Zheng Niangzi originally wanted to scold her, but seeing Xiao Man's tired appearance, she swallowed the scolding and sent Wang Wu to deliver food to the Young Sect Master. She thought the Young Sect Master would be furious this time, as the food was delivered so late. To her surprise, the food was again completely devoured, and Wang Wu even received a reward. This immediately piqued Zheng Niangzi's curiosity.
Looking at the empty food tray, Zheng Niangzi dipped her finger into the leftover soup and tasted it. A flicker of shock crossed her eyes. Even though it was cold, the soup's deliciousness was undeniable. This young man was indeed an expert in cooking!
However, thinking of this, Zheng Niangzi felt uneasy. Everyone knew the eldest young master's intentions. As the eldest son and the legitimate son of the main wife, the position of Young Sect Master should have been his. Yet, the position fell to the seventh young master. How could the eldest young master be content? She feared Xiao Man was sent by the eldest young master to harm the Young Sect Master!
"Come here," Zheng Niangzi beckoned Wang Wu over. "Go and ask about Xiao Qin's background."
"Zheng Niangzi, I've already asked. She and Liu Han are newcomers who just joined. They were doing well in the main kitchen. The eldest young master went to eat in the main kitchen and, seeing her cultivation was good, wanted her by his side. But she was stubborn and didn't understand how to adapt, offending the eldest young master. That's why he sent her to the small kitchen to cook for the Young Sect Master."
"So that's why he was so kind, finding such a good cook for the Young Sect Master. He actually wanted to use a knife to kill someone," Zheng Niangzi snorted. "Our eldest young master is truly narrow-minded."
"But people outside say the Young Sect Master is ruthless and cold-hearted, and is known for injuring others."
Zheng Niangzi was momentarily speechless upon hearing this. Although the Young Sect Master had extraordinary talent, he was still too young and his temperament was unstable, easily provoked. His current bad reputation was all thanks to their scheming eldest young master.
"Go and remind Xiao Qin to wake up early tomorrow morning to prepare breakfast for the Young Sect Master."
"Yes, Zheng Niangzi."
For three consecutive days, Yue Ran devoured every meal prepared by Xiao Man, which made the cooks in the small kitchen very curious. After finishing their work, they crowded around Xiao Man, asking her how she managed it.
Xiao Man looked bewildered. "I just cook normally. You all watched me do it."
Of course, they all watched Xiao Man cook. But with the same ingredients and the same methods, they couldn't replicate the same taste, which left them quite frustrated.
"Let's switch today. I'll cook for the Young Sect Master, and you'll cook for the Madam," Zheng Niangzi said abruptly.
Xiao Man readily agreed.
"Zheng Niangzi, does the Madam have any dietary restrictions?"
"The Madam is allergic to eel and cannot even touch it. Therefore, there must be absolutely no eel in the Madam's food."
"Are there any other dietary restrictions?"
"The Madam prefers vegetarian food over meat," Zheng Niangzi reminded Xiao Man. "And the Madam has a small appetite, not eating much daily."
"Is the Madam the Young Sect Master's mother?"
"Yes. The Madam prefers quiet, and the Sect Master usually doesn't allow unauthorized people to disturb her," Zheng Niangzi reminded. "After the meal is prepared, Miss Jing Shu, who is by the Madam's side, will come to collect it. Counting the time, it should be about right. It's time to prepare."
The kitchen became busy again. Zheng Niangzi meticulously prepared a lot of meat dishes that Yue Ran usually liked. Meanwhile, Xiao Man's dishes for Madam Yue were exquisite, so pleasing to the eye that one would hesitate to eat them.
Looking at the dishes Xiao Man had prepared, Zheng Niangzi smacked her lips. This young man had so many tricks. The food prepared for the Young Sect Master was plentiful and delicious. The food for the Madam was in small portions, beautifully colored, and undoubtedly tasted good as well. She had completely outshone the other cooks in the small kitchen.
"What is this?" Zheng Niangzi asked, looking at a fluffy white flower blooming in the soup tureen, which, along with the small green vegetable leaves in the soup, appeared crystal clear.
"This is Jade Rhapsody Soup."
"And what is this?" Zheng Niangzi pointed to another dish, a meatball that looked peculiar no matter how one looked at it.
"This is Blooming Prosperity."
"Flower?" Zheng Niangzi glanced inexplicably at Xiao Man, wondering when her eyes had gone blind to call a meatball a flower.
Just as the maid attending Madam Yue arrived to collect the meal, Zheng Niangzi quickly covered the food box and handed it over.
"Miss Jing Shu, this is the Madam's meal."
Jing Shu nodded and drifted away, carrying the food box, without a single superfluous word. Wang Wu, as usual, went to deliver the meal to Yue Ran. Xiao Man, after finishing her work, pulled Liu Han outside to slack off.
Zheng Niangzi thought Yue Ran would surely finish every bit of the meal she prepared today. However, the food delivered was only touched with a chopstick.
"What's going on? The Young Sect Master didn't eat?"
Wang Wu's face was somber. "Zheng Niangzi, when I arrived, the Young Sect Master was very pleased and took the food box. But after tasting the food, his expression changed. He told me to take the food back and remake it."
Zheng Niangzi felt somewhat dejected, but she quickly rallied her spirits. "Did the Young Sect Master say anything?"
"He said it wasn't the right taste."
Zheng Niangzi stood by the stove, recalling the order in which Xiao Man cooked. Following Xiao Man's methods, she made three dishes and one soup and sent them over. However, in less than a moment, they were returned with barely any eaten. Zheng Niangzi felt a sense of defeat.
"Where is Xiao Qin?"
"Likely slacking off somewhere with Liu Han."
"Go and get her..." Zheng Niangzi thought about having Xiao Man come back to cook for Yue Ran, but then she considered that Yue Ran was the Young Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect, the future of the Heavenly Sword Sect. How could one person control his preferences, especially his diet? "I'll make it again."
When Xiao Man and Liu Han returned, each holding a clay ball, Wang Wu was squatting by the door with a dejected expression. Seeing her return, he looked as if he had seen a savior. "Xiao Qin, you're finally back. If you didn't come back, I would be dead."
"What happened? Did the sky fall?" Xiao Man jokingly asked.
"It's more terrifying than the sky falling, the Young Sect Master is angry!"
"He's angry every day, why hasn't he died of it?" Xiao Man said grumpily. "He's just spoiled."
Wang Wu wished he could stuff Xiao Man's mouth. How dare she say such things? She truly wasn't afraid of death. That was the Young Sect Master, the hot-tempered Young Sect Master!
"What should we do? Zheng Niangzi is in a frenzy. The Young Sect Master is raging because he's not satisfied with the food, and he threatened that if the next meal he receives displeases him, he'll twist my head off and use it as a stool. Please save me!"
Xiao Man looked at Wang Wu with some disdain and stuffed the clay ball she was holding into his hand. "It's this time of day. This is all we can do to make do. You should take this over first."
Wang Wu looked at the clay ball in his hand and almost widened his eyes. "Xiao Qin, are you trying to kill me!"