“Little Master? What do you mean by that?” Ji Rongxia dared not show his surprise, but Gu Tangjin immediately sensed that his reaction was off. Gu Tangjin quickly took the wooden box from Ji Rongxia and told his parents to eat the braised pork first, while the two of them went to the kitchen to work.

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Tangjin took Ji Rongxia by the hand and led him away.

“Xia-ger is completely scared stiff. I told you to take it slow—look how anxious you were, you scared the poor child,” Yao Tianlan said, taking another bite of the braised pork.

“We’d have to tell him sooner or later. He’s all clingy—what a sight.” Gu Chuncai didn’t see anything wrong with it.

The Cooking God System explained, “Host, do you remember me telling you that the system’s main tasks involve culinary practice and selling dishes?”

“I remember,” Ji Rongxia had a pretty good memory.

“Trading missions aren’t as simple as selling a few servings of scrambled eggs; they also involve restaurant management, reputation building, and more. A culinary god naturally needs their own name and restaurant,” the Cooking God System said.

“Now that you’ve gained the original owner’s approval, the restaurant can be bound to you. Once it’s bound to you, it will assign you corresponding management tasks.”

Ji Rongxia understood: “So you mean that, as a Cooking God, I’ve always been able to bind to an establishment? The reason I wasn’t bound to this restaurant before was because it belonged to my parents, and I was just a kitchen helper. But now that this restaurant can be considered mine and Tangjin’s, I can bind to it?”

“Yes, Host. That’s exactly what I mean.” The Cooking God System gave a thumbs-up to its host’s impressive comprehension.

“But you’ll still give me tasks whether I’m bound to it or not, right? What’s the difference?” Ji Rongxia asked curiously.

He already had quite a few uncompleted tasks. To be honest, Ji Rongxia wasn’t in a rush to finish them; slowly improving his culinary skills and buying land to farm to solve the ingredient problem—those were his two most pressing priorities right now.

“After binding the restaurant, the system will issue corresponding tasks for renovating the restaurant, boosting its reputation, and so on. The rewards are mostly items related to upgrading the restaurant, including renovation materials and restaurant management experience.”

“Oh, I see. So it’s not about improving my cooking skills—it’s more like a bonus outside of that.” Ji Rongxia thought to himself. The Cooking God System really is comprehensive.

The Cooking God System replied with a touch of resignation, “That’s right. Even the finest wine fears an obscure alley. Before our system’s upgrade, we only helped hosts improve their culinary skills. However, this limited the social status of certain hosts, making it difficult to complete the subsequent task of collecting culinary knowledge from this world. After the Cooking God System’s comprehensive upgrade, we’ve added auxiliary functions to assist hosts with restaurant management and upgrades. Moreover, a pleasant dining environment enhances diners’ appreciation of the host’s culinary skills—it’s an indispensable part of the dining experience and falls under the ‘Miscellaneous Affairs’ module.”

The Cooking God System continued, “Our assistance in helping you become culinary masters isn’t without its rewards. As you encounter this world’s ingredients, recipes, and culinary culture, we’ll collect them—especially once your culinary skills reach a certain level, when collection tasks will increase.”

Ji Rongxia fully understood and said, “Then let’s bind it.”

【Ding, binding restaurant in progress.】

【Ding, restaurant binding successful.】

As the binding was completed, a holographic image of the entire restaurant appeared before Ji Rongxia.

Ji Rongxia’s eyes widened slightly. Thankfully, he had grown accustomed to the wonders of the Cooking God System over the past period; otherwise, he would have been startled enough to scream at this moment.

“The host can choose to upgrade different areas,” the Cooking God System continued. “Or you can wait for the system to trigger and assign a task.”

Ji Rongxia didn’t see anything wrong with their restaurant at the moment, so he didn’t feel the urge to upgrade.

“Let’s leave it at that for now. Put the hologram away,” Ji Rongxia said.

The Cooking God System obediently retracted the holographic image.

With the restaurant bound to him, things were no different from usual. Ji Rongxia puffed out his cheeks, turned his head, and secretly told Gu Tangjin about the young chef binding the restaurant to him.

He thought for a moment and then mentioned the new “Eatery” practice space that had appeared in the system, filled with all sorts of strange kitchenware.

“I think upgrading the restaurant works the same way as that kitchen—the materials used get better, and things get fancier. We don’t need that yet,” Ji Rongxia said in a low voice.

Gu Tangjin agreed, saying, “That’s exactly right.”

