*
As it turns out, the chosen one truly lives up to his name; Gu Beiyan is incredibly intelligent, with an exceptionally high IQ and an outstanding ability to replicate.
He mastered the essentials of each step after watching the tutorial videos for chopped chili fish head and braised shrimp once. His knife skills were clean and neat when mincing ginger, and there was no sign that it was his first time doing this. Even the force he used when tossing the wok was just right.
All his actions were fluid and precise, as if he were a seasoned veteran in the kitchen.
Soon, while the fish head was steaming in the steamer, the braised prawns were emitting a rich aroma. The bright red prawn shells were coated with amber-colored sauce, and minced garlic was frying in hot oil until it was fragrant and crispy.
Nan Qing, who had just been shielded behind Gu Beiyan by the hot oil splash, peeked out, took a deep breath, her eyes lighting up instantly. She excitedly tugged at the fabric of his shirt and said:
"Gu Beiyan, it smells so good~"
"Is it ready? Can I try some first?"
Gu Beiyan glanced at her sideways, and seeing Nan Qing looking like a hungry cat, he smiled slightly and said in a voice with a hint of doting affection:
"Wait another thirty seconds."
After reducing the sauce, he sprinkled on the last handful of chopped scallions, then took a small bowl, filled it with three of the plumpest prawns, and handed it to Nanqing, who was eagerly waiting, whispering a reminder:
"Be careful, it's hot."
Anxious, Nan Qing took the small bowl, sniffed it, picked up the chopsticks she had prepared in advance, and put a piece in her mouth.
"Ouch—it's so hot!"
How can freshly cooked braised shrimp not be piping hot, especially with the sauce clinging to the shrimp, every drop steaming hot?
Upon hearing this, Gu Beiyan immediately put down the shovel in his hand, turned around, grabbed her chin and lifted it slightly, his brows furrowed and his voice deepening.
"Open your mouth."
Having spent so many worlds together, Nanqing was already used to his various touches, so she didn't feel anything was wrong.
But... this time it really was her own craving that led her to not pay attention.
She obediently opened her mouth, slightly protruding the tip of her tongue, which was red from the heat. Because her chin was still being held by him, her speech was somewhat unclear.
"It's really nothing... my tongue just went numb for a moment."
Actually, it's nothing serious. It's not the first time she's burned herself because she was greedy; she's quite experienced.
(You get the hang of it after a while; Xiao Ba is even more greedy than me.)
Gu Beiyan narrowed his eyes. In just half a day, he had already gotten used to hearing all sorts of strange things and the names of countless men from Nan Qing's inner voice!
He raised his hand, his thumb smearing a smear of sauce on the corner of her lips, and said in a chilling tone:
"Next time you're in such a hurry, I'll tie you to a chair and wait for me to feed you."
While he was making threatening remarks, he took the bowl from her hand with his other hand, carefully wiped his hands, picked up a large shrimp covered in sauce, peeled off the shell, blew on it, and then put it to her mouth.
Nan Qing blinked, a mischievous thought suddenly forming in her mind. She deliberately bit his fingertip lightly with her teeth, the indistinct sound at the end of her mouth carrying the sweetness of braised shrimp.
"So, does this count as feeding them?"
She was having a great time, but she probably forgot that she's currently live-streaming, and every little thing they do is being captured on camera, watched simultaneously by millions of netizens.
[Did Mr. Gu's fingers taste good, Nanbao?!]
[This can be watched without paying?!]
【Ahhhhhh, I have a shrimp too! Me too, sister, bite me~】
[Editor: Cut this part! Director: Play this part on a loop]
[Why aren't you kissing him yet? Mr. Gu, are you impotent? If not, let me do it!!]
[Grab her tightly and kiss her hard!]
[Wow~ Just came in, and it's already this exciting?]
Mr. Gu, you are truly blessed.
The atmosphere in the other groups was great, but this group was just too good.
