The legend begins with becoming a white deer.

Behind the restaurant was a large tiled house with four or five rough ceramic chimneys sticking out from under the eaves, continuously emitting light gray smoke.

The aroma of oil and spices mingled with the heat of smoke and fire, permeating the narrow alleyway and reaching you from afar.

Qi Ji stood in the shadows at the alley entrance, his deer-like eyes sweeping over the rising smoke. He was already certain that this was the restaurant's kitchen.

Ordinary wild deer would have instinctively retreated upon smelling this pungent fumes, as plants naturally repel strong cooking fumes.

Qi Ji stood there, and apart from feeling the air was a little heavy, he felt no discomfort whatsoever.

He couldn't tell if it was because his physique was different from that of a normal deer after evolution, or if it was the wisp of human soul in his bones that was causing the disturbance. The lingering smoke from cooking oil mixed with the aroma of vegetables made him feel a bit nostalgic.

It felt just like in my past life when I passed by a street food stall on my way home from get off work, and the aroma of food mixed with the warmth of cooking hit me right in the face.

Qi Ji was lost in thought when the heavy wooden door to the kitchen was suddenly pushed open from the inside.

Two cooks, one tall and one short, wearing coarse cloth aprons, carried a large vermilion platter together and hurried towards the restaurant's main hall. The dishes on the platter were neatly arranged and still steaming hot.

"The opportunity has arrived!"

Qi Ji moved lightly, hugging the wall as he circled around to the side window of the kitchen, and peeked inside.

There was no one around the stove, only the soft crackling of the firewood in the firebox.

"Good, nobody's here."

Qi Ji didn't hesitate for long. He turned around and went back to the main entrance, then ducked through the half-open door.

The kitchen was more spacious than he had expected, about the size of three or four ordinary houses.

To the north was a row of stoves with several large iron pots lined up in a row. The embers in the stoves were still burning, making the whole room warm and cozy.

Against the south wall stood three layers of solid wood shelves. The bottom layer was stacked with fresh bamboo shoots, mushrooms, green vegetables and other raw foods. The middle layer had jars and pots of sauces and seasonings. On the top beam hung three or five pieces of raw meat with bones, the meat was dark red and shiny with oil, and there were traces of blood seeping from the edges.

Qi Ji glanced at the raw meat, a fishy smell brushed past his nose, and the deer's instinct immediately kicked in, causing him to subconsciously look away.

His attention was quickly drawn to the large steamer in the center of the room.

"This smell..."

Fine steam escaped from the gaps in the steamer basket, carrying a sweet and mellow aroma of meat that was several times stronger than the smell in the alley.

Qi Ji leaned forward, grabbed the edge of the wooden cage lid with his mouth, and with a little force lifted the lid, gently placing it on the side table.

In the center of the steamer was a large celadon bowl, filled with a milky white stewed pheasant soup. Several large pieces of tender yellow chicken meat sank to the bottom of the soup, with a few green cilantro leaves floating on top. The steam carrying the aroma went straight into the nostrils.

Qi Ji lowered his head, his tongue first touching a little bit of soup.

(*⊙~⊙)

fresh!

The ultimate sweetness spreads along the tip of the tongue, without any fishy or gamey taste, only the original flavor of chicken and the mildness of spices.

Qi Ji smacked his lips, feeling no discomfort whatsoever; on the contrary, his appetite was completely whetted.

He leaned over and drank a few more mouthfuls of soup, then picked up a piece of chicken and bit into it. The meat was stewed until tender and flavorful, with a perfect balance of saltiness and savory aroma, and a wonderful texture.

Qi Ji ate with his deer-like eyes slightly narrowed, his heart filled with novelty.

He was clearly a deer, a natural herbivore, and used to avoid raw meat like the plague. But now, eating cooked meat prepared by humans, he showed no aversion whatsoever, and instead found it to be delicious.

Qi Ji subconsciously glanced back at the raw meat on the crossbeam.

The smell of raw meat, still carrying the stench of blood, instinctively disgusted him.

But the perfectly stewed chicken in the bowl miraculously bypassed the effects of herbal remedies, whetting his appetite.

"Am I someone who can eat cooked meat but not raw meat? Oh well, who cares why?"

If you can't figure something out, don't waste your time on it; just eat first and think about it later.

Qi Ji lowered his head and buried himself in the bowl, drinking soup and eating meat without missing a beat.

His current size and appetite are far beyond what they used to be. This bowl of clear pheasant soup, enough for seven or eight people to share, was devoured in no time, and even the broth was drunk clean.

"Mmm~~~Delicious!"

Qi Ji licked his lips with lingering satisfaction, then turned to another, even larger steamer next to him.

As usual, I pried open the pot lid with my mouth, and inside were three dishes neatly arranged.

