Chapter 37: Three-Star Cuisine

Once the Crying Mushrooms were sliced, every living creature in the house burst into tears—except for Mr. Stone, who had already stepped outside the moment Chia made the first cut.

Chi Sui patted her tear-streaked face, reflecting for the umpteenth time that it was better to know less; otherwise, she would have run away with him.

After finishing the prep work, Chia retreated to the side, and Chi Sui began the next steps. A simple mushroom soup didn't require much technique—a basic egg-drop base would suffice—but fearing the mushrooms might not be fully cooked, Chi Sui decided to sauté them in oil for a while first. Soon, as the soup reached a boil, she poured it into a large prepared bowl.

12th Day of Summer, Year 566 of the Empty Calendar
Creation of the first 3-star dish
Product: Delicious Mushroom Soup
Star Rating: 3 stars
Shelf Life: 2 days (affected by summer temperatures)
(Description: Crafted from top-tier ingredients—Crying Mushrooms and fresh eggs. The creator’s craftsmanship is exquisite, resulting in a dish that is a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. Consuming it will evoke feelings of sorrow and trigger a weeping effect, but once the tears flow, the drinker will feel incredibly relaxed. It is a special stress-relief artifact (*^▽^*). This dish increases the capture rate for specific monsters.)

This book actually uses emoticons?

Before Chi Sui could investigate the book further, she felt a tap on her back from Mr. Stone, who had returned at some point. As soon as she turned around, she saw him shaking his head. Though she found it strange, she pulled her gaze away from the book and carried the soup to the dining table.

"Want to try some?" Chi Sui ladled a bowl and handed it directly to Chia.

She hadn't offered any to Mr. Stone because she couldn't imagine him crying in front of her. Crying was a private matter, but she and Chia had already become "crying buddies," so it was fine.

Unexpectedly, Chia, who was usually very straightforward, hesitated. After taking the bowl, he struggled for a long time before asking, "Can I take this bowl of soup home?"

Chi Sui nodded and politely picked up the ladle. "Then take some more."

After some mutual insistence, Chia left with two bowls of soup, promising to bring them back when he came to the farm the next morning. Before he left, Chi Sui didn't forget to emphasize, "Remember to come to work tomorrow!"

...

Only the remaining half-bowl of mushroom soup sat on the table. The group gathered around it in silence.

Mr. Stone was the first to break the stillness: "Are you able to see the dish ratings on the Book of Enlightenment?"

"Yes, but only for the ones I make myself," Chi Sui replied quickly, curious as to why Mr. Stone had stopped her earlier.

"No wonder. In the future, try not to stare at the empty air in front of you when others are around; it's easy for people to notice." He added, "Not every rancher can see those ratings. Most have to go to the Merchants' Guild to have their dishes appraised; that is actually the ability of a different profession."

This news surprised Chi Sui. During the competition, the food critic had announced a star rating for every dish he tasted—it turned out he wasn't just talking for the audience.

"Did this dish reach three stars?"

"It did." After answering, Chi Sui asked, "I have a question: why does this 3-star dish have a set name? It’s just called 'Delicious Mushroom Soup.' For other rated dishes, I had to come up with the names myself. Does this mean the Sky Islands have an exclusive recipe for this?"

Mr. Stone nodded, then shook his head. Before Chi Sui could urge him on, he spoke: "Yes and no. As I just said, not every rancher can see the ratings in the Book of Enlightenment, and that rating includes the name. So, before a Merchant appraises a dish, you are free to name it whatever you like."

"For example, do you remember the dish the Warm Breeze Town rancher made during the competition?"

"I remember. It was called 'Crystal Soft Jade'." Chi Sui’s memory of that dish was quite vivid.

Mr. Stone continued, "I once ate that same dish at a farm on Green Island, but it wasn't called that. The rancher there called it 'Bean Curd.' Even though the names were different, I was certain it was the same dish."

"A single dish can have different names not just across different islands, but even between the north and south sides of the same island. Pudding is called 'Milk Jelly' in the Snow Territory. Every rancher has the right to name the dishes they create, but when merchants promote these dishes, they use the names with the highest public recognition."

"However, that only applies to dishes below three stars. Once a dish reaches three stars and is recognized by the Book of Enlightenment, it’s different."

"The name given by the first person to create a new dish is recorded by the Book of Enlightenment. Unless there is a significant change or a new top-tier ingredient is introduced, subsequent creators won't have the opportunity to rename it."

At this point, Mr. Stone smiled. "Come to think of it, if this dish were appraised by the Merchants' Guild, their certificate would show the original source of the dish, listing the person who named it first, followed by the creator."

"If you can create new 3-star dishes in the future, the fame from naming them alone would be enough to get you on the Celebrity List of the Purple Island."

Chi Sui frowned; she hadn't realized there was so much to a simple name. Deciding not to dwell on it, she asked, "What is the Celebrity List? Is it ranked?"

"You can go to the town bookstore tomorrow; they definitely sell them there. It’s good to learn a bit more about general knowledge."

"Oh." Chi Sui pouted and turned her attention back to the soup.

"What about this? Drinking this makes you cry. Does anyone want to relax?"

Momo, who had leaned in, heard that it would make them cry again and quickly pulled its head back. When Chi Sui looked at it, it shook its head repeatedly.

Lolo, perched on her head, also waved its hands, refusing: "I don't like things that aren't sweet."

Chi Sui didn't force them. She looked at Mr. Stone with anticipation and held up the bowl.

Giving her a look of exasperation, Mr. Stone pulled a sealed lunchbox from the cupboard. "Pack it in here. There are monsters that will like this soup."

"What monsters? Don't tell me we have to go back into that cave..." Mr. Stone’s words gave Chi Sui a jolt, and she immediately asked.

Reaching out to pat Chi Sui on the shoulder, Mr. Stone’s voice took on a cheerfulness she hadn't heard before: "Congratulations on learning to anticipate the answer."

"This type of mushroom is a companion organism to a certain monster and one of its food sources. We were a bit rushed when we went into the cave last time. With this soup, and by bringing Momo and Lolo along, it’ll be absolutely foolproof."

Hearing that there was a task for them, Momo perked up and asked, "What, what? Where are we going?"

"To explore."

"To a haunted house."

Clearly, "explore" was Mr. Stone’s term, and "haunted house" was Chi Sui’s addition.

Ignoring Chi Sui’s drooping mouth, Mr. Stone said to Lolo on her head, "Have your kin hatched? We might need their help this time."

Lolo nodded obediently, its jewel-like eyes glowing. Soon, three bees with pink abdomens appeared before them.

"Alright, let's head out."

Chi Sui, who had just finished packing the soup: ...