Chapter 70: Imagination Unbound

After finishing their meal and returning home, Bai Renzong began to feel the aftereffects of his workout in the gym. His muscles were now sore and weak, and even lifting his arms proved difficult, let alone sitting before his computer to record a video. The last time he had exercised like this was years ago, back in his college physical education class.

He sighed deeply and collapsed onto the bed. "Better rest first..."

Taking advantage of this break, he opened the Connoisseur App for a look. Over the past period, his connoisseur level had already reached twelve. Now, the experience required for upgrading had increased, so the basic rewards from recent tasks hadn't yet risen to the next tier. The sign-in, daily tasks, and S-rank reviews still provided three hundred twenty thousand popularity points.

Additionally, his "Gourmet" connoisseur level had reached seven, while "Games" and "Movies" remained at four and five, respectively. The Connoisseur App continued to refresh challenge tasks, asking him to review certain specific works and offering extra popularity rewards. Bai Renzong decided that once he helped Han Jiayi secure a two-star Michelin review, he would tackle these tasks.

After two hours of rest, his strength finally returned. Just then, he heard the sound of the door opening downstairs. Bai Renzong quickly sat up, headed to the stairwell, and greeted Han Jiayi with a composed expression, "You've worked hard."

"You haven't eaten yet, right? Wait a moment, I'll make dinner right away," Han Jiayi said as she changed her shoes at the door.

She was so sweet when she was obedient, Bai Renzong mused inwardly.

"How was business at the end of the day?" Bai Renzong asked while descending, forced to take it step by step due to his aching muscles.

Han Jiayi glanced at him curiously, seemingly puzzled by his elderly gait. "Pretty good. Most came to try Yun Ni, so the turnover didn't increase much, but everyone gave great reviews."

She raised her hand and pointed at him with a smile. "After dinner, let's play After the Apocalypse together! We need to build our home today!"

"It'll take at least a week to finish building the house, probably just the framework tonight," Bai Renzong replied. "Aren't you tired? You spent the whole day working at the restaurant and still have so much energy."

"Physical fatigue fades quickly, but my spirit is still full of fight," Han Jiayi said, flexing her slender arms with a smile.

Bai Renzong chuckled, feeling her energy revive his own spirit. "Alright then."

After dinner, they washed the dishes together and sat before the computer to continue their game. Bai Renzong was already exhausted and reluctant to move, but Han Jiayi was still full of vigor.

"Time to go, let's search for supplies," Bai Renzong reminded her. "Is the food ready?"

"Ready!" Han Jiayi replied cheerfully, handing him a pie in the game. "Chicken for protein, potatoes for carbs, cabbage for vitamins, soybeans for fat... Perfect!"

"This combination sounds terribly unappetizing..." Bai Renzong complained, frowning.

"Not at all! It'll be delicious!" Han Jiayi countered, eyes wide with indignation.

"Oh, whatever, it's not like I'm eating it," Bai Renzong said dismissively, picking up the pie Han Jiayi had tossed on the table. "Just follow me, alright? Take whatever I tell you. Today, we need to gather materials for building the house, tools, and set up a rooftop garden to grow some vegetables..."

Han Jiayi chimed in, "We need potatoes and soybeans! Also lettuce and tomatoes!"

"Got it..." Bai Renzong replied, urging her, "Hurry and get in the car!"

Time flew by, and as before, they played past eleven o'clock.

"Let's stop here..." Bai Renzong yawned. "I have to write a food review tomorrow."

"Okay!" Han Jiayi nodded with a smile, then asked, "What about the next restaurant exploration video? When will we make it?"

"With your restaurant so busy lately, do you still have the energy for these explorations? I could go alone," Bai Renzong said hesitantly.

Her restaurant was already thriving, and dragging her along for videos worried him—even this spirited girl might find it overwhelming.

"I can do it tomorrow," Han Jiayi replied. "Tomorrow's Monday, so there shouldn't be many customers in the afternoon. We can shoot the exploration video in the morning, and I'll head to the restaurant for lunch service or after I finish work in the evening."

"Alright then," Bai Renzong said, pausing before adding, "Hang in there, grit your teeth and get through this last week of the month. Next month will be much easier."

"Don't worry!" Han Jiayi flexed her slender arms with a grin. "I'm most motivated at times like this! It's like gaming—the early exploration is the most fun, but once you hit the farming phase, it's boring."

"Oh?" Bai Renzong raised his eyebrows, surprised. "So you're a World of Warcraft player?"

"Of course! When I was abroad, there was nothing to do at night, so I played WoW with friends back home!" Han Jiayi said proudly. "Why else do you think I invest in games?"

"Alright, alright, let's get some sleep." Bai Renzong stretched his joints. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight~!" Han Jiayi replied sweetly, bouncing off to her room.

Where does this girl get all her energy? Bai Renzong wondered with a smile.

After a night's rest, the next morning Bai Renzong, still rubbing his sore muscles, went downstairs to prepare breakfast when Han Jiayi suddenly placed a pie in front of him.

He looked up in surprise, and Han Jiayi crossed her arms confidently, smiling. "Try it."

"What is this?" Bai Renzong asked, puzzled.

"A pie," Han Jiayi replied cheerfully. "Made with chicken, soybeans, potatoes, and cabbage."

Bai Renzong took a moment to realize this was the exact same pie recipe she had made in the game last night—the one he had called "sounds terribly unappetizing," with the identical ingredients.

"Honestly, you..." Bai Renzong frowned at her. "Should I call you stubborn or imaginative? Just like before, when you said you wanted to create the texture of a cloud and went off to research..."

"Just take a bite!" Han Jiayi pouted. "It's delicious!"

Bai Renzong rolled his eyes but took a bite, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

It was unexpectedly tasty...

The potatoes and soybeans had been stewed into a creamy mash, blending perfectly with the tender, melting chicken. The cabbage and pie crust added a crisp, refreshing texture, cutting through the richness, and the pastry carried a subtle aroma of rum.

Of course, it wasn't exactly a delicacy, but it was indeed quite good.

"Sometimes, you're... really the only one who would turn a sudden flash of inspiration into reality," Bai Renzong said, smiling at Han Jiayi.

"That's nothing! I once tried to recreate the Meteor Fried Rice from Chef Boy in China," Han Jiayi boasted, then her expression fell. "But... it tasted awful."

"That's because the fried rice only used greens, so it must've been bland. Not enough oil and the greens are dry, too much oil and the rice gets greasy—it's a tricky balance," Bai Renzong laughed.

Thinking about it, it was exactly this childlike imagination that enabled Han Jiayi to create the dish "Yun Ni."

Suddenly, inspiration struck Bai Renzong. He stood up at once, leaving Han Jiayi behind as he rushed to his room and began typing away at his computer: Grape Violet will be pleased with this article!

(Wishing everyone a Happy New Year. Thank you for your hard work last year. Let's work together again this year!)