Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Matchmaker Yue plans the Myriad Immortals Matchmaking Conference and thanks Qin Fen—whom he knows as “Daoist Nature”—for his assistance.
• Qin Fen requests a share of the Merit earned from the conference. Matchmaker Yue negotiates but agrees to split his gains equally with him.
• Before leaving, Matchmaker Yue casually mentions finding a five-hundred-year-old wild ginseng in the Earthly Immortal Realm.
• Qin Fen recognizes its potential value and shamelessly asks for it. Matchmaker Yue, considering such ginseng worthless compared with Heavenly Court treasures, gives it to him.
• The ginseng is transferred through the phone’s mysterious connection. Qin Fen is shocked to discover that it looks less like a normal root and more like a hairy, ape-shaped organism, suggesting extraordinary quality.
• Qin Fen returns home exhausted after Zhang Ye assigns him excessive work. He checks his phone and discovers that his balance is still 928, despite previous warnings about communication costs.
• He carefully breaks off a small rootlet from the ginseng and eats it. A warm, comfortable energy immediately spreads through his body, confirming its powerful medicinal properties.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen becomes more pragmatic and calculating. He seeks tangible compensation for his help rather than relying only on Matchmaker Yue’s promises, while also carefully budgeting his limited phone credit.
• His cautious nature is emphasized: although he recognizes the ginseng’s immense value, he avoids selling it publicly or consuming too much, fearing danger, fraud, or overwhelming his mortal body.
• Qin Fen’s growing confidence in his connection to the Heavenly Court is balanced by his decision to remain discreet and protect himself.
• Matchmaker Yue is shown to be shrewd and experienced. He tries to minimize what he gives Qin Fen, but his misunderstanding of Qin Fen’s abilities leads him to view him as an incomprehensibly powerful expert.
• Matchmaker Yue’s casual attitude toward Heavenly Court treasures highlights the enormous gap between immortal and mortal standards of value.

Significant Themes

• Different standards of value: What is worthless livestock feed in the Heavenly Court is an invaluable treasure in the mortal world.
• Opportunity and resourcefulness: Qin Fen uses his limited access to the Heavenly Court to improve his situation, selecting practical items rather than pursuing flashy or dangerous treasures.
• Caution and concealment: Qin Fen understands that possessing extraordinary treasures can bring trouble, so he chooses to remain low-profile.
• Miscommunication and mistaken identity: Matchmaker Yue interprets Qin Fen’s requests and hidden abilities as evidence of supreme cultivation, while Qin Fen is merely an ordinary man trying to survive and advance.
• Humorous contrast between realms: The chapter derives much of its comedy from immortal extravagance, Qin Fen’s practical desperation, and the absurdly different meanings of “valuable.”

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Matchmaker Yue negotiate over Merit, establishing a mutually beneficial partnership.
• Qin Fen presses Matchmaker Yue for additional compensation and successfully obtains the ancient ginseng by exploiting Yue’s belief that it is worthless.
• Matchmaker Yue privately marvels at Qin Fen’s supposed power and unusual tastes, while Qin Fen privately resents Yue’s careless attitude toward such a priceless treasure.
• Qin Fen declines Sun Yating’s invitation to eat and returns home, showing his exhaustion and preference for handling his newfound treasure privately.
• The chapter briefly references Qin Fen’s unpleasant relationship with Zhang Ye, whose excessive workload leaves him physically and mentally drained.

Chapter Summary: “Truth Usually Begins Unbelieved”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen wakes feeling fully rejuvenated, seemingly due to the cheap mountain ginseng he consumed.
• At the restaurant, he discovers that Master Zhang Ye is ill, leaving his apprentice Wang Wei responsible for the kitchen. Because Wang Wei is preparing Zhang Ye’s secret sauce, the other employees are idle.
• Sun Yating arrives and efficiently manages the disruption, informing the staff that some specialty dishes may be unavailable.
• Qin Fen volunteers to help cook, despite admitting that he has never cooked these dishes before. He confidently claims he can study a recipe online and reproduce it after looking at it once.
• His statement shocks and amuses the staff, who largely assume he is showing off or does not understand the difficulty of professional cooking.
• Sun Yating tactfully tries to protect Qin Fen from embarrassment by suggesting he is merely trying to encourage everyone, but Qin Fen sincerely insists on trying.
• Before she can approve, Wang Wei emerges from the kitchen and argues that he can handle the cooking himself. He invokes Zhang Ye’s authority and warns that an outsider could damage the restaurant’s reputation.
• Wang Wei’s final pointed glance at Qin Fen establishes a brewing conflict between the two men.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates renewed energy, honesty, confidence, and a willingness to take risks despite lacking conventional cooking experience. He refuses to pretend competence but genuinely believes his abilities may allow him to learn quickly.
• Sun Yating: Shows herself to be practical, tactful, and capable under pressure. She protects Zhang Ye’s reputation, manages the staff, and attempts to save Qin Fen from public embarrassment while remaining open-minded about his abilities.
• Wang Wei: Emerges as defensive and territorial. He emphasizes his apprenticeship and connection to Zhang Ye while subtly portraying Qin Fen as an outsider who may threaten the restaurant.
• Restaurant staff: View Qin Fen with a mixture of admiration, disbelief, and amusement. His confidence increases their curiosity, even as most doubt his ability to cook.

Significant Themes

• Truth and disbelief: Qin Fen speaks honestly about his lack of experience, but his unusual confidence makes others assume he is boasting. The chapter suggests that genuine claims can sound unbelievable when they exceed ordinary expectations.
• Talent versus experience: The contrast between Qin Fen’s natural confidence and Wang Wei’s formal training raises questions about whether skill can be learned through study or must be built through practice.
• Humility versus showing off: Qin Fen believes he is being straightforward, while those around him interpret his words as arrogance. This gap between intention and perception drives much of the chapter’s humor.
• Professional pride and authority: Wang Wei’s insistence on Zhang Ye’s instructions reflects the importance of hierarchy, reputation, and guarding specialized knowledge in the restaurant.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen casually jokes with the restaurant staff and maintains his easygoing attitude.
• Sun Yating and Qin Fen exchange a practical but humorous discussion about whether he can cook, with her skepticism tempered by familiarity with his abilities.
• The employees react collectively to Qin Fen’s claim that he can learn a dish from an online recipe, reinforcing his outsider status and the comic disbelief surrounding him.
• Sun Yating attempts to defuse the situation and preserve Qin Fen’s dignity, but Qin Fen’s insistence undermines her attempt.
• Wang Wei directly challenges Qin Fen’s involvement, appealing to Zhang Ye’s authority and implying that Qin Fen could harm the restaurant’s reputation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen accepts that Zhang Ye is protecting his position as head chef and chooses not to interfere, showing patience for Sun Yating’s sake.
• During a break, Qin Fen checks his supernatural friends list and discovers a mysterious new figure, the Golden-Bearded Daoist.
• By reading the Daoist’s thoughts, Qin Fen learns that he is secretly a member of the Demon Tribe. The Daoist plans to undermine Heavenly Court from within by encouraging young immortals to rebel and descend to the mortal world, thereby producing powerful mixed bloodlines for the Demon Tribe.
• Before Qin Fen can investigate further, He Wen summons him because a customer is protesting the restaurant’s winter melon soup.
• The soup looks and tastes noticeably worse than usual. The customer complains publicly, and nearby diners confirm that the dish had been much better on previous visits.
• Sun Yating attempts to resolve the dispute by replacing the soup, but the second serving is identical. The customer becomes furious and demands to see the real chef.
• Wang Wei admits that he made the soup, but the customer accuses him of being an apprentice and insists that the head chef be called.
• Qin Fen volunteers to make a new serving himself. Despite Wang Wei’s objections and doubts about Qin Fen’s abilities, Qin Fen orders the staff to prepare a stove, table, and cutting board so he can cook in front of everyone.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates restraint by tolerating Zhang Ye’s hostility, but his patience has limits. When Wang Wei mocks and dismisses him, Qin Fen’s pride and competitive spirit emerge.
• Qin Fen’s discovery of the Golden-Bearded Daoist reveals his growing ability to uncover hidden conspiracies and understand the supernatural world around him.
• Sun Yating continues to act as a mediator, trying to protect the restaurant’s reputation and prevent the customer dispute from escalating.
• Wang Wei becomes increasingly nervous and defensive because his inferior soup exposes that he cannot match his absent master’s cooking.
• The middle-aged customer shifts from mild dissatisfaction to open anger after receiving the same poor dish twice, feeling that the restaurant has humiliated him.
• The Golden-Bearded Daoist is established as a covert antagonist who seeks to weaken Heavenly Court for the benefit of the Demon Tribe.

