Yu Nianqing searched for a long time but could only find mutated green peppers. Each pepper was as big as a watermelon, but supposedly, the mutation did not affect its taste or cause any other harm.
Potatoes, however, were a real challenge. She searched for ages but couldn’t find any.
With no other choice, Yu Nianqing went over to ask in person.
When Butler Lin first heard Yu Nianqing say she needed potatoes, he looked momentarily bewildered. “Potatoes?”
As a robot, Xiao Jiu quickly searched the encyclopedia and came up with an answer. “Grandpa Lin, she means potatoes! They used to grow a whole patch of them in the Federation Botanical Garden. Now, there’s one growing in our garden, too.”
“The garden?” Yu Nianqing looked at the bare tomato plant, which didn’t have a single tomato on it. Who would have thought this garden was such a treasure trove!
Butler Lin looked at Yu Nianqing with some difficulty. “Madam, these are all protected plants.”
“Butler Lin, does your gentleman like eating potatoes?”
In the end, Yu Nianqing returned home with only three potatoes in her muddy hands, while Butler Lin stood by the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor and reported to his master.
“Sir, at this rate, your garden might not survive much longer…”
“It’s an experimental plot anyway. We can just transplant a few more plants.”
The reason these plants were so precious was that the entire Kloss Star System had been affected by mutagenic factors. Soil had suffered the greatest impact. Since it contained mutagenic factors, any plants grown in it would carry those factors and eventually mutate.
The garden outside Bo Chen’s house was enclosed by a protective shield he had installed. It could be considered the only untainted patch of land left on Kloss Star.
Even the Federation Botanical Garden was seeing more and more areas fall victim to mutagenic factors.
Hearing this, Butler Lin merely smiled benevolently. Mr. Bo really did spoil his wife.
The ginger, garlic, and green peppers Yu Nianqing had ordered from the Star Shopping platform had arrived.
Yu Nianqing opened her livestream, and by then, the Star Network was already abuzz with discussion.
Yu Nianqing was late, prompting some people to claim that she had made an outrageous boast but couldn’t deliver on it, so she had chickened out and decided not to livestream after all.
Just as the argument was heating up, a notification appeared before everyone’s eyes on the Star Network.
【Little Expert in Ancient Human Care Tips: Yu Nianqing】 was now live! Everyone, hurry over and watch!
“Is she really going to go through with it, even if she has to grit her teeth and muddle through?”
“What if she really does know how?”
“If she does, why did she only show up now?”
“Could it be that she’s been cramming at the last minute?”
Yu Nianqing turned on the camera and waved at everyone before getting straight to work, cooking on her own without paying any attention to the comments.
As before, she started by setting the rice to steam. Then she washed the ginger and garlic, sliced them into thin strips, and added the leftover scallions from the previous day. Next, she washed the green pepper and pulled off its stem.
Everyone watched as Yu Nianqing took out a kitchen knife, steadied the watermelon-sized green pepper, and brought the blade down with a forceful chop.
She only needed to cut off one corner and slice that portion into thin strips. The rest of the green pepper was set aside.
After washing the mud off the potatoes, revealing their yellow skin, Yu Nianqing peeled them with a knife and cut them into thin strips.
“So this is a potato?”
“Doesn’t it look like the plant the teacher talked about in botany class…?”
“A potato!”
“But are potatoes even sold on the Star Network?”
“I saw one at the botanical garden last year. It was buried in the soil, so I only saw its leaves. There was also a model of a potato.”
“I’m really curious about what it tastes like. It looks like the apples that grew on Ancient Earth.”
“Am I the only one wondering why Yu Nianqing always manages to get her hands on such unbelievable things?”
“You’re not the only one…”
After preparing all the ingredients, Yu Nianqing heated up a wok and poured in the oil. Once it was hot, she added the scallions, ginger, and garlic, stir-frying them until fragrant. The oil was so hot that it splattered with a loud, crackling sizzle, making the viewers watching the livestream anxious all over again.
They were worried Yu Nianqing might cause yet another problem.
