Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle
Chapter 106 - 88: Victim of Bad Reputation

Chapter 106: Chapter 88: Victim of Bad Reputation

The doctor’s office in the rehabilitation department wasn’t big. Inside, there was another middle-aged male doctor who, upon seeing Qu Jing bring Qin Huai in, warmly greeted them:

"Dr. Qu, accompanying Mr. Luo for therapy, huh."

While speaking, the male doctor handed over a chocolate bar: "Have some snacks."

Qu Jing waved her hand: "Master Qin brought me sticky rice cakes. I’m just here to grab some snacks from your office."

Only then did the male doctor look at Qin Huai and smile at him: "We’ve all tasted Master Qin’s culinary skills. The flaky pastry Dr. Qu bought last time was unforgettable!"

Qin Huai was a bit surprised, not only surprised that Qu Jing would share the pastries with the rehabilitation doctors but also surprised that the doctors knew who he was.

Qu Jing explained nonchalantly: "Master Qin, when you accompanied Mr. Luo last time, your name spread throughout the rehabilitation department. This is Dr. Zhao. He even went to Yunzhong Restaurant to buy snacks yesterday, but could only get a baked bun and a Crab Shell Cake."

Qin Huai recalled it slightly, realizing that the idle office worker from yesterday was actually Dr. Zhao.

So that explained why there would be an office worker hanging around the cafeteria near Yunzhong District—it turned out to be a doctor off duty.

Dr. Zhao smiled at Qin Huai and went to pour water for them.

Qu Jing sat down, and Qin Huai casually found a chair to sit down as well, watching Qu Jing open the box and use chopsticks to pick up the jujube paste sticky rice cake.

Qu Jing’s chopsticks happened to be in the middle of the cake, which was a bit soft and drooping.

Qu Jing opened her mouth and took a small bite.

Carefully chewed.

Qu Jing’s way of eating was correct.

For these obviously soft and sticky rice cakes, if you don’t eat them in small bites, they can easily get stuck in your mouth and become difficult to swallow.

"How is it?" Qin Huai looked at Qu Jing with some anticipation.

The game notification sound did not ring, which was normal.

Qu Jing’s side quest is obviously not something that can be completed in the short term; Qin Huai needs to continually provide snacks that suit her taste. Matching the taste is the first step, continuity is the second.

However, Qin Huai felt that as long as he nailed the taste, continuity wouldn’t be a problem. At worst, he could always have Qu Jing’s favorite snacks regularly available. After all, he’s the boss, so he decides what’s sold every day.

Qu Jing nodded, affirming Qin Huai’s culinary skills: "Very delicious."

"I didn’t expect Master Qin, your sticky rice cakes, to be this good too."

"I made two flavors today; Dr. Qu, help me discern which suits your taste better. Our cafeteria doesn’t have fixed snacks, and sticky rice cakes are easy to make, large in quantity but easy; I’m thinking about selecting a few suitable snacks for fixed daily sales." Taking advantage of Qu Jing’s lack of knowledge about how sticky rice cakes are made, Qin Huai babbled on.

With no suspicion, Qu Jing picked up the red bean paste flavored one, lightly biting it.

"The red bean paste is relatively sweeter, which might not be acceptable for some, but I love sweets, so I find it quite tasty."

"But I prefer the jujube paste flavor; I think jujube paste goes better with sticky rice cake."

Qin Huai jotted down notes in his heart, pondering whether Qu Jing preferred date-flavored snacks more.

If that’s the case, jujube and yam cake, Red Date Glutinous Rice Cake, jujube square cake are all worth a try.

Making sticky rice cakes is really exhausting.

"Dr. Qu, if there’s any snack you want to eat, feel free to let me know on WeChat. When I accompany Mr. Luo for therapy, I’ll bring it for you."

Qu Jing slowly swallowed the cake in her mouth, a bit surprised: "That would be too much trouble."

"It’s nothing. Have you met my sister, Luoluo, Dr. Qu? For so many years of making snacks, I’ve always learned whatever Luoluo wanted to eat. Now that Luoluo is in high school, going out early and returning late, busy with studies and having no time to eat, I’m worried about whom to ask about learning new snacks."

"Dr. Qu, you wouldn’t understand me. I’m indecisive and need someone to drive and supervise me."

"If you’re willing to choose and help me taste test, I’ll be thrilled."

"With the cafeteria business improving, the customers have high demands for a variety of snacks. Selling the same few eventually bores people; we need to explore new snacks."

Qu Jing was a bit flustered by Qin Huai’s persuasion, feeling something was off but couldn’t pinpoint it, so she only nodded.

"Then I’ll trouble Master Qin." Dr. Qu hesitated for a moment, "If possible, I’d like to have jujube and yam cake."

Guessed right!

