Love, Chef. - A Chen Qing Ling/Modaozushi Fanfic

Chapter 5

Wei Wuxian:

Jiang Cheng and I walked upto the stoic Lan Qiren, he hated it when the rules were bended but I knew his recette was missing something. Everyone in this room noticed it as soon as the sheet was handed to them but no one dared to speak up, sadly Lan Qiren had the wrong students if he wanted to teach a peaceful class this morning.

Braseltouiile, a pork dish which is an abridged version of Ratatouille. It uses vegetables like Eggplant, onions, peppers as base, pork tenderloin as a addition to that base and a sauce which is made with clove, white wine and pepper. This was a main dish which is why the moder French cuisine added the steak in it. But, even after all the sauteed vegetables and roast pork, the dish more or less could turn out to be a mess if the sauce is not made with the right things and right quantity. One wrong move and it will be done for. Hence, making any changes to the recipe whatsoever is a challenge and I wanted to make this dish better.

Jiang Cheng is a monster when it comes to Légumes (French for vegetables) and was always better than most people when it came to his senses about it. With him alongside, I knew I could take the risk of this change and we risked it all. He didn't want to at first but eventually caved in, he was my brother after all.

I plated the dish and added my change as a garnir (garnish) and waited for the stingy old man to call us up. As per my calculations, I knew he would call us up first and he did. We walked up and put two plates in front of Senior Lan Xichen and Old man Lan Qiren, who looked like he wanted to reject my dish with all his might but as soon as I picked the lid up, the aroma hit everyone's noses and I started hearing murmur all around some surprised and some in admiration.

Old man Qiren held the knife and fork and took a bite of the dish. He couldn't speak for a minute, then he looked up to me and said "You pass."

"You added parsley as your addition, didn't you Mr. Wei and Mr. Jiang?" Lan Xichen said.

"Yes." Jiang Cheng said with confidence.

"As expected from the Yunmeng Twins." He said again, his eyes boring into Jiang Cheng's before he broke the gaze again.

Oh my. We're going to have trouble here. I thought.

"Thank you for your time!" Jiang Cheng and I said.

We walked up to our counter to clean it up while seeing many people being scolded, criticised and straight up have their dishes thrown until Lan Wangji and Xiao Xing Chen went up to present their dish. They passed instantly. I saw those two handsome men walking back to their station and seeing those two walk gracefully made me want to tease them so bad.

"Lan Zhan!" I knew calling him by his birth name would make him furious and it did which only made me want to tease him more as he threw daggers at me with his glare.

"Let me taste your dish!" I said again, his glare still throwing knives at me.

"Sure. Why not?! Can we taste your dish as well?" Xing Chen said.

"Sure! Want me to bring it to your counter?" I said.

"Ah....no no no. I will bring it your counter, just give me a minute." Xing Chen said, trying to not get me any closer to Lan Wangji.

"Okay!" I said and returned to my counter.

"The fuck are you doing?" Jiang Cheng said, hitting me in my ribcage with his elbow.

"What? Don't you wanna know what kind of dish, the legendary Lan Wangji made?" I said as I plated for Xing Chen and Lan Wangji as well.

"Well-"

"Hey! There you go!" Jiang Cheng was cut by Xing Chen as he set two plates in front of us.

"Here you go, I also plated for both of you!" I said as I handed Xing Chen both the plates.

"Thanks!" Xing Chen said and he walked away.

I took a knife and fork out of drawers and had a bite, the flavours flooded my mouth. Sweet, savoury and the delicious meat which just melted like butter. I was lost for a minute. Jiang Cheng seemed to feel the same as well because he looked almost ecstatic, I took another bite and another and another and another until there was nothing left. The flavours were almost too addictive, too good to be true.

So this is what a true French cuisine tastes like.  I thought.

I looked towards their counter and saw Lan Wangji glaring at me, almost menacingly and then he walked out of the class. He looked furious even then he walked gracefully.

This is going to be a lot of fun.

I didn't realise when but I was smiling.

Present -:

"....Xian! Wei Wuxian!" A voice boomed.

"Huh?" I said as I looked up, I realised we were almost done with dinner and I ate the whole meal without even realising it.

"Are you okay?" Jiang Cheng asked as his hand still rested on my shoulder.

"Yeah. I am fine." I said as I pulled myself together and flashed a smile towards shijie and Jiang Cheng.

We all got up and started to dismiss ourselves, I dragged myself up to my room. My body ached, my shoulders felt heavy and my head hurt.

I need a drink.

I thought but where will I get a drink now? I gave up on the idea until I heard a knock on my door.

Who is it now?!

"Who is it?" I asked even though I was least interested and just wanted to relax.

"Master, someone asked me to deliver this drink to you." A voice said from the other side.

A drink?

"Come in." I said.

A delicate woman wearing the Jiang robes came in with a tray and on the tray there was a white and blue bottle.

This cannot be!

She set the tray down and left quietly. I waited for her to leave and see whether what I thought was true or not, I walked up to my coffee table where the tray was and saw a note. In the note there was something written in beautiful handwriting.

Wei Ying,

I know you have had a long and tough day so I am sending this to you as I do not know whether you want to see me or not. I don't think I am in any position of doing this but if do not want to drink this then you can just throw it away.

I smiled at that note, I knew well and good who and where the bottle came from.

"Lan Zhan, you fuddy duddy. You know I will never throw away emperor's smile." I mumbled.

Coming back home is probably not that bad of an idea as I thought, a smile made it's way on my lips.