Chapter 4: A Chef's Test
The dawn broke quietly over the village, but the atmosphere inside Auntie Mei's inn was anything but serene. Han Li, busy chopping vegetables, barely had time to react as Auntie Mei burst into the kitchen with her usual bluster.
"Han Li!" she barked, startling him so badly that the knife slipped from his hand. "We've got a situation!"
"What is it this time?" Han Li asked cautiously, bending down to retrieve the knife.
"The mayor," she said, her tone dire, "is coming for lunch today. And he's bringing guests from the city. If we mess this up, our inn's reputation will be ruined!"
Han Li froze. Cooking for a few villagers was one thing, but preparing food for someone as important as the mayor? That was a whole different challenge.
"What do you need me to do?" he asked hesitantly.
"Everything," Auntie Mei said flatly. "I can't manage all this on my own. You'll handle the appetizers and dessert."
"Wait, what?" Han Li protested. "Why me?!"
Auntie Mei glared at him, her hands on her hips. "You think I don't know about the compliments my customers have been giving your food lately? You're better at this than you realize, boy. Now get to work!"
Before Han Li could respond, Auntie Mei shoved a parchment at him and marched out of the kitchen. He stared at the list of ingredients written in scrawled ink: spirit peaches, thunder herbs, radishes, and spirit nuts.
"What kind of menu is this?" he muttered.
"An excellent one," came a familiar voice.
Han Li groaned and turned to see the three gods lounging in a corner of the kitchen as if they owned the place.
"You again?" he said, exasperated. "Why do you always show up at the worst times?"
The silver-haired god grinned. "Because we thrive on chaos, of course."
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The Divine Meddling
Despite his protests, Han Li quickly realized the gods weren't leaving. Instead, they made themselves entirely at home in the kitchen.
The silver-haired god, who seemed to take a particular interest in culinary aesthetics, commandeered the radishes. He sliced them with such precision that they resembled delicate flowers. "Presentation is crucial," he said smugly, twirling a radish petal between his fingers.
The robed god, curious about the thunder herbs, insisted on experimenting with them. He tossed a pinch into a simmering pot, and the mixture crackled ominously before exploding in a cloud of steam.
"Are you trying to blow up the inn?!" Han Li yelled, coughing and waving the smoke away.
"Relax," the robed god said with a laugh. "It's all part of the creative process."
Meanwhile, the calm god worked silently in a corner, peeling spirit peaches with such meticulous care that Han Li couldn't help but watch in awe. The slices glistened like jewels under the sunlight streaming through the window.
By the time they were done, the kitchen was a mess, but the dishes were nothing short of extraordinary. The appetizers featured radish flowers drizzled with honey and sprinkled with crushed spirit nuts. The thunder herb soup, after much trial and error, carried an electrifying tang that made Han Li's tongue tingle. For dessert, they created a peach tart so fragrant it filled the entire inn with its sweet aroma.
Han Li surveyed the spread with a mix of pride and anxiety. "Do you think the mayor will like it?"
The silver-haired god smirked. "If he doesn't, we'll strike him down."
Han Li rolled his eyes. "Please don't. I have enough problems without divine retribution."