Chapter 21: Don’t You Dare Abandon Me Once We Leave the Island…

Qiao Yitong had no idea that simply prepping a fish would cause such a massive stir.

Since arriving in this world, she hadn’t personally handled food even once. Given the significant differences between the two worlds, she still felt a bit… out of practice.

For instance, right now, she hadn’t even removed the fish bones.

However, no one here seemed to mind much.

With that thought, Qiao Yitong skillfully skewered the two fish onto wooden sticks that Lu Cheng had sharpened earlier.

With no other seasonings on hand, the only thing available was the Horned Bamboo¹ she had just acquired.

After a moment’s thought, she shaved two small slices from the hanging Horned Bamboo and tucked them into the bellies of the fish.

Then, she began to roast the two fish over the fire.

The best way to use Horned Bamboo was to dry it and grind it into a powder before adding it to food. Having just found it, she didn’t have time for that process, so she had to use it as it was.

It would still provide a decent flavor boost.

Qiao Yitong calculated the timing, her Spiritual Power circulating as she sensed the external environment.

She precisely judged the temperature and intensity of the flames, then naturally placed the two skewered fish over the heat to roast.

Both sea fish contained a fair amount of oil. Qiao Yitong monitored the changes in the fish, first rendering the fat until it coated their entire bodies, then moving them over the hottest part of the fire.

The skin tightened under the heat, gradually turning an enticing golden brown as the oil sizzled evenly across the surface.

Inside the bellies, the fragrance of the Horned Bamboo began to permeate the meat under the roasting heat, seeping into every fiber of the fish.

The fish was almost ready.

The aroma of the roasted fish wafted out. Lu Cheng, who had been sitting there still reeling from his brush with death, couldn’t help but be drawn in by the scent.

His gaze landed on the two fish over the fire.

Then, he unconsciously swallowed.

It smelled so good…

Saliva flooded Lu Cheng’s mouth. His eyes were fixed on the two roasting fish, as if his very soul were being lured away.

How, how could roasted fish smell this good? I want to eat it!

Lu Cheng had already stood up without realizing it, inching closer to Qiao Yitong.

Qiao Yitong glanced at him and said, “Wait two minutes.”

The fish was edible now, but it wasn’t at its peak. Since she was doing it herself, Qiao Yitong wouldn’t allow herself to produce an inferior product.

Those two minutes felt agonizingly long to Lu Cheng.

Similarly, Lu Cheng wasn’t the only one suffering through the wait; the viewers in front of their screens were also in torment.

“Holy crap, that fish looks so fragrant and delicious.”

“Golden brown on the outside – that’s the fish of my dreams!”

“Qiao Yitong’s hands are so steady while she’s roasting! Her timing for flipping them is perfect. Dammit, I haven’t eaten yet. I’m starving. I’ve already opened a delivery app to see if anyone sells roasted fish!”

This was the first wave of hungry souls seduced by the two fish.

When the two minutes were up, Qiao Yitong removed the Horned Bamboo from the bellies, handed one fish to Lu Cheng, and began to eat the other herself. The bullet chat exploded.

After Lu Cheng took the fish, he was too impatient to wait for it to cool. He gave it a quick blow and immediately took a bite.

Crunch. The crispiness of the skin exploded between his teeth. The charred aroma, combined with the natural freshness of the sea fish, spread through his mouth and lingered.

Beneath that crispy skin, the white, tender meat remained succulent. With a gentle press of his tongue, it practically melted in his mouth.

The fish was tender and juicy, accompanied by the unique, rich fragrance of the Horned Bamboo. A complex, layered flavor profile spread through Lu Cheng’s palate.

This taste was divine!

It was so good that Lu Cheng felt as if there were a literal hunger demon in his stomach, desperate to snatch the meat down the moment it touched his tongue.

But the moment he swallowed, he felt a wave of regret. Why hadn’t he let the meat stay in his mouth a little longer so he could savor the deliciousness bit by bit?

He feasted greedily!

A survival variety show had suddenly turned into a mukbang.

“Slurp – Dammit! Watching Lu Cheng eat is making me so hungry. That fish looks incredible. Now I want some too.”

“To the person above, I had the foresight to go downstairs and order roasted fish the moment Qiao Yitong started prepping hers. Mine is about to be served.”

“Help, why am I watching this on an empty stomach? He makes it look so good. The kid must have been starving after a few days on the island.”

“I don’t think it’s just hunger. That fish really looks delicious. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! Even with all the right equipment, it’s rare to find a shop that can roast a fish like that. Not to mention she’s doing it over an open fire, where the temperature is the hardest to judge!”

“I’ll tell you something crazy. My family runs a roasted fish shop, and our orders suddenly spiked. My dad didn’t know why, so I showed him the video of Qiao Yitong roasting the fish. Do you know what he said?”

“Don’t leave us hanging, what did he say?”

“My dad said: ‘To roast a fish to that level, you’d need at least ten years of professional experience. It’s impossible otherwise!'”

