TMWTGD CH55

Whether angels and demons truly possessed souls was an ambiguous matter.

They did not require a Grim Reaper to reap their souls, possessing an independent existential lifecycle of their own.

Yet right now, Xie Jianwei wanted them to have souls, which was why he planted that suggestion in Little Skeleton’s mind.

It shouldn’t be overly difficult. When dealing with “It” earlier, Xie Jianwei had attempted to extract its “soul,” though it might have merely been a strand of consciousness.

Regardless, the Grim Reaper’s scythe proved quite handy and could easily serve his purpose.

For Little Skeleton’s soul to inhabit the demon’s body, the prerequisite was that demons possessed souls. Only under that premise was success possible.

Little Skeleton undoubtedly yearned for a demon’s physical form.

Consider the alternatives: even if he reincarnated as a human, tragedy would likely repeat itself. The disparity in lifespan between humans and a Grim Reaper was simply too vast. After aging, sickening, and dying, he would leave Xie Jianwei all alone once again.

Last time, they had naively believed Xie Jianwei’s abilities could distinguish souls, but what was the outcome? It had dragged them through an agonizing, hopeless second lifetime.

Reincarnation was a dead end, which meant he needed to live forever.

Little Skeleton was undying, yet he could never grow closer to Xie Jianwei. He could not even share a kiss with him.

With a demon’s body, however, none of those barriers would exist.

He wanted to become a demon. He wanted to be with Xie Jianwei for eternity, and he wanted to possess this man completely.

Xie Jianwei told him, “Even if it fails, it doesn’t matter. Staying together like this forever is wonderful too.” He was referring to keeping Little Skeleton company as he was.

Yet how could Little Skeleton resign himself to that?

In this monstrous form, neither human nor ghost, what qualification did he have to monopolize Xie Jianwei forever?

Even Loren thought Xie Jianwei had gone mad for staying with a skeleton. How could he bear to let Xie Jianwei endure such whispers?

He had to succeed; he must succeed!

Xie Jianwei felt quite confident about the outcome, mainly because Little Skeleton in this dream was remarkably docile, obedient to the point of breaking one’s heart.

The Great Demon’s body had been preserved in pristine condition. Once preparations were complete, Xie Jianwei wasted no time.

When the moment arrived to reap the soul, Xie Jianwei feigned a trace of nervousness.

Instead, Little Skeleton comforted him: “Don’t worry, it will definitely succeed!”

With those words, Xie Jianwei was completely at ease.

The entire process went even smoother than anticipated. When Xie Jianwei drew out Little Skeleton’s soul, he saw Lu Li.

Though somewhat ethereal, it was unmistakably Lu Li’s form.

Xie Jianwei’s eyes curved gently, his gaze brimming with love.

This dream was thoroughly chaotic, but had it been anyone other than Lu Li, Xie Jianwei would never have gone to such lengths.

Yet this was Lu Li, his beloved, so whatever he did was done with wholehearted willingness.

Little Skeleton’s soul successfully slipped into the Great Demon’s vessel. However, a fusion process was required, so he had yet to wake.

Xie Jianwei could use this brief window to resolve another matter.

The reason he had hinted that angels and demons possessed souls was precisely so he could reap “It” out of the Demon Lu Li.

What was a soul? Simply two distinct streams of consciousness.

“It” was latched onto the Demon Lu Li’s soul. If peeled away, could it be eradicated entirely?

Xie Jianwei could not guarantee the theory, but he had to try. If it failed, other methods remained.

Yet two copies of “It” combined could never outplay a single Military Advisor.

With a swift swing of his scythe, “It” was effortlessly hooked out.

Yan Ke cried out, “Is that thing really the Hundred-Limbed King?!”

“Can’t tell.” Without the slightest hesitation, Xie Jianwei swept his blade across, causing that strand of consciousness to disperse into nothingness.

With that, both instances of “It” in this dream realm were eliminated. All that remained was pacifying Little Skeleton.

Releasing a breath, Xie Jianwei carefully concealed the Demon Lu Li’s body and returned to his own quarters.

The moment he entered the room, Lu Li happened to open his eyes.

