Chapter 31: Qiao Yitong is the Eternal Goddess!

“And then, they died along with my parents. Is there a problem?” Deng You spoke with a flat, indifferent tone.

Lu Cheng choked on his words instantly.

He looked at Deng You, staring at the man’s nonchalant expression, unsure for a moment if Deng You was joking or serious.

However, he instinctively began to avoid the subject.

The two walked the rest of the way in silence. By the time they returned to the vicinity of the base, Qiao Yitong had already made it back.

Not only had she brought back two large coconuts, but she also had three plump sea fish.

Lu Cheng and Deng You: “…”

Sister Tong really was incredible.

It had barely been any time at all. If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t have been able to pull that off in under an hour.

“Sister Tong, here’s the water.” Lu Cheng gave a sunny smile, his gaze filled with a mix of delight and a desire to please.

“Put it over there,” Qiao Yitong said.

She had already set up the Stone Pot, and various other items were ready to go.

After the two men set their things down, they stood there rubbing their hands together as they watched Qiao Yitong.

It was obvious they wanted to do something, yet they had no idea how they could possibly help.

Qiao Yitong ignored them.

While she felt it would be convenient to hand off some of the prep work to others, considering the culinary skills of these two…

It was faster to just do it herself.

Qiao Yitong swiftly picked up the fish, her combat knife flashing like a streak of cold light in her hand.

In less than two minutes, all three fish had been gutted and cleaned.

That fluid knife work and her decisive, efficient movements sent a chill down Deng You’s spine.

Just how terrifying were Sister Tong’s movements?

To use an unflattering analogy, if Sister Tong were the one performing a death by a thousand cuts¹, the prisoner would probably thank her. Her hands were so fast and smooth that they would likely pass on to the afterlife before they even felt the pain.

At the same time, he felt extremely fortunate that he hadn’t offended her at the start.

Otherwise, with Sister Tong’s knife skills…

Wouldn’t he have been long gone?

At this moment, in addition to his initial gratitude, Deng You felt a deeper sense of awe rooted in fear toward Qiao Yitong.

After processing the fish, Qiao Yitong took out the homemade seasonings she had prepared over the past few days.

Holding a bamboo tube filled with spices, she gave her wrist a flick, and the seasoning was evenly dusted over the sea fish.

Once finished, she pulled out a type of leaf that neither Lu Cheng nor the others recognized and wrapped the three fish inside.

“Sister Tong, what’s this for?” Lu Cheng asked curiously.

“Marinating for ten minutes,” Qiao Yitong replied.

Lu Cheng nodded in understanding and continued to watch with curiosity.

Secretly, he felt that watching Sister Tong demonstrate her cooking was the ultimate form of enjoyment.

With the fish handled, Qiao Yitong began preparing the coconuts.

She first cut an opening at the top of a coconut and poured out the sweet juice to save for later. Then came the process of extracting the coconut meat.

When it came to this step, Lu Cheng thought he understood what was needed.

He figured extracting coconut meat required physical strength and that using a knife was somewhat dangerous, so he planned to negotiate with Qiao Yitong and volunteer for the task.

But before he could speak, he saw Qiao Yitong lift the coconut with her left hand while her right hand gave the knife a clever twist along the seam where the meat met the shell.

The white coconut meat peeled away in its entirety.

Lu Cheng: ?

Well, it was a good thing he hadn’t overstepped his bounds by offering to peel the coconut.

Once the meat was out, it was time for another display of knife skills.

Under her hands, the meat from the two coconuts was partially cut into small chunks and partially shredded into fine flakes.

As the fully processed coconut was set aside, it wasn’t just Lu Cheng who was left staring in a daze; the entire audience in the Live Stream Room exploded.

• Wait, is Sister Tong using cheats? I’m completely shocked! Is that coconut extraction for real? It’s not AI-generated? How did she make the meat roll out so smoothly with just a twist of her hand? –

• I used to think my vegetable chopping was pretty decent, but after seeing Sister Tong’s moves, I’m just stunned. She hand-cut coconut meat into flakes that look like they came out of a grater? And she’s not even using a chef’s knife, just a dagger at most. Who exactly is she? –

• Looking at Qiao Yitong’s movements, it’s obvious she really knows how to cook, not just grill fish. Oh no, why am I actually starting to look forward to this? –

• Same. This is the first time I’ve ever felt genuine anticipation for a meal made by a celebrity. I can’t even believe it myself. (Facepalm) –