The leftmost plate is a colorful dish, with pickled ginger and cucumber, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, daylily buds, lotus seeds, green bamboo shoots, white celery, soy sauce dried tofu, tofu skin, and gluten all arranged together. It is a vegetarian medley, and it is a vegetarian medley of ten ingredients, with a sweet aroma that warms the stomach.

In the middle is a stack of neatly cut black pastries, with a rich rice aroma and a slightly sweet aftertaste—it's the Five Grains Black Rice Cake.

The bowl on the far right has a milky white broth with tender white tofu floating in it, sprinkled with pink petals and golden egg shreds, and is very elegant—it is actually Snow Cloud Soup.

Qi Ji had eaten this dish in his previous life. It was made primarily with tofu and hibiscus flowers, and was refreshing and delicious.

Qi Ji's eyes lit up.

Compared to the pheasant soup he had just had, these three vegetarian dishes were clearly more to his liking.

"I won't be polite anymore."

Qi Ji felt a strong urge to eat, so he lowered his head and first approached the mixed vegetables. The crisp and tender vegetables were coated with a sweet and oily aroma, and one bite made his mouth water.

... ... ....

At this moment, the restaurant lobby was bustling with activity at its peak.

Holidays are meant to be relaxed, and many people let loose even more after a few drinks.

Some people were playing drinking games and shouting so loudly they could lift the roof off.

Someone was holding a wine jug and humming a country tune.

Another drunkard, being coaxed by the crowd, staggered and walked in a straight line in the hall, drawing laughter from everyone present.

Many more people buried themselves in the food and drinks on the table, enjoying their meal. The sounds of clinking glasses and laughter mingled together, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

The two cooks who brought out the dishes were about to return immediately, but they were pulled back by familiar drinkers who started a commotion and forced them to drink two cups.

The atmosphere in the lobby was lively, and the two of them were caught up in it. They simply sat down at an empty seat next to them and had a few drinks, forgetting for a moment that they were going back to the kitchen.

In a corner, an elderly man with gray hair and beard took a sip of wine, stroked his beard and smiled as he looked at the lively room. Suddenly remembering something, he raised his hand and called out to the counter, "Manager, why haven't my Ten-Fine Vegetarian Assortment and Five-Grain Black Rice Cake arrived yet?"

As soon as he spoke, several other tables nearby echoed his sentiments.

"Hey, where's my bowl of Snow Cloud Soup? I've been waiting for ages!"

"And another bowl of our clear pheasant soup, please!"

The innkeeper quickly agreed with a smile, then turned and saw the two cooks. He hurriedly waved them over, saying, "You two, stop drinking and hurry back to the kitchen to bring out the dishes. The customers are urging us to come."

The two men snapped to attention, their drunkenness instantly dissipating. They quickly agreed, "We'll go right away," and hurried to the kitchen in the backyard, thinking that the dishes were already steamed and ready to be served without delay.

But when the two pushed open the kitchen door and saw what was inside, they froze on the spot.

The large steamer was open, and the bowl of pheasant soup that had been simmering all afternoon was almost empty.

The vegetarian assortment, black rice cake, and snow fungus soup in the steamer next to it were completely devoured, leaving not a drop of broth.

The dishes that had been carefully prepared in the kitchen were devoured as if locusts had swept through the land.

"What...what's going on?!" The short butcher's voice changed.

The tall butcher's face instantly darkened, filled with both anger and shock: "A thief has broken in! It must be a thief who's stealing food. This thief's appetite is too big!"

The two exchanged a glance and both could see the other's anger.

With so many dishes, how could an ordinary person possibly finish them all?

"Go quickly and tell the shopkeeper to send people to guard the front and back gates."

The tall butcher pointed to the door: "That thief couldn't have gone far, I'll go after him."

"Okay, be careful."

The short butcher didn't hesitate; he turned and ran towards the main hall.

The tall butcher grabbed a fire poker from behind the door and strode out after him.

As soon as I stepped out of the kitchen, I caught a glimpse of a trail of footprints on the ground, stained with a faint mixture of oil and water, stretching all the way to the alley entrance.

He paused for a moment, noticing that the footprint was strangely shaped and didn't resemble a human foot.

But catching the thief was the priority, so without thinking too much, he grabbed his stick and followed the trail of marks.

After chasing for only a dozen or so feet, a white figure suddenly came into view under the shade of a tree at the alley entrance.

It was a snow-white deer, slowly licking its lips, seemingly still savoring the delicious food it had just eaten.

The tall butcher suddenly stopped in his tracks, and the fire poker in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

His eyes widened in shock, and he froze on the spot, his face filled with astonishment, unable to utter a word.

"This...this...this is...!"