However, since he was releasing two novels simultaneously, “Reborn” remained scheduled for update at 6 p.m., while “God Of Cooking” was scheduled at 9 p.m., with a three-hour gap in between.
At this moment, Yu Mian had no idea what kind of “magical attack” effect releasing a food-themed novel at this hour would have on the interstellar readers.
That night, most interstellar netizens were following the competition while waiting for the release of Fish Soup Noodles’ new book at 9 p.m. sharp!
The peak traffic generated by this release even alerted the backend monitoring team of Huanyu.
“Deputy Chief Editor, this is the highest level of engagement we’ve ever seen! Teacher Fish Soup Noodle’s new book has been online for only a few seconds, and its views are already approaching record highs.”
“Although it’s impressive, it’s not entirely unexpected. Tonight happens to be the critical moment of “Heavenly Voice: Rising Star”,” the deputy chief editor explained with a rosy glow of excitement.
After all, “Heavenly Voice: Rising Star” was now a phenomenally popular show on the Federation Star, and had brought a massive wave of traffic to all the works under the Fish Soup Noodles pen name.
Before this, no one had imagined that the show could achieve such high popularity, let alone drive such a significant audience boost to the original author.
“And the earlier promotional incident stirred up widespread curiosity. The interaction between Noel and Teacher Fish Soup Noodles was amazing. We could definitely focus on cross-industry collaborations like this in the future.”
But amid the excited atmosphere in the editorial office, Shaxs quickly opened the main text of “God Of Cooking”.
“The higher the expectations, the greater the pressure. So many people are staying up late just to catch the release of Fish Soup Noodle’s new book. The traffic is far greater than any previous release. If someone takes this opportunity to stir up public opinion…”
Shaxs could already imagine the potential scale of controversy.
“After all, no one has ever tackled the subject of food fiction before. And considering that Fish Soup Noodle released this new book while sick, I’m really worried that the author might have been too tired…”
‘So his performance was affected..’
Shaxs’ hesitant words quickly calmed everyone down, and the next second they solemnly opened Fish Soup Noodles’ unprecedented new book on food together with countless readers.
None of them expected the very first line of the book to leave them wide-eyed.
[[Ding… Perfect host detected. The “God of Cooking” system has been successfully bound!]
As Lu Zhen dragged his suitcase and prepared to take one last look at the tightly shut doors of the restaurant before him, he suddenly heard a mechanical voice in his ear.]]
“A system? What’s a system? And a God of Cooking system at that?”
Everyone in the editorial department sat together to work overtime and read the update, which made it convenient for them to discuss it in real time.
The first sentence alone sparked unparalleled curiosity about this unheard-of “system”. It seemed like yet another fresh element by Fish Soup Noodles!
Fortunately, the protagonist Lu Zhen in the story was just as confused as the interstellar readers outside the book.
[[“Excuse me, who are you?”
Baffled, Lu Zhen glanced around as he asked the question. The mysterious system quickly responded.
[I am not human, and you don’t need to look for my presence. If you must know my origins, I come from a lost culinary civilization on the ancient Blue Star.]
As the system spoke, unexpected scenes unfolded before Lu Zhen’s eyes.
Whether it was the steaming, freshly prepared white plum blossom cakes, the crab roe soup dumplings bursting with savory juice, or the lively atmosphere of a group gathered around a hotpot…
To Lu Zhen, these were all incredible images his grandfather had vividly described countless times before he died.]]
Thus began the story of “God Of Cooking”.
The protagonist, Lu Zhen, had graduated from university and worked in the skyscrapers of the Central Star District. However, despite appearances of a smooth life, he developed a rare condition: skyscraper anxiety disorder.
Whenever Lu Zhen entered the high-tech, modern environment of steel and glass, he experienced depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions.
Determined to change his life, he quit his job despite his parents’ objections and took over his late grandfather’s small restaurant.
[[The Taoyuan Restaurant was located at the foot of a green mountain. Far from the bustling Central Star District, it retained a rare rustic charm.
The green bamboo swayed gently in the wind, and the mountain was adorned with vast peach blossoms in full bloom. The restaurant itself had a touch of ancient architecture with its blue walls and black tiles.
Because it was located in a scenic area, it could occasionally receive some tourists from the Central Star District, so business was pretty good.
However, with the rise of nutrient solutions and the scarcity of natural ingredients caused by radiation pollution, the business had gradually declined.
The location of the Taoyuan Restaurant had caught the eye of developers, who planned to transform the area into a large commercial complex.
At first, Lu Zhen was unwilling to sell the only inheritance left by his grandfather. “Besides, the peach blossoms on the mountain were all planted by my grandfather. Wouldn’t it be a shame to cut them all down?”
However, the developers attempting to buy his ancestral home thought he was a fool for his insistence. Seeing that Lu Zhen was alone and powerless, they secretly employed underhanded tactics, forcing him into a debt that, while not overwhelming, was beyond his ability to manage.
In their eyes, selling the restaurant and walking away with a hefty compensation package was a far more practical choice for Lu Zhen than continuing to run a restaurant with no visible future.