• To say something overconfident and ridiculous: when I heard Sister Tong was making Coconut Fish, I went to the supermarket downstairs to buy coconut and fish. I wanted to keep pace with her and eat at the same time so I wouldn’t end up drooling while watching them eat later. –

• And then? –

• And then my mental state collapsed! Sister Tong is almost done with the prep, and I’m still here wrestling with the fish. I haven’t even successfully killed it yet! –

• Hahahahahaha! –

• Don’t laugh, I’m planning to screen-record this part. When I have time tomorrow, I’m going to try and replicate this Coconut Fish. Celebrity style! –

…

By now, driven by several trending topics, the number of viewers in the Live Stream Room had reached three hundred thousand.

Qiao Yitong never imagined that simply making a meal would attract so many idle onlookers.

Once the preparation was complete, she began the formal cooking stage.

First, she started the fire. When the pot grew hot, she picked up two translucent pieces of something from the fish and tossed them into the pot.

“Sister Tong, what are those?” Lu Cheng asked like a curious child.

“Fish fat,” Qiao Yitong said.

The process for Coconut Fish required pan-frying first. Although she didn’t have any other cooking oil, the sea fish she caught had natural fat she could use.

Once the fat melted in the pot, Qiao Yitong placed the marinated fish inside.

Throughout the process, she kept a close eye on the temperature, occasionally giving the Stone Pot a gentle shake.

She fried one side, then flipped it to the other.

As the fish gradually turned golden brown in the pot, the aroma began to drift through the air.

It was the unique, fresh scent of sea fish mixed with a faint hint of char and the fragrance of Qiao Yitong’s special seasonings. The rich, layered aroma completely enveloped the two men standing nearby.

Saliva began to flood his mouth once again.

In a moment of distraction, it nearly escaped the corner of his lips.

His stomach growled loudly under the assault of the aroma. Deng You took a deep breath, his mental state on the verge of collapsing.

It smelled so good. He was so hungry. He wanted to eat so badly.

His jaw worked as he suppressed the urge. At this moment, he truly wanted to tell Qiao Yitong, “Sister Tong, this is enough. It already smells amazing. Just let me eat it.”

Watching such fragrant fish and not being able to eat it was absolute torture!

Qiao Yitong saw through their desperation. She shot them a glance but said nothing.

Haste makes no Coconut Fish².

That was her silent advice to the two men before her.

Qiao Yitong’s movements were fluid yet unhurried. She set the seared fish aside for a moment and tossed freshly dug ginger slivers, chili-like peppers, and another seasoning into the pot.

With a quick stir-fry, the fragrance immediately intensified and filled the air.

Once the base flavors were released, Qiao Yitong added the prepared coconut chunks. After a few more tosses, she poured in coconut milk and shredded coconut, beginning to stir gently.

What followed was a series of maneuvers that left Lu Cheng and Deng You dazed.

Qiao Yitong squeezed the juice of an unknown fruit into the mix and added more seasonings from a bamboo tube. Under their watchful eyes, the coconut liquid in the pot gradually thickened.

The refreshing, sweet scent of coconut wafted outward.

Betraying him once again, Deng You’s stomach let out another growl.

He was going to lose it!

The two men waited with burning impatience, while Qiao Yitong remained calm and steady. She slid the fish back into the pot to simmer.

At the same time, she pulled out a few pieces of firewood to adjust the heat.

After about eight minutes, the aroma of coconut mingled with the savory freshness of the sea fish, aggressively drifting across the entire camp.

This time, it wasn’t just Lu Cheng and Deng You whose composure shattered. Not far away, Shisan and his group were also struggling.

What on earth was Qiao Yitong doing now!

How was she making something smell so sweet and savory on this barren Deserted Island!

Please remember, this is a Survival Variety Show! Not a gourmet cooking anime!

Our lives matter too!

Once their cravings were triggered, the bland, tasteless grilled fish in front of them became even harder to swallow.

Their minds were breaking.

This was torture.

Should they have stayed away from Qiao Yitong from the very beginning? If they hadn’t come looking for her, they wouldn’t be suffering this psychological warfare.

Shisan wept silently in his heart.

Saliva pooled in his mouth. Even as he took large bites of his own grilled fish, it didn’t help one bit.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten Coconut Fish in a very long time.

He wanted it. He really, really wanted it.

It was settled. The moment he got off this island, before doing anything else, he was going to have a meal of Coconut Fish.

On the other side, Lu Cheng and Deng You had reached their absolute limit.