Significant Themes

• Tolerance versus pride: Qin Fen is willing to endure insults when it benefits Sun Yating, but he refuses to tolerate repeated humiliation.
• Hidden schemes and political conflict: The Golden-Bearded Daoist’s plan introduces an internal struggle between Heavenly Court and the Demon Tribe.
• Competence and recognition: The restaurant dispute centers on whether people should be judged by their position—such as Qin Fen’s role as a security guard—or by their actual abilities.
• Public reputation and accountability: The restaurant must respond quickly because one flawed dish affects both customer trust and the establishment’s image.
• Identity and social hierarchy: Qin Fen challenges the assumption that a young security guard cannot possess superior culinary talent.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye: Zhang Ye indirectly warns Qin Fen not to interfere with the kitchen, and Qin Fen withdraws rather than argue.
• Qin Fen and Sun Yating: Sun Yating asks Qin Fen not to take Zhang Ye’s arrogance personally. Qin Fen agrees partly because he respects her and is attracted to her.
• Qin Fen and the Golden-Bearded Daoist: Qin Fen observes the Daoist’s thoughts and uncovers his secret allegiance and plans.
• Sun Yating and the customer: She remains polite and offers a replacement dish to calm the situation.
• Customer and Wang Wei: Their exchange becomes hostile when the second defective soup is served. The customer demands that Wang Wei eat his own cooking and call the true head chef.
• Qin Fen and Wang Wei: Wang Wei tries to stop Qin Fen from taking over, but Qin Fen responds defiantly and prepares to prove himself publicly.

Chapter Summary: “Divine Skill, Astonishing the Audience”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen accepts a challenge from a middle-aged customer to prepare two winter melon bowls entirely on the spot.
• Despite having already exhausted much of his energy, Qin Fen secretly restores himself by eating a piece of old ginseng.
• He begins an extraordinary display of culinary knife work, splitting and carving two winter melons simultaneously.
• Qin Fen uses both hands to create different, highly intricate designs: one featuring flowers, insects, birds, and animals, and the other depicting the Four Beauties.
• He continues demonstrating astonishing multitasking by mincing meat, peeling and deveining shrimp, and stir-frying ingredients with both hands at once.
• After steaming the dishes, he serves them to the customer and his wife. The aroma immediately attracts the attention of the entire restaurant.
• The middle-aged man praises the dish’s refreshing sweetness and natural flavor, declaring himself convinced of Qin Fen’s skill.
• Other customers immediately place orders for winter melon bowls, turning the restaurant’s curiosity into widespread enthusiasm.
• Wang Wei is humiliated and angered when Qin Fen’s success proves that he truly possesses exceptional culinary ability.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Displays remarkable confidence, concentration, endurance, and technical mastery. His ability to divide his attention and coordinate both hands elevates him from a talented cook to an almost legendary figure in the eyes of the diners.
• Sun Yating: Initially worries that Qin Fen has recklessly overestimated himself and may embarrass the restaurant. After witnessing his performance, she becomes impressed and emotionally attracted to his persistence, seriousness, and mysterious nature.
• The apprentices and He Wen: Begin in fear that Qin Fen will fail, but their anxiety turns into awe as he surpasses even what they have seen from him before.
• The middle-aged customer: Starts skeptical and somewhat demanding, but quickly becomes fascinated by Qin Fen’s knife work and ultimately becomes one of his strongest supporters.
• Wang Wei: Suffers a major loss of face as Qin Fen’s success disproves any doubts about his abilities.

Significant Themes

• Hidden talent and recognition: Qin Fen’s extraordinary abilities are revealed publicly, transforming him from an underestimated worker into the center of attention.
• Mastery through concentration: The chapter emphasizes discipline, calmness, calculation, and total control rather than simple physical speed.
• Art within ordinary work: Qin Fen’s cooking becomes a form of performance and craftsmanship, with the carved winter melons resembling works of art.
• Humility versus arrogance: Qin Fen allows his skill to speak for itself, while Wang Wei’s hostility and skepticism are defeated by the undeniable quality of the results.
• Returning to simplicity: The dish’s appeal comes from preserving the ingredients’ natural flavor, suggesting that true mastery can reveal rather than overpower the essence of the materials.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen confidently negotiates with the middle-aged customer, accepting the challenge and asking him to wait for the finished dish.
• The surrounding diners act as an increasingly amazed audience, commenting on and praising every stage of Qin Fen’s preparation.
• The apprentices silently worry about Qin Fen while recognizing that his performance exceeds ordinary culinary skill.
• Sun Yating watches anxiously at first, then develops admiration and romantic interest as Qin Fen proves himself.
• The middle-aged man shifts from doubt to enthusiastic respect, publicly praising Qin Fen and encouraging others to try the dish.
• The crowd’s demand for more winter melon bowls confirms Qin Fen’s triumph and leaves Wang Wei disgraced.

Chapter Summary: Golden Armored Strongman Talisman

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen works an exhausting day in the restaurant kitchen as customers enthusiastically request his dishes. He relies on ginseng root to maintain his physical and mental stamina.
• Sun Yating notices his exhaustion, brings him a can of Red Bull, and teases him about using ginseng to maintain his energy. Qin Fen, grateful for her support and for previously giving him a job, gives her a piece of the valuable ginseng root.
• While resting, Qin Fen receives a notification that Matchmaker Yue has transferred him 2,000 Merit as payment. Matchmaker Yue explains that his matchmaking proposal earned him a large reward and several artifacts.
• Qin Fen reads messages from Li Tingyu, a celestial child fascinated by stories about her family and the Great Sage. He realizes she comes from an extraordinarily powerful and influential family.
• Wanting to obtain a useful artifact, Qin Fen contacts Li Tingyu while pretending to be the mysterious “Dao Lord of Naturalism.” He offers her downloaded picture books about Nezha in exchange for her “most useless” toy.
• Li Tingyu gives him a paper figure she made herself. Qin Fen discovers that it is actually a Golden Armored Strongman Talisman, a secret technique created by Celestial Master Zhang Daoling.
• Although Li Tingyu’s handmade version possesses less than one ten-thousandth of the original talisman’s power, it can still summon a powerful Golden-armored Warrior capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks. Qin Fen is shocked and decides to keep it as a potential lifesaving defense.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Becomes increasingly aware of his growing feelings for Sun Yating, though he tries to suppress them because he sees himself as merely her employee. He also shows gratitude and loyalty by sharing his ginseng with her. At the same time, he becomes more resourceful and opportunistic in using his connection to the celestial world to acquire protective artifacts.
• Sun Yating: Demonstrates genuine concern for Qin Fen’s well-being by bringing him a drink, checking on his condition, and offering to treat him to dinner. Her playful teasing continues to make Qin Fen flustered.
• Li Tingyu: Is portrayed as powerful, impulsive, and childlike. She is easily tempted by books and cartoons, yet possesses enough cultivation knowledge to recognize the extraordinary power of Qin Fen’s identity and the talisman she created.
• Matchmaker Yue: Rewards Qin Fen generously after benefiting from the matchmaking proposal, strengthening their transactional relationship.

Significant Themes

• Mutual benefit and exchange: Qin Fen trades modern entertainment for a supernatural artifact, highlighting the unusual connection between the mortal and celestial worlds.
• Gratitude and repayment: Qin Fen distinguishes genuine assistance from later favors and believes Sun Yating’s early support deserves repayment.
• Hidden value: Objects dismissed as toys or ordinary items may contain tremendous power, as shown by Li Tingyu’s paper talisman.
• Growing relationships: Sun Yating’s concern and Qin Fen’s emotional reaction suggest the beginning of romantic feelings.
• Resourcefulness and survival: Qin Fen remains physically vulnerable despite his unusual opportunities, so he seeks artifacts that can protect him from danger.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Sun Yating share a flirtatious but awkward exchange in the break room, combining her concern with his embarrassed internal reactions.
• Qin Fen gives Sun Yating ginseng as a gesture of appreciation, while she responds by preparing coffee for him.
• Qin Fen adopts a false immortal identity when bargaining with Li Tingyu, using her love of stories to persuade her into an exchange.
• Li Tingyu initially distrusts him but accepts the deal after he guarantees his promise. Her reaction to the talisman confirms that Qin Fen has accidentally acquired something far more valuable than he expected.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen successfully downloads a Golden-armored Warrior paper talisman through the mysterious WeChat system, spending 1,500 Merit and retaining 500. Although he is unsure how to activate it, he is thrilled to possess a potentially life-saving magical tool.
• Excited by his new power, Qin Fen imagines becoming a modern hero equipped with magical treasures and decides to be satisfied with obtaining only one item.
• Meanwhile, Zhang Ye watches a video of Qin Fen’s earlier actions. He admires Qin Fen’s flawless movements but becomes furious when Qin Fen’s face appears on camera, fearing that Qin Fen might replace him at the restaurant he manages.
• On his way home, Qin Fen hears suspicious sounds near a construction site and discovers a large man restraining a drunken woman. Realizing the man is likely attempting to assault her, Qin Fen pretends to misunderstand the situation and acts as though he is willing to participate.
• Qin Fen uses the conversation to stall the attacker and move closer. He then throws a fake lighter at the man’s forehead, revealing that his apparent lecherous behavior was only an act.
• The attacker draws a dagger, but Qin Fen activates the paper talisman. The Golden-armored Warrior manifests in a burst of golden light, terrifying the criminal, who immediately begs for his life.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen grows more confident and energetic after obtaining the talisman. His fantasies of becoming a hero show his excitement and developing ambition, but his actions also demonstrate practical intelligence and courage.
• He proves capable of deception under pressure, using the attacker’s assumptions against him rather than recklessly confronting him.
• Zhang Ye becomes increasingly jealous and threatened by Qin Fen, seeing him as a possible rival despite Qin Fen’s lack of interest in replacing him.
• The unnamed woman is portrayed as vulnerable and frightened after being drugged or incapacitated by alcohol and deceived by the attacker.
• The criminal shifts from predatory confidence to panic once Qin Fen’s magical power is revealed.

