Li Xiao raised an eyebrow at the system’s reward.
He had been thinking about buying another car recently.
Although the Mercedes the system had given him wasn’t a very high-end model, it was decent enough for daily driving.
The reason he wanted to replace it wasn’t that the Mercedes was beneath him; the main issue was the license plate. It was from Wan City, not Yangcheng.
It was very inconvenient to use in Yangcheng, and in the less than half a month he’d been driving it, he had already lost several points from his license to traffic cops.
Luckily, of his four dorm mates, everyone except Zhou Yu had a driver’s license. The other two had helped him absorb some of the point deductions; otherwise, Li Xiao’s license would probably be on the verge of suspension by now.
That’s why he was thinking of switching to a car with a Yangcheng plate. He just hadn’t expected the system to be faster than him. He hadn’t even been to a dealership to look at cars yet, and it had already sent him a 911.
While a 911 couldn’t exactly be called a supercar, it was a fine entry-level sports car, and Li Xiao already had one in his garage.
In fact, it was the exact same model as the one the system had just given him.
So, he was quite familiar with the car’s specs.
Cylinders: 6
Displacement: 2,981 cm3
Max Power: 283 kW
Max Power: 385 hp
Max Engine Speed: 7,500 rpm
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 4.4 seconds, Top Speed: 289 km/h
The roof panel could be fully retracted, turning it into a semi-convertible sports car.
The car’s overall stats were quite good, but it had one downside: while it was technically a five-seater, the only truly comfortable seats were the two up front.
The three rear seats were extremely cramped; Li Xiao often joked they were only good for luggage or a dog.
Li Xiao was pondering. ’If this 911’s license plate isn’t a local Yangcheng one, I’ll probably have to find someone to help me change it.’
Meanwhile, his young assistant was sipping the stewed soup in front of her.
As a Yangcheng native, her mother often stewed soups, but she had never tasted one so fresh, sweet, and clean.
The bowl was filled with plenty of pork and conch meat, yet the broth lacked any of the greasiness one would expect from a meat soup. Instead, it had an elegant and refreshing quality.
As she sipped her soup, Zhou Shishi silently congratulated herself.
’I’m so glad I contacted my boss the second I saw his social media post. If I’d hesitated for even a moment, I would’ve missed this feast.’
’The manager had been right next to her a moment ago. While they were taking the order, she snuck a peek at the iPad in their hands. This place looks so plain, but the prices are astonishingly high.’
’My monthly salary is already 10,000, and with all the miscellaneous benefits, it might come out to around 15,000.’
’But even so, this bowl of soup isn’t something I could just buy on a whim. After all, it costs 388.’
’That means one bowl of soup costs almost a full day of my wages.’
’Even though I can afford it, I’d never be willing to spend that much on my own.’
Once the four of them had nearly finished their soup, the first course was finally served.
The waitress gently introduced the dish:
"This is the Pan-Fried Large Yellow Croaker. Would you like me to portion it for you?"
The large yellow croaker was served whole, not pre-portioned.
Li Xiao didn’t hesitate and nodded.
"Please divide it into four portions for us."
Even though the four of them had come together, they were ultimately just companions for the meal.
Even with serving chopsticks, sharing a single fish felt a bit awkward. That being the case, it was better to just have the waitress divide it for them.
The waitress was clearly experienced. She promptly retrieved a knife and fork from a nearby trolley and, in just a few moments, expertly divided the whole large yellow croaker into four equal portions.
The presentation of the dish was exquisite. The yellow croaker’s skin was pan-fried to a golden brown, looking crisp and inviting, while the flesh remained a tender white, exuding the rich, seared aroma of being fresh from the pan.
Li Xiao picked up his chopsticks and gently lifted a piece of fish. As his chopsticks touched the skin, it let out a crisp, crackling sound.
He perked up at the delightful crackling sound.
Pan-fried fish is, in theory, a very simple dish. However, getting the skin fragrant and crispy while ensuring the flesh underneath stays tender is extremely difficult. It’s a classic example of a dish that’s easy to learn but hard to master.
He popped the piece of fish into his mouth. With just a light bite, the crispy skin burst with a CRACKLE.
Li Xiao’s eyes narrowed in appreciation. The skin was fragrant and utterly crisp. To his pleasant surprise, this crispiness wasn’t from the chef dredging the skin in flour beforehand.
Dredging the skin with flour is a simple trick to make it crispy, but it wouldn’t produce this kind of texture. That method makes it dry and hard, completely destroying the delicate crispness the skin ought to have.
Clearly, the chef had relied purely on their mastery of heat, using the pan’s intense temperature alone to render the skin perfectly crisp.
Biting through the crisp skin revealed the tender, juicy flesh beneath. The meat of the wild large yellow croaker was delicate yet resilient, and its exquisite umami flavor was immediately apparent.
Li Xiao savored every nuance of the fish. Each bite was imbued with the clean taste of the ocean and a natural sweetness.
Much like hairy crabs, large yellow croakers in autumn store up vast amounts of energy to survive the winter.
Unlike hairy crabs, which have rich roe, large yellow croakers store this energy as fat within their flesh, making this particular fish incredibly rich and succulent.
The intense, rapid heat had cooked the skin through while perfectly locking the fish’s natural oils inside the meat, keeping it moist without being greasy.
The pan-searing technique didn’t just make the skin delicious; it also enriched the texture of the meat itself.
As he continued to eat, he discovered that different parts of the fish had distinct flavors. The belly portion was the most delicate, while the meat from the back was firmer.
Every bite was a testament to the chef’s precise control over the heat, which simultaneously preserved the tenderness of the fish and achieved the perfect texture for the skin.
Li Xiao casually picked up one of the accompanying lemon wedges and squeezed a few drops of juice onto a piece of fish.
The tartness of the lemon juice blended perfectly with the umami of the fish, adding a new dimension to the flavor profile, enriching the taste, and lending a refreshing quality.
Swallowing the bite of fish with a satisfied sigh, Li Xiao nodded again and again. At the same time, the system’s notification sounded in his mind.
[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 45th entry in your Gourmet Index]
[Gourmet Index entry unlocked: Pan-Fried Wild Large Yellow Croaker]
[Dish Rating: 96 Points [Excellent]]
[As the dish rating is Excellent, rewards will be quadrupled (x4)]
[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]
[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]
[Congratulations, you have received a special reward: Your success rate when sea fishing is increased by 10%]
[Congratulations, you have received a recipe reward: Recipe for Pan-Fried Wild Large Yellow Croaker]
[P.S. Appearance of different large yellow croakers]
Wild:
Farmed: