Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"It belongs to my father. The shape of this Stone Carving of Five Dragons Seizing the Pearl is quite ominous; the dragons look too fierce, as if Wuzhai is coveting the rule over Panlong Stronghold."
Chen Zao laughed, thinking that this Stone Carving must be harboring some resentment or evil spirit, but it turned out to have a bad political connotation.
He asked Ren Xiao, "Where did this Stone Carving come from?"
"This was given to my father by a weapons dealer two years ago. At first, my father didn't think much of it and thought the Stone Carving looked quite nice. Later, after giving it some thought, he realized it was too much of a disaster magnet and wanted to smash it. My Sister Two thought it would be a shame to destroy it, so she took the Stone Carving and placed it in the Imperial Guard's Commander's Office."
Ren Xiao pondered for a moment and continued, "I remember this Stone Carving used to be displayed in the Dining Hall. It seems my father had dinner here once and found the Stone Carving too eye-catching and troublesome, so he asked my Sister Two to throw it away. My Sister-in-law also felt that this Stone Carving would bring trouble and urged my Sister Two to deal with it quickly. My Sister Two didn't want to throw it away or smash it, so she just put it in an inconspicuous corner by the wall. I didn't expect you, Chef Chen, would take a liking to it today."
As Chen Zao listened, he considered that Commander Yuan, dressed in military uniform and appearing dignified and serious in demeanor, turned out to be quite an artistic woman in her personal life.
Since she had an appreciation for such Stone Carvings, perhaps she had other valuable artworks in her collection.
It seemed that he could use fine food as a means to engage with Commander Yuan in the future.
"Chef Chen, this broken Stone Carving weighs a thousand pounds; aside from being a decoration, it serves no purpose. What do you want it for? You might as well ask my Sister Two for more gold instead."
"Such handcrafted items with artistic value represent our human yearning for beautiful things. The world may rot, but our hearts must not decay!"
Chen Zao took the opportunity to lecture Ren Xiao: "When it comes to beautiful things, regardless of their utility, we should cherish and protect them with care instead of letting them fall into ruin. If we don't protect them, one day when all beautiful things in the world have completely perished, we will realize our mistake too late."
Chen Zao's passionate speech once again filled Ren Xiao with respect.
Her big eyes sparkled with admiration as she sincerely said, "Chef Chen, you truly are someone with ideals and aspirations!"
"Ha ha, it's not really about ideals or pursuits; I just do what I can. To leave a bit of beauty in this world, you should also do your part."
"Mm, I will definitely do that."
"I've saved your pocket money for the next three months. I'm not giving it to you for frivolous spending; I hope you can use this money for something more meaningful." Chen Zao finally got to the point.
"Like...?" Ren Xiao asked earnestly.
"Like saving some of the remaining beauty in this world! For example, items like Stone Carvings. While I'm out looking for food these days, you should visit friends and relatives and see who has these dusty crafts they no longer want. Bring them back to me. If they don't want them, I do. They may not appreciate them, but I do. The older and more artistic the items you bring back, the happier I'll be, and the more motivated I'll be to create delicious food. At that time, you won't even need to pay for my meals; just with your sincere heart to save this beautiful world, you can enjoy my cooking."
"Chef Chen, you are the most beautiful soul I've ever met!" Ren Xiao was so moved she stumbled over her words. "You're just too kind! I don't even know how to thank you!"
"If you don't know how to thank me, then don't. Just follow me and work hard. From now on, you must accept my teachings and not go against my wishes lightly. I can't guarantee that your future will be bright, but at least you'll have enough to eat and drink."
"Mm! I will wholeheartedly learn the way of culinary arts with you!"
"Stop saying 'the way of culinary arts' all the time. No matter what we pursue, having a heart that yearns for beauty is the most fundamental and important thing." Chen Zao placed his injured right hand on his left chest as if posing, revealing a blood-stained elegance as he spoke sincerely.
Ren Xiao and Chen Zao made the same gesture of pounding their chests, their eyes filled with a yearning belief in beauty as they earnestly promised Chen Zao, "I will not let you down, Chef Chen!"
"Mm, I believe in you. Keep going; on the path toward a beautiful world, you'll go further and further. This world may become worse and worse, but your own world will surely become better and better!"
Every word from Chen Zao sounded like profound wisdom in Ren Xiao's ears; she was practically in awe of this Gourmet Chef!
Having finished everything that needed to be said, Chen Zao waved to Ren Xiao, saying, "Alright, it's getting dark. You don't need to see me off. Go back to the Logistics Team and get back to work. When I return from my search for food, I'll come find you to review the results of saving the beautiful world."
Ren Xiao realized that Chen Zao was saying goodbye for now.
With some reluctance, she asked, "So... how long will it take?"
"It won't take long. At most three, four, five, six, seven, or eight days, and I'll be back. I'll come directly to the military camp to find you."
"I'm in the Logistics Team of the City Defense Corps Engineering Department. You can easily find out where I am."
"Okay, you should hurry back. I'm leaving now too."
With that, Chen Zao walked toward the checkpoint down the mountain without looking back, waving to Ren Xiao as he reminded her, "Make sure you don't slack off during these days! If I can't feel your determination to save the beautiful world when I return, my stove won't be in the mood to cook. You must work hard!"
"I will definitely work hard! Chef Chen, I'll be waiting for you!"
As the last rays of sunlight faded, Ren Xiao stretched her neck and reluctantly watched Chen Zao's tall figure disappear at the checkpoint before running back to the military camp. Following Chen Zao's words as her training, she set out to fulfill her duty of saving the beautiful world.
Once outside the military camp, Chen Zao took a winding path into a desolate mountain area.
Confirming that no one was following him, he activated the time-space portal from Luohan Slope and crossed back to the modern era.
The reason he didn't choose the safer Air Raid Shelter for his crossing was simply that he couldn't wait any longer.
Staying a little longer in the apocalypse could lead to more erosion of his genome by the Toxic Vapor. Therefore, if he could avoid staying in the apocalypse, he would not linger there; he would return to the Golden Age as early as possible.
If it weren't for the three-day appointment at Ren Yuan, Chen Zao would have gone straight home this afternoon.
However, it was precisely during these extra days spent in the apocalypse that he reaped rewards richer than any previous journey through time!
He actually brought back a highly valuable exquisite Shoushan Stone Carving!
Stepping through the invisible time-space gate felt like escaping from a room filled with marsh gas and the stench of fish and excrement, returning to the embrace of fresh air in nature.
As soon as Chen Zao returned, he couldn't contain his excitement and raised his arms in a cheer: "This is amazing! Truly amazing!"
What thrilled him was not just his sense of smell but also the feeling of newfound wealth.
He was finally going to become rich!
He could finally promote his smelly food business with gusto!
A brighter future awaits; he has arrived!
Comment 0 Comment Count