The Little Chef’s Daily Life of Supporting Her Family with Ancient Cuisine

Qin Rong, a modern food blogger, transmigrates into the body of a young woman in the Great Liang Dynasty after a fatal accident in her previous life. She inherits the memories of the original Qin Rong, whose family is in disarray. Her father, Qin Tiezhu, is a scoundrel who wishes to divorce their mother, Madam Yu, to marry a widow. Madam Yu, though gentle, is strong-willed and refuses to leave empty-handed, demanding a formal separation and threatening to expose the affair. She takes her three daughters and a meager dowry to Lirong Town, renting a small courtyard to start anew. The original host had died from an unresolved chill, leaving Qin Rong to navigate this precarious existence.

Qin Rong discovers she has brought her entire guesthouse with her, which functions as a spatial inventory containing frozen meats, fresh produce, condiments, and gold jewelry. Recognizing the value of these resources in an ancient setting, she decides to use her culinary skills to improve her family's fortunes. Madam Yu secures employment at a local embroidery workshop, earning a modest wage that barely covers rent and basic necessities. Qin Rong, the eldest daughter, takes charge of the household finances and begins planning a business venture. She identifies a gap in the market at the West Market, where laborers and traders seek affordable, high-quality food.

Qin Rong experiments with recipes using ingredients from her spatial inventory, creating dishes such as mushroom and vegetable congee, fried dough sticks, and handmade fish ball soup. The family tastes her cooking and is impressed by the superior flavor compared to local street food. Qin Rong proposes setting up a food stall, arguing that her mother's embroidery wages are insufficient for long-term stability. Madam Yu agrees to the plan, providing initial capital. Qin Rong purchases a handcart and cooking equipment, and with the help of Yu Xiaoshan, a neighbor's son, she launches her stall. Her fish balls and pumpkin flower cakes become an immediate hit, selling out quickly and generating significant daily profit.

As the business grows, Qin Rong expands her menu to include white peach milk tea and perilla-flavored river snails. These new items attract a broader clientele, including merchants and local gentry. A significant turning point occurs when Master Bai, a retired official living nearby, becomes a regular customer after his servant samples her milk tea. Master Bai's endorsement brings prestige and higher-paying customers to the stall. Qin Rong also forms a business partnership with the elderly owner of a nearby wonton stall, selling her homemade shrimp powder to enhance the vendor's broth. This diversification of income sources stabilizes the family's financial situation.

Conflict arises when Qin Lian, a cousin from the paternal family, confronts Qin Rong at the market. Qin Lian, who looks down on her rural relatives, attempts to humiliate Qin Rong, but Qin Rong responds with sharp wit, refusing to be intimidated. The encounter highlights the lingering tension with the Qin family but also demonstrates Qin Rong's transformed confidence. Meanwhile, Madam Yu faces workplace rivalry at the embroidery workshop from a colleague who resents her skill and independence, but Madam Yu remains focused on her work and family.

Qin Rong meticulously manages the household accounts, ensuring that earnings are reinvested into the business and saved for future expenses, such as dowries for her sisters. She pays Yu Xiaoshan and Qin Yue for their labor, fostering a sense of value and contribution among the helpers. The family dynamic shifts from one of survival to one of collaborative enterprise. Madam Yu feels a renewed sense of dignity and purpose, validating her decision to leave her abusive marriage. Qin Rong plans to save enough capital to rent a permanent shop, moving from street vending to a fixed establishment. The story follows their steady progress as they build a respectable livelihood in Lirong Town, leveraging modern culinary knowledge and business acumen to overcome the challenges of ancient life.