"And what about you?" Xiaojie inquired.
"I'm not hungry; you go ahead and eat," A-Chao replied, yet he gulped audibly, clearly betraying his hunger as he barely resisted the temptation to plunge his face into the food.
"Order him a portion too!" Xiaojie said, her heart aching for A-Chao, fully aware of his reluctance to spend money.
This scene might have seemed trivial to the two of them, but it was utterly torturous for Zhao Shen at the stall, who felt as though he was being force-fed a wave of sugary affection.
"Zhao Shen, this is my girlfriend, Xiaojie; she's a priest!" A-Chao proudly introduced her, his warmth and hospitality radiating with unabashed delight.
Faced with such an exhibition of affection, Zhao Shen chose to ignore it, calmly responding with a nonchalant "Hmm," indicating his acknowledgment. He noticed the "Culinary God's Spring Water" buff beneath his name and couldn't shake the feeling that this negative buff seemed less vibrant than before, fading into a pale hue, almost on the verge of disappearing.
Was it possible that this fate was slipping away before it even began? It had been some time since Xiao Shuang had last visited.
...
Xiaojie held the Golden Fried Rice in her hands, marveling at its simplicity. It was indeed fried rice, but apart from the golden egg wash enveloping the grains, there were no additional ingredients, not even scallions or shredded radish that were typically expected.
"Xiaojie, go on and eat!"
Accepting her fate, Xiaojie hesitated for just a moment before scooping a spoonful into her mouth.
A dreamlike sensation washed over her, a tidal wave of enchantment enveloping her senses. Xiaojie finally understood why A-Chao had insisted she try it first, her gaze toward him now brimming with affection.
"What's the matter? Hurry up and eat; if it's not enough, I'll share my portion with you," A-Chao remarked, unconsciously slowing his pace.
The exquisite flavor rolled around her tongue like relentless waves crashing against the shore of her heart. Xiaojie was no stranger to fine dining; the priestess guild enjoyed the highest culinary privileges in the entire guild, dining at the finest restaurant in the newbie village daily where the dishes were familiar to her. Yet, she had never imagined that a simple fried rice could evoke such profound happiness within her.
It felt as though the past twenty years of her life had been in vain; the entire world had shrunk to the glowing plate of fried rice before her! Now she could finally comprehend why A-Chao lingered here every day. Her heart ached at the realization that her boyfriend had sacrificed this culinary delight just to save money for her sake, while she had harbored misconceptions about him. How terribly unfair!
"My love, let's come here often to eat, shall we?" Xiaojie's eyes sparkled with misty warmth, shimmering as if filled with starlight.
...
There's a saying that goes: if a woman gazes at you with eyes that twinkle like stars, she truly loves you.
"Huh?"
Upon hearing this, A-Chao quickly calculated the costs in his head: one portion was 333 gold coins, two portions totaled 666, amounting to a staggering 19,980 gold coins for the month—his entire salary.
"If you like it, we'll come here; I can accompany you," he tactfully avoided using the word "we."
"No, we'll go together! Once we reach the main city, we can earn more coins every month, and then we can come here together!" Upon hearing this, Xiaojie immediately grasped A-Chao's meaning and embraced him tightly.
A-Chao could never have imagined that a single plate of fried rice would yield a lifetime of love.
...
All of this unfolded before the eyes of onlookers. The elderly gentleman and his wife instinctively grasped each other's hands, acutely aware of how rare and precious it is to love and understand one another throughout a lifetime. Doudou attempted to hug Mu Yichun but was swiftly kicked away, while Zhao Shen felt as if he had been unceremoniously splattered with a torrent of emotional turmoil, clutching one hand with the other, silently contemplating whether he should continue selling fried rice to this couple.
" ding! The first food enthusiast drawn here has perfectly fulfilled their quest, triggering a hidden reward: [Frenzied Chili Pepper]."
Ah, not bad! A hidden reward! Zhao Shen opened his inventory to discover a green chili pepper nestled quietly within.
**[Culinary God's Frenzied Chili Pepper]: A culinary creation born from the culinary god, who was emotionally battered by a couple's display of affection; sourced from the alternate dimension of Loran Forest, where diminutive goblins frequently brew it into combat potions that induce frenzied excitement upon consumption. (Non-tradable, non-destructible, non-droppable.)**
Chili peppers, rumored to originate from the forests of Chile, were cultivated into vegetables by the Mexicans and belong to the nightshade family, typically appearing in conical or elongated shapes.
There are also tales of their growth in the tropical areas of Central and South America, having entered Europe in 1493, but their true origins remain shrouded in mystery.
Chilies possess warmth and can reduce body temperature by inducing perspiration while alleviating muscle pain, thus providing potent antipyretic and analgesic effects. The capsaicin they contain stimulates the central nervous system, leading to heightened excitement.
Ancient texts recount that the legendary general Bai Qi often consumed a potent variety of pepper before battles to stimulate his blood flow, rapidly elevating him to peak combat readiness.
...
Zhao Shen pondered this: since he hadn't received a designated culinary task this time, it meant that this Frenzied Chili Pepper was an incidental reward. Could he potentially create a new culinary skill?
After all, the last time he had crafted a steamed bun filling, it had stemmed from his own ingenuity.
Gazing at the assortment of exclusive ingredients in his inventory—Ice Plains grain flour, Meicheng rice, and Frenzied Chili Pepper—it seemed that each time exclusive ingredients appeared, a new dish could be born. What could this new dish possibly be?
...
Zhao Shen concluded his business unusually early today. Seeing that there were no customers, he hastily departed; developing new recipes required both time and energy. After considerable thought, he decided to focus on noodle dishes.
It seemed that the staple offerings were limited to rice-based items; it was high time to introduce a noodle soup or tossed noodles.
In his memory, there existed a recipe worthy of the title "King of Noodles," which featured the famed method of noodle making! The current ingredients were also well-suited to create a spicy meat sauce noodle dish, although he had yet to finalize the type of meat.
Of course, he couldn't use Ice Silkworm meat; combining icy and fiery ingredients would conflict, and he was not yet capable of achieving the legendary balance of yin and yang with his current skills. He would have to opt for a similar meat alternative.
"Ding! Player Bai Yue has sent you a party request."
Engrossed in contemplating his meat selection, Zhao Shen barely noticed the party request and casually clicked it away, prioritizing the creation of new dishes at that moment.
"Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
Suddenly, a voice rang in his ears, plunging him into darkness, as if the fabric of reality had shifted; he felt as though he had stepped into an entirely new world, albeit one that was drastically transformed.
...
On the ground, yellowing and withered blades of grass dotted the landscape, and the trees by the roadside lacked lush foliage. Fragments of blackened branches suggested they had endured a devastating fire. Above, three suns loomed ominously in the sky.
The deafening voice of the system echoed.
"Welcome to the Ordinary Level, Blazing Balaka!"