One afternoon a few days later, the lunch rush at Wanmin Restaurant had passed, and the diners were gradually thinning out.
Xiangling was taking advantage of this rare moment of leisure, wiping the stove while muttering his new recipe ideas to Guoba, who was dozing nearby.
"Guoba, do you think using Qingxin petals mixed with Slime Condensate as a filling, wrapped in dough and deep-fried, would have a special fragrance and texture? Hmm... it's just that the Qingxin tastes too bitter; I need to find a way to neutralize it..."
Guoba let out a drowsy "rua," whether in agreement or just to brush him off, it was hard to tell.
"Little Sister Xiangling!" the Assistant Chef Sister walked in with a smile, holding a square package wrapped in blue cloth. "Here, I've brought you a fun book. This is the new book by 'Lovia' that just hit the market. I specifically bought a copy for you. It's about our Wanmin Restaurant, and it's quite popular right now!"
"Eh? A book about our Wanmin Restaurant?" Xiangling was both surprised and delighted. He quickly put down his rag, wiped his hands on his apron, and took the package. "Thank you! Lovia? Is he that mysterious author? I haven't read his books, but I've heard others discussing them, saying they're very interesting!"
"Exactly, exactly. Take your time reading it; I guarantee it will open your eyes!" The Assistant Chef Sister smiled meaningfully, chatted for a few more moments, and then excused herself, saying he had things to do.
Xiangling couldn't wait to unwrap the package, and a beautifully bound book appeared before his eyes.
On the cover, a chibi version of Guoba wore a chef's hat and held a spatula, standing proudly in front of the stove, while he himself had become a tiny figure handing over ingredients.
The title made him burst into laughter: "The Secret History of Wanmin Restaurant: Is Guoba the Real God of Cookery?" "Hahaha, Guoba, look! You're the protagonist!"
Xiangling grabbed a small stool nearby and sat down, holding the book and bringing the cover close to Guoba's face.
Guoba: "Rua?"
Guoba's attention was also drawn to it, and he leaned in to sniff the pages.
Xiangling excitedly opened the book and sat cross-legged on the threshold, reading in the warm sunlight.
At first, he just thought it was fun. Reading the descriptions of "Guoba's Divine Aid with the Heat," "Guardian of the Ingredients," and "Soothing the Rampaging Wok," he laughed until he was doubled over.
"Hahaha, it's written as if it were real! Guoba, when did you do all these great things behind my back?" He rubbed Guoba's fluffy head from time to time.
Guoba tilted his head, seemingly not understanding what Xiangling was laughing about, but seeing him happy, he followed along with a couple of "rua-ruas."
The more Xiangling read, the more interesting it became. He couldn't help but poke Guoba's soft belly. "Haha, Guoba, someone says you sneakily move things in the middle of the night! How come I didn't know?"
Guoba tilted his head: "Wu?"
But as he read deeper, especially when he reached the second chapter about the legend of the "God of Stove, Machius," and the conjecture linking Guoba to that God who sacrificed his power to protect Liyue, the smile on Xiangling's face was gradually replaced by surprise and contemplation.
His reading speed slowed down, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.
This book... although written in a teasing style, its core conjectures pointed directly at the truth!
Xiangling knew Guoba's true identity, ever since that Moonchase Festival.
Although Guoba had lost his power and his memory was hazy, his instinctive affinity for and protection of the stove fire and cooking could not be hidden. How could this "Lovia," from the perspective of an observer, derive a conclusion so close to the facts by observing these subtleties and combining them with Liyue's ancient legends?
This author's powers of observation and imagination were truly astonishing!
He continued reading, and when he saw the book's depiction of the "mutual journey" of protection and inheritance between him and Guoba, as well as the appearance of Master Zhongli at the end, the word "old friend," and the detail of gifting the Scented Balm, a storm of shock surged in his heart.
He knew of the character "Master Zhongli"; he had heard a few days ago that this was the pseudonym of the Lord of Geo during his travels in the mortal world.
So... this author even noticed the Lord of Geo's potential special attitude toward Guoba? Is this really not made up? And written so... so fitting of that friendship and unspoken understanding spanning thousands of years?
"Oh my God..." Xiangling couldn't help but gasp. He closed the book and looked at Guoba, who was watching him with round eyes, his own gaze filled with complexity.
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