Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

As soon as Xu Xingguang returned to the room and saw Huo Wen’an, she said, "I saw Yin Su." Before revealing Yin Su’s true identity, Xu Xingguang did not address her as Huo Xin.

Hearing this news, Huo Wen’an was stunned for a moment before saying, "It seems that her identity is not just as simple as a mental hospital doctor."

"Yin Su has too many secrets." Xu Xingguang felt that Huo Xin’s reluctance to recognize Huo Wen’an might not be due to resentment, but perhaps there were other reasons.

"Let’s not talk about her, we’ll see her tomorrow anyway."

"Mm."

The Ying Family has lived in Chuancheng for generations, where the food is both spicy and numbing, completely different from the cuisine of Divine Concealment Island. Fortunately, the Ying Family is hospitable, providing Huo Wen’an with two housekeepers, one skilled in Chuancheng cuisine, and the other in coastal cuisine.

Zheng Lie is taciturn but enjoys spicy food, while Cheng Yue appears bold and straightforward but can’t handle any spice at all.

During meals, the table was evenly divided between the two types of dishes.

Seeing Xu Xingguang’s particular fondness for the plate of spicy numbing tiger skin chicken feet, Huo Wen’an curiously picked one up. But as soon as he took a bite, his tongue went numb.

"Your health isn’t good, you shouldn’t eat spicy and numb food." Xu Xingguang directly took the chicken foot out of his bowl and said, "I once participated in a culinary competition and won first place with this dish, earning 150,000 as a prize. That money became the startup fund for my culinary career."

She therefore had a special emotional attachment to this dish.

Not eating a few more would be disrespectful to it.

Hearing this, Ye Mingluo asked Xu Xingguang in amazement, "Master, you participated in a culinary competition?" Because Xu Xingguang seemed more like someone who would participate in a literary contest rather than a culinary one.

But, to be fair, his master’s cooking was indeed exceptional.

"It was a long time ago." Xu Xingguang finished replying to Ye Mingluo and glanced at Huo Wen’an.

Huo Wen’an smiled at her and mouthed, "I know." He knew Xu Xingguang was referring to her first reincarnation in the Food Continent.

The deep mountain forest was rich in oxygen, free from mosquito troubles, allowing everyone to sleep soundly that night.

The next morning, Xu Xingguang got up early and went to the kitchen, asking the cook, "Is there a clay stove here?"

The housekeeper, who was cooking, was surprised and asked, "A clay stove? You mean the kind that uses firewood for cooking?"

"That’s right."

After thinking for a while, the housekeeper told Xu Xingguang, "There isn’t a clay stove, but there is a type of outdoor portable firewood stove. They all use firewood. Will that work for you?"

"As long as it burns wood, it’s fine."

"Then I’ll make a call and have someone send it over."

The Ying Family is very efficient, and just as Xu Xingguang finished breakfast, someone from the foot of the mountain sent over the firewood stove, thoughtfully providing pre-chopped firewood pieces.

Xu Xingguang put on an apron, skillfully lit the firewood, and placed a large pot on top to start cooking.

Ye Mingluo stood nearby with curiosity and asked her, "Master, what are you making?"

"I’m making a dish."

"For lunch?"

"No, it’s a snack for Old Madam Ying."

"Can I have some too?" Ye Mingluo was always thinking about Xu Xingguang’s cooking skills.

"There’s enough for everyone."

"That’s good."

Xu Xingguang made a pot of porridge. After serving the porridge, she slowly smoked the pot’s bottom on low heat. Soon, the rice grains and soup residue at the bottom dried and formed a crust.

She scraped off the crust, let it cool, then crushed it by hand and put it back into the pot, adding some boiling water to simmer it slowly.

Just before it was ready, she sprinkled a handful of small red berries into it.

Xu Xingguang first ladled a bowl, packed it in a lunch box for warmth, and then called to Ye Mingluo, "Serve yourself, and remember to give A Zui a bowl."

Ye Mingluo stared at the pot of blackish food, feeling a bit unappetized. He served a bowl for Huo Wen’an, and seeing Huo Wen’an quietly finish the entire bowl after tasting it, only then did he serve himself a bowl.

This blackish "poison porridge" unexpectedly tasted great, with a soft and sticky texture. It didn’t taste like rice porridge, offering an indescribably novel flavor.

The red, unknown berries emitted a pleasant sweetness. Ye Mingluo ate only three and felt a warmth spreading in his stomach.

"What is this snack called?" Ye Mingluo thought it was a good thing, especially suitable for patients and the elderly with stomach problems.

He wanted to learn from Xu Xingguang, so he could recommend it to patients with stomach issues and no appetite in the future.

"It doesn’t have a name." Xu Xingguang looked at Huo Wen’an, "Would you like to name it?"