Chapter 21 Ignoring the Pressure
Looking at the task given by the system, Zhao Xiaojing's silence was deafening.
"System, why do you tailor this task?"
The system is very intelligent. As long as it serves the food itself, you can make reasonable requests. The system will customize corresponding reward tasks. The tasks are usually centered around your own challenges.
"What happens if the mission is not completed?"
[If the task is not completed, the system will deduct half of the reward for the next task. If the next task is still not completed, the entire reward for the next task will be deducted.]
[Warm reminder: You have chosen to accept this task before it was issued]
"Hiss..." Zhao Xiaojing's scalp felt numb.
In the system interface, that row of tasks is particularly eye-catching.
[Reward Task: Make a delicious meal for Dong Mei]
[Task Progress: 0/1]
Cooking is not difficult, and it’s not that she doesn’t want to do it, but she is really scared.
After sending Dong Mei a heartfelt short essay the day before yesterday, Dong Mei has not replied to her yet.
The reason why she was able to compromise and get married twice in her previous life was that she really had no ability and could not pay back the money. She didn't know what else to do except get married.
Secondly, Dong Mei has a strong personality. If you don't give in to her, she'll lose her temper and lecture you. If you don't listen, she'll ignore you, ignore you no matter what you do, and won't talk to you, just treating you like air. Zhao Xiaojing really can't stand her.
But she has goals in this life and her own career, even though it's just a small stall now.
She admitted that she was still a coward. When she encountered problems she didn't want to face, she wanted to bypass them directly, such as turning on airplane mode or going out to avoid Dong Mei.
But facing the problem head-on was too difficult! She might never be good at rejecting a strong, benevolent elder. If she forcefully refused, it would only mess things up, just like now, with a stiff attitude.
After much hesitation, Zhao Xiaojing finally went to the vegetable market and quickly picked out some fresh chicken wings, some green peppers, two eggplants, half a pound of cherry tomatoes, some plums, as well as other ingredients such as onions, ginger, and garlic.
There is still time. Dong Mei gets off work at six o'clock and will be home around half past six.
After carrying a bunch of vegetables to Dong Mei's house, I waited at the door for another ten minutes before she came back from get off work.
Dong Mei glanced at her sideways, then ignored her and took out the key to open the door.
"Third Aunt." Zhao Xiaojing called out despite the invisible pressure. Not knowing what to say, she followed Dong Mei into the house.
As soon as I entered the house and took the things into the kitchen, Dong Mei followed me in and put on an apron.
"Aunt, I'll cook today. You take a break." Zhao Xiaojing spoke quickly. Dong Mei had already started to get the chopping board. She turned a deaf ear to what Zhao Xiaojing said, put down the chopping board, and opened the refrigerator again.
Seeing that Dong Mei had no intention of stopping, Zhao Xiaojing hurriedly opened the plastic bag containing her vegetables and started taking them out.
"Auntie San, if you don't want to take it, I bought some vegetables and I'll cook it!" Zhao Xiaojing took the vegetable bowl, put the chicken wings in it and started to wash them.
Seeing this, Dong Mei slammed the refrigerator shut, snatched the vegetable bowl, frowned and waved at Zhao Xiaojing.
"I've already touched it, Auntie San, so don't touch it!"
"I've never cooked for you, so you should at least try my cooking."
Zhao Xiaojing hurriedly grabbed the vegetable bowl and said the lines she had been thinking about all the way.
After arguing for a while, Dong Mei saw that Zhao Xiaojing insisted, so she didn't go out or say anything. She just stood in the kitchen and watched her cook.
Zhao Xiaojing felt tremendous pressure. She swallowed her saliva and got busy again.
Fortunately, the dishes I chose today were all quick to prepare, such as pan-fried chicken wings, chopped eggs with green peppers, salad eggplant, and pickled cherry tomatoes for Aunt San to eat after dinner.
First wash two eggplants, steam them whole and turn off the heat after about ten minutes.
After steaming, pick up the chicken wings and cut them in half.
Then add black pepper, a little salt, cooking wine and ginger slices and marinate.
While pickling, wash and chop the green peppers, pour a little oil into the pan and stir-fry until the peppers are soft.
Then beat three eggs, pour the fried green peppers into the egg liquid, add a small spoonful of salt, and stir well.
Open the steamer during the break and let the eggplant cool.
Pour water into the pot to cover the bottom of the pot and boil the cherry tomatoes.
Chop the garlic, green onion, and chili pepper, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, balsamic vinegar, and sugar, then pour hot oil to make a dressing.
Remove the cherry tomatoes, replace them with cold water, add plum sugar and bring to a boil. Peel the cherry tomatoes one by one and put them into a bowl. Pour in the plum water, cover with a lid and refrigerate.
Wash the pan, dry it, and turn on the heat. Heat the pan with cold oil (use a little more oil). Pour the mixed green pepper and egg mixture into the pan after it is heated. Turn the pan around to spread the egg mixture and solidify it. Use a spatula to spread it out and flip it over. Fry until it is nicely browned and then remove from the pan.
At this time, the chicken wings have been marinated. Add a little oil to the frying pan, turn on low heat, place the chicken wings with the fat side facing down, spread them flat in the pan, and cover the pan.
After about two or three minutes, the chicken skin on one side is set. Fry until it is crispy and fragrant, then turn it over and cover the pan. After turning it over several times, the chicken wings are almost cooked. Then turn on high heat and fry until both sides are golden brown.
The surface of the chicken wings is fried until golden and shiny, and then sprinkled with a small bottle of non-spicy fried skewers dipping sauce. With the secret dipping sauce to enhance the flavor, Zhao Xiaojing is very confident about this fried chicken wings.
Then tear the cooled eggplant into finger-width strips and pour the prepared dressing over them.
All four dishes are ready.
Dong Mei remained silent. She watched Zhao Xiaojing skillfully and methodically prepare four delicious and fragrant dishes and serve them on the table. She then looked up and stared at her for a long time.
"Aunt, try this." Zhao Xiaojing nervously picked up a chicken wing and put it in Dong Mei's bowl.
Dong Mei sighed, picked up the chopsticks and took a bite. She was stunned for a while, then tried the cold eggplant and chopped eggs with green peppers.
"I thought you only knew how to cook porridge, but it turns out you know so much more. Did you learn all that at that time?" Dong Mei was a little surprised and spoke her first sentence of the day.
Zhao Xiaojing was stunned, then nodded hesitantly. The time Dong Mei was referring to was when Zhao Xiaojing's mother was ill. At that time, her mother couldn't eat, so she would cook porridge in different ways every day, adding different side dishes to the porridge until it became a mushy paste, so that her mother could eat at least a little.
In fact, Zhao Xiaojing learned how to cook after getting married in her previous life. She was not proficient in these things before, but she couldn't explain the fact of her rebirth, so she could only deal with it vaguely.
Dong Mei took another bite of the chicken wing and could taste the crispy, charred skin and the tender chicken meat inside. The cooking time was perfect, and the dipping sauce was not spicy but fragrant, which was especially delicious when eaten with the chicken wings.
Dong Mei's brows relaxed slightly, and she looked at the seasoning sprinkled on the chicken wings for a long time.
"Aunt, this is the non-spicy dipping sauce I made myself. I thought of bringing it to you to try. If you like it, I will bring you more next time." Zhao Xiaojing said hurriedly when she saw that Dong Mei's attitude seemed to have eased.
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