Luo Huai’an specially printed out QR codes and placed them in front of all the food serving windows, along with the online community’s QR code.

Many students who came to eat were pleasantly surprised to find that the Eighth Cafeteria had launched a food delivery service after seeing the QR code for the app.

In such a hot summer, students needed to grit their teeth and rush out the door in one go, otherwise they would be completely captivated by the air conditioning in the teaching buildings and dormitories. If it weren’t for the delicious food in the Eighth Cafeteria, they wouldn’t want to go out at all. 

The launch of the food delivery app was exactly what they wanted, and many people who liked to order takeout immediately scanned the code.

Luo Huai’an looked at the number of registered users of the app in the administrator dashboard. There were already several hundred people, and the number was still growing.

She was overjoyed and prepared to launch set meals for delivery. Many people suffer from decision paralysis, unsure of what to choose from a wide variety of dishes, and some may only have enough money for one dish, making the eating experience too monotonous.

Set meals could solve this problem, allowing you to enjoy a variety of dishes and experience different flavors in one set meal.

Luo Huai’an thought to herself that the first dish should be a ‘good start’, and she should make it a very auspicious and popular dish.

At that moment, the image of Cantonese crispy chicken flashed through Luo Huai’an’s mind. She nodded, having a good feeling, and decided to make Cantonese crispy chicken leg rice.

There were many types of crispy chicken sold in the market today. The most common ones were breaded and fried, and then the New Orleans style. Many people could only think of these two when they think of crispy chicken. However, both of these originated from abroad. In truth, there were many other ways to make crispy chicken in China, and the taste was no worse than the former two.

The reason these methods didn’t spread as widely as the two originating from foreign lands was because our ancestors were too meticulous and their methods were too refined. Many people couldn’t learn them, and those who did were unwilling to do it because they wanted to make money and take the easy way out. As a result, fast food methods became very popular in the market.

One of the most famous ways to make crispy chicken in China was the Cantonese style. Cantonese crispy chicken was a local specialty, its bright red color symbolizing good fortune. The preparation of Cantonese crispy chicken was extremely complex, involving scalding, braising, basting with syrup and letting it dry before deep-frying, and finally thickening with a cornstarch slurry.

Only after meticulous preparation could a Cantonese crispy chicken with a bright red color and tender meat be properly made.

Luo Huai’an didn’t mind the trouble. Although she was ruthless, she took cooking very seriously because of the influence of the Kitchen God.

After all, when she was learning to cook, if she did something shoddy, the Kitchen God would knock his knuckles on her head with a loud bang. Over time, she almost developed a conditioned reflex to it.

Older chickens were tough and chewy, while younger chickens were mushy. Luo Huai’an used free-range chickens less than a year old to make crispy chicken legs, which resulted in crispy skin, tender meat, and the best texture.

After she finished making the crispy chicken legs, she took out a round takeout bowl, laid a layer of hot rice at the bottom of the bowl, placed the crispy chicken leg on top, and also put some greens stir-fried in garlic and pickled mustard greens on the side.

She picked up the crispy chicken leg rice set meal and handed it to Qing Niao, who was sweeping the floor outside.

Qing Niao had been in the Eighth Cafeteria for several days now. Because the food delivery app was still under development, he had nothing to do during this time. But he was gentle and kind-hearted and could never stay idle. He felt that it was really wrong of him to be getting paid without doing any work, so he took the initiative to clean the tables and tidy the floor.

Every time Luo Huai’an saw him working so diligently, her heart, which was as hard as stone, softened for a second, and she almost shed crocodile tears of emotion for him—Qing Niao was the employee she had always dreamed of.

Luo Huai’an handed the crispy chicken leg rice bowl to Qing Niao, much more gently than she treated Big Fish, “Try my cooking.”

Qing Niao accepted the crispy chicken leg rice bowl with a flattered expression, feeling deeply moved. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, please eat.”

Qing Niao, carrying his crispy chicken leg rice bowl, found a seat and sat down, a warm feeling suddenly welling up inside him. He was originally a messenger under the Queen Mother of the West, living a very high standard of life, eating spiritual fruits and drinking the dew of the Jade Pool. 

