Chapter 1: Braised Pork
In the mirror stood a young boy who had not yet reached adulthood.
With handsome eyebrows, starry eyes, and rosy lips, his half-naked body was slender and well-proportioned, resembling the fresh and vigorous branches sprouting in spring, instantly bringing joy to anyone who laid eyes on him.
So this is how I look when I grow up.
Jiang Yin carefully examined the person in the mirror.
Just half an hour ago, or rather an hour ago, he was still the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. When he fell into the imperial garden pond, he thought the Regent Prince and the Empress Dowager had finally made their move against him. But as he opened his eyes, the world had changed.
Transmigration, rebirth, parallel worlds…
Various terms naturally sprung to mind, accompanied by detailed explanations, immediately helping him understand his situation.
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But it didn’t matter anymore. He was no longer the puppet Emperor, and regardless of who ascended the throne, it had nothing to do with him.
He looked at the face in the mirror, which had matured overnight, and his pitch-black eyes shone like stars.
He had gained health and freedom!
“Dong dong dong…” The knocking on the door interrupted him. “Yinyin, are you done with your shower? It’s been almost half an hour. If you don’t come out soon, I’m going to knock the door down. I—”
Before the words were finished, the bathroom door opened, and a neatly dressed Jiang Yin stepped out.
“Are you okay?” Chen Shan retracted his empty hand, cautiously examining his complexion. “Do you feel any better? Is there any discomfort? Ah, I told you to listen to me, but you didn’t. You had to provoke Young Master Zhao. Look at the mess you’re in now. Thankfully, Young Master Zhao has a good character and didn’t hold it against you. If it were Song Sansao, the playboy, you wouldn’t have this stroke of luck. Forget about having a private room for recovery; you’d be outright blacklisted. Just think about Bai Qing, who was forced out of the industry…”
Jiang Yin let him ramble on.
Chen Shan was his current identity’s manager and also had some distant relative connection to the original body. It was precisely because of this family relationship that he tolerated the original’s various foolish actions.
The original Jiang Yin had also died from drowning.
In his memories, the “Jiang Yin” at fifteen entered the entertainment industry through an advertisement. Ambitious upon entering the industry, he struggled for three years without making any significant progress. He had acted in several TV dramas, but they were mostly minor supporting roles, and his acting skills were only passable. At least he managed to climb from the 38th line to the 18th line based on his appearance, gaining a small fanbase.
But “Jiang Yin” was not satisfied, especially when his “friends” who entered the industry at the same time became popular one after another. The increasing pressure affected his mentality, and eventually, he chose to take a shortcut like his “friends”—find a sugar daddy.
In the entertainment circle, finding a sugar daddy was not difficult as long as one was willing to go all out. There were plenty of nouveau riche and second-generation wealthy individuals willing to take over. However, “Jiang Yin” had a somewhat self-proclaimed high moral standing and set his sights on Young Master Zhao, the cold and detached young master from the famous Lichuan Group.
“Jiang Yin” tried every means and finally managed to corner Young Master Zhao at a gathering. He mustered up the courage to seek financial support, but naturally, he was rejected by the old-fashioned Young master. Desperate not to give up, he kept pestering Young Master Zhao, and in the ensuing struggle, the latter accidentally pushed him into the swimming pool.
“Jiang Yin” couldn’t swim and despite being rescued in time, he still drowned. Upon awakening, he became Jiang Yin.
Jiang Yin didn’t know if the original body had also entered his world like him, experiencing a similar death and rebirth. However, he neither possessed nor voluntarily took over the body. He awakened only when the original body died, and once he understood the concept of transmigration, he accepted this identity without any burden.
Just like when all the older brothers in the palace died, and he was taken out of the cold palace and placed on the throne. He didn’t cause the deaths of those older brothers, nor did he desire to become the Emperor. Why should he feel guilty? Why should he accept the Regent Prince’s blame and the Empress Dowager’s reproach?
“…Are you hungry? You always said you liked the food cooked by your sister-in-law. I called her and asked her to personally cook a few dishes for you. Let’s pause the diet for a few days and have some good meals.”
Chen Shan pulled out a small table from the hospital bed and arranged the dishes from the insulated lunch box one by one. He took out a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Jiang Yin, almost feeding him directly.
