The Game of Life

Jiang Feng looked at Jiang Junlian.

Jiang Junlian looked at Jiang Feng.

As the cousins met each other’s gaze, their eyes locked in a flash of understanding. Jiang Junlian, as if she hadn’t seen her male cousin, stepped past Jiang Feng and continued hopping and skipping forward.

Jiang Feng, acting as if he hadn’t seen Jiang Junlian, walked into the kitchen.

The superficial sibling bond was unmistakably displayed in this moment.

“Xiaxia, go to the front and get the steamed crabs ready for processing,” Jiang Feng assigned tasks as soon as he entered the kitchen. “I’ll come over after I finish the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon.”

“Okay, Master,” Ji Xia put down the kitchen knife and ran to the front.

Jiang Feng scanned the kitchen.

The pots were used, wood had been burned, and on the chopping board lay unfinished slices of potato—given Ji Xia’s current knifework, slicing potatoes was quicker for him; making julienne potatoes was not only uneven in length and thickness but also time-consuming.

Da Hua’s daily diet was quite simple, mostly various leafy vegetables mixed with potatoes and sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes were usually boiled, so if it was for a stir-fry, it definitely had to be potatoes. Now there was only a small basket of potatoes left in the entire kitchen, and the stove had clearly been lit; Jiang Feng guessed that Ji Xia must have been cutting and frying simultaneously, when he had enough to fry, he’d do it, and then continue cutting afterwards.

The kid didn’t show any trouble.

Seeing only Jiang Junqing left in the kitchen, Jiang Feng felt a surge of mischief and said, “Junqing, everyone’s too busy to lend a hand right now, help Xiaxia by cutting the potatoes.”

Although sisters Jiang Junlian and Jiang Junqing were both of the Mischief Demon King type, Jiang Junqing was relatively better, especially when she was alone.

If Jiang Junqing was still XXL sized, Jiang Feng might not dare to speak up, but now that she was an XL and alone, he, Jiang Feng, was a chef capable of tossing a pan, and he could surely handle a lone cousin of XL size.

Jiang Junqing looked at the small basket of potatoes, roughly counted them, and asked, “Should I peel them?”

“No need, just cut them into a size good for frying,” replied Jiang Feng, not daring to boss his cousin around too much.

Jiang Junqing breathed a sigh of relief and picked up the kitchen knife.

Cutting potatoes was something she was proficient in, as she had done it most during the summer vacation.

Jiang Junqing started cutting the potatoes, slicing them not only faster than Ji Xia but also better.

Although she and Jiang Junlian always shirked their duties when learning to cook from a young age, they were still trained and the Jiang Family’s children after all. Having cut vegetables for most of the summer vacation, her knifework was still decent.

Seeing Jiang Junqing so obedient, not only offering no resistance but not even complaining, Jiang Feng couldn’t quite believe his eyes.

Was this really his cousin?

Was this the same ruthless and bloodthirsty sister who would catch cousins during the New Year to tutor and discard one after another once they were used up?

He’d never have thought that she’d change so much upon starting high school. It seems the educational level in Alan City’s middle schools is really something!

“Junqing, take your time with the cutting; it doesn’t matter if you don’t finish. If you feel tired, just go out and have a rest, sit down and eat some fruit,” Jiang Feng feigned concern and left.

On the way, he encountered Ji Xia carrying two large plates of crabs and Jiang Junlian excitedly running back clutching three big boxes of mooncakes.

By the time Jiang Feng reached the main battlefield, the kitchen was already filled with the aroma of various meats, a whiff of which made one feel as though they’d arrived in paradise, triggering boundless fantasies about the flavor and recalling many memories about family gatherings to Jiang Feng.

Jiang Weiming had originally planned to have the Roasted Pig prepared at the Taifeng Building and delivered, but since it was inconvenient to do so and the Roasted Pig needed to be served fresh to maintain its taste, Professor Li had arranged a few days in advance to build an oven in the kitchen specially for making Roasted Pig.

Jiang Feng could only sigh at the sheer luxury of having a big house.

If it weren’t for the fact that his own home wasn’t large enough, he’d also like to have an oven capable of making Roasted Pig in his kitchen.

The pigeons had already been prepared by the two Sirs; all he had to do was prepare the stuffing, stuff the pigeon, and steam it with pine needles. The hardest part of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon was the thickening sauce; Jiang Feng had now completely mastered this technique. If he wanted to further improve the taste of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, he could only strive to improve his culinary skills. As anyone who has played games knows, base attributes determine the cap.