The Cooking God System was baffled. In the past, whenever a host had the opportunity to upgrade their restaurant, almost all of them had worked hard to do so, striving to improve the environment. Yet this host and his partner didn’t seem to care at all!

The Cooking God System had wondered more than once if it was just a high-tech cheat code.

“Host, wait a moment,” the Cooking God System called out as soon as it saw the host about to go to work.

“The kitchenware in the System Space is merely intended to help you practice and familiarize yourself with high-tech kitchen equipment, as well as provide templates for crafting kitchenware when expanding your restaurant. However, unlike the restaurant bound to you, the one bound to the host can undergo high-tech modifications. Such technology is difficult to replicate, not just in your ancient little world, but even in modern little worlds.”

“For example, I can create a built-in refrigerator for you that uses biometric authentication—one that only you can open, ensuring ingredients stay fresh for a long time.”

“I can also replace the wood used for tables and chairs with a fragrant wood unique to a certain small world, ensuring that diners experience both physical and mental pleasure.”

……

The Cooking God System chattered on at length, proving itself to be a highly useful high-tech system. Ji Rongxia listened and nodded, indicating he understood.

“I don’t need that just yet. The ingredients we use at my restaurant every day are fresh, and we have plenty of pots, pans, and utensils for stir-frying. I know you really want to help, Little Chef, but you’ve already recharged your energy—you won’t run out anytime soon. Why are you in such a hurry?” Ji Rongxia said patiently, “You’re amazing, and I know that. I’m sure I’ll find a use for all that high-tech stuff of yours someday, so there’s no need to rush right now.”

Even the Cooking God System was being persuaded by its own host.

So none of this really matters? Time and again, the host was reshaping its understanding of the mission. No wonder the host had acquired the rare culinary skill

“Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary.”

“Alright, little chef, I’m going to get to work now. You go rest,” Ji Rongxia said soothingly. The Cooking God System’s data streams were thrown into disarray.

Meanwhile, Ji Rongxia’s thoughts quickly turned to the restaurant’s business for the day.

Ji Rongxia: “I’ll go ask Guan Dalang and the others later. How’s today’s braised pork? If they think it’s good, I’ll braise some more.”

“Wait, never mind. It’s too rushed today. Let’s sell braised meat tomorrow. For today, let’s just decide how much meat and vegetables we need and let the vendors know.” Ji Rongxia thought for a moment and said, “This braised meat is best when it’s marinated in the sauce for a while to absorb the flavor. The meat we just sent out doesn’t taste very good. Forget about the meat we’ve already sent out—the meat we’re selling needs to be prepared better.”

“Alright, I’ll take your advice,” Gu Tangjin nodded.

Over there, Yao Tianlan had barely opened the door when Guan Hongchi came out.

“Auntie, I’d like to buy some braised pork skin from Xia-ger.” Guan Hongchi was still holding the bowl Gu Tangjin had used to bring him the braised meat; in addition to that bowl, he’d also brought a large bowl of his own.

“Oh, go ahead.” Yao Tianlan smiled and pointed toward the kitchen. “Xia-ger and Tangjin are working in the kitchen.”

Guan Hongchi nodded at Gu Chuncai and walked briskly over to the kitchen.

“Tangjin, Xia-ger, sell me some braised pork skin. I’m thinking of making a cold salad for my mother for lunch.”

“Sure, I’ll pack some up for you. We sell our braised dishes by the pound—thirty wen for half a pound. But since you only want the braised pork skin, I’ll give you a discount: fifteen wen for half a pound,” Ji Rongxia said after a moment’s thought.

The pork they bought for their restaurant cost thirty-eight wen per catty, so the braised pork naturally couldn’t be cheap. The pork skin, however, could be sold at a lower price. Ji Rongxia thought he could braise some duck and chicken instead; duck and chicken were slightly cheaper than pork, and the flavor wasn’t any worse once braised.

“I just want the pork skin,” Guan Hongchi quickly said.

“There’s only about half a pound left in total. How much do you want?” Ji Rongxia pointed to the pot of braised meat, where the remaining braised meat and pork skin were still soaking in the braising liquid.

“Give me it all,” Guan Hongchi chuckled. “Half a catty is just enough for one plate of cold salad.”

“Then your family must have some really big plates,” Gu Tangjin said with a laugh. He took the large bowl from Guan Hongchi’s hands and scooped out the pieces of braised pork skin for him. “Here you go. I weighed it—it’s a little over half a catty. Just give me fifteen wen.”

Guan Hongchi knew exactly what he was dealing with; the moment the bowl was in his hands, he knew there was far more than half a catty of braised pork rind in there.

