Chapter 51
Sure enough, the comments section quickly exploded.
[What is that taste? Is it my imagination???]
[So fragrant, so fragrant… I’m about to faint.]
[What is Anran eating!!! Such a special flavor! I can smell it and taste it!]
[Ahhh, so fragrant, so fragrant, I can’t take it anymore!]
[I love Anran so much, sob, sob, sob. Can you stream for us for the rest of our lives?]
[Kicks over the nutrient solution next to me. Garbage!]
[I can’t swallow it, I absolutely cannot swallow this energy bar in my mouth!]
[Eat another piece, Anran! Quick, eat another piece!]
Xia Anran looked at the screen full of comments, her eyes crinkling into crescents as she smiled. “Thank you all for your support! This dish is called Soft-Fried Tenderloin. It’s Master Guo’s specialty!”
This was the first time, besides the scallion pancakes, that Xia Anran had introduced a dish from Earth in her stream. But Master Guo’s name was not new to the audience. She often mentioned him when chatting with her viewers, praising his cooking to the high heavens. However, the concept of “cooking” didn’t exist in the interstellar era, because they simply didn’t have “dishes.”
As for the few portions of scallion pancakes that had been raffled off, most had been confiscated by the officials. Only a handful of United Star System citizens had stubbornly held onto theirs, refusing to let go no matter how much the officials tried to persuade them. The current regulation in the United Star System was that if a citizen truly disagreed, they could give up, to avoid forced confiscation. So, a few people had indeed tasted this unique food from Earth.
Now, these lucky few were frantically expressing in the comments how delicious the scallion pancake had been, and how it was completely different from the soft-fried tenderloin, even though the tenderloin also smelled incredible.
Master Guo’s cooking always excelled in color, aroma, and taste. Even in Xia Anran’s humble farmhouse courtyard, he had used everything he could find to create an exquisite presentation. The batter on the soft-fried tenderloin was extremely thin, faintly revealing the texture of the meat. The tenderloin itself had been carefully selected, thick and long. The golden, glistening surface was garnished with a few strands of green scallion and mint leaves. Fresh out of the pan, it was still steaming, carrying a tantalizing, oily fragrance.
..
Jeqi and Ruoya had just come out of a council meeting. Seeing that Xia Anran’s stream was on, the two siblings, for a rare change, watched it together.
Jeqi stared intently at the soft-fried tenderloin in her hand and swallowed. Ever since he had tasted the scallion pancake, he had been obsessed with Earth’s food. He had gone and pestered the research institute for a long time, insisting that they create a replica of the scallion pancake. The old professors at the institute had their own arguments. Putting aside whether they could replicate it or not, they hadn’t even seen a single crumb of a scallion pancake! How were they supposed to replicate something they didn’t even have? But Jeqi didn’t care about that. He had pestered the researchers until they were at their wits’ end. Finally, unable to take it anymore, they had filed a complaint with Her Highness the Princess, and only then had His Majesty the Emperor finally quieted down. Ruoya had wordlessly grabbed her stupid brother by the ear and shooed him out of the research institute like a chicken.
“So fragrant…” Jeqi was also experiencing the joy of shared smell and taste. He was practically drooling. He beat his chest and stomped his feet. “It looks even more delicious than the scallion pancake!!! I want to eat it!!!” Being able to smell it but not eat it was even more painful!
Ruoya rolled her eyes. Seeing her brother’s foolish antics, she wanted to hit him.
..
Xia Anran watched the comments for a while, extremely satisfied with this sharing function. This system was somewhat useful after all.
Before the stream started today, the system had suddenly popped up to remind her that her earnings were about to reach the next level, which would unlock many new functions. One of them was the olfactory and gustatory sharing that it had been nagging her about for a long time. This had made the production team, who had already been planning today’s farewell banquet stream, overjoyed. Knowing that the interstellar audience would not only be able to see but also smell and taste the dishes he made, Master Guo, who had cooked for countless state banquets, became nervous for a rare change. He had started preparing at four in the morning, clanging and banging, and even so, had almost delayed the start of the stream.
Someone in the comments was asking if the soft-fried tenderloin was also made with flour. After all, the only other delicacy that had appeared in her stream, the scallion pancake, had been introduced as being made with flour. And both looked golden and crispy, very similar.
