Gu Tangjin turned his head away, hiding the smile in his eyes.

Diao Dalang had been away for so many years, yet he still had a kind heart. Even if it wasn’t to recharge the young master, they could still keep in touch more often in the future.

He led Diao Qiuyun to the backyard first.

Gu Chuncai was already in the courtyard, sipping tea and taking a break.

Upon seeing Diao Qiuyun, he looked a bit puzzled and asked, “Qiuyun? What brings you here?”

“Diao Dalang is back and brought Xiaoyun over for dinner. He didn’t know we close early these days, so I figured since Diao Dalang rarely comes by, I couldn’t let him go home on an empty stomach, could I? So I invited Xiaoyun and Brother Diao to join us for a simple supper. Brother Diao insisted on helping Mother clear the dishes, so I had Xiaoyun come over to sit for a while instead of waiting inside the restaurant.”

Gu Tangjin explained as he brought a small chair for Diao Qiuyun and lit some mugwort by the table to ward off mosquitoes.

“Kaipeng is back? We can’t just let him go home empty-handed—it’s been over two years since we last saw him.” After hearing this, Gu Chuncai first brought Diao Qiuyun a bowl of milk and sugar soup made by Ji Rongxia.

The drink, sweetened with syrup and then steeped in well water by Gu Tangjin, was still refreshingly cool.

Diao Qiuyun felt even more embarrassed. She held the earthenware bowl and sipped the syrup in small sips, not knowing what to say.

Gu Tangjin, meanwhile, went into the kitchen to help Ji Rongxia with the cooking.

The moment Ji Rongxia and Gu Tangjin’s eyes met, Gu Tangjin knew that Ji Rongxia and the little chef had definitely understood his hint.

Ji Rongxia even tapped his pocket lightly, indicating that he’d taken a few small stones.

Gu Tangjin nodded slightly; he, too, had come up with a plan, though he wasn’t sure if it would work.

The Cooking God System glanced at its host, then at the host’s partner, sensing that the two of them seemed to be communicating telepathically.

Not long after Gu Tangjin entered the kitchen, Diao Kaipeng returned to the backyard with Yao Tianlan, carrying a large basin of dirty bowls and chopsticks.

“Wow, your kitchen sure is bright in here.” Diao Kaipeng set the basin down by the side of the kitchen and didn’t even dare to step inside.

Isn’t this a little too clean?!

The stones laid on the floor were almost as smooth as his own face!

“Tangjin, how can you make people work like this?” Ji Rongxia said. “Just set it over there. The food’s ready; we’ll bring it out right away. Brother Diao, why don’t you go sit down first?”

Diao Kaipeng clapped his hands, stood up straight, and looked at Gu Tangjin, asking, “Alright, what’s this?”

Gu Tangjin smiled and said, “My Fulang. Brother Diao, since you’ve been trading in the Northern Frontier, you probably didn’t know—I’m married now. This is Xia-ger. These days, Xia-ger and my father run the restaurant together. You’ll have to be sure to try Xia-ger’s specialty dishes later.”

“Oh, I see. I was just wondering who ‘Xia-ger’ was—so it’s you, Gu Tangjin’s Fulang. I didn’t even bring a gift for our first meeting; I’m truly embarrassed.” Diao Kaipeng thought to himself, no wonder Gu Tangjin seems to be walking on air these days—it turns out he’s married the man he loves.

Koushui Chicken, Shrimp Meat Patties, Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork, Sweet and Sour Carp, Eight-Treasure Congee, Taro Paste Glutinous Rice Balls, Chilled Braised Pork, and Braised Vegetables.

Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia brought out the dishes one by one, then handed out chopsticks and spoons to everyone.

“Just make do with this,” Ji Rongxia said.

“You call this ‘just a simple meal’? Then what I used to eat must have been grass,” Diao Kaipeng said.

Yao Tianlan laughed heartily: “Kaipeng, you’re still as witty as ever. Go ahead and eat. Once you’re done, why don’t you tell us some of the interesting stories you’ve encountered while traveling for business these past few years?”

“Sure, as long as you don’t mind me rambling,” Diao Kaipeng said. He picked up his chopsticks and first placed a bite of his favorite braised pork into Diao Qiuyun’s bowl.

