The Supreme Indulgence of the Taste Buds

"It depends. If I'm in the mood, I might whip up a few dishes," Xiao Yao replied casually. "But don't just sit here eating—hurry up and take these dishes over to Sang Qingye."

"Sang Miss is truly beautiful," Zhou Xiaobai commented, taking the opportunity to make a point. "Even without makeup, she's more stunning than those big-name stars. Boss, you'd better step up your game. From what I've seen, Sang Miss is pure and cheerful—definitely not one of those shallow, gold-digging girls."

"You really are a meddlesome manager," Xiao Yao threatened with a hint of humor. "Now you're interfering with my personal life. Looks like I'll have to reconsider whether you should stay on as manager, just so you don't end up running the place over my head when Xunwei Zhai gets bigger."

"Boss, I wouldn't dare!" Zhou Xiaobai pleaded hastily. "I was just speaking from the heart. Sang the Beauty must be getting impatient—I’d better hurry and bring her these dishes."

Calling two waiters for help, Zhou Xiaobai carried the four dishes and one soup, prepared personally by the boss, to Sang Qingye's table.

"Wow! These dishes are so exquisite!" Sang Qingye exclaimed. "They look even better than the plating in five-star hotels—like works of art. I almost don't want to eat them."

Xiao Yao took the chance to sit opposite her. "The soul of any dish is its flavor. These aren't just beautiful—they taste even better. I made them myself; try my cooking and see what you think."

"These dishes are like pieces of art. Before tasting, I must take some good pictures," Sang Qingye said earnestly, snapping shots from multiple angles. "Such exquisite dishes deserve fitting names. What are they called?"

"Funny you should ask," Xiao Yao teased. "All the names come from literary masters—you've surely heard of them."

"Literary masters? And I've heard of them?" Sang Qingye pondered, scanning the dishes again. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she pointed to the most visually appealing soup. "I've got it! This must be Matchmaking Soup, right?"

"As expected from a food livestreamer, you guessed it right. That dish is indeed Matchmaking Soup," Xiao Yao confirmed.

Sang Qingye went on, pointing to the next two dishes. "Then these must be Moonlight on the Twenty-four Bridges and Whose Jade Flute Hears Falling Plum Blossoms. But the last two aren't from 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' are they? I don't really read martial arts novels, so I can't guess them."

"Those two are Double Bird Cabbage and Jade Fish Balls," Xiao Yao explained. "Double Bird Cabbage was only briefly mentioned in 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes.' Jade Fish Balls is Abi's specialty in 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,' but it wasn't described much, so it's normal not to recognize them."

"I heard that restaurants in Hong Kong Island serve a Condor Heroes Banquet, and I've always wanted to try it," Sang Qingye said, delighted by the unexpected surprise. "I never thought that wish would come true today. These dishes look amazing, and their names are even better. Would you call this a Condor Heroes Banquet?"

Xiao Yao clarified, "The Condor Heroes Banquet in Hong Kong mostly features newly created dishes, not necessarily ones from the novels. Here at Xunwei Zhai, I'm planning to introduce a Heroes' Banquet—inviting all heroes to taste dishes whose names come from or are described in martial arts novels. Today's four dishes and one soup are my first trial. Try them and let me know what you think."

"The name Heroes' Banquet is already so appealing," Sang Qingye said, admiring the presentation. "As long as the flavors are good, I'm sure anyone who's read the novels would love to try them."

"This high-class Heroes' Banquet must be shared with my livestream friends. I'll start a live session now and try not to get your face in the frame—hope you don't mind?" Sang Qingye asked.

"You've never cared so much about my portrait rights before," Xiao Yao chuckled. "Go ahead, I’m not a celebrity—it's fine even if you get my face."

"Since you don't mind, I'll start the livestream," Sang Qingye said cheerfully. "You're quite popular in my streams—every time you appear, I get more gifts. If you weren't running a restaurant, I’d definitely invite you out for a meal."

"Doesn't that mean I'm losing out? All I did was open a little restaurant—now I've missed my chance for a meal with a beauty," Xiao Yao said with mock regret.

Sang Qingye laughed brightly, proud and playful. "While you might have missed that opportunity, if your cooking keeps up, whenever you launch a new dish, I can be your free taste tester. Do you want that chance?"

"I couldn't ask for more—it's a deal," Xiao Yao agreed, glad for more chances to meet with her.

"Then I'll start the broadcast." Sang Qingye began her livestream, first filming and introducing the dishes on the table.

After the introductions, she picked up her chopsticks and tried two pieces of cabbage. "The simpler a dish, the harder it is to perfect. Let me taste this Double Bird Cabbage."

"Mmm, it's absolutely delicious! Supreme flavor!"

Sang Qingye's taste buds were instantly conquered. Chewing, she gave her review between mouthfuls, "I've never had cabbage this good—crisp, refreshing, and incredibly fragrant!"

"But that's not the main point. What's remarkable is that the chef's skill has brought out the cabbage's natural aroma, and something magical happened in the process. I never liked the smell of cabbage before, but now this blend of fragrances is so enticing, it's irresistible. Even someone who doesn't like cabbage—like me—can confidently tell everyone: I could eat ten plates of this in one go, no problem!"

After her introduction, Sang Qingye couldn't even focus on the livestream anymore. She kept picking up her chopsticks, devouring the entire plate of Double Bird Cabbage in one go.

Her performance was so exaggerated that the livestream chat exploded.

"I want to eat!"

"This is torture!"

"Beautiful name, tempting plating, and it tastes amazing too—what am I supposed to do?"

"Is it really that good? Watching this makes me hungry."

"Sang is really overdoing it—she's acting like a drama queen."

"As a fellow hero, how can I not try the Heroes' Banquet?"

...

Sang Qingye was utterly conquered by the supreme pleasure of her taste buds. After the first bite, she couldn't stop, completely forgetting about her livestream.