Chapter 26 part 3
But the stranger it smelled, the more intoxicating it became. The more they sniffed, the harder it was to resist.
The big cat had no idea. In all its years, it had never encountered an aroma so peculiar at first, so captivating the second time, and by the third sniff, it felt as though its very soul was being drawn in.
Just when they thought the aroma of the spices alone was already otherworldly, the moment the fried lamb slices were mixed in, the combination reached its peak.
Ning Xiaomiao clung to the big cat, feeling as if they were floating in the intoxicating scent. "Mew, mew, mew, this is too tempting!"
The viewers in the livestream had no idea just how overwhelming the cumin lamb's aroma was. They could only see the visuals.
The scene was beautiful, so much so that it seemed as if Ning Yunyi’s hands were stirring not just food, but their hearts. The final dish looked so appetizing that it made their mouths water.
Yet, for the seasoned viewers who had seen many of these culinary masterpieces, they were still relatively calm, puffing their chests out in composure. The newcomers, however, were completely stunned: "I’ve been away for a while, and the cooking category has leveled up this much?"
"What the hell? What is this? And what’s that?"
Ning Yunyi plated the cumin lamb, then quickly prepared the pan-fried tofu and minced eggplant. Only then did he return to finish the lamb soup.
When he lifted the lid, the entire livestream chat fell silent.
[?? Wait a minute, wasn’t that just clear water in the pot? How did the broth turn milky white?]
[Wait… did I miss a step? I’ve been watching closely, and he didn’t touch that pot!]
[Holy… this color is incredible!]
As Ning Yunyi ladled the cooked lamb pieces out of the pot, he sliced them up and grabbed three bowls, each larger than a face. He laid the sliced lamb into each bowl.
He added some salt, pepper, and chopped green onions and cilantro.
Then, the viewers watched as Ning Yunyi scooped the piping hot, milky white broth and poured it over the lamb.
The thick white broth, the tender lamb slices, and the bright green garnishes created a striking visual contrast that left everyone watching in stunned silence.
Gulping sounds echoed through the chat as viewers swallowed their saliva, clutching their chests in despair. If they couldn’t get their hands on this, their whole day would be ruined.
Then came the surprise. Ning Yunyi smiled at the camera and said, “There’s a lot of lamb soup today, so I’ll be adding five more servings to the store.”
The chat exploded with excitement.
Five more servings? That meant 50 more people could get a chance!
After uploading all the items to the store, Ning Yunyi closed the livestream.
He opened An Dong’s chat window and sent over a batch of the flavor-enhanced dishes infused with spiritual energy.
After logging off, he turned around and, as expected, saw the big cat and the little one eagerly waiting at the table.
Once the two humans and the cat were seated, they took a deep breath. With Ning Yunyi’s declaration of “Let’s eat,” they all took their first sip of the lamb soup.
The rich, savory flavor lingered in their mouths, utterly different from anything they’d tasted before. One sip brought a burst of salty richness and warmth, while the lamb was tender and melted in their mouths, offering a completely new experience.
But this was just the beginning. When the long-anticipated cumin lamb entered their mouths, even Ning Yunyi found himself nostalgic. One bite, and they couldn’t stop.
Especially when a piece of lamb, coated in spices, was placed on top of rice. The heat from the rice reignited the aroma of the spices. One bite was pure satisfaction.
Ning Xiaomiao wiggled his feet as he ate, feeling like the food was so delicious that he might just grow a tail from happiness!
Meanwhile, the extra servings in the store sold out in seconds, even with the additional 50.
Some unlucky souls who didn’t manage to snag a bowl of lamb soup pounded their chests in frustration. When they checked again, they realized that while they had managed to grab the last portion of cumin lamb, the flavor was only about ten percent of the full batch.
This left them heartbroken, but at least they had something, which was better than nothing.
With great anticipation, they opened the package. Even though there wasn't much of it, they hoped to at least catch a whiff of the aroma. But the moment they carefully opened the package, an overwhelming, heady scent filled the room, lingering long after: ???
This person couldn’t believe their eyes, checking once more. It was indeed the last portion—how could it smell so potent?
This scene played out for many others as well. If the last portion was this intense, one could only imagine how strong the first portion must have been.
On An Dong’s side, he cautiously brought the wristband to the Xun family.
When they reached the secret chamber where Xun Xun was hiding, both Elder Xun and Elder An were present.
For the past few days, their only salvation had been the flavors personally enhanced by Mr. Zong, which had kept the chaos at bay. They were careful and on edge.
Without many words, they followed An Dong to the inner chamber, where a special barrier was in place.
To ensure the best effect, they had placed Xun Xun in an isolated chamber where the flavor would be fully absorbed before removing the barrier.
An Dong carefully placed the wristband inside, set the timer, and stepped back, closing the transparent cover of the shield.
As the countdown began, the three of them watched the figure lying inside with bated breath.
Soon, the scent of the pan-fried tofu began to waft through the chamber.
Because the protective shield was made of special materials that could block most of the scent, the three people outside couldn’t smell anything.
Soon, the second dish, minced eggplant, was ready.
Then came the lamb soup. The three could faintly catch a whiff of it.
Finally, the last dish, cumin lamb, unleashed its powerful aroma. Not only did it fill the protective shield, but it also spread outside, lingering in the air with a rich, unfamiliar savory scent.
Elder An and Elder Xun were dumbfounded. “W-What is this?”
They quickly shut their mouths after asking, unable to resist salivating. The smell was just too overwhelming. Just talking about it made them want to drool.
This was the kind of flavor that made them dream of taking just one bite...
No, they couldn’t think about it. They had to stop themselves.
The two elders quickly shook the thought from their minds. They hadn’t seen the livestream, but An Dong had.
At that moment, the steaming cumin lamb, fresh out of the pan, filled both the screen and An Dong’s mind. His brain was buzzing. What? What were they saying? Who was he? Where was he?
Just as An Dong was lost in thought, something suddenly happened inside the protective shield. Xun Xun, who had been lying unconscious due to the aftereffects of his mental breakdown, suddenly started twitching his eyelids rapidly.
The next moment, as the two elders sensed something and looked over in stunned disbelief, Xun Xun’s eyes suddenly snapped open.
When Xun Xun opened his eyes, he was still in a daze, his gaze unfocused. But he quickly started scanning the room as if searching for something.
Finally, his eyes locked onto An Dong’s wristband. His mind still unclear, he reached out, grabbed it, and in the shocked stares of the two elders, stuffed it directly into his mouth.
There was a loud crunch, which snapped the dazed An Dong back to reality. He shouted in shock, “Ahh! My wristband!”
Had Xun Ge gone mad? He had just woken up and already crushed his wristband with his teeth?
Wait, no—“Holy crap! Xun Ge, you’re awake?!”
Comments
Post a Comment