The diced ham and minced onions were scooped out. Rolling up her sleeves, Ling Miao poured a large basin of rice into the wok.
As the rice grains, thoroughly coated in beaten egg, hit the oiled wok with a crackling sizzle, the rich aroma of eggs blended with the fresh sweetness of rice filled the air. The egg-coated rice danced in the wok, slightly firming up as it was continuously tossed with the spatula and reshaped.
The slightly sticky rice was stir-fried constantly. As the moisture evaporated, the soft and tender grains turned dry and slightly charred. For the best egg fried rice, leftover rice is usually required.
After sitting overnight, rice loses its excess moisture, hardening up just right, making it the ideal choice for egg fried rice.
However, since making egg fried rice was a spur-of-the-moment decision and no rice had been set aside, she had to make do with what was available.
Fortunately, although the System was far from human, the quality of its provided ingredients was guaranteed. Even though the rice was a bit sticky, constant stir-frying over low heat, while time-consuming, wasn't overly strenuous.
Over and over again, the golden rice was stir-fried in the wok. Under the intense heat, the moisture evaporated, and the grains slowly separated and scattered. When she tossed the wok, every single grain stood out distinctly, exuding an enticing aroma that left the onlookers beside the wok staring transfixed.
Seeing that the fried rice had reached the right stage, it was time for the diced carrots to join in. The orange-red, plump little carrot cubes scattered like beads over the brilliant golden earth, their striking colors catching the eye, occasionally glimpsed amid the tossing and turning. A delicate sweetness suddenly wafted from the charred, fragrant rice.
The cooked scrambled eggs, minced onions, and diced ham were also poured into the wok together. The rich and vibrant colors made mouths water instantly. Wielding her spatula, Ling Miao tossed the wok and flicked her wrist,
resembling fragments of gold hidden in plain sight. A simple cooking session was abruptly turned into an art exhibition.
The onlookers gasped in amazement as Ling Miao finally added the finely chopped greens, sprinkled on the seasonings and chopped scallions, and served up the piping-hot egg fried rice.
Bowl after bowl, as soon as they were portioned out, everyone couldn't wait to pick up their bowls and inspect them closely. The golden scrambled eggs looked like scattered gold fragments, dotted with red and green. Not only were the colors enticing, but just by smelling it, one could tell the taste wouldn't fall short.
Avril picked up her spoon, took a huge spoonful, and eagerly opened her mouth. The charred, fragrant grains of rice burst across the tip of her tongue, their slightly firm texture accompanied by the rich flavor of egg. Every now and then, she would bite into a piece of carrot, releasing another wave of gentle sweetness.
The egg fried rice was coated in oil, while the chopped greens and carrots cut through the greasiness. The other ingredients each had their own unique charm: the diced ham was soft and tender, and the minced onions added an aromatic burst. Whenever her lips and teeth crunched down on them,
a rich fragrance exploded, treating her taste buds to a feast of deliciousness.
"So good!"
Susan didn't even lift her head as she ate and sighed, "Suddenly I feel so happy."
"Getting to eat the meals Miao cooks every day, I must be the happiest little cat in the world!"
She didn't stop chewing. A few grains of rice lingered at the corner of her lips, gleaming with oil as her eyes squinted in delight, looking just like a big cat basking in the sun and stretching.
Ling Miao thought of this scene and couldn't help curving her lips.
Hearing Susan's words, Avril suddenly felt the food in front of her lose its appeal. Tomorrow, they would be leaving Tadar Star.
Sob, sob, sob—
What should she do?!
Turning her grief and anger into appetite, she fiercely shoveled down a huge mouthful of rice—she had to eat her fill first!
After the meal, everyone scrambled to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen. Ling Miao didn't compete with them. Walking out the restaurant door, the setting sun held only a sliver of its last glow, and the sky was about to darken. Not far away, the outline of the forest was vaguely visible.
