"I guess he might be trying to overcome his obsession, which is why he’s opening snack shops nationwide. He recognized me as a spirit and saw that I failed my tribulation. He was very enthusiastic, offered me a chair, a cup of tea, a plate of Green Bean Cakes, and listened to my story of failed tribulation all afternoon."
"He told me it’s not my fault, and if I were at fault I should pay the price, but I shouldn’t get so stubborn and trap myself in an endless cycle of obsession, as this would make my tribulation harder to succeed."
"He said there are really good humans in the world; he has seen them and believes I will encounter them too. He told me not to go reincarnating with a heart full of resentment, but to calm down and think, and reincarnate peacefully."
Qin Huai asked curiously, "May I ask why did he fail his tribulation due to an obsession?"
According to the timeline when Qu Jing and Cheng Gong met this spirit, if this spirit has not succeeded in his tribulation yet, Qin Huai feels there’s a good chance he will appear in his photo gallery.
There’s an even greater chance he’ll become an important supporting character in the book, better get an early understanding.
"I am not very clear about this." Cheng Gong said a bit embarrassedly, "That day, we mainly talked about me, I only know he goes around opening snack shops to find someone."
"After talking with him that day, I gave up my plan to jump into the Huangpu River that day. I went home and calmed down for a few days, thought carefully about what he said, realized he had a point, only then did I jump into the Huangpu River with less obsession and resentment in my heart."
Though this behavior may seem normal for your spirits, but how come this talk just... just... just...
Forget it, let’s not talk about it.
You spirits indeed have something going on.
Whether it’s fish, birds, or Plant Spirits, they all love to make wild statements.
Qin Huai has completely heard Cheng Gong’s story.
Qin Huai may not be very familiar with Cheng Gong, but he can naturally be friends with all spirits. Because in this world, among non-spirit beings who can openly communicate with spirits, he’s probably the only one, as the protagonist of this system novel.
Qin Huai thought carefully, then very cautiously asked, "So your plan now is..."
"Continue living, or directly jump into the Huangpu River?"
According to the basic law of spirit tribulation, the most stable approach after succeeding in a tribulation is actually to commit suicide directly. Staying in the human world brings instability, and although these spirits might say they wouldn’t do it, in reality no one can guarantee what actions they’ll take.
Even the seemingly stable and unlikely-to-cause-trouble Qu Jing struck big during the New Year.
Cheng Gong, who also seems mature and stable, very reliable, an extremely qualified worker, but in his first life, he also did the thing of failing his tribulation and then trying two bosses.
Of course, the most tragic outcome, details please see a certain elementary school student currently reading.
"Of course, continue living." Cheng Gong said without hesitation, "I know what Master Qin is worried about, and I know it’s risky, but I don’t regret it."
"Just like what the spirit I met in my first life told me, he has encountered genuinely good people in the human world, and he believes I will too."
"I’ve been through so much, I’m very clear about the complexity of human nature, and I understand people won’t remain unchanged forever, but I’m willing to bet. I’m willing to bet my vision now is better than it was in my first life, I’m willing to bet I now understand people better than I did in my first life."
"I’m willing to bet once more for President Han."
"I’m also willing to accept any price and result."
Qin Huai knows this is Cheng Gong’s decision, he had anticipated it.
How to put it, if these spirits were all very rational and wouldn’t act impulsively, without any problems, almost perfect, they wouldn’t have failed their tribulations in the first place.
"I also believe Assistant Chen that your judgment will not be wrong this time, I believe President Han is a very good boss, he’s also a great client." Qin Huai said with a smile.
"So, can I trouble you with one more thing?"
"What is it?" Cheng Gong asked.
"Please help me reschedule my flight ticket to leave in the evening tomorrow, and find me a place to make snacks in the morning, and also prepare the ingredients needed to make Green Bean Cakes."
"Later, I’ll send you the ingredient list, I’ve just received the recipe’s video tutorial but haven’t watched it yet, but it should be similar to the Green Bean Cake method I know now."
"We are not in the same city, you probably don’t often have the chance to go on business trips to Shan City, and visiting Yunzhong Restaurant regularly to eat is unrealistic."
"Under normal circumstances, spirits awaken because they eat the dishes I glean from their memories, whether it’s Qu Jing or Sister Hong."
"Only you’re special, awakening first then getting the recipe."
"But for the recipe from your memory, I still think we should follow tradition, you’re the first to taste it."
"I can’t make A+ Level Green Bean Cake, but I believe I can make B-level, I have that confidence."
"Assistant Chen, what do you think?"
Cheng Gong said with a smile, "I’d be honored."
After Cheng Gong left, Qin Huai took a few sips of his drink, opened his phone, and reviewed the afternoon chat in the "Affectionate Family" group from start to finish, then opened the game panel to see the Green Bean Cake tutorial.
The video starts with a pair of very slender hands.
A pair of slender, beautiful, well-maintained hands, calloused where there should be calluses, clean where there should be clean, standard pastry chef’s hands.
This one’s? The spirit’s culinary skills are even better than Qin Huai imagined.
Making A+ Level Green Bean Cake, you can see they were not lying when they met Qu Jing in the provincial city; that batch of sticky rice cake was indeed poorly made, only at A-level.
Being able to make A+ Level snacks, this level is definitely master chef level at Zhiwei Restaurant.
The video tutorial starts with peeling the green beans.
Friends who often make Green Bean Cakes know, you need to peel the green beans, wash them, soak them for over 6 hours, so they’re easier to steam through.
Previously, when Qin Huai made Green Bean Cakes, peeling was usually Qin Luo’s responsibility. Anyone else would potentially be less meticulous, only Qin Luo wouldn’t, she would ensure every single bean was perfectly peeled.
Because she wanted to eat them, and loved eating them.
The peeling segment of the video is brief, merely showcasing the cleanliness of peeled beans and their quality, followed by the steaming process.
After steaming, use a spatula to mash the beans into a fine paste, add butter to the pan and simmer.
Yes, butter, quite an innovative method, at least for that time.
Then it follows the very normal process for making Green Bean Cakes.
Seasoning, which involves adding sugar and stirring, then cooling and molding.
The entire process seems quite ordinary, almost identical to the steps Qin Huai usually takes when making Green Bean Cakes, with no tricks, no flashy techniques.
The whole process is just normal and calm, the creator isn’t rushed, every step is orderly, he even exhibits a bit of OCD.
All utensils and flavorings must be neatly arranged, during production any disarray must also be rectified.
Qin Huai watched the tutorial once.
Understood, but felt no insight.
This video tutorial gives you the impression that you could do it too, but once you try, you definitely can’t, because you’re not at that level.
This feeling is not like Jiang Chengde’s tutorials where you can’t understand at all, nor like Jiang Weiming’s where you have a clear grasp; it differs completely from Jiang Weijin’s, where you can’t quite understand but can learn many small techniques.
Qin Huai truly understands the principle of watching again if you don’t get it the first time.
Then he watched it over and over again.
The Green Bean Cake video tutorial isn’t too short nor overly long, but after 15 viewings it’s surely late-night watching.
Qin Huai realized he was staying up late only at the dead of night.
Before sleeping, Qin Huai sent a message to Qin Luo.
Qin Huai: Luoluo, are you free this weekend? I’m making Green Bean Cakes, get ready.
Qin Luo, who got caught playing with her phone by her brother at midnight: 〣(ºΔº)〣
Heaven knows, since school started, she’s only secretly played with her phone this one day, how did her brother know?
Frightened, Qin Luo quickly stuffed her phone under the pillow and went to sleep.