Xie Jianwei asked gently, “You’re awake? Would you like some water?”

Lu Li looked at him, then lowered his gaze to his own body. When he held out his hands, his expression still held a touch of disorientation.

Xie Jianwei smiled. “How does it feel?” Saying so, he passed him the cup of warm water.

Lu Li tasted the long-lost sweetness of water.

Xie Jianwei’s eyes curved. “Say something.”

“A-Wei…” he spoke, his magnetic voice carrying a raspy edge.

Hearing that familiar voice, Xie Jianwei’s heart trembled faintly. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he fixed his gaze on Lu Li’s lips.

Lu Li paused for half a beat, gripped his waist firmly, and pressed his lips hard against his.

The water cup crashed to the floor, forgotten by both.

Lu Li kissed him urgently: scorching lips and a burning tongue intertwining into an unforgettable sweetness.

Invaded so fiercely that he could barely respond, Xie Jianwei wrapped his arms around his neck, submissively yielding to his embrace.

When they finally parted, Lu Li’s voice grew lower still: “A-Wei…”

With their foreheads resting together, a sweet smile played upon Xie Jianwei’s lips: “Lu Li.”

“Yeah.”

“I love you.”

An abrupt tugging sensation struck, and when Xie Jianwei opened his eyes again, he had returned to reality.

Military Advisor Xie: “…”

Yan Ke sounded rather astonished: “Huh, why are you out already? Weren’t you two in the middle of… ahem?” To avoid intruding, he had cut the connection a step early, so why had Xie Jianwei awakened as well?

Xie Jianwei held his forehead in contemplation. “Was he successfully pacified?”

“Already?” Yan Ke checked the readings while speaking, then froze in stunned disbelief: “He really was pacified!”

Xie Jianwei’s feelings were hard to describe in words.

Yan Ke remarked delicately, “Did he get pacified right after finishing? The Marshal this time was really… really… easy to coax!”

Xie Jianwei fell silent for a moment. “We didn’t do it.”

“Ah? Then what did you do?”

Xie Jianwei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Just a kiss, and then… well, I confessed to him.”

Yan Ke: “…”

Xie Jianwei turned to gaze at the still-sleeping Lu Li, his eyes extraordinarily tender. Little Skeleton was undeniably the self Lu Li hid deepest inside. Humble, pure, loving Xie Jianwei without expecting anything in return.

Because he had suffered so much bitterness, receiving even a tiny sliver of warmth left him thoroughly satisfied.

Xie Jianwei murmured, “This dream was able to conclude smoothly all thanks to him.”

Yan Ke stretched lazily and asked, “Want to take a break?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Yeah. Let’s continue the treatment in a couple of days.”

“Alright, I’ll go take some time off myself.” Yan Ke grinned with a sly expression.

Xie Jianwei shook his head. “Go on. Stay in touch.”

Although considerable time had passed within the dream, dawn had not yet broken in reality.

Lu Li had genuinely enjoyed a pleasant dream.

Xie Jianwei brought him back to the Marshal’s Manor, settled him down, and lay beside him.

At the break of dawn, he felt a large hand wandering across his body.

With his back turned, Xie Jianwei asked, “Awake?”

Lu Li slipped beneath the quilt, tugging at his trousers: “Why don’t you check for yourself whether I’m awake?”

Xie Jianwei was amused: “Don’t force it.”

“If it’s not hard, how can I do it?” Lu Li talked shamelessly while his hands were just as bold. Naturally, he didn’t force his way in, lightly teasing with his fingers before grinning wickedly: “Accusing me of forcing it when this place is already clamping down on my fingers and refusing to let go.”

Xie Jianwei had long been stirred by his teasing. Resting an arm over his eyes, he whispered, “Stop talking nonsense, hurry up…”

“My Military Advisor is truly hard to serve. First don’t be hard, then go faster, and in a moment will you ask me to slow down?” Thrusting deeply inside, Lu Li drew a sharp intake of breath from Xie Jianwei, who indeed pleaded, “S-Slower…”

“Which command should I obey?” The Marshal labored diligently. “Never mind, your other self… was much more obedient…”

Having enjoyed a sweet dream followed by a passionate morning session, the Marshal was in high spirits as he dressed to head out.

