“Host, evening… good.” The Cooking God System’s welcome message stuttered as it saw its host storming in.

It frantically calculated in its mind whether it had done anything to upset the host. No matter how it crunched the numbers, the result remained the same—it hadn’t done anything to upset the host.

“Did the spicy beef jerky in the rewards use chili peppers?” Ji Rongxia asked with absolute certainty.

“Yes, Host,” the Cooking God System explained. “It’s a spicy seasoning.”

“Oh.” Ji Rongxia flashed a knowing smile.

Cooking God System: “…” So that’s how it was.

It felt like it had become some kind of wish-granting system.

But as the saying goes, when you’re under someone’s roof, you have to bow your head. It could manage such a minor request.

“Give me a task—I’ll choose knife skills practice,” Ji Rongxia said, rolling up his sleeves and beckoning.

“Understood, Host.” The Cooking God System.

【Host has selected the Fundamentals Module.】

【Ding! Fundamentals Module Major Beginner Task: Cutting Pork. (Includes Demonstration Video)】

【Task Requirement: Learn to cut different cuts of pork.】

【Mission Rewards: 10 pounds of bird’s eye chili peppers, 5 bottles of chili sauce, 10 pounds of fresh pork tenderloin, 30 pounds of pork leg meat, 3 pig heads, 10 pounds of pork ribs, 4 pig trotters.】

Ji Rongxia froze upon seeing the mission.

He’d expected to get a chili-cutting task instead.

Who knew this Cooking God System remembered he was practicing meat cutting?

The system was considerate.

Ji Rongxia flashed a bright smile at the Cooking God System, then picked up his knife to prepare for cutting.

Pork? He knew this stuff inside out!

But when the pork arrived, something felt off—wait, wait, wait… There were live pigs?!

And these pigs looked weird.

“Host, didn’t you ask last time if there were any slaughtering tasks? This time, I specifically chose a large-scale one where you can practice both slaughtering and cutting. Tasks like this are rare in the fundamentals module,” the Cooking God System said with a hint of pride.

Ji Rongxia: “…I, I really do thank you.”

“Wow, this pigskin is white? And brown? Spotted? So pigs, like cows, have so many different…” Ji Rongxia grew more and more interested the more he looked. He opened the demonstration video. First, he needed to learn how to distinguish different breeds of pigs, as well as the most suitable cutting and processing methods for each part of different breeds.

Ji Rongxia watched with great enthusiasm, though given the task’s difficulty, it seemed he wouldn’t be getting his chili peppers anytime soon!

After clanging away for half an hour, slaughtering the pig, Ji Rongxia was cheerfully ejected from the system space.

“Sincerity works wonders? How did it go?” Gu Tangjin, sitting on the bedside, put down his book and asked with a gentle smile.

In the dim light of the oil lamp, Gu Tangjin’s features appeared even more refined. Ji Rongxia couldn’t resist reaching out to rub his husband’s face.

“Oh dear, my heart was sincere, and it worked! My task today is cutting meat, but honestly, I won’t finish it anytime soon—I really won’t! I’ll have to wait ages to get those chilies.”

Being a culinary god is so hard.

But then again, if being a culinary god wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t feel right.

“What about the four kinds of pork this time?” His voice was slightly muffled as his face was being rubbed by Ji Rongxia.

Ji Rongxia shook his head. “Pigs! So many kinds of pigs! You wouldn’t believe it—some have white skin, smooth and taut, not wrinkly at all…”

“Others look like the wild boars I’ve seen, just with finer, sparser fur…”

“Once I finish slicing, the chili peppers will be ready!” Ji Rongxia concluded.

Gu Tangjin encouraged, “Mm, you got this.”

That night, neither of them snuck any food. They slept soundly through the night. The next morning, a light drizzle fell, bringing a hint of coolness. Before Gu Tangjin could even set up his stall, Guan Hongchi from the noodle shop next door came knocking.

Guan Hongchi had deliberately come around to the back door, and Gu Tangjin sensed something was off.

