Zhou, Mei Li

周梅麗

Chouyu's 16-year-old daughter. She originally worked as a helper at the Yang Spring Restaurant. She fell in love with Mao after witnessing his passion for cooking and his care for others. Although she knows little about the culinary field, she is useful for small facts and often tries to assist Mao with various tasks. Upon learning that Mao was leaving the Yang Spring Restaurant to travel through China, she was heartbroken, believing she could have built a life with him. She eventually resolved to leave the restaurant as well, intending to travel with him (in the manga, she did not accompany Mao on his journey around China). Mei Li frequently argues with Shirou, usually ending by slapping or hitting him. She also becomes very jealous whenever another woman approaches Mao. An example of her hostility toward women near Mao occurred when his sister, Karin, visited to deliver their mother's cooking ingredients; Mei Li claimed Karin would never be good for Mao, until she discovered she was his sister. On another occasion, when the female chef Anzu finally mastered a specific cuisine and kissed Mao in gratitude, Mei Li grew angry and vented her frustration by hitting Shirou. However, she states that her number one rival for Mao's heart is his love for cooking. She is the spitting image of her deceased mother, Meika.