Xie Jianwei suddenly asked, “…Do you need my help?”

Lu Li didn’t quite catch on: “Hm?”

Stepping out of bed, Xie Jianwei casually draped a robe over himself: “You’re going to meet Eisenk in a bit, right?”

Lu Li nodded: “That old fellow has been waiting for days; I can’t keep putting him off.”

Eisenk was the Minister of Finance. Recently, he had been clamoring that military expenditures were far too high. Claiming that peacetime had arrived, he argued that massive funding should no longer be poured into military research, advocating troop reductions, budget cuts, and reallocating resources into imperial infrastructure to benefit the populace.

The old man had been the president of the First Bank under the Old Federation. After the Old Federation collapsed, he shrewdly backed Lu Li as a dark horse, pouring in colossal funds and resources, making him an authentic founding contributor.

During the war, he had been dependable, handling logistical supplies with exceptional competence, practically backing Lu Li with his entire family fortune.

Once peace was restored, Lu Li hadn’t shortchanged him, handing the nation’s financial lifeblood straight into his care.

Eisenk was adept in these matters, possessing sharp insights into economic development. However, he had a fatal flaw.

Relying on his veteran status, he tended to pull seniority, looking down on battlefield commanders like Loren. Knowing that Lu Li placed his deepest trust in military officers who had bled together with him, Eisenk felt inherently slighted. He had financed their campaign with everything he had, yet post-war, those youngsters had become high-ranking regional lords on equal footing with him. How could he accept that?

Worse still, he could never form a heart-to-heart bond with the Marshal, perpetually feeling excluded from the inner circle.

Harboring such resentment, he naturally sought to stir up trouble.

Moreover, his proposal was not entirely unreasonable. The galactic empire was in desperate need of rebuilding, and focus rightly belonged on infrastructure. Reducing military budgets made sense on paper now that the war had ended.

Yet Lu Li could not take that step. Touching the military immediately after peace was established was a critical taboo. Disheartening the soldiers who had risked life and limb would cause the newly established empire to crumble before even finding its footing.

Balancing these relationships was no easy task.

Eisenk was an old fox who loved pulling seniority, and Lu Li truly owed him a debt of gratitude from the past, making it inappropriate to publicly humiliate him.

Yet the man was the type to push boundaries the more leeway he was given, raising a relentless fuss over the past few days.

Lu Li had avoided him for several days, but could no longer dodge today.

Hearing Xie Jianwei’s offer, Lu Li was rather surprised: “If you stepped forward, dealing with him would be effortless.”

Originating from the Old Federation, Eisenk was thoroughly intimidated by Xie Jianwei. During wartime, he had followed Xie Jianwei’s directives to the letter. If Xie Jianwei intervened, he could easily suppress him.

However, Xie Jianwei could not do so. Eisenk belonged to the faction of senior officials who had championed Xie Jianwei. The primary reason Xie Jianwei remained detached from state affairs was to extinguish their ambitions. After so many years, their hopes had finally dimmed, and Xie Jianwei would never offer them fresh encouragement.

Xie Jianwei shook his head: “If I say a single word to him, his tail will cock straight up to the sky.”

Lu Li chuckled: “He always listened to you in the past.”

Xie Jianwei replied, “He listened to the Third Young Master of the Xie family, not to your lover.”

Hearing the implication, Lu Li felt a sweet warmth in his chest, his lips curling up.

Xie Jianwei turned to business: “To deal with Eisenk, start with the Daily family. Back then, to gather funds and show loyalty, he squeezed everyone around him dry. Now that stability has arrived, he will inevitably compensate them. Turning a blind eye to such matters in ordinary times was right, but right now, you can use it to give him a sharp reminder, lest he genuinely believes he is acting out of selfless loyalty to the people.”

Lu Li nodded: “It is indeed time to remind him.”

“With his leverage in your hands, there is no need to indulge him. Although we relied on his resources back then, he hasn’t been idle over the years, siphoning wealth at every turn and lining his pockets fat. Allowing him free rein will only invite greater trouble.”

