Chapter 4: Fried Shrimp

Qu Yangrong, who was out getting water, overheard this and couldn't help but think: "Xiaoxiao truly lives up to her reputation as Old Master Qu's junior; the aroma has captivated everyone so quickly. "

Facing the crowd's curiosity, she explained with a smile, "You didn't smell wrong. Our community canteen is about to open, and the chef is probably doing a trial run."

"What!"

"The community canteen is opening! Does that mean we won't have to rush home for lunch anymore?"

"Wow~ our lunch break will be a little longer!"

Their faces were full of happiness as they spoke, making Qu Yangrong chuckle.

Most people live nearby, so whether they eat lunch at home or not doesn't seem to affect their lunch break much, right?

After the initial surprise, since Qu Yangrong had facilitated the canteen's partnership, some couldn't resist asking for details.

"Director Qu, which restaurant is the canteen partnering with? Who's the chef?"

This question immediately drew curious glances from everyone in the office.

It wasn't just those asking; the others were curious too, as they hadn't been involved much in this matter.

They hadn't even held out much hope for attracting merchants initially, given the neighborhood's lack of appeal. But today, a chance whiff of aroma had stirred something within them.

The faint, sweet scent of meat hadn't even faded when a wave of savory fragrance wafted over, irresistible to the senses.

Many were already drooling.

Some even had their stomachs growling.

"Gurgle!"

The one who made the sound, Lian Yiyun, lowered her head shyly, avoiding the teasing glances.

The aroma was simply too tempting, and it was almost lunchtime; otherwise, she wouldn't have acted this way.

She nodded vigorously, thinking:

Yes!

Absolutely!

Qu Yangrong almost burst out laughing, as if seeing herself as a child begging for food from Uncle Qu.

Satisfying everyone's curiosity, she explained, "It's not a collaboration with any restaurant, it's with the Yuntao Group. Their founder used to live in our community. Seeing our needs, they came directly to us seeking cooperation.

The chef is a junior of the famous chef, Mr. Qu, who was the head chef in the factory canteen when the machinery factory was thriving. His skills were unparalleled.

If you don't believe me, you can ask the elderly people in the community."

As she finished speaking, imagining the delicious food she had once enjoyed, she couldn't help but drool, further raising expectations for Qu Xiaoxiao.

This immediately piqued the curiosity of the listeners.

The machinery factory was once one of the largest factories in Jianing District, with tens of thousands of workers. For someone to be renowned in the canteen of such a large factory, their culinary skills must be exceptional.

Suddenly, everyone was eager to try it, increasingly curious about what delicious food the canteen was serving.

Qu Xiaoxiao, unaware that the aroma of her cooking had already reached the second floor, was still diligently frying river shrimp.

The river shrimp, already small and with bluish-gray shells, quickly curled up and turned a more appetizing orange-red when deep-fried in hot oil.

The freshness of the ingredients, combined with the intense heat, released the shrimp's savory aroma that filled the kitchen.

Surrounded by this, Qu Xiaoxiao's awareness of the aroma diminished, and she didn't notice it had already spread to the second floor.

After frying all the shrimp once, she raised the oil temperature and fried them again, removing them after three seconds to give them an enticing golden-yellow color and a crispier shell.

Next, she left a little oil, added minced ginger and sautéed it until fragrant, then added the prepared sauce and stir-fried until fragrant.

She then mixed the fried shrimp into the sauce and stir-fried it to infuse the flavors.

Finally, she poured it onto a plate, sprinkled it with chopped scallions, and a classic deep-fried shrimp dish appeared before her.

The vibrant green scallions, adorning the golden shrimp, eagerly attracted attention.

Riding the rising steam, they seemed to try and penetrate every part of her body, asserting their presence.

Before Qu Xiaoxiao could say anything, the system couldn't wait any longer, its tone full of surprise and envy.

"So this is the food on your planet? I've finally come to the right place! Just a string of data is enough to make me feel how delicious it is. Slurp—"

It even made a slurping sound.

Hearing this, Qu Xiaoxiao was also a little curious and doubtful.

"You can drool just from recording data? If you could actually eat it, wouldn't you be overjoyed?"

The system didn't reply. Of course, its joy wasn't just about that.

It was because it finally had a real understanding of Earth's cuisine. It believed that the planet it had arrived on must have the most delicious food.

The host it was bound to was also the best. When it retired successfully, it would definitely receive praise from the main brain.

However, there was no need to say any of this.

Then, following Qu Xiaoxiao's actions, it began recording the data for the next dish.

At this moment, Qu Xiaoxiao began to prepare the last dish—garlic greens.

The greens she bought this time were purchased under the system's guidance, and they were so fresh and tender that they seemed to be able to squeeze water out of them. Such good ingredients could not be wasted.

A quick blanch in boiling water with a little oil to keep the greens vibrant green, then remove and arrange on a plate.

Next comes the crucial seasoning: heat oil in a pan and quickly add minced garlic.

The instant the garlic hits the hot oil, an intense garlic aroma assaults the senses, almost choking you if you're not careful.

This strong garlic scent also completely overpowers any other aromas in the kitchen.

Then, red peppers are added for extra flavor; this time, she added a bird's eye chili for added intensity and to stimulate the appetite.

Finally, a sauce made of oyster sauce, sugar, salt, light soy sauce, and cornstarch slurry is added, thickening the garlic sauce slightly before drizzling it over the greens.

