What are you doing, Mr. President? I'm just an extra!

Su Feiyan's expression changed instantly.

She rushed over and picked up the list, which was filled with a dense list of medicinal herbs such as "Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, and roasted licorice root," along with ingredients such as black-boned chicken and soft-shelled turtle. It also included complicated cooking requirements such as "high heat for three quarters of an hour, low heat for half an hour, skimming off the foam and retaining the essence."

This isn't cooking; this is clearly alchemy!

Let alone Lu Li, even a chef at a five-star hotel would be at a loss if he got this kind of recipe for the first time.

Therefore, a dedicated team of chefs usually prepares this medicinal dish for Shen Suyun.

"Mom! This is too much to ask! Lu Li doesn't understand traditional Chinese medicine at all..." Su Feiyan said anxiously.

A slender hand reached out and took the form from Su Feiyan's hand.

Lu Li held the yellowed sheet of Xuan paper, his gaze quickly sweeping over it.

[Ding! Detected ancient formula "Eight Treasures Qi-Boosting Decoction (Modified Version)"]

[System analysis in progress... Analysis complete.]

This prescription is for deficiency of both qi and blood, but there is a minor flaw in the combination of one of the herbs, making it unsuitable for the patient's current symptoms of tension headache.

Lu Li's lips curled up slightly.

I originally wanted to interact with you all as an ordinary person, but you insisted on forcing me to use cheat codes...

He didn't rush into the kitchen, but instead held the sheet in his hand and looked up directly at Shen Suyun.

"It can be done."

Lu Li's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable certainty: "However, Aunt, if I may be frank, the dosage of 'roasted licorice root' in this prescription is a bit too high for your current migraine recovery period."

The entire room fell silent.

Shen Suyun's previously nonchalant expression froze instantly, and her hand holding the teacup noticeably paused for a beat.

Su Feiyan was so frightened she almost covered Lu Li's mouth. In this family, questioning one's mother's decisions was a major taboo, let alone questioning a prescription written by a renowned physician from the capital.

"What did you say?" Shen Suyun's voice turned cold.

Lu Li seemed oblivious to the coldness in the other person's eyes, pointing to a line on the prescription: "Although licorice can harmonize various medicines, its nature becomes warm after being roasted. You are currently experiencing headaches due to liver yang hyperactivity, and using a heavy dose of roasted licorice will only exacerbate the heat. I suggest reducing it by two grams and replacing it with 'white peony root'."

"White peony root soothes the liver and relieves pain, astringes yin and stops sweating, and can be combined with angelica root in this formula to achieve the effect of nourishing both qi and blood."

After speaking, Lu Li gently folded the order form, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing whether or not cilantro should be added to the dish.

Shen Suyun's breathing became erratic for a moment.

This prescription... when the expert prescribed it, he did indeed give a word of advice: "If the headache is severe, you can add some white peony root and reduce some licorice root."

No one knew this except her!

How could this kid possibly understand?

Was he just guessing? Or is he really that skilled?

Shen Suyun gave Lu Li a deep look, and for the first time, a wavering appeared in her eyes.

This young man, whom she had always labeled a "gold digger," seemed to be shrouded in a fog that she couldn't see through.

Lu Li didn't give her much time to think, and turned to walk towards the kitchen with the list in his hand.

Just as his hand touched the gilded doorknob.

Suddenly, Shen Suyun's emotionless voice came from behind, like a bombshell dropped into the slightly relaxed atmosphere.

"Oh, and make one more."

Shen Suyun slowly adjusted her shawl, her tone casual: "I have already informed the eldest son of the Gu family, Gu Ciyuan, to come over for dinner."

Lu Li paused slightly.

Su Feiyan turned around abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief: "Mom! Why did you call him here?!"

"That kid just came back from Wall Street and took over all of Gu's business in Jianghai. He's young, promising, and comes from a respectable family."

Ignoring her daughter's protests, Shen Suyun's gaze pierced through the air, directly targeting Lu Li's back. Her voice rose a few decibels: "It's a good opportunity for him to teach some people what true 'matching social status' really means."

Gu Ciyuan.

In the original novel, he was Su Feiyan's number one suitor, a typical elite from a wealthy family, and also a high-level cannon fodder used to suppress the male protagonist Ye Fan in the early stages and later trampled underfoot by Ye Fan.

[Tsk, the classic villain has arrived, albeit late.]

Oh, I guess I'm a villain too.

Is this because they think I'm too idle, so they're giving me some experience points to grind?

Lu Li didn't turn around, but simply made an "OK" sign with his back to the crowd.

"Okay, Auntie, I'll add an extra pair of chopsticks."

……

In the luxurious open kitchen, the cold steel island gleams under the lights.

Robert, the Michelin three-star chef poached by the Su family with a hefty sum, was leaning against the wine cabinet with his arms crossed.

His gaze was like that of someone looking at a monkey trying to fly a plane.

"Mr. Lu," Robert said in broken Chinese, pointing to the pile of expensive medicinal herbs, "out of professional duty, I have to remind you. 'Eight Treasures Qi-Boosting Soup' requires three boilings and four stewings; just soaking the dried abalone alone takes two days. You only have one hour?"

The two kitchen helpers behind him chuckled.

In their eyes, this pretty boy was only good-looking; his brain was probably full of mush. Simmering this kind of highly nutritious soup for an hour? It'd probably turn into dishwater.

Lu Li completely ignored the group of NPCs.

The moment he stepped into the kitchen, a pleasant notification sound rang in his mind.

[Ding! The host has successfully identified a flaw in the ancient recipe and initiated a cooking challenge.]

[Reward Settlement: Culinary Mastery (Medicinal Cuisine Specialist) has been awarded. Passive Skill Bonus: Absolute Taste.]

Countless memories about pharmacology, cooking time, and food preparation flooded my mind in an instant.

The feeling was as if he had been sweating profusely by the stove for three hundred years, and the texture of every medicinal herb and the direction of every muscle had become data to be deciphered in his eyes.