Chapter 21: Testing It Personally…
Mǐ Qiū replied, “That’s right, they are all incredibly skilled!”
Sù Zé Chū came to a realization. “So, just being able to cook makes someone ‘incredible’ in your eyes.”
On this point, Mǐ Qiū had something to say. “That’s because I can’t cook. The last time I tried, I nearly burned the meat to a crisp; it was completely charred.”
“When was that? I’ll have to show you a thing or two.”
Mǐ Qiū blinked twice, looking pleasantly surprised. “You know how to cook, too?”
Sù Zé Chū tilted his head to look at her, his brow furrowing slightly. “There was a time I cooked for you. No, actually, it was twice. Have you forgotten?”
Mǐ Qiū had indeed forgotten that detail. He and the original owner had been friends since childhood and were very close, so she really should have known. It was likely just a casual topic that came up naturally during their chats back then.
But given the current situation, Mǐ Qiū couldn’t exactly back out now, so she had to pretend to recall. “Ah, I remember now…”
“Um, why don’t you unpack your things? I’ll head out first.”
Sù Zé Chū didn’t respond, which she took as tacit agreement, so Mǐ Qiū tactfully took her leave.
Mǐ Qiū didn’t know what his spiritual body was. Officer Hè hadn’t sent her any files on him, and since Sù Zé Chū had arrived on such short notice, she was a bit in the dark.
But that didn’t matter. She would be able to catch a glimpse of his spiritual body during the follow-up hypnosis session anyway.
What Mǐ Qiū hadn’t expected, however, was that the person cooking dinner tonight wasn’t Xiao Měi.
It felt quite lively outside the kitchen. Mǐ Qiū poked her head in slightly and saw that the already small kitchen was crowded with three men.
Hè Chí, Zhù Shāngchén, and Shěn Qīnghuái were all cooking.
Curious and a bit bored, Mǐ Qiū wandered into the kitchen.
Is there something delicious being made?
Why is everyone gathered here?
Mǐ Qiū’s nose picked up the aroma before she even saw the food.
She looked at the meat in the pan; Chef Hè Chí was currently turning up the heat to thicken the sauce.
Seeing Mǐ Qiū approach, Hè Chí didn’t stop what he was doing.
Mǐ Qiū asked, “What are we having tonight? Why are you all cooking?”
Hè Chí replied, “A guest has arrived. We have to treat him well.”
Oh, so that’s why—
Mǐ Qiū sniffed the air again, the scent rushing into her nasal cavity. She asked him, “So, what are you making now?”
Hè Chí: “How does Braised Pork Ribs sound? Stewing and cooking meat happens to be my specialty.”
It was actually a dish from Mǐ Qiū’s menu. Who would have known that Braised Pork Ribs was a memory from Mǐ Qiū’s childhood? She subconsciously licked her lips, drooling just thinking about it…
Shěn Qīnghuái was there too. Mǐ Qiū looked at what he was doing; it seemed buying extra cookware back then had been the right call.
Shěn Qīnghuái sensed Mǐ Qiū walking towards him. Keeping his head down, he simply said, “I imagine Charcoal-Grilled Prawns should suit your taste, Guide Mǐ.”
“Didn’t Guide Mǐ always say I only knew how to make porridge? I’m showing off my culinary skills this time. This way, my ranking on the cooking chart might move up a bit.”
This was good, very good. Having a competitive spirit in the kitchen meant the food would turn out even better!
Mǐ Qiū thought she could just help out as a sous-chef, but to her surprise, none of the three men would let her lift a finger. Mǐ Qiū stood there for a moment, then decided it was best not to disturb them.
Tonight was, as expected, another table full of lavish dishes. She almost forgot one person. Just as Mǐ Qiū was about to go call Sù Zé Chū, she discovered he had already come downstairs.
Seeing the table laden with delicacies, Sù Zé Chū couldn’t help but exclaim, “Dinner tonight is quite rich.”
Mǐ Qiū knew she had to restrain herself right now. She had to wait for them to move their chopsticks before she could start.
So, watching them pick up the meat, she finally officially began to eat.
Honestly, this meat was too delicious! Why did their cooking get better every single time?
Sù Zé Chū looked at the newly added chair at the table, realized it was his spot, and sat down.
Zhù Shāngchén said to Sù Zé Chū, “I really didn’t expect you to come, Sir.”
“Things always have their variables. I just arrived ahead of schedule, that’s all. It makes sense for Hè Chí since he’s a chef, but I didn’t expect the rest of you to be cooking so diligently.”
Zhù Shāngchén replied, “It’s nothing. I’ve always enjoyed the pleasure of cooking.”
Seeing them start eating, Mǐ Qiū buried her head and began to eat bitterly.
She listened to their chat but didn’t participate. Eating—filling her stomach—was the most important thing.
Watching her like this, Sù Zé Chū couldn’t help but worry a little. Mǐ Qiū had said she was living well here, but this wasn’t quite what he had imagined. The way she was eating, like she hadn’t seen food in eight hundred years, made him unable to resist putting some food in her bowl. “If you want to eat, have more.”
