The Heavenly Meal

After walking a bit more, Tao Xue and his grandpa had reached their home. When Tao Xue opened the gate, he saw two faces, full of curiosity, gawking at him. These two faces (people) were his mom and dad. He came inside his house, and sat in the main room, with everyone else.

He was waiting for his mom and dad to forget about the fact that it was his first day in such a prestigious academy, but they just kept sitting there, in awkward silence, waiting for their son to spill the beans. After a while, Tao Xue just got fed up, and told the whole story, including the doodle of the teacher, and the Vice-Principal, to his parents. They had the same reaction as Tao Xue's grandpa, after hearing about the Vice-Principal.

After a while, Tao's dad, Mu Xue asked, "Son, you haven't told us about the type of Cultivation you chose. That's the part I'm dying to hear. Which one is it?"

To this, Tao Xue replied, "I chose Mind Cultivation. Well, the reason is that Mind Cultivators have pretty much a desk job, and they don't go outside and sweat it out, nor do they have any risk of facing death while on missions, as they just casually sit back, and relax. With this, there's less input and more output, which is beneficial in every way, and that's all that there is to Mind Cultivation."

The parents and grandfather weren't shocked the slightest bit by Tao Xue's reasoning. Since they had known him from birth, they knew what kind of thinking he possessed, and they had all known that he would have chosen something which was suitable for people like him, in simpler terms, they knew he would choose the type of Cultivation which had less work for him to do.

When all of this discussion ended, it was time for Tao Xue's mom to make dinner. She was very happy, and made an announcement that shared her happiness with everyone else present.

She stood up, and said, "Today, because of Xiao Tao's first day of school, I'll be preparing a delicacy-filled cuisine for all of us for dinner!"

After hearing this, everyone's face was filled with delight. This was the only thing that Tao Xue found relaxing after he had returned from home. First, an annoying brother comes home. Then, and old hag starts eavesdropping. Then, there is an announcement that by next month life will be hell. Finally, there was some peace and quiet.

As Tao Xue's mother was cooking, he himself was drooling, thinking about all the delicacies he would be having. His mouth was watering just when he was thinking about it. For the time being, he was free, so he went in his room and sat on his bed, thinking about what he should do. Then, and idea struck him. He had previously thought of making an advertisement board, which was o advertise that he was searching for work, so he thought he should start making that. His basic plan was to write the information that he was in need of a job, with his name on a scroll, and wrap it around two wooden sticks, and put it at the gate of the 4 Seasons Academy. He then got to work with the banner.

This was one of those rare times when Tao Xue had sought after something, which was something that involved work. He took quite a lot of time to finish the work, but he was still able to make it just before dinner. He had done a pretty good job, (according to him) but the product was rather unfit to meet the requirements. The wooden poles were BROKEN... The scroll was TORN... The handwriting was DISASTROUS... The ink was SMUDGED... The overall condition of the so called 'banner' was PATHETIC!!!

By the time Tao Xue's 'banner' was finished, the dinner was also ready. The aroma filled the whole house, and Tao Xue sniffed out the food, just like a bloodhound. (his expression was rather like that of a starving, filthy mongrel...)

Everyone had left all their work and come to the dining table as soon as the dinner was cooked and brought out. Tao Xue's mother wasn't joking, though, because the meal she had made could even please the Gods.

The delicacies were served in such an elegant manner, that their taste and smell were also amplified. To any passer-by, this meal would attract them towards it even if it is against their own will. This was the magic of the whole meal overall, but that wasn't all. Each delicacy gave it's own Godly presence to the people. It was certainly a meal that had descended from the Heavens.

The first dish was 'Fried Ma Shi'. The softness of the Ma Shi was accompanied with the crunchiness of the vegetables. This dish itself was an explanation of the concept of Yin and Yang. The soft and tender Ma Shi gave the feeling of pleasure, while the crisp vegetables gave a contrast of the feeling of passion. The dish had a sweet flavor, as well as the hot and creamy texture, alluring the eater into a dream full of bliss. The aroma lured everyone around it towards it.

The second dish was 'Egg Fried Rice'. Rice is an example of a food that is as simple as ever, but it can cause your mouth to water, just like a fountain. The egg had its own fragrance, and a soft texture to it, while the rice gave off the aura to draw people near it, which was amplified by at least two folds, making it even richer of a dish than it previously was. This was just like a dream come true.

The third, and final dish was 'Stir-Fried Beef With Broccoli'. The thin and crunchy strips of beef gave the dish a whole new flavor, as the broccoli and other vegetables gave off a calm and serene presence. The calmness of the vegetables, and the excitement and enthusiasm of the crispy beef were both amplified as both of the dishes complemented each other, giving off a presence of godly tranquility.

None of the family members could stop after seeing the scene of the dishes elegantly kept on the table, and immediately started to dig in. As each type of food went into their mouths, they all felt the flavors merge together to form one single flavor, that was above all of the other flavors of the world. After they had tasted this flavor, their consciousness drifted away into a profound state, the Heavenly flavor spreading its wings, and embracing them. It was just as if they had gained insight on a Godly virtue.

Tao Xue finished his food, and thought to himself in an expression full of joy, "This was the best part of the day! As everyone said, the first day of the Academy will always be special, even though the greatest thing of the day happened at home, not school!"