“Indeed,” Lu Li said seriously. “The reason I humored him lately was out of concern for another matter.”

Xie Jianwei asked, “For next year’s reshuffle, you plan to reassign him?”

Lu Li said, “Yes. He cannot be allowed a second term as Finance Minister. The clique he employs carries an improper atmosphere.”

Xie Jianwei asked again, “You feared he might guess your intention to reassign him, which is why you yielded at every turn?”

Lu Li nodded: “More or less. I didn’t want him desperately looting state assets before leaving office.” The logic was sound: feeling secure in his standing, if Eisenk knew his term was ending, he would undoubtedly rake in wealth with ruthless abandon.

Xie Jianwei stated, “If you truly intend to reassign him, you must not give way any longer.”

Lu Li: “Hm?”

Xie Jianwei explained, “Eisenk has spent half his life in officialdom, excelling at discerning intentions. Having followed you for so long, he reads you like a book. The more you yield, the more suspicious he becomes. Treating him gently now has likely revealed your intentions. Raising military cuts was partly to suppress Loren’s faction, but also to test your waters.”

Pausing briefly, Xie Jianwei continued, “He knows the military is your absolute bottom line. If you don’t even lose your temper over this, he will become all the more certain that you intend to replace him next year.”

Lu Li frowned: “I was careless.”

Xie Jianwei said, “No harm done. Go unleash a furious scolding on him today, and I guarantee he will leave pleased and thoroughly obedient.”

Lu Li smiled: “My Military Advisor is truly brilliant.”

Having been left weak in the waist and legs from earlier, Xie Jianwei glanced downward: “Hardly as capable as Big Li’s stamina.”

Amused, Lu Li pulled him close for a kiss: “If it weren’t capable, would you still love it?”

He was referring to Big Li. The former Xie Jianwei might not have detected the deeper meaning beneath the crude joke, but after traversing several dreams, hearing it now brought a profound touch of emotion.

Cupping his face, Xie Jianwei kissed him: “When I first loved him, he hadn’t even come of age.”

Lu Li froze noticeably.

Xie Jianwei added, “I loved him back then, and I only love him more now.”

Lu Li’s eyes shone brightly: “A-Wei’s mouth is sweet as honey today.” Saying so, he kissed him deeply.

Left breathless from the kiss, Xie Jianwei gasped, “Aren’t you leaving?!”

“In a bit… just a bit longer, let that old fellow wait.” Tugging at Xie Jianwei’s clothes, the Marshal thoroughly disheveled his Military Advisor before finally heading out contentedly to handle the old fox.

Curling under the quilt, Xie Jianwei smiled gently. He had overthought things earlier: Lu Li never worried about him meddling in politics. What he feared was Xie Jianwei ignoring him.

Ignoring meant not caring; not caring meant falling out of love; falling out of love meant leaving him.

And he could never hold onto a Xie Jianwei who truly wished to walk away.

That was Lu Li’s line of thought: simple, direct, and heartbreakingly vulnerable.

Xie Jianwei sighed softly: “Leave? Where could I go?” Without Lu Li, he would have lost the will to live long ago.

Just as Xie Jianwei predicted, Lu Li arrived at the council chamber with a dark expression. Eisenk had been sipping tea leisurely, but catching sight of him, he stood up hastily to bow.

Lu Li pulled no punches, unleashing thunderous wrath right from the start.

Under this fury, Eisenk shrank like a terrified quail. Forget pulling seniority; reduced to a pitiful state, he repeatedly voiced agreement, not daring to utter a single excuse.

Lu Li’s icy fury instantly reminded him of the “God of Slaughter” who had cut down enemies mercilessly across battlefields.

Their Marshal was a War God, yet his hands were soaked in blood; calling him a God of Slaughter was an understatement.

Eisenk had grown overly complacent recently. Lu Li valued sentiment, but was never one to be manipulated. Thinking of the terrifyingly astute Third Young Master Xie, who was now quietly kept in the Marshal’s Manor as a mere ornament to outsiders, cold sweat broke out across Eisenk’s brow.

The veterans knew Xie Jianwei’s terrifying capabilities; if even such a figure had yielded power under Lu Li, what chance did they stand?

