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Shen Chuwei expressed confusion, "Why do you say that?"

Weichi replied, "Because you look quite similar. If it weren’t for the familial relationship, would His Highness care for you so much? And with your physique, you’re not fit to be a Guard, unless you got in through the back door."

Shen Chuwei was stunned for a moment, feeling that Weichi had a point.

The tradition of relatives pulling strings dated back centuries.

Weichi then asked, "You’re the younger brother, right?"

Shen Chuwei didn’t understand; her boots were equipped with built-in lifts, adding more than five centimeters to her height.

"Why do you think I’m the younger brother?"

"Look at that soft, pinchable face of yours." Weichi finished scrutinizing her face and then her height, shaking his head, "And this height, even thinking about being the older brother doesn’t work."

Shen Chuwei: "..." Five centimeters for nothing...

Upon arriving at the restaurant’s kitchen, the chefs inside were still bustling about.

Weichi followed Shen Chuwei there, and upon realizing it was the kitchen, he grabbed her shoulder and asked, "What are you doing in the kitchen?"

"His Highness hardly touched his dinner; he must be hungry by now. I’m making him some dishes," Shen Chuwei said as she moved toward an unused stove.

Just as she approached, a man stepped in front of Shen Chuwei, attempting to stop her, "This is the kitchen; outsiders need to leave immediately."

Shen Chuwei looked up at the man before her. He was somewhat fat, likely in his forties, probably a chef from the looks of his greasy face.

She stated her purpose directly, "I’d like to borrow this stove to cook."

The fat man said displeased, "If you want to eat, just order. There are chefs to prepare the food."

"The dishes prepared here don’t suit my Master’s palate. I am familiar with what my Master likes, the ingredients, and the fire..." Shen Chuwei pulled Weichi over, pointing at him, "He’ll pay."

Weichi was initially startled, but then understood and puffed out his chest, saying, "I’ll pay."

The fat man, being a chef himself, felt some displeasure when he heard a customer criticizing their food.

"It’s not up to me. You should talk to the manager."

"I’ll go and fetch the manager," Weichi said and turned to leave with large strides.

The fat man sized up Shen Chuwei from head to toe, her petite stature clearly pointing to a pampered young master. His eyes were filled with disdain.

"You know how to cook?"

Shen Chuwei nodded, "A little bit."

The fat man’s tone was thick with scorn, "You? Can you even flip a wok with one hand?"

Shen Chuwei replied, "I only know how to cook."

At that moment, Weichi returned with the manager.

As the saying goes, money talks, and what’s borrowing an unused stove compared to that?

With the manager speaking up, the fat man had little to say.

He glanced at Shen Chuwei’s short stature with a snort, "You’re not even taller than the stove, and you claim to know how to cook?"

"Shut your mouth tight," Weichi replied, curling his fist as if about to smash it into the fat man’s face any second.

The manager was startled; after all, the fat man was the restaurant’s Gold Medal Chef, and hitting him would be a substantial loss. He hastily stepped forward to stop it.

"Gentleman, please, calm down."

Weichi gave the fat man a stern look, huffing dismissively.

The fat man was also taken aback.

Meanwhile, Shen Chuwei brought over a stool, stepped onto it, and suddenly was almost as tall as Weichi.

Weichi, being 186 cm tall and not at all slim, had a rather imposing build.

"Being short doesn’t matter; what’s important is having a clever mind." Chun Xi hummed proudly as she prepared the ingredients for later use.

Shen Chuwei and Chun Xi were no strangers to working together, showing considerable rapport.

As she flipped the spoon and the wok, her movements were smooth and skilled, akin to a Gold Medal Chef with a decade of kitchen experience.

The fat man was stunned.

Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, she had prepared two dishes and a soup.

Shen Chuwei, carrying the steaming hot dishes, walked past the fat man nonchalantly, leaving behind only the tantalizing scent of the food.

The fat man swallowed his saliva, enticed by the aroma of the dishes.

The manager, smelling the appealing fragrance, thought if the restaurant’s food could be this enticing, it would surely be a hit.

He asked the fat man, "That young master’s cooking skills are impressive. Simple ingredients turned into something so fragrant. You watched how he did it; can you replicate it?"

The fat man nodded, "I’ll try."

"Good, good. Try it," the manager encouraged, rubbing his hands together with anticipation.

The fat man recreated the two dishes and soup that Shen Chuwei had just prepared.

The manager tasted it himself and shook his head in disappointment, "The aroma isn’t right; it tastes no different from before."

The fat man frowned, visibly troubled. Despite following the method precisely, why was it different?

While Xiao Jinyan indulged in a cup of tea, noticing that Shen Chuwei hadn’t returned, his brows furrowed. Could he have sneaked out to eat again?

This wasn’t the Temple; there was no need to eat in secrecy.

He stood up, opened the door, and saw Qin Xiao standing at the entrance, "Where did Xiao Jiu go?"

Xiao Jiu obviously referred to the Shen siblings.

"Shen Chuwei left with Weichi," Qin Xiao said.

At that moment, Shen Chuwei arrived, carrying the meal with smiles in her eyes, "Your Highness."

Xiao Jinyan saw the hot, steaming dishes in Shen Chuwei’s hands, readily knowing they were fresh from the stove.

"You went to the kitchen to cook?"

"Yes, let’s go in and eat while it’s hot," Shen Chuwei said, taking the dishes inside.

Xiao Jinyan glanced at Shen Chuwei’s retreating figure, closed the door, and followed him in.

Weichi cast a glance at the closed door, commenting, "Shen Chuwei’s cooking smells divine."

"He cooked it himself?" Qin Xiao was surprised, catching the delicious scent, which surpassed the restaurant’s dishes.

Weichi confirmed positively, "Of course, I saw it with my own eyes. It was no less impressive than a Gold Medal Chef’s work."

Qin Xiao remarked, "It seems Shen Chuwei is also skilled in his own right."

Weichi nodded in agreement.

*

Xiao Jinyan looked at the two dishes and a soup before him. They were simple, homely dishes, and even before tasting, he knew they would be delicious.

He looked up at Shen Chuwei, "You went out just to prepare dinner for me?"

Shen Chuwei nodded, "Yes, it’s urgent when you’re hungry. Being hungry can affect your sleep; it’s better to be well-fed."

Because she herself would be unable to sleep if not full.

No one had ever cared for him in such a way. Shen Chuwei’s actions felt somewhat unreal to him.

Having risked her life to save him twice, she now worried about him going to bed hungry and took the trouble to personally cook his evening meal.

Xiao Jinyan’s gaze filled with complex emotions as he watched Shen Chuwei.

Seeing that he wasn’t moving his chopsticks, Shen Chuwei reminded him, "Your Highness, eat while it’s hot. It won’t taste as good once it cools down."

"Mm," Xiao Jinyan picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of the vegetable, and savored it slowly. It tasted much better than what was served in the restaurant.

While Xiao Jinyan ate, Shen Chuwei stood and moved to the window, peeking outside curiously.

Below the restaurant was the street, lined with red lanterns as the evening set in.

There must be vendors selling specialty snacks on the street, she thought.