The Game of Life

Chapter 615: Chapter 613 Orange Juice Candy

After leaving his memory behind, Jiang Feng did not immediately open the attribute panel, but instead took a few long breaths and wished he could recite some calming mantras—if only he knew any.

It was only after he had calmed down, certain that he wouldn’t fly into a rage and call Sun Jikai with curses even if the panel still showed no new recipes, that Jiang Feng finally opened the attribute panel.

Though both surnamed Sun and having once starred together in an incredibly terrible memory, Sun Jikai was a good comrade. The section for Sun Maochai in the recipe column had now prominently changed to:

Sun Maochai (2/9)

[Orange Juice Candy A-level]

Creator: Sun Maochai

Details: This is a homemade orange juice candy that far surpasses all industrially produced fruit-flavored candies on the market. It was once briefly given away as a complementary gift in the restaurant where the creator, Sun Maochai, worked, serving as an excellent tool to win over children. Due to some special reasons not known to the public, Sun Maochai, a master of Cantonese cuisine, once indulged in candy making, and the most exceptional creation he produced was this orange juice candy. Both children and adults find it impossible to resist its delightful taste. Consuming this dish maintains a good mood for 24 hours and provides the most primal joy. (This buff is effective only for children under the age of 9.)

Jiang Feng: …

Who would have thought, Sun Maochai’s forte was actually appeasing children.

Jiang Feng knew a thing or two about making candies, as they’re essentially straightforward—anyone could simply melt sugar and then bake and shape it to claim they’ve made toffee.

Wang Hao made some for his girlfriend when he was a freshman in college. He didn’t stop at candies but also made chocolate, which, in a sense, is even easier to make. After all, making chocolate involves just three steps: buy a pound of bulk chocolate from the supermarket, melt it down, and pour it into molds to set; then you can gift it to your girlfriend, claiming it was handmade with love.

The difficulty doesn’t even compare to washing rice and cooking it; at least cooking rice requires one to ponder over the amount of water to use.

The instructional video was short and largely in line with what Jiang Feng had anticipated, but a master is a master for a reason. The candy made by a master like Sun Maochai was nothing like the simple melted sugar creations someone like Wang Hao would make.

When Sun Maochai made his orange juice candies, he used fresh-squeezed orange juice, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and a little honey. His mold was just a flat pan, and he made a large batch in one go. No wonder the candies he handed to Sun Changping all looked different in size; they were hand-cut with a knife, so it was impossible for them to be uniform.

Such candies don’t last long and tend to melt at slightly higher temperatures, but if there are children at home, it might be nice to make some occasionally to appease them.

After watching the instructional video, Jiang Feng felt like going out to buy ingredients and trying to make them in the Jubao Building’s kitchen the next day. While he wasn’t particularly fond of candies, he was curious to taste the flavor of these A-level sweets.

Just by thinking about it, Jiang Feng felt a twinge of jealousy toward Sun Jikai.

Growing up, Sun Jikai not only enjoyed meals carefully prepared by a chef of Guanyun’s caliber but also had Sun Maochai, a top-notch chef, secretly making him candies. Remembering the bowl of Sun Jikai’s lunch from the memory, which looked mediocre but was made with utmost diligence, Jiang Feng recalled his own childhood, when he and his cousins desperately fought over food at the dining table in the countryside.

Reflecting on this, Jiang Feng couldn’t help but feel a flood of emotions, his thoughts flowing like a spring. Memories surged to his mind while Sir’s words lingered in his ears. He instantly grabbed a pen from the table and began to write furiously, preparing earnestly for tomorrow’s teaching work.

An hour passed as he wrote.

The once-empty desk was now covered with papers, and Jiang Feng’s crooked writing filled each sheet. Anyone looking at these papers would think Jiang Feng really needed to practice his appalling handwriting.

Wu Minqi entered the room, joyfully holding her shoes, to find this scene before her.

She had originally wanted to share her excitement about her new leather shoes with Jiang Feng.

Wu Minqi spent most of her time in the kitchen with little opportunity to wear leather shoes, but that didn’t stop her from buying them. Sometimes, the clothes and shoes girls buy aren’t meant to be seen by others, but for their own enjoyment. Even if she can’t wear them, just looking at them makes her happy.

“Fengfeng,” she called out to Jiang Feng, who, lost in memories, didn’t hear her.

