Chapter 100 Tangerine Peel Tea

When Qin Huai came back to his senses, he found Luo Jun sitting across from him, still drinking white fungus and lotus seed soup, while Chen Huihong was already cracking sunflower seeds beside him.

Seeing the bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup in front of Luo Jun, Qin Huai instinctively wanted to scoff.

Fortunately, he held it back.

“Finished watching?” Luo Jun glanced at Qin Huai. “Did you see her?”

“I saw her,” Qin Huai replied honestly. He had seen a lot—everything he should and shouldn’t have seen.

Even Luo Jun’s somewhat domineering yet deeply affectionate confession. He had been there in real time, “eating the drama,” sitting very close, right between the two of them, observing every expression and subtle change clearly.

“I have a question,” Qin Huai asked. “About how long did it take in real time while I was watching the memory?”

He could vaguely feel that time was flowing while he was inside the memory, but it was so slow it was almost negligible.

“Less than a minute,” Chen Huihong said while cracking seeds. “I just went to get some sunflower seeds, and you woke up before I even cracked a couple.”

“Xiao Qin, what did you see?” Chen Huihong asked directly in front of Luo Jun.

Qin Huai thought for a moment. “If nothing unexpected happened, it should be Mr. Luo and his wife going on a movie date.”

Cough cough cough.

Luo Jun coughed heavily, nearly choking himself. In a slightly hoarse voice, he said, “These kinds of irrelevant details don’t need to be mentioned. Since you watched the memory, you should have obtained a recipe, right? What did you get?”

Only then did Qin Huai open the game interface and check the illustrated compendium.

While doing so, he noticed that the side quest reward he had obtained earlier—Qu Jing’s Approval—had not been opened yet.

[Qu Jing’s Approval]: The recognition of Dr. Qing, a dedicated physician. Obtaining this title means you have earned Qu Jing’s acknowledgment and are one of her few trusted friends. There is a very small chance she may open her heart to you, allowing you to glimpse the long-hidden secrets she has kept for many years.

Qin Huai froze as he read the description.

A secret hidden for many years?

What secret could Qu Jing possibly have? That she isn’t human? He already knew that—and it was most likely a secret known by Qin Huai, Luo Jun, and Chen Huihong, but not by Qu Jing herself.

Hidden for many years implies it wasn’t something recent.

A very small chance of opening her heart suggests that this secret is significant.

What secret could Qu Jing have?

Could it really be as the hospital director once joked—that on the surface she is an ordinary neurologist, but in private she is a raincoat-wearing serial killer who wanders the streets on rainy nights searching for prey?

No, that didn’t make sense. Since graduating with her doctorate, Qu Jing had stayed in Shanshi and never left. Public safety there had been consistently good, and there were no known serial killings. Not to mention, with surveillance cameras everywhere, the success rate of being a serial killer at night would be very low.

So what secret could she have that she couldn’t reveal?

“Don’t tell me you stared off into space while looking at a recipe. I told you to read recipes, not the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Do you have reading comprehension issues?” Luo Jun couldn’t help but complain.

Qin Huai quickly recited the contents of Qu Jing’s Approval.

Luo Jun looked unfazed. “Having secrets is normal. Who doesn’t have secrets?”

Qin Huai: “…Honestly, ordinary people like me don’t really have secrets worth hiding for years.”

Chen Huihong patiently explained, “Having a secret is actually a good thing for Xiao Qing. It means her obsession has manifested concretely. If we can uncover her secret, we can roughly identify her obsession and better help her awaken.”

“Normally, this is how spirits help someone awaken. As for someone like you, Xiao Qin, who directly views past-life memories…” Chen Huihong paused, struggling to find the right words, “it’s quite… unique.”

Qin Huai: “…”

Just say I’m a system-enabled cheater.

“Enough nonsense. Read the recipe,” Luo Jun urged.

Qin Huai found the compendium and opened Luo Jun’s entry.

3. Name: Luo Jun
Species: Bifang
Status: About to lose memory
Memories: 1/3
Recipes: Tangerine Peel Tea (click to view details)
Gift: None

He clicked on Tangerine Peel Tea.