However, in modern times, he could only eat wheat and corn kernels that people casually threw to him; the difference was undeniable.

It was easy to go from simplicity to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to simplicity. If Qing Niao wasn’t someone with low material desires and a calm mind, he probably wouldn’t have been able to stand it long ago.

But Qing Niao endured it and even got used to it. To repay the friends who had fed him, he also helped others fulfill their wishes, making his already meager life even more difficult.

Since he woke up, he has never had a decent meal.

The boss not only agreed to his initial salary expectations, but also proactively helped him with career planning to help him achieve his goals.

The boss was such a nice person.

Qing Niao fell into deep thought, feeling deeply moved, when suddenly he smelled an enticing fragrance and looked down.

His first impression of this Cantonese crispy chicken leg was red, but not a bright red; rather, it’s a reddish-brown color derived being coated in sugar and deep-fried.

The crispy chicken leg was bright red and glossy, its oily sheen arousing a deep-seated desire.

Qing Niao was captivated by the crispy chicken leg, so he picked up his chopsticks, took a small bite, and was surprised by the texture of the crispy chicken in his mouth.

With one bite, one could immediately feel the crispy and fragrant skin of the crispy chicken. One could even hear the ‘crunch’ sound of the crispy skin breaking apart.

But the magic of crispy chicken lay not only in the skin; one had to bite down to experience its wonders.

Its appearance gave the impression of being crisp and strong, but once you peel back its disguise, you’ll find that its essence was tender and delicate.

The chicken, wrapped in a crispy skin, had a savory and tender flavor, and burst with delicious juices, making it incredibly delicious.

Qing Niao once thought there was nothing more delicious than the spiritually rich fruits of West Kunlun, so he didn’t have high expectations for this chicken leg rice. However, this crispy chicken leg exceeded his expectations.

Qing Niao was astonished; he had never imagined that there could be something in the world even more delicious than fruit.

Mythical Beast Cafeteria translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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T/N: Canton is the old name for Guangzhou, the capital city of the Southern Province of Guangdong. Cantonese cuisine covers the people living in Guangdong province, as well as the surrounding regions in the Pearl River Delta, including Hong Kong and Macau. 

Many early Chinese immigrants came from Guangdong in southern China, making Cantonese cuisine (and dialect) the historic baseline for overseas communities. I’m willing to bet most of the Chinese dishes you are familiar with are from Cantonese cuisine.  

From personal experience, I grew up in a country with heavy Chinese influence and thought I knew what a Chinese restaurant serves. I travel to Beijing and could barely find anything familiar 😅    

… …

New Orleans chicken. It seems to be fried chicken with a sweet barbecue glaze. Apparently KFC offered this in the 90’s as part of their ‘Western’ menu, and other restaurants copied it, so now it’s one of those dishes that seem to be of a certain cuisine but doesn’t actually exist in the ‘original’ country—like orange chicken in the US or Hawaiian pizza everywhere else.

I first encountered this New Orleans chicken in Serve As Contrast Team in a ‘Dad with Baby’ Show. It’s my completed translation work about an unsuspecting dad raising a surprise daughter amidst a reality tv show. It’s funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking at the same time.

If you’re enjoying my translations, do consider buying me ko-fi and get access to advance chapters as reward. Thank you for your support! ☺️
Chapter 25.1 — Cantonese-style, Big, Crispy Chicken Leg Rice Meal
Chapter 25.2 — Cantonese-style, Big, Crispy Chicken Leg Rice Meal
Chapter 26.1 — Your Lunch Box Is Delicious!
Chapter 26.2 — Your Lunch Box Is Delicious!
Chapter 27.1 — Rich Lady, I’m Hungry
Chapter 27.2 — Rich Lady, I’m Hungry
Chapter 27.3 — Rich Lady, I’m Hungry
Chapter 28.1 — Shaved Ice School Beauty
Chapter 28.2 — Shaved Ice School Beauty