Just as their willpower was about to snap under the provocation of the scent, they finally heard Qiao Yitong speak.

“It’s ready.”

Joy flared simultaneously in the eyes of Lu Cheng and Deng You.

It was hard to imagine that they would one day lose their composure to such an extent over a single meal.

“Try some.” Qiao Yitong served her own portion first, then stepped back to let the other two help themselves.

The two men lunged forward.

Just as Deng You was about to scoop his portion, Lu Cheng gave him a fierce glare.

Deng You paused.

Fine. He was the outsider here; he had no rights.

He obediently stepped back and waited for Lu Cheng to serve himself first.

The moment Lu Cheng finished serving his bowl, he didn’t even wait for it to cool down before eagerly shoving the fish into his mouth.

The fish was tender and succulent. The light fragrance of coconut and the freshness of the fish blended perfectly, with layers of flavor blossoming across his taste buds.

“So good!” Lu Cheng couldn’t help but exclaim, instinctively closing his eyes in bliss.

He swallowed one bite and immediately went for the next.

His tongue and stomach seemed to have turned into a gluttonous beast that could never be satisfied, urgently prodding him to eat faster.

Lu Cheng followed his body’s primal instincts, taking massive bites.

After finishing the fish in his bowl, he gulped down the soup.

The broth was incredibly sweet and savory. With one sip, the umami rushed to his head, making him feel like he was ascending to heaven!

If the previous grilled fish had satisfied him and was the best he’d ever tasted, then this Coconut Fish, with its complex and distinct textures, left him in a dazed state of satisfaction. He almost wondered if he was dreaming.

Otherwise, how could such delicious food exist in this world?

It was so good he wanted to cry.

Lu Cheng finished a bowl in record time. Then, under Deng You’s watchful gaze, he stepped forward, grabbed the wooden spoon, and served himself a second bowl.

Deng You stared.

He looked at the Coconut Fish in his own bowl. The aroma alone had already made him desperate to eat, but Lu Cheng’s reaction was so exaggerated. Why was the guy tearing up while eating?

Could it really be that good?

With that thought, Deng You tentatively took a sip of the fish soup.

the moment the soup touched his taste buds…

Deng You froze.

He quickly took two more gulps and finally bit into the fish.

The meat was tender and springy. That flavor!

He finally understood Lu Cheng. He began devouring the Coconut Fish in his bowl at high speed.

When he finished his first bowl and looked at Lu Cheng, he found the younger man was already scooping a third.

Deng You’s eyes widened.

Are you a pig? You eat so much and so fast!

He didn’t dare delay any longer, quickly filling his bowl and abandoning all semblance of an image as he began to wolf it down.

One bowl finished, on to the next!

When Deng You went to grab the spoon from the pot again, he saw Lu Cheng’s movements turn into a blur. Lu Cheng beat him to it, picking up the Stone Pot and pouring every last drop into his own bowl.

Deng You stood there, stunned.

Where are your manners?

Lu Cheng had no time for Deng You. He continued to eat in huge gulps, as if terrified Deng You might try to snatch his bowl.

Finally, after practically licking the bowl clean, he set it down with a look of immense satisfaction.

Then, he let out a loud burp.

Ah, that hit the spot. Total satisfaction.

Setting the bowl aside, Lu Cheng looked at Deng You with a beaming smile, acting surprised. “Oh? Why are you staring at me? Did you not get enough to eat? Sorry about that, I ate too fast. It’s all gone.”

Deng You: “…”

Have you no shame?

He cast one last lingering, reluctant look at the empty pot and swallowed hard.

He’d lost out. Truly.

In a place like this, he should have just snatched it. He shouldn’t have spent those few moments dazing off.

Backstage, the Director Group’s broadcast technician knew exactly what the audience wanted to see.

Manually controlling the best camera angle, he zoomed in, clearly capturing the speechlessness in Deng You’s eyes and the smug satisfaction in Lu Cheng’s for every viewer to see.

