Chapter 57: The Great Celestial Bake-Off
Ne Job was elbow-deep in flour.
The Divine Cafeteria had been transformed into a baking arena, with golden ovens humming and celestial ingredients floating in midair. Lord Xian had declared a surprise contest: "The intern who bakes the most harmonious pastry shall earn a week's exemption from scroll audits!"
Ao Bing was already whisking something that smelled suspiciously like cloudberries and thunder.
Taiyi Zhenren, ever the perfectionist, was sculpting a mille-feuille shaped like the Bureau's emblem.
Ne Job scratched his head. "Harmony, eh?" he murmured. "Not just taste — it's got to feel divine."
He rummaged through the pantry and found a forgotten jar labeled Essence of Kindness. "Perfect," he grinned.
His recipe was simple: a humble tart with layers of warmth, laughter, and a sprinkle of miracle dust (Twinkle approved it with a happy hum). As he baked, the pastry glowed gently, pulsing like a heartbeat.
The judges — a trio of retired deities with very serious hats — tasted each entry.
Ao Bing's thunderberry cake made their hair stand on end.
Taiyi's emblem tart was flawless, but "a bit too bureaucratic," one judge sniffed.
Then came Ne Job's tart.
They took one bite — and smiled.
"I feel like hugging someone," said the first.
"I remembered my childhood cloud," said the second.
"I forgave my cousin," said the third.
Lord Xian raised an eyebrow. "Well. That's… harmonious."
Ne Job beamed. "It's kindness. Baked in."
He won the exemption, of course — and spent the week helping the sprite community organize their own bake-off, just for fun.