Eisenk grew remarkably obedient.

Over the next two days, the Marshal was in high spirits, primarily thanks to his A-Wei.

Clingy in bed, charming out of it, caring for him in every detail, and even cooking dinner for him voluntarily.

Lu Li felt that even being an immortal could not match his current joy.

Naturally, realizing another self could witness such a Xie Jianwei made him intensely sour once more.

As happy as he had been, that was how displeased he became.

Had Xie Jianwei treated him like this first, or had he already treated another self this well?

Was he the first, or which number in line? In any case, he certainly wasn’t the last.

The Marshal was practically drowning in his own jealousy again.

After keeping him company for two days, Xie Jianwei commenced the next therapy session. Delaying too long might arouse Lu Li’s suspicion, and two days was already quite ample.

Returning from his break, Yan Ke said, “I think I met my destined one.”

Xie Jianwei asked curiously, “Who?”

“Haven’t gotten her name yet, but she is an extraordinarily beautiful woman!”

Xie Jianwei was rather surprised that Yan Ke hadn’t opened with “large chest,” opting for “beautiful” instead.

Soon after, however, Yan Ke added delicately, “She has the most magnificent bust I have ever seen.”

Xie Jianwei: “…” Perhaps Yan Ke hadn’t met his destined woman, but rather his destined chest?

The new dream formed, and Xie Jianwei entered smoothly.

Yan Ke whispered, “If this dream lacks ‘It’, does that mean the Marshal this time corresponds to Lord Riffle from before?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Likely so.”

Yan Ke said, “Without ‘It’, this dream should be far simpler.”

Xie Jianwei noted, “Yeah, though I might still be cast as a scumbag.”

Yan Ke chuckled, adding, “No worries, without ‘It’ stirring up trouble, the Marshal is easy to coax.”

Right after speaking, Yan Ke felt he had spoken too soon: when it came to inventing drama, he respected the Marshal immensely. Even without outside interference, the Marshal could torment himself into a pitiful mess.

Amidst their banter, Xie Jianwei landed securely.

After a brief dizziness, the surrounding din grew deafening.

“Onions, duck meat!” “How much beef is left?” “No fish roe on the seafood teppanyaki!”

Composing himself, Xie Jianwei heard someone say to him, “A-Wei, go rest if you’re tired. Youth isn’t an excuse to run yourself ragged!”

Taking the cue, Xie Jianwei agreed and stepped out of the bustling kitchen.

Following instinct, he found a clean, modest room, sat down, and rubbed his temples.

Yan Ke asked, “What is your identity this time, My Lord?”

A few fragments of memory surfaced in Xie Jianwei’s mind. He said slowly, “A chef.”

“Ah?” Yan Ke blinked. “A cook?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Only scattered fragments, seemingly having left somewhere to work as a sous-chef at this hotel, specializing in desserts, though capable of cooking anything.”

Yan Ke asked, “Any information regarding the Marshal?”

“None…” Xie Jianwei sighed softly. “This is going to be tricky.”

“Why?” Yan Ke hadn’t caught on.

Xie Jianwei explained dryly, “Although I learned a few dishes, relying solely on baked prawns and red wine stewed beef won’t let me pass as a five-star hotel sous-chef.”

Yan Ke: “…”

Xie Jianwei continued, “Given this persona, I cannot break character, so…”

Yan Ke understood. This was exceptionally difficult.

Xie Jianwei added, “We’ll play it by ear. Hopefully Lu Li won’t require extraordinary culinary mastery from my end.”

Yan Ke doubted that hope would materialize; the Marshal loved manufacturing perks for himself and would never miss such an opportunity.

Today happened to be Xie Jianwei’s day off, sparing him from kitchen duties and granting him time to adjust.

He did not remain idle, finding a computer to review resources and memorize recipes.

With his photographic memory, rote memorization was trivial, easily cataloging vast recipe collections into his mind.

Yet culinary arts could never be mastered through memorization alone; it demanded accumulated technique, which was impossible to rush.

He had planned to spend the day memorizing recipes, but near dinner time, his phone rang.