The girl didn’t even dare to serve herself any food now.

If Diao Qiuyun knew what her brother was thinking, would she really say she was “afraid”? No, she was just too shy!

Ji Rongxia smiled as she picked up her chopsticks, first serving Gu Tangjin some sweet-and-sour carp and some mildly spicy braised pork head.

Since Gu Tangjin couldn’t handle spicy food very well, he instinctively ate the braised pork head Ji Rongxia had served him.

Diao Kaipeng watched the scene and silently popped a piece of Koushui Chicken into his mouth.

Do people really change that much after getting married?

Huh?!

This chicken is really delicious!

Fragrant, spicy, and with a hint of sweetness, the chicken was tender, smooth, and flavorful—one bite was enough to whet the appetite and make one’s mouth water.

One bite makes you want another.

This chicken is so good that Diao Kaipeng feels like all the chicken he’s eaten before must have been fake.

He never knew chicken could be this crispy, tender, and spicy.

Yao Tianlan asked, “What do you think? Is it good?”

Diao Kaipeng was too busy eating to speak, so he could only nod repeatedly.

It was so good—so good that he didn’t even have a word to say!

“Those two guys who delivered your letter also bought the recipe for Xia-ger’s crumbly flatbreads.”

It wasn’t something he’d brag about to others, but he could certainly mention it to Diao Kaipeng.

After all, those two were Diao Kaipeng’s friends.

Diao Kaipeng swallowed the food in his mouth and said sincerely, “They’re the ones who got the better end of the deal. Even without tasting them, I know they must be delicious.”

Yao Tianlan said with a smile, “Not at all. It’s just that your friends have good taste.”

Seeing how heartily he was eating, Yao Tianlan didn’t say anything else to him and let him and Xiaoyun finish their meal first.

Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia were also quietly eating on the surface.

In reality, Ji Rongxia was talking to the little chef.

“Little chef, you’d better be prepared. We can ask around for you, but just in case Diao Dalang doesn’t remember where those stones came from, don’t worry. At worst, once Tangjin and I have some spare time and money later on, we’ll help you search for them little by little.”

Ji Rongxia was worried the little chef might be disappointed.

Cooking God System: “Host, I understand. Don’t worry.”

Ji Rongxia wasn’t quite so reassured—the little chef was clearly really looking forward to it!

He glanced at Gu Tangjin with a hint of unease.

Gu Tangjin smiled at him and served him a bite of braised pork with her chopsticks.

“Eat first,” Gu Tangjin reminded him.

“Oh,” Ji Rongxia replied.

After dinner, Ji Rongxia and Gu Tangjin cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, lit some oil lamps and placed them on the table, and brought over the remaining mutton milk soup. With the moonlight so beautiful tonight, sitting outside to enjoy the cool breeze was truly delightful. Diao Kaipeng, beaming with excitement, told Yao Tianlan and Gu Chuncai all about the dangers and amusing incidents he’d encountered while traveling as a merchant.

It was far more captivating than anything a storyteller could offer.

Not to mention Yao Tianlan and Gu Chuncai—even Gu Tangjin and Diao Qiuyun were completely engrossed in the story.

“Host, host, recharge, recharge.” The Cooking God System waited for quite a while before finally speaking up to remind him.

“I know, I just haven’t found a chance to chime in,” Ji Rongxia whispered to the system.

Right now, Diao Kaipeng was happily telling his parents all about the scenery and delicacies of the Northern Frontier—he just couldn’t find a good opening to jump in!!!

Gu Tangjin, noticing him spacing out, squeezed his hand and signaled with his eyes that he needed to step away for a moment. Ji Rongxia wasn’t quite sure what he was up to, but he nodded anyway.

Gu Tangjin first went to the room he shared with Ji Rongxia, where he retrieved the sketch of the two small stones Ji Rongxia had drawn, as well as the paper with the recipe for scented soap.

He pondered for a moment, then folded them up and tucked them into his sleeve. He went outside, found a wood-chopping axe, and rinsed it clean with water.

Diao Kaipeng watched him walk out carrying a wood-chopping axe and looked puzzled.

