The Cooking Master

brother shao return

Yuhu.. Another chapter coming out.. Did anyone think Lian is too mature? Basicly he has helping out at his father shop since small so his mentality is different from those kid who is just playing around all day.. Also his motivation at first just come from his preferences of eating mythical beast meat but now, he have a change of heart. 

Every day he spent on hunting outside the village has make him more mature as he encountered more dangerous situation that even grown up people avoid. This was also due to his childish and straight way of thinking, he not yet stumbled into something called fear and overtaken it with youth energy. He also found out about his own theory where food could heal and the only fact that chi could be absorbed from higher rank in smaller portion, this is really interesting just like a childs toy for him as in the village only he could realize this. 

When training under Pan I tried to maintain his childish disposition. When trying to leave the village I tried to show his childish love that is so pure that makes him willing to leave the village for the sake of his parents. I also tried to show his weakness by crying and give him a new resolution. I trying my best to keep him "childish" while trying to keep his striving for his future. 

The image of him in my mind is a young spirited boy, who is used to hard work by helping his father, motivated by his anger towards the villager, broad knowledge about cooking but blank about the world, and his way of talking because he already used to talk to lot of people in the village where there is no discrimination so he is able to nourish his conversation skill. 

If anyone think it was missmatched please let me know.. Feedback and comments is appreciated... Here's the next chapter... And yeah, the chapter was long.. I don't want to put cliffhanger and will keep trying to make it as interesting as possible.. 

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Cooking master chapter 11 

Dong Lian helped uncle Lu set up his stall. Lian is used to help his father so this task is easy. Lu at first surprised but after being told that Lian father have a shop he understand the whole circumstances. 

At first, Lian only helping out to get some food and place to stay and he never tought that he will learn anything from Lu. But a cook always have some trick up his sleeve. 

"Uncle Lu, why you took the rice out of the pot?" 

Lian is interested seeing Lu took out the cooked rice and spread it out on a bowl. 

"It is to make it cool down. When cooking fried rice one of the most important aspect to watch is the rice shouldn't be hot. If the rice is still hot when we cook it, it will be harder to create a good fried rice. A good fried rice, the rice shouldn't stick with each other. Each grain should be seperated to give the mouthfull texture but it is easy to be eaten. If the rice is hot, it will stick with each other and the lump of rice will be chewy and you don't want that to happen." 

Lian nods and took a note on what he just learned. He carefully watched Lu when he do an order of fried rice and it was something Lian never expected before. 

Helping his father on the village is different from helping Lu on the stall. The quality of food isn't the problem. It was the speed. In the village he and his father made around thirty portion of food each day. But here, thirty serving has to be done in less than an hour. What's more if it was crowded like yesterday, a hundred plates have to be done as fast as possible. 

Lian watched Lu cooks. One of the most important thing about cooking and especially fried rice is about fire control. To be able to control the fire, it means the food will be cooked evenly. His father and Lu has mastered it and showing it's expertise by performing the "dancing wok". 

"dancing wok" is a movement where the fire is blazing on the stove while the cook moves the wok back and worth in a up and down motion to make the food jump out of the wok but then landed on it again. The food will be lifted by pushing the wok forward and slightly upwards causing the food to be launched to the air. Then recieved by pulling the wok and catch the food again in a smooth circular motion. It is also helping to distribute the heat which causing the food to be cooked evenly. 

(Anyone have visited a chinese fried rice restaurant know about this right?) 

His father have show it to him couple times but Lian always failed to do it. To do the "dancing wok", one have to have a massive amount of strength. That's what his father always told him. But seeing Lu today he realized, it's not only a matter of strength, he have to move his wrist following the wok movement. Thanks to uncle Pan scarecrow hitting training that is changed to flexibility training, Lian have confidence to be able to do the "dancing wok". But he realized he still need to catch up in one area. Speed. 

When twenty serving order comes in, Lian barely made the cut to help preparing the ingredients. Lu noticed his hard work and could see sweat is raining from Lian forehead. 

"Lian. You could take a rest first." 

As any other boy, Lian is feeling tired. But his stamina training could keep up with this. One of another problem when cooking is the heat, but Lian already used to it. This makes Lian doesn't want to give up just yet. He determined to keep up. 

"Don't worry uncle Lu, I can continue." 

But Lu shook his head. 

"No, please rest first." 

Seeing Lu insisted on it, Lian surrendered and sit down. He finally realized that Lu is talking to him softly. In reality when Lian sit down, Lu speed is increasing by a huge gap. His preparation speed, cooking speed, serving speed it all increased dramatically. Lian finally realized that he is just a hindrance before. 

This is something that makes Lian respected uncle Lu more. Lu movement is unrestrained by anything. His hand grabbing the ingredients, controlling the wok, seasoning and every gesture he make is without any wasted effort. To put it simply it was efficient and fast. 

Lian unconciously move his body trying to mimic Lu movements. Even though practicing on empty air he is still left behind by one breath. 

