The Game of Life

Chapter 588: Chapter 586 A-level Carrot and Beef Stew (Two in One 5000 Words)

March 15th was destined to be an extraordinary day, as Jiang Feng felt the bone-chilling cold from the moment he stepped out of his home.

It was a cold unlike any other, and even without wind in the corridors, the chill surrounded Jiang Feng like a tide, so intense that he trembled as he walked, experiencing the pain of breathing.

It seemed like a harbinger, or perhaps a warning.

A warning that venturing out in the dark at 5 am in the winter, before daylight, would have no good outcome.

Yes, 5 am in Beiping City was colder than any other time.

Jiang Feng got up this early to stew a pot of carrot and beef at Taifeng Building, ensuring that every staff member could take a bite as soon as they walked in. Today was not only the opening day of the top-floor restaurant but also a day of transformation for Taifeng Building. Jiang Feng was determined to have the lucky glow of fortune shine in every corner of Taifeng and let Rolan, hailing from across the ocean, experience the mysterious power of the East.

On his way to Taifeng Building, Jiang Feng even contemplated purchasing a lottery ticket to chance upon an unrighteous fortune with some mysticism.

He was indeed short on money recently; Mrs. Wang Xiulian hadn’t reimbursed him for the travel expenses during the New Year period, nor for the cost of pork.

The ingredients at Taifeng Building were delivered in the early morning, a habit of Jiang Jiankang’s. Mainly because he disliked waking up early, he chose to stay up late instead, and even now when he no longer needed to worry about the food supply, with someone else handling it, the meat was still delivered at night.

Vegetables would arrive the next morning.

At 5 am, still in the dark, Jiang Feng felt as though he was returning home after work. The cold made him walk faster, reaching Taifeng Building in just over ten minutes, even breaking into a slight sweat.

The restaurant was empty, pitch-black, and due to its retro decor, even had a somewhat eerie feel. Jiang Feng didn’t turn on the lights in the lobby; instead, he used his phone’s flashlight to go straight to the kitchen, turned on the light there, and began to pick ingredients with practiced ease.

This was his first time preparing carrot and beef stew since he completed the Benevolent Doctor Canteen task.

Because the cooldown time for this dish was too long, Jiang Feng didn’t know when would be the best time to eat it, so he simply set it aside for emergencies.

The dish was easy to prepare, though making the carrots and beef tender and flavorful required extra time. Having got up early with time to spare, Jiang Feng devoted extra care to his cooking, even meticulously comparing the carrot pieces to ensure they were uniformly cut and would absorb the flavor well.

Once all the ingredients were in the pot simmering, Jiang Feng simply pulled up a chair by the stove, playing with his phone while keeping an eye on the dish.

It was warmer there, too.

At 7:17 am, Fan Mei arrived at Taifeng Building.

Fan Mei was somewhat surprised to find the kitchen lights on upon arriving, and even more taken aback to see Jiang Feng sitting there playing with his phone. She approached and chatted with him for a bit.

“You got up this early just to make carrot and beef stew?” Fan Mei was baffled, thinking Jiang Feng had come to the kitchen early to check the ingredients due to nervousness about the restaurant opening, but it turned out he was there to cook.

Jiang Feng shrugged, “Couldn’t sleep since I woke up too early. Better to come here early and stew some beef than just lie in bed.”

Fan Mei nodded, assuming Jiang Feng couldn’t sleep due to nervousness, and consoled him, “Don’t be too nervous, little boss. Although the place across the street is famous, at the end of the day, it’s just a two-star Michelin chef, not three-star. No need to perceive it as such a formidable enemy.”

Jiang Feng gave her a forced smile in response.

Though that might be true, Rolan wasn’t just any two-star Michelin chef; he was a chef skilled in fusion cuisine with a keen study of Chinese food—a two-star Michelin chef who was harder to deal with than Zhang Guanghang, his father, a long-famous three-star Michelin chef.

With this thought in mind, Jiang Feng glanced at the stew on the stove and felt considerably more at ease.

Fan Mei had her own matters to tend to this early at Taifeng Building. After exchanging a few words with Jiang Feng, she left the kitchen to attend to her business.

About ten minutes later, Ji Xue arrived at the kitchen, still munching on a bun, slightly surprised to see Jiang Feng there.

But Ji Xue didn’t say much, just nodded to Jiang Feng in greeting and went on to do her thing—as she was not one to talk much.