If the base attributes meant the score could only reach 99 points at most, even a player with an SSS luck value couldn’t roll a 100.

The Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon and the stuffed crab in orange were one dish per person, which also meant Jiang Feng had to make 21 portions of both. He didn’t even need to think to know he certainly wouldn’t finish them all.

If there had to be absences, they had to be chosen wisely.

The portions for the two Sirs and Professor Li and his wife definitely couldn’t be skipped, which accounted for 4 portions.

Ji Xia loved oranges and meat, so his apprentice’s portion couldn’t be missed.

The same was true for Qiqi, his girlfriend; he couldn’t let her down either.

You can’t fail your mom, but it’s okay to fail your dad.

Two male cousins and two female cousins… never mind, blew them off.

Just as Jiang Feng was pondering how to wriggle out of this one, Jiang Weiming spoke up, “Feng, we’re running a little short on time now, just make a few token servings of your Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon and Crab-Stuffed Oranges, as long as everyone gets a taste of your cooking, that’s enough.”

“I understand, Granduncle Weiming,” Jiang Feng nodded.

After all, nobody came for the meal today specifically for his dishes.

Even he himself didn’t come for his own dishes.

Jiang Feng and the two elders worked methodically in the kitchen, a picture of calm and harmony.

Meanwhile, Jiang Junlian, carrying three boxes of mooncakes bumped into Jiang Feng and then remembered she’d forgotten to pick up another box, she went back, retrieved the forgotten box and came late to the scene with four large boxes in tow.

By the time Jiang Junlian arrived, Jiang Junqing had already sliced two platters of potatoes.

Jiang Junlian, mooncakes in arms, walked into the kitchen, and seeing Jiang Junqing slicing potatoes, the motions, the cutting board, the kitchen knife, even the potatoes under the knife, were all so familiar that they brought back some rather unpleasant memories.

“Junqing, why are you cutting potatoes? Did grandpa ask us to cut them?” Jiang Junlian immediately tensed up.

“Brother asked me to cut them,” Jiang Junqing said.

“He asked you to cut and you just cut? That’s obviously because he doesn’t want to…” Jiang Junlian glanced at Ji Xia who was peeling crabs at the side, and shifted her tone, “Grandpa didn’t ask us to do it, why bother cutting them?”

“Brother has to cook three dishes this afternoon,” Junqing said earnestly.

“Sure, the Sweet and Sour Yam, that pigeon thing, and something with an orange, what about them?” Junlian didn’t catch on, “Brother’s Sweet and Sour Yam is quite delicious.”

“But today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and usually for this meal as well as New Year’s Eve dinner, grandpa never lets anyone else cook, not even Uncle,” Junqing explained.

“But today Uncle also…”

Junqing gave Junlian a meaningful look.

Junlian caught on.

Having been inseparable for so many years, the twins had a connection that was beyond ordinary; oftentimes, a simple look was enough to convey all that needed to be said.

Frying rice and preparing dishes are not the same thing.

Jiang Weiguo’s decision to let Jiang Feng cook for the Jiang Family’s grand banquet was an affirmation of Feng and also a declaration of his status.

Jiang Feng now had the qualifications and ability to take on the main role.

Now was Mid-Autumn, who knows, the next one might be the New Year’s Eve dinner.

After maintaining the unshakable status of head chef in the Jiang family for decades, Jiang Weiguo’s time for passing the torch finally arrived.

As a child of the Jiang Family, Junlian knew a principle all too well.

In the Jiang Family, culinary skill is a symbol of status.

Their brother, who had been at the bottom of the food chain for years, was slowly climbing to the top.

“I’ll help you cut,” Junlian went to find a kitchen knife.

Ji Xia, who was peeling crabs, looked baffled: ???

She always felt that her twin martial uncles had just had some kind of exchange she did not understand.

Before her master arrived, it was the two martial uncles watching her chop vegetables.

Once her master arrived, it became her watching the two martial uncles chop.

Ji Xia glanced at the mooncakes Junlian had brought; they were in gift boxes, large and exquisitely crafted with rich colors and ornate packaging, clearly expensive at first glance.

She wanted to eat mooncakes, just one would do, with meat, or if not, then yolk would suffice.

And if possible, with two yolks.

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