Significant Themes

• Power and responsibility: Qin Fen acquires supernatural equipment but immediately faces a real situation requiring him to use it responsibly.
• The emergence of a hero: Rather than acting like a conventional vigilante, Qin Fen relies on intelligence, timing, and deception before resorting to magic.
• Technology versus magic: The mysterious phone system combines modern digital transactions with supernatural artifacts, reinforcing the chapter’s playful fusion of contemporary life and Taoist-style magic.
• Appearance versus reality: Qin Fen pretends to be immoral to deceive the attacker, while the criminal’s friendly facade hides violent intentions.
• Humor amid danger: The chapter balances a serious attempted assault with comic misunderstandings, Qin Fen’s theatrical performance, Zhang Ye’s jealousy, and the attacker’s exaggerated terror.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen interacts indirectly with the WeChat system through the download and activation prompts, learning that magical abilities require Merit and additional “roaming” fees.
• Zhang Ye and his disciple are connected through the recorded video, with Zhang Ye reacting emotionally to Qin Fen’s public display.
• Qin Fen verbally plays along with the attacker, pretending to accept the assault situation so that he can approach safely and catch the man off guard.
• The woman remains largely unable to communicate, but her movements and despair reveal her fear.
• The confrontation ends with Qin Fen’s Golden-armored Warrior overpowering the criminal psychologically before the physical battle even begins.

Chapter Summary: “Are You Conan?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen confronts a man who is pretending to help an intoxicated woman but is actually attempting to assault her.
• To intimidate the attacker, Qin Fen transforms a paper figure into a towering Golden-armored Warrior using Merit. He controls the warrior mentally through a connection established when the system deducted roaming fees.
• The attacker is terrified and tries to claim that the woman is his girlfriend. Qin Fen carefully analyzes his body language, the woman’s vehicle, and the way he restrained her, proving that the man is lying.
• Although the man promises not to reveal the Golden-armored Warrior, Qin Fen notices that he is secretly recording the encounter with his phone. The warrior knocks him unconscious.
• Qin Fen turns the Golden-armored Warrior back into a paper figure, noting that each use costs three hundred Merit.
• The woman gradually regains consciousness. Qin Fen explains that she was likely drugged and advises her to be more careful about drinking alone.
• Refusing to take her to the hospital or reveal his identity, Qin Fen leaves on his electric scooter.
• The woman watches him disappear and wonders whether he might be “Conan,” comparing his sharp observations and mysterious behavior to the famous detective.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates that his seemingly ordinary or lazy exterior hides exceptional intelligence, observation skills, and tactical ability. He remains calm, manipulative, and analytical under pressure.
• He also shows a strong sense of justice, rescuing the woman while avoiding unnecessary exposure and refusing to seek praise for his actions.
• Qin Fen becomes more familiar with the Golden-armored Warrior’s abilities, learning that it can be controlled mentally and powered by Merit.
• The attacker is revealed as cowardly, opportunistic, and deceitful. Even when cornered, he attempts to secretly record Qin Fen in hopes of profiting later.
• The rescued woman is not entirely helpless. Though drugged and nearly assaulted, she remains observant and carries a concealed spray bottle, suggesting she is capable and possibly connected to more dangerous circumstances.
• Her appearance and eyes subtly resemble those of another important woman, hinting at a possible connection.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus recognition: Qin Fen helps the woman but deliberately avoids being seen or celebrated, valuing the outcome over public credit.
• Appearance versus reality: Qin Fen looks ordinary but is highly perceptive and powerful; the attacker appears to be a boyfriend but is actually a predator; the woman appears helpless but is secretly prepared to defend herself.
• Intelligence and observation: Qin Fen defeats the attacker largely by reading posture, movement, objects, and behavioral details.
• Secrecy and power: The Golden-armored Warrior is an extraordinary ability that Qin Fen must conceal, while the system’s Merit cost introduces practical limits.
• Caution and self-preservation: Qin Fen avoids leaving evidence, hides his identity, and emphasizes that impulsive actions are unwise.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen psychologically dominates the attacker by exposing his intentions and blocking every possible escape route with the Golden-armored Warrior.
• The attacker repeatedly begs for mercy, but Qin Fen remains suspicious and catches him trying to record the encounter.
• Qin Fen speaks briefly with the rescued woman, offering practical advice while maintaining emotional distance and refusing further involvement.
• The woman is intrigued by Qin Fen’s confidence and deductive abilities. Her final question—“Are you Conan?”—underscores her impression that he is an unusually mysterious and perceptive figure.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen returns home exhausted but exhilarated after witnessing the Golden-armored Warrior’s overwhelming power. He begins planning how to use his remaining Merit to improve his future and escape his current role as a cook.
• He rules out introducing advanced technology to the Heavenly Court, realizing that its society is primitive and lacks the spiritual energy needed for sophisticated artifact refinement.
• Qin instead considers experimenting with Heavenly Court soil, hoping it may allow him to grow useful vegetables or plants in the human world. He dismisses the idea of obtaining Immortal Herb Garden plants because they are far too expensive to download.
• Sun Yujie arrives at her sister Sun Yating’s home after nearly being bitten by a dog. Sun Yating reflects on Qin Fen while drinking tea infused with a small piece of the root he gave her.
• Qin contacts the Earth Deity and sends him a copy of Nezha Conquers the Sea, instructing him to translate and reproduce it for the children.
• The Earth Deity reports that the children have become quiet and absorbed in Investiture of the Gods. They have learned about the rivalry between Chanjiao and Jiejiao and have even begun organizing fights based on those factions.
• Qin devises a plan to control and educate the children: they must work in the garden before being allowed to read, with rewards for good behavior and restrictions for poor performance. He suggests appointing Li Tingyu as a classroom monitor and using her as an example to encourage discipline and competition.
• Qin then asks the Earth Deity to obtain some of the worst-quality soil for him, intending to experiment with growing plants.
• While waiting, Qin receives a provocative message from Sun Yating. She jokingly suggests he is masturbating, then sends him a suggestive selfie after he responds flirtatiously.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Fen becomes more ambitious and strategic. Although normally carefree and reluctant to scheme, he recognizes that his plans for the Heavenly Court require careful long-term manipulation. He presents himself as a wise immortal while secretly pursuing practical benefits such as books, soil, and phone credit.
• The Earth Deity grows increasingly impressed by Qin Fen, interpreting his self-serving plans as profound strategies for the Heavenly Court’s future. He is easily persuaded and fully accepts Qin’s educational scheme.
• Sun Yating continues to act as a teasing, provocative figure toward Qin. She enjoys baiting him and appears increasingly comfortable with their flirtatious exchanges.
• Sun Yujie is introduced as Sun Yating’s younger sister. She is energetic, casual, and seemingly less composed than Yating, rushing into the house and immediately heading for the shower.
• Li Tingyu is positioned to gain authority among the children, as Qin recommends making her the classroom monitor.

