Reborn in 1977

Jiang Lili went to pick wild oranges, and Chen Fan quickly went to the kitchen to heat water and clean the two newly bought pots. He also placed the flour, milk, eggs, white sugar, and salt on the table. He washed two large bowls and a casserole, carefully drying them.

After he finished all this, Jiang Lili came back with a bag of wild oranges, "Look, are these enough?"

Then she saw the things Chen Fan had prepared and asked in surprise, "Are you going to knead dough? Are we having noodles?"

There was no fresh meat on the table, so it shouldn't be dumplings, which meant it could only be noodles?

But the supply and marketing cooperative had dried noodles just now, so why would he want to make hand-pulled noodles?

Chen Fan didn't answer her question but handed her a large bowl, "Help me peel all the oranges."

Then he ran back to the room, tore off a piece of gauze, and chuckled, "This thing can be used after washing and soaking in boiling water. This cotton gauze from the cotton fluffer is a great help."

Jiang Lili looked at him in confusion, "What are you going to do?"

He even took out the cotton gauze. What delicious thing was he making that needed cotton gauze?

Chen Fan still didn't speak. Seeing that she had already peeled an orange, he picked up the sour orange, wrapped it in the orange peel she had just peeled off, and squeezed it hard, causing the greenish juice to drip into the bottom of the bowl.

He lifted the bowl and smelled it under his nose. That sourness was truly extraordinary!

It was just that the home-brewed vinegar in Lujiawan was dark red; otherwise, he wouldn't have to go to so much trouble and could just use the home-brewed vinegar.

Before long, the water in the pot boiled. After Chen Fan cleaned the cotton gauze and scalded it with hot water, he officially began to make it.

Milk, oil, and sugar were mixed together and stirred until emulsified, then flour and orange juice were added…

Chen Fan was busy at the table, and Jiang Lili observed from the side. After a while, she suddenly realized, "Are you making a cake?"

Chen Fan looked back at her, chuckled, and didn't say anything.

Soon he made the batter. He brushed a layer of oil on the inner wall of the newly bought iron soup pot and poured in more than half of the batter.

Then he took out his own lunch box, also brushed oil on the inside, and poured in the remaining batter.

After covering the lunch box, he put it in the large pot and steamed it with hot water. He took the iron pot to the small earthen stove he had temporarily built outside the kitchen when he entertained Zhang Wenliang last time and baked it directly over the fire.

Returning to the kitchen, he began to make his own cream.

Milk, oil, sugar, and orange juice were put into an enamel jar and stirred in the hot water in the earthenware pot.

This wasn't the first time he had made a cake. Before time-traveling, he lived alone and had tried many small things to relieve his loneliness.

Now, although he lacked suitable tools, his level 5 cooking skills allowed him to handle these small things with ease.

Time passed little by little, and Chen Fan accurately grasped the heat of the cake with the sense of smell of a level 5 chef.

He picked up the lunch box from the big pot and carried the blackened iron pot back to the kitchen.

Then came the moment of surprise.

First, he turned the steamed cake over and poured it onto a plate. Chen Fan blinked, "Although the shape is a bit incomplete, it doesn't matter. It can still be salvaged."

Level 5 seems to be a bit low. Maybe he needs level 6, or more experience in making pasta?

Jiang Lili had been standing beside him watching him busy, unable to help at all. At this time, seeing the steamed cake with missing edges and corners on the plate, her eyes were full of amazement, "Wow, you're amazing!"

It really was a cake!!!

Chen Fan coughed dryly, "Don't praise me yet. Wait until it's finished."

Then he turned the baked cake in the iron pot over and poured it onto a plate.

This time the shape was complete, but… the charred color didn't seem right?

But it didn't matter, he thought he could still save it!

Chen Fan suddenly pulled out the kitchen knife and shaved off one or two layers of the charred outer layer, and the yellow-orange-golden cake finally revealed its original color.

Putting the kitchen knife aside, Chen Fan picked up a bamboo slice and began to spread cream on the two cakes.

After a busy time, two ordinary cream cakes, one square and one round, were presented in front of them.

Jiang Lili held her hands in front of her chest, smelled the sweet cream, and looked at the two cakes on the table with shining eyes, "Is it okay like this?"

Chen Fan waved his hand, "No, it's still a little short."

He didn't know where he took out a long bamboo skewer, lit it with a match, and inserted it in the middle of the large round cake, then picked up the large plate and sent it to Jiang Lili.

Jiang Lili was stunned and looked at him in disbelief.

Chen Fan smiled and said, "Last time when I registered my household, I saw that your birthday was December 17th, so I wanted to celebrate your birthday, but there wasn't anything at that time. I originally wanted to make two dishes for you, just to show my appreciation.

Later, wasn't there a notice to resume the market? I thought I might as well wait two days and put together some materials to make you a birthday cake. You used to live in Yunhu City, so you should have eaten birthday cake before.

I didn't expect to be lucky enough to buy a can of milk, so I made two cream cakes and wanted to give you a surprise."

Then he smiled again, "It's just that the process was a bit tortuous and almost turned into a fright."

At this time, Jiang Lili covered her mouth with both hands, and her eyes were already red.

Chen Fan coughed dryly, "Well, it's two days late, and the cake is a bit ugly, and I can't buy birthday candles, so I can only use bamboo skewers to make do, but at least it's a birthday cake. Please force yourself to smile and blow out the candles. Otherwise, if you cry like this, I'll think you hate it, and I'll lose face."

Jiang Lili couldn't say anything, just covered her mouth and shook her head repeatedly, with large tears falling from her eyes.

Chen Fan had no choice but to put the cake back on the table and took out a piece of coarse cotton cloth as a handkerchief and handed it to her.

Jiang Lili twisted her waist and turned around and ran out.

Chen Fan looked at the empty doorway, then looked at the bamboo skewers burning wantonly on the table, couldn't help but touch his head, and muttered in his heart, "Although the bamboo skewers are a bit ugly, the supply and marketing cooperative only has white candles, so I can't use that thing, right?"

Just then, Jiang Lili ran back quickly. Her face had been wiped clean, and only her eyes were still a little red.

Taking two deep breaths, Jiang Lili looked at Chen Fan without blinking and said softly, "Thank you. I, I was too excited just now because no one has celebrated my birthday for a long time."

Chen Fan smiled, "It's nothing, we are friends. It's good as long as you don't hate it."

Jiang Lili bit her lip and shook her head vigorously, "No, how could I hate it?"

Chen Fan brought the cake to her again, "Then, make a wish and blow out the candles?"

Jiang Lili nodded vigorously, took a deep look at him, then moved her gaze to the bamboo skewer that had already burned a third of the way, slowly closed her eyes, opened them after three or four seconds, put her lips together, blew a breath, and the flame on the bamboo skewer went out instantly.

Chen Fan immediately pulled out the bamboo skewer and threw it aside, then picked up the bamboo slice, "Cake should be eaten together, this is called sharing happiness. Let's each have half of the steamed cake and the baked cake."

I'm not feeling well today, I'll make up the chapter tomorrow.