Reborn in Japan as a Chef God

Xia's Main Store's IGO food transport truck parked nearby, attracting quite a crowd.

Staff in black uniforms unloaded crates of sealed goods, stacking them at the store's entrance like a small hill, astoundingly.

After Xia Yu signed the papers and waved goodbye to the truck, Zhu Qing and the Yuchuan sisters immediately surrounded him, staring at him curiously.

"What's all this stuff? Why did you buy so much at once?"

Zhu Qing asked.

"It's the essentials for making snacks at the Christmas Food Festival. Is this much really a lot? I'm worried it might not be enough."

Xia Yu furrowed his brows then relaxed them.

In fact, the last time he had discussed the Christmas Food Festival preparations with Rui Shan Zhi Jin Ye, he had already been considering, unapologetically speaking, how Xia's Main Store, as the soul pillar of the shopping street, could contribute to the festival?

Wasn't the idea initiated by the managers to bring the revitalized shopping street together into a culture unique to this area through special food?

Thus, what Xia's Main Store needed to do was simply to offer eye-catching, popular, and well-reviewed snacks that would leave a lasting impression on the customers.

Remember, it's about snacks!

After all, this isn't a Western country. There's no need for a big Christmas dinner, especially since who cares about a large meal when they are out shopping and playing on Christmas Eve? Snacks are meant to be convenient and delicious, easily understood as street food or stall food!

But the snacks couldn't just be made haphazardly; they had to fit the Christmas festive atmosphere.

Like the Yuchuan sisters' gingerbread and marshmallows, which are common tiny treats at Western Christmas markets, or Zhu Qing's toffee apples, each carrying a slice of cultural significance.

So, when Xia Yu got up this morning, saw it was the 24th, Christmas Eve, and was brushing his teeth and looking in the mirror, he finalized his recipe —

Christmas mulled wine!

Watching Xia Yu opening crates and taking out bottle after bottle of red wine, Zhu Qing and the Yuchuan sisters exchanged glances.

"Boss Xia is going to make mulled wine!"

Yuchuan Meisha pondered, touching her lips, "The traditional Christmas mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is usually the most popular and best-selling hot drink at Christmas markets. Last year, a food media outlet reported that the amount of spiced wine sold at Western Christmas markets could circle the Earth NN times!"

"Spiced wine!"

Zhu Qing showed a hint of understanding and laughed, "It's just like your style, always choosing the area you're most familiar with!"

"These wines..."

Yuchuan Ayaka held a bottle in both hands, examining the label, her eyes revealing fluctuation, "Red wine?"

"Yes, take a sniff. It's from a highly rated supplier by IGO," Xia Yu said as he used a specialized bottle opener to pull out the cork, releasing a strong fruity aroma. Smelling this, Yuchuan Ayaka's expression turned even more peculiar.

She was about to ask something when she heard Xia Yu wave his hand, "Come on, go get the Lotus Leaf Jar for storing the rainbow brew."

Zhu Qing and Meisha stood frozen, not yet comprehending.

Lotus Leaf Jar?

The one from a few days ago, where they brewed fruit wine and still had nearly all the original liquid left in those three jars?

Yuchuan Ayaka roughly guessed what Xia Yu intended to do, "I'll go!"

A hint of anticipation flickered in her eyes as she dashed inside.

"Give a hand, give a hand!"

Xia Yu then called Zhu Qing and Meisha to help transport a large cooking pot and together with Zhu Qing, moved the backyard charcoal stove next to the Christmas stall, setting up an extra tent. Soon, Xia's Christmas wine stall roughly took shape.

Ayaka didn't bring an entire Lotus Leaf Jar; instead, she used a special transparent bottle with a dropper, which looked more like a vessel from a chemistry lab than cooking equipment.

She handed over the bottle and explained, "When I need to cook with rainbow juice, I use a similar reagent bottle, which allows me to strictly control the amount used!"

Xia Yu gave a thumbs up, "You get me!"