They had grown much closer these past days, so Gu Tangjin smiled and led him under the eaves first. “What wind blew you here? We’ll see each other at the stall later. No need to go out of your way like this. Look at you, soaked to the bone. Why didn’t you bring an umbrella?“

”Oh, come on! I just came to give you the heads-up! Besides, it wasn’t raining when I left. The sky didn’t look like rain at all. Who knew it would just start pouring like that?“ Guan Hongchi casually brushed the fine rain droplets off his clothes and lowered his voice. ”The steamed bun shop at the entrance of our alley is selling pan-fried buns today too. I went to the dock outside the city early this morning to collect some eggs, and I saw it on my way back!”

Villagers around Qingchi County who wanted to sell vegetables, eggs, or meat would either head to the county town market or the docks outside the city.

Most farm families kept only a few chickens, so they had limited eggs to spare. Still, Guan Hongchi often made his way to the wharf. He’d ask the farmers how much they wanted for their eggs, buying some of the better ones when he found them. This served two purposes: first, it kept him informed about market prices, preventing him from being cheated by the long-established vendors; Secondly, some chicken vendors were new to the trade and lacked connections, unable to find regular customers like them. When Guan Hongchi went to collect eggs, he could even haggle for a lower price.

The same applied to other ingredients besides eggs. Whenever Guan Hongchi had free time, he would go out to browse.

Gu Tangjin had been thinking lately about taking Xia-ger out to explore and see the local produce, but recent busyness had kept him too occupied.

“That Liang family steamed bun shop?” Gu Tangjin asked.

“Yes! That one! The shop that flaunts its location at the alley entrance, practically rolling their eyes skyward as customers walk by!” Guan Hongchi exclaimed, slapping his thigh.

Both the Gu Family Restaurant and the Guan Family Noodle Shop were situated toward the middle of Wuqu Alley. Some customers, unwilling to venture deep into the alley or wanting to save a few steps, would buy food from stalls lining the alley’s edges.

The eastern part of Qingchi County was mostly home to modest households. Though Wuqu Alley was close to the main market, it wasn’t quite within its boundaries. The shops near the alley entrance fared better, enjoying brisk business and attracting many market-goers who wandered this far. The middle section of the alley was slightly less fortunate, but the shop rents here were also cheaper. Back then, both Gu Chuncai and Guan’s parents were strapped for cash. They managed to buy a small shop largely because the Great Yan Dynasty was still young, and the economy was sluggish everywhere. Shop prices were low, so they couldn’t exactly be picky about location.

Gu Tangjin couldn’t quite recall what the Liang family looked like. Though they lived in the same alley, Wuqu Alley was long, and he wasn’t acquainted with everyone.

But when Guan Hongchi mentioned it, Gu Tangjin recalled.

“I know the Liang family,” Ji Rongxia interjected. He’d overheard their earlier conversation but had been busy frying pan-fried buns and couldn’t leave the stove. Now that the buns were done, he stepped out. “On the day I married into this family, didn’t my parents invite them? That’s how I remember them.”

Gu Tangjin didn’t press why Ji Rongxia remembered them—fearing they’d said something unpleasant that stuck with Xia-ger.

“Your family’s formula hasn’t leaked, has it?” Guan Hongchi asked urgently upon seeing Xia-ger approach.

Ji Rongxia and Gu Tangjin exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison. “No.”

Their answers came in perfect unison.

They had carefully stored the recipe. The walls of Gu’s courtyard had been reinforced, standing over a foot taller than Gu Tangjin himself. Even if someone had climbed the wall to peek at their pan-fried buns preparation, they would have noticed.

“As for the pan-fried buns recipe, it’s simple yet complex. They probably figured it out themselves, but I haven’t seen them buying our pan-fried buns. I wonder how they managed to master it.” Ji Rongxia muttered in puzzlement.

Guan Hongchi waved his hand dismissively. “Hey, if they want to copy your family’s recipe for business, why would they come buy it themselves? They’d just send someone else to buy them.”

