Chapter 117: Ah, a Bowl

Ever since she started Spiritual Training at Mo Chengyu’s little villa, Jiang Qiuqiu found she had much more stamina whenever she cooked.

She no longer got tired so easily.

To show her gratitude, she often visited Mo Chengyu, the one who had gotten her started, bringing along homemade dishes to return the favor.

The two of them got along famously. They chatted about everything from the history of the Federation to the origins of spiritual power, from fun facts about Ancient Earth to current events. Although their opinions sometimes differed, both Jiang Qiuqiu and Mo Chengyu were open-minded and never let it bother them.

As a result, their friendship grew even stronger.

There was just one thing that made Jiang Qiuqiu curious.

She kept hearing Mo Chengyu mention that a Spiritual Combing Master was staying with her—someone with incredible spiritual power who breezed through the Spiritual Training game like it was child’s play...

Yet in all this time, Jiang Qiuqiu had never once seen him at Mo Chengyu’s villa.

"Don’t even ask." Mo Chengyu sounded exasperated. "He’s quite reserved and doesn’t talk much. He’s not fond of meeting new people."

At first, he said he’d use an unfamiliar face to avoid being recognized and having his identity exposed.

Later, Mo Si discovered he didn’t need to be physically present to provide Mo Chengyu with spiritual guidance. He started actively avoiding Jiang Qiuqiu, hiding in his room all day, and heaven knows what he was up to.

"Oh, so that’s how it is," Jiang Qiuqiu said with a nod.

’Her big brother was just impossible. She had originally wanted to introduce Qiuqiu to him so they could investigate her identity as a Spirit Healing Master together. But now that Mo Si was going to such lengths to avoid everyone, she’d just have to let Qiuqiu figure it out on her own!’

"Oh, right, Qiuqiu! What’s on the menu for today?"

"Are you making Braised Gugu Meat, Fried Meatballs, or Pork Knuckle?"

"Today...?" Today was a non-streaming day, so she just needed to prepare some encore dishes. A fresh batch of tender bamboo shoots had just arrived on Taotao Fresh that morning, so Jiang Qiuqiu said, "I’m planning to make Braised Bamboo Shoots."

"Bamboo shoots?"

"Yep."

"By the way, Qiuqiu, what do you do for a living? You’re always cooking." After knowing her for a while, Mo Chengyu finally asked the question that had been piquing her curiosity.

It wasn’t really something she needed to hide. Based on her observations of Mo Chengyu lately, Jiang Qiuqiu guessed she was probably a high-ranking noble—knowledgeable and very kind. "I’m a food streamer for the Federation," she replied.

Mo Chengyu’s eyes widened.

"A streamer?"

"Then you must be the top food streamer at your company, right?"

She’d phrased it so naturally, not questioning why she’d choose to be a streamer or anything like that, but cleverly shifting the topic. Jiang Qiuqiu smiled. Sister Chengyu’s emotional intelligence really was a rollercoaster.

Sometimes she seemed a bit dense, and other times, incredibly thoughtful.

"Oh, no, I’m not the most popular one yet."

Mo Chengyu looked shocked. "No way! The viewers on your platform must have terrible taste."

They didn’t talk much more about work. After chatting for a bit, Jiang Qiuqiu returned home to prepare the items for her evening showcase.

At eight o’clock that night, bamboo shoots made a rare appearance in Jiang Qiuqiu’s food showcase.

It was the first time this incredibly savory dish had made a comeback!

The moment Mo Si saw it, he was the first to place an order.

It was a small plate, but he savored every last bite until it was empty.

But it wasn’t enough. The small dish had awakened a ravenous hunger in him. Late into the night, Mo Si was still tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He finally got up, threw on his cloak, and stepped out of his bedroom.

The moment he stepped out, he noticed something strange.

The aroma in the air was unmistakably familiar.

Curious, he wanted to track down the source of the scent. He closed his eyes and followed it downstairs. The aroma grew stronger and more familiar with every step—

It was bamboo shoots!

He snapped his eyes open, his dark pupils startlingly bright in the moonlight.

’This isn’t the same smell as from the livestream.’

Where was it coming from? His superior sense of smell allowed Mo Si to instantly pinpoint the source of the aroma: an empty bowl sitting on the coffee table.

...