Chapter 12: Memories of Egg Fried Rice

“Kitchen assistant… let me see again.”
“Hiring chefs… must be officially recognized Spirit Chefs…”
“Tsk!”

Sitting on the sofa at home, Qin Lang rubbed his temples in frustration as he scrolled through the job listings on his phone.

Making a quick sum of money wasn’t going to be easy.

In this world, most chefs with excellent culinary skills were officially recognized Spirit Chefs, so restaurants had corresponding requirements for hiring chefs.

If one wasn’t a Spirit Chef, the only positions available were assistant roles.

But such work lacked technical challenges and didn’t pay very well. Besides, Qin Lang had been a top-tier chef in his previous life; it felt a bit beneath him to be merely an assistant to another chef.

“As expected, I have to start as a chef,” Qin Lang mused thoughtfully. “Although I’m not a Spirit Chef yet, if I get a chance to do a trial dish, my cooking skills should be enough to impress the restaurant owner.”

“But the timing isn’t right.” He glanced at the wall clock; it was already dinner time.

At any restaurant, dinner hours were the busiest, leaving no time for interviews. He would have to wait until after the rush to try.

Speaking of dinner time, Qin Lang rubbed his stomach and felt a pang of hunger.

“Well, it is what it is. I should eat first.”

He stood up and walked to the refrigerated food cabinet, pondering what to make for dinner.

“There’s leftover rice from lunch.”

“I can make some egg fried rice.”

“There’s still plenty of beef left…” Qin Lang suddenly remembered his bank balance was barely in the triple digits and sighed. “No, better save it for now.”

“Before I earn enough to buy ingredients, I have to be frugal.”

That piece of beef was his best ingredient at the moment, and saving it meant he could stretch his meals for several more days.

“One egg fried rice should be enough.”

With that, Qin Lang took the leftover rice from the pot and then pulled out two eggs from the fridge.

These eggs were sold by an elderly lady at the market who also sold potatoes; she claimed they were laid by her own hens.

Skillfully separating the egg whites from the yolks, Qin Lang’s brow lifted slightly as he admired the bright orange-red hue of the yolks.

The quality of these eggs was better than he had expected.

He heated the pan and poured in oil, adding the egg whites and scrambling them before setting them aside.

Then, he mixed the egg yolks evenly into the rice before stir-frying it until each grain separated distinctly. Finally, he folded the scrambled egg whites back in and tossed everything together.

Watching the tender egg whites and golden yolk-coated rice intertwine in the pan, Qin Lang momentarily drifted away in thought.

“Master…”

Perhaps it was because he had mentioned his master from his previous life during his conversation with Zhou Qing that afternoon. As he stir-fried the egg fried rice, his thoughts returned to that person.

This was the first dish his master had taught him.

Egg fried rice was simple, but it required precise control over the heat.

For apprentice Qin Lang, it was not only a practice dish but also his work meal.

No matter how it tasted, a chef must never waste ingredients.

This was his master’s teaching.

Even after his master passed away and he struggled his way to become a top-tier chef, Qin Lang never forgot those words.

Only now, he could never see his master again.

His eyes reflected a hint of nostalgia, but his movements remained flawless, as though this egg fried rice was etched into his very bones.

He added a pinch of salt for seasoning, sprinkled some chopped green onions on top, and vigorously tossed the wok to mix everything evenly.

Surrounded by the steam rising from the rice and cooked egg whites, the fresh aroma of the green onions was instantly awakened.

Lost in his memories, Qin Lang failed to notice the faint shimmering light flickering from the Tianshu Star Vein atop his forehead.

When the stir-fry was finished, he flipped the wok with a flourish, and every grain of the finely cooked egg fried rice flew perfectly into the plate without a single grain falling.

The rich, mellow scent of egg had already filled the kitchen during the cooking process. Each grain of rice was coated in golden egg liquid, distinct yet visibly tender.

The pale green scallions not only brightened the color but also, warmed by the heat, released a fragrance that intertwined with the aroma of the egg fried rice, adding a light and fresh quality to the rich scent.

In the next moment, the Tianshu Star Vein burst forth with dazzling light.

A sudden burning sensation surged through his forehead, an unprecedented weakness overwhelmed him, and his vision darkened as he fainted instantly.

-----------------

“This isn’t right…”

“Why hasn’t it happened yet…”

Zhao Chuan paced back and forth in his own kitchen, hands clasped behind his back, nostrils twitching as he carefully sniffed the air. His brows furrowed, eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

“What nonsense are you up to?” Liu Suyun, who was cooking, raised her spatula threateningly at Zhao Chuan. “Old man, if you’re not going to help, just get out!”

Before dinner, Zhao Chuan had unexpectedly offered to help with the cooking. She thought maybe after two scoldings earlier, the old man had come to his senses.

Now it seemed she was going to have to scold him again.

“Doing, doing, doing!” Zhao Chuan ducked his head and smiled pleadingly at his wife before quickly heading to the sink. “These cabbages need washing, right?”

He grabbed the cabbage and began scrubbing it swiftly.

After just a few strokes, Liu Suyun’s voice rang out sharply again. “Old fool, you’re almost washing all the leaves off!”

“Put down the vegetables! Stay put!”

“Don’t be so harsh…” Zhao Chuan sheepishly put down the cabbage and suddenly inhaled deeply.

A strange and captivating aroma drifted in from somewhere, causing his eyes to sparkle.

That scent…

Could it be…?

He dashed to the kitchen window, leaned out, and peered toward the neighboring kitchen window, grinning slyly.

“It’s starting! It’s starting!”

Qin Lang was cooking again!

The faint taste of broth he had sampled at lunch had thoroughly whetted Zhao Chuan’s appetite. He had slipped into the kitchen during dinner time just to catch the first whiff of Qin Lang’s cooking.

Breathing in greedily the blended aromas of egg, rice, and scallion, Zhao Chuan was certain that Qin Lang’s dinner would be delicious.

“Old man, get out of the kitchen!”

Liu Suyun’s voice rose even louder.

“All right, all right, I’m leaving,” Zhao Chuan quickly dashed out of the kitchen and then tiptoed out the front door, eyes darting mischievously.

At noon, he had used the excuse of repairing old furniture to approach Qin Lang, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the repair was never completed.

Tonight, he could use the same excuse to visit again.

Qin Lang was always polite, and since it was mealtime, he would surely invite him to stay and eat.

That way, Zhao Chuan could naturally hang around and get a free meal!

Back for more, this time he wanted more than just broth!

He was determined to reclaim everything that was rightfully his and eat the dishes prepared by Qin Lang!