If this had happened while he was out trading, he would have run away in a flash!

But now, he was simply curious to see what Gu Tangjin was up to.

Diao Kaipeng fell silent, and Gu Chuncai and Yao Tianlan also turned to look at Gu Tangjin.

Gu Tangjin picked up a section of bamboo and placed it on the ground, saying to Diao Kaipeng, “It’s good you came by today. I was actually planning to find you to show you this. Since you’re here, let’s split it open together.”

“What’s this?” Diao Qiuyun asked, puzzled, as she sat on a small stool.

“Perfume soap—we made it ourselves,” Ji Rongxia explained.

Gu Tangjin swung his knife and split the bamboo open, pulling out a long bar of pale yellow soap with a clove scent.

Gu Tangjin used a wood-chopping knife to cut the scented soap into small pieces.

“You can’t use it right away—it needs to air-dry for a few days. Take two pieces home to try. If they work well, we can provide the recipe, oil, and wood ash, and you can make this scented soap to sell. What do you think?” Gu Tangjin said.

Diao Kaipeng was taken aback: “Tangjin, you know how to make this scented soap? What’s the deal with the oil? Do you guys have that many pig pancreases to make this?”

Gu Tangjin explained carefully, “It’s not pig pancreas—it’s the oil left over from frying food at our restaurant. I tried it and found it works for making scented soap. If you think this business is profitable, you provide the labor, and we’ll supply the recipe and the oil. Making this is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and we’re too busy running the restaurant to mess with it.”

This was a godsend!

To be handed such a great business opportunity right at his doorstep—not to mention anything else—just learning a new craft recipe for free was a huge win for him!

Diao Kaipeng had just returned and hadn’t decided what to do next. If this worked out, it would be nothing but a win for him.

But if it were that good, why would they come to him?

After all these years in business, Diao Kaipeng might not have learned much else, but he had certainly learned to be cautious.

Yao Tianlan and Gu Chuncai were also a bit puzzled. Usually, Tangjin beat around the bush when speaking, so why was he being so straightforward when discussing something as big as a business deal?

Look at how scared Diao Dalang is—he doesn’t even know what to say.

“This is certainly a good thing, but I’m not sure why you’ve come to see me, Tangjin,” Diao Kaipeng said after a moment’s hesitation.

Gu Tangjin looked at Gu Chuncai and Yao Tianlan: “Father and Mother, I’d like to discuss this business matter in detail with Diao Dalang. It’s likely to take some time, and it’s getting late. Why don’t you take Xiaoyun home first?”

Gu Chuncai and Yao Tianlan realized that with them present, Tangjin would find it difficult to negotiate with Diao Dalang.

They’d practically watched Diao Xiaoyun grow up—they were too close to her, which would make business negotiations a bit awkward.

Thinking they understood, Gu Chuncai said, “All right, your mother and I will take Xiaoyun home first.”

“I’ll go get a lantern. Oh my, it really is pitch black out—Xiaoyun really needs to head home.” Yao Tianlan went to fetch a lantern for light.

Although Diao Qiuyun was curious about the scented soap business, she obediently followed Gu Chuncai and Yao Tianlan.

Once her parents and Xiaoyun had left, Gu Tangjin smiled and said, “I want to give this business to you—not for any other reason, but simply to thank you.”

“Thank me?” Diao Kaipeng blinked in confusion. What had he done to deserve thanks?

“Didn’t I just tell you that Xia-ger and I bought some little stones from Xiaoyun? Xia-ger really liked them—shouldn’t he thank you? Actually, it’s not that Xia-ger liked them—it’s that I liked them.” Gu Tangjin placed the blocks of scented soap on the table first.

He pulled two sheets of paper from his sleeve.

Gu Tangjin pushed the sheets of paper toward Diao Kaipeng: “Ever since I broke my leg, I’ve had occasional pain, and I don’t sleep very soundly these days. Xia-ger originally bought those little stones just because they were pretty, but after we got them, I noticed that when I placed them in the room, I slept much more soundly—I don’t know why. Later, I examined them carefully and realized that only these two stones were effective—the others weren’t. So I’ve been carrying them with me ever since. A few days ago, when I went to the provincial capital, with all the crowds and commotion, I must have dropped these two stones somewhere.”

