Chapter 130: Fried Pig Skin
Staff Member #2, with his “tiger” comment, had not only entertained everyone but also inadvertently provided a treat for the “Sweet Red Bean Soup” fans. He deserved a thumbs-up.
Of course, he himself didn’t feel appreciated at all. Surrounded by the laughing Jiang Lingling, Ji Junxin, and Mi Hongdou, and the equally amused but silent crew members, even he, who had blurted out the word “tiger” in a moment of desperation, felt a deep sense of embarrassment.
Oh, there was one who wasn’t laughing… He looked at the confused Bao Yueqiao. She might as well join the laughter!
Although the “tiger” joke was hilarious, finding ginger, scallions, and garlic was the priority. Jiang Lingling wiped her tears and, putting on a serious face, said to the embarrassed staff member, “Don’t worry, I already asked the old woman who owns the chickens, there are no wild animals on this hill, it’s safe. And we’re just going to the foot of the hill, not venturing deep into the forest.”
Since the four of them were now together, their cameramen had also merged into one group. Staff Member #2, one of Ji Junxin’s cameramen, wasn’t sure if Jiang Lingling had actually asked the old woman.
Asked? He looked at the other crew members, trying to identify Jiang Lingling’s cameramen.
Oh, no need to look, those nodding vigorously were definitely hers.
Hmph! Why didn’t you tell me earlier!
“Wait…” he stopped Jiang Lingling again. “Even without wild animals, there might be snakes, which are also dangerous. For your safety, we have a duty to…”
“The old woman said there are no snakes,” Jiang Lingling said seriously.
Staff Member #2 was speechless. “You believe her?!”
“It sounds more believable than ‘tigers on the mountain’…” Jiang Lingling rubbed her aching cheeks. “That tiger joke is going to be popular for a while.”
The mention of tigers deepened his embarrassment.
“That old woman is a paid actress, not a local villager, how can you trust her knowledge of the mountain!”
He realized his mistake as soon as the words left his mouth.
After “tigers,” he had now shocked everyone with “paid actress.”
Although they had suspected that Dengjia Village and its inhabitants were created for the show, his confirmation was still… surprising.
“Uh… you’re saying, the villagers are all… actors?” Jiang Lingling, sensing trouble, asked for clarification.
Staff Member #2, having learned his lesson, remained silent, looking at his colleagues.
Their expressions told him… if he said anything more, his well-paying job would be over.
So, Jiang Lingling, with a simple question, defeated him. He turned and fled.
Although he hadn’t answered, his hasty retreat gave Jiang Lingling the answer she needed.
Just as the crew thought that Jiang Lingling would continue towards the hill, she turned back and approached them.
…That intimidating aura… The crew members huddled together, not daring to run.
Jiang Lingling, knowing what Dong Yuannan was thinking, found her cameraman and, standing before him, said to the camera, “Dad, stop trying. They won’t let you join. Having family members on the show wouldn’t be fair… so, put down your phone, I’ll be back in a few days.”
Dong Yuannan, watching the live stream, had immediately called Qiao Rubai when he heard “paid actress.” But after Jiang Lingling’s words, he hung up.
Qiao Rubai, whose call had been rejected, looked at Jiang Lingling on the screen, stunned by her words.
Mi Hongdou was smoothing Ji Junxin’s wrinkled clothes. Hearing Jiang Lingling, she was speechless. No wonder there were rumors about them in her previous life. Such a close father-daughter relationship, even closer than a real family, it was too much for the public to handle. But Jiang Lingling probably didn’t care about public opinion…
Mi Hongdou was right.
Jiang Lingling, after addressing her godfather, turned and saw Mi Hongdou looking at her with a gentle expression. Yes, gentle! Jiang Lingling shivered, feeling goosebumps.
“Hey, don’t think that you can skip going up the mountain just by looking at me like that,” she said seriously. “Remember, no sharing food between teams. Even if you look at me with those puppy-dog eyes, I can’t help you! Don’t worry, even if the old woman’s information isn’t reliable, I’m here!”
