After Yu Mian logged into StarBlog and saw Lu Wei’s post on bamboo weaving, which had already become a hot search, he finally noticed the discussions and debates surrounding his new novel “God Of Cooking”.
[Crispy Shark: Uh, my advice is, don’t let it affect your mindset. From the backend data, while the growth rate of the new book after its initial boom isn’t as rapid as the previous ones, the subscription retention is by far the most stable ever!]
Editor Shaxs had been keeping an eye on these discussions, knowing that once the topic became heated, Yu Mian would likely notice. As an editor, his instinct was to offer some reassurance.
That being said, his words weren’t just for comfort.
The most peculiar thing about “God Of Cooking” was that while some readers felt it lacked the excitement of Fish Soup Noodles’ previous works, those who liked it were absolutely enamored.
Not only did they follow the updates religiously, but the engagement was also unusually steady, with an exceptionally high reader retention rate. Additionally, the number of organic promotional posts across platforms had reached an all-time high.
This was clearly a highly polarized novel.
Yu Mian wasn’t surprised by this conclusion.
[Fish: No need to worry, editor. The plot has only just begun.]
As a subgenre of food-themed farming novels, the readership of “God Of Cooking” was naturally niche. From the start, Yu Mian hadn’t expected it to appeal to every interstellar reader.
However, one of the biggest strengths of this subject matter was its exceptionally high subscription-to-follow ratio.
On the surface, it might not seem like a blockbuster hit, but compared to novels with similar bookmark counts, the subscription revenue for these types of books could be several times higher than those of imaginative web novels.
This was why many authors chose to specialize in seemingly niche genres, their profitability was well-known in the industry.
Besides, a slower pace didn’t mean there was no appeal or satisfaction to be found.
As for why Yu Mian deliberately included bamboo in the story, it was not only because of its status as an intangible cultural heritage element but also because bamboo was an intriguing food ingredient.
Just as he was about to resume writing after reading Lu Wei’s post, an old acquaintance unexpectedly joined the conversation.
That person was none other than Professor Holse, a big shot in the music world. Because “Contract Marriage” had helped bring a wave of popularity to classical instruments like the piano, he had openly expressed his support for the new and unique romance novel.
[Professor Holse V: As I grow older, I find myself preferring warm and interesting stories, especially ones that allow my wife and me to try cooking together. Honestly, this new book is exactly to my liking.
And to think young people these days don’t even know about bamboo? On ancient Blue Star, bamboo was a crucial material for musical instruments. Flutes, xiao, sheng…they were all made from bamboo.
I’m really looking forward to this novel. I even had my grandson teach me how to send a tip. Young Author, keep up the great work.]
Previously, Professor Holse’ support for “Contract Marriage” had been largely due to the exposure it brought to classical music. But this time, his appreciation for “God Of Cooking” was entirely personal, he was truly following it chapter by chapter.
It all started when his grandson insisted on eating spicy chicken. So Professor Holse had picked up the novel in his free time as a recipe reference, but unexpectedly, the more he read, the more he enjoyed it.
Even with his aging eyesight, which made staring at the light brain for too long a strain, he would often switch to audio mode and recline in his chair to relax as he listened to the story unfold.
The novel’s relaxed pacing, devoid of nerve-wracking tension, made for an incredibly soothing read.
After noticing the controversy surrounding the book and seeing some readers question the significance of bamboo, Professor Holse couldn’t help but feel angry.
It was one thing not to enjoy the book, but to get so emotional and dismiss bamboo as useless?
So to prove his point, he not only showcased his cooking skills but also shared an audio clip, a melody played on a restored ancient Blue Star instrument, the bamboo flute.
[Wow, so bamboo was actually used to make instruments? And it sounds amazing? How come I’ve never heard of this before?]
Curious netizens clicked on the clip and were immediately captivated, astounded that such a simple piece of bamboo could produce such enchanting music.
[Actually, didn’t Teacher Fish Soup Noodles always include a lot of ancient Blue Star elements in his previous books? This one just feels even more complete. Honestly, if you’re interested in ancient Blue Star culture, this book is a must-read.]
