"How is it, Senior Brother?"

"Hmm, delicious! This soup is truly exquisite!"

In the kitchen, the first steamer basket of Crab Soup Dumplings had already been brought out. The skin of the dumplings was steamed to a semi-transparent state, and the aspic inside had completely melted. With just a light touch, ripples would appear, as if they were water-filled balloons.

Xie Baomin was, by right, the first to taste them. He used chopsticks to carefully pierce a small opening in a dumpling's skin, then leaned in to gently sip the soup from within. The savory essence of crab, the fragrant aroma of chicken broth, and the rich perfume of the pork filling all mingled in the soup. Taking a slurp was sheer bliss.

"Fantastic, Junior Brother! Your skills are more than enough to apply for a head chef position in Building Six," he exclaimed.

Building Six primarily featured Suzhou cuisine, and its Jingjiang Crab Buns were a signature item. Known for their thin skin, generous filling, and a soup that was both delicious and rich, they were popular among domestic and international guests. Xie Baomin felt his junior brother's skills were on par with the head chefs there.

Lin Xu smiled and said, "I'm not at that level yet. I still need to learn from a true master when I get the chance."

He had initially thought his senior brother was also an expert in this area, which was why he'd let him taste first. He hoped for some pointers and to experience the joy of being guided by a State Banquet master. However, it turned out that while his senior brother understood this type of pastry, he clearly wasn't as proficient with it as he was with main dishes. So, the anticipated upgrade notification never appeared. Instead, all he heard was his senior brother's belch.

Hmm... Building Six specializes in Crab Soup Dumplings? Then I should pay them a visit and ask their head chef for some pointers. This Fishing Platform is truly a treasure trove! If this were a game, I'd definitely be in a special instance brimming with rewards, the kind I could claim anytime, anywhere.

After Xie Baomin had his taste, Lin Xu also tried one. It was indeed excellent.

These Crab Buns are only at the Excellent Level at best, and they're already this good! If they were upgraded to Superior or Perfect Level, wouldn't they taste even more incredible? I really want to try...

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the system's notification sounded: "Host is determined to make Perfect Level Crab Buns, triggering the side quest 'Dumpling Upgrade': Please visit Building Six within one week and, under the guidance of Building Six's head chef, elevate the Crab Buns to Superior. Upon completion, you will be rewarded with one Dish Upgrade Card for soup dumplings."

Damn it! I just wanted to *try* them; I didn't plan on *making* them! Can't you review the objectives properly before issuing quests? I always feel like this system is out to get me... Still, a visit to Building Six isn't out of the question. After all, it's like running an instance. I have to get my hands on every possible reward.

Thinking this, Lin Xu said, "Senior Brother? You said Building Six specializes in these? Could I visit Building Six someday? I feel like my Crab Buns aren't quite perfect yet."

"Sure," Xie Baomin replied. "Qiu Zhenhua, the executive chef of Building Six, and I get along quite well. His uncle, old Mr. Qiu Minghai, is even closer with our Master."

A close relationship? Upon hearing this term, Lin Xu immediately thought of his Senior Brother Xie and Chef Guo from Building Ten. Is it a *genuinely* close relationship, or the 'avoid each other like the plague' kind of close? I hope they don't try to intimidate me the moment I step into Building Six. Lin Xu had always felt that his Master's arrogant, show-off personality made it difficult for him to have genuinely close friends; any he did have were likely bullied into the relationship. But since the system issued the quest, I might as well go. After all, a Dish Upgrade Card for soup dumplings is pretty useful.

After the two had finished tasting the Crab Buns, dinner service began in the back kitchen.

The employee meals at the Fishing Platform were different from Lin Ji. At Lin Ji, you could eat whatever you wanted with no restrictions. At the Fishing Platform, however, there were detailed regulations. For instance, meals could not exceed four dishes, include any imported or seafood ingredients, or have ingredient costs that surpassed the Fishing Platform's standard meal allowance. Furthermore, the Fishing Platform's kitchen operated on a rotation system, with all chefs taking turns cooking the employee meals.

Arriving at the staff cafeteria, Lin Xu saw today's dinner: rice, minced meat with vermicelli, hand-shredded cabbage, stir-fried beef with Chinese kale, and a Tomato Egg soup. Three dishes and a soup, a mix of meat and vegetables. Importantly, the portions were generous, and there was more than enough rice. Although such staff meals lacked the flair of Lin Ji's Food, they smelled quite good. Actually, Lin Xu's Crab Soup Dumplings had also been part of the dinner, but they were snatched up the moment they were brought out; Lin Xu didn't even catch a glimpse of them.

He picked up a clean empty bowl and served himself a small portion of rice. He had been taking it easy all day, not busy even during the lunch rush, and plus he had just eaten some Crab Soup Dumplings, so he wasn't very hungry. After dishing out his rice, Lin Xu sat down and scooped a chopstick-full of the minced meat vermicelli into his bowl. Then, he pulled out his phone to scroll through the day's trending news while eating the vermicelli.

But as soon as the food entered his mouth, his expression froze.

Holy crap! This vermicelli is actually really good!

He looked down at the vermicelli in his bowl. The reddish strands were coated with minced meat and flecked with finely chopped chili peppers and minced garlic. The garlic must have been added last; its fresh aroma filled his mouth as he ate.

He took another bite. The vermicelli was indeed delicious—oily and smooth in texture, with a rich, spicy flavor, enhanced by a subtle hint of garlic that made it both fragrant and tasty. After finishing the vermicelli, he followed it with a mouthful of rice.

Satisfying!

Lin Xu considered himself to have tasted some pretty good food in his time.

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