APTnovel Chapter 188 Cold Noodles Skill
Chapter 188 Cold Noodles Skill
A hand suddenly reached out startled Xia Qing.
Xia Qing raised her head, her large eyes looking timidly at Chen Yuan in front of her, but then her expression changed.
She gestured to Chen Yuan.
"Hello, thank you."
After making the hand gestures, Xia Qing realized that Chen Yuan couldn't understand them, so she quickly took her phone from the side and typed out what she wanted to say.
"Thank you. Aunt Zhang said it was you who gave me the plum juice recipe. I've tried it, and it's delicious. Thank you."
Chen Yuan accepted the other party's gratitude without hesitation.
Then he explained his purpose.
He took a small piece of chalk from Xia Qing and quickly drew a simple diagram on the bluestone slab.
Grilled cold noodles with plum juice cost 12 yuan.
Next to it, a small sun and water droplets were drawn, labeled "Reducing Greasiness and Relieving Dryness".
He looked up at Xia Qing, pointed at the wooden sign with his finger, then at the simple diagram on the ground, and finally made a pushing gesture.
"The sign needs to be clearly displayed so that people can understand why they should buy it. Tomorrow, we'll change to a small blackboard. Just write what I wrote on it. You don't need to say anything; when a customer wants grilled cold noodles, you just point to it."
Although Xia Qing is deaf and mute, she can read lips.
After listening to Chen Yuan finish speaking, he glanced back and forth between the chalk writing and Chen Yuan's face.
She was a little confused, but still obediently nodded vigorously.
Chen Yuan stood up, dusted off his trousers, and then pointed to the plum juice.
"Give me half a cup to taste."
Xia Qing hurriedly took half a cup and handed it over.
The moment you take a sip of the plum juice, the smoky flavor of dried plums fills your mouth, followed by the sweet and sour taste of the plum juice.
Chen Yuan pursed her lips. The taste of the plum juice was not just a simple sweet and sour flavor, but rather a complex and layered one.
It should be sour first, then sweet.
In this way, the refreshing sourness will neutralize the sweetness, and when you finish the taste, the sweet and sour flavors intertwine, and with the addition of a light smoky flavor, it becomes long-lasting and soothing.
The recipe provided by the system has a more prominent fruity aroma, a very smooth taste, and is very palatable.
After tasting it, Chen Yuan nodded slightly.
"The taste is not bad."
Xia Qing hurriedly typed: "I followed your instructions exactly without any changes, and it really tastes great. My grandma and I both love it."
Chen Yuan thought for a moment, then felt he should add something more, so he spoke up.
"Write down the benefits of sour plum drink on the blackboard, such as clearing heat and relieving summer heat, and strengthening the spleen and improving appetite."
"Remember to make sure the word 'iced' in the 'iced plum drink' sign is written very prominently, so that on such a hot day, it will make people want to drink it just by looking at it from afar."
"Also, descriptions that make your mouth water, like 'sweet and sour,' 'appetizing,' and 'quench your thirst,' should be included."
Xia Qing nodded vigorously, indicating that she would definitely do as instructed.
Just as Chen Yuan was about to turn back, the notification sound in his mind rang again.
[Host intervention detected, triggering the worship of the target character.]
[Reward Unlocked: Complete Cold Noodles Cooking Technique (God-Level)]
Chen Yuan paused in his steps.
Even if he were slow to realize something was wrong, this was the first time that a reward had been unlocked before a side quest was completed.
Moreover, the rewards are also beneficial to side characters.
Chen Yuan turned back and looked at Xia Qing's face, increasingly feeling that the system was being overly compassionate and too kind to her.
Well, might as well go all the way. Since the system is giving such a reward, there must be a reason for it.
Without hesitation, Chen Yuan turned around and went back to the stall.
Xia Qing was arranging bamboo skewers with her head down. When she saw him return, her shoulders tensed slightly, and her eyes revealed confusion and a hint of unease.
Chen Yuan didn't speak, but simply pointed to the iron plate.
"Shall I give it a try?"
Chen Yuan's gaze was gentle. His tone was also mild. Xia Qing was taken aback for a moment, then put down the bamboo skewers and gave up her position. At the same time, her hands nervously gripped the edge of her apron.
Following the system's instructions, Chen Yuan quickly got to work.
He didn't touch the sauce bottle first, but instead picked up a long-handled bamboo brush and used his fingertips to draw a dividing line on the edge of the iron plate.
"The iron plate should not be completely hot."
His voice was low, as if he were muttering to himself.
"The left side is 30% warm and the right side is 70% hot. Place the cold dough on the warm side first, then brush on a very thin layer of base oil. Wait until the edges soften slightly and a transparent film forms before pushing it to the hot side. This way, the dough won't be crispy or hard, but will still have a chewy texture."
This was Chen Yuan's first time doing this, so he wasn't very skilled.
His movements were unhurried and deliberate. He cracked the egg open, not haphazardly pouring the contents onto the surface, but gently tapping it with the rim of the bowl. The egg yolk flowed down the brush handle and quickly spread out at the boundary between the warm and hot zones.
Then, with a flick of the wrist, the bamboo brush was slowly pushed forward in a cross shape.
The egg mixture seeps into the dough as it is pushed.
Following the system's instructions, Chen Yuan quickly completed the first task.
But he felt it wasn't perfect enough, so he made a second one, and a third one.
By the time he got to the fourth one, Chen Yuan's movements were becoming increasingly skillful and fast, and the aroma of the grilled cold noodles was also wafting out.
Chen Yuan wasn't particularly noticeable here, but the tourists' noses seemed to be equipped with radar, and they gathered around following the scent.
Someone with sharp eyes recognized Chen Yuan immediately.
Some people raised their phones to record, while others swallowed hard. One by one, the scarves unconsciously moved forward.
"Why is Boss Chen grilling cold noodles?"
"Aren't you making steamed buns today? How about grilling cold noodles? I didn't expect Boss Chen to be not only handsome, but also a master of all trades."
Chen Yuan placed the four portions of grilled cold noodles on a clean bamboo cutting board, cut them into even squares with a knife, and then inserted disposable bamboo skewers.
He then handed the tray to the crowd in a gentle yet very clear voice.
"Dear tourists, this is the grilled cold noodles I made. Since it's my first time making it, I'm a little unsure of myself."
"Please help me taste it and give me your feedback. Whether it's too sweet or too salty, too soft or too crunchy, please be honest and don't hold back. It will help me make improvements."
With such a great opportunity to sample products for free, it's no wonder that people are eager to participate.
Several tourists around took the bamboo skewers, and their reactions to biting into them varied but were very genuine.
A young girl wearing a fisherman's hat took it, chewed it a couple of times, and her eyes lit up instantly.
"It's delicious. The outer layer is crispy, and the inside is soft and chewy. It's not hard at all. I hate hard grilled cold noodles the most."
The young man next to him nodded in agreement after eating.
"It's delicious! The sauce isn't a muddled mess; it's sweet at first, then slightly spicy, and finally a touch of vinegar to cut through the richness. It's incredibly fragrant. Mr. Chen, may I have another bite?"
Others also expressed their opinions.
"Yes, the egg mixture is great too. It's completely incorporated into the batter, not just floating on the surface. Some people make it dry and tasteless. You really have to be like Boss Chen; his control of the heat is perfect!"
Another blogger carrying a camera couldn't help but comment.
"I have a problem with that! I have a problem with that!"
"Boss Chen, shouldn't you change your sauce?"