like, fictional beings of my creation. If someone insults them, I’m superlatively upset!

Every kind of adjective form of upset!!

‘(’/

[Super Loud]