The Way of Restraint

Chapter 148: Mastering the Art of Cooking

After exchanging a few words with Josh, the two parted ways. 

Su Jie had faith in Josh; he could see that Josh was an idealistic and opinionated young man, with a face that showed he had not completely fallen from grace. This was the principle of gaining support through righteousness and losing it through wrongdoing. 

Once Josh left, Su Jie glanced at the date and organized his schedule. As soon as the holiday was over, he would be heading to B City for university. Given his exam results, he could choose any university and major he desired without any issues. He scored 745 points on the National College Entrance Examination, and while he could have achieved an even higher score, it seemed pointless since the regulations now discouraged the promotion of top scorers. Moreover, he did not want to draw attention to himself during the exam; otherwise, he might have been able to achieve a perfect score of 750. 

In fact, the most challenging part of the exam was the essay section. However, Su Jie had no problem with that; he could analyze the mindset of the examiners and apply various analyses of the broader context to write an essay worthy of full marks. In his view, the writing skills of modern students paled in comparison to those of the scholars who had excelled in the historical imperial examination system. Especially the top scorers, second place, and third place from history, who had skillfully understood the examiners’ psychology and analyzed the political situation, tailoring their writing style and calligraphy to suit the occasion—this was truly an art form. 

With a little study of history, one could gain a wealth of information. Su Jie understood these principles, but 99% of high school students would not. 

“B City’s Q University, School of Life Sciences,” Su Jie read from a text message on his phone. This was a congratulatory message from his homeroom teacher, Chen Juan, who had learned of his admission. It was the best university in the country, and Life Sciences was the subject Su Jie had long decided to pursue, encompassing genetics, heredity, cells, ecology, and various other disciplines. It held significant meaning for researching the mysteries of life, which Su Jie intended to use to explore the secrets of Martial Arts. 

His current knowledge could surpass that of an average expert, but it was still far from enough. Besides Life Sciences, Su Jie also wanted to study computer artificial intelligence, as these would also be beneficial for his Martial Arts. He had already thought out his research topic, which was similar to those of Uncle Mang, Master Ma, and Master Luo, focusing on the connection between physical and psychological qualities. This was the relationship between intention and technique in Martial Arts. 

Moreover, he was curious about how the three states of mind in cultivation—contemplation, non-contemplation, and the Living Dead—could enhance physical qualities and what scientific basis lay behind them. These were all things he was eager to understand. 

His cultivation had gradually deepened, and he had begun to grasp Odell’s true intentions. The impact of psychological quality on physical quality was immense; a positive mindset, combined with some scientific training methods, could lead to dramatic changes in a person’s physical condition in a short time. Su Jie was a prime example of this. 

Additionally, during his studies with Master Luo and Master Ma, he had encountered numerous medical cases. Some cancer patients, who maintained a relaxed and positive mindset while cooperating with their doctors, had a significantly higher survival rate compared to those who were psychologically despairing. 

Perhaps, once psychological quality reached an unattainable realm, a person’s body could indeed generate some incredible power? These were all worthy subjects for research. 

However, the immediate priority was to learn how to cook well from Nie Shuang. 

The next day at noon, Su Jie arrived at the Nie family’s private restaurant in town. This restaurant consisted of several courtyards and only accepted high-end clients, requiring reservations in advance. Odell frequented this restaurant because he loved the food, and given the many experts in D City, he would often stay here for a while each year. 

Nie Shuang was dressed in a white chef’s uniform, complete with a chef’s hat. Su Jie had also changed into a similar outfit.

The entire kitchen was spotless, filled with transparent glass, and not a speck of dust could be seen, making it resemble a laboratory. Numerous ingredients were neatly arranged on the table. Swish, swish, swish…

Nie Shuang picked up a kitchen knife, twirled it in her hand, and then with a flick, brought it down onto the cutting board.

“The people regard food as heaven; eating, drinking, relieving oneself, and sleeping are the major affairs of life. A person can go without clothes, can live without a house, can lack everything, but they cannot go without food. Practicing Martial Arts is similar; it’s thirty percent about practice and seventy percent about eating,” Nie Shuang said. “A Martial Arts expert should ideally learn how to cook; making food for oneself is the most comfortable. Just like one knows whether the water is cold or warm when drinking, I will now tell you the ten major cooking methods.”

Su Jie listened quietly.

“Cooking methods include braising, simmering, stewing, blanching, steaming, frying, boiling, marinating, and deep-frying,” Nie Shuang explained. “These cooking methods can be combined in various ways, just like the hexagrams in the Book of Changes, ever-changing, with sixty-four combinations evolving the myriad phenomena of the world, bringing both fortune and misfortune. However, the most important aspect of cooking is to retain the nutrition, followed by flavor and aroma, and finally, the presentation. Aroma and presentation can uplift a person’s spirit and enhance their appetite. I will first teach you the most important cooking technique—frying.”

