Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Extreme Makeover: Orphanage to Delicious Restaurant

The moment the livestream started, a crowd flooded in to watch the drama unfold, many of them questioning her.

[These ingredients are dirt cheap. You think using some obsolete cooking method is actually going to taste good?]

[I think I saw this kind of cooking in a history book. These methods cause a massive loss of nutrients. The food is basically inedible!]

[There’s a limit to chasing clout, you know? Isn’t this just wasting food? If you have that many ingredients to ruin, you might as well give them to a factory to be compressed into canned food and nutrient packs.]

[Seriously, it hurts just to watch. All that food being wasted.]

[She’s even deep-frying food! Fried food has zero nutritional value and can even create harmful substances! Is she cooking up poison or something?]

The Bai Family had reluctantly decided to take Bai Su back home, but after seeing the online reviews, they immediately changed their minds.

Bai Xue was the first to jump in and draw a clear line: [While she may be a member of the Bai Family, she was kicked out four years ago for committing a grave error.]

[The Bai family’s upbringing is strict. Our females would never do something so degrading in public.]

At a prestigious banquet in the Imperial City, Mrs. Bai also displeasedly announced that she would never allow a female who shamelessly chases clout online back into the family, lest she tarnish their principles and reputation.

Bai Su had no time to worry about the Bai Family. Besides, she had no intention of returning to them in the first place.

Most of the people who’d eaten her food were residents from the foot of the mountain. They rarely went online, so they had no idea Bai Su was being slammed by netizens.

Bai Xiaolang could recognize some characters, so he knew that people were insulting Bai Su in the livestream.

He was furious. He even secretly borrowed Aunt Xiaomi’s smart-wristband to register an account and curse them back.

But he didn’t know many words, and with so many people insulting Bai Su, he couldn’t possibly reply to them all.

That evening, the restaurant finally closed for the night.

Seeing Bai Su finally taking a break, Bai Xiaolang scooted over and glumly hugged her arm. "Director Mama..."

Bai Su sensed his gloomy mood and quickly leaned in, touching her nose to his. "What’s wrong?"

Touching noses is a gesture of great trust and intimacy among wolves, one that can quickly bridge the distance between two individuals.

Bai Xiaolang looked at her sadly. "Why did you have to start livestreaming?"

Seeing his wolf ears and tail drooping, Bai Su had a pretty good idea what was bothering him.

She chuckled and patted his head, giving his fluffy little ears a gentle scratch. "It’s normal for people to have doubts at the beginning. Things will get better once we’re more established."

She didn’t just brush him off because he was a child. Instead, she explained it to him seriously. "Besides, livestreaming can bring us a lot of traffic."

"Our restaurant is on the outskirts of the Imperial City. This area was only recently brought under the Federation’s jurisdiction, so there aren’t many people around here to begin with."

"Livestreaming online can help us build our reputation and get more exposure."

"And besides, don’t you want to find your three friends? If our restaurant’s stream becomes popular and gets a lot of viewers, we can use it to ask for help finding them. Wouldn’t that make things easier?"

Hearing this, Bai Xiaolang’s eyes widened. "Are you really going to bring them back?"

Bai Su replied without a second thought, "Of course! I only sent them away because I couldn’t afford to raise them. Now that we have money and we’re proper, registered citizens, we can definitely bring all the children back!"

’I can’t just let those little villains run wild and grow up into a bunch of gloomy, twisted psychos.’

’Otherwise, I’m afraid my own life will be on the line later.’

Bai Xiaolang considered this, then thought for a moment before nodding with determination. "Okay! I’ll help you! We’ll take the insults together. Once they actually taste your food, they’ll know how delicious it really is!"

Bai Su smiled and nodded. "Exactly! The insults are only temporary."

「The next day.」

Bai Xiaolang was more motivated than ever.

He was already a handsome boy to begin with.

Now that his eyes and wolf tail were healed, and with Bai Su taking good care of him, he was fair-skinned and spotless. It was already obvious he would grow up to be a devastatingly handsome young man.