“That’s too much. I’ll give you eighteen wen. Don’t try to haggle with me—I could tell just by holding it that this pork skin is well over half a catty.” Guan Hongchi counted out eighteen wen, placed them on the stove, and ran off, afraid that Gu Tangjin might try to argue with him.

Once Guan Hongchi had left, Ji Rongxia and Gu Tangjin discussed what meats to braise. Gu Tangjin went out to speak with the vendors he could find, arranging for the restaurant to order more meat and vegetables in the future.

Ji Rongxia first marinated a chicken, a few pieces of pork, some tofu skin, a handful of mushrooms, and some lotus root, which had become quite the trend these past few days.

Vegetables and meat were braised separately. Leafy greens wilted as soon as they were blanched, and Ji Rongxia instinctively felt they wouldn’t taste good when braised; it had to be water-absorbing, firm vegetables that turn out well when braised.

Once everything was braised, he set it aside to soak, freeing up his hands to tackle other tasks.

Although Gu Chuncai had handed the restaurant over to Ji Rongxia, he still taught him how to cook and made him work just as before.

After a busy day, Ji Rongxia felt that things weren’t much different from before. With Tangjin helping with tasks like collecting payments and buying ingredients, it seemed like his only new responsibility was setting the daily menu, and he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

At the hour of You, the front door of the restaurant was closed.

But the back door remained open, and inside the shop, the lights were still on, and the windows were open.

Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia moved the other tables and chairs in the restaurant to one side, clearing a spacious spot where they set out the food and drinks.

Tao Xingsheng finished his errands and came over. Seeing the table laden with such fine food, he felt a sense of satisfaction. After all, he’d only been asked to look into a minor matter—why would that warrant such a feast?

“Old Gu, don’t tell me you’ve got some big favor to ask of me—why all this good food?” Tao Xingsheng teased.

“Hey, I’ve prepared fine food and wine for you—is that a problem? Besides, I already told you—I’m asking you to help me find some fertile farmland.” Gu Chuncai motioned for everyone to sit down and added, “This is Xia-ger. He made this braised pork himself; it goes great with wine. Just don’t drink too much later.”

“I’ve heard plenty about Xia-ger’s cooking skills. I’m in for a real treat today.” Tao Xingsheng was always quite kind to Old Gu’s son.

He was a burly, rough-looking man who spent his days mingling with constables, exuding a menacing aura that made him look like someone who’d crawled out of a graveyard. Sitting next to Gu Chuncai, the two of them didn’t seem like they belonged in the same world.

Yet the two of them were old friends.

“It’s just what others say; my cooking’s nothing special,” Ji Rongxia said modestly.

“Not at all. It’s just that our county office is in the south of the city, not the east, so it’s a hassle to make the detour. Otherwise, I’d really want to buy breakfast from you guys. To put it simply, I know your food is clean—I don’t really trust the other shops.” Tao Xingsheng poured himself a bowl of wine with practiced ease, then poured another for Gu Chuncai.

“We used to be on the verge of starving to death, and now you’re being picky,” Gu Chuncai said with a laugh after taking a sip of wine. “Hey, if I can be picky, why wouldn’t I be? Of course, I’m going to choose the best food,” Tao Xingsheng laughed heartily.

Tao Xingsheng was on friendly terms with the Gu family, so he felt right at home. He picked up his chopsticks and took a couple of bites of the dish, then couldn’t help but praise it: “This lotus root is really fragrant. Is it braised too?”

Ji Rongxia replied, “Yes, it’s braised vegetables.”

“No wonder. Your father said he was worried I’d drink too much—this dish goes perfectly with alcohol,” Tao Xingsheng said with a nod.

Gu Chuncai said proudly, “That’s for sure. My son-in-law’s cooking skills are far better than mine. Once I’ve taught him all the dishes I know, he’ll take over as head chef. As for me, I’ll just cook for my own son and my son-in-law.”

“Oh my, you’re really living the good life. Heh, hearing that just makes me mad. I’m no good at this—I still have to go on duty. My youngest son hasn’t even started looking for a bride yet. Sigh, it’s all such a hassle.”

“Yue’er is a good boy; I’m sure he’ll find someone suitable.”

Gu Tangjin picked up a piece of braised chicken with his chopsticks and offered it to Ji Rongxia, gesturing for him to eat.

His father and Uncle Tao—one lived in the east of town, the other in the south—both had families of their own. Even though they were close friends and lived in the same county, it wasn’t easy to meet up. Come to think of it, they hadn’t seen each other in over a year.

