Happy New Year Everyone 🥳🥳
Thank you for the Ko-Fi Astralite!!
When Yu Mian returned to the familiar small kitchen, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to get to work!
This time, he was certain that the second floor was completely empty, so he didn’t have to rush or feel nervous like before, hurriedly finishing everything in a panic.
He could totally try out some new dishes this time.
Moreover, during this period, he had either been forced to eat fish food in his small fish form or had to expend mental power to stave off hunger, leaving his appetite nearly non-existent.
Now that he had the chance to cook a proper meal to improve his diet, and conveniently save a bowl for Huo Ting to complete his task, it couldn’t get any better.
“Speaking of which, are there any unique recipes in the interstellar era?”
When it came to cooking, Yu Mian still found it immensely enjoyable…so long as he didn’t have to wash the dishes himself.
[I’m not too sure about that. Maybe you could look it up?]
After a quick search, Yu Mian discovered that the culinary culture of the interstellar era had developed in rather bizarre ways.
Because ingredients varied in the degree of radiation pollution, their edibility was extremely low. As a result, the Federation government heavily promoted nutrient solutions as a universal food source.
The most basic nutrient solutions were subsidized by the Federation’s finances, ensuring even the poorest citizens on remote Federation star systems could afford enough to sustain their lives.
Beyond that, there were flavored nutrient solutions and specialty meals, with prices ranging from affordable to extravagant.
The central star system was undoubtedly the hub of the culinary industry. As the most prosperous area, it naturally had the highest consumer spending. Many families, if they wished, could dine out at restaurants on special occasions.
The rising cost of ingredients indirectly drove up the cost of training chefs, making it a famously high-paying profession in the interstellar era.
“In that case, there are actually many ways to start a business here. If I hadn’t taken up writing novels, wouldn’t I have succeeded as a chef instead?”
As Yu Mian browsed through the few recipes available on the interstellar network, he couldn’t help but feel that he was an all-round talent since arriving in this era!
[You know… you might actually be right about that.]
It was just that a mermaid waving a spatula and cooking….
The system silently imagined the scene and couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. It didn’t seem all that elegant, okay?
As for Yu Mian, who was busy cooking, he subconsciously viewed it all through the eyes of a novelist.
One must know that food-themed web novels once took Earth’s literary scene by storm!
Whether it was “Opening a Canteen in Another World”, “Live Broadcasting Cooking in the Interstellar Era”, or “Rebirth of the Urban Culinary God”, these books became explosively popular, turning their authors into overnight sensations.
And as for food-related animations like “Bread King” or “Cooking Master Boy”, they also had substantial audiences.
Yu Mian had read several such novels back then, even learning a few cooking tricks from them. He was especially curious about those dishes that supposedly glowed…just how delicious would they have to be?
The only issue was that reading them at night often left him too hungry to sleep.
However, in the interstellar era, the scarcity of ingredients was a significant constraint. If readers couldn’t source the ingredients or recreate the recipes, even the best food novels might not convince them that the dishes were genuinely delicious.
While pondering all this, Yu Mian finished what he was cooking.
Today, he had made a simple interstellar version of “Zhajiangmian” (noodles with soybean paste).
Using the sauces available in the kitchen, he found one that tasted quite similar after a quick sample. He adjusted it slightly, and as for the meat, though it looked similar to the meats he was used to, it had a chewy texture and was quite flavorful.
The final dish was plated beautifully. Rich sauce was poured over steaming noodles and garnished with slices of fresh green cucumber, giving the dish a balanced, appetizing look.
“Perfect!”
After finishing his meal, Yu Mian left a note and contentedly returned to the aquarium.
Having someone else prepare a variety of ingredients in advance and not having to wash dishes afterward…this was the dream life for a cooking enthusiast.
Later that night, when Huo Ting confirmed there was no movement upstairs, he headed to the study. There, on a side table, he found a bowl of unusual food.
The aroma was rich and enticing.
For the first time, Huo Ting realized that not only was the food pure and high-quality, but it also tasted excellent.
Could this “mysterious resident” be a rare interstellar gourmet?
—Please wash the dishes after eating. Thank you~
Only after finishing the food did Huo Ting notice the new note below.
He paused, suddenly realizing that washing the dishes seemed like a fair trade for enjoying a meal prepared by this “mysterious resident”.
After all, everyone in his family knew he couldn’t cook.
If anyone discovered some extra empty bowls upstairs, it would certainly raise suspicions.
[Huh, that guy actually went to wash the dishes?]
The little system couldn’t even imagine Huo Ting washing dishes.
“Not bad, not bad.”
Yu Mian was quite pleased with Huo Ting’s cooperation. It made sharing the food worthwhile.