[Tangerine Peel Tea – D Rank]
Creator: Liu Tao

Recipe Details:
The tangerine peel tea prepared by Luo Jun’s wife Liu Tao before their first date. The dish’s true name should be tangerine peel white fungus lotus seed soup, but due to Luo Jun’s misunderstanding and Liu Tao forgetting to explain, this dessert accidentally received a new name. Even after learning the original name later, the couple felt that “tangerine peel tea” suited it better.

For Luo Jun, even though Liu Tao’s cooking improved over time and later versions of this tea tasted better, the first bowl he drank during their date—by the roadside, slightly cooled and mixed with dust and wind—remains the most delicious bowl of tangerine peel tea he has ever had in his life.

After consumption, it can warm the eater for an entire day.

Daily production limit: (0/1314)

Qin Huai: “Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

The daily production limit is 1314.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Qin Huai didn’t read out the detailed recipe, only told Luo Jun that the recipe was tangerine peel tea. He planned to go home later and send the details to Luo Jun via text.

After hearing the recipe, Luo Jun fell silent for a long time.

Then, without saying a word, he silently transferred 100,000 yuan to Qin Huai on his phone.

Qin Huai: !!!

“Go online and find a professional artist,” Luo Jun said. “Have them draw what Liu Tao looks like based on your memory. The more accurate, the better.”

Qin Huai understood—it was payment for the work.

“You and Liu Tao… didn’t take photos back then?” Qin Huai couldn’t help but ask.

Given Luo Jun’s financial means, taking a photo should have been effortless.

Even if he didn’t like taking photos in general, wedding photos should at least exist.

“We did. They were lost,” Luo Jun said calmly. “Back then I always felt time was abundant, and since the person was right beside me, there was no need to care about a photograph.”

“Turns out being human is troublesome. Human lives are far more fragile than those of plant spirits.”

Chen Huihong: “…You don’t have to bring up plant spirits at a time like this, do you?”

Qin Huai quickly responded, “Don’t worry, I saw everything very clearly in the memory. I observed carefully and remember it well. I’ll go find an artist online right away and have them draw it for you!”

Luo Jun waved his hand, signaling him not to delay—go find one immediately.

Qin Huai obediently went home.

Of course, not his own home, but Qin Luo’s place.

He wasn’t very good at finding artists online; he usually scrolled short videos rather than browsing forums or Weibo. Qin Luo, on the other hand, used Weibo and had some followers, so Qin Huai planned to have her help.

When he arrived, he caught Qin Luo secretly playing on her phone in her room. She was immediately discovered and penalized—her supply of “three-ingredient buns” and “five-ingredient buns” was cut off for a week.

Qin Luo nearly burst into tears, but still helped him search for artists while feeling miserable.

“Bro, why do you need an artist? For promotional drawings of our buns?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about it. Just remember to specify that the artist must be able to draw detailed likenesses based on descriptions, skilled in portrait work. It’s urgent—include portfolio and resume. Budget is tentatively… 80,000 yuan.”

Qin Luo was stunned.

Had her brother gotten rich?!

Was she now the sister of a newly wealthy person?!

Could she just coast through life without inheriting the breakfast shop and live off dividends?!

“You finished your English papers, but barely touched the math ones. I’m in your parents’ group chat—you’re taking math, advanced math, physics, and computer science. Don’t slack off and keep doing English all the time. Study more math.”

“Study well and I’ll make you a ‘dream-fulfilling sesame cake.’”

Qin Luo felt she hadn’t eaten any actual sesame cake yet—but she had already been fed promises by her brother.

After checking her homework, Qin Huai left satisfied.

That evening, Qin Luo found several suitable artists. After screening, Qin Huai selected one who was still studying at an art academy—formally trained and experienced with commissions—and added them on WeChat.

IceIceZi: Alright boss, just to confirm these are the requirements? I’ll work overnight tonight to produce several drafts for you to review. If revisions are needed, we can discuss further tomorrow. Could you please send the deposit first…

Qin Huai: [Transfer – 2000 yuan]

IceIceZi: Got it boss, thank you boss. Payment received. Looking forward to a smooth collaboration~