Chapter 2

Because Xi Mi opposed the marriage, her family immediately cut off her financial support, leaving her unable to move an inch.

Culinary Dao’s red envelope was a true lifeline, bringing her a glimmer of hope. In her mind, his height instantly shot up from five feet tall to over six feet tall.

She was overjoyed beyond words, her fingers trembling over the screen: “Bastard Dao, even though I’m super grateful to you for funding my escape from this marriage, business is business. I’ll pay you back as soon as possible.”

– Culinary Dao: “No need. Consider this money the copyright fee for your recipes.”

– Xi Xi Xi Mi: “QAQ Thank you, Bastard Dao! May the mountains never change and the green waters flow forever^[1]. I’ll keep posting recipes when I can, but if you tamper with them without permission, I’ll still scold you.”

In Jialing Ancient Town, the Xi Family Restaurant was already closed for the day.

A carved wooden window in the kitchen was pushed half-open, letting in a lazy beam of sunset. Specks of golden dust drifted through the air around the young girl’s jet-black ponytail.

Xi Mi squatted behind the kitchen stove, clutching her phone, her expression intensely focused as she typed.

Once the Weibo red envelope cash-out went through, the dark storm clouds gathered between her brows suddenly dissolved. Joyfully, she rubbed her fair, tender cheeks with both hands.

She had money now.

Goodbye, Old Man Xi! Goodbye, old manure trying to eat young grass!!

…

Xi Xi Xi Mi didn’t upload any new recipes, and Culinary Dao didn’t publish any either.

Fans in the Weibo comment section were crying out for content, but all they eventually got was an announcement from Culinary Dao that he was “pausing Weibo updates.” The fans went to Ying Quhe’s Weibo to weep, but that wasn’t satisfying enough, so they formed groups to go cry under Xi Mi’s Weibo as well.

The comment section under her Weibo gave off the distinct image of grandma fans, teenage girl fans, and otaku fans holding hands, sitting down together right in front of her, crying and throwing tantrums.

Ying Quhe had been invited to serve as a judge on 《China’s Supreme Taste》, a show dedicated to discovering Chinese cuisine. It whipped up audience excitement through a culinary competition to boost ratings and social media buzz.

The top three chefs in the competition would win employment passes to the main branch of Ying Shi Pavilion, along with a ten-million-Yuan signing bonus provided by Ying Shi Pavilion. Countless master chefs registered to enter, competing not only for the massive cash prize, but also for the prestigious Ying Shi Pavilion name and the honor of becoming champion.

The preliminary round of 《China’s Supreme Taste》 was being filmed in Tangxi Ancient Town. Situated in the small basin of Bashu^[2] and leaning against the Ling Jiang, the ancient town boasted a history of 2,500 years. It had once been a major military stronghold of the Bashu Kingdom, boasting a rich and vibrant culinary culture.

When Ying Quhe landed, the production crew sent a car to pick him up. Heading to Tangxi Ancient Town required passing through the main thoroughfare of Jialing Ancient Town.

Jialing Ancient Town couldn’t match Tangxi Ancient Town in renown, but it was home to the nationwide-famous Xi Family Restaurant, located on Central Street and preserved since the Kangxi reign^[3].

Thanks to the efforts of its current successor, Xi Wendao, the Xi Family culinary craft had been listed as an intangible cultural heritage in 2003. Xi Wendao also had an apprentice named Sanchuan, who surpassed his master and was immensely famous in his own right, known as the God of Cookery of Jialing Ancient Town.

As their car drove into the town, its path was blocked by a traditional Chinese wedding procession.

Forced to pull over to the side of the road, the driver stopped the car. Ying Quhe looked out the window. The streets of the ancient town were narrow, barely wide enough for two cars to pass side by side.

Commercialization had tainted the charm of the ancient town. The storefronts were hung with wooden plaques painted fresh but deliberately aged, selling cheap knick-knacks at exorbitant prices just to rip off tourists.

Playing suona^[4] horns, the wedding procession marched with jubilant cheer, carrying a touch of local ancient flair. Curious tourists looking on clogged the street completely.

Ying Quhe got out of the car to take a look.

The driver followed him out, slamming the car door shut. “Mr. Ying, we’re pretty lucky today. It’s not even a holiday, and we get to see a traditional Chinese wedding performance.”

