Chapter 103

Hearing Xia Zhi offer to cook, Zhu Zi, who had been savoring her fruit juice, snapped back to attention. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. 

Ganyu, on the other hand, was momentarily startled. She quickly waved her hands. "There's no need to trouble you, Mr. Xia! I can cook something myself!" 

"Miss Ganyu, you're a guest. How could I let a guest cook? Allow me, the host, to handle it." 

Smiling, Xia Zhi stepped out from behind the counter and headed to the kitchen. Moments later, he returned with a plate of mooncakes. 

"The shop doesn't stock many snacks, so please have some mooncakes to tide you over for now." 

Ganyu glanced at the beautifully crafted mooncakes on the plate but hesitated. 

"Mr. Xia…" 

"Hmm?" 

"Do these mooncakes contain egg or lard?" 

"They do." 

"Then I'm afraid I can't eat them…" 

"Oh?" 

"Apologies. It's not that I dislike your cooking, Mr. Xia. It's just that, being part Qilin, I adhere to a strict vegetarian diet." 

"I see. There's no need to apologize, Miss Ganyu. That's my fault for not asking beforehand." 

Xia Zhi moved the plate of mooncakes aside with a polite nod. 

"What kind of food do you usually enjoy, Miss Ganyu?" 

"Anything vegetarian will do. Simple is fine; I wouldn't want to trouble you." 

"I understand." 

---

Xia Zhi nodded and then turned to Zhu Zi, who had been watching him intently. 

"Zhu Zi, are you hungry too?" 

"Maybe… just a little bit…" 

"In that case, I'll make enough for a midnight snack for you as well." 

"Thank you, Boss! Let me help!" 

"Alright. Miss Ganyu, please wait a moment." 

"Of course." 

---

Xia Zhi and Zhu Zi entered the kitchen. 

Ganyu watched the curtain separating the kitchen from the dining area sway slightly before lowering her gaze to her cup. 

Under the soft glow of the shop's lights, she took another sip of the dreamy fruit juice. 

It's so delicious… 

---

In the kitchen, Zhu Zi helped gather ingredients from the cabinets: flour, red dates, osmanthus flowers, sesame, ham, lotus seed paste, and eggs—all leftover from the mooncake preparation. However, since ham and eggs were not vegetarian, they couldn't be used. 

"Boss, what are you planning to make?" 

"I'm going to make noodles." 

"Huh? Noodles?" 

"Hand-pulled noodles." 

Xia Zhi poured flour into a mixing bowl, added an appropriate amount of water, and skillfully kneaded the mixture into a smooth dough. He then set it aside to rest. 

"Zhu Zi, could you start boiling some water? I'll head upstairs to grab a few things." 

"Got it!" 

---

Xia Zhi washed his hands, left the kitchen, and went upstairs to his room. 

Closing the door, he opened the system panel and browsed the [Shop] for suitable ingredients. Soon, he found two promising items: 

1. [Creamy Mushroom] 

 Quality: Black Iron 

 Type: Consumable 

 Effect: Provides a rich creamy sweetness, enhancing positive emotions by 10–15%. 

 Price: 2 Points 

2. [Melk Star Powder] 

 Quality: Silver 

 Type: Consumable 

 Effect: Golden powder ground from Melk Starstones, increases dish flavor by 5–20%. 

 Price: 10 Points 

After some thought, Xia Zhi purchased both. He had enough points, and investing 12 points for a chance to progress Ganyu's golden bar seemed worthwhile. 

---

In his inventory, a large white mushroom and a small glass bottle appeared. 

Xia Zhi retrieved them and examined them closely. 

The [Creamy Mushroom] was plump, its cap a milky white hue, and it exuded a faintly sweet aroma. 

The [Melk Star Powder] was stunning, resembling a collection of golden stars in a bottle. Even without light, it emitted a faint glow. 

Curious, Xia Zhi opened the bottle, sniffed it, and found it odorless. 

He sprinkled a small amount onto his fingertips and rubbed it. The powder had a slightly coarse texture. 

Finally, he tasted a pinch. 

The tiny granules dissolved instantly on his tongue, delivering an almost magical flavor explosion. 

"It's like a mix of sugar crystals and salt, but much better…" 

Satisfied, Xia Zhi sealed the bottle and returned to the kitchen with the mushroom. 

---

"Boss, what's that?" Zhu Zi asked curiously. 

"A little treasure I've been saving." 

"Huh?" 

"It's a mushroom. Can't you tell?" 

"Of course, I can! But I've never seen one like this. Its color is so unusual…" 

"Don't worry—it's perfectly safe. I cultivated this variety myself, and it's delicious." 

"Really?" 

"You'll see. I'm making vegetarian mushroom noodles. Please stoke the fire for me." 

"On it!" 

---

Xia Zhi cleaned the [Creamy Mushroom] and sliced it into fine strips. Curious, he tasted one piece. 

The mushroom's texture was rich and slightly sweet, indicating it was naturally packed with oils—perfect for stir-frying. 

He heated the wok and quickly sautéed the mushroom strips, releasing an enticingly sweet aroma that filled the kitchen. 

"Boss, it smells amazing!" 

"Less drooling, more fire-tending." 

"Okay!" 

---

With [Culinary Mastery] and his godlike precision, Xia Zhi brought the mushroom soup to perfection. Once it boiled, he portioned it into four bowls. 

Zhu Zi, peeking over the pot, couldn't help but salivate. 

"Boss, you forgot the salt!" 

"Relax, I didn't forget." 

Xia Zhi took out the [Melk Star Powder] and sprinkled a small amount into each bowl. The already delicious aroma intensified, becoming almost irresistible. 

"Boss, what's that?" 

"My secret seasoning." 

"Wow! That's amazing!" 

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Xia Zhi returned to the dough, which had rested long enough. With practiced hands, he stretched it into fine strands, each as thin as the mushroom strips. 

He cooked the noodles, plated them in the bowls of mushroom soup, and ensured Ganyu's portion was especially generous. 

"Zhu Zi, put out the fire, wash up, and help me serve." 

"Got it, Boss!" 

"This bowl is for Miss Ganyu—be careful with it." 

"Okay!" 

---

Soon, the three of them sat at the front table, each with a steaming bowl of noodles. 

"Miss Ganyu," Xia Zhi said apologetically, "the shop's resources are limited. I hope this simple dish will suffice." 

"It's more than enough!" 

Ganyu quickly shook her head. The rich aroma rising from the bowl made her stomach grumble audibly. She blushed but couldn't resist the temptation. 

"What is this dish?" 

"Vegetarian mushroom noodles. It's just mushrooms and flour. Please, help yourself." 

"Thank you for your effort, Mr. Xia!" 

---

Ganyu picked up her chopsticks and carefully lifted a bundle of noodles. After gently blowing on them, she took a bite. 

"Mm~" 

Her body stiffened, then relaxed as her cheeks flushed a deep red, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. 

A soft, satisfied whimper escaped her lips. 

"It's so good~" 

Just then, Xia Zhi heard footsteps outside the shop. 

A familiar, mischievous voice called from the doorway: 

"What's so delicious?" 

----

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