everyone knows that jiaoqiu is an amazing healer. from a renowned alchemy commission family, known for their achievements in the medical field, and jiaoqiu’s made a name for himself too. but in order to be a good healer, he has to be a good chef. it’s what he stands by—cooking is medicine, and medicine is cooking.

having him cook for you every day, for free, no less, would be an honour—originally, you had also seen it as such. jiaoqiu has earned awards as proof to back up his culinary talents, so whatever he makes would undoubtedly be of a quality above the rest. and it indeed was good; at least, until he had begun limiting your choice of food solely to what he creates.

jiaoqiu cooks you breakfast, lunch, and dinner. and snacks in between, if that’s what you desire. he puts love and dedication into everything that he makes for you, which is why you should eat what he cooks, and only what he cooks—if quality is at your fingertips, why would you even entertain the thought of getting food from someplace else? from someone else, something utterly subpar in comparison to what he can make?

yet you still went out today, and bought something from a market stall on the side. a small treat, nothing too big.

you didn’t think that it would a big deal.

you didn’t think it would matter much.

but now, as jiaoqiu peered at you—smiling, as he usually does, he was displeased. you could tell that he was displeased, despite his expression.

he had made it quite clear to you already—you are not to have anything that isn’t specifically prepared by his own hands. he’ll cook whatever you want, and he can assure you that his cooking is superior to those random food stalls in terms of flavour, texture, and nutritional value.

“was it good?” he asks first, still smiling calmly. “do you prefer the food from there? is that it? mere mediocrity, at best, and garbage at worst? i put in effort to make food specifically for you, tailored to your tastes... i could’ve made you the exact same thing if you asked me to.”