An onlooker nearby turned around immediately to correct him. “Must be your first time here, huh? That’s no performance; someone’s actually getting married! It’s the Xi Family Restaurant; Xi Wendao’s granddaughter is getting married. Heard it’s an inside deal. The old man is marrying off his youngest granddaughter to his head apprentice. Tsk, tsk. Word is the head apprentice is nearly forty, while the girl is only nineteen. Talk about sticking a tender flower into old manure!”

Waves of onlookers poured in, congesting the street so tightly that no one could move a single step.

The wedding procession seemed to hit a snag, causing a moment of commotion. Someone shouted in the local dialect, and the crowd boiled over into complete chaos.

It was too chaotic. Ying Quhe lost interest in watching and turned back toward the car, but suddenly a small, slender figure rushed out from the crowd and slammed right into his chest.

The impact caught Ying Quhe completely off guard. Because the “object” crashing into him was so petite, his reflexes kicked in and he caught her. A soft, delicate hand slipped into his palm, unintentionally giving it a quick squeeze before snatching back instantly.

Ying Quhe felt no particular aversion, only thinking… this hand was so small.

It seemed barely half the size of his own, incredibly soft and tender.

Another wave of people surged toward them from behind.

Panicked for some reason, the girl pushed him aside, yanked open the car door, and ducked inside.

The group ran past Ying Quhe in a frantic rush, looking as though they were chasing someone. Only after the crowd dispersed did he turn around to look into the vehicle.

The girl’s small face was pressed against the car window as she peeked outside, her nose squished flat against the glass. Even through the dark tint, the vivid spark and lively gleam in her deep eyes couldn’t be hidden.

Rolling down the window, Xi Mi cautiously poked her head out and glanced left and right. Only after confirming there were no familiar faces around did she let out a faint sigh of relief.

Only then did Ying Quhe catch a clear look at her face.

She had fair, translucent skin and ear-length short hair with slightly curled, chestnut-brown ends resting against her earlobes. Her eyes were large and dark, shimmering with moisture. As she pursed her lips, subtle dimples appeared on her cheeks. The bright, lively spirit overflowing from her eyes was inexplicably comforting to look at.

Stepping out of the car, Xi Mi fished out a fifty-Yuan bill and shoved it into Ying Quhe’s hand. Pulling a baseball cap down low over her face, she mumbled a quick thank you and walked off.

Because of the height difference between them, Xi Mi hadn’t raised her head the entire time, never once looking at his face or clothing.

After Xi Mi left, Ying Quhe stared down at the fifty-Yuan note in his hand. After a momentary daze, he casually passed it off to the driver.

Driving the car out of the ancient town, the driver remarked, “That student back there really lacked manners. But then again, it’s peak tourist season, and human traffickers tend to target young girls like that. She might’ve had her own trouble. Mr. Ying, you’re not angry about what just happened, are you?”

Ying Quhe hadn’t registered a word of what the driver said, his thoughts drifting elsewhere.

He turned over the hand resting on his thigh, staring down at his palm. Slightly curling his fingers, he recalled the soft, tender feel of the girl’s small hand and let out a quiet sigh.

Were his hands really this big?

A soft, warm feeling lingered in his chest, feeling a bit strange.

*

Xi Mi boarded the train to Tangxi Ancient Town, intending to sign up for 《China’s Supreme Taste》.

After reaching the county seat, the taxi ride to the ancient town would normally take about an hour, but as luck would have it, she got stuck in a traffic jam. The driver rolled down his window, took a drag from his cigarette, and glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Heading over to watch the competition, little girl?”

Xi Mi shook her head. “I’m going to register as a contestant.”

Traffic was completely gridlocked. The driver took another drag of his cigarette and turned to size her up. “Little girl, have you even graduated high school? Registration for China’s Supreme Taste closes at four, and it’s already three-thirty.”

Xi Mi asked, “Would I make it if I ran there right now?”

The line of cars ahead finally started to move a bit. The driver stubbed out his cigarette and replied, “Running won’t get you there in time. Flying might.”

Stuck in traffic with nothing to do, Xi Mi remembered to send a message to her runaway-marriage sponsor to let him know she was safe.

– Xi Xi Xi Mi: “Bastard Dao, escaped the wedding successfully. Thanks for the sponsorship.”

It took about half an hour for a reply to come through.

– Culinary Dao: “Stop calling me Bie Sun^[5] and we can still be friends. :)”

After a whole day and night of battle, her phone battery was finally completely drained. Without her phone, Xi Mi grew even more bored, but fortunately, the taxi finally pulled into Tangxi Ancient Town.

