The Silly Alchemist

“Alright, alright I’ll let you eat this first. This one’s done!” Zhen Xiaoyan finally gave up, putting a plate of cooked vegetables in front of Ye Lang. “Be good and please don’t cause trouble in my kitchen!”

“Mmm…” Ye Lang nodded, “Why couldn’t you bring this out earlier? I had to eat some half-cooked food… But that was good too.”

“…”

Zhen Xiaoyan was now speechless. You were the one who took it! But I’ll still cook for you, seeing as you complimented my food.

And if he didn’t compliment you?

…I’d still cook the same…

“Little seven, look at her. You’ve got to learn how to cook soon or my brother might not marry you,” Ye Lanyu was a little jealous, but she admired them. However, she preferred to insult the princess.

“I don’t care. I am the boss, I am his wife. Zhen Xiaoyan’s just his kitchen lady. Nothing will happen,” the princess clenched her teeth.

It wasn’t like she had never tried cooking. It was just that her cooking wasn’t as good as Zhen Xiaoyan’s no matter how hard she worked. It was good enough though. If Ye Lang ate her cooking, he wouldn’t have criticized it anyway. He would still eat it happily. As long as it was her cooking, it didn’t matter to him if it tasted average.

“Has sir always been like this?” asked Arwen, stunned. He had never seen Ye Lang like this. She’d always thought Ye Lang wasn’t picky about food, he had always accepted whatever food was available.

That was true though. Ye Lang wasn’t picky, it was alright as long as he was full. But that was when Zhen Xiaoyan’s food wasn’t an option.

“Yep, that’s him. He’s always like this when Xiaoyan’s here. Don’t worry, she’ll cook a lot more. We’ll all get to eat,” Ye Lanyu nodded, “we should wait outside. Little seven, grab that idiot!”

“Why me…” she muttered, then dragged Ye Lang out of the kitchen. He was still holding a plate, looking left and right as if he couldn’t bear to leave.

However, he didn’t fight back. He only stared sadly at the food as he was dragged out. Right, Little Xin…

He suddenly remembered Little Xin’s existence. Under his control, Little Xin went inside to bring out a freshly cooked plate of food- but she ran like the wind.

“Huh?” Zhen Xiaoyan felt a gust of wind, then realised the plate she had just laid down disappeared. She paused for a moment.

Turning around, she saw Little Xin holding the plate next to Ye Lang!

“…”

Although she didn’t know who Little Xin was, Zhen Xiaoyan could see she was working for Ye Lang. That was why she didn’t say much, merely muttered to herself… Why couldn’t he just wait…

Of course, she was just grumbling. She was secretly very happy!

On the other hand, Ye Lanyu was looking at Little Xin. “Brother, who is this lady?”

“She’s Little Xin, just leave her alone!” Ye Lang continued eating after he uttered a sentence as if he had no time to talk. That was also why he didn’t truly explain what Little Xin was- and how the two girls mistook her as a real person.

“Oh…” Ye Lanyu was also alright with it. If Ye Lang was alright, then she needn’t think too much.

Arwen led the four of them and the spirit to the dining hall. This was supposed to be a very normal thing, there wasn’t supposed to be a problem.

However, when Ye Lang realised this, he immediately cried, “Hey, hey! Where are we going? Why are we walking further and further away…”

“What? We’re almost there?!” asked Arwen, very confused.

“What do you mean? We’re so far from the kitchen, I’m going back…” Ye Lang turned to walk back to the kitchen.

“…”

Ye Lanyu grabbed him, “Come back! Are you going to take food from the kitchen again?! We have to eat at the dining table!”

“Sir, you’ve always eaten here. Have you forgotten?” asked Arwen.

“He hasn’t but he just likes to wait at the kitchen!” the seventh princess pinched Ye Lang’s face, annoyed. “Come on!! Xiaoyan will bring the food here, you’ll only cause more trouble if you go back!!”

“But… What if fatty faints? I’m worried, I better go check on her!!” Ye Lang thought for a moment and found a very good reason.

“Don’t worry, she has eaten a lot today, she won’t faint! Go inside, we still have a lot to talk about. Where have you been these few months?? You have to tell me everything…” Ye Lanyu grabbed him by the ear and dragged him inside.

“Mm! I want to see what you’ve done, see if you’ve done anything you shouldn’t!” added the princess.

They hadn’t gotten a chance to have a proper conversation yet. Right now, all they wanted was a very detailed description of where he’d been!

This time, Ye Lang could be as detailed as he wanted!

Time flew faster as he spoke. While they talked, Zhen Xiaoyan’s food finally arrived. The table was soon filled with many dishes. Arwen gasped in delight. She felt like the five of them couldn’t finish it all, and that Little Xin didn’t eat either.

Ye Lang liked to eat, but even his appetite wasn’t this huge. He could probably eat enough for two people, but the portion was for more than 10 people!

“Uh… Isn’t this too much?!” asked Arwen.

“Nope!” the four of them shook their heads at the same time.

“No?! Can we finish?!” Arwen asked, puzzled.

Ye Lang smiled, “Fatty can finish all of this alone, so you don’t have to worry!”

“Don’t talk as if I eat THAT much! It’s embarrassing!” Xiaoyan blushed, rolling her eyes.

“It’s not ‘as if’, you DO eat that much! Alright, that’s enough of talking. Let’s eat! I’m starving!” Ye Lang started to eat, easily finding his favourite dish in front of him.

When Zhen Xiaoyan served, she had put Ye Lang’s favourite food in front of him so he wouldn’t have to spend too much effort taking them!

The three girls started to pick up their chopsticks too, but they were all very ladylike. While they didn’t act as if this was a formal event, they still wouldn’t eat like Ye Lang!