“This is my latest improvement on the black pepper pork bun. There are only some slight variations in the ingredients I put in bu-”
“It tastes so much better than the original one!” Jin kept biting and chewing the bun that Zhen Qing had forced into him. Somehow, not only his stomach felt satisfied, but also his heart. He had never felt this way while eating the system’s food.
“See what I mean? Zhen Qing curled her long hair behind her ears, which revealed the side of her face, which caused Jin just stare like an idiot for a moment. As she took another scoop out of the slice of cheesecake, the expression on her face lightened up a little and Jin realised why people said their hearts melt for the ones they loved. He did not believe he could feel it again.
“I think I can replicate this if you want.” Zhen Qing offered but Jin shook his head immediately.
“No, don’t. I’d like to suggest something else instead. Create a main dish. Something filling for the masses. Easy to eat and filled with ‘warmth’ just like this bun that you have created.” Jin told Zhen Qing and her eyes widened up.
“A main dish? That will be slightly difficult if I still have to continue preparing the black pepper buns.” Zhen Qing was immediately thinking about what would be a good meal to serve right here while accommodating her current workload.
“I will suggest limiting the number of buns that you sell. Then use the rest of the time to research or create the main dish you want. If you need to take time off selling those buns, do so. My main objective here is to create a conducive and pleasing environment for cultivators to dungeon, eat and have fun.” Jin said as he licked his fingers after finishing the bun.
“So my food here is technically unnecessary?” Zhen Qing blurted the truth out so bluntly that it stunned Jin for a while. “Zhen Qing used the truth! It was very effective!” Yun laughed to herself as she continued to eavesdrop on the conversation through Jin.
“Ehh…no, that’s not what I meant,” Jin replied with a little hesitation, which made Zhen Qing realise that she had gone too far with her words.
“Erm, sorry Boss.” Zhen Qing had nearly forgotten the help that Jin had given her, not to mention that the amount of profit she had been making these past few days was three times more than she had ever earned in a full week on the streets.
“No, don’t. You are right. The food that the supplier provides can feed all the customers and they might even create more varieties for me in the future.” Jin told her truthfully, which made Zhen Qing anguish that she had spoken so bluntly. Was Jin going to fire her so quickly?
She remembered how she was so headstrong in her opinion when she was the head chef and now it seemed that her behaviour from had not changed at all, even after all she had been through. She was quite cold to Jin and was too focused on her work. Even when Jin wanted to help her out, she chased him away while enforcing her own principles when this was not even her store, to begin with. “Oh well, I guess it was fun…while it lasted.” Zhen Qing thought to herself as she braced herself for the next few words from Jin.
“But I like…your cooking.” Jin bit his lips as he said that out. However, to Zhen Qing, a sudden palpitation coursed through her heart for some reason and she really felt relieved upon hearing that. Unfortunately, Jin had not finished talking.
“So, I want you to stay and make that main dish that will rival or maybe even surpass what my secret food supplier creates. If you keep this up, perhaps I can renege the contract I have with them and you would be able to find a little spare change in your wallet. ” Jin hoped that the allure of money would have some effect on her but he did not know her enough to make a prediction.
Zhen Qing was already delighted to be able to stay in one place and have someone trust her despite her headstrong attitude. She quietly nodded her head and finished the cheesecake and coffee. “Thank you, Jin for the tea break. I will clean it up.”
“Erm, not sure about this, but if you want the box, you could just remove the contents and keep the box. If not, just throw it into the recycle bin.” Jin told her before he waved her goodbye and left the kitchen instance. For Zhen Qing, she did what Jin had told her as she stared at the box for a moment. “If only I could be as carefree as this little Red Panda right here.” she flicked her finger at the red panda on the box before she put it away nicely and continued with her work.
“Good attempt right there.” Yun was already sitting at the bar counter, drinking her routine coffee and she passed him a few sets of new clothes.
“Nah, was not trying to-” Jin tried to make another excuse as he changed right in front of Yun. He was not embarrassed at all since Yun had already infiltrated his thoughts. What sort of other privacy could he possibly have? Even Yun did not mind a single bit.
“Uh uh uh, it was obvious to the third party right here, you are still trying. Do not give up though.” Yun wagged her fingers, which caused Jin sighed more.
“Let’s change the topic, shall we? Since I have enough dungeon dollars, I’d now like to create the monsters’ home.” Jin explained to Yun as he looked at his watch. Despite all the fishing and the tea break, the time dilation in both instances made real time pass even slower. Only thirty minutes of earth time had passed and Jin roughly had four, at most five hours, before he needed to open the shop.
“You are not going to create a dungeon with the Deep Ones?” Yun asked. Usually, Jin would have gone straight to the Dungeon Maker to create a dungeon.
“I want that permadeath dungeon in the Dungeon World to be destroyed as soon as possible. Its very existence continues to make me regret why I had ever even chose to lift up my weapons with the intentions to kill. Hell, I should not have even had that kind of thoughts.” Jin squeezed his fists with anger as he remembered how foolish he was.
“To be frank, it’s not entirely your fault. The system might have secretly influenced your actions since you were in the Dungeon Maker, the heart of the system. I did not have a say in the matter because I had to support the system’s choice since I am part of it. However, that did not stop me from influencing others to help you just like how the system unconsciously influenced you.” Yun told him some truth behind that dark day as Jin was about to enter the Dungeon Maker.
“…I see.” Jin held his phone even tighter. Jin did not know that Yun was actually constantly fighting a battle against the system behind his back and he thought that it had partly been her intention to make him bent on killing all along. Meanwhile, Yun knew that it was a little lie she had to create to make him go forward. The system had created that permadeath dungeon but she didn’t actually have to reveal it to him at all.
However, she decided that if he could really outgrow his lazy self upon learning the truth, it would be worth a shot, no matter how cruel the method was. Eventually, Jin learnt that the system was not to be blamed too. The system needed resources and the resources were there for it to consume. Jin was just regretful that he had been influenced by the system itself.
“Continue to get a higher cultivation and perhaps with enlightenment, you will not commit such stupid mistakes ever again.” Yun actually went behind Jin and gave him a gentle hug as he was contemplating. Jin was a little astonished but at the same time, he felt comfort.
The comfort of his mother’s embrace.
.
.
