Chapter 30 Lemon Orleans Roasted Chicken Thigh
Meanwhile, Su Xiaonuan drove her beloved RV home.
As soon as I parked the car and stepped into my house, a system notification sounded in my mind.
[Ding! A common criminal (crime value 40) has been apprehended. Reward: +100 Merit Points.]
[Ding! Gained the approval of the important figure "Lu Zheng" +1. Gained 100 merit points. Current merit points: 2650]
[Daily Quest Refresh: Tomorrow, successfully set up a stall at the Lanxi Riverbank and sell 50 'Extra Spicy Chicken Wings'. Reward: 450 Merit Points.]
Hearing Lu Zheng's approval, Su Xiaonuan was in a great mood.
Lanxi River Beach? That's a popular spot for locals to play in the water and have barbecues in the summer; it must be quite popular.
The extra spicy chicken wings are quite fitting for the occasion.
However, with such hot weather, it's definitely better to prepare the ingredients tomorrow morning, otherwise they won't be fresh if left for too long.
Su Xiaonuan stretched happily, deciding to relax tonight.
She kicked off her shoes, stepping barefoot onto the cold floor, opened her music app on her phone, connected to the Bluetooth speaker, and selected a relaxing and pleasant playlist.
As upbeat music filled the room, she tied on an apron and prepared a simple yet satisfying dinner to treat herself.
I want something high in calories and fun to eat tonight!
She decided to make a large lemon Orleans roasted chicken thigh, paired with a small piece of chocolate Basque cake, and a refreshing passion fruit tea.
She first took the ingredients out of the refrigerator.
The boneless chicken thigh meat selected is provided by the system; it is thick and plump with golden skin.
She used the tip of a knife to gently poke some small holes in the chicken skin to prevent it from shrinking too much during baking, and then carefully patted the surface dry with kitchen paper.
Fresh yellow lemons, with smooth and shiny peels, are cut in half and squeezed to extract their clear, tangy juice; the other half is then sliced into thin rounds for later use.
The system-exclusive secret Orleans recipe has a fine powder, a bright red color, and a complex aroma of sweet pepper powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and other ingredients.
She mixed the marinade with lemon juice, a little cooking oil, and a dash of honey until it became a thick sauce.
First, place the chicken drumsticks into a plastic bag, pour in the prepared Orleans marinade, and massage and knead them thoroughly with your hands through the bag to ensure that every inch of chicken, especially the part under the skin, is evenly coated with the marinade.
Seal the bag tightly and refrigerate for at least half an hour. Marinating it longer will make it more flavorful.
Because of time constraints, she bought a small piece of Basque at the mall.
Its surface is a deep, almost burnt chocolate color, full of wrinkles, and looks unremarkable, but inside is a moist and creamy chocolate cheese paste.
Cut a ripe passion fruit with a slightly wrinkled skin in half, scoop out the golden, sticky pulp full of black seeds with a spoon. The aroma is rich and fragrant. Wash the lime and tangerines, slice them, and use them to make fruit tea to add a refreshing flavor. Then brew a cup of moderately strong green tea and let it cool for later use.
She was focused on preparing the ingredients—
The music on my phone suddenly stopped!
Instead, a sudden and urgent cell phone ringtone rang out!
"Hmm?" Su Xiaonuan was taken aback, then frowned in confusion.
It's so late, who would call her? A friend? Lu Zheng? It seems unlikely they would call at this hour.
She wiped her hands, walked to the living room, and picked up her phone.
Looking down, the screen displayed a completely unfamiliar number; the number range looked exactly like those random telemarketing or scam calls.
"Tsk, what a nuisance call." Su Xiaonuan immediately curled her lip and prepared to hang up without even thinking.
However, just as her fingertips were about to touch the red hang-up button—
[Warning! Abnormal communication signal detected! Host is advised to answer!] The system's cold and urgent notification exploded in her mind without warning!
Su Xiaonuan's finger suddenly stopped in mid-air, and her heart skipped a beat!
Without any hesitation, she instantly pressed the green answer button, held the phone to her ear, and subconsciously held her breath, focusing intently.
The call was connected.
However, there was no response from the other end.
There were no salespeople's mechanical opening lines, no fraudsters' feigned anxiety lies, and not even the usual breathing sounds or electrical noises.
A deathly silence.
It was as if the person making the call was just an empty void.
This eerie silence lasted for a good ten seconds, so long that Su Xiaonuan even wondered if there was a problem with the signal, or if the other party had already hung up.
Just as she was about to say "Hello?"—
Suddenly, an extremely fast, cold, and emotionless voice, sounding either electronically synthesized or heavily disguised, came from the other end of the phone, rapidly reciting a string of numbers:
"..."
The speed of speech was astonishing; it didn't sound like a normal person speaking at all, but more like a machine reading numbers!
Before Su Xiaonuan could react at all—write it down, repeat it, or even think about it—the phone was abruptly hung up after the voice finished announcing the numbers!
"Beep...beep...beep..."
A busy signal came through.
Su Xiaonuan stood there, holding her phone, stunned for a full second.
What the heck?!
That's it? A string of numbers? What does it mean? A password? Coordinates? A phone number?
She tried hard to recall, but the speech was too fast, and she could only barely remember a few numbers at the beginning and end; the middle part was a complete blur.
"System! Did you memorize that string of numbers just now?!" Su Xiaonuan hurriedly asked in her mind.
[Recorded. The number sequence is: ##404##191519##] The system coldly displayed a long string of characters and numbers.
Su Xiaonuan quickly found paper and pen, and with the help of the system's transcription, she neatly copied down the long string of characters.
She held the note, turning it over and over, her brow furrowed.
This doesn't look like simple numbers; it's mixed with numbers and "#" symbols. It's more like some kind of highly indicative instruction or code? I can't understand its meaning at all.
Who would send her such a strange message in the middle of the night? What is their purpose? A prank? Or... some kind of warning or hint?
Considering the abnormal notification from the system earlier, Su Xiaonuan felt that the latter was more likely.
But this string of numbers, without any beginning or end, is really baffling.
After thinking for a long time, she decided to go to the police station tomorrow to ask Lu Zheng.
He's a policeman; maybe he can figure something out.
Carefully putting the note away, Su Xiaonuan shook her head, temporarily putting the matter aside, and returned to the kitchen to continue preparing her dinner.
First, make the lemon Orleans-style roasted chicken thigh.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Take the marinated chicken thighs out of the refrigerator and place them on a baking tray with the skin side up.
Place a few thin slices of lemon on the chicken skin.
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
During the cooking process, the chicken skin's fat is rendered out by the high temperature, producing a delightful "sizzling" sound. The sweet and spicy aroma of the Orleans marinade blends with the refreshing sourness of lemon, filling the entire kitchen and making it incredibly tempting.
Once the chicken skin turns golden brown and crispy, and the meat is fully cooked, it's ready to be served.
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