[Satisfaction Points? Didn’t I tell you about them, Host?]
Yao Chengcheng: “I’m absolutely, positively, and definitely sure you didn’t.”
Bobojii acted as if it had made a mistake but didn’t care: [Satisfaction Points are the evaluations collected from the food you make, and they’re the only standard for this System’s upgrades! Your current Satisfaction Points are 20. Collect 500 to upgrade to Level 2, and 1,000 to reach Level 3. At Level 3, you can unlock Cultivated Land!]
Yao Chengcheng: “So it’s basically like positive reviews, right? How many Satisfaction Points per positive review?”
[One…]
Yao Chengcheng: “…”
[Host, don’t worry! You’re still a beginner, so progress is slow, and your customers are mostly casual ones! If you encounter a distinguished guest, you’ll earn more Satisfaction Points! For example, some distinguished guests can give 50 or even 100 Satisfaction Points if they’re satisfied!]
Yao Chengcheng: “Then how do I meet distinguished guests?”
[…With my current authority, it’s purely based on luck.]
Yao Chengcheng facepalmed. Understood—she had a newbie dummy system.
She muted the System and focused on making snacks. Rice cakes were simpler: rice had to be ground into rice milk first, fermented, then mixed with sugar. The rice paste was poured directly into molds and steamed, resulting in sweet, soft, and sticky rice cakes.
Pearl milk tea was obviously much more complicated. Making pearls from tapioca flour and brown sugar alone took a long time. The brown sugar syrup in the pot had to be removed from the heat and cooled as soon as tiny bubbles formed. Then, tapioca flour was added, and once the dough was cool enough to handle, she kneaded it and rolled it into small round balls—the pearls.
The rolled pearls still needed to be cooked. While boiling the pearls, Yao Chengcheng could also simmer the milk tea. The prince’s estate was great—fresh milk was delivered daily. Simmering it over low heat… but there was another problem: she didn’t have tea…
Yao Chengcheng immediately went to search the cabinets. In such a large kitchen, there had to be tea leaves somewhere.
Unexpectedly, after rummaging around, she actually found a tea cake. It looked… decent, stored in a box.
Yao Chengcheng sniffed it. Good, good—you’ll do.
First, she rinsed the tea leaves with hot water to remove bitterness and impurities, then transferred them to a small pot with the milk to simmer slowly. It didn’t need to simmer for too long—just until the added brown sugar melted. Gradually, the milk released its sweet aroma, blending with the warm scent of brown sugar and a hint of amber, perfectly complementing the brown sugar pearls.
While still hot, Yao Chengcheng poured the pearls and milk tea into bottles. The prince’s estate had plenty of beautiful glass cups! The plump brown sugar pearls settled at the bottom, while the milky layers of the tea swirled above. The aroma attracted Chunyan, Xialiu, and many others from the kitchen—
“Chef Yao, what is this? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
Yao Chengcheng smiled and said, “Pearl milk tea! There’s more in the pot. I think there’s enough for everyone to have a small cup. Want to try it?”
Everyone swallowed their saliva and looked at Auntie Mu, who nodded: “Go ahead.”
She had noticed it earlier and was also curious to try it.
Everyone followed Yao Chengcheng’s example: a small spoonful of pearls at the bottom, then a ladle of milk tea, stirred together~
The first sip of milk tea in their mouths—
QAQ, what kind of heavenly nectar is this?!
Yao Chengcheng naturally also tasted a small cup. The quality of the milk was excellent to begin with—smooth and creamy, sweet yet gentle and substantial. The moment she bit into the pearls, they were delightfully chewy yet wrapped in a soft, glutinous texture. So good~
The faint milk fragrance and the lingering sweetness of brown sugar were both warm and comforting. The sweetness was balanced by the tea aroma, making it refreshing and not cloying, tempting her to take one sip after another!
Truly satisfying!
Yao Chengcheng smiled and said, “You all keep drinking. I’ll go deliver some to the Prince.”
Auntie Mu nodded and thought for a moment. “I’ll go with you.”
“Alright~” She happened to have something to ask Auntie Mu.
It was already the hour of Shen (around 3–5 p.m.), past lunchtime but not yet dinner—the perfect time for afternoon tea!
When the servants at Qinzhuyuan saw that Auntie Mu and Chef Yao had come together, they didn’t stop them and simply let them in.
Fuman came out to greet them. Yao Chengcheng said, “Eunuch Fu, I’ve brought afternoon tea for the Prince!”
Fuman smiled. “Apologies for the wait, but the Prince is currently discussing matters inside.”
Yao Chengcheng glanced at the tightly closed doors and windows and quickly nodded.
Inside the room was none other than Anying.
“I have thoroughly investigated the Yao family for three generations and closely monitored their recent activities. I am certain they are not spies for that person, and the likelihood of them being agents is low. Yao Baowang, in particular, can even be considered an upright official—truly a small household with little intellect. As for Chef Yao, she is the second daughter of the family. Her character… tends to be petty and greedy for small advantages, and she seems to have a poor relationship with the eldest daughter. I’ve heard she has always wanted to marry into a noble family. Overall, she appears… rather lacking in judgment…”
Anying’s words were relatively tactful, but Fu Yuanzheng understood.
In simple terms, she was not very bright.
Petty and greedy, wanting to marry into a noble family…?
Fu Yuanzheng pondered for a moment. “Understood. I have always trusted your work. Since it’s confirmed that the Yao family has no ulterior motives, we can set this matter aside for now.”
“Will you still keep Chef Yao in the residence?”
Fu Yuanzheng had heard the commotion outside the door earlier. After a moment of silence, he nodded and hummed in agreement.
Anying understood and turned to leave.
Fuman glanced at the door and smiled. “Please come in.”
Yao Chengcheng entered the room and stepped forward with a smile. “Prince, the snacks are ready. Today, we have rice cakes and pearl milk tea! Please give them a try!”
Fu Yuanzheng lowered his gaze to look at the tray. “Pearl milk tea?”
“It’s made with tapioca starch and brown sugar, not real pearls!”
Fu Yuanzheng nodded, reached out, and picked up the cup. He examined it carefully for a moment before softly saying, “Quite ingenious.”
Yao Chengcheng beamed. “Thank you for the praise, Prince!”
Fu Yuanzheng gave her a speechless look. “You’re not exactly modest.”
Yao Chengcheng replied, “Awkward modesty is pointless. If the Prince praises me, it means I’ve done well! Of course, I should be happy!”
Fu Yuanzheng said nothing more and instead took a small sip.
Instantly, his expression shifted slightly.
“How does… the Prince find it?”
The lingering warmth and sweetness still danced on Fu Yuanzheng’s tongue. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he suddenly asked, “If the Emperor knew that the tribute tea he bestowed was boiled by you with sugar and milk, I’m afraid even ten of your heads wouldn’t be enough to atone.”
Yao Chengcheng’s eyes widened in shock. “Wh-what tribute tea?!”
Auntie Mu was also stunned. “Chef Yao, you didn’t take it from the topmost cabinet, did you? The one with the square tea cake?”
“Yes… I thought it was just an ordinary tea cake…”
Fu Yuanzheng: “That is Ninghong tea, only one jin is produced each year. I have merely two liang, and you used it all.”
Yao Chengcheng immediately knelt down: “Your Highness, please forgive me! This servant truly did not know!”
Execution… surely not that severe!
The words “loves to take petty advantages” that Anying mentioned suddenly flashed through Fu Yuanzheng’s mind, and he said, “You should indeed be punished. I will deduct three months of your salary.”
Three months of salary…
Sixty taels.
Yao Chengcheng’s legs went weak, nearly collapsing to the ground.