3. Significant Themes

• Manipulation disguised as benevolence: Qin frames his schemes—acquiring books, controlling children, and obtaining soil—as efforts to improve the Heavenly Court, though he also seeks personal gain.
• Education and social control: Books become tools for shaping behavior. Qin proposes combining knowledge, labor, rewards, punishment, and status to discipline the children.
• Resource scarcity and exploitation: Qin worries about Merit, download costs, and phone credit, highlighting the practical limits of his supernatural connections.
• Modern pragmatism in a mythological world: Qin applies familiar ideas from schooling, leadership, and psychology to the primitive Heavenly Court.
• Flirtation and comic tension: Sun Yating’s provocative messages create a humorous contrast with Qin’s serious plotting and expose their increasingly playful relationship.
• The power of stories: Investiture of the Gods and Nezha Conquers the Sea influence the children’s understanding of history, factional identity, and even their behavior toward one another.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Earth Deity: Qin acts as an all-knowing immortal, while the Earth Deity obediently accepts his advice and mistakes calculated schemes for enlightened wisdom.
• Qin Fen and Sun Yating: Their exchange is openly teasing and flirtatious. Yating attempts to provoke Qin, while Qin recognizes her strategy but still gets caught off guard by her suggestive response.
• Sun Yating and Sun Yujie: Yating takes care of her younger sister after her frightening encounter with a dog, though she is also amused and somewhat exasperated by Yujie’s impulsive behavior.
• The Earth Deity and the Heavenly Court children: The deity plans to impose discipline through gardening tasks, reading privileges, rewards, and the appointment of Li Tingyu as monitor.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen responds jokingly to provocative photos sent through his phone, but his attention is interrupted when the Earth God sends him an item.
• Sun Yating and her younger sister, Sun Yujie, discuss romance, personal standards, and their family situation. Yujie reveals that their uncle, Song, is critically ill with kidney failure, coronary heart disease, and other age-related conditions.
• Yating gives Yujie a small amount of the ginseng Qin Fen previously gifted her. The ginseng proves extraordinarily potent: both sisters quickly develop nosebleeds but also feel energized, refreshed, and physically lighter.
• Yujie realizes the ginseng may be powerful enough to help Uncle Song and takes the remaining piece away for secret testing. Yating becomes increasingly curious about Qin Fen’s mysterious abilities and possessions.
• Qin Fen opens the Earth God’s delivery and receives “Heavenly Court Yellow Mud,” an apparently worthless item that costs him 800 data points. Despite its unimpressive description, he decides to experiment with it.
• He places the celestial mud in a basin, soaks mung beans, and prepares to grow bean sprouts in darkness. He chooses mung beans because they grow quickly and will allow him to test the mud’s effects soon.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Shows practical curiosity and cautious experimentation. Although disappointed by the mud’s low apparent value and the loss of data points, he remains confident that it may have extraordinary properties.
• Sun Yating: Becomes more aware that Qin Fen is far more mysterious and capable than she initially thought. The miraculous ginseng deepens her curiosity about him.
• Sun Yujie: Is introduced as an intelligent, highly accomplished doctor with strict standards for romance. Her medical knowledge leads her to recognize the ginseng’s unusual effects and consider using it to help their seriously ill uncle.
• The sisters: Their playful teasing reveals a close, informal relationship, while their concern for Uncle Song highlights their family loyalty and compassion.

Significant Themes

• The extraordinary hidden within the ordinary: Both the ginseng and the seemingly useless yellow mud appear mundane but possess potentially miraculous value.
• Experimentation and discovery: Qin Fen tests the celestial item through a simple agricultural experiment rather than making assumptions about it.
• Mystery and growing power: Qin Fen’s gifts from the divine network continue to reveal abilities beyond ordinary human understanding.
• Family concern and hope: The sisters’ discussion of Uncle Song introduces the possibility that Qin Fen’s supernatural resources could help save a dying person.
• Humor and casual intimacy: Much of the chapter balances supernatural developments with teasing, embarrassment, and playful sisterly banter.

Character Interactions

• Sun Yating and Sun Yujie tease each other about dating, age, medical work, and sexual habits, demonstrating their comfortable but irreverent bond.
• Yujie questions Yating about the source of the ginseng and becomes determined to test it, while Yating privately wonders what Qin Fen has given her.
• Qin Fen’s interaction with the Earth God is indirect but important: he receives the celestial mud, pays a steep data-point fee, and begins investigating its potential by planting mung beans.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen wakes in his sweltering rooftop room and tends to the mung beans he has been growing, reflecting on his poor living conditions and his goal of eventually moving somewhere better.
• He prepares for another day of work, believing that earning Merit through the Heavenly Court system should be done steadily rather than recklessly.
• Sun Yating calls and asks him to visit Zhang Ye in the hospital on behalf of the restaurant staff. Zhang Ye’s “cold” has supposedly developed into high blood pressure after Qin Fen embarrassed his apprentice.
• Reluctantly, Qin Fen buys flowers and fruit and goes to Central City Hospital.
• He finds Zhang Ye flirting with a nurse and boasting about his culinary expertise, knife skills, income, and supposed romantic inexperience.
• Zhang Ye becomes angry and embarrassed when Qin Fen arrives, especially because Qin has overheard his boasting.
• While trying to impress the nurse, Zhang Ye moves his arm and dislodges his IV, causing him significant pain and forcing the nurse to reconnect it.
• Zhang Ye attempts to assert authority over Qin Fen, belittling his cooking ability and warning him not to overestimate himself.
• Qin Fen remains calm and refuses to argue, but subtly retaliates by mentioning Zhang Ye’s wife and child in front of the nurse, abruptly exposing the false image Zhang Ye was trying to project.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Continues to live modestly but shows patience, self-discipline, and confidence in his growing opportunities. He is initially unwilling to visit Zhang Ye but fulfills the request out of responsibility. His calm demeanor and sharp sense of humor allow him to counter Zhang Ye without openly escalating the conflict.
• Zhang Ye: Reveals himself as arrogant, boastful, hypocritical, and highly insecure about Qin Fen’s abilities. He uses his seniority at the restaurant to belittle Qin Fen while simultaneously trying to impress the nurse. His anger and embarrassment show that Qin Fen’s recent success has seriously threatened his pride and reputation.
• Sun Yating: Acts as the practical intermediary between the two men. Although busy with family obligations, she expects Qin Fen to show workplace camaraderie and helps maintain the restaurant’s operations.
• The nurse: Initially entertained by Zhang Ye’s exaggerated claims, she gradually notices the tension between him and Qin Fen. Her attitude becomes less impressed after Zhang Ye’s clumsy behavior and Qin’s revelation about his family.

Significant Themes

• Humility versus arrogance: Qin Fen’s quiet confidence contrasts with Zhang Ye’s constant self-promotion.
• Public image and hypocrisy: Zhang Ye carefully constructs an image of wealth, skill, and bachelorhood, but Qin Fen exposes the gap between his performance and reality.
• Workplace rivalry: Their conflict is rooted in professional jealousy, particularly Zhang Ye’s fear that Qin Fen’s emerging culinary talent will undermine his authority.
• Patience and gradual progress: Qin Fen reflects that success and Merit should be accumulated step by step rather than pursued recklessly.
• Social status and insecurity: Zhang Ye relies on seniority and exaggerated achievements to maintain superiority, while Qin Fen’s genuine competence threatens that position.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Sun Yating: Sun Yating persuades Qin Fen to visit Zhang Ye, appealing to workplace responsibility despite Qin Fen’s reluctance.
• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye: Their conversation is outwardly polite but filled with hostility. Zhang Ye repeatedly lectures and insults Qin Fen, while Qin Fen responds with restrained remarks and ultimately embarrasses him by bringing up his family.
• Zhang Ye and the nurse: Zhang Ye flirts with her and boasts about his cooking, but his attempt to impress her is undermined by his dislodged IV and Qin Fen’s arrival.
• Qin Fen and the nurse: Qin Fen does not directly pursue her attention, but his quiet presence and final revelation cause her to see Zhang Ye’s behavior more critically.

Chapter Summary: “I’ll Wipe It Off for You”

Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen retaliates against Zhang Ye, who has been undermining him at the restaurant, by falsely telling a young nurse that Zhang Ye is married and has a wife waiting for him.
• The nurse believes Qin Fen and treats Zhang Ye with contempt, repeatedly reinserting his IV after he moves his hand. She also thanks Qin Fen for exposing Zhang Ye’s supposed deception.
• Zhang Ye becomes furious and finally drops his usual polite facade, openly threatening Qin Fen. Qin Fen calmly provokes him further by pretending to be concerned about his blood pressure before leaving.
• The nurse later scolds Zhang Ye for shouting and reminds him that Qin Fen visited him kindly and brought a message from his “wife.” Unable to clear up the misunderstanding, Zhang Ye is left humiliated and resentful.
• Qin Fen reflects that Zhang Ye brought the situation on himself by deliberately overworking him and treating him as a threat. Qin Fen never intended to permanently compete with Zhang Ye, since cooking is not his ultimate ambition.
• Meanwhile, Sun Yujie brings the old ginseng root Qin Fen provided to Uncle Song. Testing reveals that it is more than five hundred years old and extraordinarily potent. After taking a small amount, Uncle Song—previously unable to walk—manages to take several steps and regains his appetite.
• Sun Yujie returns to the hospital to retrieve Uncle Song’s medical records before specialists arrive from the capital. Outside, she and Qin Fen collide while both are distracted by breakfast and their phones.
• Sun Yujie spills soy milk on her white coat. Qin Fen instinctively tries to wipe it off, but his awkward movements make the situation appear suggestive. She becomes alarmed and steps away, though she realizes he did not act deliberately.
• As Qin Fen leaves on his small scooter, Sun Yujie recognizes him as “Conan,” the mysterious figure connected to the valuable ginseng, and is left shocked.

