Tantai Qingyue looked blankly at Ning Chen, who was close to losing his temper.

"I am not trying to poison you. This is love. The book said so: cooking for the one you love is how you show it."

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth twitched. "You call this stuff a meal? A dog wouldn't eat it. This isn't love. If I eat it, it'll be cancer. (TL Note: 愛 ài, "love," and 癌 ái, "cancer," differ only in tone.)

Little Tanzi, do you love me, or do you just wish I were dead?"

Tantai Qingyue opened her mouth. "I, I..."

Yudie came over, looked at the black mess and pressed her red lips together. "Don't be angry yet, Ning, dear," she said softly. "It looks like this is the Holy Maiden's first time cooking."

Ning Chen looked at Tantai Qingyue. "This is your first time cooking?"

Tantai Qingyue nodded.

Ning Chen was utterly speechless. "Fine. I accept your love."

Yudie smiled. "For a first try, this is very good. The first time I cooked, everything came out raw."

Ning Chen was at a total loss. "Sure. It's very good. Don't do it again."

Zisu laughed. "Since it's the Holy Maiden's love, eat up and don't worry, Ning, dear... With me around, you won't die."

Ning Chen: "..."

With Zisu around, sure, he wouldn't die—but he'd definitely get the runs... Eating that stuff would be signing up for misery for no reason. He wasn't crazy.

"I just remembered I need to see Old Pan about something."

With that excuse, Ning Chen vanished in a puff of smoke.

Tantai Qingyue was annoyed. She'd spent half the night poring over books on how to love someone, and she'd gotten up before dawn to make Ning Chen breakfast... His reaction was just too hurtful. Couldn't he feel how much she loved him?

Zisu asked curiously, "Have the cooks in our house all quit? Why is the Holy Maiden making breakfast herself?"

Tantai Qingyue sighed. "I am learning to fall in love with Ning Chen. I did everything exactly as the book said, so…