Having settled everything, Bai Zihan was finally free to do what he wanted.
Well, at least until his engagement.
In any case, now that he was done dealing with Bai Jian and others, he was craving something to eat.
“Luo Qing, ask the Head Chef to make me some fried chicken.”
Bai Zihan said.
Luo Qing quickly nodded and went to inform the kitchen about Bai Zihan’s request.
Thanks to Bai Zihan’s teachings, the chefs were now able to recreate many of the dishes he had introduced.
“Fried chicken? What’s that?”
Chu Ziyan, who had been lost in thought about Bai Zihan’s newfound strength, was suddenly distracted by the unfamiliar words.
Although she was curious about how Bai Zihan had improved so much in such a short time, she wasn’t as obsessed with power as most people.
Otherwise, with her talent, she could have remained in the sect, cultivating day and night, and would have achieved far more than she had now.
In any case, when she heard Bai Zihan mention fried chicken, her curiosity was piqued.
What kind of dish was it that the young master of the Bai Clan favored?
She assumed it must be some kind of fancy name for the meat of a bird-type monster or something similar.
“Hehe… How about you come with me and try it? I’m sure you’ll like it!”
Bai Zihan said with a grin.
He was certain that someone like Chu Ziyan wouldn’t have eaten something like Fried Chicken.
“Sure!”
Chu Ziyan agreed.
Now that all those annoying people had been dealt with, she had nothing better to do.
Luo Qing quickly returned to inform Bai Zihan that the Head Chef had begun preparing the dish.
“Master, the food will be ready soon,” she said softly, keeping her head slightly lowered.
Bai Zihan gave a satisfied nod.
“Good. Let’s go to the dining hall then.”
With that, he turned to Chu Ziyan and gestured for her to follow. She did so without hesitation, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
Luo Qing trailed behind them, as always, maintaining a quiet presence.
The dining hall of the Bai Clan was grand, with intricately carved wooden pillars and golden lanterns casting a warm glow over the room.
The long dining table was already set, and before long, servants arrived, carefully placing down plates filled with golden, crispy pieces of fried chicken.
Chu Ziyan’s nose twitched as she caught the unfamiliar yet enticing aroma.
The rich, savory scent mixed with a slight crispiness in the air made her stomach grumble before she could stop it.
She frowned slightly, feeling embarrassed, but Bai Zihan smirked.
“Heh, don’t hold back. You’ll regret it if you don’t try.”
Without waiting for a reply, he picked up a piece with his hands, ignoring the chopsticks on the side, and took a bite.
A loud crunch echoed through the hall as the crisp outer layer shattered in his mouth, revealing the tender and juicy meat inside.
(Hmph! What could make me feel hungry just from the smell alone?)
Chu Ziyan thought.
She, for one, didn’t believe that fried chicken was just some normal dish—such simple foods were meant for poor mortals.
For Bai Clan members and Chu Clan members, only the meat of spirit beasts and rare delicacies like Enlightenment Tea were worthy of their status.
She reached for a piece, still feeling a bit skeptical, but as soon as she took a bite—
Her eyes widened.
“Mmmm… “
The outer layer was crispy and flavorful, seasoned with a mix of herbs and spices she couldn’t even recognize, while the inside was soft and juicy.
The contrast of textures, along with the burst of rich umami flavor, made her pause in surprise.
“This…”
She mumbled, quickly taking another bite before she could even finish her sentence.
Bai Zihan laughed.
“Good, right?”
(Compared to the bland food in this world, a simple fried chicken is ten times better!)
Bai Zihan thought.
Chu Ziyan didn’t even answer as she was too busy eating.
The meal continued, with Bai Zihan eating at a relaxed pace while Chu Ziyan, despite trying to maintain her elegance, clearly couldn’t resist reaching for more.
Once they were finished, Chu Ziyan wiped her mouth and finally leaned back with a satisfied sigh.
“I admit, this is good. I’ve never had anything like it before.”
Chu Ziyan said, attempting to regain her elegance—though it was already too late, given how eagerly she had been devouring the fried chicken.
“Of course,” Bai Zihan said smugly.
(This is the cuisine of Earth. How could you have had anything like this?)
Chu Ziyan would normally do something about Bai Zihan’s smug face, but today, she let him have his moment—it was indeed something out of this world.
She also realized that fried chicken wasn’t made from the meat of a spirit beast.
After all, if it were, her cultivation would have advanced at least a little.
It was just a normal chicken that mortals ate.
However, the taste was heavenly—so much so that she craved more.
“Just where have you been hiding something like this?”
Chu Ziyan asked, staring at Bai Zihan and demanding an answer.
“Ahem! Of course, this was entirely the creation of this young master.”
(Sorry, whoever invented fried chicken on Earth!)
Bai Zihan shamelessly took the credit, though he felt a bit guilty.
However, in this world, he was the first to introduce it, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.
“Oh? Really?”
Chu Ziyan asked skeptically.
After all, Bai Zihan was a lazy young master of the Bai Clan.
How could he have found the time to create something so delicious?
“True!”
Bai Zihan insisted.
“Hmmm… is he telling the truth?”
Chu Ziyan, still unconvinced, directed her question to Luo Qing.
“It is true, Lady Chu. Young Master taught the chefs how to make this fried chicken.”
Luo Qing confirmed.
“Not only this—there’s also steak, something called ramen, and many other delicious foods the young master has introduced to the kitchen.”
Luo Qing spoke enthusiastically, unable to hide her excitement.
Her praise was genuine—her most cherished time of the day was now when she got to eat these dishes.
Chu Ziyan carefully observed Luo Qing’s expression.
Judging from the genuine praise in her voice, she wasn’t lying.
Though it was still hard to believe that Bai Zihan had created such out-of-this-world dishes, she was now more interested in something else.
“Other dishes? Are they as delicious as this fried chicken?”
“Yes!”
“Hmmm… Then I must try them!”
“As you say, Lady Chu!”
Luo Qing quickly went to inform the kitchen to prepare the other dishes.
Bai Zihan stared at Chu Ziyan, amazed that she still wasn’t full after devouring so much fried chicken.
However, he was smart enough not to question a lady about her appetite.
Soon enough, an array of dishes that Bai Zihan had previously taught the cooks was placed in front of Chu Ziyan.
Without hesitation, she began eating heartily, just as she had with the fried chicken.
By the time Chu Ziyan had finished eating, five empty plates were stacked on the table—all of them hers.
(Ugh! She’s more gluttonous than me.)
Even Bai Zihan, a self-proclaimed food lover, was surprised that someone as thin as Chu Ziyan had finished five plates of food.
“Delicious! I never thought food could be this good. Bai Zihan, you must give me one of your chefs!”
Chu Ziyan declared.
After experiencing such flavors, the idea of returning to bland cultivation pills and tasteless meals seemed unbearable.
“Yeah, yeah, you can take one if you like,” Bai Zihan answered straightforwardly.
There were many chefs who knew how to make these dishes, so giving one away wouldn’t make much of a difference to him.
As long as she offered good compensation, most chefs would be more than willing to follow her.
“Hmm! It seems like marrying you isn’t such a bad idea after all.”
Chu Ziyan smirked.
Bai Zihan suddenly regretted his decision.
The more she enjoyed herself, the less likely she was to break off the engagement.
Still, looking at it from another perspective—if the marriage was inevitable—at least keeping her happy meant he would suffer less.