Chapter 16: Accompanied by New Doubts

So many things were added at once that the crowd of onlookers was baffled. They began to ask, "With all these ingredients, is this even edible?"

Stinger Wasp honey... The honey from a Stinger Wasp tastes really strange. It’s sweet, yet bitter, with a foul undertone. Can you really add that to meat?

And black fungus? Can you add that to meat, too? This was completely unheard of, something no one had ever seen before.

#These ingredients are so weird...#

Any semblance of calm was shattered the moment Jiang Qiuqiu poured a ton of water into the pot.

#???#

#What kind of move is this? So confusing.#

#What’s the streamer doing? Why add water to perfectly good meat?#

#Ah... I think the aroma is gone.#

#I think it’s starting to look a little gross! Why would she do that?#

This move—pouring water into the pot after everything was seemingly cooked—was truly unheard of and something the audience had never seen before. What’s more, the addition of water diluted the rich aroma of the meat, giving everyone the impression of a ’failed dish’.

When enough people start discussing something, naysayers are bound to appear.

Things had barely gotten started, and comments like this were already popping up: #Did the streamer get cocky because her audience is growing? Is she starting to show off? Can’t she just fry the food properly? Why do all this?#

#She’s so young, of course she’d pick a bad recipe.#

#Maybe she only knows how to make those first two dishes? If you don’t know how, just say so... We’d still watch even if you just fried it like you did yesterday.#

The comments came faster and faster, each one stranger than the last.

Watching the stream while lounging in his dorm, Terry started to get annoyed. ’Have these people ever seen Jiang Qiuqiu’s previous streams? Eaten her food? Do they even know how to cook?!’ Bossing her around from afar like that... Ptooey. He was disgusted.

Since he was unhappy, he started posting his own comments, arguing with the clueless kids up there.

The kid arrogantly challenged him to a real-life fight, and Terry, amused, quickly posted his work address.

#Terry is a wolf: Federation Mercenary Hall. My name is all over the place there. If you want to duel me, you’re welcome anytime. :)#

The person thought he was just bluffing and was about to laugh and type a retort when he decided to actually click on Terry’s profile. He promptly shriveled up and beat a hasty retreat.

Elsewhere, Changbei and Qiudao were watching together, and Changbei was practically dying of anxiety.

"Qiudao, why! Just why!"

"It was all cooked, so why add water! With that much water, it’s going to be disgusting! It’ll be too soft, too mushy, and it’ll have that foul, watery smell... Do you think I should type something in the chat? This is killing me."

"...I’d advise against it." Qiudao stretched his tail. "You’re not a mess-hall private."

"For someone who has never even cooked a meal to be giving pointers to Miss Jiang, who has created such stunning dishes before—" Qiudao propped his chin on his hand. "Don’t you think that’s as absurd as a greenhorn who just joined the corps wanting to pick a fight with you?"

"I guess you have a point..."

"Besides, don’t make the same mistake you did last time." Oh, the shame of simultaneously scolding the young lady’s "pet food" cooking methods while stuffing your face with her food, tears of pure bliss streaming down your cheeks. That would be too humiliating.

Changbei clearly recalled that humbling experience and quickly fell silent.

The comment section was too lively for Jiang Qiuqiu to ignore. After adding the water and covering the pot, she adjusted the flame, took a small step back, and sat down.

The horizontal camera angle captured her slender, delicate chin, a striking reminder to everyone that she was indeed a young woman.

"Alright, I hope everyone can stop the unnecessary arguing. This is a food stream, not a debate channel."

Jiang Qiuqiu said, "Shouldn’t you wait until the dish is actually finished before you judge the cooking method?"

She stated clearly that the Red-Braised Gugu Meat would be ready in twenty minutes. "Disputes about food shouldn’t be settled with words. You should eat first, then talk."

Her confidence in her own skills was practically overflowing from the screen, but it was precisely this confidence that made her exceptionally charming.