Chapter 881: Extra 2: Ji Xia Chapter (Three) Chapter 881: Extra 2: Ji Xia Chapter (Three) If you had to describe Jiang Feng’s performance at last night’s New Year’s Eve dinner in one sentence, it would probably be, “The hero has perished before achieving success, leaving him in endless tears.”

Even though it was already early morning on the first day of the lunar new year and firecracker sounds had awoken him, the memories of last night’s New Year’s Eve battle still lingered in Jiang Feng’s mind.

Last year, when he had helped the old man in the kitchen, Jiang Feng remembered to eat a bit more to pad his stomach. This year, maybe because it was his first year taking charge of the cooking and he was too nervous, all he had on his mind was whether the dishes were enough and completely forgot about the serious matter of whether he would get to eat or not.

Let’s put it this way, if Jiang Feng’s table hadn’t been one with the younger relatives, where he had already established an exceedingly lofty status, being virtually worshipped by Jiang Junqing and Jiang Junlian, he might not even have had enough to eat yesterday evening.

It was too tragic.

Too cruel.

The principle of the survival of the fittest was fully exemplified at the Jiang Family’s New Year’s Eve dinner table.

Jiang Feng sighed and glanced at the time–it was just past six o’clock in the morning–as he got out of bed to prepare breakfast.

This might just be the tragedy of the Jiang Family’s figure of authority, gaining everyone’s respect meant getting up early to make breakfast.

The whole family was waiting for congee in the morning, and Mrs. Jiang was waiting to eat red bean rice balls.

Ah, couldn’t they just skip breakfast since it’s the first day of the new year?

Jiang Feng, who insisted on having breakfast every first day of the new year, just wanted to eat without having to cook.

Jiang Feng hadn’t even reached the yard when he bumped into Jiang Weiming, who had already been up for a while. Although Jiang Weiming looked very cheerful with his usual smile, Jiang Feng could sense that it was not a smile of habit but one of genuine, heartfelt joy.

“Granduncle Weiming, happy New Year.” Actually, Jiang Feng had already said this to Jiang Weiming after midnight last night, but he felt he should say it again this morning.

“Happy New Year. Did you have enough to eat last night, Feng?” Jiang Weiming asked with a smile.

Jiang Feng: …

So even Granduncle Weiming saw him last night failing to grab dishes and relying on Jiang Junlian to serve him?

Jiang Feng was overwhelmed inside, but still tried to maintain a cheerful New Year’s expression on his face, which was slightly stiff as he said, “I had plenty, how could I not have enough on such a festive occasion? …I even had half a bowl of rice.”

In fact, Jiang Feng misunderstood what Jiang Weiming meant. He had only said what he did as a lead into his next sentence, “I’ve just made some dumplings and also prepared some noodles with sauce. If you want to eat, go to the kitchen and cook for yourself, Feng. I remember there’s still some stock left from yesterday; you can cook directly with that.”

Jiang Feng immediately felt spirited and didn’t even think about what time Jiang Weiming must have woken up to prepare dumplings and season the noodles; he also forgot his own status as the family’s head chef and sprinted toward the kitchen.

In the morning, having congee is just for fun. For a real breakfast, he still had to rely on Grandpa and Granduncle Weiming.

When Jiang Feng ran into the kitchen, the old man and Mrs. Jiang were also there.

Sir was deep-frying spring rolls, just getting started, fragrant and tempting, while Mrs. Jiang was eating dumplings, boiled in clear water with seasoning, one after another.

“Feng is up, huh? Cook whatever you want to eat,” Mrs. Jiang said with a smiling face.

Obviously, Jiang Feng was the earliest to rise in the Jiang Family, aside from these three elders.

Not only did he not have to prepare breakfast himself, but there was also food to eat, and he could even choose what he wanted.

Needless to say, the choice was obvious. There was a big pot of stock in the fridge from yesterday. Jiang Feng divided this big pot of stock into two parts, pouring each half into separate pots–one for cooking dumplings and one for noodles. He couldn’t possibly eat a whole pot of stock by himself, but since others would be getting up one after another, they could cook for themselves–he had already poured the stock into the pots.

About ten dumplings, half a bowl of noodles, a bit of stock, along with the sauce prepared by Jiang Weiming. Sitting beside Sir’s pot, waiting for the newest batch of piping hot, mouthwateringly crispy, and delicious spring rolls, Jiang Feng felt as joyful as an immortal.

