This adds truth to the rumor that "Guoba is the true God of Cooking." A true God of Cooking is not just one with the highest skill, but one who "guides" out the best flavor of the ingredients themselves and uses food to convey emotions and stories.
The reason why Wanmin Restaurant's dishes can touch people's hearts is precisely because of the union of these two.
For Machius, who has lost his great power, the burden of protecting all of Liyue is a thing of the past.
Now, he follows his instincts, pouring all of his remaining divine power and heart into this tiny kitchen, protecting that Damselette chef who gave him a new name and brought him joy and satiety, continuing that gentle watch across a thousand years.
Xiangling may never know Guoba's true identity, but he never treats Guoba as a pet or a tool. He shares the freshest ingredients with him, confides his culinary inspirations and confusion to him, and captures the joy of approval in his "ruarua" cries.
And Guoba, this former God of Stove, after forgetting his glorious past and great sacrifice, has found a new meaning for his existence in this small space filled with the smoke of life.
He no longer needs to carry the abundance of an entire nation; he only needs to guard the pot and stove, the person and the restaurant before him.
That occasionally revealed divinity is not intentional, but a natural expression of the protective instinct for "home" and "warmth" etched deep in his soul, coming out at critical moments.
This is perhaps the ultimate destination of the Great Way of "Food."
A God of Cooking does not care for incense or worship; he only cares for the supreme flavors of the human world that burst forth between the clatter of pots and spoons, and the pure smiles of happiness on the faces of those who taste them.
This is his second selfless contribution; though it no longer possesses the world-changing power of old, it is just as sincere.
[Chapter 4: The Stove God Smells the Fragrance, the Rex Lapis Smiles]
On this day, Zhongli Childe was strolling through the streets (crossed out) and walked near Wanmin Restaurant.
As dusk approached, the area around Wanmin Restaurant was filled with fragrance. The sound of clashing spatulas and the laughter of diners intertwined, a perfect scene of the human world's smoke and fire.
Zhongli Childe stood at the street corner, his gaze passing through the bustling crowd to land on the busy Damselette chef and the round, brownish-yellow figure at his feet, who was happily munching on a radish. His lips curled slightly into a knowing smile.
Just then, Xiangling brought out a newly developed dish, drawing cheers from the diners. Guoba seemed attracted by the aroma and circled around Xiangling with a "da-da-da," letting out "ruarua" sounds of urgency.
Xiangling smiled and bent over, handing a small piece of the cooled dish to Guoba's mouth: "Don't worry, don't worry, you won't miss out!"
This scene was warm and ordinary.
Mr. Zhongli stepped forward slowly and gave a slight nod to Xiangling: "Xiangling, your new dish has an extraordinary fragrance."
"Oh! It's Mr. Zhongli!" Xiangling looked up, saw a regular customer, and immediately broke into a smile. "You've come at just the right time, come and try my new dish!"
Mr. Zhongli followed the suggestion, offering a precise critique after tasting it that had Xiangling nodding repeatedly. During their conversation, his gaze would occasionally fall on Guoba, who was focused solely on eating.
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