“Flour? It should have been used. The batter on the outside of the tenderloin is a mixture of flour and egg wash. Master Guo’s skills are superb; it’s fried to be especially crispy.” Xia Anran gave a thumbs-up.
Jeqi and Ruoya, who had been entranced by the persistent fragrance of the tenderloin, were immediately on high alert when they heard the word “egg.” This thing had eggs in it too! The cubs of their primitive beasts! Ahhh, why do these evil Earthlings love to eat children so much!
…But it really was so fragrant, sob, sob, sob. It seemed it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.
[Eggs??? Beastman cubs?!]
[It’s flour and eggs again. These two things are so magical! So fragrant!!!]
[Why are they eating children again, sob, I can’t take it.]
[How many people haven’t been paying attention to Anran’s stream? I’ve already explained it ten thousand times! Animals are not Beastmen!]
[The eggs are unfertilized! They’re not cubs!]
[Respect Earth’s dietary habits. Some people, don’t go too far.]
[It’s so fragrant, hiss, hiss. Why do I also smell a pungent yet captivating scent?]
[The eggs are really so fragrant, hehe.]
[Wait, the IP of the comment above is in the Beastman race?! What’s wrong with you guys!]
[Screeches sharply]
[What’s wrong… it’s just very fragrant. I’ve already broken through my psychological barrier. I can do it! I want to eat it!]
Xia Anran: “…” Indeed, the power of food was infinite, especially for a culinary desert like the interstellar era. As for the pungent smell, it was probably the cumin and chili powder that Ji Minghui had just brought over.
She placed the tenderloin on the table, with a small dish of cumin and chili powder on the side. “This should be the pungent taste everyone is talking about. This is cumin and chili powder, also made by Master Guo himself!”
She picked up a piece of tenderloin, dipped it in some of the powder, and put it in her mouth. As expected, on top of the original mellow taste of the crispy outside and tender inside, there was now a spicy, stimulating, and savory flavor. This was Master Guo’s exclusive recipe; a tiny bit was enough to make the taste buds explode. Paired with the freshly fried tenderloin, it was a delicacy of the human world.
The comments were uncharacteristically silent for a moment, and then erupted in an unprecedented scream.
[Cumin and chili! I will remember your names for the rest of my life!!!]
[I will be crazy for cumin and chili for the rest of my life!]
[To think such a flavor exists in this world, sob, we are so pitiful.]
[So delicious, so delicious, I’m about to lick the screen.]
[Anran, eat some more! Although my tongue hurts a little, it’s so addictive!]
[With cumin and chili, the soft-fried tenderloin is so fragrant! It’s like two different dishes!]
[If I can’t eat soft-fried tenderloin in this lifetime, what do I have to live for?]
[Anran, pick me!!! I want to eat it!]
[I’m defecting too… primitive beastmen are so fragrant!]
[Hehe, I’ve already defected, slurp, slurp.]
“The taste that hurts your tongue but is very fragrant is what we on Earth call ‘spicy,’ from chili peppers. This little red thing is a favorite of many people,” Xia Anran said, unable to resist eating another piece.
Not to mention the ordinary citizens of the Beastman race, even Jeqi and Ruoya were mesmerized.
“I want to eat it! I can’t take it anymore!” Jeqi nearly jumped up from his chair. He was then pressed back down by Ruoya.
“Behave yourself. What does it look like, jumping around all day?”
Jeqi pouted. Sis, your drool is about to fall too.
While holding down her restless brother, Ruoya was also thinking that she had to get the citizens of the Beastman race used to the idea of Earth people treating animals as food, and the idea that animals and Beastmen were different. Although she herself found it a bit difficult to be convinced… The animals on Earth were just too similar to the juvenile cubs of the Beastman race, and too similar to the primitive beastmen recorded in the ancient texts. But perhaps, as Host Anran had said, animals and Beastmen were completely different. They had no human thoughts, and they, the Beastmen, had evolved to be completely different! Not to mention, it was highly likely that chicken eggs could enhance their Horn Power!
Ruoya didn’t want to discuss such a serious issue with her currently unstable-looking stupid brother, so she changed the subject. “By the way, has Xuan Mo arrived at the Aler System yet?” she asked, tossing him an energy bar to shut his mouth.
The United Star System was supposed to hand over the jurisdiction of the Aler System to them. The specific time had been negotiated a few days ago. The people of the United Star System were supposed to arrive today according to the original plan, but they had suddenly sent a message saying there was a temporary problem and it would be postponed for a few days.