Gu Tangjin said with utmost sincerity, “I implore you, Brother Diao, to think carefully about where you found these two stones. This is of great importance to me.”

Upon hearing this, Diao Kaipeng felt relieved, yet he also felt a touch of sympathy for Xiucai Gu.

When he had left, Gu Tangjin had been such a distinguished figure.

Back then, he’d even thought that by the time he returned, Tangjin might well have become a Juren.

Diao Kaipeng was fairly well-informed; while others only knew that Gu Tangjin was a capable student, Diao Kaipeng knew that his talent and scholarship were sufficient to pass the Juren examination and even the imperial examination.

He never would have dreamed that the day would come when Gu Tangjin would have to turn to him for help.

Ji Rongxia looked at Gu Tangjin in surprise.

He hadn’t expected Gu Tangjin to say that, so he reached out and grabbed Gu Tangjin’s hand.

How stupid of him—such a perfect excuse, and he hadn’t even thought of it himself! He could have just said he was deaf and couldn’t sleep either!!!

He even had a reputation for being deaf!

If he’d thought of it, Tangjin wouldn’t have had to say it.

The Cooking God System almost sensed an emotion humans call “shock.” It had thought the host’s partner was a very proud person, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Huh? So, Tangjin, how are you now?” Diao Kaipeng asked with concern.

Gu Tangjin smiled and shook his head: “I still have trouble falling asleep every night, but I’m still young, and it’s not like I can’t sleep at all—it’s no big deal. Just keep this to yourself, Brother Diao, and please don’t tell anyone else.”

The more he downplayed it, the more Diao Kaipeng felt that Gu Tangjin wasn’t telling the truth.

Not sleeping well must be miserable.

No wonder he’d asked Aunt Yao and Uncle Gu to step aside.

“About this, just tell me directly—how could I not help you? Although my memory isn’t great, I love keeping records. Every time I’ve picked up a stone—usually when I’m homesick—I’ve noted it down and even made a mark. If I think it over carefully and cross-reference my old records from all these years, even if I can’t pinpoint exactly where this stone came from, I’ll be able to narrow it down to a few possible locations. Then we can just take our time searching for it.”

Diao Kaipeng solemnly unfolded the two sheets of drawing paper and only then realized that the drawings had actually been done with paint, capturing the stones’ appearance so vividly. Unfortunately, he’d picked up so many stones over the years that he really had no clue where this particular one came from at the moment.

“Take these pieces of fragrant soap home for now. Let them air out for seven or eight days and give them a try—they should work. Here’s the recipe; take it with you.” Gu Tangjin pulled out the piece of paper with the recipe written on it.

“I really can’t accept this. I haven’t even helped you with your matter yet—I haven’t done a thing. How can I possibly take anything?” Diao Kaipeng sighed. Tangjin was indeed a simple scholar, so completely without a guard up.

What if he took the recipe and didn’t follow through?

What if he went to another shop to have this scented soap made?

Oil isn’t exactly hard to come by.

Was he actually going to hand the recipe over to him right away?!

“We live on the same street, and we’ve known each other for a while now. I trust you with something this small,” Gu Tangjin said.

Diao Kaipeng sighed inwardly once more. If he wanted to cheat Tangjin, and with no one else around, who could testify that the recipe belonged to him?

Xia-ger was Tangjin’s Fulang; even if he testified on his behalf, no one else would believe him.

Diao Kaipeng shook his head. “I can’t take this formula just yet. A few pieces of scented soap will do.”

“You provide the oil and the recipe; I’m just providing the labor. If these scented soaps really work and sell well, we’ll split the proceeds three-to-seven—I’ll take the three-tenths share.”

Ji Rongxia had snapped out of his daze and said with a smile, “Let’s split it fifty-fifty. We’re asking you to do this for us—if you take so little, we’ll feel guilty. Besides, making these scented soaps requires not only oil but also salt, alum, and various spices—all of which cost silver. Taking just thirty percent is really too little.”

“Four to six. I’ll take four parts—no more discussion. Xia-ger, Tangjin, if you keep pushing this, I’m out of this.” Diao Kaipeng’s expression turned cold as he said this.