The tender, vibrant greens, occasionally adorned with a ring or two of red pepper, are visually appealing and seem to bring a sense of calm.

With both dishes prepared, only the spare ribs, about to reduce the sauce, remain.

Before taking it off the heat, add rock sugar for sweetness, and drizzle a ring of fragrant vinegar around the edge of the pan.

The moment the vinegar touches the hot pan, it sizzles, and the acidity of the vinegar, combined with the sweetness of the rock sugar, fills the kitchen under the heat, creating an irresistible aroma that makes your mouth water.

Before serving, Qu Xiaoxiao sprinkles white sesame seeds on the reddish-brown ribs, making them look incredibly delicious.

As she plating the ribs, the system seems to be experiencing data malfunction, constantly updating its internal data.

In short: whether it's sour, sweet, salty, or spicy, everyone on Earth can make top-notch delicious food—truly enviable!

At this moment, Qu Xiaoxiao has finished plating the dish, a bowl of white rice in front of her, and she closes her eyes, taking a deep breath to savor the aroma of the food.

She opened her eyes again, her gaze gleaming with an undisguised gleam as she faced the delicious food.

She felt this was her only pursuit in life—food was the one thing she could never let down!

The system, captivated by her earnest demeanor, involuntarily held its breath, preparing to capture her data as she enjoyed the meal.

Qu Xiaoxiao paid no attention to anything else; only two words screamed in her mind—eat!

The next second, unable to contain her excitement any longer, she reached for the river shrimp she had bought that day.

The moment her chopsticks touched the shrimp, a crisp clinking sound revealed the shrimp's crisp shell.

Upon tasting it, she felt the initial sensation wasn't quite right.

As the shrimp approached her lips, the aroma of scallions infused it with an irresistible freshness, making her involuntarily swallow.

Then, she eagerly put it in her mouth.

The shrimp weren't large to begin with, and after processing and frying, they were perfectly fine to eat directly.

"Crunch—"

The crispy shell shattered instantly upon contact with her teeth.

The sweetness of the river shrimp, tightly wrapped inside, burst open in her mouth along with the juicy meat.

Qu Xiaoxiao could even feel the juices assaulting her palate. The crispy shell, the tender and juicy shrimp meat, the rich, sweet flavor—it was irresistible.

This was the first time she had ever tasted such delicious stir-fried shrimp.

For a moment, she didn't know whether to praise her own culinary skills or the system's mastery of the ingredients.

After all, she had made stir-fried shrimp a few times before, but none had been as amazing as this one.

But thinking of the system's self-praising manner, she resisted the urge to think about it, to avoid arrogance, and most importantly, because it was a bit noisy.

She picked up another shrimp and devoured them one by one, satisfying her taste buds that had been amazed by the stir-fried shrimp.

Satisfied, Qu Xiaoxiao turned her gaze to the sweet and sour pork ribs beside her. The amber sauce clung tightly to the white sesame seeds and ribs, reflecting a dazzling light under the lamp.

Meanwhile, the pervasive sweet and sour flavor relentlessly asserted its presence.

She promptly fulfilled the other's wish, picking up a piece of rib and placing it on her rice.

The rich sauce on the rib quickly stained the rice with an enticing red, making it look incredibly appetizing.

At this moment, Qu Xiaoxiao's composure was nearing its limit, and she decisively reached for the rib.

The long stewing process had already made the ribs incredibly tender and flavorful; when she picked them up, she could even feel that a slight pressure would crush the chopsticks.

Therefore, she subconsciously reduced her pressure and used her mouth to catch the food, preventing it from falling.

The instant the rib touched her lips, the whole world fell silent, even her restless heart calmed down.

The sweet and sour sauce instantly filled her mouth, spreading across her tongue, instantly captivating her.

Qu Xiaoxiao felt like she hadn't even reacted yet. With a gentle suck, the meat separated from the bone, the ribs fell off, and the meat slid into her mouth to chew.

The aroma of the meat, soaked in sweet and sour sauce, grew stronger with each chew, spreading with her breath.

Her restless body was instantly calmed, and the day's hard work and fatigue seemed to find their home.

Especially compared to the fact that she could never satisfy her taste buds no matter what she did abroad, it truly felt like only at home could she enjoy such delicious food.

After enjoying the meal, she didn't bother to think about anything else and began to ponder how long ten thousand yuan would be enough for her to enjoy this leisurely time.

After eating shrimp and meat, she finished with fresh and sweet garlic-flavored greens.

The proportion of chili peppers was low, and the spiciness was not strong, only enhancing the flavor and making the natural taste of the greens even better.

In no time, Qu Xiaoxiao had eaten half of the three dishes by herself.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, even the system itself wouldn't have believed the scene before it.

Who could imagine that a seemingly petite girl could eat so much food at once?

But Qu Xiaoxiao didn't think anything of it. Even after hearing the system's surprised exclamation, she retorted matter-of-factly,

"If you were abroad for this long and suddenly ate this kind of food, I believe you'd be even more surprised than me!"

After saying that, she ignored the chattering system and washed the dishes.

She went back to her room to make plans, ensuring she could continue her blissful life of delicious food every day for the next year.

The next day, Qu Xiaoxiao got up very early, wanting to tell Qu Yangrong about her plans, but found it was too early; the other woman hadn't started work yet.

Reluctantly, she turned and went downstairs, intending to wait for her return.

Unexpectedly, just as she was about to turn around, she heard a familiar voice.

"Xiaoxiao, is there something you need help with?"