They had to let Gu Chuncai and Tao Xingsheng catch up, eat some food, and have a drink before getting down to business. As for them, they needed to eat their fill first.

Ji Rongxia smiled at Gu Tangjin and, as if just realizing it, picked up his chopsticks to eat. As for Yao Tianlan, he had already started eating long ago.

Sure enough, by the time Ji Rongxia had finished eating, his father and Foreman Tao had finally finished their conversation.

“About the farmland,” Tao Xingsheng said, getting down to business, “I’ve asked around. Since your family is small and can’t manage it well, it’s best to look for fertile fields that aren’t entangled in all sorts of complications.”

In reality, such land was scarce. The dynasty had been established for less than twenty-six years; though the times were now considered peaceful and prosperous, very few families with fertile land were willing to sell it, though there were plenty of buyers and sellers of wasteland and average-quality land. With the court currently encouraging land reclamation, wasteland wasn’t worth much silver.

“I’ve heard of four places that might be suitable,”

Tao Xingsheng spoke slowly: “First is Qingyan Village. The Hong family there has mostly dry fields and few paddy fields; they’re thinking of selling a few plots of dry land to trade for some paddy fields. The land they want to sell isn’t exactly prime, but it’s not bad either. If they weren’t short on silver, they wouldn’t be thinking of selling.”

“Second is Heshui Village. The Wang family there has a good-for-nothing youngest son who got involved with a widow and caused quite a stir. They’re desperate for silver and want to sell their land to raise money. I hear their plots are well-maintained, and the rest of the family is honest—it’s just that youngest son who’s no good.”

“Then there’s the Lu family in their village. Their eldest son broke his leg, and after nursing it for over half a year with no improvement, they’re thinking of selling a few plots to raise money for medical treatment in the prefectural city. Everyone knows they’re raising money for medical care, so the price of their land has dropped a bit. If you’re short on funds, buying land from the Lu family would be the best option.”

“Third is the Lu family from Tongdong Village. They’ve split up. The fifth son doesn’t want to stay with the Lu family anymore; he wants to move back to his wife’s hometown. So he’s thinking of selling the fields here to clear and farm land in his wife’s village.”

“That all sounds good to me, but what’s the story with this Lu Wulang? Why would he even give up the fields he was allotted?”

Gu Chuncai asked, a touch of curiosity in his voice.

“Hey, you don’t know the Lu family? Back in the previous dynasty, they owned hundreds of acres of prime farmland. Their ancestor was actually the Vice Minister of Personnel in the Ministry of Personnel—a high-ranking official in the capital. When the previous dynasty fell, Lord Lu was executed, and that’s when they started keeping a low profile. Over the years, they’ve sold off quite a bit of their land, but the Lu family still likes to put on airs.”

“Over the years, they’ve been supporting their children through school to take the imperial exams. Lu Dalang wasn’t half bad—he passed the third-level exam and became a Xiucai. But among the rest of this generation, there aren’t many who can read. This Lu Wulang didn’t do well in his studies. I hear he was born to a concubine and wasn’t well-regarded at home. When Old Master Lu died, during the division of the estate, they gave him two acres of decent land and three acres of wasteland—nothing else.”

Tao Xingsheng curled his lip in disdain, clearly looking down on the Lu family. Gu Chuncai said, “So that’s how it is.”

They’re just ordinary folks; they don’t have any concubines or maids, so they don’t understand the ins and outs of such matters.

“These families are definitely serious about selling their land, and the neighbors in the surrounding areas are decent folk. If you want to hire people to farm and look after the land, it’ll be easier,” Tao Xingsheng said.

“Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Tao,” Gu Tangjin said, offering Tao Xingsheng a bowl of wine.

Tao Xingsheng laughed. “It’s no trouble at all. I’m just doing some legwork for you—you’ll still have to go see the fields for yourselves to judge their condition. If you run into any difficulties, just come find me.”

“You’re right, Uncle Tao. Xia-ger and I will go take a look in a couple of days,” Gu Tangjin said.

Ji Rongxia listened with great interest, thinking he’d find a moment to go home and ask if his family had heard of any other plots.

By combining information from both sides, he and Tangjin could go take a look and select the most suitable field.

The meal was a joyful affair for both hosts and guests. Ji Rongxia packed two bags of braised pork for Tao Xingsheng to take home, while Yao Tianlan deftly wrapped a basket of food and also gave it to Tao Xingsheng to take with him.