[Hilarious! Did anyone see Shen Yao's little glance?]
Isn't this how adult relationships should be? I like it.
This damn ambiguity... it's definitely more interesting watching other people date.
[...]
The moment Gu Beiyan's fingertip was bitten, his pupils contracted slightly, his breath hitched for a moment, and his Adam's apple bobbed a few times in suppressed pain. But just as he was about to do something, Shen Yao came over with chopsticks in his mouth.
"Is President Gu giving Nan Qing special tutoring?"
Nan Qing quickly let go of her mouth, pointed to the braised shrimp in the bowl over there, and hurriedly chewed and swallowed the shrimp in her mouth.
"Shen Yao, is everything ready on your end?"
Shen Yao raised his chopsticks to pick up the large shrimp in the small bowl, but Gu Beiyan's hand was faster than his chopsticks. Gu Beiyan pulled the small bowl with two shrimp left behind back, and Shen Yao's chopsticks barely grazed the edge of the bowl, missing his target.
"If you're going to eat, have this one."
He pushed the large portion of braised shrimp over, his movements swift and decisive, carrying an undeniable air of authority.
Shen Yao's chopsticks hovered in mid-air, a smile still lingering on his face. Looking at the shrimp in front of him, he suddenly laughed, deliberately tapping the large plate in front of him with his chopsticks, and said:
"Mr. Gu is being biased. I think the shrimp here are rather thin."
Gu Beiyan didn't even look up, continuing to peel the shrimp carefully. After peeling the shrimp meat, he stuffed the small bowl into Nan Qing's hands.
"Eat these two first, then we'll eat the others later."
After saying this, Gu Beiyan walked to the steamer where the steamed fish head with chopped peppers was steaming. He lifted the lid, and the rising steam instantly blurred his outline. Only his clear voice came from the steam.
"The fish head is ready."
When he returned carrying the plate of bright red chopped chili fish head, the red fish and white porcelain looked exceptionally delicate in his well-defined hands. The red chili oil flowed slowly along the edge of the plate, gleaming beautifully and enticingly under the light.
He heated the oil in the wok, and before he scooped up the hot oil with a small spoon, he pulled Nan Qing, who was staring intently at the plate of chopped chili fish head, back a little.
"Sizzle—"
The moment the hot oil hits the red peppers, the entire fish head seems to be infused with a soul. The hot oil dances joyfully on the fish head, bringing out the aroma of scallions, chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns.
"It's ready to eat."
He took off his fogged-up glasses, revealing his eyes, which were always hidden behind the lenses.
Without the barrier of his glasses, his features suddenly became more vivid, his eyebrows as black as ink, and the corners of his eyes slightly upturned, inexplicably dissipating some of his usual aloofness.
The faint red marks from his eye sockets still lingered on the sides of his nose, but they did not diminish his vividness at all. When he looked at Nan Qing, the temperature in his eyes seemed to have less concealment. His eyes were like melting shattered stars, focused and burning, almost scalding people.
The dishes from other groups were also served one after another. Jiang Fan's pineapple fried rice was served in a hollowed-out pineapple, and there was also a very appealing braised yellow croaker, osmanthus-flavored pumpkin, and even a tomato fish fillet soup.
Lian An and Qu Sheng's group made braised beef brisket with potatoes and steamed abalone with eggs. Xie Chi's group, needless to say, made vegetable salad, pan-fried lamb chops, braised seafood, and garlic mushroom chicken.
Looking at the table full of delicious food, Nan Qing rested her chin on her hand, and a satisfied smile unconsciously appeared on her lips. All thoughts of the competition, the date, and the challenge were forgotten at this moment.
The date location doesn't matter, let's enjoy a delicious meal first!
Spicy and fragrant chopped chili fish head, richly aromatic braised beef brisket with potatoes, mouthwatering pineapple fried rice, and that incredibly tender baked yellow croaker casserole...
This is the ultimate taste of life, the greatest joy in this little world~
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