• Good lord, I didn’t expect Lu Cheng to be like this! Is he protecting his food? No way, right? –

• I’m losing it. His eating manner is way too real. I can feel the deliciousness of that Coconut Fish right through the screen. I feel like even if Lu Cheng stops being a weapons-zone blogger after this, he could become a mukbang streamer. With that appetite, he’d definitely be a hit! –

• Is it possible that anyone who eats that Coconut Fish would turn into a mukbang streamer? I mean, Deng You’s eating manner wasn’t much better. His only mistake was not being as good at snatching food as Lu Cheng. –

• Ahhh, I can’t take it! Watching them eat has made me so hungry. I want Coconut Fish too! But we don’t have coconuts here. I’m breaking down. Is that netizen who said they were going to recreate the dish still there? Taste it for me. Is Coconut Fish made with Sister Tong’s method really that good? –

• I’m here! Still in the middle of recreating it. I’ve just reached the stage of grating the coconut. [Sweating emoji] –

• Pfft, hahaha, look at your speed. Their pot is already licked clean, and you haven’t even started the stove yet. –

• Don’t blame me, QAQ. I’m really trying my best. It’s not that I’m too bad at this – I actually have a chef’s certificate – it’s just that our Sister Tong is too strong. That knife work is supernatural. It’s truly a world of difference! –

…

The netizens couldn’t smell a thing, but based solely on the appearance of the Coconut Fish and Lu Cheng’s reaction, their souls had already been lured away. They were so hungry they wanted to rush to a place that sold Coconut Fish immediately to have a taste.

This was even truer for Shisan and the others nearby.

They were all on the same beach, not far apart to begin with. When Qiao Yitong started cooking, it was the beginning of a breakdown for his side.

The key was that the aroma came in wave after wave, an overbearing invasion.

They wanted to call the police.

Seriously.

If only calling the police worked.

But on this Deserted Island, there was nowhere to report a crime. The group could only eat their tasteless grilled fish while watching Lu Cheng gorge himself, trying to satisfy their hunger with illusions.

They couldn’t take it. They really couldn’t take it anymore.

This was pure mental torture!

Under the temptation of that continuous fragrance, several people in Shisan’s team began to have their own private thoughts.

Actually, come to think of it, they didn’t have any major grudge against Qiao Yitong, right?

Everyone was just here to participate in a variety show together. Strictly speaking, they were just colleagues.

And they weren’t obligated to follow Shisan, were they?

Since they were all colleagues, why couldn’t they go find Qiao Yitong?

Exactly.

Previously, they had been trapped by their own fixed mindsets. If they could follow Shisan, why couldn’t they go find Qiao Yitong now?

Look at Deng You. Hadn’t he been successfully accepted by Qiao Yitong?

But…

That logic could only fool themselves. They knew very well that if they went to Qiao Yitong now, the netizens would definitely curse them for being treacherous and unfaithful.

Deng You could just pat his butt and go to Qiao Yitong because he didn’t work on the internet. He was only here for the money and had no reputation to uphold.

But they were different. They had to continue working on the internet after they left. If they showed such a spineless image in front of the audience now, it would be hard to recover later.

Wait a bit longer.

Seeing that the people around them also seemed to want to move, they decided to wait for others to act first. By not being the first bird to fly³, they wouldn’t be so conspicuous.

After all… there is safety in numbers.

When everyone did it, no one would look like the problem.

When Qiao Yitong finished her bowl of Coconut Fish and returned, what she saw was a clean pot and two clean bowls.

There was also one satisfied face and one resentful face.

She could probably guess what had happened.

Before she could speak, the satisfied Lu Cheng immediately stood up and took the bowl from her hand. “Sister Tong, go rest. Leave the rest to me.”

On the Deserted Island, they needed to maintain their living environment themselves, and he had always done a good job of that.

As he took the pot and bowls and prepared to clean up the leftovers, Deng You looked at his gauze-wrapped hands and said speechlessly, “Fine, go do whatever you need to do. I’ll handle the rest.”

Lu Cheng looked at Deng You, raised an eyebrow, and very unceremoniously handed everything over. He even added with a grin, “You’re actually a pretty good guy.”

Deng You’s mouth twitched. “Heh.”

Lu Cheng was incredibly thick-skinned. “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll remember this favor. I’ll definitely pay you back when I get the chance.”

“The best way to pay me back is to not eat so fast the next time we have a meal,” Deng You said sarcastically.

“That’s not happening,” Lu Cheng denied immediately.

“Then you’re talking nonsense,” Deng You said.

Lu Cheng laughed exceptionally happily.

That was right. Other things could be discussed, but trying to snatch the food Sister Tong made from his mouth? No way!

His appearance caused a period of silence among the viewers in front of their screens.

• We never expected you to be this kind of Lu Cheng! –

Lu Cheng’s original fans were even more embarrassed, clutching their foreheads. Was it too late to unfollow him?