[Meteor Shower reward x5] [I really love this book. Work is exhausting, but lying in bed after a long day and reading about Lu Zhen’s peaceful life in Taoyuan Mountain is pure bliss. Who understands this kind of premium enjoyment? If you like to read fast-paced stories and pressure Teacher Fish Soup Noodles into changing the style, I will really cry to death.]
All of a sudden, the comment section erupted with gifts and tips.
[Airship reward x1] [Honestly, at my age, I don’t usually comment, but I really like this book. I hadn’t read any of the author’s previous works, I just clicked in from the rankings. Here’s a small token of support to the author. Keep writing!]
Many readers who usually don’t speak and whose IDs were extremely unfamiliar to everyone rarely spoke out as they saw the discussion getting louder and louder.
Just because they hadn’t been vocal didn’t mean they weren’t there.
And unlike the more vocal crowd, these readers generally had stronger financial capabilities and tipped generously without hesitation.
Even the platform’s backend was caught off guard. The moment Fish Soup Noodles’ new book was questioned, an entire wave of silent reader supporters emerged from the depths.
This unique group of readers might have found “Contract Marriage” or “Reborn” too fast-paced and intense, but “God Of Cooking” had touched them in a way that felt just right.
The leisurely, heartwarming narrative, combined with subtle insights into ancient Blue Star culture, created an experience that felt like a refreshing spring breeze, one that gently washed away the day’s exhaustion.
And in this warm atmosphere, “God Of Cooking” finally reached its first major climax.
Lu Zhen had not only made his signature milk tea but had also surprised all the readers by using bamboo as a key ingredient in a special dish.
[[As the flowers in the greenhouse gradually bloomed in succession, the backyard of Taoyuan Restaurant looked almost like a fairyland.
Amidst the flourishing blossoms, Lu Zhen began preparing his milk tea.
First, he carefully blended processed tea leaves with jasmine flowers, meticulously scenting and drying them to create the most delicate jasmine tea.
Then, he placed the tea and translucent sugar crystals into a small milk pan, stirring them gently while adding hot water and fresh milk.
However, Lu Zhen failed several times at first, especially during the process of caramelizing the sugar and tea leaves, his pot got burnt multiple times.
It wasn’t until he repeatedly experimented with the right timing and temperature, gradually learning to control the heat and rescue the mixture with precise additions of hot water, that he finally achieved the perfect consistency.
At last, he brewed a pot of exquisite and fragrant jasmine green milk tea.]]
When reading this, countless readers who had been trying to replicate the milk tea from the last live broadcast suddenly had an epiphany.
[Damn it, I was wondering why I kept burning the sugar! So this was the tricky part!? Making food is just like solving math problems, you have to keep trying and adjusting before you get it right!]
[Same here! I just followed the new tips from the book and experimented again, and I actually made caramel milk tea! It’s super delicious! Finally, I don’t have to just imagine drinking milk tea every day, wuuu!]
[+111 Already ordered jasmine flowers, planning to try the advanced version of jasmine green milk tea. So excited!]
This time, Yu Mian’s update specifically addressed common failure points, subtly incorporating more detailed instructions into the text. As a result, a large group of readers who had repeatedly failed in making milk tea finally succeeded!
The overwhelming sense of accomplishment after overcoming failure made the reading experience even more satisfying.
After all, one of the biggest advantages of “God of Cooking” was that while following the book, readers could also interact with it in real life.
As long as they followed the steps properly, they could actually make the dishes themselves! This added an entirely new dimension to the usual serialized reading experience.
[[In the book, Lu Zhen used jasmine, osmanthus, and roses to make jasmine green milk tea, roasted osmanthus milk tea, and fresh rose milk.
For a moment, the backyard was filled with the rich aroma of milk, flowers, and tea.
“But it looks like I don’t have enough cups.”
As Lu Zhen tried to portion out the drinks, he suddenly encountered a problem. The next second, his gaze landed on the extra bamboo stalks lying nearby.
So, he grabbed a machete and carefully cut the bamboo into sections. After washing them clean in the stream and giving them a light polish, he had a set of natural bamboo cups!
Using a spoon, he poured the freshly brewed floral milk tea into the bamboo cups, and the subtle fragrance of bamboo became the perfect finishing touch to the sensory experience.]]
“Hm? Using bamboo as cups?”
