Chapter Four: Tasting a Bite of Food, Offering a Reward

Unable to log off until all tasks are completed? Doesn’t that mean she’d have to stay here for a long time? This game is really overbearing.

“Don’t worry, Host—your real body is being well taken care of. There’ll be no issue with your health or safety.”

Xu Nuo searched for an exit button for ages, but finally had to admit she truly couldn’t log out of the game. This drew a merciless wave of mockery from the live chat.

[Laughing so hard… Did the streamer just realize this now?]
[Haven’t seen such a clueless newbie in ages. I’m following—good luck!]
[Hey, if you taste the food in this world, I’ll send you a case of instant noodles.]
[Don’t listen to him! If you smash a plate in Gu Xingze’s face, I’ll tip you a Gatling gun.]

Xu Nuo thought of the little biscuits she’d received as tips before and asked 007, “Can the audience in the live room send literally anything to the streamer? Are there any restrictions?”

007 replied, “Yes! Congratulations on discovering the tipping function. The restrictions depend on the situation. For example, if you receive a cultivation manual, but this world has no spiritual energy, you won’t be able to use it.”

What 007 didn’t explain was that getting tips from the audience wasn’t easy. Most hosts couldn’t even keep viewers around, let alone receive high-level gifts. Of course, it was more fun for streamers to discover these features on their own.

Night had fallen, and the living room was still lit by candles. On ordinary days, everyone would’ve retreated indoors as soon as it got dark, reluctant to waste candles. But today, with a powerful ability user visiting, everyone was on their best behavior. Other than the leader and his inner circle, the entire gang was desperate to curry favor with the expert.

The sycophant reported, “Sir, we made another dinner, but Miss Xu said she had no appetite and didn’t eat.”

The door clicked open.

Gu Xingze saw Xu Nuo leave her room and head straight for the kitchen.

Xu Nuo refused to believe she couldn’t find any decent ingredients. She rummaged through the kitchen, finally coming up with a can of meat, some dried noodles, and a handful of fresh green onions from who-knows-where.

[Wait, does the streamer know how to cook?] The audience was curious.
[Wake up—this is an otome game, not a cooking show.]
[Why hasn’t there been any sweet romance yet? I’m starting to think this really is a hardcore apocalypse survival game.]
[Who says there’s none? Gu Xingze’s been watching our streamer the whole time. Look, he’s coming over.]

“What are you doing?”

Gu Xingze’s footsteps were as silent as the wind, startling Xu Nuo.

“Cooking,” she blurted.

“Don’t like the food?” he asked.

Though his words were few, the meaning was clear. Xu Nuo didn’t hold back. “It’s awful. Aren’t you sick of eating this stuff?”

Gu Xingze replied coolly, “The only alternative is starving.”

In the apocalypse, people who turned their noses up at food were a rare breed. He couldn’t discern her background or motives, but he wasn’t curious. Busy-bodies and picky eaters didn’t survive long. He and this woman were fated to have little to do with each other—no need to get involved.

“No, I won’t starve,” Xu Nuo said, calm and certain, though it was impossible to tell where her confidence came from.

Out of Gu Xingze’s line of sight, Xu Nuo’s vision was filled with a barrage of critical comments.

[Seriously? Still being picky in an apocalypse? Does she think she’s a princess?]
[People like her wouldn’t last.]
[Ugh, I’m disappointed. I thought the streamer was going to be a tough girl, but she’s acting like a pampered miss.]
[Go easy, she’s a newbie. Isn’t it normal to need some time to adjust?]

“Move aside. I’m making noodles,” Xu Nuo said, ignoring the chat, rolling up her sleeves and getting to work. Though she’d grown up an orphan, her cooking skills were strictly average—maybe she simply wasn’t cut out for it. Sure enough, she managed to burn the meat again, but at least she was experienced enough not to ruin the whole batch.

The charred mess left the chat speechless.

Well, it was to be expected. Xu Nuo cleaned the pan with practiced ease, ready to try again.

“I’ll do it.” Gu Xingze couldn’t watch any longer and snatched the utensils from her hands, an unusual impatience flickering in his usually emotionless eyes. “Step aside.”

“Alright,” Xu Nuo said obediently. “All yours.”

The oil sizzled, releasing an appetizing aroma as the noodles, meat, and onions came together in the pan. The entire living room filled with the rich, mouthwatering scent, making the half-starved group salivate uncontrollably.

When the fragrant plate of stir-fried noodles was set before her, Xu Nuo didn’t reach for her chopsticks right away. Instead, she turned to Gu Xingze. “You’re really good at this. How about I find the ingredients and you do the cooking from now on?”

Gu Xingze merely glanced at her and let out a dismissive snort.

It was a naive suggestion. Everyone in the living room found her words laughable. Survival in the apocalypse was exhausting enough; who had the energy to make delicious food? And where would the ingredients even come from?

“There’s plenty. You should eat too,” Xu Nuo said, dividing her share in two.

“I don’t need it,” Gu Xingze replied automatically.

“How can you not? You cooked this, and you barely ate earlier. Surely you’re still hungry?” Xu Nuo insisted, pushing a portion in front of him.

“Eat,” she commanded.

The familiar, long-lost aroma seemed to daze Gu Xingze for a moment. Before he could react, Xu Nuo had already seated him at the table.

Having been hungry all day, Xu Nuo ate heartily. The noodles were far tastier than anything she’d had in restaurants—rich but not greasy, the aroma alone was enough to whet one’s appetite. She polished off her share in no time, feeling she could eat three more bowls. Gu Xingze, however, only tasted a few bites.

“Gu, your cooking’s amazing. Were you a chef before?”

Judging by his demeanor—so cold, so distant—he seemed more like an assassin than a chef.

“No,” Gu Xingze said, putting down his chopsticks and preparing to leave. Suddenly, his vision was blocked.

“Wait,” Xu Nuo leaned closer, holding a clean porcelain plate in front of him. “Why not finish before you go? You barely ate—already sick of it?”

Gu Xingze brushed the plate aside and met Xu Nuo’s questioning gaze. “You eat. It’s a rare meal. There won’t be another.”

“Why not?”

He was about to answer when Xu Nuo continued, “There’ll be a whole case of instant noodles soon.”

A whole case? The crowd was stunned. What used to be a cheap, despised food had become a precious luxury in the apocalypse, reserved for those with status. For her to promise a whole case—wasn’t that boasting a bit too much?