“A-Wei! Come to the kitchen immediately, a wonderful opportunity has come up!”

Xie Jianwei asked, “What happened?”

“No time to explain, hurry over, you can’t miss this chance!”

Fearing he might miss a critical plot development, Xie Jianwei replied, “Alright, on my way.”

Upon arriving, he felt instant regret. A full lineup of chefs stood ready, indicating that the opportunity was tied to cooking.

The Military Advisor felt a rare sense of guilt. Very few challenges had stumped him in his life, yet he had stumbled here.

The executive chef was a slightly plump, amiable middle-aged man. Sweeping his gaze across the room, he gave Xie Jianwei an appreciative look before announcing: “An important opportunity awaits shortly. You may all display your talents. If selected, generous rewards await!”

Xie Jianwei: “…” Could they choose their own dish? He wanted to make baked prawns.

Unfortunately, the executive chef had already set the topic: “The guest ordered one of our signature specialties: Thessaloniki stuffed grape leaf rolls with lamb and rice!” Looking back at Xie Jianwei, the implication was unmistakable: Perform well, young man, this is your specialty.

Military Advisor Xie: Stuffing rice and lamb into grape leaves? What kind of dish is that!

He had memorized numerous recipes, but this specific one hadn’t been among them.

Waving his hand, the executive chef said, “Alright, let us begin! I’ll be in the second kitchen preparing orders for other guests, so proceed boldly!”

The chefs acknowledged in unison.

Xie Jianwei had no choice but to feign a bathroom emergency, slipping into a stall to search the recipe on his phone.

The search result was sheer agony. Thessaloniki was the second-largest city linking eastern and western Greece, and stuffed grape leaves were a local specialty. It appeared to be merely seasoned rice and lamb wrapped in leaves, but simple dishes were the hardest to perfect.

The recipe was maddeningly esoteric: mixing diced lamb, raisins, and pine nuts, seasoning with suitable amounts of cloves, fennel, and cinnamon, garnished with mint, dill, or coriander, enriched with sardines and onions. The leaves had to be grape leaves harvested in late spring, blanched in boiling water, soaked in brine, and ultimately coated in a special lemon-egg yolk chicken broth.

The questions piled up: precisely how much lamb, raisins, and pine nuts? What constituted a “suitable amount”? How much was considered a “garnish,” and what qualified as “enriched”? Where was the recipe for that lemon-egg yolk chicken broth?

Worse yet, the recipe concluded with: Cook with heart, and flavor will follow.

If one cooked with heart and ended up burning it, did that count as flavor?

The Military Advisor wore a blank expression.

Yan Ke cleared his throat: “Unfortunately, I am not skilled in cooking either.”

Xie Jianwei said, “This isn’t about skill, but refinement.”

No ordinary home cook could replicate the craftsmanship of a three-star Michelin chef, just as a child playing with a toy gun could never match a special forces operative.

Yan Ke suggested, “How about… finding an excuse to slip away?”

Failing to deliver was better than blowing his cover.

Xie Jianwei considered it and found merit in the idea.

Just then, the voices of two young staff members drifted in from outside: “Gosh, Mr. Lu is devastatingly handsome!”

“A hundred times better looking than on television, with an overwhelming aura!”

“Ahem… why does someone so remarkable have to suffer from anorexia?”

“Who knows? Too wealthy, living too comfortably, and then… well, you know.”

“Haha, ordinary folks like us don’t have the luxury of such worries.”

“He’s truly harsh on himself. I heard he hasn’t eaten for over a week, relying entirely on nutrient fluids. Starving like that, anyone’s body would break down!”

“Still, keeping such an incredible build despite starving, imagine what he was like before… tsk tsk…”

“Alright, stop daydreaming. Would Mr. Lu ever look at an ordinary guy like you?”

“Come on, even if I can’t touch, can’t I at least admire?”

Listening from the cubicle, Xie Jianwei felt entirely helpless.

Yan Ke said, “Looks like you have to cook.” The Marshal was waiting on an empty stomach, having starved for a week; failing to feed him might cause real harm!

Pushing open the door, Xie Jianwei stepped out: “Let us cook with heart, then.”