They didn’t want to be humiliated along with him.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Deng You’s mood was more peaceful than ever before. It turned out that the happiness of eating a delicious meal could be so powerful.

It was so strong that the sky seemed bluer and the sea clearer.

Even Shisan and the others nearby looked more pleasing to the eye. As he walked, his feet felt like they were floating on happiness.

Humming an out-of-tune little song, he buried the fish bones and washed the pot and bowls.

Just as he was about to head back, he ran right into Ding Yao, who had come to fetch water.

“Oh, what are you eating that’s made you so happy?” Ding Yao asked snidely.

“Jealous? You can only smell it, not eat it.” Deng You’s mood had brightened, and he didn’t mind sparing a few extra words for Ding Yao.

Ding Yao’s chest heaved for a moment.

He remained silent as he prepared to brush past Deng You.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to snap back, but rather… Deng You was right.

He really was jealous.

Because of that, he couldn’t even find the words to argue.

Instead of staying here to be insulted, it was better to leave quickly. At least the fruit in his hand could still fill his stomach. Once he was completely full, he probably wouldn’t crave that Coconut Fish so much anymore.

As Ding Yao was thinking this, he had only taken two steps when he suddenly heard Deng You call out.

“Wait a minute,” Deng You shouted.

Ding Yao stopped in his tracks, his voice thick with impatience. “Are you still not finished?”

Deng You’s brow was furrowed deeply as he looked at Ding Yao. “That fruit you’re holding is poisonous. You can’t eat it.”

Ding Yao stared at him.

He looked at the fruit in his hand with some confusion. After a moment of stunned silence, he sneered. “I say, Deng You, your tactics are a bit too low-class. What? You guys can eat the same fruit, but we can’t?”

Hearing this, Deng You understood immediately. He gave him a mocking look. “I knew it. You can’t tell what’s edible and what’s not on your own, so you came over here to copy our homework, didn’t you?”

Having been exposed, Ding Yao felt a surge of humiliated rage.

“What do you mean ‘copying your homework’? Brother Shisan told us about these,” Ding Yao said.

“Then Shisan is trash too,” Deng You cursed bluntly. “Wait right there for a second.”

After packing away the pot and bowls, he picked up a Cryptospina Fruit from the ground that belonged to him. He walked over to Ding Yao and tossed it to him. “Take a good look. What’s the difference between the navel of this fruit and yours?”

Ding Yao looked at the two fruits suspiciously, then said dismissively, “One has six segments, the other has five. Other than that, they’re identical. Is there a problem?”

“No problem. At most, you’ll die after eating the six-segmented one, while you won’t with the five-segmented one. Of course, if you want to test the poison with your own body, I have no objection,” Deng You said nonchalantly.

Though his tone was casual, his words made Ding Yao instantly tense up and grow wary.

“Are you telling the truth?” Ding Yao asked cautiously.

“Sister Tong told me. Believe it or not, it’s up to you.” Deng You was no longer willing to talk. He turned to leave. “That fruit is yours. Consider it repayment for that half-can of food from before.”

Having said his piece, he truly did turn and walk away with a swagger.

Ding Yao watched Deng You walk back, his eyes flickering rapidly with a mix of shock and uncertainty.

Qiao Yitong said it.

Right, that was Qiao Yitong!

Once that voice spoke in his mind, Ding Yao panicked. He quickly threw away the six-segmented fruit and rubbed the hand that had held it against his clothes repeatedly, terrified that some toxin might have actually rubbed off on him.

Yes, after the past few days of verification, he understood clearly now.

What Shisan said couldn’t be trusted.

Qiao Yitong was the only one who truly knew what she was doing!

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Translator’s Notes

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1. death by a thousand cuts: A reference to ‘lingchi’ (凌迟), a historical form of execution in China used for the most serious crimes. It involved the methodical removal of portions of the body over an extended period. Here, it is used hyperbolically to emphasize the precision and speed of Qiao Yitong’s knife skills. ↩
2. Haste makes no Coconut Fish: A play on the Chinese proverb ‘Haste makes no bean curd’ (心急吃不了热豆腐), which literally translates to ‘one cannot eat hot tofu if they are in a hurry.’ It serves as a reminder that quality results—or in this case, a delicious meal—require patience. ↩
3. first bird to fly: Refers to the proverb ‘the bird that sticks its head out gets shot’ (qiang da chu tou niao). It reflects a social strategy of avoiding being the first to act or stand out to escape individual blame or targeted criticism. ↩