The ancient town’s architecture was predominantly in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, with single-eaves hip-and-gable roofs and wooden tie-beam structures lined up row upon row. The layout centered around a tower several hundred meters tall, with a dozen main streets serving as primary arteries that expanded outward layer by layer like a chessboard, looking grand and magnificent from a high vantage point.

The 《China’s Supreme Taste》 competition was being held in the ancient town square. By the time she arrived, registration had closed and the staff had already packed up for the day. Her empty stomach began to growl, so she set off to find something to eat.

Yet in Tangxi Ancient Town, a place famous for its cuisine, was there really not a single food shop open?

Starving, Xi Mi made her way to Xijiao Inn. When she walked in, the landlady was behind the counter organizing papers. Seeing that Xi Mi was carrying no luggage at all, she teased, “You’re really something, aren’t you? Even if you’re running away from a wedding, shouldn’t you at least bring a change of clothes? Leaving with nothing at all, you’re traveling light.”

Xi Mi had visited the ancient town a year ago and stayed at this exact inn. The landlady was very nice. The two of them followed each other on Weibo, were friends on WeChat, and frequently liked and commented on each other’s posts, so they were quite friendly.

Xi Mi raised the phone in her hand and waved it at her. “I bought some clothes online. They should be delivered here tomorrow. By the way, on my way over, except for Auntie Wang’s sour and spicy noodle shop at the head of the street, why aren’t any of the other food shops in town open?”

“Don’t even get me started. That judge from 《China’s Supreme Taste》, Ying Quhe, ate at every single food shop as soon as he arrived, tearing everyone’s cooking to shreds like it was worse than dog shit. He showed absolutely no mercy with that mouth of his. Today, all those chefs went into collective ‘self-reflection behind closed doors.’ If you chopped off Ying Quhe’s tongue and brewed a pot of poison soup with it, pouring it into the Yellow River would knock out the entire population of China.”

“…Is it really that extreme?” Xi Mi found it hard to believe. Rubbing her stomach, she said, “Landlady, can I borrow your kitchen for a bit?”

The landlady reminded her, “Then you’d better be quick. Another guest reserved the kitchen for seven this evening.”

Ravenous, Xi Mi used the inn’s stove to make a bowl of Qingdong River Seafood Noodles. In the hot summer weather, she simmered a broth using winter melon and river shrimp, dropping in the noodles once it came to a boil. The resulting broth was clear and delicate. She topped it with two blanched greens, added her unique blend of seasonings, and drizzled scallion oil over the top, making the vibrant green vegetables glisten instantly.

Xi Mi’s hand-pulled noodles were thin yet springy. With the river shrimp adding savory richness and the greens and winter melon providing vibrant color, it had a wonderfully refreshing summer flavor.

Xi Mi came out of the kitchen right at seven o’clock. Holding her bowl of noodles, she squatted under the banyan tree and tossed the springy white strands with her chopsticks. A curl of steam rose, bursting with a savory aroma. She puffed out her cheeks and blew on it before taking a bite of the greens first. They were wonderfully crisp, and the broth was rich and savory.

Exhausted from her long journey and having spent another hour working in the kitchen, she was slick with sweat, her clothes sticking uncomfortably to her skin. Above her, the lush canopy rustled in the evening breeze, bringing a refreshing coolness. Eating a bowl of hot noodles at this moment felt surprisingly satisfying.

Ying Quhe was walking toward the kitchen when the aroma of noodles suddenly hit his nose, making him freeze in his tracks.

As a gourmet, his senses of smell and taste were sharper than anyone else’s. The mouthwatering aroma pulled at him like a magnet; for a single bite of good food, he was capable of doing things no one would ever expect.

Xi Mi was squatting in the courtyard happily devouring her noodles when a pair of long, straight legs suddenly appeared in front of her.

She had just shoved a mouthful of noodles into her mouth when a deep, pleasant male voice came from above. “Miss, may I have a taste of your noodles?”

Xi Mi looked up, noodles still dangling from her mouth. Staring at the impeccably dressed man before her, she froze for a second, bit through the noodles, muttered a muffled “Psycho,” and retreated to her room while clutching her bowl.

Dude, try a different pickup line, will you? Dressed so sharply, yet coming over to beg a girl for a bite of her noodles, aren’t you embarrassed!

She was squatting so awkwardly in the courtyard eating noodles, and she actually got hit on?

Xi Mi found it utterly baffling.

Ying Quhe, who had just been called a psycho, stood frozen in place, though not because the girl had insulted him.

Rather, it was because in the span of just two days, he had unexpectedly run into this girl in two completely different places.