A top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, but also a Taoist priest.

Chen Shouyi picked up his chopsticks and first took a piece of green vegetable. He chewed it; the taste was normal, the garlic was cooked just right, and there wasn't too much salt. He then took a bite of scrambled eggs, which were also alright, just a bit overcooked.

Zhang Ruonan's gaze followed his chopsticks, and as soon as he swallowed the vegetables, she immediately asked:

"How is it?"

"Not bad." Chen Shouyi gave his evaluation without changing his expression, and then reached for the cucumber salad with his chopsticks.

Shouzhuo also picked up a piece of egg and stuffed it into his mouth, nodding vigorously: "Delicious!"

Zhang Ruonan's lips curled up, and she pushed the pot of hazel mushroom stewed chicken towards the two of them:

"Try this, this is the main course."

Chen Shouyi and Shouzhu simultaneously reached for the pot of chicken with their chopsticks.

Chen Shouyi picked up a piece of chicken thigh meat, and Shouzhuo picked up a piece of chicken breast meat. The two looked at each other and simultaneously stuffed the meat into their mouths.

Then the chewing motion paused for a moment.

He chewed it a couple of times, but the chicken was too tough to chew and hadn't absorbed any flavor.

Shouzhuo's situation was even worse than his; the chicken breast he picked up was the toughest of all the parts, and he still couldn't chew it properly even after several chews.

Chen Shouyi raised his eyes and met Shouzhuo's gaze.

Shouzhuo's expression was complex, showing shock, confusion, and a slight urge to cry.

Shouzhuo sent a frantic message through his eyes: Master, please eat more, I'm still young.

Chen Shouyi calmly looked back at him: "I raised you with great difficulty, now it's time for you to be filial."

The two of them looked at Zhang Ruonan at the same time. She was blinking her big eyes, resting her chin on her hands, and waiting for the evaluation with a look of anticipation.

"How is it? How is it?" Zhang Ruonan leaned forward.

"...Not bad." Chen Shou forced down the chicken in his mouth, then picked up his teacup and took a sip without changing his expression.

"Delicious, delicious." Shouzhu nodded in agreement, swallowing the piece of chicken breast that was still stubbornly resisting in his mouth, choking and blinking.

Zhang Ruonan was delighted and picked up her chopsticks, ready to try it herself.

Chen Shouyi quickly grabbed another large chopstick of greens and stuffed it into his mouth, then looked at Shouzhuo without changing his expression.

"Shouzhuo, why don't you eat meat?"

Shouzhuo, who had just recovered, was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

"Eat more meat, you're still growing," Chen Shouyi said sincerely, adding another chicken wing to his bowl.

Shouzhuo stared at the extra chicken wing in his bowl, his expression freezing for a moment.

Then he quickly realized what was happening, and with a smile, he put the chicken wings back into the bowl.

"Master, I've been craving green vegetables lately, really."

As he spoke, he quickly picked up a large chopstick of greens and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound, as if to prove that what he said was true.

"You silly child." Chen Shouyi shook his head, but then moved the chicken leg meat in the bowl toward Shouzhuo, and then took the remaining half of the green vegetables for himself.

Shouzhuo looked at the chicken leg meat that had been handed to him, then at the vegetables in his master's bowl, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

But he quickly composed himself, smiling as he pushed the chicken leg back onto the plate.

"Master, please eat. You are the head of this temple, so please eat well."

"As a monk, I do not indulge in gluttony."

"Master, don't be modest. How can you have the strength to cultivate if you don't eat meat?"

The two pushed and shoved each other, causing a pot of chicken to spin around on the table several times.

Zhang Ruonan found it quite heartwarming to see the master and apprentice being so courteous to each other.

The Taoist priest is so good to his disciple, and the disciple is also respectful to his master. It seems I've come to the right place.

While Zhang Ruonan was eating, Chen Shouyi glanced at the pot of stewed chicken that had already cooled down and sighed inwardly.

All those hazel mushrooms that Sun Yi carried all that way were wasted.

And this silly little chicken, it died for nothing.

Chen Shouyi put down his chopsticks and looked at Shouzhuo: "Shouzhuo."

