Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 32 - 31 Accidental Success

(Thanks to the book friend 20210301106568322528 for the alliance leader's reward!)

(Chapter name too long not approved (༎ຶ-༎ຶ) )

Qin Huai really wants to hang a plaque at the entrance of the cafeteria, with big words embossed in gold: "Resist overtime work, everyone's responsibility, starting with the boss!"

But he can't.

Because the task is not completed.

And the bun business is indeed good.

During this period, Qin Huai accidentally discovered several ingredients that pair particularly well with buckwheat buns. They were a huge success during the making process, receiving great reviews, and selling hot.

Someone even tried to secretly give Qin Luo a red envelope, hoping Qin Luo could manipulate to convince Qin Huai to drop specified flavors of buckwheat buns every afternoon at Yunzhong Restaurant. With the strong support of the neighborhood, the bun price increased from 1.50 to 4.00 each, with the potential to rise even further, reaching the degree where mass production could make a lot of money.

Seeing the buns so popular, Qin Congwen immediately set aside his dream of reviving handmade noodles and diligently practiced making buns in hopes of producing above-average buckwheat buns for mass breakfast production and making a big profit.

Qin Huai felt it was unnecessary.

Not for fear of tiring Qin Congwen, but mainly because Qin Family Breakfast Shop has been selling buns daily for more than ten years and not much in the way of buns. Qin Congwen's dough kneading skill is not good, and the buns he makes are not great either, so cramming won't help.

Qin Huai has already asked Chen Huihong to find a pastry chef good at making buns in the market, and preferably two more pastry chefs good at making snacks, to expand Yunzhong Restaurant's pastry team so he can get off work by 11 a.m. soon.

Also, once the task is completed, there's no need to work overtime making buns in the afternoon.

The buns were a big hit, and Chen Huixi was very happy with the taste test. With Qin Luo as the pioneer taster and quality inspector, the buns Chen Huixi ate were all officially certified delicious buns, small in quantity, suitable as afternoon snacks.

Every day after summer makeup classes, instead of going home, Chen Huixi went to the restaurant to eat buns, and afterwards, she could also enjoy some tasty snacks Qin Huai made in the morning. Her days were extremely joyful.

Not to mention that Qin Huai's bun-making technique is also improving day by day.

Now Qin Huai's attribute panel has clearly become:

Player Name: Qin Huai

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Unlocked Illustrations: 1/12

Skills:

Yeast (Intermediate): Your yeast skill has surpassed 99% of breakfast shop chefs in the country. (699/10000)

Filling (Advanced): Your filling skill has surpassed 100% of breakfast shop chefs in the country (379/100000)

Finger Skill (Basic): You don't bother to shape dim sum. (89/1000)

Oil Case (Intermediate): Your fried dough sticks are good. (19/10000)

Knife Skills (Basic): Home level. (6/1000)

Fire Control (Basic): Non-lethal. (68/1000)

Food Tasting (Advanced): Alright, you're quite the eater. (Not upgradeable)

Management (Intermediate): You can manage well enough not to lose money. (211/10000)

Lie (Master Level): You tell people what they want to hear—whether it's human or ghost! (982/1000000)

Although there hasn't been a qualitative breakthrough, and the practice amount in lies is markedly leading, the proficiency in yeast right after it is enough to show that Qin Huai has been quite diligent in making buns lately.

And he really does not chop the filling.

It can be said that during the task process this time, except for the minor regret of not completing the task, Chen Huixi got delicious buns and snacks, Qin Luo gained the admiration and bribery from neighborhood residents, Yunzhong Restaurant gained extra revenue, Qin Congwen found a new direction for his efforts, Qin Huai gained encouraging skill practice, and customers got random afternoon drops of buckwheat buns—everyone has a bright future.

Qin Huai stated that it would be even better if the damn task could be completed.

At five in the afternoon, a tired Master Qin sat on a small bench by the supply shelves in the back kitchen, doubting life.

Having wandered around outside and returning with peaches, nectarines, apricots, melons, lychees, and beef jerky, Qin Luo shared the spoils with Qin Huai along with reporting the menu.

"Brother, Uncle Lou wants maple syrup ones, Sister He thinks camel milk ones are the most nutritious, Aunt Wang believes eggs with milk is the traditional pairing, and Uncle Chen asks if you can make plain wheat buns tomorrow because he's a bit tired of buckwheat ones, if not he'll settle for cornbread." Qin Luo chewed on beef jerky.

Qin Huai: ...

