"I know you all long to taste it, so I'll indulge on your behalf!" Nicole mischievously lifted the Ice Silkworm Dumpling to her mouth, causing the viewers to drool in anticipation. This time, the live broadcast became one of her most outstanding performances to date. Donations poured in like rain, further elevating Nicole's exuberance.
"At last, I can finally enjoy a satisfying meal!" said the stout Mu Yichun, tears welling in his eyes. As the saying goes, real men shed tears but do not do so lightly; it's merely that exquisite food can bring one to such a state!
Doudou, too, was reveling in the experience, occasionally smacking his lips. For the first time, he realized that money could bring such enjoyment and enrich life.
"Having eaten the Ice Silkworm Dumpling, I'm still hungry. I must work diligently and earn more money! In the future, I want to feast on all three delicacies just like them!" lamented the beleaguered A-Chao, who was feeling particularly despondent. He was truly at his wit's end and silently encouraged himself.
Little did Zhao Shen imagine that his culinary creations could inspire such positivity.
...
However, today A-Chao was far from pleased. While others indulged in two or three different dishes, he could only watch longingly as the tantalizing delights passed him by. Even after finishing the Ice Silkworm Dumpling, his stomach continued to grumble in dissatisfaction.
He genuinely had no extra gold coins to spare.
In a dash, he rushed over to Sister Furong and purchased a plate of fried rice.
"You have a keen eye, young man! Our fried rice, while not comparable to Zhao Shen's, is still a superb delight. I wouldn't call it the 'Tofu Beauty,' but it's definitely 'Furong Fried Rice!'" Sister Furong exclaimed with a gleeful smile, preparing to serve her fare.
Ignoring Sister Furong's chatter, A-Chao gazed at the plate before him. The fried rice glistened with oil, initially appearing appetizing. However, upon separating the grains, he discovered a thick layer of grease underneath.
The eggs and rice were undercooked, with some pieces still clumped together, and the eggs lay on top in a large mass, their yellow and white colors starkly distinct. Eating it felt like consuming egg-coated rice, with the overwhelmingly salty egg flavor disguising the bland rice.
This was the stark reality of the culinary disparity. The rice was hard, resembling leftover dry rice from the previous night, a result of being overcooked. The eggs were similarly dry, lacking the tender texture one would expect, transformed by an excess of oil.
No transaction means no slaughter; without comparison, one cannot feel pain.
A-Chao, tears streaming down his face, forced the subpar dish down his throat, knowing that if he didn't satiate his hunger, he would weaken and lose his combat effectiveness in the game.
Yet, his esophagus seemed transformed by Zhao Shen's culinary prowess, now acutely aware of the subtleties of taste. Where he had once overlooked these details, he could now discern them clearly with each bite.
The overwhelming flavor of MSG, the fishy taste of the egg, and the greasiness of the rice combined to nearly make him retch. This meal felt like poison, leaving A-Chao trapped in the dreamlike state induced by the Golden Fried Rice.
...
Returning to the guild, he fortuitously encountered the fragrant leader organizing a dungeon run. His girlfriend had already reached level ten and could teleport to the main city at any time. She had postponed her journey to the main city repeatedly to accompany A-Chao. Today, if they successfully cleared the dungeon, they could finally venture to the main city together.
However, within the dungeon, A-Chao was distracted, his expression listless, akin to a withered eggplant. Even his girlfriend's questions were met with half-hearted responses.
With her shoulder-length hair styled in a standard asymmetrical cut, her delicate features framed by her pristine white priest attire, A-Chao's girlfriend, Xiaojie, expressed concern.
"What's wrong with you?"
Recalling how many opportunities she had missed to advance in the main city for A-Chao's sake, combined with his obvious state of distraction that day, Xiaojie finally snapped.
"Why are you so distracted today? You barely respond when I speak to you. Lately, you've been coming home late for lunch; why does it take you so long to eat? What have you been up to? And why do you look so lovesick?"
"You used to surprise me with little gifts; maybe they weren't expensive, but I never took them for granted. Do you know how much I've sacrificed for you?"
...
"No, no, it's not that I haven't given you surprises," A-Chao quickly clarified as he sensed her rising frustration.
"I've run out of gold coins this month; otherwise, I would have surely bought something nice for you..." he confessed, feeling embarrassed. Admitting to his girlfriend that he was out of money was quite awkward.
"Out of coins? But didn't you have a lot left until now? What did you spend it on?" Xiaojie, knowing her boyfriend's nature, was puzzled. He had always been frugal, never frivolously spending money, and avoided mingling with bad influences in the guild. It was odd for him to suddenly declare financial insufficiency.
"I didn't buy anything; it was just for food." Recalling the delicious offerings at Zhao Shen's stall and the greasy plate of low-quality fried rice he had just consumed, A-Chao quickly took out a bottle of water to quell his rising nausea.
Xiaojie observed A-Chao's hasty actions, sensing something was amiss, as though he were hiding something from her, making her feel increasingly wronged.
"Are you hiding something from me?" Xiaojie asked, her tone inadvertently turning serious.
"It's just this one matter! I simply ate!" A-Chao, confused by her sudden shift, felt as if they were on the brink of a romantic crisis, yet he had indeed just eaten.
...
"How could you spend your coins so quickly?" Xiaojie scrutinized A-Chao's innocent expression, failing to connect high spending with mere meals. Surely, buying convenience foods couldn't possibly deplete 5000 gold coins in a single month?
"I really did just eat," A-Chao lamented, on the verge of tears. He hadn't intended to spend so much so quickly, but Zhao Shen's culinary delights were simply too exquisite.
Meanwhile, in Xiaojie's mind, A-Chao appeared to be a stubborn mule, clearly concealing something now that his secret was exposed. Memories of sordid tales circulating among the guild about lavish banquets and love affairs flooded her thoughts, setting off alarm bells in her heart.
In this day and age, a woman's youth is fleeting; one can know a person's appearance but never their heart. Having invested her most precious years in this man, she naturally desired a perfect love.
"Have you fallen for another woman?" The distraction, combined with increased expenditures, seemed to provide the only plausible explanation for A-Chao's prolonged absences during lunch.
This revelation sent A-Chao into a panic. His girlfriend had always been his pride, and regardless of right or wrong, he quickly sought to appease her, saying, "My love, I swear on my heart, I truly just ate…"