The middle aged man only gave Mirabe a cursory nce before his gaze shifted back to James, greeting him with a warm smile. “Knox was thrilled to hear about your visit. He’s actually whipping up something special in the kitchen as we speak. He asked me to let you know he’s perfecting a new health tonic recipe. It might take a little extra time, though, so your patience would be greatly appreciated.”
James, upon hearing this<b>, </b>nced at Mirabe.
Mirabe, standing nearby, caught James‘ inquisitive look and casually waved her hand. I’m
particrly hungry. A little wait won’t hurt.”
not
The middle–aged man was a bit taken aback by James‘ manner towards the youngdy by his side, but he didn’t dare to pry further, Instead, he offered attentively, “I’ll bring over some appetizers to tide you over in the meantime.”
“Much obliged,” James responded with a slight nod.
private
“My pleasure.” With <b>that</b>, the middle–aged man ushered James and Mirabe into a priv dining room before excusing himself.
“This ce is known for its food therapy. The clientele is quite exclusive, and they rarely serve walk–ins, James exined to Mirabe as they settled into their seats.
“Food therapy?” Mirabe’s interest was piqued. “You don’t find many who can whip those up these days”
James was slightly surprised to hear such ament from Mirabe. “You seem quite familiar with food therapy?”
Mirabe shrugged, “Not really, just read a bit about them in books. Nheless, such culinary arts are mostly from ancient royal courts, lost in time. Even if some recipes have been passed down, they’re rarely authentic.”
She paused, “Of course, if it’s a recipe handed down through generations from a family of health tonic connoisseurs, that’s a different story.” She inadvertently let slip a little more than she intended.
James just pursed his lips and smiled at her enthusiasm.
Soon, the middle–aged man returned, carrying two delicate tes of pastries and cing them on the table.
Mirabe eyed the pastries, raising an eyebrow at one of the tes. “Is this Almond Thyme Cake?”
The man looked at Mirabe with surprise and nodded. “Indeed, it is. Thebination of almond and fresh thyme is great for nourishing the body and mitigating dryness, especially around this time of year.”
in
Mirabe pinched a piece, tasted it, and a hint of surprise crossed her face. “The cake melts
your mouth. The almond and fresh thyme blend is sweet without a hint of bitterness. Impressive<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Hearing her praise, the man gestured to the other te. “Can you guess what this pastry is?”
Instead of answering immediately, Mirabe took a piece and bit into it. Then she replied, “This is Kudzu Coconut Cake, but it’s a pity that the kudzu root and coconut powder weren’t dried enough. Itcks the intended texture and benefits.” After just one bite, Mirabe set the rest back on the te. Her expression was tinged with disappointment.
At <b>this</b>, the man’s expression was beyond surprised. Such discerning taste surely belonged to a connoisseur.
“Do you have some expertise in food therapy?” he asked.
Mirabe shook her head nonchntly. “Not really. A rtive used to make them, and I’ve had a few tries.” She was practically coerced into sampling.
The man didn’t press further and soon left the private room, taking with him the te of Kudzu Coconut Cake that Mirabe hadn’t favored.
As the middle–aged man reached the entrance, he bumped into Wyatt, who had just parked his car and returned. Seeing the pastries in his hand, Wyatt grabbed a piece and popped it into his mouth. “Not bad at all,” Wyattmented with approval.
The man simply gave him a silent stare before turning away and walking off.
Wyatt was puzzled. Something about that look felt oddly unsettling.