Gu Tangjin: “That makes sense.”

“There’s nothing we can do about it. Our recipe probably hasn’t leaked, but we can’t be the only ones making pan-fried buns.” Though he said this, Ji Rongxia still couldn’t help feeling a bit annoyed.

They specifically avoid selling the same breakfast items as the regular vendors in the alley!!!

Gu Tangjin gently patted Ji Rongxia’s back. “Don’t worry, Xia-ger. Your skills are top-notch. In the food business, it’s all about who makes the best food. Let’s see how today’s pan-fried buns sell first.”

Ji Rongxia folded his arms. “Yeah, you’re right. I can’t exactly go over there and yell at them.”

“Brother Guan, could you please buy a few pan-fried buns from their stall?” Seeing Ji Rongxia still fuming, Gu Tangjin turned to Guan Hongchi.

“Sure thing. I rushed over and completely forgot to grab a couple to try.” Guan Hongchi readily agreed.

He truly hoped Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia’s breakfast stall would continue operating for a long, long time.

Gu Tangjin grabbed Guan Hongchi as he was about to rush out, handing him an oil paper umbrella and ten wen.

Guan Hongchi took the umbrella with a hearty laugh: “You two just wait!”

He scampered off with quick steps.

Only then did Ji Rongxia puff out his cheeks indignantly. “On our wedding day, that old woman from their house whispered something about how studying hard didn’t save him from becoming a cripple. I was inside the house—Mother wouldn’t let me go out. She went out herself and sent the woman away.”

Had they just married, Ji Rongxia wouldn’t have dared mention the Liang family’s words, fearing it would upset Gu Tangjin. But now that he’d grown close to Tangjin and understood the man didn’t dwell on his limp, speaking of it mattered little.

Hearing this, Gu Tangjin understood why Xia-ger was so angry. His heart warmed, and he smiled. “Even if I’m not perfect, I’m still a Xiucai. It was indeed inappropriate to make a scene on our wedding day because of them. But if we catch them gossiping like that again, I’ll accompany you to scold them.”

Ji Rongxia chuckled, “Come on, I can’t even imagine what you’d look like scolding someone.”

“Then I’ll need my Fulang to take this useless one along,” Gu Tangjin feigned distress.

Distracted by Gu Tangjin’s words, Ji Rongxia’s anger faded. He patted his slightly thin chest. “Rest assured, I’ll protect you from now on.”

Gu Tangjin’s smile grew even more radiant, and in the misty rain, he seemed to have gained an ethereal aura.

“Brother Guan is back. Stop smiling.” Ji Rongxia quickly composed a serious expression upon hearing footsteps, and Gu Tangjin reluctantly suppressed his grin.

Before long, Guan Hongchi really did come trotting back.

Guan Hongchi pulled a leaf-wrapped parcel from his chest: “They sell these for one wen each. I bought three—let’s try them.”

“One wen each?!” Ji Rongxia was taken aback.

Gu Tangjin fetched chopsticks and a small stool, motioning for Guan Hongchi to sit down and talk.

They didn’t go inside, instead settling beneath the eaves. A light drizzle trickled down the tiles, splashing onto the ground and bringing a refreshing coolness.

The three pan-fried buns on the large leaf looked quite authentic, though they lacked much aroma.

“They don’t smell as good as yours,” Guan Hongchi remarked, returning the remaining seven wen to Gu Tangjin.

Gu Tangjin took the wen and handed Guan Hongchi a pair of chopsticks.

Three people, one pair of chopsticks each.

Almost simultaneously, all three picked up a pan-fried bun and took a bite.

With that first bite, the two skilled cooks and Gu Tangjin—whose cooking skills were akin to alchemy—all froze in shock.

Guan Hongchi: “…”

Gu Tangjin: “…”

Ji Rongxia: “…”

Ji Rongxia: “Um, let them sell it. If someone actually likes pan-fried buns with this flavor, well, what can I do?”