So, Jiang Feng sat by the stove with his phone, watching TV until he was engrossed and gradually forgot about the beef stewing on the stove.

“Ding, a new A-grade dish has been completed, current task progress (7/10).”

When Jiang Feng heard the system prompt, he was somewhat dumbfounded.

This feeling was like when you were secretly playing on your phone, but the teacher suddenly came up with a full smile and told you that you had just passed the exam with a perfect score.

Jiang Feng looked at the pot in front of him, turned off the heat, and lifted the lid.

It was a very normal aroma of beef stewed with carrots. Perhaps because this dish was so common and not particularly difficult, even though he somehow made A-grade beef stewed with carrots, it didn’t have an overwhelmingly amazing smell.

But it did look quite attractive, with very high aesthetic appeal. The carrot pieces were uniform in size, evenly spread in the pot, and after a long stew, the beef had absorbed the soup, becoming tender without falling apart and faintly taking on the carrot’s color. The thick sauce appeared authentic, making the dish look very tempting.

But that was just a pot of regular beef stewed with carrots.

Jiang Feng picked up a pair of chopsticks and a small bowl to try the carrots and beef.

The taste was quite good. The carrots had a bit of a powdery texture, which Jiang Feng didn’t like, but he could accept it. The beef was astonishingly delicious—not only had it retained the juice, but its texture was also excellent. It would be an exaggeration to say it melted upon entering the mouth, but it was close. Once he tasted it, all Jiang Feng could think about was the beef; his first instinct was to close his eyes and savor it carefully.

Wonderful!

Exquisite!

Jiang Feng sincerely marveled in his heart—who on earth could cook such delicious beef stewed with carrots? Then, realizing that this godlike chef was himself, he suddenly found the beef in his mouth even tastier.

“Ji Xue, do you want to try some while it’s hot?” Jiang Feng said, inviting her as he was already preparing a fresh bowl for Ji Xue and handing it to her.

“Ah, thank you.” Ji Xue accepted the bowl, found a pair of chopsticks, and popped a piece of carrot into her mouth.

Jiang Feng went to the stove to cover the pot so that the beef stewed with carrots would stay warm. He was ready to dish out a bowl for anyone who showed up, stacking up the employees of Taifeng Building’s luck to the highest level.

Just as he was covering the pot, Jiang Jiankang arrived, looking hurried and heading straight for Jiang Feng.

“Son, why did you come to the store so early today? I just went upstairs to find you, and Qiqi told me you had left early in the morning. Is today your…”

“Dad, do you want some beef stewed with carrots?” Jiang Feng used food to silence Jiang Jiankang.

“Ah?” Jiang Jiankang glanced at the pot instinctively, “Give me a bowl.”

Jiang Feng filled a bowl to the brim for Jiang Jiankang, symbolizing his love for his father.

After eating a couple of pieces, Jiang Jiankang constantly nodded his approval, praising that Jiang Feng’s beef stewed with carrots was of a high standard and unprecedentedly delicious.

“Son, you didn’t wake up early just to make this pot of beef stewed with carrots, did you?” After a bowl of beef, Jiang Jiankang asked.

“No, it’s just that I couldn’t sleep, so I came to the store early. I saw the beef and carrots and just made it,” Jiang Feng said.

Jiang Jiankang looked worried: “Couldn’t sleep? Why couldn’t you sleep? Over the New Year, you slept like a log, we couldn’t even wake you up in the morning.”

Jiang Feng: …

Is this really my father?

“Cough, I just couldn’t sleep, just couldn’t. There’s no reason for not being able to sleep, just… sometimes you suddenly can’t sleep.”

“Do you often have trouble sleeping?” Jiang Jiankang looked shocked.

“Er… it’s… not… it’s just that sometimes I can’t sleep.” Jiang Feng didn’t understand why Jiang Jiankang suddenly cared so much about his sleep issues.

Jiang Jiankang looked serious: “That shouldn’t be neglected. Didn’t I make an appointment for your check-up at the hospital today? Chengcheng is waiting at the hospital already, and Zaide has also set off, you should hurry over!”

“A check-up?” Jiang Feng thought long and hard before pulling the memory from the back of his mind. It seemed that Jiang Jiankang had indeed mentioned it before, the Benevolent Doctor had a strange promotion offering a 2-for-1 deal on check-ups, and he was the “one” being offered.