“Where’s the lucky bag?”
What mattered most was that Yu Mian was quite curious about this round’s lucky bag reward.
Sure enough, just as Huo Ting finished eating, the notification for completing the side task appeared, along with a prompt for the reward.
[It’s here!]
In the system’s display, a giant pearlescent clam shell from the deep sea appeared before them, emitting a faint rainbow glow from the edges where it was closed. It looked really tempting.
[All you need to do is open it to claim your lucky bag item.]
Hearing this, Yu Mian reached out and lightly tapped the clam shell in front of him.
Instantly, a white light flashed, illuminating everything in sight.
[Ding! Congratulations, you’ve obtained the special item: “Mermaid Encyclopedia (Incomplete Version)”!]
“Huh? What is this? And it’s incomplete?”
In the next moment, a virtual book appeared in Yu Mian’s hand. A single thought allowed him to flip through its pages.
[It’s a side task reward; take a look! Plus, haven’t you been losing scales from your tail recently? Maybe there’s an answer in there!]
The little system found the reward quite practical.
After all, before it had bound to Yu Mian, it had confirmed beyond doubt that he carried mermaid blood!
Who could’ve guessed he’d turn out to be a tone-deaf mermaid?
“…Uh, let me see.”
Yu Mian subconsciously flicked his tail that was soaking in the water and rested his arms on the tank’s edge before opening the book.
And with just a glance, Yu Mian found the answer he’d been seeking.
Though incomplete, the book contained a wealth of foundational knowledge about mermaids.
Previously, when visiting the library, Yu Mian had tried checking if the interstellar library had any records on mermaids while searching for information on the Bart clan.
But the search turned up nothing.
It seemed mermaids had long vanished in the interstellar era, surviving only as beautiful legends. After all, all the stories and myths about mermaids painted them as dreamlike and perfect beings.
So, while many interstellar residents were fascinated by mermaid lore, few believed such creatures could exist.
This special item solved a pressing problem!
“When mermaids approach adulthood at 21, they undergo their first official scale-shedding, growing new, more dazzling scales…?”
“So I’m growing up and not sick?”
Reading this, Yu Mian suddenly had a moment of epiphany.
He had spent the past few weeks worried, thinking his late-night writing sessions were causing the scale loss.
Great, now he could keep pulling all-nighters for his writing marathons!
[There’s more! Keep reading!]
The little system felt a twinge of concern over Yu Mian’s overly optimistic interpretation.
“Hmm… It says the body requires more water and higher-quality water during this period? Rainy days will feel particularly comfortable and uplifting… And during scale-shedding, extra care must be taken to protect and maintain the tail to avoid damage?”
“Then what will happen if I don’t care for and protect it properly?”
Yu Mian read this and suddenly felt that while his fish tail was indeed beautiful, it was also extremely troublesome. If it weren’t for the substantial royalties he’d earned, he probably wouldn’t have been able to meet the tail’s demanding and extravagant requirements, even with the luxury of the aquarium in the study.
A drastic downgrade in living standards seemed inevitable if that were the case.
[…Go ahead and try it? But don’t blame me if your tail ends up completely bald.]
The system found it difficult to comment on Yu Mian’s rebellious thoughts.
“There’s even information on how to transform a fish tail into legs!”
As Yu Mian continued flipping through, he stumbled upon even more valuable information. Suddenly, he felt that this reward came at just the right time.
“No wonder…so the injury I get on my legs will also show up on my fish tail.”
For instance, if his toes were cut, the corresponding bloodstains would appear at the tip of his tail when it transformed back.
“So, the dryness of my tail is because I walked too much when I went out?”
Resting his chin on his hand, Yu Mian pondered. For the first time, he realized he might not be a very qualified mermaid.
“But it seems there’s nothing else beyond this.”
“There’s nothing about what happens after reaching adulthood or any precautions I need to take.”
When Yu Mian reached the last page, he was disappointed to find that the book only covered information up to this point. No wonder it was an “incomplete” version.
This odd feeling of hitting a dead end while reading a book reminded him of the same frustration readers feel when catching up to updates of “Rebirth Of The Interstellar Soldier King”.
Yu Mian sighed and put the book away, resignedly reaching for some essence to apply to his delicate fish tail.
This tail was really like an ancestor, he dared not offend it. It seemed that he had to continue saving his royalties and not spend them recklessly. Who knew what other bizarre needs his tail might have in the future?
—
During this period, the updates for “Eternal Night Rose” continued to reach one climax after another.
After noticing the abnormal power Xiao had obtained, Dreven brought a blood-stained dagger contaminated by Xiao’s aura back to the royal palace, where he handed it to Steward Bazak.
