Lin Yuxuan’s Level 2 Cooking Skills

After leaving school, Lin Yuxuan headed straight to a large supermarket in the commercial district.

“First, grab some snacks. Then pick up some vegetables. I’ll try cooking something when I get home.”

She had received a “Cooking – Level 2” skill from the simulator’s last reward, but hadn’t had time to test it out the previous night. Now was the perfect chance.

But what dish should she make?
It had to be something that truly tested her skill.

“I’ve got it. This one’s perfect—it really puts a chef’s abilities to the test.”

Once she picked the dish, the ingredients immediately appeared in her mind—like a recipe downloaded straight into her brain.
With that list, she began shopping.

After gathering the essentials, she went to the snack aisle and picked out sweets and little treats—popular among girls.
When in doubt, sweets were always a safe choice.

At checkout, she paid and returned home to start cooking.

First step: cut the chicken into cubes.
This would test the knife skills granted by her Level 2 Cooking skill.
Knife work was a fundamental skill—some chefs spent five years mastering uniform julienned potatoes (true story).
Not because they were bad, but because every single strand had to be identical in thickness, length, and cross-section.

Yuxuan tore open the packaging and took out the chicken.
The moment her fingers touched the knife handle, muscle memory kicked in—like an invisible hand guiding hers.
No thinking required.
Her movements were instinctive, precise, lightning-fast.

In seconds, the entire piece of meat was diced.

She inspected the results.
Aside from a few irregular edges, every cube was perfectly uniform—same size, same shape.
Just looking at them gave a sense of aesthetic harmony.

The only flaw? Her knife wasn’t sharp enough.
She’d have to upgrade her kitchen tools soon.

“The simulator’s skills really work. I don’t *know* how to cook, but my body does it automatically.”

Though she’d never formally learned cooking, the steps for classic dishes were already deeply embedded in her mind.
All she had to do was follow them.

She marinated the chicken with cooking wine, salt, and starch, then set it aside.

Next, she prepared the sauce for Kung Pao Chicken—the most crucial part.
The balance of flavors would make or break the dish.

Of course, personal taste mattered too.
As a girl, Yuxuan preferred a slightly sweeter version.

Sauce ready, she heated the wok, poured in oil, and tossed in ginger, garlic, scallions, and dried chilies.
Aromatic steam rose as they sizzled.

Then in went the chicken, stir-fried over high heat.

Yuxuan even flipped the wok like a pro.
The ingredients danced obediently in the pan—flipping, soaring, doing exactly what she wanted.
She could make them jump high…
but not too far.
No one wanted chicken flying onto the floor.

Once the chicken turned golden brown, she poured in the sauce, letting the dish slowly absorb the rich color and flavor.

Finally, she plated it.

The aroma filled the kitchen—rich, spicy, sweet, and savory.
A masterpiece of color, fragrance, and taste.

Yuxuan stared in disbelief.

While cooking, it felt like she was watching someone else.
Only now did she realize—I made this?

Even in her past life, she’d never cooked at this level!

“Whose dish did I accidentally put in my pan?!”

She took a bite.

Sweetness burst on her tongue, followed by a deep, balanced blend of spicy and savory.
One bite and she nearly moaned.

The chili heat was subtle—perfectly integrated, enhancing the flavor without overpowering it.

With each bite, waves of deliciousness flooded her senses, making her cheeks flush pink.

“Mmm~ And this is just Level 2… I can’t imagine how good I’ll be if I keep leveling up.”

Before she knew it, she’d eaten half the plate.

“I should save some for tomorrow’s breakfast…”
But then she paused.

“No, that won’t be enough. I’ll pack the rest and bring it to Wenwen’s house. I can make something fresh tomorrow morning. The leftovers can go in a bento for lunch.”

****

Meanwhile, Tang Yawen had scrubbed her floor three times—still not satisfied.

She’d cleaned like she was making up for a year’s worth of mess.
Now, she collapsed onto the couch, completely drained.

Gurgle… gurgle…

Her stomach growled.

“Crap… I haven’t eaten yet…”

She’d been so focused on cleaning, she forgot to eat.
Now she had no energy to cook.

Ding-dong~

The doorbell rang.

Already weak from exhaustion and hunger, she nearly face-planted trying to stand.

She caught herself on a table—only to accidentally slam her lower abdomen into the corner.

Owwww…

She winced but held back a cry, determined to answer the door.

“Wenwen Teacher, I’m here~”

Lin Yuxuan stepped in, holding a big bag of snacks.

“C-Come in…” Tang Yawen tried to sound calm as she took the bag, though pain still throbbed in her gut.

The dull ache from the bruise lingered, her face faintly flushed.

Oww… it stings… and itches…

This is so embarrassing…
And now I have a guest…
I really wish I could change clothes, but that’s impossible now…

She was still sweaty from cleaning—her clothes clung uncomfortably to her skin.

But she had no choice.
She had to host her guest.

“Wenwen Teacher, your place smells nice~”

Yuxuan sniffed the air and smiled.

Tang Yawen froze.

Did she smell my sweat?!

“Huh? What smell?”

“It’s a lovely jasmine scent~”

Yuxuan said dreamily.
She loved the fragrance of jasmine.

“Oh… that’s just the air freshener I sprayed. Please, have a seat.”

Though she’d never hosted anyone before, she knew the basics.

“Okay. Do you have slippers?”

Yuxuan sat on the couch, still wearing her school shoes.

These were cute little leather loafers—comfortable, with arch support.
But they weren’t breathable.
After walking a short distance, her feet were soaked in sweat.
The nylon fabric of her white socks clung to her skin—hot, damp, and sticky.

“No, you can keep them on. I don’t have extra slippers…”

Tang Yawen said shyly.

For most people, this wouldn’t be a big deal.
Living alone, forgetting extra slippers was normal.
But for a socially anxious shut-in like Wenwen, it felt like a sign—*no one ever visits me.*

Yuxuan noticed her discomfort and decided to go with the flow—no awkwardness.

“No problem~ I just don’t want to dirty your clean floor.”

She shifted the topic to praise Wenwen’s cleaning—turning an awkward moment into a compliment.
The mood instantly lightened.

“It’s fine. I clean every day… and your shoes are very clean too~”

Lie.
Tang Yawen, the reclusive otaku, only mopped when someone was coming over.

But everyone wanted to look good—especially when praised.
At least her effort wasn’t wasted.

“You look tired, Wenwen~ Here~”

Yuxuan pulled out a bottle of energy drink from the bag.

She’d noticed Wenwen was still catching her breath, face flushed with sweat.
The fresh air freshener suggested she’d been hiding a smell—probably cleaned the whole place for her visit.

Back in her office days, she’d learned to read these signs.

“Thank you~” Wenwen felt touched.
She was so thirsty right now.
You really know me, Xuanxuan…

“I brought you some food I made. Have you eaten? Want to try it?”

If Wenwen had just finished cleaning, she probably hadn’t eaten.
At best, maybe instant noodles.

Yuxuan wore her soft, gentle smile—but her mind was sharp.
She saw everything.

In Chinese culture, it’s polite not to eat gifts immediately.
So Wenwen planned to talk first, eat later.

“I just ate, so I’ll pass…”

She tried to be polite—but her stomach disagreed.

Gurgle… gurgle…

Her traitorous stomach growled loudly at the worst possible moment.

Tang Yawen: (＃°Д°)
Why now?!

Lin Yuxuan: (*￣▽￣*)
Gotcha.