Sweet Aftertaste

宴筝Jun 2023

2.6

Word count: 124K words
Chapters: 69

Summary

Gifted pastry chef Yan Qinghe loses her sense of taste overnight. She tries everything to find a solution, all to no avail—until she discovers that close contact with her childhood friend Fu Sui lets her briefly taste again...

Editor's review

This is an urban romance novel featuring a pastry chef, with a light fantasy premise at its core: gifted pastry chef Yan Qinghe suddenly loses her sense of taste, and after many failed attempts to find a solution, she unexpectedly discovers that close contact with her childhood friend Fu Sui briefly restores it. This premise turns "taste" into a switch that drives the characters' relationship, and makes the pastry profession more than decoration—it meshes tightly with the emotional line. The reading appeal lies in the tension the premise creates and its sweet-yet-tart atmosphere: losing her sense of taste is a dual blow to a pastry chef's career and sense of self, while its brief return forces the two to confront the distance and nature of their relationship. This book suits readers who enjoy childhood-friend setups, light fantasy romance, and sweet urban stories—light reading for commutes or bedtime. Note that the story centers on emotional experience; those expecting rigorous worldbuilding explanations or industry realism may find the premise serves the romance. Overall, it is a romance novel that uses taste as a metaphor for closeness and healing.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Romance readers who enjoy childhood-friend setups and urban emotional storylines
Readers who prefer light fantasy premises and accept supernatural elements driving romance
Those seeking light commute or bedtime reading with an emotionally paced story
Readers interested in a pastry chef's professional background and a sweet-yet-tart atmosphere

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting rigorous fantasy worldbuilding and rule explanations
Those hoping for industry realism and detailed professional pastry-making
Readers who dislike romance-centered plots

Reading tips

Accept the light fantasy premise of "close contact restores taste" first, then enter the character relationships for a smoother read.
Pay attention to how the loss and recovery of taste correspond to changes in the two's relationship to better appreciate the premise's emotional purpose.
Best read in several relaxed sittings rather than rushing; treat the pastry scenes as markers of emotional rhythm.
After finishing, revisit the opening passage about losing taste and compare it with the ending to understand the characters' changed state.

版权信息
第一章
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第二章
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第三章
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第四章
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第五章
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第六章
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第七章
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第八章
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第九章
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第十章
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第十一章
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第十二章
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FAQ

Is the loss-of-taste premise explained much in the book?

Based on the available material, the story focuses on the premise that close contact with the childhood friend briefly restores taste after its loss, and on how this affects their relationship, rather than rigorously explaining the supernatural phenomenon. Readers who treat it as a light fantasy premise driving the romance will have a more natural experience; those expecting complete rule explanations may find it leaves much open.

Is this book suitable for people who don't read romance?

Not really. The book centers on a pastry chef losing her sense of taste and regaining it through interactions with her childhood friend, with the romantic relationship as the main driver of the plot. Readers with little interest in romance may find the main line thin; those who enjoy childhood-friend romance and a light fantasy atmosphere will find it easier to get into.

Is the protagonist's professional background important to the story?

Yes. The protagonist is a gifted pastry chef, and taste is directly tied to professional ability and self-identity, so losing it is not just an inconvenience but a dual career and psychological crisis. The pastry chef identity also provides settings and emotional tone, binding the taste premise more tightly to the character's situation.

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About the author

宴筝 Author · Chinese

Yan Zheng is a Chinese web novelist about whom limited public information is available. Under this pen name, she is known to be active in online romance writing, with three works currently on record. Her representative titles include Huigan (Aftertaste), Yixiao, and Luo Jin Ting Bai, spanning modern romance and time-travel alternate-world settings, and her works are commonly found on e-reading platforms such as Zhangyue. Her stories often take relationship premises such as contract marriage, disguised identity, and childhood sweethearts as entry points, developing character interactions and emotional progression within familiar romance frameworks. The overall style is light and romantic, leaning toward warm, everyday sweetness. Judging from the available works, she is skilled at portraying the process by which protagonists move from misunderstanding and testing each other toward closeness, presenting the aftertaste of love in a brisk tone that suits readers who prefer an easy, pleasant romance reading experience.