“Thanks, Sister-in-law.” Tao Xingsheng didn’t stand on ceremony with Yao Tianlan; he bowed slightly to accept the three oilpaper-wrapped bundles and hurried off.

“I think these options all sound decent. Let’s go check out the fields to see what they’re really like. If we settle on one soon, we’ll still be able to plant crops this fall,” Ji Rongxia said as he finished washing up and moved over to Gu Tangjin, who had also just finished his morning routine.

Gu Tangjin wore a set of old clothes that had been washed so thin they were almost see-through, yet he still looked dashing and handsome.

“Alright. Once we set a date, we’ll need to let the people who come to buy breakfast know in advance. We won’t set up our stall while we’re busy buying the land—otherwise it’ll be too exhausting.” Gu Tangjin picked up a cloth to wipe the damp hair from Ji Rongxia’s head.

“Alright.” Ji Rongxia wasn’t one to put on a brave face either. “We’ll borrow the Guans’ donkey to use then.” 

“Sure.” Gu Tangjin touched his forehead. “Does your head still hurt?”

“I’m fine now. I’ll go to bed early tonight,” Ji Rongxia promised. Gu Tangjin smiled skeptically.

Ji Rongxia pinched his cheek and said sulkily, “Why are you laughing? Don’t you believe me?”

“A smile keeps you young for ten years. I’m just keeping a smile on my face.” Gu Tangjin pinched Ji Rongxia’s cheeks in return.

Ji Rongxia’s mouth twitched. When he first met Tangjin, the guy had been so cold—he certainly didn’t look like someone who was always smiling.

Ji Rongxia was a bit tired today and didn’t bother with reading; he went straight to bed. When he entered the system space, he first greeted the Cooking God System.

“I’ll study for just one hour this time. Make sure to wake me up after an hour.”

Cooking God System: “Understood, Host.”

【Fourth Dish: Eight-Treasure Porridge.】

【Note: Here is a simplified version of the recipe: Choose japonica rice, glutinous rice, regular rice, or black glutinous rice as the main ingredient, then add mung beans, red beans, lentils, walnut kernels, red dates, peanuts, lotus seeds, goji berries, water caltrop seeds, and Job’s tears as supplementary ingredients. Simmer everything into a porridge, and add sugar to taste when serving.】

【Please taste the finished dish, Host.】

“Wait, what is this? Is Eight-Treasure Porridge considered a dish, too?” Ji Rongxia scratched his head. “Here, ‘dish’ is a general term,” the Cooking God System explained.

Ji Rongxia thought to himself, “Every dish in this seasoning task is unique. Eight-Treasure Porridge uses ingredients that serve both as food and as seasoning.”

Adding different ingredients gives the Eight-Treasure Porridge a different flavor. It’s definitely helpful for seasoning practice.

Just as he picked up a spoon to taste the finished dish, he noticed that there were actually more than a dozen bowls of Eight Treasure Porridge arranged in front of him.

Cooking God System: “These are perfect versions tailored to the tastes of people from different regions across various worlds. Host, you only need to prepare one of them to complete this dish.”

Ji Rongxia asked, “Then can I try them all?”

Cooking God System: “You may take a single bite of each variety.”

Ji Rongxia perked up instantly. He could try a bite of each one!

He felt like he’d hit the jackpot!

Ji Rongxia began tasting from the left.

“This one has chestnuts in it.”

“This one has glutinous rice and walnuts—the walnut kernels are really delicious.”

“Hmm, what’s that yellow stuff in here?” Ji Rongxia asked, a bit puzzled, as he reached his third bowl. The Cooking God System replied, “Corn kernels.”

Ji Rongxia: “Oh, so that’s the corn made from cornstarch. It’s not quite what I imagined. Why does it look like this? It tastes a bit strange, too.”

Ji Rongxia had never eaten corn before, so he didn’t know how to describe the texture and flavor at that moment.

At any rate, it wasn’t bad.

As he tasted bowl after bowl, Ji Rongxia found each one delicious. So delicious, in fact, that he wanted to recreate every single one.

After sampling the perfect finished products, Ji Rongxia eagerly set out to taste all sorts of ingredients.

This time, the only ingredients that could truly be called seasonings were various types of sugar: sugar finer than sand, rock sugar in different colors, and sugar granules as coarse as salt.

The ingredients, however, were plentiful: plump red dates, golden corn kernels, crisp walnut pieces, chunks of sweet potato… Ji Rongxia tasted them all one by one.

Only then did he begin selecting his ingredients.

The Cooking God System was somewhat surprised to discover that Ji Rongxia was now selecting ingredients from the very first Eight-Treasure Porridge he had just tasted. Setting aside the exact quantities, the variety of ingredients was actually quite similar.

