Qi Ze placed the pastries on the computer desk, opened the thesis document on the computer, and started typing on the keyboard.

Before long, he felt a little hungry. He glanced at the pastries next to him and took out a salted egg yolk pastry.

Luo Huai’an’s salted egg yolk pastries didn’t use butter but lard—since lard was the soul of traditional Chinese pastries.

The salted egg yolk pastry used only the finest ingredients. The duck eggs underwent various processes, such as baking, to remove any fishy smell. With one bite, the oily flavor melted in your mouth, leaving no trace of fishiness.

Qi Ze didn’t usually care much about food and has never thought that food was particularly delicious. He only thought that food was enough to fill his stomach. However, this salted egg yolk pastry today has shown him that desserts could be so delicious!

A hint of amazement flashed in Qi Ze’s eyes, and he took a bite in a refined manner.

However, at that moment, a shadow fell in front of him. Ji Wuchen walked to his side, staring intently at the salted egg yolk pastry in his hand, his eyes gleaming slightly green, “Give me one.”

Normally, Qi Ze might have shared quite a few, but today he didn’t really want to. He hesitantly handed Ji Wuchen one salted egg yolk pastry, and then had no intention of giving any more. “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to eat the pastries from the Eighth Cafeteria and didn’t care about them at all?”

Ji Wuchen wolfed down the salted egg yolk pastry, utterly amazed by its soft, crumbly flavor. As he chewed, he covered his mouth and regretted his words, saying, “I was just saying that out of anger! I didn’t know the Eighth Cafeteria made such amazing pastries.”

After finishing one salted egg yolk pastry, Ji Wuchen felt deeply unsatisfied. After a while, he finally slapped his forehead as if he had just realized something. “Now I know why you went to work as a cook in the Eighth Cafeteria!”

Qi Ze retorted, “…I’m a fire stoker.”

Qi Ze thought that the clever Ji Wuchen had guessed the secret of the spiritual energy in the Eighth Cafeteria, so he began to think of ways to dispel Ji Wuchen’s doubts.

Ji Wuchen replied sourly, “I bet you went there for the employee benefits!”

“Is it too late for me to apply for a job as a fire stoker?”

“How can your skinny arms and legs compare to my strength? I think I can do better than you. I’ll go talk to the boss about this later.”

Qi Ze: “…”

Social competition was so fierce that even the job of a stoker was coveted?

————————

After getting off work in the evening, Luo Huai’an closed the cafeteria doors.

Just then, Ji Wuchen posted a message in her social media group: [Boss, I think I’m better than Qi Ze. It’s just about tending the fire, I think I can do that too.]

It was 8 PM now, a time when many students were resting, so this message has brought many lurkers out of the shadows.

[Plus one.]

[Plus the number of planets in the Milky Way.]

[Plus the number of galactic fragments.]

Luo Huai’an didn’t know how to respond to this group of students; after all, her criteria for hiring fire stokers were different from what they had imagined: the fire stokers in the Eighth Cafeteria had to be able to breathe fire themselves.

While she was thinking, someone replied: [Forget it, forget it, this job is all about looks.]

[Those of you applying for the fire-stoking job, do you think you’re better looking than the school heartthrob?]

[Don’t underestimate me, I’m talented! When will this world, which only judges by looks, ever get better!]

[To be honest, the school heartthrob was probably the top scorer in the province.]

[Sorry to bother you.]

Luo Huai’an scratched her head and replied in the group chat: [Sorry, we don’t need any on-campus students for work-study programs for the time being. If there’s any more slots, we’ll let everyone know in the group.]

After calming the students down, Luo Huai’an put away her phone and prepared to fly her wenyao employees back to Fragrant Mountain.

Although she provided food and accommodation, Qing Niao had his own place to stay, so he wasn’t staying in Fragrant Mountain for the time being.

After she finished packing her things, Qing Nian suddenly found her.

He looked a little embarrassed, staring at his canvas shoes, and asked hesitantly, “Boss, could you give me an advance on this month’s salary?”

Upon hearing this, alarm bells rang in Luo Huai’an’s mind, and she hesitated before answering, “Why do you suddenly want money?”

She thought she would only feel the pinch at the end of the month, but Qing Niao was already asking her for money. She wasn’t mentally prepared at all!

Qingniao said apologetically, “My juniors got into trouble today, and I need to bail them out. Captain Zhang, who is holding them, said it will cost a lot of money.”

Bluebird was the name of the species, and there were quite a few bluebird supernatural beasts registered with the relevant department.

Qing Niao himself was a supernatural beast under the command of the Queen Mother of the West in ancient times. He could be called a living, fossil-level ancestor. All bluebird supernatural beasts born after him were his juniors.

Luo Huai’an was somewhat surprised upon hearing this. “How did they end up in prison?”

Qingg Niao shook his head and said, “I don’t know either, but I’m going to go check on them later.”

Mythical Beast Cafeteria translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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T/N: Delayed posting. I woke up with a cold, paused, and went back to sleep 😅

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Here are the scheduled advance postings for this story per Patreon Tier:
… Devoted 2nd Male Lead
Chapter 40.3 — Come Work for Me
Chapter 41.1 — Bluebird Delivery
Chapter 41.2 — Bluebird Delivery
Chapter 42.1 — Internal Competition in the Teaching Profession
Chapter 42.2 — Internal Competition in the Teaching Profession
Chapter 43.1 — Goldfish-Tail Wontons
… Awakened Villainess
Chapter 43.2 — Goldfish-Tail Wontons
Chapter 44.1 — Chancellor is Terrified
Chapter 44.2 — Chancellor is Terrified
Chapter 45.1 — From Traitor to Lackey
Chapter 45.2 — From Traitor to Lackey
Chapter 45.3 — From Traitor to Lackey
… Unattainable White Moonlight
Chapter 46.1 — Eighth Cafeteria’s Off-Campus Delivery is Now Online!
Chapter 46.2 — Eighth Cafeteria’s Off-Campus Delivery is Now Online!
Chapter 46.3 — Eighth Cafeteria’s Off-Campus Delivery is Now Online!
Chapter 47.1 — Spicy Boiled Meat Slices
Chapter 47.2 — Spicy Boiled Meat Slices
Chapter 47.3 — Spicy Boiled Meat Slices