"The Agricultural College has started selling tofu recently. When I bought some earlier, I took a look at your shopping comments..." Jiang Qiuqiu trailed off for a moment. "For the next ten minutes, Iâm going to teach you how to make a very simple dish that almost anyone can prepare: tomato and tofu soup."
She held up the cherry tomatoes she had prepared earlier.
âJujuâs Little Spatula cooking class is now in session! Tomato and tofu soup is just too easy. If you canât even learn how to make thisââ
âThen you might as well just obediently wait for Lady Luck to smack you with a prize.â
Every step of making the tomato and tofu soup was conventional. Jiang Qiuqiu controlled her timing and pace, pausing to explain each seasoning as she added it. She covered everythingâfrom sautĂ©ing the tomatoes to release their juices, to adding water and tofu, to which side dishes could be included, and how to adjust the flavor to oneâs own preference.
In less than ten minutes, a pot of incredibly appetizing tomato and tofu soup was ready.
Jiang Qiuqiu took a sip herself. Her eyes crinkled shut as she let out a soft SIGH, the very picture of pure bliss.
"Now that itâs winter, you should all give this a try. Make a bowl of hot, sweet-and-sour soup. Whether youâre making it for a boyfriend, girlfriend, or family, itâs a wonderful choice."
"Alright, thatâs all for todayâs live stream! Itâs the PK season, so Iâll be online every day. Iâll see you all tomorrow!" she said, waving to the camera bot.
[See you!]
[See you tomorrow!]
[Iâm so happy youâll be back tomorrow!]
Amid the audienceâs wave of enthusiasm, Jiang Qiuqiuâs first PK match came to an end.
The first half of the second round of standard PKs used a format where competitors barely interacted. A small icon would simply appear on the opponentâs screen, and the only other point of contact was an announcement of their stats after their stream concluded.
This was all quite ordinary. After all, everyone knew that stats in the gourmet section were always a mixed bagâit all came down to personal taste.
"Your opponent, Jiang Juju, has finished her live stream."
"Viewership: 631.1 million. Active commenters: 311 million. Tasting participants: 630 million. Raters: 497 million. Composite score: 4.99 (out of a 5-point maximum). Youâll have to keep up the good work, too!~"
"..."
At that moment, the streamer competing against Jiang Qiuqiu heard the viewership count, the active commenter count, and the rating figures: ???
âWas the hand holding her spatula... trembling? And when she looked at her own viewership numbers?â
âA PK? Holy crap. She knew everyone said Jiang Juju was a beast, but sheâd never experienced firsthand just *how* much of a beast. And now they were competing on the same stage? Waaaah, this was like someone driving a Mecha to squash a freshly sprouted little cabbage!â
That day, Jiang Jujuâs name was once again on everyoneâs lips in the Federationâs live-streaming gourmet community. She had been the favorite to win the championship before she disappeared from the public eye. Everyone thought she had withdrawn from the second round of PKs due to illness, but no one expectedâ
Her short break had merely been the prelude to a powerhouseâs meteoric rise.
Unquestionably, the first match was a victory.
-
After tidying up the kitchen, Jiang Qiuqiu carried a plate of Mapo Tofu over rice and a bowl of soup into the living room.
"You must have been bored sitting here this whole time, huh?" Having just finished her stream, her cheeks were still slightly flushed. "I think Iâve really recovered. My spiritual power still feels plentiful even after all that cooking, and thereâs no pain in my Spirit Sea at all."
"Not at all," Mo Si said as he accepted the dinner from Jiang Qiuqiu. "Watching the stream live in person is quite interesting."
"Now that you mention it, Iâd almost forgotten you used to watch my streams," Jiang Qiuqiu said as she also sat down, leaning against the sofa. "What do you think is better, watching it on a screen or seeing it all in person?"
Mo Si paused for a moment to think.