Wu Minqi found it odd, so she set her shoes by the door and walked over to Jiang Feng. She saw the spread-out papers on the table and the words he had written.

What’s going on in your head? Where is all the food you eat going? If I feed the pigs, they might not grow brains, but at least they gain weight. Feeding you, not only do you not gain brains, but you don’t even gain weight—it’s better feeding the pigs.

How many times do I have to repeat these things to you? Now shake your wooden head and tell me if you hear water sloshing inside?

Wu Minqi: ?

Why would her Fengfeng curse himself?

As Jiang Feng finished the last word, the thought of picking out sentences to scold Sun Jikai with tomorrow filled him with relief.

After putting down his pen, Jiang Feng realized that someone had been calling him just now.

Turning around, he saw Wu Minqi standing behind him, her eyes, large and filled with even greater confusion, fixed on the paper on the desk.

“Fengfeng, what is this?” Wu Minqi couldn’t figure it out. She had only gone to buy a pair of shoes, so how had Jiang Feng turned into this?

Jiang Feng hastily gathered up the papers on the desk, pretending that Wu Minqi had not seen the words on them, “Isn’t it because I have to go to Jubao Building tomorrow morning to teach Sun Jikai the secret of making Eight Treasures Porridge and Pigeon with thickened gravy? I’ve got to do some prep work!”

Wu Minqi: ?

“Oh, right, Qiqi, did you get the shoes?” Jiang Feng quickly changed the subject.

“Got them.” Wu Minqi’s mouth turned up in happiness as she mentioned this, her eyes unable to hide her joy, “I had my eye on a similar style back in Beiping, but unfortunately, the store was out of stock in my size. I was thinking of checking again when I got back, but to my surprise, I found a similar pair this afternoon in a local mall, and the material is great too, very soft to the touch and comfortable to wear.”

As she spoke, Wu Minqi went to get the shoe box, opening it to show Jiang Feng the unexpectedly delightful pair.

They were a pair of British-style leather shoes, which Jiang Feng also thought looked quite nice.

“Qiqi, these shoes don’t really match any of your clothes or dresses, do they?” Jiang Feng asked. As a seasoned straight man who had watched many idol dramas, he felt he had some authority on women’s fashion.

Wu Minqi nodded, “Yeah, they don’t really go well together. I only realized it after buying them, so I plan to go back to the mall tomorrow to see if I can find one or two outfits that match these shoes, and when new dresses come in, I’ll buy a few that go with these shoes.”

Jiang Feng: ?

Although he didn’t understand this strategy, Jiang Feng, as Mrs. Wang Xiulian’s good son, knew exactly what he should say in such a situation.

“Buy a couple more pieces, and if you see any suitable scarves, you can get those too.” Jiang Feng said with a smile.

After all, it wasn’t his money being spent.

Besides, he had no money of his own.

Indeed, poverty is the most outstanding traditional virtue of the Chinese nation.

Human beings can avoid so many unnecessary troubles because of poverty.

Ji Gezi, when too poor to afford anything but the cheapest canteen porridge that tasted vaguely of paste, never had to think about what clothes to match with shoes—she didn’t even have the money to buy shoes.

“By the way, Fengfeng, did you set a time with Sun Jikai? When are you meeting at Jubao Building tomorrow? I’ll find a mall close to Jubao Building, then we can have lunch together at noon, and if I finish shopping in the afternoon, I’ll come find you at Jubao Building.” Wu Minqi said.

“We’re meeting at 7 a.m. tomorrow.”

“7 o’clock? That’s so early!” Wu Minqi was shocked.

She knew Jiang Feng loved to sleep in; back when they first started dating, they had never made plans for seven in the morning.

“Of course.” Jiang Feng said solemnly, “Time is of the essence, and there’s a heavy task at hand. Entrusted by others, one must be loyal to the task. Since it’s teaching, I have to set an example.”

Wu Minqi: …

Wu Minqi silently glanced at the small stack of white papers now tucked into the corner of the table, even making out the words on the topmost sheet.

I’ve taught pigs and I’ve taught dogs, I’ve taught them all.

Wu Minqi took another look at Jiang Feng, but didn’t call him out.

I suspect you just can’t wait to go scold Sun Jikai.

But… when had Sun Jikai offended their Fengfeng?