Chapter Thirty-Five: Take This Blast of Flavor!

Even without the gifts from her fans, Tanya was willing to be the first to take the plunge. Regardless of how it tasted, the effect it would have on the show alone made it worthwhile. After all, everyone was dying to know the truth.

As she squeezed through the crowd and entered the restaurant’s bounds, Tanya immediately felt the unfriendly stares directed at her—surrounding her from all sides, inescapable. The gazes came not only from the spectators but also from the few fierce-looking middle-aged men at the front of the crowd—none other than Zhao Gang and his companions.

Unease crept into Tanya’s heart.

“It feels like this streamer’s a sheep blundering into a pack of wolves…”

User “Evil Dragon” was permanently banned by the admin…

“Don’t be afraid, Tanya. You’re livestreaming—these people won’t dare do anything to you. We’re ready to call the police for you at any moment!”

“That’s right, the eyes of the masses are sharp.”

“Isn’t the chef still inside… he wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing… would he?”

Seeing her loyal fans cheering her on in the chat, Tanya cast her worries aside and strode purposefully into the restaurant.

“Hello, are you here to dine?” The proprietress looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six, with long hair tucked behind her left ear. Her features were pretty, her smile warm, every gesture suffused with the charm of a mature woman.

Elegant and commanding…

The chat was flooded with those words.

“Yes, I’d like to dine,” Tanya replied obediently, nodding.

“We don’t have a menu. All dishes are written on the chalkboard. Take a look—I’ll find you a seat,” Su Rui said, heading inside and leaving behind a graceful silhouette.

Her ankles are so pretty, Tanya thought. If only she wore high heels, they’d be even more striking.

Tanya couldn’t help but glance twice, then looked down at her own chubby ankles…

Forget it.

She’d stick to sneakers.

Shaking off her stray thoughts, she checked the chalkboard, adjusting the camera so her viewers could see clearly.

“Today’s special: Scallion Beef, 80 per serving.”
“Today’s select dishes: Signature Bone-Meat Soup, 188 per serving; Non-Typical Secret Sauce, 288 per unit.”
“Dining Rules:
1. Hours are 12:00–15:00 and 18:00–22:00; closed at all other times.
2. No fixed menu; requests for specific dishes will not be entertained.
3. Do not ask any questions about the dishes, or risk losing dining privileges.
4. No reservations, no takeout, dine-in only.
5. Double-check your order before dining; no changes mid-meal! You may return dishes, but refunds will not be issued.

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6. No loud noise in the restaurant, so as not to disturb chefs or other guests.
7. Additional rules to be supplemented.”

Tanya didn’t have to elaborate; the viewers were already fiercely debating the restaurant’s domineering rules, and the chat was exploding.

“Sis, come sit here.” Su Rui beckoned from a table deep inside.

“Miss, if the food isn’t good, just say so—no one will trouble you. But if you lie…” Zhao Gang’s voice startled Tanya just as she was about to move. Turning, she saw several burly men staring at her coldly.

She swallowed hard, not daring to respond, and quickly hurried inside to take her seat.

“Well, have you decided?” Zhao Gang’s voice was low, so Su Rui didn’t hear. She stood ready with sticky notes for the order.

She’d bought the notes that morning, handy for sticking where Li Can could see—one dish, one note, tear off as each dish was made, no mistakes.

“Yes, I’ve decided. I’ll have the Signature Bone-Meat Soup and the Non-Typical Secret Sauce,” Tanya said cautiously, stumbling slightly over the second name.

“You’re sure?” Su Rui was surprised.

Tanya was surprised too, unsure why the proprietress had reacted that way.

“I’m sure.”

“All right, please wait a moment.”

Watching Su Rui head into the kitchen, Tanya chatted idly with her fans. Barely three minutes had passed when the proprietress returned, carrying a tray.

Her speed was astonishing.

Behind her followed a handsome, gentle-looking young man. He said nothing, simply stood quietly at the kitchen entrance, expression unreadable.

Nonetheless, Tanya was drawn to his eyes—not because they were handsome, but because the whites were streaked with red, as if from sleepless nights.

“Here you are, Signature Bone-Meat Soup and Non-Typical Secret Sauce.”

After setting down the dishes, the proprietress brought over a bowl of white rice.

“Thank you, but I’ve already eaten a bit, so I won’t need the rice,” Tanya explained, worried about waste.

“It’s fine, just leave it there in case,” said the young man at the door, not the proprietress.

In case? Tanya’s mind was full of question marks, a sense of foreboding creeping in.

At that moment, the other diners in the restaurant turned to look, curiosity in their eyes.

Luckily, Tanya was no stranger to being watched while eating, so she didn’t appear shy. She adjusted her phone’s angle, framing both herself and the dishes.

She looked at the steaming Signature Bone-Meat Soup.

The bowl was large and deep, filled about two-thirds of the way. Not overly generous, but enough for one person.

The broth was a pale gray, with a thin layer of oily substance on top—probably bone fat or some nutritive essence, but without any greasiness, instead exuding a refreshing aroma.

Floating atop the soup were eight pieces of chopped scallion, four green peppercorns, three goji berries, and a single large jujube.

The scallions were bright green and fragrant, clearly just added, not discolored by heat.

The green peppercorns also seemed freshly sprinkled, their numbing scent distinctly present.

“What a unique method,” Tanya murmured. She’d never seen anyone use green peppercorns in a soup dish before.

Yet this numbing aroma actually counteracted the overly sweet taste that goji berries and jujube can develop after long simmering.

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“The chef who made this must be someone with exceptional attention to detail, or else such minor flaws wouldn’t be so carefully addressed.”

Tanya leaned in and inhaled deeply from the soup bowl.

Sure enough, it was fragrant and refreshing, with the four garnishes perfectly balanced.

“Hmm…”

Just then, a faint, elusive strange scent wafted to her nose.

“This smell…”

Tanya sniffed again, uncertain, and frowned.

The strange aroma wasn’t quite pleasant, nor was it off-putting—somewhere in between, but not repulsive in the slightest.

How to describe it?

It felt like the bitter clarity of strong coffee, or the beany funk of river snail noodles… Anyone who’s tasted either would be entranced.

No, the odd scent in this soup wasn’t nearly as pronounced as those. It was as if there were an invisible veil between the diner and the bowl, mysterious and compelling.

Tanya moistened her dry lips, hunger stirring in her throat, her tongue coming alive.

Unable to wait, she took up a spoon and stirred the pale gray broth, immediately bringing up a translucent strip of meat.

She caught it deftly, scooping broth and meat together into her mouth.

Luckily, the spoon wasn’t too large, or the soup would have spilled from the corners of her lips.

“Mmm, mmm, mmm—” Tanya was speechless, nodding vigorously at the camera, giving a thumbs-up—the meaning unmistakable.

The gray broth looked light but was actually intensely rich. The subtle funky note blended seamlessly with the soup, with no hint of grease.

Deliciousness overwhelmed her taste buds.

Chewing the meat strip, it was springy and aromatic, making her want more and more.

Ignoring her image, Tanya took a big gulp.

Her appetite was completely awakened, as though she’d eaten nothing before, her stomach utterly empty.

“What a magical bone-meat soup!”

Warmth flooded Tanya’s body, from the inside out.

But when she touched her cheek,

She froze.

It was cool!

Like she’d just applied a facial mask!

(To be continued…)

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