At three in the afternoon, Qin Feng finally woke up feeling refreshed. After lounging in bed for a bit, he went online to continue learning about the world around him.  

Browsing through food-related content for half an hour, he discovered that people in this world didn’t pay much attention to the art of eating. As a result, chefs rarely developed new dishes. However, chefs held a rather high social status here. Even an ordinary chef working in a five-star restaurant could gain fame comparable to some second- or third-tier celebrities by participating in various competitions.  

Feeling rested, Qin Feng decided to go out and order a set of custom knives—a must-have for any serious chef.  

Before long, he arrived at a kitchenware store in the city center. The store didn’t offer a wide variety of knives, mainly just cleavers and bone-chopping knives. Smaller specialty knives were noticeably absent. This made sense, considering the long-standing tradition in the local culinary world of using just one all-purpose knife for Chinese cuisine. Perhaps it had to do with cultural values that emphasized simplicity and versatility. Each part of the knife—the edge, spine, face, tip, and handle—served a unique purpose. With one knife, a chef could chop, slice, smash, carve, and debone. Given this mindset and the high status of chefs in this world, it wasn’t surprising that knife options were limited.  

“Sir, may I help you? I can introduce you to some of our top-notch knives,” a sweet-looking young woman greeted him as she approached.  

“Do you offer custom knife-making services?” Qin Feng asked, getting straight to the point.  

Shen Yan, the salesgirl, was a little taken aback. After all, most chefs didn’t bother customizing their knives, though some of the more serious ones did. She nodded and replied, “We do offer custom orders, but there’s an additional 10% fee.”  

“How much does it cost to customize one knife?” Qin Feng continued.  

“For custom orders, each knife is priced at 10,000 yuan,” Shen Yan answered honestly.  

“That expensive?” Qin Feng frowned, calculating that the twenty-plus knives he needed would cost over 200,000 yuan in total.  

Noticing his reaction, Shen Yan quickly added, “Sir, the quality of our knives is excellent, the best in the country. I assure you, they’re worth every penny.”  

Realizing there was a misunderstanding, Qin Feng hurriedly explained, “Miss, you’ve got it wrong. It’s not that I think the price is too high—it’s just that I need a lot of knives, so the total cost is a bit steep.”  

“A lot? How many are we talking about?” Shen Yan asked, her curiosity piqued. Most chefs managed just fine with one knife; what could anyone do with so many?  

“About twenty or so,” Qin Feng replied, rattling off a list of knife types: “Slicing knife, mulberry knife, Wenwu knife, cleaver, skinning knife, boning knife, steak knife…” He named over twenty kinds, including traditional Chinese knives and Western-style ones like steak knives, as well as Japanese knives for handling sashimi, octopus, fugu, and shellfish.  

Shen Yan was baffled by the unfamiliar names of some knives and asked in confusion, “Is it really necessary to have so many?”  

Qin Feng nodded with a serious expression. “Of course. Knives are the essential tools of a chef. If a knife isn’t sharp, cuts won’t be precise, flavors can’t penetrate, and the wok’s aroma won’t come through. The more specialized the knife, the better it can handle specific ingredients.”  

“Well said, truly well said!”  

A round of applause broke out from nearby. An elderly man with silver hair approached, clapping as he walked over.  

“Grandpa, you’re here,” Shen Yan said as she supported the man, who was none other than Shen Yuanshan, the store’s owner.  

Shen Yuanshan approached Qin Feng with a smile. “Young man, that’s the best explanation for knives I’ve ever heard. You must be a chef, right?”  

Qin Feng nodded. “Yes, I am. Would it be possible to place a custom order here?”  

“As long as you have the blueprints, custom-making isn’t a problem,” Shen Yuanshan replied, stroking his beard.  

But Qin Feng hesitated. While he could draw the designs—they were etched into his memory—he couldn’t afford the hefty price tag of over 200,000 yuan.  

Noticing Qin Feng’s dilemma, Shen Yuanshan made an offer. “If you’re willing to cook me a dish of soup that satisfies me, I’ll give you the entire set of knives for free. How about that?”  

“Deal! Tomorrow evening, Grandpa Shen, come to my restaurant. I promise the soup I make will meet your expectations,” Qin Feng said confidently, without hesitation.  

“Good! I look forward to tasting your cooking,” Shen Yuanshan laughed heartily as he walked away.  

Qin Feng, too, headed back to his shop, getting ready for the evening’s business hours.  

Meanwhile, in an office building, Qiao Lu was resting her head on her desk, lost in thought. She was reminiscing about the ‘Kung Pao Chicken’ she had eaten at lunch, her mouth watering at the memory. She decided she’d go back for another taste after work.  

“Lu Lu, daydreaming again? Don’t tell me you’re thinking about a man!” A short-haired girl walked over, teasing her.  

“Xiao Wen, stop it! Listen, I found this restaurant with amazing food. Come with me after work, okay?” Qiao Lu grabbed Xiao Wen’s hand, pleading earnestly.  

But Xiao Wen wasn’t interested. “Lu Lu, those small restaurants aren’t hygienic. No matter how good they taste, it’s not worth it.”  

“Xiao Wen, that place is so clean you could use it as a mirror! Trust me, you’ll regret not trying it.”  

“Really? Is it that good? What, do they serve dragon meat or something?”  

“Don’t joke around! I’m serious—if you don’t go, you’ll miss out big time.”  

“Fine, fine, I’ll go. Happy now?”  

After much persuasion, Xiao Wen finally agreed, though she wasn’t expecting much.  

As soon as they got off work, Qiao Lu dragged Xiao Wen to ‘A Spoonful Moment’. On the way, she kept urging, “Hurry up, Xiao Wen! The boss only opens for an hour.”  

“Only an hour? If it’s really that good, isn’t he just cutting off his own profits?” Xiao Wen replied skeptically, her doubts growing.  

Soon, the two arrived at the modest little restaurant.  

Looking at the small, unassuming establishment, Xiao Wen thought to herself, ‘Yep, just another hole-in-the-wall.’

“Boss, I brought a friend to support your business!” Qiao Lu cheerfully greeted Qin Feng.  

Qin Feng gave her a faint smile. For his first-ever customer, he naturally wanted to leave a good impression.  

After sitting down, Xiao Wen asked, “What dishes do you have? Let me take a look at the menu.”  

Before Qin Feng could answer, Qiao Lu jumped in. “The shop only has one dish for now—’Kung Pao Chicken’.”  

“Just one dish? What kind of restaurant is this?” Xiao Wen said, clearly surprised.  

Seeing Xiao Wen’s incredulous reaction, which mirrored her own from earlier, Qiao Lu couldn’t help but chuckle. Then, without hesitation, she ordered two servings of ‘Kung Pao Chicken’.