Qin Huai was inwardly excited, silently cheering.

Although Qu Jing ate the cake in small bites, she didn’t take long. During their conversation, she had already finished the sticky rice cake in the box.

Qu Jing tidied up the trash, stood up, and put her mask back on.

"Master Qin, let’s go outside and accompany Mr. Luo. Otherwise, he might feel too bored alone inside and might not come again next time."

"Sure." Qin Huai also rose to follow.

In the corner of the office, having been sitting quietly without any presence, Dr. Zhao slowly took out his phone to message Dr. Zhou after the two left.

Dr. Zhao: Instruct the nurses in the department to avoid going that way while Mr. Luo undergoes therapy. I think Master Qin is courting Dr. Qu and they need a quiet space to chat.

Dr. Zhou: Got it!

Qin Huai had no idea his reputation was spreading in the rehabilitation department. Standing at the doorway with Qu Jing, waiting for Luo Jun to finish therapy, he was internally amazed at how busy the department was today as he didn’t even see any nurses outside.

Today, Luo Jun was undergoing leg therapy, which took much longer than the previous session.

Standing at the door, Qin Huai was unsure what to awkwardly chat about with Qu Jing. After some thought, he realized people from the Qin family generally lacked academic talent. It was rare to meet someone as academically gifted as Qu Jing, so why not ask her for study tips?

It might be useful for Qin Luo.

As it turns out, Qu Jing’s secret was passion.

Just like Qin Luo loves eating, Qu Jing genuinely loves studying.

She loves reading, studying medicine, being a doctor, writing papers, and doing research. Each of these interests is something Qin Huai can’t comprehend.

Qu Jing’s unusual interests even rendered Luo Jun, inside the therapy room, speechless.

"Mr. Luo, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Qu Jing thought this was a good topic and asked Luo Jun.

"Watching movies." Luo Jun gave a predictable answer, "I watched a new fantasy drama recently and the plot was ridiculous. The female lead died yet came back to life. How can that be? Once you’re dead, you’re dead. What’s the point of continuing the show if the female lead dies?"

Qin Huai & Qu Jing: ...

Mr. Luo, your request is a bit unreasonable.

It’s a fantasy drama, come on! If the female lead really died, how would the show go on?

"Master Qin, have you been watching any TV shows lately?" Qu Jing asked.

"A little." Typically, Qin Huai doesn’t watch dramas but prefers variety shows; his free time comes in small chunks so he doesn’t have long stretches to finish a drama.

"I’ve watched a suspense and detective show, which was okay. What about you, Dr. Qu?"

Qu Jing shook her head: "I don’t really watch dramas, usually just reading papers."

Alright, a workaholic’s life is certainly different from ordinary folks.

"Do you have any other hobbies, Dr. Qu?" Qin Huai asked a soul-searching question.

Having chatted with Qu Jing several times, he found she truly didn’t have many hobbies.

He could even understand why being unable to have a desired snack would become her worry. As her life consisted mainly of work and study, it was quite mundane, making snacks count as hobbies for her.

"Not really," Qu Jing shook her head. "If volunteering counts, perhaps volunteering and free clinics are my hobbies."

"Don’t you find it dull?" Qin Huai asked.

Qu Jing paused briefly, then smiled and shook her head: "Not at all. The journey of scaling the peaks of study itself is fascinating. Alzheimer’s hasn’t been conquered yet; as doctors in this field, there’s still a lot to learn and research. My routine work and study already keep me sufficiently fulfilled."

Qin Huai didn’t understand, he was quite astounded.

On the way back, Qin Huai rarely expressed his astonishment to Luo Jun.

Luo Jun looked at him unfazed.

"Those who never woke up in their last lives are all deeply obsessed. Even though they have no prior memories, their obsession persists. You can tell Qu Jing’s obsession is to be a doctor. What’s so strange about that?"

Qin Huai nodded, starting to ponder.

Her obsession with being a doctor is such a noble one.

He sneakily glanced at Luo Jun who had already started fiddling with his phone.

Chen Huihong’s obsession was to be Hui Niang; Qu Jing’s was to be a doctor. What about Luo Jun?

Watching movies?

Qin Huai collected his thoughts and quietly asked, "And what is your obsession?"

"Me?" Luo Jun looked up, disdainfully sneering, "I have no obsession. I just find the human world too boring and want to stay a little longer."

Look at you contradicting yourself before and after the punctuation.

"Don’t look at me like that," Luo Jun warned with his eyes glaring at Qin Huai, "Don’t think about prying into my memory."

After saying that, Luo Jun paused: "But if you ever really can see into my memory, let me know."

"Huh?" Qin Huai was bewildered.

"Come see me at home," Luo Jun said, "I don’t like people sneaking around prying into my memory."