“Oh! Then you’d better hurry.” Yvonne Foster nodded hastily, still not having fully processed what was happening.

“Brother Thompson, let me handle this heavy work.” Liam Foster was so excited that he even changed how he addressed Kevin Thompson, reaching out to take the tray from Kevin Thompson’s hands.

Kevin Thompson smiled, and then the two of them went upstairs together.

One after the other, they arrived upstairs to see the young man in the purple robe sitting at a table by the window, gazing absentmindedly outside. His attendant stood respectfully at his side. The master and servant were chatting and laughing, showing not the slightest hint of impatience.

After setting the dishes down, Liam Foster smiled and said, “Please enjoy your meal, sir.”

The young man in the purple robe stared in surprise at the three dishes on the table: a plate of golden pork slices, a plate of carp with not a drop of sauce, and a plate of crystal-clear bamboo shoots. He exclaimed in wonder, “Oh? These dishes are quite unusual!” Then he turned to Kevin Thompson and asked, “Young man, did you make all three of these dishes?”

Kevin Thompson nodded and said, “I’m afraid my skills are a bit lacking.”

The young man in the purple robe looked at the three dishes again, still puzzled, and asked Kevin Thompson awkwardly, “May I ask, young man, could you tell me the names of these dishes?”

“Of course!”

Kevin Thompson first pointed to the plate of pork head slices and said, “This is twice-cooked pork.” Then he pointed to the bamboo shoots and said, “This is braised bamboo shoots.” Finally, he pointed to the carp and said, “This is pan-seared carp.”

“Twice-cooked pork? Braised bamboo shoots? Pan-seared carp?”

The young man in the purple robe repeated the names softly, closed his folding fan with a snap, and smiled, “Interesting, very interesting.” He couldn’t wait and gave his attendant a look.

The attendant immediately picked up the chopsticks and took a small portion from each of the three dishes, placing them in a bowl, then set the bowl and chopsticks in front of the young man in the purple robe, saying, “Master, please enjoy.”

The young man in the purple robe placed his folding fan on the table, picked up his chopsticks, and put a strand of bamboo shoot into his mouth. After chewing lightly, his eyes lit up and he praised, “Crisp and delicious, sweet and tasty—excellent, excellent.” Then he picked up a slice of twice-cooked pork and put it in his mouth, his face showing a look of bliss, “Rich but not greasy, tender but not falling apart, smooth and tasty. Who would have thought such an unremarkable piece of pork could be made so delicious? Remarkable, truly remarkable!”

In the Northern Song dynasty, mutton and beef were the most popular meats, and wealthy families generally didn’t care for pork. Even Brother Dongpo once said, ‘Yellow pigs are as cheap as dirt; the rich won’t eat them, and the poor don’t know how to cook them,’ which shows just how lowly pork was regarded at the time.

Standing to the side, Liam Foster was so excited by the young man’s praise that his eyes sparkled, his face beaming with joy. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought he was the one who made the dishes.

As for these words of praise, Kevin Thompson seemed rather indifferent, but that was understandable—he used to live surrounded by compliments every day.

The young man in the purple robe then picked up a small piece of fish from the bowl and put it in his mouth. Before he could even swallow, he was already exclaiming in amazement, “Pan-seared carp, excellent! The dish truly lives up to its name—the aroma and freshness of the fish are all sealed inside, crispy on the outside and tender within, fragrant and mellow. Wonderful, simply wonderful!”

Chapter 0008 Selling the Shop

After tasting each dish, the young man in the purple robe stood up, cupped his hands to Kevin Thompson, and praised, “I never expected someone so young to possess such exquisite culinary skills. Even compared to the imperial chefs in the palace, you’re probably not far behind.”

Imperial chef? Could he be from the palace?

Kevin Thompson was startled, but his expression didn’t change. He smiled and said, “As the saying goes, ‘A scholar dies for the one who appreciates him.’ For a good chef, the most important thing is to meet someone who truly appreciates food. I just heard your comments on each dish, and they were spot on. You must have tasted many rare delicacies. Being able to cook for you is truly my honor.”

It had to be said, Kevin Thompson’s flattery was perfectly timed and subtle.

The young man in the purple robe was quite pleased, laughing heartily, “Not only are your cooking skills impressive, young man, but you’re also very witty. Meeting you today has truly made this trip worthwhile. May I ask your name?”

“I am Kevin Thompson.” Kevin Thompson cupped his hands in greeting.

“So it’s Brother Thompson. A pleasure to meet you.” The young man in the purple robe cupped his hands to Kevin Thompson as well, but didn’t seem inclined to reveal his own name. He gave a slight nod to his attendant.

The attendant immediately took out two silver ingots from his robe and handed them to Kevin Thompson, saying, “This is a reward from our young master.”

Liam Foster’s eyes lit up at the sight—this was fifty taels of silver, more than their monthly income.

This showed just how dismal Drunken Immortal’s business had been this month.

The young man in the purple robe said, “It’s just a small token, not much, but I hope Brother Thompson will accept it.”

Kevin Thompson had no intention of refusing—after all, meals are meant to be paid for. He smiled and said, “Then I’ll gladly accept.” He took the silver and handed it to Liam Foster.

Seeing how straightforward Kevin Thompson was, the young man in the purple robe’s eyes flashed with admiration. He quickly invited Kevin Thompson to sit down, and the two of them ate and chatted, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

After eating and drinking their fill, the young man in the purple robe saw that it was getting late, so he got up to take his leave. Before leaving, he said he would definitely come back another day.