4. Meat bun

In the Golden Sun Sect, there was a large banquet hall that served specially-refined food for the disciples who had not yet practiced inedia and still needed to eat.

The original ‘Wen Zhihao’ had achieved a minor level of inedia, he only needed to eat once a week. However, the specially-refined foods of the Golden Sun Sect were...quite plain. It was probably to help motivate disciples to learn inedia, and to reduce attachment to ‘mortal’ matters like food, and thus improve cultivation.

But since improving cultivation wasn’t an issue for Wen Zhihao, he would rather have something delicious.

(And who asked the original ‘Wen Zhihao’ to join the kind of sect where delicious food was shunned?)

Yet, no matter how Wen Zhihao tried to ‘remember’, he couldn’t find any memories about the location of the kitchens. However, he suspected it would be near to the banquet hall. So, skirting around the noisy front facade of the building, Wen Zhihao headed to the back.

The scent of food was its own reward. Somehow, he could even smell the fragrance of freshly cooked rice.

Aware of his appearance, Wen Zhihao patted his hair and dusted off his robes, ready to ask for some food from the chefs. If it didn’t work out, then he could try his luck looking for chilli sauce at the normal villages and towns outside of the sect—it wasn’t urgent, as Wen Zhihao wasn’t hungry per se, he simply wanted to eat.

Plan decided, Wen Zhihao headed towards the half-open door. He was about to knock when the door opened fully from the inside.

“Ah?” the aunty chef came to a halt. She looked like a middle-aged woman, with neatly tied up hair and a sensible apron. She was carrying two buckets of murky water.

“Good afternoon, aunty chef,” Wen Zhihao said, bowing lightly. Not too much, or else it would seem mocking.

“Young master cultivator, the entrance to the banquet hall is on the other side…”

Wen Zhihao shook his head. “Does aunty chef have spicy foods and sweet foods? If aunty chef allows, this junior disciple is also willing to cook!”

Wen Zhihao was hoping that this middle-aged person was one of those people who always liked to feed others, and he hoped his apparently-18-ish aged face would help win her over.

(And if it didn’t work, he could just run away and never see this person again.)

Aunty chef, a mortal woman named Liu Jing, was very, very accustomed to self-important young cultivators (and self-important old cultivators) who demanded very particular food, to the point that it was hardly cooking and more measuring out ingredients for medicine.

Looking at this young, mischievous looking cultivator though, Liu Jing softened.

“Some of us staff have some big pots of dishes.” She listed some of them and watched as Wen Zhihao’s eyes grew larger and larger with anticipation, as though he was already imagining the taste in his mouth.

“Can I really have some?”

Liu Jing chuckled at his eager expression. “En, we can prepare a box of dishes for you.”

Wen Zhihao immediately nodded. He patted around his robes and remembered to check his sleeves. “How much does it cost?”

Liu Jing immediately shook her head. “We won’t take payment from a disciple. Come, come.”

Wen Zhihao obediently followed Liu Jing. The kitchen was a large, long room, with many plain-robed workers bustling about. Liu Jing found one of the travel food boxes and filled it with an assortment of dishes. She also conscientiously packed a small bamboo tube of spiritual water and eating implements.

Wen Zhihao nodded, eyes bright, whenever she looked at him. “Is there anything I can do for you?” His voice was unexpectedly serious.

Liu Jing patted his head. “Cultivator, our job is to feed you. No payment necessary. Now go and enjoy your food.”

“Yes, aunty.” Wen Zhihao took the packed lunch and went out.

He marked a little note in his heart, though.

During his explorations so far, he had already mentally marked the locations that were well frequented and those that weren’t. Wen Zhihao strode to one of the secluded locations. With the sun overhead, the leaves of the tree cast a dappled shade, so it was not too hot.

Wen Zhihao was settling down when he noticed movement. Looking up, he realised it was that kid from before.

“What are you doing in the bushes? Come out, bah.”

Sun Fuyu slowly slinked out. “Greetings to shixiong¹…I...”

_{1. senior martial brother}

Wen Zhihao smiled faintly. This shidi² was a bit nervous. “It’s lunchtime. Are you hungry? Come sit.”

_{2. junior martial brother}

Sun Fuyu immediately shook his head. “I won’t bother you, shixiong. This shidi wanted to say thank you to you for the matter before, that’s all.”

“It’s fine, a small matter,” Wen Zhihao said breezily. He looked at the selection of food in his box and picked out a plump meat bun. “Shidi, come here.”

Sun Fuyu took a step closer. His eyes widened in surprise, but he was able to catch the meat bun Wen Zhihao threw at him.

“Easy to hold, easy to eat, okay?”

Sun Fuyu nodded, clutching the meat bun. “Thank you, shixiong!” He bowed his head and ran off.

Wen Zhihao’s eyes softened in amusement. Such a gentle youth...maybe that was why he was getting bullied. He hoped that he could gain some confidence in the future. But that wasn’t Wen Zhihao’s responsibility.

Instead, his responsibility right now is to enjoy the food he had worked hard to gather!

Aside from a few more meat buns, there was also rice, and many accompanying side dishes, including stir-fried beef, braised pork, stir-fried garlic spinach, pickled vegetables…

Wen Zhihao picked up the chopsticks and tried each. Ah!! The meat was so tender, the vegetables had an almost sweet taste, even the rice was delicate and lovely. The food gave him a burst of warm energy.

Wen Zhihao’s eyes curved into contented crescents.

*

Meanwhile, Sun Fuyu finally stopped running. He harshly berated himself. Running away, how childish was that?! He couldn’t help but look at the meat bun. His chest felt a little sour. It was a few years since he was taken from the streets, since he had gone truly hungry. The Sect was good at feeding the younger disciples, and Sun Fuyu’s inedia ability was slowly increasing, meaning that he didn’t need to eat as much, supplementing his body with external qi instead.

But for Wen-shixiong to give him this meat bun… Sun Fuyu took a bite, and the soft sweetness of the bun and the savouriness of the meat flooded his taste buds. It was good.

Sun Fuyu’s heart quivered. What was Wen-shixiong’s meaning for this?

bafflinghaze:

Little rabbit Sun Fuyu nibbles on his meat bun.

(Give him a little heart? 🥺🥺)