After the joy, Jiang Feng didn’t forget to leave something for the Jiang Family Members. This year, accommodating his request, they had bought a lot of fresh seafood. Very little was used on the eve of the thirtieth, and there were still plenty of fish, shrimp, and crabs being kept in the kitchen. Cooking congee was the simplest task for Jiang Feng, effortless, no need for thinking or expenditure of energy. He made a pot of seafood congee, and once it was ready, he left the kitchen.

His phone was still in his room.

Just as he reached the living room, Jiang Feng encountered Jiang Junlian, who had just woken up with messy hair, obviously not combed, and it was unclear if she had washed her face or brushed her teeth; she was still in her pajamas.

It was a rare occurrence to meet Jiang Junlian early in the morning like this. She usually slept in every first day of the new year, not getting up until Aunt woke her up and dragged her to the village for New Year’s greetings. She had never caught breakfast, always eating while paying the visits.

Upon seeing Jiang Feng, Jiang Junlian’s eyes lit up. She grabbed him, not too forcefully, and whispered with caution after a quick scan of the surroundings as if she were a secret agent making contact, “Feng, is there breakfast in the kitchen?”

“Yeah!” Jiang Feng’s voice involuntarily lowered a lot, “There are dumplings, noodles, and seafood congee, Grandpa is still frying spring rolls.”

Jiang Junlian immediately perked up, her eyes shining with a strange light. Jiang Feng thought she would take off towards the kitchen, but instead, she dashed back to her room. As Jiang Feng stood there dumbfounded, Jiang Junlian dragged along someone who was obviously groggy, whose hands bore the marks of probably being awakened with a slap, and who was still confused, into the kitchen. All the while, she murmured curses as they ran.

“Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep my ass! There are dumplings, noodles, seafood congee, and spring rolls in the kitchen. I set an alarm this morning especially because I knew Feng would make something delicious. If we don’t go now, Dad’s alarm will go off, and they’ll all wake up!”

Jiang Feng: …

What could he say? Maybe this was just the bond between twin sisters–never forgetting to call the other when there’s food.

Jiang Feng shook his head and went back to his room. Picking up his phone, he saw six missed calls, all from Xiaxia, demonstrating her determination and perseverance to be the first to call him with New Year’s greetings.

Just as he was about to call back, the seventh call came through.

He answered.

“Happy New Year, Master! Am I the first one to call you this year for New Year’s greetings? You probably haven’t received any other New Year’s calls before mine, right?” As soon as the call was connected, I heard Xiaxia’s lively and somewhat excited voice. Just by her tone, I knew she was very happy on the other end of the phone.

Indeed, coming home for the New Year and being with her mother-in-law, cousins, and cousin-brothers must be more delightful, or perhaps the New Year itself is simply worth celebrating. Jiang Feng thought Xiaxia’s spirits in her words were much better now than before the New Year, when she still hadn’t started her holiday and was at Taifeng Building.

“Of course, Xiaxia, you are the first one to call. It’s just past seven now, who would call so early for New Year’s greetings like you?” Jiang Feng laughed, “Have you had breakfast, Xiaxia?”

“I have, Master, let me tell you, this morning our family’s breakfast was all made by me. I made Zhajiangmian, egg noodles, beef noodles, and fish ball noodles. My sister made the Zhajiang and braised beef, but I made the fish balls myself! Not only did Grandma say it was delicious, but Uncle, Aunt, and Sister Pingping all said it was tasty after eating it. Aunt even said I can become a great chef like my sister in the future,” Xiaxia spoke with pride, “Master, have you had breakfast?”

“I have. This morning I had wontons, noodles, and fried spring rolls,” said Jiang Feng.

“Wow,” Xiaxia exclaimed, not sure which one she wanted to eat.

“How about it, Xiaxia, did your trip home for the New Year go smoothly?” Jiang Feng began his routine inquiry, and it wasn’t his fault for asking such seemingly boring questions. Although Xiaxia and Ji Xue now had money, they would still buy train tickets according to old habits and not even splurge on sleeper tickets; they bought seats. Transferring from train to shuttle bus and then having to walk part of the way, the sisters took more than a day to travel home for the New Year, carrying big and small bags, which made their journey back home much more arduous than ordinary people’s.

Xiaxia started telling Jiang Feng about things she witnessed on the train during the New Year’s journey home, the reactions of her uncle, aunt, and several cousins after getting home, and she emphasized how relatives knew about Jiang Feng’s brilliant achievements this year, thanks to Grandma’s bragging. Everyone knew she had a very impressive master.

They were all trivial matters, yet Xiaxia’s narrative gave a feeling of returning home in glory.

Just like last year, Xiaxia didn’t mention her parents at all.