Now that was an unexpected idea, but undeniably creative.
Lu Wei glanced at the cup on his desk and suddenly thought that a bamboo cup might actually be pretty cool.
[I’ve been reading this book, and suddenly, the one thing I want most has appeared, Lu Zhen’s bamboo cup! I might not be able to weave a bamboo basket, but surely I can just buy a bamboo stalk and cut my own set of cups, right?]
Many interstellar readers were equally amazed by this revelation. Who would have thought that the hollow interior of bamboo could be put to such use?
Using bamboo as a cup, wasn’t that just the coolest thing?
Thus, the plot surrounding bamboo-based cuisine officially began.
[[Congratulations, Host! You have unexpectedly triggered the Gourmet Side Quest: Fragrant Bamboo Rice! How can a “Spicy Chicken Feast” be complete without an exquisite staple dish? Fresh and natural bamboo tube rice is, of course, the perfect choice!]
“Bamboo tube rice?”
Hearing the system’s sudden notification, Lu Zhen’s interest was piqued.
Following the tutorial, he quickly prepared some glutinous rice. Conveniently, he had some thinner bamboo stalks left over, so he cut them into segments, split them open, and thoroughly cleaned the insides.
After soaking the glutinous rice overnight, he packed it into the bamboo tubes, then used clean cotton twine to tie the bamboo halves back together before placing them in a pot to steam.
By the time he took them out, they had transformed into perfect bamboo tube rice! When he sprinkled a thin layer of fine white sugar over them and took a bite, the taste was refreshingly sweet and pleasantly surprising.
Lu Zhen couldn’t help but devour four whole bamboo tubes in one go. His stomach was stuffed, yet he was still craving more.
“And aside from glutinous rice, maybe I could try other types of rice? Or even add other ingredients to create different flavors of bamboo tube rice…”
Lu Zhen mused to himself, and the little system was immediately intrigued.
[If you can be this innovative with bamboo tube rice, you should also experiment with new ways to use chili peppers. Creating original dishes will earn you more points, which can then be exchanged for stronger abilities or upgraded restaurant equipment.]
And so, after a long hiatus, “Taoyuan Restaurant” reopened for business. Everyone was astonished to find that the restaurant had been upgraded!
This time, in addition to signature dishes like Spicy Chicken, Stir-Fried Chili Pork, and Golden Soup Beef, there was an entirely new selection of floral-infused drinks. Just hearing the names was enough to make one’s mouth water.
However, there was still a daily limit, with only 20 servings of the main dishes available each day, and once they were gone, they were gone!
“Boss! I want the full set!”
“Me too! This is such a surprise. I was just wandering around with no expectations, and you actually reopened!”
The first batch of customers was overjoyed and scrambled to place their orders. Before long, word of “Taoyuan Restaurant” reopening spread rapidly.
“No need to rush, there’s plenty for everyone. And if the main hall is full, we now have an open-air dining area in the backyard, where you can enjoy your meal while taking in the view of the bamboo grove and peach blossoms.”
Lu Zhen smiled, his usual gentle and refined temperament carrying a hint of mysterious allure.
“An open-air dining area?”
Curious, the customers headed to the backyard and were surprised to find a beautifully designed terrace with an antique charm.
Several tables and chairs made of bamboo were neatly arranged, covered with elegant handmade tablecloths, and surrounded by vibrant flowers.
Looking into the distance, they could even see a shimmering stream flowing down from “Taoyuan Mountain”. It was a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds!
“Little boss, I’m booking this spot! Name your price!”
Before Lu Zhen could say anything, a wealthy traveler from the Central Star immediately made a reservation.
He had never expected that a simple trip would lead him to a place as magical as this.
“Alright, once you place your orders, the ingredients will be prepared right away!”
Lu Zhen responded with a smile, and quickly brought out an array of exquisite dishes, filling Taoyuan Restaurant with an air of warmth and comfort.
“Boss, you’re serving milk tea in bamboo cups? And… wait, why did you give me three extra bamboo tubes?”
Soon, one of the diners, who had just been admiring the novelty of bamboo tube milk tea, realized that along with the spicy dishes, they had also received some extra bamboo tubes.
Bamboo Rice
