Chapter Twenty-Four: Learning to Cook from the Chestnut-Selling Grandmother

"The old woman selling chestnuts?"

The familiar, ethereal voice no longer filled Chen Ye with dread, but rather a surge of pleasant surprise. He had been searching for an entire day, and now she had finally appeared!

Ever since his Weirdness Value had steadily increased, his mastery of the suona had grown more refined, and his understanding of music theory had deepened, Chen Ye had noticed his hearing becoming keener. He could now judge the direction of sounds with much greater precision. By calming his mind and focusing, he could even roughly estimate the distance between himself and the source of a sound.

At this moment, night had quietly descended upon the earth. Unbeknownst to him, the second night of the Era of Weirdness had arrived. The Xining Alley was dimly lit; beyond its low, dilapidated buildings, the neon lights of the city illuminated the night sky, but their glow could not reach this secluded corner.

"Roasted chestnuts in sugar, anyone buying?"

"Fresh roasted chestnuts in sugar..."

The ethereal, illusory hawking echoed from the alley entrance, sounding at one moment distant and at the next close by. Chen Ye kept his nerves taut, focusing his attention on the surrounding paths. His eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness as he skillfully navigated around scattered handcarts and through several maze-like alleyways. Suddenly, he paused.

The hawking had vanished.

The sound, flickering between near and far, made it difficult for Chen Ye to track. It appeared at one end of the alley, then suddenly at the other... Chen Ye pondered for a moment and was just about to turn toward another alley when, the very instant he spun around, a figure suddenly appeared right in front of him!

*Step, step, step!*

Almost instantly, Chen Ye recoiled like a startled cat, jumping back several paces, a chill running down his spine. But soon, he recognized a familiar handcart within the blurred silhouette. A pair of pale hands slowly lifted the lid of the pot, and the fragrance of roasted chestnuts wafted toward him.

"Could you please not be so frightening..."

Chen Ye almost cursed, but remembering that this old woman might become his culinary teacher, he reminded himself of the importance of showing respect to one's mentor. Life teaches one to be humble and polite.

He steadied his footing, utilizing the extraordinary mobility granted by his [Wanderer’s Boots] to stop his stumbling. When dealing with the Weird, the first rule is not to show fear, and the second is to integrate oneself into a normal conversation. As long as one follows the rules and interacts normally, one can remain safe.

A friendly smile immediately appeared on Chen Ye's face, as if he had just reunited with a long-lost mother. He opened his arms in a welcoming gesture and greeted her:

"The weather is truly lovely today! It’s just that the ground is a bit slippery, and I almost took a tumble. Granny, you’re getting on in years; you should be careful when you walk, too."

The chestnut-selling grandmother chuckled, "Young people sometimes have slippery feet, and slippery tongues to match. Unlike an old woman like me, who isn't as nimble as I used to be—even roasting a single batch of chestnuts takes me all my effort."

As she spoke, she slowly picked up the spatula beside her and scooped the roasted chestnuts into a paper bag, smiling, "Young man, it’s such a late hour; you must be very hungry, right? Would you like to taste some roasted chestnuts for free?"

Her voice became ethereal once again, as if possessing a magical quality, swirling incessantly in his mind. Chen Ye felt that dizzy sensation return. But unexpectedly, he didn't feel his consciousness slipping away this time; he only felt a slight lightheadedness. Furthermore, the allure of the chestnuts was not as fatally tempting as before, allowing him to maintain his rationality with greater ease.

*Is it because my Weirdness Value has increased? Or is it that... my hunger isn't as intense, so my appetite has diminished? I’ve already eaten some of these chestnuts today, so naturally, their pull isn't as strong.*

Chen Ye realized that compared to last time, the bewitching power of her voice had weakened. He waved his hand and smiled, "Granny, I’ve already eaten. I haven't even finished the bag I bought earlier."

Before the old woman could speak, Chen Ye added, "Your roasted chestnuts are so delicious that it would be a waste not to finish them. I’m afraid if I take more and can’t finish them, they’ll spoil and have to be thrown away, which would be a pity."

The old woman paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Indeed, saving food is a virtue. There aren't many young people like you left who cherish food."

Chen Ye smiled and steered the conversation toward his primary goal: "Granny, you mentioned last time that once I gained the ability to cook, I could come to you for an apprenticeship. I feel that I have attained that ability now."

Hearing this, the old woman narrowed her eyes, seemingly observing Chen Ye closely, then gave a slight nod. "You do indeed possess the ability to cook."

But before Chen Ye could reply, the old woman sighed, "However, as the old saying goes—even the most skillful housewife cannot cook a meal without rice. The few ingredients I had today have already been stewed in this pot; there are no more left. To truly learn how to cook, one must use real ingredients to handle the heat and master the nuances of preparing different foods. It is a pity that without ingredients, I cannot pass on my true skills to you."

"Business has been terrible these past few days; I haven't sold a single bag... Heh, you young people don't like healthy food anymore; you all prefer all sorts of messy things. If this continues, I won't have enough money to restock."

*So she's giving me a side quest... I have to find ingredients first?*

Chen Ye touched the three copper coins in his pocket. With his current assets, he couldn't buy many ingredients—not to mention that coins were a universal currency in the "Era of Weirdness," and he wanted to keep some for emergencies. Furthermore, where would he buy ingredients? Would it put him in danger? Was his money enough? Even if it seemed enough, it might not be a fair exchange; violating that law could lead to a fatal crisis!

These concerns left Chen Ye silent, contemplating how to obtain the ingredients. But one thing was certain: the old woman truly wanted to teach him her craft. He recalled that before the crimson countdown began, many technical schools focused on training "master chefs" didn't even provide ingredients for their students, having them practice flipping empty woks all day long. They were flipping nothing but sand. After graduating, they were no different from ordinary apprentices, needing to work in kitchens for a year or two before ever getting the chance to hold a ladle.

Just then, Chen Ye heard the faint sound of footsteps not far from Xining Alley. It wasn't just one person—it was at least four or five! Although they were deliberately slowing their movements and stepping lightly, the Xining Alley was so quiet at this hour that one could hear a pin drop.

Chen Ye’s hearing was several times more sensitive than before; he could distinguish that these were human footsteps in the darkness. And judging by the frequency of their stride, they were far too similar to normal people—too "normal" to be anything but out of place in this world.

Without a doubt, they were players.