Why am I, a cook, always involved in cases?

When we returned to the inn, the imperial chef was already waiting there.

During the day, he discovered that Lin Zhiruo had disappeared, and he never saw her come back since then.

At this moment, he was buried in several volumes of cookbooks on the desk. When he saw Lin Zhiruo and others return, he gently closed the pages, and the candlelight swayed slightly.

"Want to try some midnight snack?" he asked.

"If there is any, bring some." Hu Lan'er replied.

So the imperial chef took a food box from the stove, which contained steamed dumplings.

He poured two more bowls of tea and placed one in front of Lin Zhiruo, as if he wanted to drink it with her.

Lin Zhiruo picked up a slightly cooled steamed dumpling, dipped it in some vinegar, and tasted it.

The vinegar seems to have osmanthus honey added to it, and it is so sweet and sour that it leaves a lasting aftertaste.

Vinegar is originally a condiment for pickled vegetables, but many people don't like it because it is too sour.

But this bowl of vinegar sauce seems to have the sour taste tempered by sugar, and it tastes very appetizing.

The three of them sat around the round table, forming a triangle.

Lin Zhiruo ate in silence, Hu Lan'er talked about the ceremony, and the imperial chef had a blank expression on his face and kept flipping through the book in his hand.

At first, Lin Zhiruo thought it was a cooking book and looked expectantly, but when she looked closely, she found that it was an illustrated guide to ingredients.

This book is not a printed copy and contains traces of handwritten additions.

It's more like a recipe notebook than a book.

Lin Zhiruo stared at the imperial chef and asked, "What are you researching?"

The imperial chef looked up at her and replied, "Nothing, it's just that the time has come for you to fulfill your promise."

"...Are you talking about that secret recipe?"

The imperial chef's quick response was admirable.

“Do you realize where you are?”

Although she was nominally a hostage, they treated her very leniently.

Indeed, even if she could escape, she would be recaptured quickly.

And even if she could escape cleverly, how could she find help in any town or village?

Lin Zhiruo is not good at riding horses.

Yet, why didn't they just imprison her or keep her under guard?

Lin Zhiruo was confused by the behavior of both men.

If they asked her what she was up to, she might tell them.

But what attracted her attention more at this moment was——

“How do chili peppers compare to Sichuan peppercorns? What else should be added? What’s the right amount?”

The imperial chef was silent for a while, then spoke slowly.

The more Lin Zhiruo listened, the more excited she became. Her whole body trembled, and she got goose bumps with excitement. She approached the imperial chef with wide eyes.

“So, what about the improved formula?”

“…It’s only been tested on dishes now.”

Haven't tried it at a banquet yet.

Maybe without the chili peppers you won’t be able to achieve that flavor.

It is common sense to test it on side dishes first.

Lin Zhiruo approached the imperial chef with a sharp gaze, placed her right hand on his ordinary table, and declared that this was the most suitable place to taste the food.

“I won’t let you try.”

“Why? You’re welcome!”

"I've already said you're a hostage." The imperial chef flatly refused.

Lin Zhiruo almost wanted to grab his clothes and shake him, forcing him to taste it, but she held back.

If we fall out with the imperial chef at this moment, all our previous efforts will be wasted.

So, she decided to go along with him and then stepped aside.

"Hahaha, the relationship between you two is getting better and better. It's really cause for celebration." Hu Lan'er said carefreely while taking a bite of the steamed dumpling.

"After all, Lin Zhiruo and I both have very few friends."

“It’s none of your business.”

"Can't you just say less?" the two of them said in unison.

Lin Zhiruo lived in the same room with the imperial chef, while Hu Lan'er lived in a small room with only one couch.

At first, Hu Lan'er also clamored to live with them, but was driven out by the imperial chef, so she had to return to her own little house in a depressed mood.

Although they were in the same room, they had nothing to say to each other.

The same thing happened last night.

In fact, Lin Zhiruo did have something to say to the imperial chef.

But even if I told him, he might not answer.

What is the purpose of his actions?

This was the question she should have asked first, but Lin Zhiruo didn't ask it.

I thought to myself, "I might as well ask," but what came out of my mouth was something completely different.

"You and Hu Lan'er seem to have a good relationship."

"is that so?"

"Yes." The conversation ended briefly.

Without Hu Lan'er around to ease the atmosphere, this is all that could happen.

When she woke up the next morning, Lin Zhiruo found many books on the desk.

That was an atlas of ingredients, with many exquisite drawings in it.

It contained some exotic ingredients and recorded many foods that Lin Zhiruo had never heard of.

Although she didn't understand more than half of the content, there were notes inserted in many places with comments or additional instructions.

"I'll be out for a while. There are guards outside, so don't even think about running away." After saying that, the imperial chef went out.