“Dad, did you forget that the restaurant on the top floor of the mall next door is opening today? If I went for a check-up, who would make the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon? Today’s reservations have been full for a while, and you just mentioned the check-up but didn’t sort this out for me,” Jiang Feng said, trying to get out of it. With such a big issue at hand, he was in no mood for a check-up.

He also didn’t understand why his father had suddenly become so persistent about the check-up.

“I’ve spoken with your mother, and she rescheduled all of your appointments for today last week,” Jiang Jiankang said.

“Dad, let’s just forget it, I didn’t even want to get a checkup in the first place. It’s De and Cheng who wanted to, so I just won’t go,” Jiang Feng’s face was written all over with rejection.

This refusal was seen by Jiang Jiankang as guilty conscience, and he became even more determined in his heart to send Jiang Feng to the hospital for a checkup today.

Then a tug of war unfolded in the kitchen between father and son as they delved deep into the debate of whether or not to go for a checkup at the hospital today.

In the midst of the discussion, Jiang Feng didn’t forget to serve a bowl of beef stew with red carrots to every person who stepped into the back kitchen.

It wasn’t until the two Sirs approached the kitchen that Jiang Jiankang paused in his persuasion, but by the look on his face, Jiang Feng knew that it was only halftime, he was likely gearing up for the second half.

“Grandpa, Granduncle Weiming, would you like a bowl of beef stew with red carrots?” Jiang Feng attentively served the two elders.

Jiang Weiguo took the bowl, glanced at it, nodded, and tasted a piece of the beef. Jiang Weiming picked up a small piece of carrot, nodding with a beaming smile while eating.

“Not bad.” Praise from Sir was hard to come by, but the A-grade beef stew with red carrots Jiang Feng made today was certainly worthy of it.

“Grandpa, want me to get you some more?” Jiang Feng offered eagerly, trying to brown-nose.

Jiang Weiguo waved his hand: “I shouldn’t eat something so heavy early in the morning, just tasting is good enough.”

“Granduncle Weiming, is your cold getting any better?” Jiang Feng then turned to ask Jiang Weiming.

Jiang Weiming was leisurely eating his carrots, but upon hearing Jiang Feng’s question, he quickly swallowed the carrot in his mouth and said, “I took some medicine, and I’m much better now. I hardly coughed at all this morning.”

The severity of the cough was Jiang Weiming’s yardstick for gauging the seriousness of his cold.

He seemed somewhat better, but Jiang Feng had a feeling that there was something off about Jiang Weiming’s voice just now.

“It’s not that he isn’t coughing, he’s starting to feel short of breath,” Jiang Weiguo teased.

“Short of breath?”

Jiang Weiming silently loosened his scarf a bit: “Your fifth uncle was worried I’d catch a cold going out, so he wrapped this thick scarf around me a little too tightly.”

Jiang Feng: …

Jiang Weiming continued to eat the carrots in his bowl. Jiang Feng hadn’t served him much, just two pieces of carrot and a piece of beef because he was afraid that his throat wouldn’t be comfortable during his cold to eat these things.

But right after Jiang Weiming put down his chopsticks, he suddenly started to cough violently.

Not only was the cough fierce, but his voice was also very hoarse, as if he had a mouthful of thick phlegm that he couldn’t cough out.

“Granduncle, how do you feel?” Jiang Weiguo asked hurriedly.

Jiang Weiming suddenly coughed so intensely that he seemed to be struggling for air, and it took him a moment to say, “I was a bit hasty eating the beef just now, might have choked a little.”

He was a bit breathless even as he spoke, and his complexion had also turned pale.

“Granduncle, do you want to go to the hospital to have a check?” Jiang Feng asked with concern, for even if he choked on the beef, Jiang Weiming’s reaction seemed too extreme.

The cough he just had didn’t sound like he was alright.

“What hospital, there’s no need,” Jiang Weiming shook his head, then headed toward the water tank to check the fish delivered last night.

“Feng, take Granduncle Weiming to the hospital. Let Chengcheng get in line for registration first,” Jiang Weiguo said.

“There’s no need to go to the hospital. If it really comes down to it, I’ll just go to the pharmacy and buy some medicine,” Jiang Weiming really disliked going to hospitals, “Feng must have some pressing business for coming so early today. Taking me to the hospital for registration will waste the whole morning, it’ll just hold things up.”