“Come on, it’s the interstellar era. Who even eats that stuff anymore? That guy’s just too stubborn!”
Just as the helpless Lu Zhen took one last look at the restaurant his grandfather left behind, the “God of Cooking” system suddenly bound itself to him!
[That’s right, our goal is gourmet food management! We’ll make your Taoyuan Restaurant reintroduce the gourmet feasts of ancient Blue Star to the interstellar era, turning this precious legacy into a thriving food paradise!]
Faced with the system’s fervent enthusiasm, Lu Zhen gave a bitter smile.
“But I have no money right now, and I’m even in debt…”
[No, no, don’t worry. We have a complete set of support measures!
First mission: Overcome the crisis.
Initial mission props: one random packet of seeds and a seven-day usage permit for the basic spiritual spring.]
As soon as the system finished speaking, Lu Zhen found a packet of seeds in his hand.
Even more amazing, a bubbling spring suddenly appeared in the lush garden at the back of the restaurant. The spring water was surrounded by dense clusters of orchids and faint, ethereal mist, exuding an aura of serene charm.
Just the scent of the water brought a sense of peace and relaxation.]]
“Wow… this system is incredible!”
“A spiritual spring? And a random packet of seeds? What will grow from it?”
As the editors continued reading, the system in the first chapter had completely captivated their attention.
Binding to the system gave access to missions? And it even provided a variety of imaginative props!
Such a convenient system…where could one sign up to get it?
The opening chapters of “God of Cooking” evoked complex feelings among interstellar readers who followed the story.
[Honestly, I kind of think the same. Nutrient solutions are super convenient. It’s no wonder a restaurant like this is gradually failing to maintain operations. The location isn’t in a bustling city center, and there isn’t enough of a wealthy consumer base. It makes sense for it to go out of business.]
[But for some reason, the Taoyuan Mountain described by Fish Soup Noodles has a beauty that’s hard to put into words. Especially when I read about the peach trees being cut down to build a mall, I suddenly felt like it was a real pity.]
[Same here! Also, I just looked up the restored images of ancient Blue Star architecture, this kind of blue bricks and black tiles really has a strange charm to it. [Image shared]]
In the comment section, a reader shared an image of restored ancient Blue Star buildings, drawing gasps of amazement from many interstellar readers.
The description perfectly matched Fish Soup Noodles’ portrayal in the novel.
The phrase “blue bricks, black tiles, horse-head walls; winding corridors, flower lattice windows” combined poetic imagery with vivid details, evoking a cascade of beautiful mental pictures.
This was a bold attempt Yu Mian had made while planning the novel.
The new “God of Cooking” was initially conceived as a food management and farming book, but he had carefully deliberated over several versions of the setting.
One idea placed Lu Zhen inheriting a failed restaurant in the Central Star’s bustling city, where the story would unfold in a modern, tech-heavy urban environment familiar to most interstellar readers.
However, upon reviewing his earlier works, he realized that interstellar readers also resonated deeply with the cultural elements of ancient Blue Star despite the boundaries of time and space.
Thus, he decided to change his original concept.
Instead, the protagonist’s story takes place in such a Peach Blossom utopian paradise in the interstellar era, and uses the cultural heritage of food as a means to protect this beautiful pure land full of poetic and picturesque beauty.
[If such a place truly existed in the universe, I’d really want to visit.]
This creative choice sparked a longing among readers, who, after finishing the opening chapters, found themselves enchanted by this hidden paradise.
When Lu Wei and his colleagues learned that Teacher Fish Soup Noodles’ new book was released, they naturally started to follow it as soon as possible.
Lu Wei was originally curious about the food in the book, but he didn’t expect that he would be drawn in by the picturesque portrayal of Chinese aesthetics.
In the story, after receiving the system’s reward of seeds and spiritual spring access, Lu Zhen began his planting experiments in the Peach Blossom paradise and started tidying up the somewhat overgrown backyard.
[[After clearing a small plot of land, Lu Zhen carefully planted the mysterious seeds and used a wooden bucket to fetch spiritual spring water, gently watering the soil.
Sure enough, the next morning, the soil sprouted neat rows of tender shoots.
The delicate leaves swayed gently in the breeze, and the anxiety that had plagued Lu Zhen during his time in the city seemed to melt away.
“Can I really make delicious food from the ingredients I grow?”
[Of course. Though you’ll need to see what kind of ingredients you grow first.]
The system accompanied Lu Zhen as he embarked on this simple yet tranquil pastoral life.
Each day, Lu Zhen tended to the seedlings, cleared the weeds in the backyard, and planted various flowers. Watered by the spiritual spring, the flowers quickly budded and grew.
Additionally, Lu Zhen went into the mountains to cut wood and built a rustic wooden swing under the enormous peach tree in the backyard.
Every evening, as the sun set, Lu Zhen’s favorite thing to do after a day of hard work was to sit on the swing and gaze at the radiant peach blossoms glowing under the colorful evening clouds.
Seven days later, the plants Lu Zhen had carefully nurtured finally bloomed and bore fruit!]]
“Blue” bricks, black tiles, and horse-head walls (ancient Chinese architecture).
