Afterward, even though she uses an alias, Maomao calls Jinshi by his name without any honorifics, shares some grilled skewers from a food stall, and generally has a good time strolling through town with him.

Usually, Jinshi gives Maomao instructions, and while she obeys, she tends to treat him coldly—their typical relationship dynamic. Seeing these two enjoying a peaceful and friendly walk around town, viewers commented, "It's a date, it's a date!!," "Such a good atmosphere, I could watch this forever," "Jinshi seems to be having so much fun," "Excited Maomao," and "Maomao doesn't seem to dislike it either?" Their reactions showed they were thoroughly enjoying the episode.

"The Apothecary Diaries," currently streaming all episodes at once, is an anime adaptation based on the light novel of the same name by Hyuganatsu. It has also been adapted into manga in two monthly magazines, with the series' cumulative circulation surpassing 40 million copies. The TV anime began airing in October 2023 with two consecutive cours. Maomao’s detective stories as a food taster in the imperial court, along with her comical interactions with Jinshi, have become widely popular and sparked considerable discussion. The second season of the anime has been airing since January 2025.

(C)Hyuganatsu, Imagica Infos/"The Apothecary Diaries"Project

English