“…That’s a bit of an exaggeration. How old is she? Ten years ago she would’ve been thirteen? She started practicing then? And then she spent all that time in the entertainment industry?”

“Believe it or not, those were my dad’s exact words. We have to admit, there really are geniuses in this world who excel at whatever they do.”

“Alright, you guys keep talking. I’m going out to find some roasted fish. This is lethal. Watching them eat snails in the Main Live Stream the past two days made me lose my appetite, but these two fish today have cured me.”

Qiao Yitong’s meal caused a sudden boom in business for many roasted fish shops.

The shop owners, who hadn’t seen the stream and had no idea what was happening, happily accepted the unexpected windfall falling from the sky.

Back on the island, Lu Cheng had polished off an entire grilled fish in a mere five minutes. Once the bones were picked clean and left bare on the side, he looked at Qiao Yitong expectantly. It was obvious he hadn’t had his fill and wanted more.

Qiao Yitong glanced at him, reading his mind instantly.

“Too much of a good thing is as bad as too little²,” she said, her six words immediately crushing Lu Cheng’s little scheme.

He instantly wilted like a dejected puppy, hanging his head.

Then he heard her continue, “You can have more tomorrow.”

Lu Cheng perked up again, his head snapping up with renewed energy.

The lingering terror of his recent brush with death had vanished. He found it hard to believe that a single meal could have such a healing effect.

Once Qiao Yitong finished her fish, Lu Cheng skillfully cleared the remains. He buried the bones and tidied the surrounding area until everything was spotless.

The time after a full meal was the most peaceful and comfortable.

As the sky gradually darkened, the fire before them became the brightest source of light.

Sitting by the flames, Lu Cheng couldn’t stop the day’s events from flashing through his mind.

The image of Qiao Yitong suddenly appearing just as the seawater submerged him and the fear of death took hold was an image he couldn’t shake.

And now, the sense of happiness from the grilled fish lingering on his palate filled him with contentment.

All of this was thanks to Qiao Yitong.

As Lu Cheng looked at her, his gaze held more than just his usual admiration; there was now a weight of deeper, more profound emotion.

“Sister Yitong, how do you know how to do everything? And why are you so good at all of it?” Lu Cheng murmured, lost in thought.

From the moment they set out together until now, the abilities Qiao Yitong had displayed were simply too formidable. By comparison, he felt like a complete waste of space, which led to his involuntary sigh of wonder.

His question echoed the thoughts of everyone watching the screen.

They were dying to know who Qiao Yitong really was. It seemed as though there wasn’t a single thing in the world she couldn’t do.

Qiao Yitong looked at Lu Cheng and said calmly, “For survival, I suppose.”

It was the truth.

The world she came from was nothing like this resource-rich world. There, if you wanted to survive, you had to master every possible skill, or you would be eliminated by the brutal competition.

To her, it was perfectly natural, so she spoke the words with total composure.

However, Lu Cheng and the viewers behind the screens fell into a collective silence upon hearing her answer.

For survival…

Just how harsh had Qiao Yitong’s past environment been?

Wasn’t she supposed to be a glamorous big-name star?

Lu Cheng was stunned by her nonchalant remark, his expression shifting through a complex array of emotions.

He turned his gaze aside, and after a long pause, he asked, “Sister Yitong, what do you plan to do once you leave this show?”

Qiao Yitong pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees.

Hearing the question, she thought for a moment and said coolly, “Find two people. Get revenge.”

Lu Cheng: ?

The netizens: [????????]

Wen Bojun: ?!!!

Lu Cheng didn’t let the seemingly melodramatic word “revenge” cloud his judgment. After spending the last two days with her, he was certain that Qiao Yitong’s current situation was fraught with hidden difficulties.

Hearing this now didn’t surprise him at all.

“Then, Sister Tong, I’ll help you. I’ll do everything in my power.”

Qiao Yitong was busy sorting through the memories left behind by the original Qiao Yitong and didn’t answer.

When no response came, Lu Cheng suddenly grew anxious, even a bit panicked. “Sister Yitong, you aren’t planning to ignore me after the show ends, are you? Please don’t. Sister Yitong, believe me, I really can help you. My resources go way beyond just that account with a million followers. My family is…”

At that point, Lu Cheng suddenly remembered there were cameras and microphones hidden somewhere.

He swallowed the rest of his words but remained stubborn. “Anyway, Sister Tong, just trust me. If anything happens, I can definitely help. Just don’t discard me once we leave the island, okay?”

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Translator’s Notes

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1. Horned Bamboo: Translated from ‘Jiaozhu’ (角竺), this appears to be a fictional or genre-specific plant used as a seasoning. The name implies a bamboo-like structure with horn-like properties or appearance. In the context of the story, it functions similarly to a potent spice or ginger-like aromatic that requires drying and grinding for optimal use. ↩
2. Too much of a good thing is as bad as too little: A translation of the Chinese idiom ‘guoyubuji’ (过犹不及), which literally means ‘going beyond is as bad as falling short.’ It reflects the Confucian principle of the Middle Way, suggesting that excess is just as undesirable as deficiency. ↩