“…” Mi Hongdou, whose hand was being squeezed by Ji Junxin, was speechless. One was oblivious, the other jealous, her worldview had been constantly challenged since her rebirth.
And I’m not inviting her for dinner anymore! Two-person world, here we come! Heh!
Jiang Lingling, seeing Mi Hongdou’s gentle expression disappear as she pulled Ji Junxin towards the hill, thought, So she’s afraid of going up the mountain, that’s why she was looking at me so gently! Don’t worry! I’ll protect you! She puffed up her chest and strode forward, leading the way.
The cameramen were tired. After two failed attempts, no one wanted to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who would be the next victim. Live streaming was stressful, and confronting Jiang Lingling on live stream was even more so.
Unable to turn off the cameras, they looked at each other, no one wanting to volunteer. So, they called Pan Xiang.
Pan Xiang, watching the live stream from her hidden location in Dengjia Village, was fuming.
When she designed the tasks for “Reality Online,” she had realized that many of them seemed tailor-made for Jiang Lingling. She figured it was because of the incredibly detailed and dramatic information Dong Yuannan had provided about Jiang Lingling, or perhaps because she had spent too much time analyzing Jiang Lingling while developing the character of Wei Xunqin.
So, she had revised many of the tasks. But some, suitable for Jiang Lingling, like the wood-chopping task that helped them get the Team Change Card, and the corn kernel task that Jiang Lingling was interested in, remained. And there were several other tasks in the village that Jiang Lingling could easily complete, enough to ensure that she… and even Bao Yueqiao… wouldn’t have to worry about food.
Jiang Lingling choosing to go up the mountain was unexpected.
She had anticipated it, but not so soon. Going up the mountain now meant that many of the items on the Supplies Board wouldn’t be used… tsk.
The crew following Jiang Lingling received permission to go up the mountain, but not too high, and they were relieved. No more direct confrontations! Being behind the camera was much safer!
As Jiang Lingling and her companions continued towards the hill, a few uninvited guests arrived at the chicken-feeding grandma’s courtyard.
“Didn’t you say we could watch the live stream in our rooms when they’re not here? Why did you call me out! They’re about to go up the mountain, it’s almost time for the good part!” the chicken-feeding grandma complained as she stepped out of her house, carefully closing the door behind her.
The staff member, pretending not to notice the row of computer monitors in her room, said with a friendly smile, “Madam Wang, you see, we agreed that the chicken-feeding task, twice a day, one coin per feeding. You gave them vegetables this morning… that’s… not quite right, is it?”
“…” The grandma glanced at the cameraman.
The staff member understood. “This camera isn’t live…”
“What’s wrong with giving them vegetables?” she asked righteously. “Those poor children, coming all the way here, not even giving them any vegetables, you’re too cruel. A few vegetables for a coin, it’s not a big deal. And you said, after my favorability towards them reaches a certain level, I’ll have more autonomy in the rewards and tasks.”
“Although that’s true…” the staff member said, his expression troubled, “But it’s only the second day, your favorability increased a little too quickly…”
“Well, it’s just that easy,” the grandma said, nodding.
So you’re proud of that?
The staff member didn’t dare to say it out loud. Although this wasn’t being live-streamed, it would still be recorded and edited…
“Madam Wang, it’s like this. The increase in NPC favorability has to be justified, we have to announce it on the website. Although we didn’t tell the participants, we did tell you. For the chicken-feeding task, each time someone completes it, they gain 2.5 favorability points. And the minimum requirement for autonomy in rewards and tasks is twenty points… Changing the reward to vegetables requires at least twenty points, and if you want to offer something more valuable, like an egg, you’ll need even more… although there’s no fixed number, we did explain this to you earlier…”
“…” The grandma glanced at the camera. “What’s my current favorability towards them?”
The staff member, sweating, flipped through his notebook. “Let me see…”
“Don’t bother,” the grandma said, looking at the thick notebook. “It’s not twenty yet, is it?”