Character Development

• Qin Fen: Reveals a mischievous, sharp-tongued side. Though generally easygoing, he is willing to retaliate when bullied and uses humor to defeat Zhang Ye psychologically. His awkward attempt to help Sun Yujie also shows that his actions can be clumsy despite good intentions.
• Zhang Ye: His concealed hostility toward Qin Fen becomes explicit. His jealousy stems from fear that Qin Fen’s superior knife skills will cause Sun Yating to replace him as the contracted kitchen operator. His humiliation intensifies his resentment.
• Sun Yujie: Her medical and family responsibilities are emphasized. The ginseng’s effects dramatically change her understanding of Qin Fen’s abilities and make her recognize him as “Conan.” Her first direct encounter with him, however, is confusing and embarrassing.
• Sun Yating and Uncle Song: Sun Yating’s trust in Qin Fen’s ginseng is validated, while Uncle Song’s sudden improvement provides evidence of its extraordinary power.

Major Themes

• Revenge and consequences: Zhang Ye’s attempts to suppress Qin Fen lead to a humiliating counterattack.
• Hidden hostility beneath politeness: Zhang Ye’s “smiling tiger” personality contrasts with Qin Fen’s more openly playful but equally sharp retaliation.
• Misunderstanding and appearances: Zhang Ye is unable to correct the nurse’s false impression, while Qin Fen’s innocent attempt to clean Sun Yujie’s coat appears inappropriate.
• Extraordinary ability and destiny: The ancient ginseng demonstrates Qin Fen’s mysterious resources and increases the Sun family’s interest in him.
• Humor through reversal: Qin Fen repeatedly turns situations against those who oppose him, while his own awkward encounter with Sun Yujie leaves him embarrassed.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye engage in a battle of provocation, with Qin Fen using the nurse and Zhang Ye’s supposed wife to undermine him.
• Zhang Ye’s interactions with the nurse worsen his humiliation because she views him as a dishonest married man.
• Sun Yujie and Qin Fen meet by accident, producing an embarrassing misunderstanding.
• Sun Yujie’s recognition of Qin Fen as “Conan” sets up greater interest and likely future interaction between them.

Chapter Summary: “Qin Fen’s Rotten Idea Makes Matchmaker Yue Kneel”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen returns early to the restaurant, where the staff enthusiastically welcome him because of his exaggerated performance the previous day.
• He checks his Moments and finds Matchmaker Yue in a miserable state. Yue has been ordered to organize a massive Ten-Thousand Matchmaking Conference, but the complicated rivalries among Heavenly Court immortals make the task nearly impossible.
• Matchmaker Yue has already tried arranging matches for the Third Prince of the Li residence and for Wen Zhong’s daughter. King Li kicks him out, while Wen Zhong’s household blasts him away with heavenly lightning.
• Qin Fen contacts Yue and correctly identifies that the core problem is the lack of harmony between the immortals and their families.
• Realizing that Yue needs his help and can be exploited, Qin Fen deliberately negotiates for compensation. Yue first offers a Peach of Immortality, but Qin Fen refuses it and instead accepts a bottle of Monkey Wine from the Great Sage.
• Qin Fen then pretends he must leave to earn Merit, prompting Yue to offer him 2,000 Merit in desperation.
• Qin Fen acts reluctant and morally upright while clearly intending to accept the reward. Yue eventually transfers the Merit, raising Qin Fen’s balance to 2,269.
• Qin Fen immediately asks where the Monkey Wine is, leaving Yue furious and emotionally exhausted after being manipulated from both sides.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen reveals himself as calculating, greedy, and extremely unwilling to suffer losses. He uses polite, self-righteous language to disguise his shameless bargaining and takes revenge on Yue for a previous dispute over Merit.
• Matchmaker Yue becomes increasingly desperate and humiliated. Though initially prepared to pay heavily for help, he is repeatedly confused and pressured by Qin Fen’s unpredictable responses.
• The Heavenly immortals are portrayed as deeply divided by old grudges, especially the hostility between former Chanjiao and Jiejiao factions. Their personal rivalries make matchmaking politically dangerous.
• King Li and Wen Zhong both demonstrate their unwillingness to let their children be matched with potentially unsuitable or hostile families.

Significant Themes

• Greed disguised as virtue: Qin Fen repeatedly presents his demands as modest or principled while carefully extracting every possible benefit.
• Revenge and grudges: Qin Fen remembers Yue’s earlier behavior and deliberately makes him suffer in return.
• Political and familial conflict: The matchmaking event exposes the long-lasting resentment between Heavenly Court factions and the dangers of marriage across enemy lines.
• Negotiation and manipulation: The chapter’s humor comes from Qin Fen’s psychological tactics and Yue’s increasingly desperate attempts to secure cooperation.
• Satire of immortals: Heavenly beings behave like petty, status-conscious, and self-interested ordinary people rather than perfect divine figures.

Character Interactions

• The restaurant staff treat Qin Fen with unusual warmth and respect, suggesting his previous actions greatly improved his reputation.
• Matchmaker Yue approaches Qin Fen as a desperate petitioner, while Qin Fen adopts the role of a superior adviser.
• Qin Fen and Yue engage in a playful but hostile bargaining exchange: Yue offers rewards, Qin Fen pretends to refuse them, and Yue is forced to beg.
• Qin Fen’s final demand for the Monkey Wine immediately after receiving the Merit highlights the imbalance in their relationship and completes Yue’s humiliation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Matchmaker Yue presents Qin Fen with a small porcelain bottle, apparently connected to the Ten-Thousand Matchmaking Conference.
• Qin Fen explains that the conference’s public failure was likely engineered by someone who deliberately exaggerated the proposal and used the longstanding hostility between the Heavenly Court’s major Daoist factions to sabotage it.
• He proposes turning this sabotage into an advantage: instead of forcing random matches, Matchmaker Yue should use the existing rivalry between Chanjiao and Jiejiao to encourage marriages between their younger generations.
• Qin Fen’s idea is to have the children of rival factions marry, creating family ties that would force their elders to restrain their hostility. The younger generation’s mutual affection would be considered first, ensuring the matches were not entirely coerced.
• He further suggests disguising the matchmaking event as a banquet held in Jade Emperor’s name. The older immortals can be seated together while the younger immortals mingle separately, allowing relationships to develop naturally without provoking immediate resistance.
• Matchmaker Yue accepts the plan and vows to carry it out, recognizing that it could resolve the Heavenly Court’s centuries-old internal conflict.
• Qin Fen privately reveals his deeper objective: earning enormous Merit by stabilizing the Heavenly Court and strengthening the Daoist order rather than destroying it.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates extraordinary strategic intelligence. Though mortal and lacking immortal powers, he proves capable of manipulating political tensions and human emotions more effectively than many immortals.
• He is shown to be ambitious but not malicious. His scheme is designed both to gain Merit and to preserve the Heavenly Court, which he reveres as part of his cultural and spiritual heritage.
• Matchmaker Yue shifts from suspicion and hesitation to admiration and wholehearted support. Initially worried that Qin Fen’s proposal violates the principle of free love, he gradually accepts that mutual affection and family reconciliation can coexist.
• Matchmaker Yue’s confidence in his own matchmaking abilities is humorously undermined by Qin Fen’s deeper understanding of strategy; his “red strings” are less effective than Qin Fen’s political and emotional calculations.

Significant Themes

• Wisdom versus power: Qin Fen cannot compete with immortals in cultivation, but he argues that mortal intelligence and accumulated knowledge can rival supernatural ability.
• Turning adversity into opportunity: The sabotage of the matchmaking conference becomes the foundation for an even more effective plan.
• Reconciliation through family bonds: Personal relationships and marriage are presented as ways to soften inherited hatred and bridge institutional divisions.
• The unity of the Daoist factions: Qin Fen emphasizes that the three teachings are ultimately one family and should not continue destroying one another.
• Merit and ambition: Qin Fen’s idealistic goal of strengthening the Heavenly Court is intertwined with his practical desire to accumulate Merit and establish himself in the mortal world.
• Strategic manipulation and moral ambiguity: The plan is intentionally “rotten” and devious, yet its potentially beneficial results make it acceptable. The chapter questions whether questionable methods can be justified by peace and stability.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Matchmaker Yue engage in a tense but increasingly cooperative conversation. Yue repeatedly asks for clarification, while Qin Fen guides him toward the full plan.
• Qin Fen reassures Yue that matches should only be encouraged when both parties show interest, addressing Yue’s concern that the scheme would violate free will.
• Yue initially suspects Qin Fen may be trying to weaken the Heavenly Court or cause conflict between the immortals, but Qin Fen’s complete strategy convinces him otherwise.
• Their interaction transforms from cautious negotiation into genuine alliance, with Matchmaker Yue expressing gratitude on behalf of Jade Emperor and the Heavenly Court.