“Granduncle, it won’t hold things up, Feng was supposed to go to the hospital this morning anyway. He, Cheng, and Zaide had planned to go for a health checkup today, and they’ve already paid,” Jiang Jiankang chimed in at an opportune moment.

Jiang Feng: ???

“Right, son?” Not only did Jiang Jiankang seize the opportunity, but he also deliberately cued Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng: …

“That’s right, just like that. Granduncle Weiming, De, Cheng, and I had an appointment for a body checkup today, so that’s why we came early to take care of things and avoid any delays,” Jiang Feng put on a sincere face, his acting skills in full swing. “Just let me take you there, and Cheng can wait in line and get you registered in the meantime, then we can come back together.”

Jiang Weiming hesitated.

“It’s on the way anyway, it won’t cause any delay, and I am already going to the hospital for a checkup. Let’s go together.”

“Regardless of whether your cold is better or not, it’s always right to have a doctor take a look, to get an injection or medication if needed. Just consider it as accompanying me to the hospital and seeing the doctor for yourself,” Jiang Feng said, adopting the demeanor he had used to coax Mrs. Jiang to the hospital in the past few years.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Jiang Jiankang continuously agreed.

“Granduncle, since Feng is going that way anyway, let him take you,” Jiang Weiguo suggested.

Knowing he had to go to the hospital today, Jiang Weiming said, “I’ll trouble Feng then.”

“No trouble at all, no trouble at all,” Jiang Jiankang replied quicker than anyone, smiling more joyously than the rest.

Since they were taking Jiang Weiming to the hospital, Jiang Feng couldn’t stay behind in the kitchen handing out bowls of beef stew with radishes to everyone who came in; he had to entrust this glorious yet arduous task to his father, who didn’t look reliable at all.

“Dad, today I have rarely made such a delicious pot of beef stew with radishes, please don’t eat it all at once. At the very least, save some for mom, Qiqi, and Xiaxia when they come over, and if other people come by, share some with them too, let everyone have a taste.”

“You must remember to let everyone have a taste.”

“Don’t you eat it all by yourself!” Jiang Feng earnestly implored, as this was a lucky buff dish that could only be made every 100 days; even if Jiang Jiankang was his own father, he couldn’t allow him to eat the entire pot of lucky stew.

Because he knew that for Jiang Jiankang, finishing the whole pot wouldn’t be a problem.

“Alright, alright, your dad knows, how could I eat it all? It’s too hurtful for you to suggest such a thing, son,” Jiang Jiankang said with his lips, but his mind was already calculating how many bowls he could eat later.

“Should we pack some for Zaide and Chengcheng too?” Jiang Weiming asked with a smile.

If it had been before, he definitely wouldn’t have raised this question, but seeing Jiang Feng act like this, he assumed Jiang Feng wanted to show off the marvelous beef stew with radishes he had made, hence the suggestion.

“Oh yeah, Granduncle, I would have forgotten if you hadn’t mentioned it,” Jiang Weiming said, as if awakened from a dream.

Jiang Feng quickly found two takeaway containers, filled one up a bit, and then left Taifeng Building with Jiang Weiming.

Striding with the steps of a lucky guy.

It wasn’t until they were on a Didi Express car that Jiang Weiming realized something was amiss.

“Feng, did you originally plan to go for a body checkup today?” Jiang Weiming asked.

“Yeah, it’s been arranged for a while now. De and Cheng have already paid for me,” Jiang Feng continued to stay in character, nodding vigorously.

“You didn’t eat the beef stew with radishes?” Jiang Weiming still felt something was off.

“Hmm?”

“Aren’t you supposed to fast before a checkup?”

Jiang Feng: …

“I didn’t eat it,” Jiang Feng declared firmly, decisively shifting the blame to Xiaxia, “It was actually Xiaxia who told me last night that she wanted to eat beef stew with radishes. Thinking about how she has just gotten over a cold and had been eating lightly the past few days, I specially woke up early to make this dish for her.”

“It was just that when I tasted it after cooking, it looked so appetizing that I had Ji Xue taste it for me, and she said it tasted quite good. That’s why I shared it with everyone, so they could all have a taste,” Jiang Feng felt that even if he didn’t go into acting, he would be suitable for writing scripts, as spouting nonsense and tall tales seemed to come naturally to him.

Although Jiang Weiming still felt something was not quite right, he smiled and nodded, coughing twice.

His face was a bit pale.