“Braised pork, your favorite. Try it.”
Minced meat with eggplant, spicy and sour shredded potatoes, blanched okra, braised pork, and a small bowl of white rice.
The names of each dish naturally surfaced in Jiang Yin’s mind, and memories related to food were unlocked. His eyes couldn’t help but brighten.
He didn’t completely possess the memories of the original body, only unlocking them when he saw or thought about related things.
Just like when he first woke up, surprised by the changes before him, memories related to transmigration automatically emerged in his mind. It included scenarios like traveling through ancient times, ancient times to modern times, men cross-dressing as women, women cross-dressing as men, stallions in harems, and so on. All the memories that the “Jiang Yin” knew related to transmigration appeared in his mind like a seal being lifted. It prevented him from acting strangely and being discovered.
The same thing happened when he saw Chen Shan. Memories about him only emerged when he saw him, knowing that he was his “own” manager and distant relative.
And now, seeing the delicious food on the table, all the memories related to eating flooded in, hitting his soft spot perfectly.
He had no other preferences, only a love for food.
The experience of a meager and simple diet in the cold palace during his childhood made him enthusiastic about food after becoming the emperor.
Besides, he couldn’t have any other preferences.
A bitter smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Yin’s mouth.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” Chen Shan asked anxiously.
“It’s nothing.” Jiang Yin held the chopsticks. “I’m just hungry.”
The original body had gone to a banquet last night, barely eating anything as he was preoccupied with seeking financial support to satisfy his potential sugar daddy. After spending the whole night, he woke up feeling hungry.
“If you’re hungry, eat more.” Chen Shan sat down by the bed.
Jiang Yin picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks. The meat was cut into small cubes, with a bright red color and a rich glaze of sauce on top. Just looking at it made one’s mouth water. The tantalizing aroma he had just smelled should be coming from this dish. He couldn’t empathize with the original body’s emotions, but from the profound memories the original body had of braised pork, he could understand the deliciousness of this dish.
As he picked it up and took a look, there was a layer of fatty meat on top and a layer of lean meat underneath. The tender and elastic meat melted in his mouth, releasing a rich flavor that spread between his lips and teeth. The fatty meat on top was rich but not greasy, while the lean meat below was lean but not dry. The two textures perfectly complemented each other, making it incredibly delicious.
Jiang Yin’s eyes lit up even more.
In Da Zhou, he didn’t know about the food eaten by the common people, but meat in the palace mainly consisted of beef and mutton, occasionally supplemented by chicken, duck, and fish. Pork had never been served on the table, at least not on his dining table.
He didn’t know that pork could be so delicious.
Of course, there was also Chen Shan’s wife’s cooking skills. According to his memories, she was a professionally certified chef. After marrying Chen Shan, she invested in opening a private kitchen, and the business was thriving.
Jiang Yin’s appetite was wide open, and he couldn’t help but pick up one piece after another.
In that moment, he deeply fell in love with braised pork.
“Don’t just eat the meat, have some vegetables too,” Chen Shan advised.
Reluctantly, Jiang Yin moved his chopsticks away from the meat and onto the spicy and sour shredded potatoes.
Speaking of which, there were many things in the modern world that he had never seen before, like the potatoes in front of him, including the way of cooking.
In Da Zhou, steaming, boiling, and roasting were the main cooking methods, and stir-frying was nonexistent. He had never seen chili peppers before, and everything made him feel curious and intrigued.
The yellow and tender shredded potatoes were mixed with a few green and red peppers, displaying a vibrant mix of red, yellow, and green colors. They looked great, and the potatoes were cooked just right. When he tasted them, they were crisp and refreshing, with a slight sourness and a hint of spiciness that perfectly balanced the richness of the braised pork.
Jiang Yin took several more bites in succession, and memories related to potatoes began to unlock in his mind. Seeing the potato’s yield, he felt a shock in his heart. If Da Zhou had such high-yielding crops, what disaster would they have to worry about?
Just as he was about to carefully search for information about potato cultivation, he sneered to himself. He wasn’t the emperor anymore, so why bother worrying about such matters? Moreover, he never had the opportunity to do so before. He should just sit obediently on the dragon throne and act like a deaf-mute.
