Chapter 19 The Heartbreakingly Delicious Meal

The person on the other end of the phone seemed to be desperately trying to stop him, but he couldn't stop at all until the other party suddenly hung up the phone.

Hearing the busy tone on the phone, the man in the suit suddenly froze, seemingly waking up a little from a state of inexplicable excitement.

He blinked, recalling what he had just said, and his face instantly turned ashen, cold sweat pouring out in an instant!

"I...what did I just say?" He looked around in horror and found that everyone was looking at him like he was an idiot or a criminal.

Su Xiaonuan silently pressed the pause button on her phone's recording and saved the file.

Soon, security guards patrolling the park and police officers from a nearby police station who had been alerted by concerned citizens arrived at the scene.

The man tried to deny it, but more than one person around him had recorded a video, and the audio was clearly audible, making the evidence irrefutable!

He suddenly seemed to have all his strength drained away, collapsing onto the plastic stool, his face ashen, as the police handcuffed him and took him away.

[Ding! Indirectly assisted in the arrest of a criminal guilty of embezzlement (sin value 47), reward: +50 merit points. Current merit points: 310.]

Su Xiaonuan watched his retreating figure as he was led away, secretly feeling extremely pleased.

I've earned merit points and rid the people of a scourge—perfect!

After this incident, her "simple Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" became even more famous, and the remaining dozen or so portions were quickly snapped up.

[Ding! Daily task completed! Reward: 300 Merit Points. Current Merit Point Balance: 610. 'Simplified Buddha Jumps Over the Wall' recipe permanently unlocked.]

By the time I packed up and headed home, it was already getting late.

Su Xiaonuan chose a relatively quiet path, hoping to take a shortcut.

As she walked, she suddenly felt that something was wrong.

A strange feeling of being watched crept over her, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

She immediately became alert, slowed down, and listened carefully to her surroundings, while mentally asking, "System! Scan the area! Are there any targets carrying crime points?"

[Scan complete. One target with a crime value of 5 is located within range. Due to the low crime value, the alert threshold has not been met.] The system coldly replied.

Sin value 5? Just an ordinary person with a few evil thoughts?

Su Xiaonuan frowned.

That uncomfortable feeling didn't go away.

Is it just my imagination? Or is the other party hiding it very well?

She dared not be careless and quickened her pace until she returned to the brightly lit and relatively crowded entrance of the residential area, at which point the feeling of unease completely disappeared.

She breathed a long sigh of relief, but her sense of crisis only intensified.

Lu Zheng's words of warning were still ringing in my ears. The case of 1203 was shrouded in mystery, and I was almost followed again today... This world is far less safe than it seems.

Once home, after locking the door, the first thing Su Xiaonuan did was open the system interface.

[Daily Quest Refresh: Successfully sell 50 'Heartbreakingly Delicious Rice' at Willow Lake Park tomorrow. Reward: 300 Merit Points.]

"System, upgrade [Body Enhancement] to Tier 4!" Safety first!

[Ding! 200 merit points consumed, body enhancement upgraded to level four! Current merit points: 410.]

[Enhancement Effects: Significantly increases strength, speed, stamina, reflexes, and recovery; significantly enhances resistance to blows; moderately increases resistance to common toxins/drugs. Enhances 'Concealment' effect; greatly improves sensory acuity.]

A warm current, stronger than before, surged through my entire body, and my bones seemed to emit a slight humming sound.

Su Xiaonuan clearly felt her strength surge again, and her hearing, vision, and smell became exceptionally sharp!

She could even hear the faint voices of her upstairs neighbors, the distant honking of cars outside her window, and see the fine dust particles floating in the air!

This sense of control over her body and her extraordinary perception of her environment greatly increased her sense of security.

Although the potential dangers are still unknown, at least she now has a stronger ability to fight back and protect herself!

Seeing that she had 410 merit points left, she decided to leave them for now.

On Sunday, I still have to deal with that internet celebrity with a sin value of 45; I might need to exchange for some special items.

We need to keep some reserve funds.

She gazed out the window at the deep night, her eyes unfathomable.

The next day, Sunday.

The morning sunlight streamed into the room through the gaps in the curtains.

The first thing Su Xiaonuan did after waking up was to check the system interface.

Current merit points: 410.

Today's daily task is to sell "Heartbreakingly Delicious Rice" at Willow Lake Park.

The highlight, however, was the afternoon's "collaboration" with the "big eater Dora" for filming.

Su Xiaonuan first took out her phone and found Lu Zheng's office work number.

She hesitated for a moment, but still dialed the number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered. Lu Zheng's slightly tired but still steady voice came from the other end: "Hello? Su Xiaonuan? What's up?"

He seemed somewhat surprised that she would take the initiative to call.

"Officer Lu, good morning." Su Xiaonuan said in a relaxed tone, "Just letting you know that I'll be setting up a stall near the north gate of Liuhu Park around 3 p.m. today. Hmm... it might be a bit 'lively,' so I'm letting you know in advance so you don't worry." She deliberately spoke vaguely, but hinted that something might happen.

Lu Zheng on the other end of the phone was silent for two seconds, seemingly trying to figure out the meaning behind her words, before finally replying in a deep voice, "I know. Take care of yourself."

"Okay, thank you, Officer Lu!" Su Xiaonuan hung up the phone with a smile.

Just to give them a heads-up, in case things get out of control, the police can arrive in time, and by the way... let them see their "working methods" firsthand.

She arrived at the north gate of Liuhu Park and parked her car in a good shady spot.

Liuhu Park is very popular on weekends, with families going on outings, couples on dates, and the elderly exercising, making it a lively place.

She began preparing today's signature dish—the "Heartbreak Rice".

This dish sounds cool, but it's actually made with simple yet exquisite ingredients.

The key ingredients are char siu and fried eggs, but each step requires skill.

First up is the char siu (barbecued pork).

She chose premium pork shoulder meat provided by the system, which has a beautiful marbling and is marbled with fat and lean meat.

Wash and dry the meat, then poke countless small holes in the surface with a toothpick to allow the flavors to penetrate.

Then, use the secret char siu sauce provided by the system, which is made by combining various seasonings such as seafood sauce, sesame paste, fermented bean curd juice, soy sauce, sugar, and wine.

Massage the meat thoroughly with minced garlic, ginger, and five-spice powder, then marinate it in the refrigerator for at least four hours to allow the flavors to penetrate deeply.

Next is rice.

It uses fragrant rice, steamed until each grain is distinct, with a perfect balance of softness and firmness, and carries a natural rice aroma.

Sauce: The sauce is made by simmering the marinated char siu sauce with an appropriate amount of stock and honey until it is concentrated. Finally, a light cornstarch slurry is added to create a savory-sweet, glossy and tempting sauce.

Fried eggs: They must be runny sunny-side up eggs! Use aseptic eggs that are safe to eat raw, heat the pan with cold oil, and fry slowly over low heat, frying only one side to ensure that the egg white is set and tender, while the yolk remains perfectly runny.

Side dish: A few blanched, bright green bok choy hearts to cut through the richness and add color.

By the time the preparations were completed, it was already noon.