Gu Tangjin remained unmoved: “Just look at the prescription—you’ll see that asking for a 50 percent cut is perfectly reasonable. If you don’t think that’s fair, then just give us twenty pieces of fragrant soap every month.”

Diao Kaipeng had no choice but to say, “Very well, then.”

Who does business like that? Tangjin and Xia-ger were really too honest for their own good. Fortunately, Xia-ger was a great cook, so the restaurant had no trouble attracting customers.

Ji Rongxia gently released Gu Tangjin’s hand and said, “I’ll find some wax paper to wrap the scented soap for you. You can take it home.”

He went to the kitchen to fetch a few sheets of wax paper and a basket.

Gu Tangjin, meanwhile, picked up the firewood axe again and split open the remaining bamboo tubes.

All the scented soap was cut into small pieces and placed on a large bamboo tray.

Ji Rongxia sorted the scented soap bars by fragrance, packed them separately, and placed them in a small basket.

Ji Rongxia: “These all have different scents. These few have dried tangerine peel, these have cloves, these have angelica root, and these have osmanthus flowers. I just made them on a whim—I’m not sure if they’ll work.”

“They look pretty good. Just let them air-dry for seven or eight days, right?” As soon as Diao Kaipeng saw the scented soaps, he figured they were ready—he just didn’t know if they’d work well; he’d have to wait until they were fully dried to try them out.

Gu Tangjin: “Right.”

“It’s getting late, so I’ll head out now. I’ll go back and look through the old ledgers—it might take a few days.” Afraid Gu Tangjin would think he wasn’t taking it seriously, Diao Kaipeng quickly added, “As soon as I’m done, I’ll come find you right away.”

“We’ve already given you the scented soap—do you really think we’re worried you’ll run off?” Ji Rongxia said.

Diao Kaipeng: “Xia-ger, you’re absolutely right. As for me, I may run away, but I can’t run from my responsibilities!”

While the three were talking, Yao Tianlan and Gu Chuncai had already returned.

Diao Kaipeng: “Perfect timing. Aunt Yao, Uncle Gu, I’ll borrow this lantern for a bit. I’ll return it to you when I come back later.”

“Are you leaving already? Take it with you—no rush to return it,” Yao Tianlan said as she handed the lantern to Diao Kaipeng. He took it, said goodbye to everyone, and left.

“Have you all worked it out?” Yao Tianlan asked.

Gu Tangjin replied, “Yes, we’ve agreed. He’ll be responsible for the forged stone, spices, and salt, while we’ll provide the wood ash and oil. We’ll split the proceeds from the sales fifty-fifty, and he’ll give us twenty pieces of fragrant soap each month.”

Yao Tianlan: “Oh my, Tangjin, you’re asking for quite a lot. Spices and salt are so expensive.”

Gu Chuncai, however, thought the terms were fair: “Isn’t oil even more precious? Besides, we’re providing the recipe.”

The four of them washed the bowls and chopsticks, freshened up briefly, and then went to bed.

Once inside the room, Ji Rongxia suddenly wrapped her arms around Gu Tangjin.

Gu Tangjin wrapped his arms around Ji Rongxia’s slender waist.

“I don’t want you to say that,” Ji Rongxia said, burying his head against Gu Tangjin’s chest.

He didn’t want Gu Tangjin to use the condition of his leg to elicit sympathy from others, and he certainly didn’t want him to have to beg anyone for help.

“It’s a good excuse, isn’t it?” Gu Tangjin said gently.

“Then I could say I’m deaf too!” Ji Rongxia muttered gloomily.

Ji Rongxia wiped his tears on Gu Tangjin’s shirt.

Gu Tangjin felt a wave of warmth wash over his chest.

Gu Tangjin didn’t say anything as flippant as “I’d feel sorry for you,” but instead analyzed the situation carefully and patiently: “After all, I’ve spent several years with Diao Dalang and have built some rapport with him. You’ve only just met him. Being deaf is certainly a serious condition, but since it’s something you can’t see or touch, how could it possibly be as convincing as my limp?”

