After settling Sun Qingning, Fu Yu turned around and left.

Returning to his own room, as he opened the door with his key, he immediately started a taste development practice classroom.

This change of scene gave Fu Yu a surreal feeling, as if he were dreaming.

The lavishly styled spacious area, with a luxurious crystal chandelier on the ceiling, refracted a dazzling array of colors from every angle.

The elegant European-style tables and chairs, and the wide dining table that could seat many were all painted pure white, exuding an aristocratic aura everywhere.

And the table was covered with a dazzling array of dishes and plates, making one’s mouth water and eyes dizzy.

Even the figure who previously got physical without a word was now professionally dressed in a high-end waiter’s uniform.

Fu Yu followed him to the dining table and sat down.

Just as he settled in, an electronic prompt sounded next to his ear:

[Ding! The taste development practice classroom has been opened.]

[Taste Development Practice Classroom: First Session’s Teaching Objectives]

[Knowledge and Skills: Understand the olfactory and gustatory organs, and know the relationship between taste and smell]

[Process and Methods: Experience the process of olfactory and gustatory perception, and explore methods of obtaining information through smell and taste]

...

[Explore the correct way to smell: Smell the orange on the plate, do you notice an aroma?]

As the electronic prompt ended, the figure standing beside him suddenly moved.

He handed over a plate with a plump and smooth-skinned orange.

Fu Yu reached out, picked up the orange, and sniffed it.

A very fresh aroma.

The electronic prompt chimed again:

[Slice the orange peel open. Is the scent now stronger, lighter, or about the same?]

The figure next second, took a small knife to cut the orange peel, handing it to Fu Yu.

Fu Yu: "..."

This taste development training really defies description.

Who hasn’t eaten an orange before? Who wouldn’t know the taste?

But knowing the system’s quirks, Fu Yu quickly cooperated before the figure could bring the orange close to his eyes, taking it swiftly and sniffing it, then seriously replied, "The scent is stronger."

The electronic prompt continued:

[If the scent is stronger, why do you think that is?]

Fu Yu: "!"

It’s just stronger, that’s all. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Why?

Who cares why!

Fu Yu hesitated without answering.

At this moment, the figure suddenly sliced again on the orange peel, handing it once more in front of Fu Yu.

Fu Yu looked at the orange in front of him, speechless.

It seems that if he can’t come up with an answer that satisfies the system today, he’s going to be here sniffing orange for a while.

Regret only hits when the book is overdue!

Fu Yu racked his brain thinking of an answer.

"Because the orange peel was torn, exposing more surface area?"

[Ding! Wrong answer!]

"Because the orange cells burst, releasing the aroma?"

[Ding! Wrong answer!]

...

Looking at the mutilated orange before him, Fu Yu gave up, "I don’t know, I just don’t know this question!"

[Ding! Because the orange’s juice easily turns into tiny droplets and disperses into the air when peeled, reaching your nasal cavity, thus giving off a scent]

Fu Yu: "..."

Great!

All you had to do was admit defeat, and you’d get the answer directly.

Quite straightforward.

Though it’s slightly embarrassing.

Actually, he kind of had an inkling of this answer, but didn’t know how to articulate it.

Despite having advanced skills in language expression, he just couldn’t express them.

It seems that having skills alone isn’t enough. Without a literary foundation, without knowledge, one can’t utter elaborate words, no matter how great the skills are.

As Fu Yu listened to the electronic prompt assign the next task, he secretly made a decision.

Once this practice classroom ends, he will start setting aside time to read more books.

A lack of culture is truly terrifying. Having finally acquired an advanced skill, he couldn’t let it go unused like a teapot boiling dumplings; he at least needs to find a way to serve them properly.

[Freeze-dried lemon slices, sniff, what do you notice?]

[Soak the lemon slices in hot water. Has the scent intensified, diminished, or stayed the same?]

...

After a series of training tasks, it was impossible to tell how much time had passed.

From initial confusion, Fu Yu had unconsciously transitioned into a calm and composed state.

Gradually, he began to develop a habit of staying composed and unruffled in the face of situations.

Finally, achieving a full score evaluation in taste development training, he successfully exited the practice classroom.

Fu Yu casually shut the room door, washed up, and lay down on the bed.

He didn’t rush to sleep.

While brushing his teeth just now, the minty aroma unique to the toothpaste caused a sudden clarity in his mind when he subconsciously tried to test his sense of taste. It was a jolt of sharpness.

What a sour-refreshing feeling.

Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, he decided to pick up his phone and browse through a classic piece of literature.

Fu Yu tried hard to comprehend the words on the page.

Unfortunately, while he recognized each character, strung together, they seemed obscure and hard to understand.

Back in school, Fu Yu wasn’t good at literary studies. He hadn’t read Socrates’ works nor understood his views expressed through texts.

But from over an hour of reading Nietzsche, he saw nothing but Socrates being ugly, vain, adept at sophistry, misleading people’s minds, and advocating all things non-sensual.

Fatigue set in, and Fu Yu didn’t insist any longer, tossing his phone aside.

He couldn’t fathom what went on in the minds of these philosophers.

He felt...

Through this hour of literary endeavor, he came to perceive philosophers as being similar to the boisterous, quarrelsome aunt living downstairs.

Like two bickering women.

One alive, viciously berating a long-dead individual, denouncing everything they said as nonsense.

Reflecting on the night’s studying, Fu Yu concluded.

His literary accumulation was a long road ahead. With his literary foundation, it was basically hopeless.

The next morning, as soon as Fu Yu opened his eyes, the electronic prompt sounded by his ear:

[Ding! BBQ career transition mission: Countdown 30 days.]

Suddenly, he wasn’t sleepy anymore.

This mission even came with a countdown reminder.

The system was getting more advanced...

However, Fu Yu had no clue yet on how to join the culinary association.

He hadn’t heard of anyone around him being a member.

While Fu Yu was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door from outside: "Chef Fu, are you up yet? You’re going to be late!"

It was Sun Qingning’s voice.

Fu Yu responded, quickly dressed, and got up to open the door.

Sun Qingning looked hungover and haggard, yet after knocking, he didn’t rush to leave.

When Fu Yu came out after washing up, he found Sun Qingning had tidied his bed for him.