My Apocalypse System Arrives 10 Years Early

Chapter 21: Chapter 20: The Saintess’s Heart is Stirred, Ten Thousand Gu Devour the Body

As for the other dishes, they were fresh vegetables, picked from the garden by the door and immediately stir-fried.

Stir-fried spinach and stir-fried bottle gourd: Perhaps it was because homegrown country vegetables were just that good, but even without any added sugar, they had a light, sweet flavor.

Scrambled eggs with cucumber: Fresh and crisp, soft and tender, it was as delicious as it was beautiful.

Pumpkin with salted egg yolk: Li Xiang sliced the pumpkin very thinly. He coated the slices with the crushed yolks of steamed, salted duck eggs and tossed them into the oil to fry. The sweet pumpkin was evenly coated in the savory egg yolk, and in just a moment, it turned a brilliant gold. The presentation was superb, enough to make one’s mouth water.

The salted duck eggs were also homemade, from green-shelled local duck eggs. However, there weren’t many left at home. When he had time, Li Xiang planned to help his grandma cure a few more jars.

He scooped the fried pumpkin with salted egg yolk out of the oil to drain it. Li Xiang picked up a piece with his chopsticks, blew on it to cool it down, and brought it to Jiang Cai’Er’s lips.

”Mmm~, this is so good! It’s crispy and grainy, crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. It’s savory and sweet at the same time. Brother Li Xiang, you’re amazing!”

No sugar had been added; the sweetness was the natural flavor of the pumpkin. Jiang Cai’Er was enjoying it so much she almost bit her own tongue.

Aside from the Tier One Exotic Grass Snow Skirt White Jade Mushroom and Pork Rib Soup, this was Jiang Cai’Er’s favorite dish.

There were eight dishes in total—a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, each one a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

In truth, Li Xiang’s cooking wasn’t purely Sichuan style. Since he had attended university and worked in the Jiangnan region, he had been slightly influenced by the local cuisine. His style might have been a fusion, but you couldn’t argue with how delicious it was.

Grandma was getting old, so it was better for her to eat lighter food. As for Jiang Cai’Er, she wasn’t a picky eater at all and was quite easy to please.

Besides, having a dish that was different from the local specialty every now and then was a nice way to change things up. After all, when people travel, they always make a point to try the local food.

The ”family of three” ate in the backyard pavilion, a large table piled high with food, creating a scene of joyful harmony.

Halfway through the meal, Li Xiang suddenly slapped his thigh and said, ”I forgot to buy something.”

”What did you forget?” Jiang Cai’Er asked suspiciously. Then, with a soft ”Oh,” she exclaimed, ”You forgot the alcohol!”

With such a magnificent spread, it felt like something was missing—the very soul of the meal—if Brother Li Xiang didn’t have a drink. Haha.

Jiang Cai’Er exclaimed, ”Why don’t I go home and get some? My dad has a few jars of good liquor hidden away.”

Li Xiang quickly waved his hands. ’No way.’ He hadn’t even bought Uncle Jiang any liquor, so how could he steal his to drink? Knowing Jiang Cai’Er’s personality, she would definitely just go home and grab it.

He wasn’t talking about alcohol, but a drink for a girl.

When treating people to a meal in the big city, you had to have juice and milk tea available for the ladies. The countryside was still a bit lacking in that regard.

So, he said apologetically, ”I bought the vegetables at the temporary market in the woods this morning, and I forgot to get you a drink.”

Jiang Cai’Er squinted. ”I don’t drink that stuff. It makes you gain weight!”

’Brother Li Xiang is so sweet,’ she thought. ’He even remembered to buy me a drink.’

...

「A few days later」

Li Xiang and Jiang Cai’Er filmed a scripted ”short drama.” Since they both had to be on camera at times, Grandma joined the crew as a videographer.

However, Grandma didn’t know how to film, so Jiang Cai’Er had to teach her every little detail. It took several days to finish the short drama. The production cost was basically just the price of a few meals.

The main location they chose was Li Xiang’s backyard. He had renovated it to have a quaint, antique charm, and it was right next to a lush green mountain, so there were no traces of the modern world.