The more extravagant ones left comments like, "I think her skill surpasses even the top Federation Restaurants. If you canât go to one in real life, you have to come check out our Juju! Enjoy a master cooking just for you online! What a steal!"
The comments were a wild mix, covering every topic imaginable. But through all the jokes, laughter, and even the occasional angry rant, a pure affection for Jiang Qiuqiu and an eager anticipation for her food shone through.
Late that night, as the comment thread continued to grow at a fiery pace, an inconspicuous reply was added to the massive post.
ââ#(ΩĐΩ) Whoa, a high-roller in the comment above! But is it really better than a Federation Restaurant?#
#She can definitely compete with your average master chef, but I donât know about state-banquet level... I mean, itâs not like weâve ever tasted that.#
ââHer skill is profound. The flavor is unique.
Because it was from an encrypted account, no reply notification was sent, and the comment was soon buried among the thousands of others.
-
ăThe next day.ă
Jiang Qiuqiu woke up, feeling clear-headed and refreshed.
After tidying up her new home and eating breakfast, she went to the front yard to use the swing. In this day and age, swings moved on their own, swaying back and forth without needing a push.
It was convenient, sure, but she felt it lacked a certain simple charm.
Playing on it by herself, she felt inexplicably lonely.
...
Fortunately, her loneliness didnât last long before a call came in from Meimei.
It was about work.
"Hello, Juju, are you awake?"
"I am. At this hour, if I wasnât, itâd almost be afternoon."
"I figured youâd be tired after yesterdayâs stream, so I thought you might sleep in a little." âAs expected of someone so disciplined and hardworking. Her internal clock is always on time. Even after an exhausting day, she still wakes up early.â
âThis is exactly the kind of person Iâm looking for!â
"Anyway, Iâm calling today to give you some good newsâ"
"My contract was approved?"
"Thatâs right. The legal department just finished their review. In a little bit, weâll start a holographic recording to go over the signing process, and then youâll officially be one of my streamers."
Her voice was high with excitement; she was clearly delighted.
Jiang Qiuqiu cleared her throat. "Well then, I suppose congratulations are in order for both of us."
âCongratulations to Meimei for landing an excellent streamer, and congratulations to me for finding an editor who isnât overbearing or prone to meddling.â
Laughter came through the receiver. "I guess thatâs one way to say congratulations."
"Oh, by the way, have you checked out your streamâs page since you got up?"
"Did something happen?"
The moment Meimei heard that, she knew Jiang Qiuqiu hadnât yet witnessed her fansâ "grand feat." She laughed and urged her to take a look. "Your fans did something pretty major."
A question mark slowly materialized over Jiang Qiuqiuâs head.
"You can go take a look first. Iâm going to get the holographic signing channel ready. Join in when I send the link, weâll go through the formalities, and then we can have a serious talk about the future direction of your channel."
"Okay."
The call ended, and Jiang Qiuqiu, her curiosity piqued, opened her streamâs dashboard.
The little red notification dot and the alert chimes were going off nonstop. Jiang Qiuqiu muted the alerts and took a look at the tens of thousands of comments that had popped up on her dashboardâ
Her mind went a little numb.
The commenters were like a troupe of acrobats, each one trying to outdo the last. They praised her from every conceivable angle, using all sorts of wild and flowery language. Usually, the comments were just a stream of "Smells amazing!" and "So delicious!"
...
âHow bizarre,â Jiang Qiuqiu thought as she admired the wave of "masterpieces" her fans had left. She muttered complaints under her breath, but her eyes held an undeniable warmth and amusement. She kept scrolling through them one by one, until Meimei sent her the access link for the holographic signing channel.