Reborn in Japan as a Chef God

"Bean curd wasn't always a commoner's food."

"This ancient ingredient's origins can be traced back to the 2nd century B.C., and it's said to have been invented by King Liu An of Huainan, the grandson of Han Gaozu Liu Bang."

"However, back then, tofu was quite unrefined and lacked a good texture. It wasn't considered a valuable cooking ingredient, so it didn't become mainstream. It wasn't until the Tang and Song Periods that tofu became a staple food for both emperors and commoners. You Neon people believe Jianzhen from the Tang dynasty is the founder of Neon tofu, which isn't entirely wrong. After all, Jianzhen's East Crossing brought many techniques to you…"

Using a casual tone, he spoke about the history of tofu.

There was no need to worry about making a mistake; Xia Yu had done his homework on this world's history thoroughly. Up until recent modern times, the two worlds' histories were almost perfectly aligned, with only different branching developments in modern times.

Color, aroma, taste, meaning, form, nourishment.

Among them, 'meaning' referred to the cultural connotations of the cuisine.

Xia Yu didn't care whether the Divine Tongue was listening or not. He leisurely grabbed a handful of chopped coriander and sprinkled it over the two bowls of tofu pudding.

"Here, please enjoy!"

Pushing the bowls forward, Xia Yu made a gesture of invitation and then smiled, "In the future, please don't say that tofu is just a commoner's dish. In my view, cooking is neither high nor low class. The original purpose of cooking was to fill one's belly, and only on that basis can we discuss flavor, color, and presentation."

Eriina was taken aback.

Xia Yu spoke with a smile, yet she inexplicably sensed his seriousness.

A string of sarcastic remarks got stuck in her throat. Eriina pursed her lips and didn't even give the tofu pudding on the table a glance, indicating her firm stance with her actions.

"Really not eating?" Xia Yu asked, amused.

"Not eating!"

"Alright then…"

Xia Yu didn't press her further, nor did he have the intention of forcing food into her mouth. He took a small spoon himself and started eating bite by bite.

"Hmm, delicious, it's still that heartwarming taste." Xia Yu devoured half a bowl and muttered to himself.

The Divine Tongue sniffed the aroma wafting through the air and felt her salivary glands working overtime. Chefs had an unusually keen sense of smell, which only added to Eriina's growing unease.

"That sweet flavor is brown sugar water?"

"The soy aroma of the tofu is so rich…"

"Why does the coriander bring out the flavor of this dish entirely?"

Her occupational hazard kicked in. Eriina unconsciously bit her thumbnail, her face displaying a complex expression.

Thud thud.

At this moment, the half-open door suddenly had a knock.

"Hey, anyone there?"

"Yu, are you in? It's your sister Mu Xiaoyue!"

As soon as Xia Yu heard the voice, he knew who it was and swallowed down the tofu pudding in his mouth, "I'm here, come right in."

Thus, the two Chinese young ladies he met yesterday lifted the gray curtain of the door and walked into the restaurant.

Mu Xiaoyue was the famous food blogger whose overnight food travel article had a tremendous impact, stirring up cravings among many of her fans. So this morning when Xia Yu woke up, he reaped more than 200 Fame Points in abundance.

Speaking of which, Mu Xiaoyue settled the bill last night, and that gourmet soft article, oh no, it should be called a gourmet piece, basically provided free advertising for Xia's Restaurant.

"Oh…"

As soon as Mu Xiaoyue entered the door, her nostrils flared, following the elusive scent in the air like a marionette, all the way to the counter. She stared at the untouched bowl of tofu pudding, her eyes lit up, "Wow, tofu pudding, did you make this?"

"Yes, it's breakfast." Xia Yu nodded.

"Then can I eat it? You seem to have already eaten a bowl, so you must be full." Mu Xiaoyue asked expectantly, her bright eyes clear, along with her cute outfit and appearance, just like a little girl reaching out for candy.

From the corner of the store, Eriina perked her ears up, as if sensing an enemy.

"Sure!"

Xia Yu casually said, "A bowl of tofu pudding, just a snack, it's nothing. In a little while, it'll be lunchtime, and I'll make a few dishes to thank you properly."

"Let's talk about gratitude after I finish this bowl of tofu pudding!"

Upon hearing this, Mu Xiaoyue didn't hold back at all. She reached out to Xia Yu for two clean spoons, handed one to her friend beside her, her dimpled cheeks revealing a smile, "Xiao Ya, let's dig in!"

Each took a spoonful of the concoction of white tofu and brown sugar water, savoring it, and their expressions were worth a thousand words.

At the counter, Xia Yu watched the expression changes of the two Chinese young ladies, finding it very interesting. Especially Mu Xiaoyue, who while eating, used all sorts of professional terminology to offer words of praise.

"Tofu pudding!"

"What kind of soybeans were used for this tofu pudding? It's so aromatic. If I could have soy milk made from these soybeans for breakfast every day, it would be such a delight!"

Before they knew it, the bowl of tofu pudding was finished. Mu Xiaoyue set down her spoon, fixed her gaze on him.

"No wonder you're a famous food blogger!" Xia Yu gave a thumbs-up and praised, "The soul of this tofu pudding is indeed in the tofu pudding itself, or rather in the soybeans used to make it."

"But unfortunately, the soybeans we use for making tofu and tofu pudding aren't anything special. You can buy them on the shop street outside." Xia Yu said, deliberately leaving some suspense.

In his heart, he apologized to the old man.

This tofu pudding was, in fact, something he learned by stealth from the old man. Having tasted the amazing tofu pudding back then, Xia Yu had been pondering and researching for a while. Finally, with the Chef God System's ingredient identification feature, he unlocked the secret hidden in the tofu pudding.

Mu Xiaoyue found a chair and sat down, casting a curious glance at Eriina before ignoring the angelic-looking beauty. Pointing at the wall on the left, she asked, "Where's the menu?"

"This morning, Xiao Ya and I specifically saved room in our bellies, planning to taste some authentic Chinese cuisine here."

Xia Yu's mouth twitched, and he coughed, "The shop is not yet open for business. When it opens, I'll naturally hang the nameplate of the 12 dishes available that day on the wall for guests to choose from."

"Not yet open?" Mu Xiaoyue rounded her eyes, "Isn't it almost noon?"

"The usual business hours are from six in the afternoon to four in the morning, a total of ten hours."

"…"

"Six in the afternoon to midnight can be understood, catering to night shift business, but till four in the morning, what's up with that…? After midnight, are there still people coming to such a secluded place to spend big on Chinese cuisine?" Mu Xiaoyue was full of confusion.

"This is the business hours set by our old man, and it's been like this for more than ten years. Besides, I don't plan to change it; it's fine as is."

Xia Yu spoke his truth.

The small restaurant wasn't accustomed to doing daytime business, and over these days, Xia Yu had considered whether, after taking over the shop, he should change its operating hours.

However, considering that after spring break, he would be going to high school and would be in school for most of the day, Xia Yu simply decided not to change the business hours. It's fine as it is.