That was the only choice. However, learning that the guest was Lu Li gave Xie Jianwei reassurance.

As long as the presentation looked passable, even if the taste was atrocious, Lu Li likely wouldn’t mind.

As the dream’s master, he would surely grant himself advantages. Such as recognizing the Military Advisor’s touch in a single bite and being captivated by the distinct “flavor.”

Weren’t novels always written like that?

Rallying his spirits, the Military Advisor returned to the kitchen with poise.

Fortunately, with everyone focused on their own dishes, no one had time to scrutinize others. Whether Xie Jianwei’s motions were clumsy, his sequence flawed, or his seasonings slightly off went unnoticed.

Xie Jianwei managed to produce a presentable serving of Thessaloniki stuffed grape leaves. Visually, it easily earned eighty points; perhaps the body retained residual muscle memory, lending decent technique. Lacking authentic experience, however, the taste…

Never mind, no need to overthink. Since Lu Li was eating it, he would surely appreciate the “familiar” taste!

Over a dozen servings were carried out, leaving the chefs nervous and expectant.

The guest was esteemed, the rewards lavish, and catching his eye would pave an easy career path, so tension ran high.

Xie Jianwei remained calm; regardless of the outcome, Lu Li would only want to see him.

Yet despite all calculations, Xie Jianwei never anticipated that his dish would be returned rejected.

Yan Ke was shocked: “How could that be?! Could this Mr. Lu not be the Marshal?!”

Xie Jianwei’s thoughts raced, quickly piecing it together: “He probably never tasted it…”

Yan Ke was baffled: “Huh?”

Soon, someone returned with news.

“Good grief, status truly makes a difference. There is an actual food-taster before meals, and anything failing the pre-screening never reaches Mr. Lu!”

Xie Jianwei cleared his throat, gazing into the distance.

Yan Ke: “…” So the Military Advisor’s dish hadn’t even cleared the food-tasting hurdle, eliminated right at the screening stage!

This was truly a tragic development.

The issue was that while the taster rejected it, the Marshal would have accepted it without hesitation!

Yet it was useless; Xie Jianwei lacked the standing to barge before Mr. Lu to offer himself, or rather, his stuffed grape leaves.

Xie Jianwei said, “I need to practice more. I can’t leave him starving indefinitely.”

True to his words, Mr. Lu placed another order the following day, requesting a simple dessert: crêpes.

However, the Military Advisor’s crêpes, charming in appearance but lacking in flavor, failed the food-tasting phase once again.

After three days of this, the kitchen staff began grumbling.

“I don’t get what he wants. He dislikes everything we make, yet insists on ordering every day…”

“Money to burn! If there’s profit to be made, stop complaining and get cooking!”

Xie Jianwei found it puzzling as well. Why did Lu Li fixate on this specific hotel? Did he know he was here? If so, why not seek him out directly?

He wasn’t overly worried about Lu Li starving to death, given this was his dream, but letting him go hungry indefinitely wasn’t an option either.

Xie Jianwei worked hard to polish his skills. Though his progress was rapid, he continually failed that dreadful food-tasting barrier.

Yan Ke lamented, “This food-taster feels like a wooden club beating apart star-crossed lovers.”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

After four or five days, the executive chef gathered everyone to offer encouragement: “Don’t lose heart! The fact that Mr. Lu still gives us chances proves our potential! Why doesn’t he go to other hotels? Why does he favor ours? It shows that among the dishes he tasted, something resonated with him! As long as we keep trying, we will surely satisfy him!”

The Military Advisor could only resolve to satisfy that food-tasting gentleman first…

Over the weekend, Xie Jianwei received a call displaying Yan Ke’s name.

Yan Ke sounded frantic: “A-Wei, an emergency! Come watch my shop for a bit, I’ve been cuckolded! Damn it, I’m going to beat that pair of scoundrels to death!”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Yan Ke added hurriedly: “Quickly, my cakes are still in the oven, and there are plenty of orders today. I’m leaving it all to you, I’ll treat you later!”

What could Xie Jianwei do? He could only turn around and head over to wreak havoc on that cake shop.