Chapter Summary: “Does Heavenly Court Mud Come with Fertilizer?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen finishes communicating with Matchmaker Yue and receives the promised 2,000 Merit, leaving the consequences of his risky scheme to unfold on their own.
• Food God asks Qin Fen for ideas for a new banquet dish because the Heavenly Court has grown tired of roast duck. Qin Fen introduces hot pot, explaining that diners can cook skewered ingredients together in one large pot.
• Food God initially misunderstands the concept, calling it “antique broth,” but quickly recognizes its value and sincerely admires Qin Fen’s culinary insight.
• Exhausted after a difficult day at the restaurant—especially with Sun Yating absent—Qin Fen returns home and discovers that the bean sprouts grown in Heavenly Court mud have matured far faster than normal.
• He cooks and tastes the sprouts, discovering that they are unusually sweet, fresh, and infused with a calming, almost spiritual quality. Their quality makes the accompanying noodles seem inferior.
• Qin Fen realizes the Heavenly Court soil may be a valuable resource. He begins planning how to commercialize its produce, deciding to sell exclusive prepared dishes rather than cheap raw ingredients.
• He becomes increasingly eager to maintain contact with the Heavenly Court, particularly in hopes of eventually obtaining Peaches of Immortality.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates greater strategic confidence, accepting the uncertainty surrounding his scheme while prioritizing his own gains. He also shows growing entrepreneurial ambition, quickly recognizing the commercial potential of Heavenly Court-grown food.
• His culinary reputation continues to rise. Food God regards him not merely as a powerful immortal but as a genuine expert whose ideas can improve Food God’s own craft.
• Food God is portrayed as open-minded and humble. Though unfamiliar with hot pot, he eagerly learns from Qin Fen and sincerely acknowledges Qin Fen as a teacher.
• Qin Fen’s exhaustion highlights the practical burden of managing the restaurant, especially without Sun Yating, whose absence noticeably weakens the operation.

Significant Themes

• Cross-world cultural exchange: Qin Fen introduces a mortal cooking style to the Heavenly Court, while Heavenly Court resources transform ordinary earthly ingredients.
• Resourcefulness and entrepreneurship: Qin Fen repeatedly turns simple ideas—hot pot, bean sprouts, and culinary expertise—into potentially valuable opportunities.
• Scarcity and value: He understands that Heavenly Court-grown ingredients should not be sold cheaply and plans to create exclusivity through limited supply and prepared dishes.
• Quality shaped by environment: The bean sprouts suggest that Heavenly Court soil contains spiritual or immortal energy, raising questions about how other earthly crops might be transformed.
• Ambition and desire: Qin Fen’s growing interest in Heavenly Court connections is driven partly by profit and partly by his longing for legendary treasures such as the Peaches of Immortality.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Matchmaker Yue conclude their exchange with Qin Fen receiving his Merit reward, though the larger consequences of their dealings remain uncertain.
• Qin Fen and Food God discuss banquet menus. Qin Fen explains hot pot in detail, while Food God asks technical questions and ultimately praises Qin Fen’s expertise.
• Qin Fen later interacts indirectly with Sun Yating, whose absence affects the restaurant’s efficiency despite her not appearing in the chapter.
• Qin Fen’s interaction with the Heavenly Court mud and its crops becomes a turning point, revealing a new opportunity for him to connect the mortal world and the immortal realm.

Chapter Summary: “The Deadly Bearing of a Great General”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen arrives at the restaurant with bean sprouts and immediately notices that his coworkers are avoiding him and trying to warn him.
• Zhang Ye has returned after recovering from his illness. Still resentful toward Qin Fen—especially because he believes Qin Fen took the young nurse he liked—Zhang Ye openly provokes and pressures him.
• Zhang orders Qin Fen to prepare ingredients for an important visit involving Sun Yating’s family, but Qin Fen refuses to be intimidated and focuses on his work.
• Sun Yating arrives with her father and Song Jianjun, an elderly former military man. The two guests are important figures, though Qin Fen is largely uninterested in their status.
• Zhang Ye attempts to impress the guests by presenting himself as the restaurant’s expert chef and claiming that winter melon soup is his specialty, deliberately preventing Qin Fen from receiving attention.
• Qin Fen remains detached and does not compete with Zhang Ye, thinking more about how to cook his bean sprouts and what to eat for breakfast.
• After observing Qin Fen’s calmness and lack of vanity, Song Jianjun and Sun Yating’s father praise him as having “the bearing of a great general.”

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates extreme composure, independence, and indifference to status or rivalry. His apparent laziness and disinterest are interpreted by the elders as confidence and inner steadiness. He continues to prioritize simple personal concerns over social competition.
• Zhang Ye: Reveals deep jealousy and hostility toward Qin Fen. Although he maintains a polite smile and outward composure, he actively tries to suppress Qin Fen and steal the opportunity to impress Sun Yating’s family.
• Sun Yating: Shows affection and respect for Qin Fen’s personality and abilities. She dislikes Zhang Ye’s opportunistic behavior and is pleased by Qin Fen’s refusal to show off. Her interactions with her father and Song Jianjun also reveal her lively, candid nature.
• Sun Yating’s father: Carefully observes Qin Fen and recognizes his unusual calmness and potential.
• Song Jianjun: A former soldier with a humorous, outspoken personality. He quickly appreciates Qin Fen’s steady demeanor and compares it to the bearing of a great general.

Significant Themes

• True composure versus calculated confidence: Zhang Ye pretends to be calm while scheming against Qin Fen, whereas Qin Fen is genuinely unaffected by the rivalry.
• Humility and hidden potential: Qin Fen does not seek recognition, yet his lack of ambition in the moment makes him appear especially capable and dignified.
• Social status versus personal nature: The elders’ importance impresses everyone except Qin Fen, emphasizing his unconventional indifference to rank and reputation.
• Jealousy and competition: Zhang Ye’s resentment drives him to undermine Qin Fen, contrasting sharply with Qin Fen’s refusal to participate in petty conflict.
• Generational relationships and family warmth: Sun Yating’s teasing exchanges with her father and Song Jianjun add humor and show the elders’ long-standing friendship.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye exchange superficially polite but hostile remarks, with Zhang Ye attempting to assert authority and Qin Fen responding with blunt indifference.
• Sun Yating introduces Zhang Ye and Qin Fen to her father and Song Jianjun, but Zhang Ye dominates the conversation to promote himself.
• Sun Yating silently supports Qin Fen, admiring his calmness and glaring at Zhang Ye when he takes credit for the winter melon soup.
• Her father and Song Jianjun discuss Qin Fen after the young men leave, interpreting his laziness and detachment as exceptional self-control and military-like bearing.
• The chapter ends with Zhang Ye eagerly preparing the soup while Qin Fen remains distracted by thoughts of cooking his bean sprouts, reinforcing the contrast between their personalities.