Of course not! Do you think I failed math?
The staff member nodded with a wry smile.
“I remember you said that although there’s a standard rate for favorability increase, like with the chicken-feeding task, we, as NPCs, can also increase it under special circumstances, as long as it’s reasonable.”
The staff member frantically searched his notebook. You’re so meticulous about the rules after all your earlier rule-breaking, are you messing with me?
“Yes…” he finally found it. “But the NPC has to provide a valid reason, which will be assessed by the crew.”
“Oh…” the grandma nodded.
“And we need to record your explanation and post it online…” he added, seeing her seemingly willing to cooperate.
The grandma frowned and walked towards the cameraman.
The staff member, knowing her temper, felt a pang of sympathy for the cameraman. Should I stop her, or run?
Run…
“I…” The grandma faced the camera and adjusted her hair. “Seeing them, they remind me of my own grandchildren… not even having any vegetables to eat, so pitiful… my favorability just… went up to twenty.” Her voice was slow and filled with a feigned sadness and affection.
The staff member, who had expected a dramatic outburst, was stunned, seeing the fake tears in her eyes. Not just the actors, even the paid NPCs were such good actors!
“Is this explanation okay?” She quickly stepped away from the camera and looked at him expectantly.
He couldn’t say no…
But you don’t even have any grandchildren… The staff member, who had read her profile, felt faint.
He let it go. “So… you told Jiang Lingling earlier…” He moved on to his next task.
“I watched the live stream. I said it. It’s true. I used to live near here,” the grandma said seriously.
I can’t tell if you’re lying or not! The staff member gave up and left.
Many viewers of the live stream regularly checked the players’ stats page.
The almost real-time updates were quite interesting. Not just the sometimes ridiculous skills listed (“Eating,” “Rich,” “Strong,” “Chef”), but also the fluctuating inventory, from eggs and rice to fried rice, then to nothing.
And just as Jiang Lingling’s group reached the foot of the hill, a new section appeared at the bottom of the stats page.
After the “Welfare Mission System,” the even more intriguing “NPC Favorability System” was launched.
Gamers knew that different NPCs offered different missions and rewards, and this system also hinted at the possibility of hidden missions.
Similar to the “Player Stats System,” the “NPC Favorability System” listed all the NPCs who had interacted with the players and their current favorability towards each player. For example… the lonely old woman. The other NPCs, not yet interacted with, were just grayed-out figures with asterisks for their information.
The system explained the two ways to increase favorability: through completing tasks, and through the NPC’s own discretion.
Among the few activated NPCs – the firewood-chopping Uncle Zhang, the laundry-washing Aunt Niu, the lonely Grandpa Li – the old woman stood out. Each NPC had a list of players they had interacted with and their corresponding favorability levels. The other NPCs only had two or three, at most four, players listed, their favorability in single digits.
But the old woman had seven players listed (everyone except Jiang Duo), all with a favorability of twenty…
And there was also a short video, the one the staff member just recorded, explaining her sudden increase in favorability due to her “grandchildren.”
Such attention to detail! Shouldn’t it be “I’m cold, I’m heartless, I do what I want”? So much explanation, such a considerate show!
And the show had stated that any discretionary increase in favorability would be recorded and posted, which was great! They wouldn’t miss anything!
So, besides the live stream, which was so captivating that they needed multiple screens, and the Welfare Mission voting, the player stats page, now with the added NPC favorability system, was even more interesting!
We thought this 24/7 live stream would be boring, but this… “Reality Online” is too much to keep up with! The viewers felt both entertained and overwhelmed.
Good thing it’s a national holiday. Good thing we canceled our travel plans.
As for our friends who are traveling alone… who cares about them! We have a live stream to watch!
While the “NPC Favorability System” caused another online frenzy, Jiang Lingling and her “treasure hunting,” or rather, “foraging”… okay, “digging” team, were on the small hill, collecting wild ginger, scallions, and garlic. They even found some fresh, large mushrooms.