Xiao Mi couldn’t help but tease, "Bai Su, the boy from your orphanage is starting to look more and more like you. You didn’t secretly have him, did you?"

Bai Su shot her an amused glance. "I wish! I’d love to have a son as handsome, well-behaved, and thoughtful as him!"

Everyone shared a friendly laugh.

With his face flushed red, Bai Xiaolang weaved between the tables even faster, carrying plates of food.

The number of negative comments in Bai Su’s livestream grew, but so did its popularity.

The stream included the location of the mountaintop restaurant.

And sure enough, someone was drawn in.

The visitor was another streamer named Yan Xiaoliu, who specialized in online debunking.

He had traveled through markets in many cities, exposing conspiracies between corrupt officials and unscrupulous merchants, which had earned him an excellent online reputation.

His claim to fame was exposing a canned meat supplier in the Southern Market.

The Southern Market was famous for its ’Nutritious Fresh Meat’ canned goods and had a huge customer base, but the prices were steep.

Yan Xiaoliu discovered that the cans had false bottoms, creating an air pocket. A can that looked like it contained 500 grams of fresh meat actually only held three to four hundred.

The debunking video went viral, launching Yan Xiaoliu to fame. He became a hero to the common people and earned a stellar reputation.

Yan Xiaoliu stood at the entrance without going inside, holding up his camera and already livestreaming.

"Hello, everyone, and good afternoon! I’m here at the little restaurant called ’Mountain Wild Game.’ What’s the deal with the owner’s cooking? Why is someone who wastes food like this so popular with the locals? Let’s go inside and find out together!"

Yan Xiaoliu started to walk in, but before he even crossed the threshold, an incredible aroma hit him. "Fuck, what is that smell?"

[BWAHAHAHA, it’s definitely the smell of rotten food! I knew it!]

[I’ve never seen anyone dump food into a hot wok of oil with spices. It doesn’t sterilize bacteria, and it doesn’t purify the nutrients. What’s the point?]

[To make the food taste even worse, obviously!]

[To chase clout and get views, duh!]

[So excited! Keyboard warriors, assemble! We’re just waiting for Yan Shen to expose her!]

[Wasting food like that and selling it for the same high price as canned goods... I’d seriously report her to the authorities.]

[Canned food is expensive for a reason—the nutrients are extracted and concentrated. But her? She just makes the food taste worse and sells it with all the nutrients and waste mixed together. It’s disgusting.]

[Everyone there is probably a paid actor.]

[No way that stuff actually tastes good!]

But to everyone’s surprise, Yan Xiaoliu’s eyes went wide, and his next words were, "It smells so damn good I’m drooling!"

Just then, Bai Xiaolang passed by, carrying a customer’s order of braised beef brisket with potatoes and quail eggs. It was Bai Su’s own improved recipe, which added a hint of curry to the traditional Chinese-style braise, creating a rich, fragrant flavor that was very popular.

Yan Xiaoliu couldn’t help but follow right behind Bai Xiaolang, inhaling the scent the whole way. He was practically drowning in his own drool.

After placing the dish on the table, Bai Xiaolang turned and bumped right into Yan Xiaoliu’s chest.

He frowned slightly, took two steps back, and tilted his head up to look at the tall and imposing Yan Xiaoliu. "Sir, are you here to eat? How many in your party?"

[OMG, what a cute little wolf cub!]

[Sob, he’s so precious! The fluffy white ears and tail... My heart can’t take it!]

[*HEAVY BREATHING* YES, YES, YES, this is making me want to have a wolf cub of my own! But I’m throwing a fit if it doesn’t turn out this cute!]

[The little cub is so cute! Auntie wants to give you kisses!]

[Does anyone get me? His expression is so cold and aloof, but he’s so cute! That contrast is killing me, I’m obsessed!]

[I get it now. The restaurant must be using this little mascot to attract customers. If I could get a free pat on the little wolf cub’s cheek for coming here, I wouldn’t be opposed...]

[Hey, commenter above, snap out of it. He’s a minor. You could be charged for that.]

[*whimper*...]