The Little Cook of the Mountain Academy (Food)

*Coming Soon: Spring's Search (Reborn), Weibo: @Yun Duo Su Bu Su

What should you do when you're exposed on your very first day of disguising yourself as a man to sneak into an academy?

To stay at the academy, Sang Qiu puts on an apron and becomes one of its kitchen maids.

Before long, the head of the academy notices that the students, who used to complain every day about how awful the food was, are now wolfing it down.

No ingredients?

Sang Qiu digs up fresh bamboo shoots in the mountains in spring, catches plump fish in the river in summer, gathers chestnuts in the woods in autumn, and nibbles on hawthorn berries in the snow in winter.

The cooking methods are too limited?

Sang Qiu fries, braises, steams, deep-fries, and stir-fries; sears, roasts, smokes, marinates, and cures; freezes, tosses, stews, blanches, and stir-fries; and scalds, simmers, boils, braises, and bakes.

Song Zhu, the teacher who lives on plain fare, is appalled. He earnestly admonishes the students, saying, "Only by enduring hardship can you rise above others."

That is, until one day a student sees Teacher Song, who constantly says, "A gentleman should not be preoccupied with the pleasures of the palate," chasing after the little kitchen maid and coaxing her in a soft voice: "Qiuqiu, could you make me a butterfly pastry?"

Quirky little kitchen maid x a handsome teacher who says one thing but does another

Coming Soon: Spring's Search (Reborn)

Synopsis:

In her previous life, Jiang Chunyi found a young man in the snow one winter's day.

The boy had a pitiful background, yet he was neither servile nor arrogant, and was exceptionally talented. The Duke of Ning trusted him greatly and raised him with care, while Jiang Chunyi treated him like her own younger brother.

Who could have guessed she was letting a wolf into the house? In the end, the Duke of Ning's residence was falsely accused of treason, and the entire family was slaughtered. The one who led the imperial guards to raid the residence was none other than her so-called "dear little brother."

When Jiang Chunyi opened her eyes again, she had been reborn on the very day she found Jiang An.

Snow covered the ground. Sure enough, a young man lay outside the back gate of the Duke of Ning's residence.

She raised a hand coldly, about to order her servants to dump him on a desolate hill outside the city, when she happened to glimpse half of his face.

She was horrified.

The person lying there was not Jiang Huai, but Gu Xiuran, the future powerful minister who would stand second only to The Outcast!

"Quick, get him inside!"

Jiang Chunyi still remembered that in her previous life, it was this powerful Minister Gu who ultimately cleared the Duke of Ning's name.

Gu Xiuran once had a dream.

In the dream, he eventually rose to the highest ranks of government, won the new emperor's deep trust, and wielded power at will.

He pacified the Western Qiang and the Northern Tribes, and overturned the verdict against the loyal Duke of Ning.

Yet when the dream ended, he was still alone, never having married.

Every year during the Lantern Festival, he would light a Kongming lantern and set it free. On the paper bearing his prayer for blessings was just one character: "Return."

When he awoke, he could not understand what the word "Return" in his dream meant.

Until the day he was ambushed and collapsed outside the Duke of Ning's residence. As he was carried inside, he saw Jiang Chunyi's anxious face through his haze, and finally remembered:

Hui was Jiang Chunyi's childhood name.

*The heroine is reborn; the hero has had a prophetic dream.

Recommended completed novel: The Cousin Miss Only Wants to Make Money

Synopsis:

A small eatery suddenly opens in Chang'an, selling all kinds of fresh foods no one has ever seen before.

Shrimp dumplings, teppanyaki, boneless chicken strips, crispy rice cakes, chicken wing rice, sushi, oden, spicy hot pot, fried milk, chewy rice balls, bubble tea...

The customers' eyes gleam as they drool with anticipation, while the young woman behind the counter smiles with her apron tied around her waist.

After transmigrating, Jiang Yaoyao throws herself into the food business and only wants to earn enough money to buy a grand house.

It would be best if the courtyard had a swing, so she could sit on it and leisurely gnaw on duck feet in her spare time.

For that reason, she sets her sights on the neighbor next door, who loves food and has plenty of money.

After becoming an official, Pei Jingzhi rises to the fourth rank at a young age and owns a grand house.

Unfortunately, though the courtyard is spacious enough for ten swings, he has no one to sit with him and peel loquats.

The young woman next door, who is both elegant in public and skilled in the kitchen, seems like just the right person.

*Bonus scene

Half the street comes to watch when Pei Jingzhi sends his betrothal gifts.

One procession of gifts follows another, and they say the pair of geese were hunted by Minister Pei himself.

An onlooker says enviously, "Miss Jiang is so lucky to have won the favor of Minister Pei, such an excellent match."

As soon as the words leave their mouth, a chill suddenly runs through them.

They look up and meet Pei Jingzhi's eyes.

The Vice Minister of Justice's face is as dark as water. "No. I'm the one who won her favor."

Theme: Keep your heart turned toward the light