Finding the seasonings was already a success, the mushrooms a bonus. Ji Junxin was excitedly listing all the mushroom dishes she had eaten, most of which were impossible to make with their limited ingredients. But seeing her happy expression… Mi Hongdou let her continue.
The small hill, besides lacking dangerous animals, also seemed to lack other resources. They only found a few unidentified plants that looked like edible wild vegetables. Jiang Lingling thought they were safe to eat, but Mi Hongdou stopped her.
This isn’t a true survival situation, no need to be so reckless… She pulled Ji Junxin away.
When Jiang Lingling tried to venture further up the mountain, she was stopped by the crew, who, having learned their lesson, didn’t say much, just blocked her path, forming a human wall.
Even Jiang Lingling couldn’t fight her way through just to explore the mountain… although she could, but… it wasn’t allowed.
So, having only found some seasonings and mushrooms, Jiang Lingling felt… unsatisfied.
She wanted to set some traps for wild game, but she was worried about accidentally injuring a clueless staff member, so she reluctantly gave up.
Staff members are so troublesome.
So, blocked by the human wall, the four returned to the village, their mission only partially successful.
They had originally planned to continue their task hunt, but Mi Hongdou, having acquired the precious seasonings, wanted to prepare the pig skin. So, they split up. Jiang Lingling and Bao Yueqiao went to look for tasks, while Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin returned home.
“Stir-fried pig skin? Aspic? Braised? Cold dish? Soup?” Ji Junxin stood by the stove, her eyes full of anticipation for the small piece of pig skin.
“What do you want to eat?” Although she already had a plan, if Ji Junxin had a specific request… well, she would try her best to satisfy her, Mi Hongdou thought.
“Hmm…” Ji Junxin looked at the pig skin. “Everything you make is delicious, I’ll leave it to you.”
A critical hit…
Although she constantly reminded herself to be more reserved in front of the cameras, after their confession last night, maintaining composure was difficult. Mi Hongdou, hit by Ji Junxin’s words, her gaze softening, looked at Ji Junxin with unconcealed affection.
“Don’t think that you can skip checking the bathroom for me tonight just because you’re looking at me so sweetly,” Ji Junxin said, tilting her head up slightly, her tone a bit arrogant.
Mi Hongdou: “…”
So, after “Don’t think I’ll mince the ginger for you just because you’re looking at me like that,” “Don’t think I’ll dig up the garlic,” and “Don’t think I’ll stay home and let you go do the tasks alone,” there was now a new variation of the “gentle gaze” theme… She was playing with this “gentle” thing too much!
And the “bathroom” theme as well!
Ji Junxin, you’re learning to be a tease!
Mi Hongdou, her mind filled with complaints, could only smile indulgently.
On the live stream, Ji Junxin’s “Don’t think…” series had been turned into memes and emojis, constantly updated. And the viewers were demanding that the show add “Jealous” to her skill list. They had been bombarded with sugar, their teeth aching, and now they were being force-fed vinegar. They felt that after twelve days, they wouldn’t just need dental checkups, they would need dentures!
Bai Bai Dental Clinic was loving this show!
Mi Hongdou, although slightly embarrassed by the vinegar, wasn’t aware of the viewers’ dental woes. Her current priority was preparing the pig skin.
She heated a dry wok, added the washed and dried soybeans, and roasted them until golden brown.
The soybeans were done.
She filled the wok with water, added the pig skin, ginger, scallions, and garlic, and brought it to a boil.
Although the tiled house had a traditional stove, there were a few modern utensils in the kitchen. Of course, the show might have just put them there for decoration.
Regardless, the small mortar and pestle she had found earlier could now be used.
She added some seasonings to the boiling pig skin, then, while it simmered, took a handful of the roasted soybeans and ground them into powder with the mortar and pestle.
She sprinkled a pinch of salt on the remaining soybeans and gave them to Ji Junxin, who had been watching intently.
“Fragrant!” Ji Junxin, deprived of snacks, was appeased.