"Ah, rainbow juice?"

Meisha covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock, "Mulled wine, spiced wine, with rainbow juice added?"

Zhu Qing fiercely furrowed her brows, "Nonsense!"

She scolded in a low voice.

"The more high-class the forbidden ingredient, the more particular the combination and pairing needs to be. Spiced wine involves a lot of spices like lemon, cinnamon, star anise... Can pure fruit juice really tolerate such impurities?"

It was because she was familiar with spiced red wine that Zhu Qing had her doubts.

Spiced wine wasn't anything special; not only her, but any student from Far Moon High School could easily make a batch.

Xia Yu smiled, "At the Christmas market, isn't there also mulled wine made by substituting wine with fruit juice mixed with spices?"

"Using fruit juice is fine, but using rainbow juice is a big problem!"

"What if I say I can master the rainbow juice with spices?" Xia Yu grinned slightly.

Zhu Qing immediately shut up.

At the same time, she couldn't help but mutter to herself.

Though she hadn't personally witnessed Xia Yu defeating Lei Zhe with his magical egg custard containing culinary spirit recently, she roughly knew about Xia Yu's accomplishment in opening the Qilin Gate. That's why Zhu Qing pondered, perhaps this junior had made some new discovery in the field of spices?

...

Light drizzle fell like mist, shrouding the shopping street.

As dusk passed, the street lamps lit up one by one.

Neon-lit Christmas trees sparkled everywhere, and Christmas music could be heard no matter where one went. All the restaurants on the shopping street were serving guests who had reserved in advance, with every seat filled and more people lined up outside waiting.

Qian Rixiangzi at the entrance of 'Fog House' cheerfully said to the queue, "Couples will be given priority, and they will also enjoy a 30% discount upon paying. Our little store will also give a special gift!"

Thus, the single individuals in the crowd felt a hit.

At the entrance of the shopping street.

Chen Yang exhaled a breath of mist, wearing a trench coat and a scarf, with a blonde woman linking arms with him.

The blonde looked around the festive street in awe, "Chen, this Christmas food festival is really bustling with so many guests!"

At that moment, a pair of high school students walked by discussing:

"I heard that Xia's Main Store's Christmas stall will stay open till midnight tonight!"

"Yes, yes, just for Christmas Eve. Tomorrow and the day after, Xia's Main Store won't set up the stall anymore." The girl exhaled a mist of breath, tugging at the boy's arm, "Let's hurry, we came by tram and might have to wait a long time if we're slow!"

"Xia's Main Store?" The blonde glanced cautiously at Chen Yang.

Chen Yang's face appeared distracted.

His mother, Lin Qingfeng, had made a memorable video call a few days ago.

Lei Zhe was defeated and had fled Japan in a hurry.

This news had deeply unsettled Chen Yang, especially since it was the young chef whom he had once intended to challenge to a culinary battle. Just the thought made Chen Yang shiver.

In the phone call, his mother Lin Qingfeng had cautioned him, "Don't provoke that Xia Family boy!"

These days, Chen Yang had stayed away from the little shop and stopped nagging about spiced bread. Quietly, through his own channels of information, he coldly observed the seismic shifts in the culinary world caused by Lei Zhe's defeat.

The new East Asia Commissioner had not yet decided, and, reportedly, even the head of the culinary guild was troubled. If the second Lin Giant sent were to be defeated again, the culinary guild would be utterly disgraced and ridiculed.

Only yesterday had Chen Yang finally come to terms with the fact that a young Lin Chef had single-handedly shaken the entire culinary guild.

Yes, a Lin Chef!

Defeating Lei Zhe was the most solid proof, with no need for any Lin rank promotion ceremony.

"A monster at the level of those legendary seniors has emerged from the Chinese Realm after a century?" Chen Yang muttered to himself, then, with determination, led by the blonde, declared, "Let's go to Xia's Main Store!"

"A dish made by a Lin Chef at the Christmas food festival surely won't be ordinary, will it?"