“I’ve postponed all your work for the next few days. Let’s focus on preparing the script sent by Director Zhao,” Chen Shan advised with a bitter tone. “Listen to me, don’t think about these things. Just concentrate on acting steadily. With your talent, you will definitely become popular. Han Lingran and the others are deliberately misleading you because they envy your looks and talent. Just think about it, if they were really capable, how could they have fallen behind you in the first place? Don’t be fooled by their current fame; it’s all superficial. Without real ability, they will be eliminated sooner or later…”
Jiang Yin’s mouth was filled with delicious food, and he mumbled in response, “I know…”
He knew that Chen Shan was right.
Besides his parents and younger sister in his hometown, Chen Shan was the best person to the original owner.
He genuinely treated the original owner as his younger brother. It was him who helped introduce the original owner to the advertisement shoot. Back then, it was just fulfilling the fleeting interest of a distant cousin. They never expected that the original owner would become infatuated with the entertainment industry, even refusing to continue his studies. Chen Shan felt partially responsible for allowing things to escalate to this point, so he took up the role of the original owner’s manager.
Over the course of four years, from the original owner’s age of fifteen to nineteen, they spent more time together than with their own families. The thin bond of distant relatives developed into a relationship stronger than brothers.
This was something Jiang Yin had never experienced before. He envied and yearned for it, but at the same time, he was cautious because familiarity meant it would be easier to notice his differences.
The consequences of being discovered in this time-traveling matter were vividly depicted in the original owner’s memories.
He didn’t want to be confined, nor did he want to be dissected.
So when facing Chen Shan, the only person who could potentially notice his differences, he had to be cautious. Any changes he made had to be gradual and careful.
Don’t rush, he couldn’t rush.
Jiang Yin swallowed the braised pork in his mouth and wiped his mouth with a tissue, imitating the tone of the original owner, “Which drama is it? The second male lead or the third male lead?”
Although it was the original owner who took the initiative to seek favor, he ended up pushing the person into the swimming pool, leading to a near-drowning incident and a trip to the hospital for rescue. As compensation, Young Master Zhao personally arranged the best private room and promised to give the original owner a role.
The first male lead was definitely impossible, and the chances for the second and third male leads were also uncertain. Although the near-drowning incident was caused by the Young Master, the fundamental mistake lay with the original owner. While Young Master Zhao had good manners and was willing to take partial responsibility, he would never be excessively kind. The so-called compensation of a role should truly be just a role.
However, knowing the original owner’s personality, he definitely hoped for the role of the second or third male lead.
“The script hasn’t been delivered yet,” Chen Shan said. “You can rest assured that it’s a promise from Young Master Zhao himself. It won’t be lacking. If you truly want to become famous, this is your chance. We must seize it. Just focus on acting well and seriously. You will definitely become famous. I’m begging you as your brother, please don’t overthink things anymore, alright?”
Knowing that this kid had gone to seek favor, he nearly had a heart attack. If something really went wrong, how would he explain it to his uncle and aunt?
Jiang Yin’s gaze flickered, he took a sip of water, and earnestly said, “I know. I misunderstood. I won’t do this kind of thing again in the future. I’ll listen to you.”
Jiang Yin definitely wouldn’t engage in seeking favors anymore, especially since the near-drowning incident helped smooth things over. When a person goes through a life-and-death experience, it’s normal for their personality and thoughts to undergo some changes.
Chen Shan wore a relieved expression. He always knew that his little Yin was a good child. It was those few people, led by Han Lingran, who had corrupted him.
With four dishes and a bowl of rice, Jiang Yin ate everything clean. On one hand, he was truly hungry, and on the other hand, the food was just too delicious. He reluctantly put down his chopsticks when he finished.
Thinking back to the countless mouth-watering delicacies in his memories, Emperor Jiang swiftly “defected” and switched sides. From now on, he will be a member of the Great Foodie Nation!
“I want to eat strawberries,” he imitated the original owner, grabbing Chen Shan’s sleeve and pausing for a moment. “And ice cream.”
***********
Index |
Tragic Pregnancy In The Interstellar
The Return of Cambrian Period
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Normally I’m a silent reader, but thank you for this chapter. Seems like a lovely novel from this chapter alone.