“The truly fragrant part is coming up.” Mi Hongdou smiled, took out the cooked pig skin, removed the excess fat, diced it, then washed and dried the wok.
She added a little water to the wok, then the diced pig skin, and simmered it over low heat, just like rendering lard, until the water evaporated and the pig skin started to fry.
Soon, the aroma of frying meat filled the courtyard and drifted…
“What the… meat for lunch, and now meat again for afternoon tea?!” Yu Naihao, standing by his thatched hut, sniffed the air, the aroma coming from the tiled house across the courtyard. “If I had known, I would have chosen Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou, that smell is heavenly!”
“Oh?” Lu Changhuai, basking in the sun, raised an eyebrow. He seemed to have heard something interesting.
Yu Naihao, his senses heightened by the aroma of meat, quickly corrected himself. “Hehe, I didn’t say anything, it must be the wind…”
“Let’s buy some meat, you still have coins, don’t you?” Lu Changhuai sniffed the air, understanding Yu Naihao’s reaction, it did smell incredibly good.
“If you’re eating rice and pickled cucumbers for every meal, then so am I,” Yu Naihao said seriously. He didn’t agree with Lu Changhuai’s self-imposed austerity. It was just torturing himself, how foolish!
“…” Lu Changhuai sighed. “Fine, I’ll also… manage my own finances.”
“Good!” Yu Naihao was pleased.
This game has become strange since I teamed up with him, from inter-team conflicts to intra-team conflicts… but, heh, I can’t let some people have it too easy. Lu Changhuai, usually the image of a gentleman, was now plotting.
The pain of a broken CP, those in a happy relationship wouldn’t understand.
The diced pig skin sizzled in the wok, curling and turning golden brown as Mi Hongdou stirred.
“If we had a grill and some charcoal, it would be even better…” Mi Hongdou said wistfully, picked up a piece of fried pig skin, blew on it, coated it in the seasoned soybean powder, and offered it to Ji Junxin. “Here, try it, eat slowly, it’s hot.”
The cameraman stepped closer, wanting a close-up before Ji Junxin took it.
But… he underestimated a foodie’s speed.
Before the viewers could even see the pig skin clearly, it was gone.
What happened to eating slowly! What happened to being careful! If this were a cooking show, it would be an instant fail! Xinxin, you’re no food critic! Foodie!
Fortunately, there was more. Mi Hongdou picked up another piece, coated it in soybean powder, and this time, the cameraman got his close-up.
Then, she fed it to Ji Junxin…
There wasn’t much pig skin, and after three pieces, Ji Junxin refused any more.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it? Just three pieces?” Mi Hongdou was confused.
The viewers were also confused! Where’s the usual commentary after every bite, Xinxin! We’re waiting, our mouths watering! We can only watch, not eat, it’s torture!
“It’s delicious!” Ji Junxin quickly explained, seeing the confusion. “The pig skin is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, the soybean powder makes it incredibly fragrant, and it’s so chewy, I could eat this all day!” The combined aroma of pig skin and soybeans was even better than the roasted soybeans earlier, although those were also good… but the crispy, non-greasy, chewy pig skin was definitely superior!
Mi Hongdou looked at the fourth piece, which Ji Junxin had just refused.
“You haven’t eaten any yet, you eat first,” Ji Junxin said, her voice soft and a little whiny.
Mi Hongdou’s slightly hurt feelings were instantly soothed by the CP’s sweetness. It’s hard to get used to being more important than food… She ate a piece of the sweet, crispy pig skin.
Oh, you said there was no sugar added.
We understand the unspoken sweetness!
The viewers were momentarily silent. We were just drooling over the food, ready to lick our screens, and now… more sugar…
Regardless, across the country, after the earlier surge in fatty pork sales, now the sales of pig skin also started to increase.
The pork vendors, working during the holiday, were puzzled. Why did those people who asked us to remove the pig skin earlier come back and buy it now?
The world is a strange place…
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