Mǐ Qiū was busy shoveling rice from her bowl when she faintly sensed the gaze of the other three men landing on her in unison…
Guessing her table manners were too poor, she paused her wolfing down of the food.
Because she had kept her head buried low, two grains of rice were stuck to the corner of her mouth. Almost simultaneously, the four men grabbed napkins and handed them to her. Mǐ Qiū stared at them blankly, then accepted every single one.
In reality, Mǐ Qiū was quite thrifty; one napkin would have been enough. But her fear of offending anyone had resurfaced.
“Thank you! Thank you!!”
She thanked each of them individually, needing to maintain a sense of balance between them.
On this island, Mǐ Qiū lived an exceptionally comfortable life thanks to the daily gourmet meals.
Mǐ Qiū picked up piece after piece of meat!
The ribs had been stewed for about an hour, the meat falling right off the bone. The sauce soaked inside, combined with that sweet and sour sensation—it was indescribably amazing!
And that wasn’t even the best part. The fresh flavor of the prawns exploded from the inside out.
It was so good she felt like phantom tears were streaming down her face. Then she extended her “evil claws” again, picking up an egg wrap. Using the plastic gloves provided kept her hands clean.
After gripping the egg wrap, she took a bite. Inside, the crisp lettuce paired with bacon and a unique secret sauce created a mouthful of immense satisfaction, sending Mǐ Qiū’s soul straight to heaven!!!
Mǐ Qiū asked him how this egg wrap was made and why it was so delicious!
It stunned her even more than the ones she used to eat at the university gate. Especially the sauce—it tasted like a mix of soybean paste and salted egg yolk. Spread evenly over the crispy pancake, it was a perfect match. Absolutely supreme!!
Until Zhù Shāngchén told her it was an exclusive secret recipe.
Zhù Shāngchén smiled at her and said, “If you want to know, we can discuss it privately later.”
Mǐ Qiū nodded vigorously. “Okay, okay!”
Sù Zé Chū thought to himself that Mǐ Qiū didn’t seem particularly passionate about food in the past.
It seemed a few years could truly change a person.
Every dish Mǐ Qiū ate earned her long-lasting praise. Finally full, Mǐ Qiū felt that every bit of exhaustion from hypnotizing them was worth it.
What she really wished was for these guests to stay on the island forever. If they could cook different dishes every day, her childhood belly would swell into a balloon.
After dinner, Mǐ Qiū heard Sù Zé Chū say he needed to speak with her.
Mǐ Qiū drank a bottle of orange-flavored nutrient solution. She really couldn’t have a feast every meal; if this continued, what would become of her?
She found it a bit difficult to walk now. Didn’t he say he wanted to take a walk in the backyard? So, she waited for him in the yard.
Sù Zé Chū appeared five minutes later. Mǐ Qiū asked, “Did you have something to say to me?”
Sù Zé Chū walked side-by-side with her and said, “I was afraid that if you didn’t come out for a walk, the food would just sit in your stomach, making it hard to digest.”
Mǐ Qiū let out an “Oh.” That was true. If she didn’t exercise or stroll around tonight, the food would pile up in her little tummy, making her feel like she hadn’t fully digested it. But why did her stomach feel so heavy every time she stood up?
Sù Zé Chū asked, “What time do you usually go to sleep?”
“I definitely won’t sleep now. I usually have to stay up until at least 12 o’clock. Since it gets a bit boring sometimes, I go back to scroll through the StarNet or play games.”
There was a moment of silence between them before he finally spoke slowly after a long pause. “There is actually one thing I need to ask you.”
“Guide Mǐ Qiū, do you have a target you want to hypnotize next time?”
This question was easy to answer. Mǐ Qiū simply told the truth. “I follow an order. Their hypnosis sequence has already been ranked.”
Mǐ Qiū had used the fishing competition to decide it fairly. Sù Zé Chū listened to this.
“Then, if you need to conduct a hypnosis experiment next time, why not come directly to me?”
“Oh, then I’ll have to rearrange the order…”
Mǐ Qiū was silently calculating in her heart. A week only had seven days. If there were four people, one day for each meant four days. That meant Mǐ Qiū wouldn’t even have three rest days; she would only have two days of personal time left!!
Mǐ Qiū hadn’t considered this situation, so she was crying internally. It wasn’t that she was unwilling.
It was mainly that with four people, she would be too tired. Doing genuine hypnosis for three people already required her to constantly drink honey water to replenish her stamina. So she looked at Sù Zé Chū, appearing a bit troubled by this.
Sù Zé Chū said, “I came here to review your final results, so I hope you can give me a good answer sheet. That includes whether you can meet the standard. Guide Mǐ Qiū, what are you hesitating for?”
Mǐ Qiū stopped walking and said, “I’ve been implementing the method you mentioned step by step. I’m afraid if I have to do hypnosis with such high frequency, I might not do it well.”
He understood Mǐ Qiū’s difficulty. Sù Zé Chū stared at her face and said to her very seriously, “Mǐ Qiū, you have to understand. I came here to conduct an audit on you. Strictly speaking, I need to ensure the accuracy of your data—that is, your most authentic hypnosis effect. Do you understand what I mean?”
“This time, I have to test it personally.”
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