She swiftly drew the knife, its blade flashing, and sliced a piece of fresh pork into thin slices. Then she added seasonings to the pan, turned on the heat, and stir-fried. As the spatula flew, flames roared, and in no time, a plate of stir-fried meat was ready.

Su Jie picked up his chopsticks and took a taste, feeling the freshness dance on his tongue, an indescribable sensation that stimulated his appetite and made him ravenous.

“The first impression of good food must stimulate the taste buds and enhance appetite,” Nie Shuang said. “Moreover, before cooking, adjustments should be made according to a person’s internal organs; everyone’s taste varies. The so-called five flavors correspond to pungent, sour, sweet, bitter, and salty, which relate to the lungs, liver, spleen, heart, and kidneys respectively. In the theory of the five elements, they correspond to metal, wood, earth, fire, and water.”

Nie Shuang first explained the theory to Su Jie, then discussed the heat control, knife skills, and colors.

She spoke quickly, rarely repeating herself. If it were anyone else, even a gifted learner would struggle to grasp it, but Su Jie’s capacity for understanding was terrifying; he even felt that Nie Shuang wasn’t explaining enough.

In a typical culinary school, the concepts Nie Shuang was teaching would take at least a year to learn.

Su Jie had previously self-studied cooking, following online tutorial videos, and had managed to grasp the heat control well enough. However, after Nie Shuang’s guidance, he felt his knowledge was riddled with gaps, like a child who had learned a few martial arts moves trying to join a national fighting team.

Fortunately, he was quick to absorb the information, and once pointed in the right direction, he understood the principles.

For ten consecutive days, Su Jie learned cooking from Nie Shuang, mastering various culinary techniques. After careful consideration, the dishes he prepared began to impress Nie Shuang.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Su Jie’s knife flew, cutting various meats into uniform small pieces, which he placed in a pot to boil. While it cooked, he began washing and chopping various vegetables. Once the vegetables were ready and the meat was nearly done, he fished it out and started to stew, braise, and fry.

This series of actions flowed like water, without any hindrance, mechanical and tight, with no flaws whatsoever.

Ding!

Nie Shuang pressed the stopwatch, and just as Su Jie’s dish was served on the table, she nodded in approval.

“Not bad, not bad.” Nie Shuang was a strict person, but she had to give Su Jie full marks because the dish was prepared according to precise methods, with the nutrition and cooking time at their best, exactly as she had set.

And Su Jie had managed to be precise to the second.

‘Using the term genius doesn’t even begin to describe it,’ Nie Shuang thought to herself. ‘What a pity it would be if he were one of our Minglun Martial Arts Academy’s students; otherwise, he could even be the heir to our Nie family’s private kitchen. I must recommend him to the old principal, but unfortunately, he has gone abroad and won’t be back anytime soon.’

In just ten days, Su Jie had learned a wealth of knowledge and techniques about cooking, which he committed to memory, planning to experiment and reflect on them slowly.

Cooking had no other secret; it was simply about continuous practice and research.

Its complexity was no less than that of Martial Arts.

Of course, during these ten days, Su Jie learned only the basics and fundamental principles. The Nie family’s private kitchen was most famous for its medicinal dishes, which were secret recipes that Nie Shuang could not casually pass on to Su Jie.

However, Su Jie had mastered the basic skills of cooking, and with careful study, he could create meals that were very beneficial to health. He could completely solve his daily meal problems.

Time quickly passed to August 25th, and Su Jie was set to leave Minglun Martial Arts Academy to return home and prepare for college.

He bid farewell to Gu Yang, Nie Shuang, and Uncle Mang, stayed one night in Odell’s small courtyard, tidied up, locked the doors and windows, and then set off on his journey home.

While in the courtyard, he hoped Odell would return, as there were many things he wanted to ask and discuss with him. However, Odell did not come back this time, which left him feeling a bit disappointed.

During these nearly three months, Su Jie had gained a lot; his Martial Arts had progressed significantly, and in terms of physical fitness, he had achieved the “Golden Body.” In terms of spiritual cultivation, he had thoroughly solidified his previous realm, and his inner peace was frighteningly profound.

If before, his heart was like still water, calm but capable of rippling when a stone was thrown, now his heart was like a frozen lake. Not only could the wind not stir up waves, but even if a stone were to fall, there would be no splash.

Moreover, he gradually felt that his inner self was advancing further, transforming into a sensation akin to ice jade.

He remained calm at all times, maintaining clarity, unaffected by any external environmental factors, preserving independence and purity, without any impurities arising.

This feeling was incredibly wonderful, even more comforting than the changes in his body.

Su Jie felt he was getting closer to the realm of the “Living Dead.”

Many times, he felt he could step over this threshold at any moment, but with each advancement, he realized he was still far from it. Yet this time, it was so clear that with just a gentle blow, he could access the long-sealed treasure, but Su Jie’s heart remained exceptionally calm, treating it as an ordinary matter.

The young man, in this unnoticeable way, grew once more.