77: You won't be able to finish eating it in the future.

The sky was just turning a fish-belly white, and the crowing of roosters, "Ooh-ooh," broke the silence.

Then, the chirping of sparrows, magpies, and turtle doves rose and fell, occasionally interspersed with the quacking of ducks and the soft barks of dogs, adding a touch of vitality to the small courtyard.

Last night, there was another fine rain, and the fish pond outside the courtyard rippled softly, like the whisper of silk and bamboo.

Creak—

The courtyard gate opened softly, and Lu Chuan walked out of his house.

The morning light spilled down, gently falling upon him.

He looked at the vibrant courtyard, yawned, and stretched.

A series of crackling sounds of popping joints followed, startling Lu Chuan himself.

He touched his shoulders, arms, chest, and other areas, only to feel a hard texture.

He lifted his clothes to look, and sure enough, he was chiseled and angular.

Yesterday, it was still soft flesh with a delicate feel, but now it had transformed into a sexy merman line.

No man would dislike muscles.

This change made Lu Chuan grin with delight.

Then, he seemed to remember something and softly called out to the System.

"System, open my character panel."

The next moment, a light screen appeared before him.

[Gourmet Resonance System]

[Host: Lu Chuan]

[Gourmet Cells Awakening Rate: 1%]

[Abilities: Not Awakened]

[appetite coins: 19497]

Lu Chuan looked at the various data on the panel, his gaze finally settling on the "Gourmet Cells Awakening Rate" item, and he couldn't help but rub his chin.

"So, the previous 0% display was because my Gourmet Cellss hadn't awakened yet?"

[Detection: Host has successfully awakened Gourmet Cellss. Please always keep the precautions in mind.]

The System reminded him in a timely manner.

Lu Chuan waved his hand and chuckled, saying:

"I understand, I understand. For the rest of my life, I'll constantly pursue diverse gourmet food to satisfy the craving of my Gourmet Cellss, right?"

In a cheerful mood, he hummed a nursery rhyme taught by his grandmother, drew a basin of well water to wash up, and then watered and fertilized the flowers and plants in the courtyard.

As the morning light fell, the dewdrops hanging from the leaves and petals appeared exceptionally crystal clear, and the courtyard was filled with life and vitality.

After finishing his tasks, Lu Chuan satisfactorily brushed off the dirt and dew clinging to his hands.

These green plants were planted by him, one by one, during the years his grandmother suffered from cancer.

The reason was that a doctor said that if there was a patient at home, it would be appropriate to plant some flowers and plants.

Although Lu Chuan didn't quite understand the connection between the two, what the doctor said must be correct.

Indeed, a year after he planted the green plants, his grandmother's complexion significantly improved.

Memories replayed in his mind, and Lu Chuan's face showed a look of recollection.

But the next moment, he patted his face, letting the melancholy and longing sink back into the depths of his heart.

Then he strode into the kitchen and started making breakfast.

Cooking smoke curled up, and the aroma of food began to waft through the kitchen, then was carried by the fan to the courtyard and beyond, causing passersby to peer in.

An hour and a half later, a lavish breakfast was successively brought out of the kitchen, finally filling the entire dining table.

Lu Chuan's stomach was rumbling loudly at this point.

He looked at the food on the table—buns, fried dough sticks, soy milk, Eight-Treasure Porridge, dumplings, egg pancakes, sweet potatoes, and so on—and swallowed his saliva.

Then, without fear of the heat, he picked up a large meat bun, its skin soaked with gravy and nearly the size of an adult's fist, and took a big bite.

The delicious, piping hot soup immediately overflowed, and Lu Chuan kept exhaling hot air, yet he was reluctant to spit out the food in his mouth.

He quickly chewed a few times, and once the temperature was suitable, he swallowed it in one gulp, then narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.

A chef of technician level has reached the pinnacle of mastery in a certain cuisine.

And Lu Chuan had unique insights into Cantonese cuisine.

Of course, that's not to say he couldn't cook other cuisines; it's just that he wasn't as proficient in them as he was in Cantonese cuisine.

But preparing specialty breakfasts from various regions was still no problem for him.

As the first bite of the bun went down, Lu Chuan's appetite seemed to open completely.

The cells throughout his body trembled, and his chopsticks unconsciously danced into afterimages.

In just ten minutes, most of the food on the table had disappeared.

If the step of chewing food could be omitted, this time could be even shorter.

After the last spoonful of porridge went down, Lu Chuan rubbed his still-flat stomach and couldn't help but sigh.

"After awakening my Gourmet Cellss, putting aside everything else, my appetite is quite terrifying."

The breakfast he prepared was quite substantial.

Normally, it would be enough to fill five or six adults until their stomachs were bursting.

But for him, he still felt a bit unsatisfied.

It was due to lack of experience; although the System had given hints, he was still afraid of cooking too much and wasting food.

Lu Chuan shook his head, entered the kitchen, and cooked a large bowl of noodle soup, topping the noodles with a golden, runny fried egg.

The noodle soup, sprinkled with vibrant green scallions, was clear to the bottom, and the noodles were glossy and smooth.

Lu Chuan first took a sip of the incredibly savory clear broth, then picked up a mouthful of noodles, blew on them a few times, and slurped them into his mouth.

The hand-pulled noodles were chewy and, when chewed carefully, revealed the rich, authentic flavor of wheat.

Despite the simple ingredients, the layered broth and the incredibly springy noodles still deserved to be called delicious.

Lu Chuan happily finished the noodle soup, and only then did he feel the satisfaction of being full.

Even his body and mind felt a wave of joy and ease.

This feeling was so distinct, as if someone had let out a satisfied sigh right beside his ear.

Lu Chuan was startled, then realized with a sudden understanding that this was the instinctive resonance of the Gourmet Cellss within his body.

This feeling was so peculiar that it gave Lu Chuan the immediate impression of having a pet.

"Hey, don't worry, follow me from now on, and I guarantee you'll always have more than enough to eat and take home."

Lu Chuan patted his chest, declaring confidently.

However, his words were so full of loopholes that the System couldn't help but question him.

["Always have more than enough to eat and take home"—is that how you use it?]

"Yes, exactly. If you can't finish eating, can't you get a doggy bag? Isn't that taking it home?"

Lu Chuan scratched his head; he wondered if the System was too old a version to understand such obvious words.

Then, thinking that his current success was all thanks to the System, he patted his chest again and said boldly:

"Don't worry, System, I won't forget you. From now on, you'll also have more than enough to eat and take home."

[Heh heh.]

After boasting to the System for a while, Lu Chuan began his work for the day.

He took out the grilled fish, chilled overnight in the refrigerator, placed them into individual baking trays, and then moved them to the grill to heat and cook.

Slowly simmered over charcoal, the aroma of the grilled fish erupted like fragrant bombs, continuously gushing forth.

Hearing the sudden clamor from the surrounding neighbors, Lu Chuan's movements paused slightly, then he continued to fan the flames.

After a while, all five grilled fish were prepared.

Lu Chuan transferred them into takeout boxes, then got on his tricycle and headed towards Yinhua Mountain.

However, after riding a short distance, he suddenly remembered something and turned back home.

A moment later, he emerged again, carrying a large thermos of iced fruit juice drinks.

"Just eating grilled fish can get a bit tiring, so I'll bring you some sweet drinks too~"