The Little Dining Hall at the Dali Temple

Food blogger Jiang Sui transmigrates.

Flat broke, he needs to find a way to make a living, so he gets himself a job cooking in the Dali Temple cafeteria.

A government post, a secure livelihood.

Who could be better suited for it?

*

Everything about the Dali Temple is great, except the food.

Looking at the watery communal meals and the officials worn pale by endless case files, Jiang Sui rolls up his sleeves:

Minced pork and eggplant, savory and perfect with rice; braised pig's trotters, soft, sticky, and fragrant;

peppercorn chicken drenched in red chili oil, leaving your lips and tongue tingling and your mouth watering for more;

roast duck, sliced skin and meat, spread with sweet bean sauce, wrapped with cucumber and slivers of scallion in a thin pancake...

Everyone at the Dali Temple: "Good heavens, a God of Cooking has descended into our cafeteria!"

*

Everyone knows that Fu Wenzhou, the Deputy Prefect of Jingzhao, is extremely picky. He complains that fish tastes muddy, lamb smells too gamey, and even vegetables are bland and tasteless.

In short, he'd rather go hungry than set foot in the communal kitchen.

Who would have thought that the famously picky Deputy Prefect Fu would start showing up at the Dali Temple cafeteria every day, right on time, for a meal?

His colleagues catch the delicious aroma drifting their way and all nod knowingly. "Of course. The new chef, Jiang, is a genius!"

Until one day, a clerk on duty sees with his own eyes that Deputy Prefect Fu, who can't even be bothered to touch a dish at imperial banquets, has rolled up his sleeves to help Chef Jiang knead dough. The firelight reflects in his usually cool eyes, making him look impossibly tender.

Only then do everyone understand:

Deputy Prefect Fu isn't there for the food at all. He's there for the chef.

[Screen-captured on 2025.9.17]

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