Ling Miao suddenly felt a wave of emotion. She had read plenty of transmigration novels back on Blue Star, but she never expected her turn would actually come one day.
Life truly is magical.
"Want to go out for a walk?"
Old Mrs. Odeya might have been advanced in age with white hair, but she was full of vigor and vitality—a remarkably spirited little old lady.
Ling Miao turned her head, feeling interested. "Where can we go?"
"There's a small night market where the residents gather every evening. We should still make it if we go now."
Ling Miao was genuinely surprised. When she first transmigrated, the original owner's place of residence had been quite remote. From her memories, she knew the original owner was a thorough homebody who hardly ever went out, relying entirely on Interstellar logistics for food and supplies.
There weren't any neighbors around either, which was why the System's transformation of the original owner's residence into a restaurant had gone so smoothly—no one had paid any attention at all.
Ever since she arrived, every single day had been a rush of busyness—streaming to earn deliciousness value. Although her days were fulfilling, the location was remote. Aside from Susan and Odeya, who came every day to show their support, there was practically no one else.
She had been cooped up for far too long.
"Shall we go right now?!"
"Where are we going?"
A large group suddenly popped up from behind. The young girl standing at the front opened her round eyes wide, looking at Ling Miao with an accusing stare as if demanding to know why she wasn't being taken along.
Ling Miao resisted and resisted, but ultimately couldn't stop herself from reaching out to *rua* the girl's little head. The fluffy hair felt so good!
As expected, petting something fluffy was best done in live-action!
"We were just about to tell you. There's a market—do you want to come take a look?"
"Of course!"
As expected, everyone agreed unanimously, and even the three of them—including Avril—tagged along.
The distance wasn't too far, about a ten-minute walk. From afar, Ling Miao spotted a dim yellowish glow.
She quickened her pace, and the market came into view before her.
Just as Odeya had said, there weren't many people at the market. Because they had arrived late, a significant portion of the crowd had already headed home, leaving only a small handful whose homes were nearby.
Seeing a group of newcomers with unfamiliar faces and clean, neat clothes, the people still chatting instantly perged up, enthusiastically greeting them and scrambling to introduce their produce.
Ling Miao instantly spotted a pile of mushrooms laid out at a stall. They were fresh and still glistening with a bit of dew.
"How much for these?"
The stall owner didn't seem to expect anyone to ask. A hurried smile squeezed onto his weathered, wrinkled face. "Ten Star Coins for this handful."
With that, he looked at Ling Miao with a nervous expression.
Ling Miao looked at the mushrooms before her. A single handful was easily equivalent to two pounds. She noticed that the man's fingers were cracked and stained with something dark, not quite like mud,
but rather the traces of a life spent laboring through hardships.
She fell silent for a moment, her gaze involuntarily sweeping over the others present. Almost all of them bore the heavy traces of physical labor on their hands, far from her own delicate skin.
Seeing her silence, the stall owner grew anxious. "Eight Star Coins is fine too!"
His voice involuntarily rose, anxiety flashing across his face.
His child was sick, and he was just short of this last bit of Star Coins. Interstellar logistics still required shipping fees, but as long as this single transaction went through, tomorrow's medicine would be secured.
Ling Miao snapped out of her thoughts. Seeing his anxious expression, she quickly spoke up, "I'll take all of these. How many Star Coins in total?"
There weren't many items on the stall. The mushrooms took up the bulk, while the rest were mostly green leaves, among which a few were recognizable ingredients, while others she didn't know at all.
"Good, good, I'll wrap them up for you."
The stall owner's voice held a trace of surprise. "That'll be fifteen Star Coins in total."
"Wait, charge the mushrooms at the original price. If you have more mushrooms in the future, you can send them to Youwei Restaurant."
Ling Miao left her address, picked out a few fresh and clean-looking stalls among the enthusiastically crowding vendors, and after reminding them to send any suitable produce to the restaurant, she left.