The Cooking God System suddenly had a premonition: it seemed its host was about to recreate every eight-treasure porridge he had ever eaten!

Ji Rongxia’s actions confirmed the Cooking God System’s hunch—he had indeed recreated the first type of eight-treasure porridge.

【Ding! Detection shows the Eight-Treasure Porridge has achieved a seasoning completion rate of 73%. It has passed!】

【You may now season the next dish.】

Cooking God System: “???!!!”

“That high? Host, aren’t you even surprised?” The Cooking God System couldn’t help but ask, looking at the host who remained utterly unfazed.

“There’s nothing to be surprised about. I’ve already practiced three dishes; I’m quite familiar with your tasks by now. Plus, this time with the Eight Treasure Porridge, I can not only taste it but also see exactly what’s inside. Based on the flavor and what I see, seasoning it is a breeze.”

Ji Rongxia felt as if his meridians had suddenly opened up. Seasoning was actually a bit like a doctor diagnosing a patient—it involved observation, smell, questioning, and palpation. Of course, the ingredients wouldn’t answer his questions, so what he had to do was taste each ingredient one by one and guess what flavor they would produce when cooked.

It was a bit challenging at first, but after completing three tasks, he started to get the hang of it.

Cooking God System: “……”

Is this what it’s like to be a genius?

This is a piece of cake!!!

The eight-treasure porridge has thickened perfectly—how did the Host manage to adjust the seasoning just by looking? The Cooking God System has marveled at the Host’s talent more than once.

The problem is, this guy isn’t just talented—he actually thinks things through and applies what he’s learned to new situations! It’s a little scary.

Seeing that the Cooking God System had fallen silent, Ji Rongxia continued adjusting the eight-treasure porridge. He was currently working on the second variation.

His plan was to first replicate every flavor of the Eight-Treasure Porridge, then select the one with the highest score to practice seasoning repeatedly until he achieved a completion rate of over 95%.

After finishing all fifteen varieties, the completion rate for each one had reached over seventy percent!!!

But before Ji Rongxia could take the next step, the Cooking God System reminded him, “Host, an hour has passed. You should rest.” Ji Rongxia rubbed his face. “That fast? Well, I’ll continue tomorrow.”

Ji Rongxia waved at the cloud-shaped Cooking God System: “I’m off. See you tomorrow, Little Chef.” 

“Goodbye, Host,” the Cooking God System replied, bidding Ji Rongxia farewell.

Ji Rongxia exited the system space. He quietly opened one eye and glanced at Gu Tangjin, who was fast asleep beside him.

He slowly rolled over, trying not to wake Gu Tangjin. Once he was on his side and saw that the person beside him was still asleep, he finally closed the eye he’d opened and drifted off to sleep with a sense of relief.

Gu Tangjin, who had actually woken up the moment Ji Rongxia began to turn over, felt his eyelids twitch. He chose not to call out his fulang’s little maneuver, instead pretending to be asleep as he waited for him to roll over and face him.

A faint smile played at the corners of Gu Tangjin’s lips as he drifted back into a contented slumber.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Tao Xingsheng walked toward the county office carrying a bag of braised meat. In his other hand, he held steamed buns he’d just bought and rice porridge made by his fulang.

He had left yesterday’s basket of food and another packet of braised meat at home for his fulang and his child to eat.

He planned to take this package of braised meat to the prefectural office to let his brothers try some. A gift is a gift, and if Old Gu’s land purchase didn’t go smoothly, it would be easier for him to ask his brothers for help later on. Besides, even if everything went smoothly, he wouldn’t be losing out by doing this.

That braised pork really was delicious—his Fulang and children hadn’t had their fill yet. In a few days, he’d have to make a detour to Old Gu’s place in the east part of town to buy some more for his Fulang and children.

“Old Tao, why are you so late today? Several of the brothers are already here,” asked Liu Hongfang, who had been on night watch yesterday, rubbing his eyes.

Liu Hongfang was nearly forty this year, but he was tall and burly with a sturdy build, looking as if he were only in his early thirties. He’d been conscripted as a soldier in his youth, back when the Great Yan Dynasty hadn’t yet been established, and battles raged across the land, leaving rivers of blood in their wake. Liu Hongfang, then just a teenager, had barely managed to survive.

After the Great Yan Dynasty was established, His Majesty allowed these veteran soldiers to return home to farm the land; every registered soldier was granted about ten mu of farmland.

