Grandpa's Little Restaurant [Ancient Times to Modern Day]

Eunuch Hai was a renowned master chef and head of the imperial kitchens in the Great Yong dynasty. Even the emperor loved his cooking, and at nearly eighty he still wasn't allowed to retire. One day, he greedily ate one rice cake too many. It stuck in his throat, and he kicked the bucket. In one moment, he was reborn as a poor old villager whose house had been demolished and whose two sons had both received new homes. The eldest thought he was too old, and the second thought he was too poor, so neither wanted to take him in. Only his youngest daughter brought him home. His youngest daughter's family had a few acres of land and two children to raise. They were barely getting by. Looking at his honest daughter and son-in-law calling him Dad, and the little ones calling him Grandpa, Eunuch Hai decided to grab a spatula and help the family build a better life. A few days later, a little food stall opened in a remote corner of the equally remote Yan Family Village. Passerby A: “Who'd come eat at a stall this far out? It'll probably get no customers at all.” Passerby B: “Wouldn't be surprised if they try to sell the stall tomorrow. Actually, no, it'll probably close down.” Later, Passersby A and B: “Boss, boss, look over here! Give me a big meat bun! Please!!!” A lighthearted slice-of-life story, mainly about food, with raising children and family life on the side. The descriptions of food preparation and flavors in this story draw on reference materials, including Liang Shiqiu's On Eating at the Humble Cottage, Yuan Mei's Recipes from the Garden of Contentment, and online sources. Theme: Good food can heal the soul.