Qin Huai didn't want to talk; he just wanted to continue doubting life.

The thoughtful Qin Luo noticed Qin Huai's troubles, put the fruits into the vegetable basket, picked out a melon to slice, 1/3 for her, 1/3 for Qin Huai, and saved the remaining 1/3 for Ouyang who'd be off work soon, chewing on the melon as she sat opposite Qin Huai with the look of a thoughtful good sister.

"Brother, aren't the buns you're making quite tasty now? They're really popular, Huihui loves them too. You can teach Dad to make a few types, sell them cheaper in the morning, wouldn't that be fine? What's really bothering you?"

Qin Huai looked distressed: "You don't understand, the system task isn't completed."

Qin Luo: "... Brother, what kind of buckwheat buns do you really want to make? The ones now are already very delicious!"

Qin Huai shook his head: "It always feels like something's missing."

Qin Huai didn't lie to Qin Luo. Working overtime to make buns these days, with the addition of various ingredients and different flavors, buns that tasted so good they hardly resembled buckwheat buns were born, Qin Huai got the feeling as he made them that something was a bit off.

This feeling was like a game with an extra hidden Easter egg. Now that Qin Huai has cleared the game and the exploration was 100%, the Easter egg doesn't affect the ending, it's just icing on the cake. But not having it leaves him feeling something's missing, not quite perfect.

And this game has no strategy guide, no way to search for tutorials, no idea where to find the Easter egg.

Qin Luo said she didn't understand, so continued eating melon, then asked about something she could understand: "Brother, which high school do you think my score can get me into?"

Qin Luo's high school entrance exam scores came out two days ago, and as expected, didn't do well.

Except for English, Biology, and PE, nearly all subjects were a bust, with grades so poor Zhao Rong almost couldn't resist getting up at 2 a.m. to wake Qin Luo for a beating.

She could get into a county high school, but might not be able to get into a city high school even with money. Mainly because Qin Luo was a little unlucky to be born a few years late—nowadays the rules are stricter and it's hard to do under-the-table operations. Back when Qin Huai went to high school, as long as you were willing to spend money—two to three hundred thousand—any score could be manipulated into entry.

Qin Congwen and his wife saved up quite a bit from running the breakfast shop over the years. When Qin Huai returned home to sell buns, business was booming those two years. Zhao Rong, clenched with determination to beat Qin Luo more, could still spend money to secretly get her in.

Now with the current situation, she'd probably have to go private.

These days Zhao Rong hasn't paid much attention to bun sales; she's busy making phone calls asking relatives about good-value, good-academic-reputation, live-in-friendly private high schools in the province, preferably not too expensive in tuition, or she'd fear her anger would rise at 2 a.m. and she wouldn't resist disciplining the child.

Qin Huai thought Qin Luo was quite optimistic, only caring about whether she could go to high school, not worrying about getting beaten.

Qin Huai could only vaguely say, "Mom probably won't let you go like that in our county, I see Mom's been in a bad mood lately, play less on your phone in front of her, and don't play with your watch either."

"By the way, you recently..."

Before Qin Huai could finish, a game prompt suddenly sounded in his mind: "Ding, congratulations on completing the main task [Far Ahead 1], gaining task rewards: Popularity Flow +500, [Neighborhood Approval], [A Dream from Chen Huihong]."

"New main task discovered, please check the task panel."

Qin Huai: !

Is this the legendary case of aiming for one thing and accidentally achieving another?

Side task efforts brought no progress after half a month, while the main task completed itself freely.

Indeed, those that are favored always have nothing to fear.

Qin Huai became spirited, suddenly standing up: "Luoluo, I'm going back now, eat the fruits you can, for those you can't, share with Ouyang when he comes. No need to save nectarines, Mom loves them. Remember to tell Dad that business should be good tomorrow, have him prepare more supplies."

"Also soak more soybeans for soy milk, don't worry about not selling all."

Popularity Flow +500!

Qin Huai left valiantly.

Qin Luo remained on the small bench calmly munching on melon, glancing down at the browser on her little genius phone watch.

How to Comfort People: When you want to comfort someone, why not share an embarrassing moment or consciously highlight your shortcomings? It might cheer the other person up.

I am indeed a thoughtful good sister, Qin Luo thought.

"Considering how thoughtful I am, isn't it fair for brother to make Four Happiness Dumplings just for me tomorrow?" Qin Luo murmured, biting into the melon again.

Sweet!

As if she could already taste the Four Happiness Dumplings.