Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 778 - 395: Seize the Opportunity

Guli’s snacks could be recognized from afar by Qin Huai, especially the Ruyi Rolls, which Guli had been making every morning lately.

Qin Huai walked lightly towards Zheng Da. A clueless Zhiwei Restaurant apprentice wanted to offer Qin Huai a sample of breakfast to try, but was stopped by Su Qian, who signaled him to stay silent and not interfere with Master Qin’s important business.

Qin Huai’s business was eavesdropping.

He saw Zheng Da frowning, the frown comprised three parts confusion, five parts disdain, and two parts "really?" All of Zheng Da’s emotions and expressions were concentrated in that frown.

Guli was oblivious as he hadn’t looked up at Zheng Da. He was completely focused, his head down, rolling the Cloud Pattern of the Ruyi Roll.

Yesterday, while teaching Qin Huai how to roll the Cloud Pattern of the Four Happiness Rolls, Guli mentioned that the Cloud Pattern for Four Happiness Rolls was slightly more challenging than the regular Cloud Pattern because it required rolling forward and backward. However, Ruyi Rolls were much simpler because they were fried, whereas Four Happiness Rolls were steamed.

No matter the snack, steaming is generally easier since it doesn’t demand high Fire Control.

At Guli’s current level, he couldn’t produce authentic Ruyi Rolls, nor roll the Cloud Pattern well. Thus, Qin Huai could understand the five parts of disdain and two parts of "really?" in Zheng Da’s gaze, but what about the three parts of confusion?

Confusion over how Guli could make Ruyi Rolls like that?

It’s understandable; Ruyi Rolls have already become lost. Given Guli’s current skill level, it’s quite commendable that he can make the Ruyi Rolls like that.

Qin Huai, holding a teacup, stared at Zheng Da. Finally, after frowning for seventeen seconds, Zheng Da couldn’t resist and said, "How can you roll like this?"

"Master Tan’s Ruyi Rolls back then, I also tasted them. They need to be fried; high-temperature formed Cloud Pattern can’t be rolled the same way as steamed ones." This was Zheng Da’s clearest expression.

But soon it became unclear again.

"You can’t roll like this, you have to roll like that. Your curvature is too exaggerated, and this egg skin, how can it be laid out like just now? Rolling the Cloud Pattern requires skillful control, do you understand skillful control? With your rolling method, after frying and setting, do you think the Cloud Pattern will appear?"

Guli stopped his actions and humbly asked for guidance, "Master Zheng, how should I do it? I know there are issues with my method, but... I truly don’t know where the problems lie."

"I just told you earlier, didn’t I? You have issues everywhere!"

Guli continued to humbly ask, "I understood the issues you pointed out earlier, but what’s wrong with this step?"

"Just like I said earlier, your actions are too exaggerated, making snacks requires flexibility, not rigidity. There’s already an issue when you laid the egg skin earlier. If there’s a problem at that step, you should correct it in this step, but you didn’t correct it at all, and instead, followed the old method, which is still a wrong method, so how can the finished product not have issues?" Zheng Da was desperate and wanted to help Guli hands-on, but he didn’t know how to make Ruyi Rolls, so he couldn’t help.

"With your level of making Cloud Patterns, how did you teach Qin Huai and the others yesterday?" Zheng Da finally let out the words he had been holding back, almost saying that they were brave enough to teach and learn. "Is that how you taught, like earlier?"

"Was that right?"

"Is Cloud Pattern done like that?"

"Do you know how to make Four Happiness Rolls?"

"I don’t." Guli honestly said, looking up to see Qin Huai. He was just about to speak, but Qin Huai signaled him to pretend not to see him and keep talking.

Though Guli’s acting wasn’t very good, he succeeded in having a blank expression, so his poor acting went unnoticed.

Guli continued, "Master Qin knows how to make Four Happiness Rolls; he knows the general process and recipe, but he can’t do the Cloud Pattern."

"I’m not good at making Cloud Patterns, but I know what good Cloud Patterns look like. After all, years ago, I watched my master make a lot of Ruyi Rolls, and he taught me by hand, so that’s why I taught like that yesterday."

Zheng Da muttered under his breath, "Isn’t this just messing around?"

"Cloud Pattern is a difficult technique used in snacks; if you develop incorrect habits while practicing, it will be hard to correct in the future. Who messes around like this, seriously messing around. Si Yuan doesn’t even stop you; instead, he learns with you. How did I have such a son?"

Hearing Zheng Da’s mutterings, Guli didn’t dare speak, knowing it was time for him to shine, Qin Huai pretended to have just arrived and spoke, "Master Zheng, you’re here early today!"

"I just heard you say something about Cloud Pattern and messing around. Did you hear about our research into Cloud Pattern yesterday? I originally wanted to ask for your guidance, but weren’t you taking care of your dog at home yesterday? I was afraid to disturb you, so I thought I’d let Guli guide us briefly to lay the foundation, so you wouldn’t have to teach from scratch, which would be too troublesome."

Qin Huai’s sudden voice startled Zheng Da, who instinctively responded faster than his brain, "Not my dog, it’s my neighbor’s dog, I just didn’t want to come yesterday."

Qin Huai: ...

Zheng Da: ...

Guli: ?

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Zheng Da promptly explained, "It’s not that I didn’t want to come, but mainly because I felt unwell yesterday. Yes, unwell! Oh, my shoulder hurts; I’m too old, unexpectedly made snacks for so long yesterday, my body couldn’t handle it, so I rested at home for a day."