Upon returning to his hometown, Liu Hongfang discovered that his parents and sisters were all gone. He decided to lease out the fields, collecting a modest grain harvest each year, and took a job as a constable. He never married and remained a bachelor, living at the county office all these years. While serving as a constable, he also helped guard the gates of the prefectural office. His life was, all things considered, fairly stable.

“I’ve got some steamed buns and braised pork. Care for some?” Tao Xingsheng asked.

As soon as Liu Hongfang heard this, his drowsiness vanished. He hurriedly ushered them into the small courtyard of the prefectural office: “Of course I’ll eat!”

Tao Xingsheng called over a few old friends and led them into Liu Hongfang’s small room, inviting them to eat and drink.

“This braised meat is really delicious, especially these braised chicken legs—the meat just falls off the bone. It would be even better if it were a little spicier.” Liu Hongfang had been up all night and was already starving; now, with the braised meat, hot steamed buns, and rice porridge, he felt completely at ease.

“Ouch, this isn’t spicy enough yet. Old Liu, you really have a heavy hand with the spice. Ouch, this is spicy enough for me.” Zheng Zhongzhong couldn’t handle spicy food; he kept wincing as he ate, but even so, he couldn’t resist continuing.

Zhang Dachuan: “It’s both fragrant and spicy—just right. Old Zheng, you’re hopeless. How can you eat meat like this?” The group was eating with such relish that even Tao Xingsheng found himself wanting another bite.

Sigh, he’d clearly eaten his fill before coming here.

Just as they were enjoying their meal, they suddenly heard a knock at the door.

Tao Xingsheng didn’t think much of it, assuming it was just a servant looking for them. He stood up to open the door, and as soon as he did, he saw County Magistrate Wu Baoquan and his attendant Zhu Pengyi standing outside.

“Y-Your Honor,” Tao Xingsheng stammered, feeling a pang of guilt.

Although eating breakfast at the county office wasn’t strictly a violation, it was a different matter entirely when the county magistrate himself showed up.

Hearing that it was the magistrate at the door, the others behind him dared not continue eating or drinking; they quickly wiped their mouths and stood up.

The portly Wu Baoquan waved his short, stubby hand. “It’s all right, it’s all right. Sit down. What are you eating?”

Wu Baoquan was dressed in a deep blue silk robe. Despite his round, plump face, his features were still well-defined. His weight didn’t make him look coarse; instead, he appeared quite affable. He didn’t look like a magistrate at all, but rather like a wealthy merchant who believed in the principle that “kindness brings prosperity.”

But Tao Xingsheng knew that while this new magistrate was usually good-natured, he could be quite formidable if they did anything too extreme. Just the other day, an old constable who had taken bribes and tortured a man into a false confession had been beaten and driven away by the magistrate. The new magistrate was an outsider, and the local deputy magistrate suspected him of coming to seize power. The two had been butting heads these past few days, and the dismissed constable had been the deputy’s man. Now that the magistrate had the upper hand, the group dared not cross him.

“Uh, some braised pork and steamed buns I bought from a shop outside,” Tao Xingsheng replied.

“I just came in from outside and heard you guys talking about something spicy and fragrant—it really drew me over here. Can I have a taste too?” Wu Baoquan said with a smile.

How could Tao Xingsheng possibly refuse? He quickly made room and invited Wu Baoquan to sit down.

Wu Baoquan didn’t stand on ceremony. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and grabbed a piece of braised pork. After chewing a couple of times, his eyes grew wider and wider. He then tried a slice of braised lotus root—crisp, delicious, and spicy. The flavor was truly excellent.

After enjoying a few mouthfuls of the braised meat and vegetables, the exhaustion from his recent battles with that old county magistrate began to fade.

“Excellent! This braised pork is quite good. Where did you buy it, Foreman Tao?” Wu Baoquan looked at Tao Xingsheng.

Tao Xingsheng hadn’t expected the magistrate to actually like the braised pork. He smiled and said, “I bought it from Gu’s Eatery in the east part of town. I asked around—they make it in the morning and sell it at the shop at noon and in the evening.”

“Alright, I see. Foreman Tao and Old Zhu, you two shouldn’t be standing there—come sit down and eat with us,” Wu Baoquan invited. Zhu Pengyi’s mouth twitched. His superior’s gluttonous habit hadn’t changed one bit over the years. But since everyone else was seated, it would indeed look odd for him to remain standing, so he sat down as well.

