"..."
"..."
()°
Annie kept eating heartily, stealing glances now and then at Lin Daiyu across from her. Only when she saw Daiyu gradually relaxing and focusing on the food instead of thinking too much did a sly, triumphant glint appear in her eyes.
(...)
(●￣￣●)
Tibbers naturally knew what its troublesome little mistress was up to. But it couldn't expose her, nor could it do anything about it.
"How is it?"
|˙˙)
"Tasty, right? This one's even better!"
() o-
As she spoke, Annie picked up a glistening, translucent piece of some sort of aspic and placed it on Lin Daiyu's plate. Then she asked with an apparently composed, beaming smile.
"..."
Lin Daiyu didn't refuse. She lowered her head and picked it up, savoring the refreshing, mellow flavor and delicate texture that seemed to reach all the way to her soul. Her spirits lifted.
She gave a slight nod and replied softly:
"Mm, it's truly extraordinary."
"This 'Jade Bamboo Shoots in Celestial Nectar Aspic' uses excellent ingredients. The cooking and balance of spiritual energy are just right. The bamboo shoots were picked while still tender, and the celestial nectar has been set to a perfect clarity. Even those wisps of ice spiritual energy seem to have been coaxed into it with the morning dew."
"It has an even more natural, delicate charm than what the chefs at Rongguo Mansion make. Truly rare."
As she spoke, she looked up at her troublesome little girl of a master.
It had to be said: though this particular master was thoroughly unreliable in her conduct, she did know her food. This spread was every bit as good as the finest chefs at Rongguo Mansion—and in some details, perhaps even better.
"Glad you like it!"
(▽)
At that, Annie's eyes curved into crescents,