Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Food Is Poisonous?

Soon, Bai Xiaolang brought out the rest of the dishes.

Rose-Wine Drunken Shrimp, Scallion Oil Golden Pomfret, Garlic Oysters, Lemon Shrimp Balls, and Pan-Fried Salmon with Rosemary.

Bai Su had said that she was afraid he wouldn’t know what he was eating, so she had Bai Xiaolang explain the dishes as they were served.

Bai Xiaolang explained each one in turn. "This Drunken Shrimp is served raw. It’s marinated in a rose rice wine, giving it a sweet, glutinous, and cool texture. We use firm black tiger shrimp and sweet shrimp, both sashimi-grade and safe to eat raw."

Yan Xiaoliu took a bite and was moved to the verge of tears. His mouth could only form words like "a miracle" and "fucking awesome."

"This is the Scallion Oil Golden Pomfret. It’s steamed. Although golden pomfret has few bones, please be careful. The flavor is even better if you dip the fish in the steamed fish sauce at the bottom of the plate."

Yan Xiaoliu cried, "It’s so light and sweet! I’ve never had fish this delicate before! It’s completely different from the sweet osmanthus fermented fish from earlier! This is amazing!"

"The Garlic Oysters are marinated in minced garlic and rice wine, then charcoal-grilled over an open flame. Be careful, the shells are hot."

Yan Xiaoliu eagerly tried one and his eyes flew wide open. "This is an oyster?! Is this fucking an oyster?! How can an oyster be so savory, tender, and spicy? Incredible! It even bursts with juice when you bite into it! The garlic flavor is so rich!"

"The Lemon Shrimp Balls are made with high-grade baby lobster meat. It’s shelled, deveined, coated in a thin batter, and flash-fried. The outer layer is a cheese sauce with a hint of wasabi."

Yan Xiaoliu ate one and felt his soul ascend to heaven. "Such a complex, rich flavor. I think I need a moment."

"It’s too delicious! Something this good, I can’t even bear to eat it all in one bite!"

"How is this shrimp meat so springy, firm, and juicy all at once! The wasabi flavor is brilliant! So this is how you eat wasabi!"

"The lemon is definitely the masterstroke. It cuts through the richness and brightens the flavor, perfectly balancing the creaminess of the cheese sauce. It’s so refreshing, perfect for summer!"

Bai Xiaolang relaxed. ’He knew it,’ he thought. ’No one can resist the Dean’s cooking.’

He pointed to the last dish and said, "This is the Pan-Fried Salmon with Rosemary. The aromatics are rosemary and garlic, and there’s a buttery, creamy fragrance. We also added a little black pepper, so it has a bit of a fragrant spice."

Yan Xiaoliu had completely lost his mind.

His eyes were red as he ate, torn between wanting to frantically stuff everything into his mouth and not bearing to, afraid that by eating too quickly, he would miss the complex aromas hidden in each delicious bite.

Comments: [Seriously? Is it really that good?]

[Isn’t food just for purifying nutrients and maintaining our daily energy consumption? How good can it possibly be?]

[I don’t really get it. I can’t imagine what it tastes like, but even the most delicious nutrient paste is just... meh. I feel like Yan Shen might be exaggerating a bit, right?]

[He’s actually making me a little curious. I kind of want to try it and see what all the fuss is about.]

[Yan Shen is getting all worked up over food. It really does feel like an exaggeration.]

Yan Xiaoliu had no time for any of that. It was as if a dormant craving for good food had been awakened within him, and he ate bite after bite with a pious, obsessive devotion.

After quickly finishing everything on the table, he waved his hand grandly and said to Bai Xiaolang, "The exact same thing, another round! No, three more rounds!"

Bai Xiaolang had expected as much. He nodded calmly. "Of course. Please wait a moment."

In the kitchen, Bai Su was confident in her cooking. Besides, some of the livestream viewers had already found her and were clamoring, asking how she had managed to bribe Yan Xiaoliu.

Judging by the reaction, Yan Xiaoliu must be enjoying it.

So she had already started preparing, having guessed that Yan Xiaoliu would order more.

Sure enough, Bai Xiaolang quickly returned to say that the customer wanted to order three more servings of everything.

Bai Su cooked up a storm. Seeing that her ingredients were running low, she figured she’d be able to close up early again today.

Since she was the only one running the restaurant, she only prepared a limited amount of fresh ingredients each day, just what she could handle. Once the day’s ingredients were used up, she would close the shop early.

Three more sets of the same dishes were quickly brought to the table.

Yan Xiaoliu rolled up his sleeves, his image completely forgotten, and began to feast.

He ate and drank until he was more or less full.

Bai Su then had Bai Xiaolang bring him a portion of Hawthorn and Jujube Jelly Cake to have as a small, after-meal dessert to aid digestion.

Yan Xiaoliu had been completely tamed by Bai Su’s cooking. While gratefully eating the jelly cake, he grabbed Bai Xiaolang. "Hey, little guy. Is your chef really a young female? Can I meet her?"

Bai Xiaolang eyed him warily. "Why do you want to see our Dean?"

Yan Xiaoliu quickly waved his hands. "Relax, I don’t mean anything by it! I just want to thank her in person! Her food is too good, it’s practically a gift from the Beast God! I’m coming back tomorrow!"

Bai Xiaolang thought for a moment. "There’s no need. The Dean is already very tired today."

Yan Xiaoliu was a little disappointed. "Alright then. That’s a real shame. I’m incredibly curious what kind of person the female who can create so much miraculous food is, but one thing’s for sure—she must have been sent by the Beast God to save me!"

Bai Xiaolang was long since immune to this kind of flattery.

The villagers from the foot of the mountain were far more creative with their compliments.

Yan Xiaoliu left the restaurant. Seeing that his stream was still full of doubters, his expression turned serious. "I swear, I am not exaggerating!"

"Any fans who are nearby can come and try it for yourselves. The food is seriously amazing!"

"If there is even a single exaggeration in what I’ve said, may the Beast God strike me down with lightning right now!"

"You don’t believe me? Fine. I’m going again tomorrow, and you all can come and eat at the restaurant. As long as you’re my fan, based on the Level of your fan badge in my stream, I’ll reimburse your entire meal! Tomorrow at 12 PM, don’t forget!"

"Just come! I promise you won’t regret it!"

Seeing this, the people in the livestream chat really did have their curiosity piqued.

Even if he were a paid shill, no one would go this far, right?

Wasn’t he afraid that a huge mob of them would swarm the restaurant, expose the whole act, and eat their favorite streamer into bankruptcy?

Fans in the area were already organizing in fan groups, deciding to check out the restaurant the next day.

Yan Xiaoliu ended the stream and returned to his hotel, when he suddenly felt something wasn’t right in his stomach.

His asshole clenched. He shot toward the toilet and let out a huge, black, unidentifiable mass.

After a long while, he crawled out, only to rush back in a moment later.

After this happened several times, Yan Xiaoliu was utterly exhausted. Dragging his weary body and fighting off sleep, he managed to send a message to his fan group: [Spoke too soon, bros. Don’t come. The food is poison...]

After sending the message, he tossed his smart device aside, collapsed onto the bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

The food’s Healing Ability flowed ceaselessly through his body.

While he was unconscious, his spiritual power was repaired bit by bit. Even the sharp alligator tooth he had lost in a fight grew back in his sleep, now even sharper and more perfect than before.