"Oh, Master."

"Why didn't you bring back any cold dishes when you went down the mountain today?" Chen Shou paused for a moment. "I haven't had that braised beef from that place down the mountain in a long time."

Shouzhuo was stunned for a moment, but when he looked up and saw his master's eyes, he immediately understood.

"I'm so sorry, Master!" Shouzhuo slammed down his chopsticks, sincerely admitting his mistake. "I forgot! I'll go down the mountain to buy some this afternoon, I promise I'll bring it back!"

"Good." Chen Shouyi's expression softened slightly, and he nodded, then continued eating his food without changing his expression.

Fortunately, Ruonan cooked the rice reasonably well; it wasn't burnt or undercooked, so at least we can have a full meal today.

Zhang Ruonan was amused by Shouzhuo's reaction: "It's alright, it's alright, we can buy it tomorrow. But you guys really like cold dishes?"

"It's not that I like it," Chen Shouyi said without changing his expression, "it's just that I'm used to having a cold dish with my meals. Shouzhuo has been with me for so long, and he can't even remember such a small thing."

Shouzhuo lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, looking as if he was feeling guilty, but actually he was trying to suppress a laugh.

He took a deep breath to suppress his smile, and when he looked up, his expression had returned to sincerity:

"Master is right, I will definitely remember it this afternoon."

"Alright, let's eat." Chen Shouyi picked up his chopsticks again.

Zhang Ruonan found the way the master and apprentice interacted quite interesting. She picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of chicken.

"Don't be so polite, I went through a lot of trouble—"

She put the chicken in her mouth and chewed it.

His expression froze instantly.

It's tough to chew, tasteless, and has a muddy smell.

Zhang Ruonan's cheeks were puffed out, and she was stuck there, unable to chew or spit out anything.

Then, refusing to believe it, she picked up another scrambled egg with her chopsticks, her face turning even uglier.

Seeing how much the Taoist priest and Shouzhuo enjoyed their meal, she thought she had done a good job. But the eggs were overcooked and dry, the salt wasn't mixed in properly, one piece was terribly salty, and another piece was completely tasteless.

She quickly tasted the other dishes, her face growing increasingly pale.

It turns out that the Taoist priest and Shouzhuo's pushing and shoving earlier wasn't out of humility.

Zhang Ruonan swallowed what was in her mouth, her confident expression turning into a dejected look.

I was working so hard in the kitchen just now, thinking I was showing off my skills to the Taoist priest, but I messed it all up.

She slowly raised her head and looked at the two people opposite her.

Chen Shouyi and Shouzhuo, without batting an eye, picked up the wilted stir-fried vegetables she had prepared and ate them with relish. The rice in their bowls was almost gone.

Her nose tingled with emotion.

"Daoist Master, keep your simplicity." Zhang Ruonan put down her chopsticks, her head almost buried in her bowl.

"I'm sorry, my cooking isn't actually that good. I wasn't telling the truth; I only know a few simple dishes, and my specialty is instant noodles."

Shouzhuo quickly waved his hand: "It's nothing, it's nothing! Sister Ruonan, the vegetables are cooked very well! I like them cooked a little more thoroughly."

"Yes," Chen Shouyi also put down his chopsticks.

"Besides, you've just arrived and aren't familiar with the stove and pots in the kitchen yet, so it's normal that your cooking isn't as good as usual. Once you get used to it, you'll definitely be able to cook very, very well."

"Really?" Zhang Ruonan looked up.

"Really?" Chen Shouyi smiled. "Everyone has off days."

Zhang Ruonan's lips twitched slightly at his teasing, but she still wasn't very happy. She pointed to the pot of chicken:

"But this really tastes awful..."

"I think the stir-fried vegetables are pretty good." Chen Shouyi picked up a piece of vegetables with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, chewed it, swallowed it, and then looked at her.

Zhang Ruonan met his gaze, a little embarrassed: "Really?"

Chen Shouyi said, "A monk does not lie."

"But didn't you just say you wanted to eat braised beef?" Zhang Ruonan looked at him with a smile.