The person chosen by the Beastman race for the handover was the Empire’s First General, Xuan Mo. Of course, he had no interest in the desolate Aler System and looked down on the United Star System even more. The main reason he had volunteered to go this time was to make a detour to the Interstellar Empire. Recently, a new batch of ancient Earth-style clothing and accessories had been released in the Empire and had become a sensation throughout the entire star system. Ruoya was very interested in these things, but the merchant selling them was very arrogant, with some unknown backer, and did not accept online orders. To buy them, one had to go to the Interstellar Empire.
Ruoya’s attitude towards the Interstellar Empire could be simply described as: if the Imperial Palace were to be blown up one day, they could come straight to the Beastman race and arrest her. She would either be the mastermind or an accomplice; in short, she would be involved. So, the only way she would set foot in the Interstellar Empire was if the Beastman race had beaten them to a pulp and completely conquered their territory. Otherwise, she wouldn’t go even if it killed her.
As Princess Ruoya’s loyal guardian, he of course had to step up to meet her needs. A mere trip to the Interstellar Empire was a small matter.
Jeqi and Xuan Mo had always been partners in crime, and he also knew about this. He had immediately teased him with a term he had learned from Xia Anran’s stream: Chun’ai Zhanshen (God of Pure Love). Xuan Mo had accepted this title with his head held high. A playboy like Jeqi would never understand.
So, although the people of the United Star System couldn’t make it to the Aler System on time, Xuan Mo had still set off on schedule. He had a few days to stroll around the Interstellar Empire and buy more things for Her Highness the Princess.
At this moment, Xuan Mo was also watching Xia Anran’s livestream on his spaceship, enjoying it by himself. The memory of the taste of the scallion pancake, in particular, made his mood even more melancholic. To be able to see it but not eat it was too painful! The Beastman race had to establish contact with Earth as soon as possible!
…
Because this stream shared not only smell but also taste, the audience immediately felt the different texture of the soft-fried tenderloin. It was a bit chewy, and very juicy when bitten into. The feeling was hard to describe; there was nothing with this texture in the interstellar era.
Ye Yuxing had officially moved into the 115th Squadron’s base. He was now standing guard outside the observation room. Qin Feng was still unconscious, with no signs of waking up. Leng Ying was keeping watch with him. If anything unexpected happened, she could channel some of her psychic power for treatment, and he would be responsible for contacting Host Anran for help. But right now, it was clear that both of their attentions were completely drawn to the livestream.
[United Star System Science Academy, Ye Yuxing]: Host, I’d like to ask, what is tenderloin? The texture feels very special and is very delicious.
After sending the comment, Ye Yuxing glanced at Qin Feng lying in the observation room and thought to himself that when he woke up and found out what he had missed, he would surely be angry enough to cough up blood.
Xia Anran had been in frequent contact with Ye Yuxing recently; he was one of the few interstellar acquaintances she had. Seeing his question, she was very happy to answer. “The tenderloin is pork tenderloin. It’s a tender piece of meat from the inside of a pig’s spine. It’s very fragrant for frying and stir-frying!”
Xia Anran was now extremely grateful that she was a foodie. She had no pressure answering questions related to food. Although she only knew how to eat and not how to cook, she still considered herself a food connoisseur! After all, her food appreciation skills had been certified by Master Guo. In the entire production team, she was the only one who could chat with him about food.
The moment she said this, it was the United Star System viewers’ turn to be shocked.
[WHAT!!!!]
[Pork… pork…]
[Ahhh, how can you eat a pig!]
[Hahahaha, I’m fine, I’m not crazy.]
[Pigs are really eaten on Earth? They’re food?]
[Although I already know that real pigs aren’t that cute, it still feels so strange, sob.]
[Don’t challenge my moral bottom line!]
[But, but, piggy, you’re so fragrant [crying]]
[I’m fine now. I’ve convinced myself. As expected, a good-looking piggy also has fragrant meat!]
[Hahahaha, I’m really going to laugh. Just now they were laughing at the Beastman race, and now it’s the United Star System’s turn.]
[Imperials, what are you laughing at? This has nothing to do with you, and you’re still enjoying the show.]
[Wait, isn’t a pig also a type of primitive beast? Why are the Beastmen so quiet?]
[…We’ve already been desensitized. We’ve even accepted eating children.]
[Piggy is so fragrant!!! More!!!]