Lin Shanyue had not expected a response the moment she called out, but what she did not know was that Huo Yi had truly been waiting for her.
The young lady had gone out first thing in the morning, and to his surprise, even Xiaobao was nowhere to be found.
Huo Yi, who could only observe this side through the mirror, was naturally anxious. He had spent the entire morning in his antique shop, peering frequently toward the glass, and from time to time, he would toss something through. By now, the floor was piled high with items.
"Where did you go?" Huo Yi couldn't help but ask.
"I found a way to start a small business," Lin Shanyue replied truthfully.
Huo Yi was quite astonished. He had assumed this young lady was a fallen noblewoman, the type who had never lifted a finger in her life. He never imagined she could cook, let alone have the skill to manage a business.
"How much did you earn?" Huo Yi asked.
"One tael," Lin Shanyue replied with a smile. She was in a good mood and answered every question asked of her. As she spoke, she began tidying up the items the Mirror Demon Young Master had sent over.
*One tael...* Huo Yi was genuinely surprised. The young lady could earn a tael in a single trip—was she truly that gifted? Thinking of his own quiet, empty antique shop, Huo Yi coughed in mild embarrassment.
Lin Shanyue did not notice; her attention was entirely captured by the bedding. "Young Master... what made you think of giving me this? What is it made of? It’s truly soft and warm." She had never seen such a fluffy quilt before; it didn't look like cotton.
"It's a down comforter. I figured winter was coming your way and it would be cold. Those two thin mats of yours wouldn't do much," Huo Yi said nonchalantly.
Lin Shanyue paused, glancing at her bed, her cheeks flushing a suspicious shade of red. *He... can he see everything?*
"What's wrong?" Huo Yi asked, seeing her frozen in silence.
"N-nothing," Lin Shanyue quickly moved to organize the rest of the items. "And these... Young Master, I apologize, but it seems our worlds are different. I have no idea what these things are..."
Huo Yi was quite patient as he explained, "The red canister is powdered milk; you can mix it directly with hot water to drink. Both you and Xiaobao can have it. The bag contains white sugar, and there are also tins of canned fish and luncheon meat—all ready to eat once opened."
Lin Shanyue was astounded.
"You... you're giving all this to me?"
Huo Yi hummed. "I have no use for them. Just take them. But... when will lunch be ready? I'm starving."
Huo Yi, on the other side of the mirror, felt a bit awkward. He sat there waiting for Lin Shanyue, effectively waiting for a meal. Ever since he discovered he could taste the food from that world, he hadn't even wanted to glance at the delicacies in his own home. He genuinely missed the taste of that bowl of rice porridge. He hadn't had any side dishes last time, and today, he wanted some.
Lin Shanyue realized what he meant. "Young Master, please wait! I'll make it right away! I bought meat today!"
*Oh, meat. That’s good,* Huo Yi thought, feeling quite expectant.
Lin Shanyue didn't waste another moment and turned toward the kitchen. She took out two radishes and two heads of cabbage. She would stir-fry the cabbage—but today, she had oil and salt, so it would be much more flavorful. She could cook the tofu and minced meat together, and the remaining pork bones could be stewed with the radishes for soup.
With two dishes and a soup, Lin Shanyue decided to forgo the porridge and steam rice instead. She never expected to be eating such a wonderful meal so soon. It was all thanks to the Mirror Demon Young Master, and of course, her own hard work. She smiled, her movements quickening. She was, in fact, quite hungry herself.
Remembering the half-eaten flatbread, she returned to her room while the rice and soup simmered. "Xiaobao, have a little flatbread first~"
Lin Shanyue didn't dare feed Xiaobao too much; she tore off a small piece and, seeing that Xiaobao ate it without issue, felt relieved. There was still half a piece left... Lin Shanyue thought for a moment, cut it into small squares, placed them on a plate, and carefully passed them through the mirror to the Mirror Demon Young Master. "Young Master, this is the flatbread I bought on the street today. Would you like to try it?"
*Flatbread?* Huo Yi knew of this. He happened to want to verify something, so he replied with an "mm" and took it.
He wanted to know if he could taste flavors from that world generally, or if it was limited only to what the young lady cooked. Without hesitation, Huo Yi took a bite.
*Very good—it has no taste at all.*
The hypothesis was confirmed.
He found it quite strange, but he refrained from drawing conclusions until Lin Shanyue finally finished dinner and passed the two dishes and one soup through the mirror.
Stir-fried cabbage, stewed tofu with minced meat, and radish bone soup—the meal was as home-cooked as it could possibly be. Yet, Huo Yi was now swallowing hard. He didn't hesitate and brought the food to his mouth.
"!!!"
It was that same instant his taste buds were ignited! Huo Yi's eyes lit up!
*It's so good... I could cry.*
Huo Yi stopped speaking and polished off the meal in a few bites. Only after he finished did he look up to see Lin Shanyue still standing in front of the mirror, as if waiting.
"Young Master?"
Huo Yi composed himself and wiped his mouth. "Yes."
"Did it suit your palate?"
The long-lost feeling of fullness and the happiness brought by food enveloped Huo Yi, but he only gave a faint "mm." Lin Shanyue breathed a sigh of relief.
"Might I ask you to return the bowls and chopsticks... to me? To be honest, these things are quite expensive..." Lin Shanyue felt a bit embarrassed, but it was the truth. The ceramic bowls were truly dear—seven coins apiece.
Huo Yi paused for a moment before slowly pushing them back through. Lin Shanyue immediately said, "Thank you, Young Master!"
She reached out to take them and was surprised to find... the Young Master had eaten everything. Not a single grain was left. It seemed the Mirror Demon Young Master was truly starving over there. Lin Shanyue knew what that felt like, and she knew how miserable it was.
"The Young Master has helped me so much. If you don't mind, you can order dishes in the future. What would you like to eat for dinner?"
Huo Yi: "!"
This sudden surprise nearly knocked Huo Yi off his seat. He thought for a moment and said, "I want to have red-braised pork."
"Ah..." Lin Shanyue looked troubled. "I can't make that just yet. I only bought two jin of meat today, and I'm afraid it won't be enough. Besides, red-braised pork requires quite a few spices. I'm sorry..."
The other side fell silent for a moment, leaving Lin Shanyue feeling a bit apprehensive. "Young Master?"
*Thump, thump, thump—!*
Suddenly, things started flying through the mirror again—
Cinnamon! Star anise! Cloves! All sorts of seasonings for stewing meat! And an entire box of...
*Ribs and pork belly???*
The Mirror Demon Young Master's voice came through again: "You cook very well. I have no shortage of ingredients here. You don't need to spend your energy buying any in the future. I want to have red-braised pork by tonight."
Lin Shanyue was completely stunned.
This was no Mirror Demon!
This was a true immortal! Could he be the Kitchen God from the Heavenly Palace?
Or perhaps he was the God of Wealth, who granted every wish?!