When the stall finally closed for the day, Lian only helped in washing the dirty plates and prepare some side dish. After that Lu take him to a steamed bun stall on the other part of the city. 

"It's delicious." 

Lian showed blissful expression as soon as he put in the warm steamed bun inside his mouth. 

Seeing Lian expression Lu couldn't help but laugh. 

"hahaha.. Eat slowly.. You can eat as much as you want." 

"Really?" 

Lian eyes opened wide then he ask for another steamed bun. After feeling full, Lian asked to uncle Lu. 

"uncle Lu, how can you finish the order so fast? I know I was slowing you down before. How can you cook so swift?" 

Lu stared at Lian deeply. Lian is only a small boy but his cooking knowledge is so broad. Knowing that he have some cooking background, it is still amazing to find out that Lu cook faster without him helping. 

"It was because I'm used to it. You know if one tries to peel a honey apple and took ten minutes at first, by the time he peel more and more it only require him ten seconds to peel one." 

Lian understood the meaning behind Lu words. It was due to uncle Lu hard work all this years and his experience that lead him to his current speed. Lu saw Lian thinking deeply then played with Lian's hair. 

"Don't worry. I'm sure your cooking speed will even surpass mine un the near future. Afterall today you are already showing your potential in cooking. I could see it with my eyes you wikl have a great future as a cook." 

Lian smiled hearing that and ordered another steamed bun which resulting uncle Lu to take out his wallet and count his coin. 

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Another month has passed since Lian is helping in Lu stall and his speed has increased greatly. Unless the order is more thab fifty, Lian could help out nornally. It shows how great his speed has increased. Another month passed mean it's been two month after Lian left the village and another ten months until he could get his power assessed. 

"I wonder how father and mother are doing?" 

Lian talked to himself while staring at a distant sky. 

"Lian. Aren't you going to visit the library today?" Lu voice startled him. 

"Oh right Uncle Lu. Finally I was allowed to visit the library. The librarian is so stingy. No wonder he is the only one working there." 

Lian has always wanted to visit the library but the librarian is a stingy old man that asked him to come everyday and prove his seriousness by coming for one months. 

Lian set off to the library. He was greeted by an unfriendly old man before that librarian finally let him in. 

Lians has trying to find out about the history. It wad interesting for him because he didn't know any of it. Living in a secluded village, what's the use of history? But after he wandered outside of it, he need to learn about it. 

He search for a big book titled "world history". It took a long time for Lian to read it because his parents only teach him some basic characters. But after spending some time he finally get a grasp on the world. 

Lian is living in a continent called Gourmei there's two other continent, Epocure and Foudie. Gourmei is located in the left part of the world, Epocure in the middle and Foudie in the right. It was a flat map so Lian couldn't guess if the world is round or flat because on the edge of the map it was coloured black. There is more than fifty cities recorded but after the apocalypse it shrank into around fourty. Seeing the world map and looking at the location of Wing Chu city, he can guess where his village is located, it was in the northest part of the Gourmei continent. 

After that Lian read some other books regarding mythical beast and cooking books. Altough the library itself isn't big but the collection is quite outstanding. For another whole months, every morning before helping Lu with his stall, Lian will spend most of his time here altough the librarian still turn a cold shoulder to him. 

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Today, there's a big commotion at the city. People who were eating at the stall are all attracted to it and all trying to see what is happening. 

"Shao just returned and he has reached the sixth rank of regular power." 

"Whoa amazing." 

People are gossipping and the news soon reached Lian and Lu ears. 

"Uncle Lu, can I go and see him?" 

Lu already understand that Lian is waiting to meet with Shao. He nod his head and Lian quickly dissapeared from the stall. 

Lian could guess by the crowd that Shao is currently at the hunter hall. 

When he arrived there, he move past the crowd using the advantage of his small body. He could see Shao immediatelly and the air around him sure has changed, but his face showing an angry expression. He look and found out that another group has been standing in front of Shao and they are arguing. 

"So, we already told you that by joining our zhao family your future are secured. Power, wealth, woman, you could easily get it all." 

Seeing the zhao family mentioned, Lian could see that it was the guardian that is with Zhao Gao that is talking to Shao. Lian also know Shao is one of a few rising star after the apocalypse. His future show some promise and any family that could earn his service may gain fame. 

"I already told you that I'm still young and inexperienced." 

Shao is trying his best to refuse and holding down his anger. 

"Don't worry about that. We can arranged for your future training and even some apprentince level expert in our family could give you some pointer." 

The offer sound really good when Lian heard it but seeing Shao rejects it once again there should be a reason behind it. 

"Please give us some face. Otherwise the zhao family may turn his back on you." 

Anyone that could hear it know that there's a hidden meaning behind it. 

Lian after living in the city for almost two months understand the enmity between them. In Wing Chu city there is 3 big factions. 

Zhao family is one of it. Backed by grandmaster level expert Zhao Heng and having a powerful lineage, they have a lot of regular level expert serving in their family. They run the commercial district from the shadow and gain enormous wealth. They also run some of the shaddy bussiness which makes some people loathe them, but they couldn't do anything against the zhao family power. 

