Ling Miao stepped forward to pour a glass of ice water and handed it over. Seeing Susan’s flushed face, she couldn't help but suggest, "Perhaps you should just spit it out?"
"No!"
Susan shook her head, tears of intensity flying from her eyes. Her expression was so contorted that Ling Miao almost wanted to laugh, but she maintained a polite smile. "Very well. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, you can stop at any time."
Susan nodded distractedly, not hearing a word Ling Miao said. The flavor in her mouth was simply too intoxicating. She had thought the noodles were the pinnacle of deliciousness, but when a round, plump ball slid into her mouth along with the noodles, the tender, bouncy texture combined with a hint of sweetness was a revelation. The fresh sweetness of the fish was perfectly encapsulated in this single ball.
Unlike the fishy, slimy taste she associated with such dishes, this fish ball was delicate and fine-textured. It lacked any trace of the typical fishy odor, and the meat was firm—clearly of the highest quality.
Susan chewed again and again before finally swallowing, unable to stop herself from savoring the lingering taste. As a member of the only species in the Interstellar that consumed fish, Susan had tried countless varieties, but none had ever ignited such intense desire.
It was so delicate and firm that when her tongue touched it, she instinctively recoiled, fearing the tender meat might fall apart. Yet, to her surprise, it held its structure; it was not a variety that disintegrated easily. As she chewed, she could even feel it resisting slightly against her tongue.
Susan quickly reined in her thoughts. Her mouth continued to water. With an eagerness she hadn't realized she was projecting, she turned her gaze toward the remaining fish balls in the clay pot and carefully guided another one into her mouth.
This was the feeling!
She closed her eyes, forgetting her previous anxiety, and let herself be completely consumed by the flavor.
Ling Miao stood not far away, watching her reaction, and let out a soft sigh of relief. As if sensing her thoughts, a mechanical voice echoed in her mind a moment later:
[Deliciousness value +10 detected.]
*Only ten points?*
Ling Miao felt a wave of disappointment, but she quickly pulled herself together. All beginnings are hard; as long as there is a good start, there will surely be a future.
After giving herself a pep talk, Ling Miao looked up again, only to find the beautiful girl gone. In her place sat a large, round, and adorable ginger cat. Ling Miao’s breath hitched. She stared blankly at the cat stretching on the chair—the large, round eyes, the thick, lush fur, and the ginger coat gleaming with a faint luster. It was, without a doubt, a cat-lover’s dream.
Even someone like Ling Miao, who had little interest in small animals, couldn't help but want to reach out and give it a good squeeze. She had to chant to herself several times to suppress the urge.
When she looked up again, the ginger cat had vanished, and a girl with cat ears now occupied the seat. Seeming to notice Ling Miao’s gaze, Susan looked embarrassed. The ears on her head twitched involuntarily, and her round face flushed with shyness. "It was truly delicious!"
Ling Miao signaled her understanding. The primary race in the Interstellar was the beastmen; pure-blooded humans like Ling Miao were rare. Among beastmen, revealing one’s original form in front of strangers—unless they were close family or friends—was considered impolite.
Ling Miao offered a smile. "It’s quite alright." She paused, her eyes filled with hope as she looked at the girl. "Do you think there’s anything about this meal that needs improvement?"
At these words, Susan shook her head vigorously. "This is the best meal I’ve ever had! Nothing needs improving at all!"
Seeing Susan’s reaction, Ling Miao realized she had misunderstood, but she didn’t explain. Instead, she asked with a smile, "Then, would you mind helping me promote it? Don't worry, there’s a reward: for every guest you bring, I’ll give you a fifty-percent discount. If you bring five guests, your meal is on the house."
Susan bit her lower lip. Looking at Ling Miao’s expectant eyes, she retreated in a fluster. "I... I’m sorry, I don't think I can do that..."
Ling Miao was stunned. She hadn't expected such a strong reaction. Seeing the girl on the verge of tears, she quickly said, "It’s fine." She continued, "I only suggested it because there isn't much foot traffic and I wanted to attract a few more customers. I’m sorry if I bothered you. How about this: for the next week, if you come to eat here, all your meals will be free, okay?"
Susan looked up, met Ling Miao’s expression, and sniffled, forcing back the tears. She shook her head. "I’m sorry, boss. I just remembered something unpleasant and couldn't help myself. Thank you."
Ling Miao was flustered and could only say, "As long as you're okay. All difficulties will pass."
Susan lowered her head, hiding the lingering pain in her eyes. The memory of her cousin’s smug expression left her feeling resentful, but more than that, she felt lost and hurt. Her own parents hadn't believed her...
Seeing the girl’s eyes turning red again, as if she were about to weep, Ling Miao quickly changed the subject. "By the way, what would you like to eat tomorrow?"
Hearing this, Susan, who had been lost in her own world, managed to pull herself together. She replied without hesitation, "I want to eat fish."
"Is that alright?"
The girl looked at her with wide, watery eyes, her lids still flushed, filled with anticipation. Ling Miao felt a tightness in her chest—who could resist the charm of such a cute creature? Before she realized it, she had already agreed.
Ling Miao: ......
*Oh well. As long as she’s happy. She is my first customer, after all; perhaps I’ll have to rely on her to earn deliciousness value in the coming days.*
Thinking of this, Ling Miao braced herself.
After seeing Susan off, not a single guest entered for the rest of the day until the sun went down. Ling Miao couldn't help but feel a deep sense of loss. She had thought the start would be the hardest part, but she now realized that a lack of momentum was far more agonizing than a difficult beginning. The former was disappointing; the latter was despairing.
Anxious, Ling Miao sat down. The street corner under the setting sun was desolate and cold. There wasn't a soul in sight—let alone a ghost—so how could she earn deliciousness value?
"System, is there any other way to expand the promotion of my food?"
The Tadar Star she had arrived on was poor and backward. People here couldn't even afford to eat their fill. She had overestimated herself, thinking she could build a foothold based solely on her culinary skills, but reality was cruel. It was so poor that even those with a little spare change had no interest in traveling. She had been wrong from the very start.
Ling Miao pressed her lips together, a rare trace of sorrow appearing in her eyes.
[Detection: Host is facing difficulty earning deliciousness value. System is activating Gourmet Livestream mode.]
[Please work hard to earn deliciousness value, Host.]
Ling Miao: ?
After the initial surprise came the question. Ling Miao quickly asked, "Since you could activate a livestream, why wasn't this mode available from the start?"
It had let her worry for nothing for days. Ling Miao felt quite indignant. Her words were full of complaints; it felt as though the system had just been watching her scramble about in a panic for the last few days. This was going too far!
[Everything you borrowed previously required point rebates. Since there were no earnings in the past few days, the next mode could not be activated.]
Ling Miao choked, feeling a rare moment of being silenced. But soon, she grumbled under her breath, "You didn't say that at the beginning, though."
The system fell silent. Ling Miao let out a cold snort and began to explore the newly opened Gourmet Livestream mode.
—
At the same time, a food streamer by the name of "Youwei Restaurant" suddenly appeared on DY.