Chapter Summary: “Contest of Knife Skills”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Ye and Qin Fen prepare breakfast at the restaurant. Zhang Ye makes a winter melon soup bowl with porridge and side dishes, while Qin Fen prepares chicken-broth wontons with bean sprouts.
• Song Jianjun and Sun Yating’s father sample Zhang Ye’s food but eat only a little, claiming to be full and planning to take a walk.
• When Qin Fen brings out his wontons, the aroma immediately attracts Song Jianjun. Despite his usual lack of appetite due to illness, he eagerly tastes them and is overwhelmed by their flavor.
• Song Jianjun calls Sun Yating’s father over to try the wontons. The two older men become so enthusiastic that they begin dividing Qin Fen’s breakfast between themselves, leaving him with very little.
• Zhang Ye becomes furious when his carefully prepared winter melon soup is ignored while Qin Fen’s wontons receive all the praise. Jealousy and resentment drive him to accuse Qin Fen of stealing his secret soup base.
• Qin Fen retaliates with absurd insults, first claiming to be Zhang Ye’s father and then his stepfather. His sharp comebacks amuse Sun Yating, the two older men, and the restaurant staff.
• Zhang Ye challenges Qin Fen to a cooking competition, declaring that the loser must leave. He chooses knife skills as the basis of the contest, and Qin Fen confidently accepts.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates impressive cooking ability, especially in preparing wontons and broth. He is initially easygoing but finally pushes back against Zhang Ye’s repeated provocations.
• Zhang Ye becomes increasingly jealous and desperate as Qin Fen outshines him. His frustration causes him to make a false accusation and escalate the conflict into a formal challenge.
• Song Jianjun shows a dramatic improvement in appetite and mood after tasting Qin Fen’s wontons, suggesting that Qin Fen’s food may have a beneficial effect on his health.
• Sun Yating’s father is similarly impressed by Qin Fen’s cooking and begins to appreciate his bold, quick-witted personality.
• Sun Yating is caught between the rivalry but appears entertained by Qin Fen’s humor and supports allowing the competition to proceed.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus reputation: Qin Fen’s simple wontons surpass Zhang Ye’s supposedly secret and medicinal dish, showing that genuine skill matters more than claims or presentation.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Zhang Ye’s resentment grows as Qin Fen wins attention and approval, turning a breakfast into a personal battle.
• Humor as self-defense: Qin Fen uses outrageous verbal comebacks to expose Zhang Ye’s accusations and maintain control of the situation.
• Food as a measure of character and ability: The elders’ enthusiastic response to the wontons establishes Qin Fen’s culinary talent and raises the stakes of the coming contest.
• Generational and personal recognition: The older men’s approval of Qin Fen contrasts with Zhang Ye’s declining standing, particularly in relation to Sun Yating.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye: Their antagonistic relationship intensifies from passive competition to open confrontation. Zhang Ye accuses Qin Fen of plagiarism, while Qin Fen mocks him and accepts his challenge.
• Qin Fen and the two older men: Qin Fen’s food wins their immediate admiration, especially from the previously ill and appetite-less Song Jianjun.
• Zhang Ye and Sun Yating: Zhang Ye’s behavior reflects his fear of losing her favor, while Sun Yating becomes increasingly skeptical of his accusations.
• The two older men and Qin Fen: They treat him warmly after tasting his cooking and enjoy his sharp tongue, comparing his personality favorably to Sun Yating’s father.
• Everyone present: The group is shocked and amused by Qin Fen’s “father” and “stepfather” remarks, transforming the tense accusation into comic entertainment before the knife-skills contest is announced.

Chapter Summary: “God-Tier Knife Skills, the Food God’s Signature Move”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A spontaneous knife-skills competition is arranged at the restaurant between Zhang Ye and Qin Fen, with Sun Yating and Song Jianjun acting as judges.
• The event quickly attracts apprentices, staff, pedestrians, and spectators, turning the restaurant into a lively public spectacle.
• Zhang Ye chooses to demonstrate his signature technique: carving tofu, an extremely difficult task because the ingredient can easily crumble under pressure.
• Qin Fen deliberately chooses the same challenge, provoking Zhang Ye, who accuses him of copying.
• Both men begin carving tofu, but their approaches are dramatically different:
  • Zhang Ye becomes intensely focused and works with careful concentration.
  • Qin Fen remains relaxed, conversing with others and apparently treating the competition casually.
• Sun Yating recognizes that Qin Fen is using his extraordinary multitasking ability. She encourages him to demonstrate it further by interacting and even eating while carving.
• Qin Fen continues working while talking, checking his phone, and preparing to eat a bun, leaving the spectators and the two older judges astonished.
• Song Shaoqing arrives with two men and is immediately told not to disturb the competition. However, Song Jianjun soon begins chatting with Qin Fen himself, asking about his training, age, and romantic life.
• Despite the distractions, Qin Fen’s hands continue moving steadily and precisely, with tofu scraps scattering rapidly. His performance suggests that he may be far superior to Zhang Ye.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Reveals astonishing control, precision, and multitasking ability. His calm, playful attitude contrasts with the seriousness of the contest and makes his skill appear almost superhuman. He also develops a flirtatious rapport with Sun Yating.
• Zhang Ye: Begins confidently, relying on his renowned tofu-carving technique, but becomes visibly irritated and pressured when Qin Fen matches his challenge. His pride and competitive temperament are emphasized.
• Sun Yating: Acts as a perceptive judge and supports Qin Fen, recognizing his unique ability to divide his attention without sacrificing performance. Her teasing interactions with him suggest growing interest and familiarity.
• Song Jianjun: Initially presents himself as an authoritative judge but becomes fascinated by Qin Fen’s abilities. He starts probing Qin Fen about marriage, apparently approving of him as a potential son-in-law.
• Song Shaoqing: Arrives expecting a normal visit but is bewildered by the competition and by his father’s inconsistent behavior. He becomes another shocked observer of Qin Fen’s skills.
• The spectators and apprentices: Shift from curiosity to amazement as they realize the competition involves two genuine masters rather than a one-sided display.

Significant Themes

• True mastery versus showmanship: Zhang Ye demonstrates mastery through intense focus, while Qin Fen displays an even more extraordinary form of skill by remaining relaxed and distracted without losing precision.
• Confidence and composure: Qin Fen’s calmness contrasts with Zhang Ye’s irritation, suggesting that psychological control is as important as technical ability.
• Competition and pride: Zhang Ye’s choice of signature technique reflects his confidence and pride, while Qin Fen’s imitation turns the contest into a direct challenge.
• Multitasking as exceptional talent: Qin Fen’s ability to converse, check his phone, and possibly eat while carving tofu becomes the central spectacle of the chapter.
• Romantic and familial matchmaking: Sun Yating’s flirtatious exchange with Qin Fen and Song Jianjun’s questions about his relationship status introduce a humorous romantic subplot.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Ye and Qin Fen clash immediately, with Zhang Ye accusing Qin Fen of copying his tofu-carving technique.
• Sun Yating teases Qin Fen and encourages him to multitask, while their playful exchange makes the spectators suspect romantic interest.
• Song Jianjun and Sun Yating bicker humorously over whether she should interfere with the competition.
• Song Jianjun questions Qin Fen about his training and love life, effectively evaluating him as a potential partner for Sun Yating.
• Song Shaoqing is reprimanded for interrupting but then watches in disbelief as his father casually distracts Qin Fen.
• The crowd’s reactions heighten the comedic tone, treating Qin Fen’s casual performance as something unnatural and godlike.

Chapter Summary: “You Have Dirty Tricks, I Have Divine Powers”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A public competition between Qin Fen and Chef Zhang Ye focuses on advanced tofu carving, drawing an increasingly fascinated crowd.
• Zhang Ye carefully carves a reclining Maitreya Buddha, while Qin Fen creates a far more intricate dragon.
• Qin Fen repeatedly checks his phone because he is waiting for Sun Yating to return and is hungry after eating only one bite of wonton that morning.
• When Sun Yating brings him buns, Qin Fen eats while continuing to carve tofu at astonishing speed and precision. His multitasking leaves the spectators—including Zhang Ye—completely stunned.
• Qin Fen’s seemingly effortless performance causes Zhang Ye to lose his concentration and cut his finger. He finishes his Buddha carving with several bandaged fingers, while Qin Fen remains uninjured.
• The crowd recognizes that Qin Fen has decisively surpassed Zhang Ye in both technique and composure. His dragon carving is also judged more difficult and detailed than Zhang Ye’s human figure.
• Rather than accept defeat, Zhang Ye changes the terms of the contest, arguing that knife work is only a small part of culinary skill and proposing that they continue by preparing complete dishes, with flavor carrying greater weight.
• Qin Fen calmly accepts the challenge, while the crowd views Zhang Ye’s attempt as shamelessly refusing to concede.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates extraordinary mastery, calmness, and physical coordination. His ability to eat and converse while performing delicate carving highlights both his confidence and his supernatural culinary skill. Despite his casual attitude, he takes the competition seriously.
• Zhang Ye: Begins as a proud and capable challenger but becomes increasingly frustrated and intimidated by Qin Fen’s superiority. His loss of concentration, injury, and subsequent attempt to redefine the contest reveal his wounded pride and unwillingness to admit defeat.
• Sun Yating: Shows concern for Qin Fen’s hunger and supports him by bringing buns and holding the carved tofu steady. Her understanding of his personality emphasizes their growing closeness.
• Sun Yating’s father and Song Jianjun: Are impressed by Qin Fen and openly praise him as a hidden master. Their friendly argument reinforces the comic atmosphere.
• Song Shaoqing: Is rendered speechless by Qin Fen’s performance and cannot find any meaningful criticism of him.
• The spectators: Shift from curiosity to amazement, openly recognizing the enormous gap between the two competitors.