The second one is the Wing Chu city official. They have some regular and apprentice level member working under them. Spread all around the city some of them assigned as guards, officer and higher ranking official that have connection with the Yin kingdom. But it has been a public secret that their member is bribed by the zhao family. 

The last one is Wing Chu school. As one of the famous school in the continent, upright justice and maintaining the peace has been their school foundation. Therefore on some occasion they often clash with the zhao's and the official. But people know the Wing Chu school is always siding with them and what's more the heroic achievments from the students has been the idol of the citizen. 

Right now, the Zhao family control in the city has run deep and right now they are trying to get people from Wing Chu school to their sides. They have been doing this openly to angered the Wing Chu school and today the best idea is by trying to recruit Shao which is Wing Chu school rising star. 

Shao grith his teeth then furiously replied. 

"Please leave for now. We don't want to cause a commotion what's more with people watching like this." 

"Hmph! Very well. But remember brother Shao, you know which side is the best for you." 

The Zhao family guardian leaves with some dissapointment and anger. People give way for the zhao family to leave then they all surround Shao. 

"Brother Shao, what a brave thing to do to refuse their offer in the crowd like this." 

"Yeah. You didn't spare the Zhao family face." 

Shao know that it was all words of encouragement but he didn't know how to deal with the zhao family wrath later. 

"brother Shao!" 

Shao heard that voice and it sound familiar. He looked around the crowd and could see Lian waving his hand. 

"Lian!" 

Shao approached Lian then he brings him away to avoid the crowd. 

"Lian, what a surprise yo see you here." 

"Hehehe. At first I don't know where to go and I suddenly remembered your words to seek you out at Wing Chu city." 

Shao is happy knowing that Lian listened to him. 

"So, what are you doing here? What happened?" 

Lian then told Shao the whole story but leave the parts which he thinks unnecessary. He didn't tell him the accident when he was small and about curing Yin Mei Ya illness. He only told him that the village kicked him out and he met with a princess on the way. 

Shao surprised because it isn't easy for a six years old boy to swallow those harsh experience. After a while, Lian asked about Shao adventures. 

"Where did you go this time brother Shao? What monster you absorb to level up your rank?" 

"It was a journey to the west and facing a high storm level red nose babboon." 

"As expected of brother Shao, you're so fearless and formidable." 

Lian flaterry really get to Shao. He knows that Lian words is not like those hypocrite around him but it was pure admiration. Shao ruffled Lian hair then said. 

"So, have you decided to come to Wing Chu school and be a cook?" 

Lian is facing with a hard option. Should he follow brother Shao to Wing Chu school? 

"brother Shao, could you tell me the condition Wing Chu school first? I mean if I become a cook there, how many people should I feed?" 

Shao thought maybe Lian affraid that he have to cook for too many people so he explain nonetheless. 

"Wing Chu city after the apocalpyse have start to recruit people from regular level and have amassed strength trough number. There are currently 50 regular level people, 20 apprentice and 2 master. The original grandmaster is killed five years ago. So around 72 people." 

"So, do you have any cook there?" 

Shao shook his head and explain. 

"We usually doesn't allow outsider to be within our school vicinity. The food usualy cooked by the student in shift. That's why if you come to our school it also mean you will be taken as a disciple." 

Lian shocked hearing that. He finally realized Shao real intention. 

"Don't be afraid. I know how big is your potential the moment I saw you in the forest. I know because I was once in your shoes." 

It happened at the apocalypse, Shao remember that he encountered the same situation five years ago. 

When the apocalypse happened, he was still fourteen years old. That time he was just at the outskirts when he saw one of the Wing Chu school master facing a mythical beast and said the similar words to him. 

"So, what do you say?" 

Lian smiled at him. 

"Let me think about it first." 

"No problem. If you have decided you could come to the school and mention my name." 

Hearing that Lian laughed. 

"You're such a liar brother Shao. When I mention your name, the people from the school that is guarding the stair doesn't even recognize you." 

Shao startled at that remark. 

"What? How could they ignore you? I'm going to give them beating later. Where do you stay all this time then?" 

"I'm becoming a helper at a fried rice stall and stay with the owner." 

Shao realized the condition that Lian was in and feel sorry because at first he offer him to come and then his school ignored Lian. 

"If that's so, I'm glad you found a place to stay. As a token of apology let me treat you to a meal then." 

With a grin Lian asked. "Can I choose where we eat?" 

Shao nod then the both of them head out. 

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Okay, here's the deal.. There is a review that saying the series is bad and even got half star for all of the score except grammar hahaha.... And it got 13thumbs up meaning that people agree with his opinion.. 

Do you think that this series is really that bad? 

If you guys didn't like it then I will be more than happy to remove it from royalroadl lol... 

If you guys want to support the series please write an advanced review to refute it.. Thank you... Not going to say anything more.. Just found out about the review and yeah... Broke my spirit.... If you guys didn't like the series just let me know...