CHAPTER 151: CHAPTER 146: THE FEMALE SUPPORTING CHARACTER OF THE SPIRITUAL SPRING SPACE

Li Xingran looked with satisfaction at the comments under her Weibo post. Although there were many declarations of love for Ye Qiu, she felt no sense of crisis. Setting aside the fact that Ye Qiu was not interested in the industry, if he were to enter show business, his trajectory would be different from hers, with no conflict between them.

While she was replying to comments, Ye Qiu had nearly finished cooking a few dishes. Attracted by the fragrance, Li Xingran put away her phone.

"Madam, I also want to try the young boss’s cooking. It smells too good."

"Young boss, you can’t show favoritism!"

"What, are the dishes I make not tasty?" Madam Shen put on a mock-angry face, but her eyes twinkled with mirth, endearing her to the tourists.

"How could that be? The dishes made by Madam are delicious. We always clean our plates. But today, we just want to taste something different." The tourists knew how to talk, and Madam Shen found it hard to refuse, but she was concerned that her daughter had been filming all day and had just prepared a whole table of dishes; she did not want Ye Qiu to get tired.

So jokingly she said, "My dishes are free, but my daughter’s cooking comes with a charge. Are you sure you want it?"

"We’ll eat!"

"Madam, name your price. I’ll pay whatever it costs."

Those who could travel all the way to such a remote scenic area weren’t poor, and now their appetites were whetted by the dishes Ye Qiu made—who would care about the cost? Moreover, Madam Shen’s prices were lower than other places, so it was only right for them to pay a bit more for additional delicacies.

Seeing Madam Shen struggle to refuse, Ye Qiu took the initiative and said, "Thank you all for your support. However, we have a lot of people today and haven’t prepared enough dishes. How about this: I’ll offer each table a dish of Smashed Cucumber and Stir-fried Mountain Delicacies. I hope everyone understands."

"Young boss, you’re too kind."

"Then we’ll shamelessly accept your offer."

"Will you be cooking Braised Pork Belly tomorrow, young boss? If so, please make sure to charge us for it."

"And the Suancai Fish, Madam. Please prepare more ingredients tomorrow. We’ll pay for the young boss to cook for us."

"You are all being too courteous. I shall humbly comply. Tomorrow morning, I will put up a menu in the restaurant’s refrigerator with prices listed. Interested guests can just sign their names on the menu, and I will cook for everyone in the evening." Ye Qiu had made up his mind to open a restaurant in the future, and it seemed a good choice to start trying out now.

"Okay!"

"The young boss is straightforward!"

After reaching an agreement, Ye Qiu began preparing the Smashed Cucumber and Stir-fried Mountain Delicacies. She chose these two dishes not only because the ingredients were plentiful but also because they were quick and easy to make—dinner time was underway and waiting too long for the dishes wouldn’t be good.

Since some dishes don’t taste as good once they’ve cooled down, Ye Qiu gestured Liu Qingqing and the others to start eating while she went to get ready.

Li Xingran, a highly sought-after actress, rarely had the opportunity to eat meat throughout the year. Today, seeing the large chunks of richly colored, aromatic Braised Pork Belly, she finally extended her chopsticks.

The Braised Pork Belly was made with fine pork belly cuts, pork from locally raised pigs that were not fed on feed, thus the meat was tender and juicy. Every piece sliced was as if measured with a ruler, half a finger wide and as long as a thumb. The finished Braised Pork Belly was a garnet red, neatly arranged in a jar-shaped platter, resembling a work of art.

As soon as the chopsticks made contact, the top layer of skin and fat jiggled slightly. A gentle pinch, and the chopsticks sank into the meat.

Li Xingran was cautious not to eat too much, taking just a small bite. But even that one bite widened her eyes in amazement.

The fat melted in her mouth, rich but not greasy; the lean meat was fragrant but not dry, with perfect levels of sweetness and saltiness. It was simply too delicious! Before her assistant could intervene, she stuffed the rest of the Braised Pork Belly into her mouth.

Li Xingran hasn’t finished chewing the meat in his mouth when his eyes turn to the sauerkraut fish. The fish smells sour with a hint of spiciness and numbness, the soup is yellowish-white—an assembly of both color and fragrance. Having tasted the Braised Pork Belly, Li Xingran believes that the flavor of this dish must be equally excellent.

"Mmm, delicious!" Li Xingran takes a bite of the fish. There are no small bones in the bass, and it’s tender, smooth, and slides right down the throat. The sauerkraut has a slight sour and spicy taste, very appetizing.

Li Xingran is totally indulging in the food, no longer caring about how many calories this meal will add to his day.

Meanwhile, Yi Anhe is also disregarding the manners he’s adhered to for many years. He’s never fought for food his entire life, but today, he’s glaring fiercely at the round-faced girl opposite him for a piece of Braised Pork Belly.

"Let go," Cao Lu says angrily, looking at him. He’s a director and yet acts like a starving ghost.

"I won’t let go." After today, he might not get the chance to eat it again, so he’s determined not to release it.

While Cao Lu and Yi Anhe are squabbling, Liu Qingqing takes away the last piece of garlic ribs. Incredibly, Yi Anhe snatches it too, resulting in Cao Lu losing out on both the meat and the ribs.

"Delicious!"

"This smashed cucumber is crisp and refreshing, so suitable for summer."

"This stir-fried mountain delicacies dish is also fantastic, both fresh and tender."

The tourists, having received two free dishes from Ye Qiu, can’t stop praising the food, and the restaurant is filled with the sound of clinking bowls and chopsticks.

"Ye Qiu, are you interested in making a debut? How about I introduce you to our company, the treatment will definitely be good," Li Xingran is entirely won over by the meal. She thinks to herself that if Ye Qiu becomes her junior sister, wouldn’t she be able to eat delicious food like this anytime? Truly ingenious!

"I’m planning to shoot a movie related to gourmet food for my next film. How would you like to be the lead?" Yi Anhe proposes directly.

So sneaky! Li Xingran glares at him furiously.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I have no plans to act in the future," Ye Qiu declines their offers.

"How about you become a food consultant?" Yi Anhe persists.

This idea seems quite appealing to Ye Qiu. Starting a business requires capital, and she couldn’t always think of having her parents invest. It would be nice to earn some extra money before graduating.

Knowing that the chances of Ye Qiu entering the entertainment industry were slim, but not willing to give up on the delicious food just yet, Li Xingran continues, "I know that the national station is going to host an international gourmet competition soon. It’s said that many international chefs will compete. I can get a spot, and I think you’d be perfect for it, do you want to give it a try?"

Now Ye Qiu is truly interested. Her Light of the God of Cooking was only at Level 2. To level up, in addition to developing new dishes, she also needed recognition from the diners and to enhance her level through competitions.

An international gourmet competition is right up her alley!

"Thank you, I’d like to participate in this competition!" Ye Qiu sincerely thanks Li Xingran.

"No problem, as long as you cook a few more meals for me in the future," Li Xingran agrees to the deal with Ye Qiu without hesitation.

"Can we enter this kind of competition?" Cao Lu asks eagerly, imagining an international gourmet competition filled with delicious food.

"I heard that besides the professional jury, there’s also a public jury, which seems to be selected through a random draw on Weibo," Li Xingran is not sure as she’s only heard her agent mention it in passing. Luckily she remembered, or how else would she be able to lure Ye Qiu away?

"Then I must apply for it," Cao Lu is resolute.