Significant Themes

• Mastery and the Dao: The chapter presents ultimate skill in any discipline as a path toward the Dao. Qin Fen’s abilities are explained as an extension of the Food God’s near-divine mastery.
• Effortless excellence versus strained competence: Qin Fen’s relaxed multitasking contrasts sharply with Zhang Ye’s tense concentration, suggesting that true mastery appears natural and effortless.
• Pride and denial: Zhang Ye’s refusal to accept defeat illustrates how pride can lead someone to change the rules rather than acknowledge another person’s superiority.
• Hidden talent: The spectators repeatedly marvel that extraordinary masters may exist unnoticed among ordinary people.
• Comedy through contrast: Qin Fen’s hunger, casual eating, and relaxed behavior make Zhang Ye’s increasingly desperate reaction both humiliating and humorous.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Sun Yating share a warm, familiar exchange, with her feeding his needs while he remains focused on the contest.
• Sun Yating’s father and Song Jianjun jokingly debate how to describe Qin Fen’s talent, strengthening their humorous friendship.
• Zhang Ye watches Qin Fen’s casual performance and becomes increasingly enraged, eventually injuring himself.
• After finishing, Qin Fen remains composed and allows Zhang Ye to propose the next stage without protest, while Zhang Ye tries to preserve his dignity by shifting the competition from carving to cooking.
• The crowd acts as an informal judge, unanimously recognizing Qin Fen’s overwhelming advantage and condemning Zhang Ye’s attempted change of rules.

Chapter Summary: “Monkey Wine of Huaguo Mountain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Ye accepts the cooking challenge with exaggerated confidence, despite having already used unfair tactics to gain an advantage.
• He reveals a Buddha Jumps Over the Wall dish that was prepared in advance and simmered for forty hours. Its rich aroma impresses the onlookers and appears to guarantee his victory.
• The kitchen has few usable ingredients because Zhang Ye intentionally consumed the prepared meat and seafood. Qin Fen is left with only vegetables and seasonings.
• While searching the kitchen, Qin Fen finds brown sugar and secretly uses the chat system to obtain Monkey Wine from Huaguo Mountain. The wine costs him 500 Merit, demonstrating its extraordinary value.
• Zhang Ye finishes his Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, “Buddha’s Radiant Illumination,” and receives widespread praise.
• Qin Fen quickly melts brown sugar with lard, adds a small amount of Monkey Wine, and pours the mixture over his carved tofu.
• His dish, “Dragon Returns to the Sea,” forms a lifelike golden-red dragon and combines the refreshing flavor of tofu with the sweetness and fruity fragrance of Monkey Wine.
• The two elderly judges taste both dishes. Although Zhang Ye’s dish is rich and technically sound, Qin Fen’s creation better preserves the tofu’s natural freshness and delivers a more distinctive flavor.
• The chapter ends with the judges praising Qin Fen’s dish and quoting the saying that when a dragon encounters wind and clouds, it transforms into something powerful.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates adaptability, creativity, and a willingness to retaliate when others play unfairly. Rather than panicking over the lack of ingredients, he uses Monkey Wine to create an unexpected advantage.
• Zhang Ye is revealed as manipulative and hypocritical. He presents himself as confident and righteous while deliberately depriving Qin Fen of ingredients and relying on a pre-prepared dish.
• Sun Yating becomes increasingly frustrated by Zhang Ye’s threats and unfair behavior, though she remains worried about Qin Fen’s chances.
• Song Jianjun and Song Shaoqing strongly dislike Zhang Ye’s dishonesty. Their contempt for him grows as they recognize how deliberately he has rigged the competition.
• The judges initially appear impressed by Zhang Ye’s elaborate dish but recognize the superiority of Qin Fen’s more balanced and innovative preparation after tasting it.

Significant Themes

• Fairness versus manipulation: Zhang Ye tries to win through preparation and sabotage rather than a fair contest, while Qin Fen answers his trickery with an even more inventive solution.
• Creativity under pressure: Qin Fen succeeds despite having almost no ingredients, proving that resourcefulness can overcome elaborate preparation.
• Appearance versus substance: Zhang Ye’s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall looks impressive and smells powerful, but its heavy flavor is less memorable than Qin Fen’s simple tofu dish.
• Natural flavor and balance: The chapter emphasizes that good cooking is not merely about intensity or complexity. Qin Fen’s dish succeeds because it enhances rather than overwhelms the tofu.
• Humility and shamelessness: Both sides accuse the other of dishonesty, but Qin Fen’s playful acceptance of “shameless” tactics turns Zhang Ye’s strategy against him.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Ye taunts Qin Fen and confidently presents his prepared dish, expecting an easy victory.
• Sun Yating encourages Qin Fen and criticizes Zhang Ye’s coercive behavior.
• The Sun family, Song family, and bystanders react to the unfair competition, with most recognizing Zhang Ye’s deliberate sabotage.
• He Wen informs Qin Fen that no suitable ingredients remain, creating the apparent crisis.
• Qin Fen silently decides to surpass Zhang Ye’s trickery and uses the Monkey Wine to transform an ordinary tofu dish into a visually stunning and flavorful creation.
• The judges’ contrasting reactions to the two dishes establish Qin Fen’s likely victory: Zhang Ye offers richness and spectacle, while Qin Fen delivers originality, balance, and superior taste.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen’s simple tofu dish, enhanced with brown sugar and Monkey Wine, surpasses Zhang Ye’s painstakingly prepared forty-hour Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. The crowd praises its refreshing, natural flavor.
• Zhang Ye is humiliated when he tastes the tofu and realizes he has lost the wager. Qin Fen reminds him of their agreement, and the others insist that Zhang Ye honor his word.
• Sun Yating refuses to retain Zhang Ye, exposing his dishonest procurement practices and harassment of waitresses. When Zhang Ye threatens her business, Song Shaoqing intervenes and forces him to leave.
• Shaoqing promises to find Sun Yating a first-rate replacement chef. Sun Yating rewards the restaurant staff with three days of paid leave and a five-hundred-yuan bonus.
• Song Jianjun recognizes the Monkey Wine in Qin Fen’s dish and begs to buy more, believing it may be his final wish. Qin Fen confirms its identity but carefully conceals how much he possesses.
• After the others leave, Sun Yating tells Qin Fen she has good news but wants him to treat her to a meal. She points out that he now owns a five-million-yuan luxury villa and five hundred thousand yuan in cash.
• Qin Fen realizes the money and villa must be connected to the ginseng he previously obtained, suggesting that someone has purchased it for an enormous price.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates culinary skill, confidence, and restraint. He defeats Zhang Ye without openly humiliating him, though he enjoys teasing Sun Yating afterward. He also remains cautious about revealing the source and value of the Monkey Wine and ginseng.
• Zhang Ye: Suffers a public defeat and loses both his wager and his position at the restaurant. His unethical business practices and harassment are exposed, revealing him as arrogant, manipulative, and cowardly when confronted by someone more powerful.
• Sun Yating: Becomes more assertive and decisive. She dismisses Zhang Ye despite his threats, protects her employees, rewards them generously, and playfully deepens her interaction with Qin Fen.
• Song Shaoqing: Shows loyalty toward Sun Yating and uses his influence to remove Zhang Ye and secure a replacement chef. He also appears to be negotiating an important matter with Sun Yating.
• Song Jianjun: Reveals familiarity with Monkey Wine and develops an intense desire to obtain more, hinting at his poor health and possibly the wine’s extraordinary medicinal effects.

Significant Themes

• True skill versus effort and prestige: Qin Fen’s quickly prepared dish defeats Zhang Ye’s elaborate, labor-intensive creation, suggesting that mastery lies in understanding ingredients rather than merely investing time.
• Integrity and consequences: Zhang Ye’s refusal to honor the wager contrasts with the chapter’s emphasis on keeping one’s word. His unethical conduct ultimately costs him his livelihood.
• Power and social influence: Zhang Ye can intimidate Sun Yating only until Song Shaoqing intervenes, highlighting the importance of status and connections in the business world.
• Hidden wealth and extraordinary origins: Qin Fen’s seemingly ordinary possessions conceal supernatural or highly valuable origins, especially the Monkey Wine and ancient ginseng.
• Growing personal intimacy: Qin Fen and Sun Yating’s teasing, bargaining, and mutual curiosity suggest an increasingly flirtatious relationship.

Character Interactions

• The crowd enthusiastically praises Qin Fen’s tofu, while Zhang Ye reacts with disbelief and humiliation.
• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye clash over the wager, with Song Jianjun and Sun Yating’s father supporting Qin Fen’s demand for accountability.
• Sun Yating rejects Zhang Ye’s attempts at sympathy and intimidation, while Shaoqing decisively backs her up.
• Song Jianjun privately questions Qin Fen about the Monkey Wine and offers to pay any price for more.
• Sun Yating playfully pressures Qin Fen to take her out to eat, while Qin Fen responds cautiously because of his limited spending money. Their exchange ends with her revealing the likely source of his sudden fortune.