Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Conquered by the Osmanthus Fermented Fish

Yan Xiaoliu snapped out of it, once again catching a whiff of a sweet, fresh aroma. He followed the scent to a nearby table. It was just a spread of shrimp and crabs. ’How can they give off such a sweet smell?’

On another table, a pot was stewing away, BUBBLE BUBBLE. A group of people were laughing and chatting as they added slices of raw meat, swished them around a couple of times, then picked them out to dip in small bowls before eating. It was all very strange.

Bai Xiaolang patiently asked again, "Sir, are you here to eat? Just one person?"

Yan Xiaoliu snapped back to reality and nodded quickly. "Are those smells all coming from the food?"

Bai Xiaolang nodded. He was used to this reaction; basically, every new customer went through the same routine.

Yan Xiaoliu said hurriedly, "In that case, I’ll eat! I want to order, let me order."

Bai Xiaolang said, "Since you’re by yourself, I can take you to a window seat on the second floor."

Yan Xiaoliu was thrilled. "Great, great."

’This is a perfect chance to stream what’s happening downstairs.’

Bullet Comments: [That look in his eyes, so eager to start debunking. LMAO.]

[Poor little wolf cub. He has no idea what’s about to hit his restaurant, does he?]

[Sob... I feel so bad for the little wolf cub. Suddenly I don’t want Yan Shen to expose them anymore.]

[Get a grip, person above. A place that uses child labor? What’s there to feel sorry for? If the restaurant goes under, at least the little wolf cub will be saved.]

[That’s a good point...]

Yan Xiaoliu asked, "What was that dish you just served?"

Bai Xiaolang replied, "Curry potato and beef brisket stew."

"I’ll have one of those!"

Bai Xiaolang nodded. "Okay."

Yan Xiaoliu continued, "What other house specialties do you have? And that bubbling pot on the other table, I want one of those too!"

"No, no, no! Bring me one of every single dish in your restaurant! I’m going to find out what’s really behind these aromas!"

Bai Xiaolang frowned slightly. "We can’t waste food. If you can’t finish it all, it’ll just go to waste."

Yan Xiaoliu waved his hand dismissively. "It’s fine! If I have to, I’ll just get it to-go and eat it at home later."

Bai Xiaolang kindly reminded him, "Our food isn’t like canned goods. We don’t use any preservatives or additives, so it doesn’t keep for long. Even in the refrigerator, it’ll only stay fresh for a day or two before you need to eat it."

Hearing this, Yan Xiaoliu frowned. "That much of a hassle?"

Bullet Comments: [Jesus, how is that any different from unprocessed, raw ingredients? My canned food lasts at least three years, and nutrient packs last even longer. What’s the point of food you can’t even preserve?]

[I really don’t get it. This place is probably just messing around with fresh ingredients, putting on a show to trick people, thinking it’s all new and exciting to us.]

[I’m speechless. I thought all that business with the pot was some kind of processing. Turns out, it’s still just fresh food that can’t be preserved. I really don’t get what her problem is, preparing ingredients like this and then jacking up the price.]

[Figures. Live long enough and you’ll see all sorts of weirdos.]

Yan Xiaoliu didn’t want to waste food either. He thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, how about this: bring me one of each of your most popular dishes to try. Start with, say, seven or eight plates. And forget that BUBBLE BUBBLE pot for now."

Bai Xiaolang nodded. "Okay."

He turned to relay the order to the kitchen and told Bai Su about the situation, including the fact that Yan Xiaoliu was holding a device and livestreaming.

Since Bai Su was also streaming, he recognized the equipment.

His intuition told him this man didn’t come with good intentions. He had been loitering in the courtyard for a good while before even coming in.

He was a wolf with sharp hearing, and he had happened to overhear Yan Xiaoliu outside talking about "coming to debunk" them.

If he hadn’t seen the man was streaming, Bai Xiaolang would have thrown him out.