This package of braised pork was quite substantial. Ji Rongxia had not only been grateful to Tao the Bailiff for helping them inquire about the farmland, but also mindful of his good relationship with Gu Chuncai, so he had packed a generous portion. At first, Liu Hongfang and the others, dining with the county magistrate, couldn’t help but eat with a certain degree of refinement.

Seeing that the magistrate and his entourage were eating with no pretense of refinement—and even seemed to be scrambling for food—the others stopped holding back and began devouring the meat and chomping on steamed buns.

By the end of the meal, the group had grown somewhat more familiar with one another, and Tao Xingsheng was no longer quite so afraid of this new magistrate.

Wu Baoquan patted his round belly and said contentedly, “Not bad, not bad.”

This braised pork was no worse than what he’d eaten at the old shop in the capital—it was even better!!! He would definitely have someone buy some to take home for lunch!

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Wuqu Alley, the Gu household.

After setting up his breakfast stall, Ji Rongxia began preparing the braised meat.

Today, he braised two chickens and two ducks, about ten pounds of pork, and about ten pounds of vegetables. Since it was his first time selling these items, Ji Rongxia didn’t dare to make too much.

While he was braising the food, Gu Tangjin was in the courtyard watering the cucumbers, taro, and chili peppers.

Of the three crops they had planted, the cucumbers were growing the best; the cucumber vines were already climbing up the trellis, lush and vibrant.

The taro and chili peppers planted in pots have all sprouted. A few of the taro plants aren’t growing very well; it seems these particular varieties are more sensitive to heat, so Gu Tangjin has been taking extra care of them.

Last night, he spent a long time simmering the eight-treasure porridge, so Ji Rongxia took a look at the rice and beans in the pantry during the day.

The only ingredients available at the restaurant—jasmine rice, glutinous rice, red beans, red dates, peanuts, and lotus seeds—were washed thoroughly and soaked as needed. Once the braised pork was ready, he’d have just enough time to simmer up a pot of fragrant, simple eight-treasure porridge. If it didn’t sell, it would still be a fine meal for the family to enjoy with some side dishes at noon.

Though the ingredients were limited, Ji Rongxia prepared it with care, simmering it slowly in a clay pot.

【Ding, one portion of passably cooked eight-treasure porridge.】

Ji Rongxia froze—he didn’t think he’d taken on any quests. Then it dawned on him: he had a cooking skill called “Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary.”

【Ding, using the rare cooking skill: Turn Ordinary into Extraordinary.】

【Current Skill Level: Level 1.】

【Current Skill Effect: Vegetables prepared by you will be exceptionally fresh, and porridge cooked by you will be exceptionally sweet and delicious.】

“Oh, I’ve learned another little trick. I can make porridge even sweeter now.” Ji Rongxia’s eyes twinkled as he asked curiously, “Little Master, can I use this cooking skill in the system’s practice space?”

The Cooking God System replied, “The Cooking skill has no restrictions on time or location; it can be used in the system’s practice space as well.” Ji Rongxia raised an eyebrow. “Does selecting ingredients and seasoning count as part of the cooking process?”

The Cooking God System didn’t quite understand why the host was asking this, but it obediently replied, “Yes, it does.”

“Oh, then the Eight-Treasure Porridge quest will be a breeze. After all, I make delicious porridge—I can easily whip up every perfect variation of Eight-Treasure Porridge! If my cooking skills keep getting better, won’t I finish quests faster and faster? Little Master, this skill of yours is actually pretty useful after all,” Ji Rongxia said excitedly.

Cooking God System：“??!!”

The host’s mind works fast—he actually thought to use the cooking skills granted by the system to “tackle” the tasks the system assigns! The Cooking God System was a bit flustered.

Is that even allowed?

Having gained a small insight, Ji Rongxia felt a touch of smug satisfaction.

He wanted to tell Tangjin about it, but when he looked outside, he saw Gu Tangjin cleaning the doghouse for Xiao Hei and Xiao Huang. The two puppies were running around Gu Tangjin’s feet; they were plump, with soft, glossy fur that looked incredibly soft to the touch.

Gu Tangjin sensed Ji Rongxia’s gaze, turned around, and saw Ji Rongxia tilting his head back slightly and smiling at him.

Gu Tangjin blinked, roughly guessing what Xia-ger had done again. He was clearly feeling quite smug right now, looking just like a proud tabby cat. He put down what he was doing and tentatively clapped his hands softly.

Ji Rongxia chuckled. Tangjin really was such a goofball.

He gave a reserved, slight nod, but inside he felt as sweet as if his heart had been filled with honey. Carrying this good mood with him, he went back to the kitchen to continue his work.