Chapter 67: Nine Flavors, One Essence

Chapter 67: The Nine Flavors Dish

Wang Guocheng and Fan Xiaoyou exchanged a knowing smile as the head chef before them continued to shroud his creation in mystery. In unison, they urged, "Serve the dish, please!"

The chef, delighted by their anticipation and appreciation, responded with enthusiasm and courtesy, "Please wait just a moment, the dish will be ready soon."

Once the chef had retreated to the kitchen, Fan Xiaoyou voiced the doubt in her heart, turning to Wang Guocheng. "Guocheng, were we just being foolish? Maybe this dish isn’t really worth the price."

Seeing Fan Xiaoyou’s regret, Wang Guocheng gently took her hand and patted it reassuringly. "From the way he speaks and carries himself, the chef doesn’t seem like someone who makes empty promises. Who knows, perhaps what he’s about to serve will truly astonish us."

Fan Xiaoyou looked at him uncertainly. "Do you really think so?"

Wang Guocheng smiled faintly. "Yes."

As they were talking, the chef reappeared, personally carrying an exquisite bowl. The aroma and colors were enticing, yet upon seeing the contents, Fan Xiaoyou could not help but speak up.

"Chef, are you trying to fool us? This looks like the most ordinary spicy hotpot! Why should anyone bid so much for it? Are you playing with us?"

The chef gave her a sidelong glance and replied slowly, "Miss, while it may resemble a common dish, the taste is altogether different. This dish contains nine distinct flavors. You’ll know the difference once you try it."

Wang Guocheng was the first to pick up his chopsticks, selecting a piece from the bowl and tasting it carefully. To Fan Xiaoyou’s surprise, she noticed tears brimming in his eyes as he sat across from her.

Alarmed, she called out, "Guocheng, what’s wrong?"

Before Wang Guocheng could answer, the chef interjected, "Miss, I suspect the gentleman was reminded of some sad memory by the taste of this dish—hence his reaction."

Fan Xiaoyou glanced at the chef reproachfully. "Why must you make people cry with your cooking?"

The chef explained, "This dish is composed of nine flavors, and each person experiences it differently. Since the gentleman was moved to sadness, perhaps he has endured sorrowful times."

Half skeptical, Fan Xiaoyou picked up her chopsticks and took a bite. To her astonishment, she tasted bitterness, and she frowned at the chef. "Why does it taste bitter to me?"

The chef smiled mysteriously. "That is the unique charm of the Nine Flavors Dish. Please, enjoy."

After the chef left, Fan Xiaoyou looked over at Wang Guocheng, still noticing the glimmer of tears in his eyes. Curious, she reached out and nudged him.

"Hey, what’s gotten into you? Could there be something in the food? You look dazed and teary—it’s almost comical."

Wang Guocheng wiped his eyes awkwardly. "Sorry, I lost control for a moment."

Fan Xiaoyou had wanted to probe into what memory could move Wang Guocheng to tears, but seeing the shadow on his face, she decided to change the subject.

"So, tell me, what delicacies does your Border Town have? Don’t tell me it’s nothing but lamb skewers!"

Wang Guocheng, pleased by her interest, replied with enthusiasm, "Border Town welcomes people from north and south, all with different tastes. It’s not an exaggeration to say you can enjoy cuisine from all over the world there. Besides the various regional specialties, our charcoal-grilled dishes are second to none. Once you set foot in Border Town, you’ve entered a food lover’s paradise."

Fan Xiaoyou found herself salivating as he spoke. "You make it sound so wonderful—I’m tempted to go and try everything!"

"Xiaoyou, do you really want to visit Border Town?" Wang Guocheng clasped her hand, his excitement barely contained.

A faint blush crept up Fan Xiaoyou’s cheeks. In truth, after all that had happened with Tim, she had been reflecting deeply. She now saw love in a new light—life is full of a thousand flavors, and so is love, with its own blend of sweetness, bitterness, and spice.

She had always noticed and been touched by Wang Guocheng’s sincere affection for her. She hadn’t expected her offhand remark about visiting Border Town to excite him so.

"Guocheng, let me be clear. Right now, I’m only interested in the food and culture of Border Town. I’m not ready to discuss marriage. You know Tim has only just passed. My heart hasn’t settled yet... about us getting married..."

Wang Guocheng gently patted the back of her hand. "There’s no rush. Didn’t you once say you’d only marry me if I proposed one hundred and one times?"

Fan Xiaoyou, reminded of her own words, looked at him in embarrassment. "Did I say that? No, I must have been dreaming."

She felt awkward. Back then, she’d made that demand just to tease him, to put him off. Now, with Tim’s recent death, she truly had no interest in marriage, whether one proposal or a hundred and one.

She knew it wasn’t that she didn’t care for Wang Guocheng, but that she needed time to recover, to fully open her heart to his love. She hesitated, unsure how to express herself.

Noticing her inner turmoil, Wang Guocheng’s heart ached. He watched her with a mixture of joy and sorrow.

As silence settled between them, the chef returned. He stood before them, smiling. "Sir, Miss, may I ask if the dish met your expectations?"

Fan Xiaoyou, seeing the chef, looked at him with newfound admiration. She stepped forward and took his arm. "Master, your dish is truly extraordinary. May I ask what inspired its creation?"

The chef’s eyes grew distant. "Cooking must be infused with emotion. This dish was inspired by a chapter of my own life. Perhaps you’ve already tasted the nine flavors—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, numbing, pungent, fishy, and fragrant. These are the essential flavors of human feeling. You are the first couple to taste this dish. I hope it will remind you to cherish each other, to value your past, to be tolerant and complementary, and to grow together."

"Thank you, Master, for your thoughtfulness. Who would have imagined that so much feeling could be contained in a single dish? You are truly a man of insight!" Wang Guocheng praised him sincerely.