Bai Su’s heart stirred. ’This is my chance,’ she thought.

She patted Bai Xiaolang’s head. "Then make sure you serve this customer well. Do you know what kind of beastman he is?"

Bai Xiaolang nodded obediently. "From the looks of him, he seems to be a Crocodile Beastman."

The back of his hands was covered in crocodile skin, and he had the golden, vertical pupils characteristic of a Crocodile Beastman.

Bai Su thought for a moment, then prepared several dishes for Yan Xiaoliu’s table: Osmanthus-Fermented Fish, Rose Wine Drunken Shrimp, Scallion Oil Golden Pomfret, Oysters with Minced Garlic, Lemon Shrimp Balls, and Rosemary Pan-Seared Salmon.

A crocodile would likely prefer these kinds of freshwater and saltwater dishes.

She had Bai Xiaolang take the food out to Yan Xiaoliu.

Meanwhile, Yan Xiaoliu was practically drooling with anticipation.

The moment Bai Xiaolang served the first dish, the Osmanthus-Fermented Fish, he eagerly grabbed a spoon and dug in.

Beastmen rarely cooked; their diet consisted of canned food and nutrient packs, so most were accustomed to scooping their food out of a can with a spoon.

The first bite hit his tongue, and Yan Xiaoliu’s eyes flew wide. "Mmmph!!!! Holy shit, this is incredible!"

Bullet Comments: [How is it?! Is it totally disgusting?]

[I knew it. Fish prepared like that has to be fishy and foul!]

[Don’t you have to flash-freeze fish as soon as it’s caught and ship it to a factory to be processed and canned to lock in the freshness?]

[Even the factory-processed stuff... I don’t even like canned fish. The fishy taste is so strong. I can’t imagine this stuff—not frozen, just sitting around after the fish died, then cooked at high heat to speed up oxidation. It must reek.]

[LMAO, this is the first time I’ve ever felt this bad for Yan Shen. What a sacrifice!]

[We have to send a wave of gifts after this. Gotta compensate Yan Shen for his pain and suffering.]

Yan Xiaoliu eagerly scooped up another mouthful of fish. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The plate of Osmanthus fish was empty in no time. Finding the spoon too cumbersome, he picked up the fish skeleton with his bare hands and sucked on it for ages. Still not satisfied, he licked the entire plate clean, his eyes wide and shining as if he were jacked up on adrenaline.

"This is so good! This is seriously so good!!"

"Holy shit, this is insane! How can you even make fish taste like this? It’s so fragrant, tender, and smooth! It’s so delicious!"

"I’m going to lose my mind! I feel like I’ve wasted the first half of my life. I’ve never eaten anything this good before!"

"This is a miracle! This has to be a miracle!"

Bullet Comments: [Huh?]

[What? Did I hear him right?]

[Did the food drive Yan Shen insane?]

[Wait, is even Yan Shen doing sponsored restaurant reviews now?]

[Yan Shen, snap out of it! Don’t worry about some chump change. Just say what you really think, and we’ll shower you with gifts!!]

Yan Xiaoliu kept smacking his lips, savoring the lingering flavor, a dazed and bewitched look on his face.

After a long moment, he finally recovered and faced his stream. "Guys, I’m not acting. I’m being serious! That dish was fucking incredible! I swear you’ve never tasted anything like it!"

"This shit leaves canned food in the dust, okay?"

"For real. If I, Yan Xiaoliu, am lying to you, may I be cursed to never have a female like me for the rest of my life!"

"I swear on the Beast God, that dish was insane. Absolutely insane! My mouth is still filled with the scent of osmanthus."

"How can I even describe the taste to you? It’s rich, savory, with a hint of fermented rice, but also a strong, sweet osmanthus fragrance. The fish is so tender, fresh, sweet, and delicious."

"It’s so damn good. I’ve never had fish that was so sweet and savory. It makes me wonder if it’s even fish at all. It honestly tastes better than the most expensive canned food!"