“When Diao Dalang saw my leg injury today, I could tell from his reaction that he genuinely felt some sympathy for me. If I ask him, he’ll truly see this through.”

“No matter how you look at it, my suggestion makes more sense.”

“I can’t argue with you—you’ve got plenty of high-and-mighty principles. Anyway, I’m in pain!” In Ji Rongxia’s eyes, Gu Tangjin was, of course, perfect in every way and didn’t need to do any of this, but deep down, he knew Tangjin was absolutely right—this was a great plan.

This was the most likely way to get Diao Kaipeng to help them find the energy-infused pebbles.

Precisely because he understood this, he felt even more guilty.

“The little master is mine—I’m always bothering you,” Ji Rongxia muttered. “I’m the one who should be saying this.”

The Cooking God System didn’t dare say a word. In fact, it wholeheartedly agreed with the host’s partner’s approach. Moreover, the host’s partner was a master strategist, flexible and adaptable—clearly incredibly cool. So why was the host still feeling so bad?

Human emotions were truly too complicated; as a Cooking God System, it didn’t quite understand them.

Gu Tangjin: “Didn’t I promise to cover for you? This isn’t just empty talk.”

“If something like this happens again, you have to tell me first,” Ji Rongxia said gloomily, nestling against his chest.

“Well, I’m craving crushed ice mountain. Will you make it for me?” Gu Tangjin asked.

“Right now?” Ji Rongxia tilted his head back, tugging at Gu Tangjin’s shirt, his eyes red-rimmed as he asked pitifully.

“Yeah, I want some right now. Let’s skip our character lessons tonight—please make me some crushed ice mountain.” Gu Tangjin wanted to pick something complicated to eat; that way, once Xia-ger had made it for him, he wouldn’t feel guilty and wouldn’t have time to think about anything else.

Gu Tangjin didn’t want Ji Rongxia to feel guilty or upset.

All he wanted was to learn cooking with peace of mind and joy.

Gu Tangjin looked at Ji Rongxia and said, “How about we sneak into the kitchen? I still haven’t had enough of watching how the fridge makes ice. Mom and Dad are both asleep—let’s have the place all to ourselves.”

“Wow, Tangjin, you make ‘having the place all to ourselves’ sound so noble and upright,” Ji Rongxia said, her tears turning to a smile.

Ji Rongxia: “Then we’ll have to wait a little while—let’s go after Mom and Dad are sound asleep!”

“Great! Then we’ll have time to read and practice calligraphy, right?” Gu Tangjin drawled, teasing Ji Rongxia on purpose.

Ji Rongxia：“?!”

Ji Rongxia gently kicked Gu Tangjin and said fiercely, “Don’t make me cry again!”

Gu Tangjin’s chest quivered slightly as he chuckled softly.

Cooking God System: “……”

The host really does say the weakest things in the harshest tone.

Ji Rongxia buried his head in Gu Tangjin’s embrace once more, but this time his heart felt warm, and he no longer felt upset.

The two waited a moment to make sure there was no sound from upstairs—their parents must have fallen asleep—then Ji Rongxia tugged on Gu Tangjin’s sleeve, and they tiptoed to the kitchen.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, Ji Rongxia heard the little chef—who hadn’t said a word until then—speak up.

【Ding. The system has issued a restaurant renovation task: Replace the torn window paper on the west side of the kitchen.】

【Quest Time Limit: One hour.】

【Quest Rewards: One built-in ice cream maker, one built-in blender, one built-in grinder, one built-in juicer, twenty jin of light whipped cream,20 jin of clarified butter, 20 jin of chopped nuts, 20 jin of chocolate, 20 jin of fresh milk, 20 jin of pasteurized eggs, 10 jin of handmade fruit sugar, 10 jin of vanilla, and 10 jin of assorted jams.】

Ji Rongxia looked up at the small window on the west side—changing the window paper would be a breeze. He then glanced at the long list of rewards; the ingredients were all perfect for making crushed ice mountain!

Ji Rongxia’s eyes lit up: “Oh wow, Little Master, you’re also…” using your position for personal gain?

Ji Rongxia didn’t voice the last few words, but the implication was clear.

“Host, please take a closer look—this is clearly a mission.”

The Cooking God System would never admit it!