Chapter 125: Cooking for Someone You Love

"How about I make you some Chinese food? Although I know a bit about Western cuisine, I’m not as proficient in it as I am with Chinese dishes."

After turning on the faucet to wet his hands, Chen Zhe answered Krystal Jung’s question while lathering his hands with soap and rubbing them together for a moment. He placed his hands under the running water again, washing them thoroughly. Since he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, he even washed up to his elbows to ensure his hands were perfectly clean.

Once satisfied, Chen Zhe pulled out a paper towel to wrap around the faucet handle to turn it off, then used a roll of sanitary hand-drying paper to wipe his hands dry. These were all mandatory requirements set by Bai Fan when he taught Chen Zhe how to cook. For anyone working in the food service industry, maintaining hygiene, especially hand cleanliness, is of the utmost importance. Although Chen Zhe was not a professional chef, this was Bai Fan’s restaurant, and if he wanted to use it, he had to abide by the rules.

"Chinese food? That sounds great. I love the Chinese dishes that Victoria makes. As for Western food, I think I’ll pass; I’m a bit tired of it."

Resting her chin in her hands, Krystal watched Chen Zhe as he began to bustle about behind the bar. A soft expression flickered in her eyes—this was the first time a boy had ever cooked for her personally.

"Then the first dish I’ll make for you is pan-seared shrimp cakes. They are succulent and bouncy, very palatable, and perfect for whetting the appetite. By the way, you don’t dislike cucumbers like Jessica does, do you?"

After cleaning his hands according to the rules, Chen Zhe opened the refrigerator, scanned the ingredients inside, and nodded with satisfaction. He had discussed the menu with Bai Fan beforehand, and the ingredients Bai Fan had purchased today were all according to that plan.

"Pan-seared shrimp cakes? What dish is that? I’ve never seen Victoria make it. As for cucumbers, I’m indifferent; I’m not my sister."

Seeing Chen Zhe open the fridge and look for something, Krystal kept her chin in her hands, her tone softening even more.

"That makes things much easier. You know, the simpler the ingredients, the more they test a chef’s skill. Tonight, I’ll let you witness my culinary prowess."

After receiving her reply, Chen Zhe quickly took out the shrimp, cucumber, and onion from the fridge and brought them to the bar. After placing the shrimp in the sink, he gave Krystal a playful, triumphant wink, looking quite smug and confident about his cooking skills.

"Hmph, show-off. Well, I’ll look forward to your cooking then, but don’t let me down!"

Seeing Chen Zhe’s cocky expression, Krystal couldn’t help but want to deflate his ego. She crossed her arms, striking the pose of a very strict judge.

"Don’t worry, I won’t let you down. This is the result of over a week of staying up late and working hard, so please look forward to it!"

Seeing Krystal’s serious, arms-crossed posture, Chen Zhe deliberately mimicked her, answering in a stern and earnest tone, though he couldn't help but burst into a laugh afterward. His imitation was so spot-on that Krystal couldn't maintain her serious façade, and she couldn't help but laugh along with him.

"Alright, time to get serious and prepare the first appetizer for tonight."

After lightening the mood and exchanging a few words with Krystal, Chen Zhe’s expression turned focused as he entered his work mode, swiftly handling the ingredients. He first deveined the shrimp, removed their heads and tails, and peeled them, placing them into a freshly cleaned metal bowl. He added a pinch of salt and cornstarch, then gently massaged them in a clockwise motion to draw out the mucilage.

After massaging them for a good while, he turned on the tap and rinsed the shrimp repeatedly with clean water. Once he confirmed the water was clear and the shrimp were clean and firm, he drained them and placed them on the cutting board.

"The second step of pan-seared shrimp cakes—and the most important one—is to mince the shrimp into a paste. There are two ways to do this: one is using a scraper, and the other is crushing them with a knife."

"If you want the dish to be succulent and bouncy with a distinct, chunky texture, remember: don’t mince the shrimp too finely. Keep it coarse to ensure there’s a noticeable texture."

Staring at the shrimp on the board, Chen Zhe recalled the method Bai Fan had taught him, along with the serious instruction he had been given. He nodded subconsciously, found the scraper Bai Fan had prepared, washed it, and began to scrape the shrimp on the board with lightning-fast hand movements.

"Zhe, why are you scraping the shrimp like that? The pieces are all uneven in size."

Krystal had been watching his every move. Seeing him handle the shrimp into a rough, uneven paste, she tilted her head in confusion and couldn't suppress her curiosity.

"The main purpose of making the paste uneven is to ensure the shrimp cakes retain the best succulent and bouncy texture. To achieve that, you need to be able to taste the texture of the shrimp pieces..."

As he scraped the paste, Chen Zhe explained the reasoning behind his technique. After a few more minutes, he finished the paste, put it into a clean bowl, washed the cutting board, and dried it with a paper towel before moving on to the cucumber and onion.

The cucumber was simple: he washed it and cut off a small piece, saving the rest to use as a tool for pressing the shrimp cakes later. As for the onions, they were a bit of an ordeal for Chen Zhe; as he sliced them into rings, the fumes made his eyes water, and tears began to slide down his face.

Just as a tear was about to reach his chin, a tissue was gently pressed against his face, wiping away the moisture. He looked up toward the front of the bar, but Krystal was no longer there. He quickly followed the hand holding the tissue and realized Krystal was standing right beside him, looking at him with an exceptionally tender gaze, which made Chen Zhe feel a rush of warmth rising to his face.