Chapter 9: Gourmet Anime Villain, Max-Level God of Cooking

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Gourmet Anime Villain, Max-Level God of Cooking

The old Nan Zhi actually knew nothing about cooking.

Even though she had a grandfather with masterful culinary skills, he didn’t want her confined to the kitchen. Instead, he hoped she would spread her wings and see the wider world!

So growing up, Nan Zhi had never even touched a kitchen knife.

That is, until four years ago. She had gone out shopping, just like any other day.

But she suddenly missed her step, and when she opened her eyes again, she had transmigrated to an ancient world and was bound to a System.

The System told her that she was now in the world of a shonen-style Food anime. It was a story about a male protagonist who, through travel, constant learning, and making friends, would finally defeat the villainous Boss and become a Culinary God.

And she was that villainous Boss.

—the one who would manipulate the hearts of men with her Food, even using the emperor as a puppet to command the nobles and become the nation’s hidden ruler.

Nan Zhi thought it was completely absurd.

She couldn’t even steam an egg custard, and her post-transmigration identity was just a lowly maid doing menial chores in a Prince Mansion.

In contrast, the protagonist’s party had a Prince, a Commandery Princess from another nation, a noble son... a whole group of Heavenly Dragon People who could crush her with the lift of a finger!

How could a lowly maid like her possibly become the main villainous Boss?

Fortunately, the System promised to send her back to her own world as long as she completed its missions.

Since refusing the missions also meant death, Nan Zhi decided to give it her all.

When she transmigrated, the male protagonist had just turned ten.

And so, Nan Zhi became a master of time management—

on one hand, she worked herself to the bone studying the culinary arts, embarking on the upgrade path from a Prince Mansion maid to the world’s greatest Culinary God;

on the other, she secretly gave the male protagonist cheats and power-ups, hoping he would hurry up, grow stronger, and complete the main questline.

She spent a full twelve years doing this.

Eventually, even the System found it incredible, praising her for her tenacity, diligence, and calm composure.

Finally, the time came for Nan Zhi’s ultimate showdown with the male protagonist!

The time also came for the protagonist to stand before the entire world and proudly declare that classic line—

"Your cooking is cold! It has no soul! You are not worthy of being the world’s greatest Culinary God!"

Nan Zhi agreed with him.

’I’m just an emotionless machine, here to complete a mission.’

’Tenacious and diligent?’

’Calm and composed?’

Nan Zhi felt the phrase "a calm madwoman" described her far better.

For twelve years in that strange world, a fire called ’home’ had burned relentlessly within her.

It had tormented her day and night, robbing her of peaceful sleep.

Even her culinary skill, the very thing that had brought her to the pinnacle of power, was nothing more than a tool.

But now.

Seeing Nan Yi’s small face light up with a special radiance from the delicious flavor, Nan Zhi felt a faint stirring in her heart.

’It’s like I’ve found a new purpose.’

-

Not far from the night market was a university, which was responsible for most of its booming business.

The spring semester had just begun, and the students, flush with their living allowances and unsatisfied with the bland cafeteria food, loved to wander the nearby streets in search of delicacies.

Xiao Qian was one of them.

She had earned some money working over winter break and offered to treat her roommates to a meal to mark the start of the semester.

Her roommates had clamored to take her for all she was worth, but they ended up at the night market instead.

Xiao Qian felt a bit sheepish.

"Shouldn’t we have picked a place that’s a little nicer?"

One of her roommates retorted righteously,

"What’s wrong with a grimy little food stall? We love grimy little food stalls!"

As they spoke, they ventured deeper into the market, only to find that their usual favorite stalls were already packed.

Suddenly, one of the roommates’ eyes lit up.

"Hey, a gorgeous woman! Wow, and an adorable little kid!"

The other three followed her gaze and saw a brand-new, gleaming metal food cart tucked into a corner of the night market.

Behind the cart stood a young woman, eating from a plate. Her hair was tied back, and the overhead light traced the lines of her profile, making her seem as hazy and indistinct as a romantic, poetic ink-wash painting.

Beside her stood a little boy, not even reaching her waist, with jet-black hair, red lips, and pearly teeth. He was so exquisite he looked like a little prince doll from a display window.

The modern, aesthetics-obsessed college students were instantly smitten. They felt that such an ethereal pair didn’t belong in a bustling night market, but rather amidst the misty rains of Jiangnan.

As if in a trance, they found themselves drawn forward, their legs moving on their own.

Xiao Qian blushed and asked,

"Miss, what are you selling?"

Nan Zhi looked up at the voice, a smile dancing in her eyes, and pointed to the sign at her side.

"For now, this is all I have. Would you like some?"

Xiao Qian took a closer look, and her shyness vanished in an instant.

’Egg fried rice for 20? That’s so expensive!’

Nan Zhi tilted her head.

"So, would you like some?"

Xiao Qian felt an indescribable sense of disappointment.

But being too shy to refuse, she nodded anyway.

"We’ll take one, please."

’It might not taste that great, but at least it looks clean. The owner is eating it herself.’

Xiao Qian could only console herself with that thought.

Nan Zhi nodded, set aside her half-eaten fried rice, heated the wok, and cracked an egg with one hand. The series of movements had a peculiar rhythm to them, turning the simple act of frying rice into a display of fluid, graceful beauty.

Xiao Qian and her roommates had seen plenty of cooking videos from online influencers, but watching Nan Zhi’s movements still left them feeling amazed, as if their eyes had been opened to something new.

They didn’t dare blink, only snapping back to reality when the egg fried rice, packed in a disposable container, was placed before them.

’Is it just my imagination?’

’Why does this seemingly ordinary bowl of egg fried rice seem to be emitting a faint golden glow?’

Xiao Qian carefully took the container, her mouth already watering uncontrollably.

"It...it smells so good!"

Urged on by her roommates, she took a small bite.

Instantly, Xiao Qian’s eyes flew wide in utter astonishment!

Her roommates thought her reaction was strange and whispered,

"Is it bad?"

Xiao Qian was stunned for a full four or five seconds before she finally snapped out of it.

As she came to, she began frantically shoveling the rice into her mouth.

"No, no, no! It’s so good!"

So good she was about to cry!

Xiao Qian even felt like she could see a tiny person in a pretty dress dancing gracefully in her mind!

Her roommates stared, dumbfounded. For a moment, they wondered if there were some "special ingredients" in the fried rice.

But that couldn’t be right. The entire cooking process had happened right before their eyes; there was no room for any tricks!

The roommates hesitated.

"So... should we get another one?"

They were getting curious about the taste that could make Xiao Qian start eating like an excavator.

Xiao Qian, still immersed in the deliciousness, briefly regained her senses.

"No!"

Her roommates: ?

Xiao Qian looked at Nan Zhi with pleading eyes.

"Miss, not one order! We need three! Oh, no! Four orders of egg fried rice!"

’I’m eating two of them!’

Nan Zhi paused, slightly taken aback.

"Alright."

’It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the pure joy that comes from cooking.’

Nan Zhi worked quickly.

In just a few minutes, four orders of egg fried rice were ready.

Meanwhile, the fried rice in Xiao Qian’s container had already vanished. She seamlessly transitioned to her second order, a huge grin plastered on her face.

At first, her roommates thought Xiao Qian was exaggerating, but after they each took a bite, they were completely blown away.

Then, they all exclaimed in unison,

"We want to order another one, too!"

Little did Xiao Qian and her roommates know that the entire scene of them eating until they looked like the crying cat meme had been captured by a hidden camera.