When she added the shredded potatoes and green peppers, the oil sizzled violently. Yet Yu Nianqing didn’t look the least bit afraid. After a few tosses, the sizzling subsided and everything returned to normal. Next, she added salt. Without MSG or any other seasonings, they’d just have to make do for now…
It didn’t take long for the plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes with green peppers to be ready and served.
Right in front of everyone, Yu Nianqing picked up a bite with her chopsticks and ate it, then gave a big thumbs-up.
“Just look at her expression. You can tell it must taste amazing.”
“And how would you know?”
“I think so too, but all I get to drink is nutrient solution that tastes like earthworms.”
“Now that you’ve said that, I didn’t realize how pitiful my life was until now.”
Yu Nianqing wrapped up her livestream perfectly and went offline. She then took the other plate of shredded potatoes next door to the neighboring villa, just as before.
Xiao Jiu looked like he really wanted to eat some, but he didn’t have a digestive system.
Meanwhile, Butler Lin spent quite a while persuading Bo Chen to come downstairs. “Sir, after all, Madam made it herself.”
Bo Chen finally sat down in the living room, arms crossed, and shot the plate of food a disdainful glance.
“So this is what you made with endangered plants?”
Yu Nianqing had been displeased with Bo Chen’s attitude, but the moment he mentioned the words “endangered plants,” her irritation suddenly vanished.
‘Right… I’d practically stripped his entire garden bare. Who would be happy about that?’
“Since I’ve already made it, why don’t you give it a try? It’s pretty good with rice.”
Yu Nianqing wondered if Bo Chen simply didn’t know how to use chopsticks. She not only picked up a bite of the dish with her chopsticks and ate it, but also took a mouthful of rice. “See? This is how you eat it.”
Bo Chen: “…”
“I refuse to eat something invented by low-level life forms.” Bo Chen’s attitude was firm.
Butler Lin thought it would be a shame to waste Madam Yu’s kind gesture, so he suggested, “Sir, why don’t you let me try it on your behalf?”
Before Bo Chen could say anything, the doorbell rang outside.
When Xiao Jiu returned, he was followed by Ivy. Ivy twitched her nose and immediately hurried over.
“I knew it! Xiao Qing, you made this for Bo Chen!”
Bo Chen: ‘So you just showed up here without even trying to hide it?’
“Xiao Qing? Since when did you two get so close?” Bo Chen lifted his eyes slightly. His voice sounded indifferent, carrying a hint of cold detachment.
Ivy had long since grown accustomed to Bo Chen, who seemed more like an emotionless creature than a person.
“While you weren’t looking.”
“Xiao Qing, can I try some?”
Looking at Ivy’s big, blinking eyes, Yu Nianqing readily agreed.
She had deliberately made such a large portion because she wanted to share it with others. Unfortunately, some people just didn’t appreciate the gesture.
Butler Lin and Ivy both sat down at the table. Ivy carefully picked up a strip of potato with her chopsticks, cupped her other hand beneath it, and examined it closely before putting it into her mouth.
After Ivy had chewed and swallowed, Yu Nianqing asked, “How does it taste?”
After all, it was already the New Era, and Yu Nianqing couldn’t be sure whether people’s tastes had changed over time.
“It’s delicious!” Ivy couldn’t help exclaiming. “So ancient humans really did live such happy lives!”
Of course. After all, as the saying goes, food and sex are basic human instincts, and eating comes first.
Butler Lin praised the dish as well, but Bo Chen remained silent. He even got up to return to his room. Yu Nianqing reached out and grabbed his hand. “B-Bo Chen, why don’t you try a little? You worked so hard to grow these potatoes.”
Bo Chen glanced at her, about to say something, when Butler Lin spoke up. “Madam, I’m the one who grew them.”
“Oh.” Yu Nianqing released Bo Chen’s hand and suddenly felt a little dizzy.
Bo Chen lowered his head and looked at the back of his hand, where the warmth of her touch still lingered. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yu Nianqing collapsing straight toward him…