“Oh, and Master, this year Grandma dried a lot of fish, all carefully selected by her. After the New Year, I’ll have sister bring some to you,” she said.

Jiang Feng seized on something amiss in Xiaxia’s words: “Why have Ji Xue bring them to me?”

Xiaxia’s tone did not change; it was as relaxed and cheerful as before, as though she was talking about a happy little matter: “Because I’ve made up my mind, I won’t be going back after the New Year.”

“I’m going to Taste House.”

While this was what everyone hoped for and was the smoothest and most suitable path planned for Xiaxia by Jiang Feng and the others, hearing her say it in such a calm, relaxed, and joyful tone made Jiang Feng at a loss for words.

“Master, I think going to Taste House is a good idea. I watched the variety show where you competed with Taste House, and I think the masters there are very nice and skilled. The pastries they make look very delicate and beautiful, and I simply can’t make anything like that.”

“Master, you’re so amazing, now even Grandma, Uncle, Aunt, and Sister Pingping all know you are great, and my younger sister apprentice is also very impressive, better than me at both chopping and stir-frying, and she can even give me pointers. I don’t want to stay in the restaurant and hold you all back, and risk embarrassing you and my sister apprentice someday when people find out I’m your disciple?” Xiaxia’s voice was as excited and buoyant as before at first but became more somber and quieter as she spoke.

Jiang Feng’s mood sank along with Xiaxia’s voice.

Before, they didn’t want to make choices for Xiaxia, but now that Xiaxia had made her own decision, he felt even more unsettled.

“Xiaxia, one thing you must know is that if you really go to Taste House and learn from the masters there, you might not be able to return for many years, and you might not even see us once or twice a year,” Jiang Feng said with a bitter taste in his mouth, torn between the pride in her growing up and the unwillingness to see her grow up so soon.

“You’ll need to adapt to Taste House’s environment, get to know the people at Taste House, live on your own, and be prepared to practice for ten hours every day. You might not even have time to go home for the New Year, and you might not see us even once in a year,” Jiang Feng pointed out, mentioning just some of the challenges Xiaxia was about to face, with many more left unsaid.

Xiaxia’s trip to Taste House wasn’t like going to a secluded private school to study; she was there to apprentice and endure hardship. She had to start as a trainee. Even with good talent and some foundation, she still had to start from the beginning, retraining in the basics. Her exceptional talent might even result in more suffering because the world always holds great expectations for a genius and tends to put even more pressure on them.

Unlike Taifeng Building, Taste House was open all year round, and even on New Year’s Eve, the white-case chefs had to work as usual. As an apprentice, Xiaxia was no exception, and she might even have no annual leave for the first three or four years.

But these were minor issues.

The master chefs at Taste House might take extra care of Xiaxia in daily life because of Jiang Feng and Taifeng Building’s influence, but she would still face many problems beyond everyday life.

Jiang Feng was truly worried that Xiaxia might not be able to get through it mentally. He was acutely aware that even though Xiaxia was of high school age, her emotional maturity was far from that of a typical high school student. Due to her upbringing and family environment from a young age, Xiaxia was more extreme and radical than many other children. She was full of edges and thorns, and for many years in her life, happiness was scarce.

She was more mature than ordinary children, yet also more childish.

She was sharper than ordinary children, yet also more fragile.

Even though the sharp edges and thorns on Xiaxia had been somewhat smoothed out by the people of Taifeng Building in the past two years, it did not mean they had disappeared.

They were just hidden, deeply concealed.

Of course, Jiang Feng hoped his worries were unnecessary, just unfounded concerns arising from the needless overthinking of an old father. After all, going to Yonghe House was something Xiaxia had proposed herself, and Jiang Feng believed that she truly wanted to go and was willing to.

“Xiaxia, are you really ready?” Jiang Feng asked.

“Master, I am ready,” Xiaxia replied, her words devoid of any loss or discouragement, “Grandma is right. Since Master and my junior sister are so outstanding, I also want to become as excellent as you both. I want to deserve being your apprentice, deserve being my junior sister’s senior sister.”

“And Grandma has already arranged a data plan for me, so I can video call you all after work in the evenings.”

“Once I have learned enough, I will return to Taifeng Building. Master, I will definitely make it onto the list of famous chefs just like you did.”

Jiang Feng wanted to say more, but he felt it was no longer necessary.

“Good,” Jiang Feng said with a smile.

His apprentice had finally grown up.

Xiaxia was no longer the little Ji Xia from before.

Although he wasn’t ready, Xiaxia had grown up rapidly and started taking responsibility for her own life.

Pretty good.