Chapter 108 - 107: She Has a Water Vat Full of Fish
Chapter 108: Chapter 107: She Has a Water Vat Full of Fish
Zou Li’s words made Qin Yutian’s consistently good-natured expression freeze.
[Is this Zou Li deliberately targeting Zhi Zhi?]
[What targeting? This counts as targeting? Zou Li and Lu Lu have been friends for years, interacting on Weibo for a long time. Lu Lu got the fish from the task, giving it to Zou Li seems completely normal, doesn’t it?]
[Though, still… no one mentioned wanting your fish, have they?!]
Ji Xizhi heard Zou Li call her out, and she casually lifted her eyes.
Calmly she retorted, “Why should I mind?”
Zou Li’s provocative voice choked.
But before she could speak further,
Ji Xizhi walked over to a water tank outside the courtyard. She rolled up the wide sleeves on her arms, revealing a section of fair skin. She deftly scooped a hand into the water, and when it emerged, there was a lively, jumping fat fish in it.
“My fish are here.”
The filming PD also smartly zoomed the camera into the water tank, where three or four fat carps were swishing their tails, swimming around.
[I’m dying of laughter! Zhi Zhi has practically monopolized the fish pond, what’s one more fish to her?]
[??? Where did she get the fish?! Did I miss something again, oh heavens!!!]
[No way, no way, is there anyone who doesn’t know it’s a bad idea to leave Ji Xizhi’s live stream hahaha~]
Zou Li looked bewildered watching Ji Xizhi catch fish barehanded from the water tank.
The fish were still wriggling vivaciously, and her gaze faltered.
Startled, she turned to look at Zhong Yulu.
Zhong Yulu couldn’t respond immediately.
Instinctively, she turned to Director Wang: “Director Wang, were these fish also exchanged with the show’s team?”
Fish cost 500 points each to exchange. Ji Xizhi had already paid for the room, her points wouldn’t be enough to exchange even one fish, how could she suddenly have so many?!
Director Wang, who was asked, also stared wide-eyed and speechless at Ji Xizhi catching fish.
These are crucial ingredients delivered by the aunt earlier that afternoon. He was writing a plan then, and Ji Xizhi kept a few fish delivered by the aunt in the courtyard’s water tank.
When he finished writing, the aunt had left, things were accepted, and he couldn’t stop her!
Director Wang felt the plan in his pocket weigh heavily.
He squeezed his voice out from between clenched teeth and replied, “No, she earned the fish herself.”
Zhong Yulu felt even more surprised upon hearing it wasn’t exchanged with the show’s team.
If it wasn’t exchanged, could it be Ji Xizhi went out for a task in the afternoon?
Impossible! Ji Xizhi doesn’t look like someone who went out for a task!
Zhong Yulu’s head was full of thoughts, but she couldn’t sort them out, yet the frustration in her chest kept building.
She couldn’t understand why Ji Xizhi always had good fortune, maybe it’s divine help?
Just when Zhong Yulu wanted to pursue the details, Qin Yutian interrupted her questioning first.
“Wow! Sister Zhi Zhi, you’re too amazing!!!”
At first, Qin Yutian was extremely worried when he heard Zou Li and Ji Xizhi competing for ingredients. He wouldn’t have caused trouble for Sister Zhi Zhi if he hadn’t asked for fish soup.
Yet he hadn’t expected Sister Zhi to be so powerful, owning a tank full of fish.
Qin Yutian was so pleased he almost wanted to scream.
Ji Xizhi saw Qin Yutian so excited, she simply went down for another catch.
Holding two extremely plump fish, she entered the kitchen.
Qin Yutian followed closely behind Ji Xizhi.
The live stream viewers watched eagerly.
[I don’t know if I should say this, but when the little brother cheered earlier, Zhi Zhi added another fish as well. I’m hooked, the elegant beautiful genius sister with the cute admirable little brother! Xiqin CP—I’m obsessed!]
[Calm down, stand in line! Currently, the first tier is Zhifa CP, the second is Yuqi CP and Jixi CP battling it out, as for the third… the Antarctic Circle cult CP won’t be mentioned for now!]
[It’s not impossible to cut in line; if Qin Yutian can get into Qing University Law School, Xiqin CP might squeeze into the first tier!]
[? Even the Bodhisattva would ask you to choose a different wish! Aim for something more realistic, like hoping Little Brother becomes a top influencer next year!]
In the chat, Qin Yutian’s fans looked at everyone’s discussion.
Suddenly they felt Qin Yutian’s chance of becoming a top influencer next year seemed quite promising!
Ji Xizhi led Qin Yutian into the kitchen, while Bai Xing casually followed them.
Seeing Ji Xizhi take away two male guests, Zou Li’s face turned cold.
Zhong Yulu was also somewhat annoyed, but upon seeing Zou Li’s expression beside her, she suddenly remembered the live camera and forced a smile, softly coaxing Zou Li, “Ah Li, let me cook braised fish for you!”
Saying this, Zhong Yulu went over to Director Wang, handing over the fish exchange card.
“Director Wang, we’d like to exchange a fish.”
The show’s team quickly delivered a plate of cleaned fish.
However, the fish from the show’s exchange was nothing like the fat fish carefully chosen by the aunt that Ji Xizhi had.
Fish from the show were purchased casually from the market, average in size, whereas Ji Xizhi’s were better in size and freshness.
Facing such a direct comparison, Zhong Yulu felt increasingly agitated.
Guan Fengyan chuckled to ease the situation, “You young folks are awesome; I still haven’t finished the market tasks. Truly, one cannot defy age!”
Beside him, Sheng Yaoyao softly teased, “Uncle Yan, you’re the forever young idol! Tomorrow, tomorrow you’ll complete the task!”
Seeing Sheng Yaoyao speak, Zhong Yulu’s demeanor finally softened a bit, she said, “Yes, Sister Yaoyao, Uncle Yan, if tomorrow doesn’t work, we’ll all help you find it! Rest assured, tonight’s braised fish will certainly include you both!”
–
With eight people, they needed a lot of ingredients; naturally, other guests wouldn’t just leave it to Ji Xizhi and Zhong Yulu alone.
Each exchanged some ingredients and went into the kitchen.
In the countryside, they mostly used traditional clay stoves, and Guan Fengyan, being older, had used such stoves before and volunteered to oversee the fire.
He burned two large iron pans, unhurried, controlling the fire excellently.
Live stream fans were full of admiration.
[Uncle Yan is incredible; I’ve only seen such clay stoves at my grandpa’s place; I tried it once and got completely choked!]
Ji Xizhi and Zhong Yulu cooked separately.
Although they used the same ingredients, their methods were totally different.
Zhong Yulu’s fish was already handled by the fish seller at the market, and its belly was basically cleaned.
Ji Xizhi’s fish was alive, but hadn’t been processed, making it tricky to handle.
Ji Xizhi tossed the two fish she grabbed onto the cutting board, and soon they were wriggling, startling several guests.
Zou Li, standing beside Zhong Yulu, feared these wriggling creatures the most.
Watching the fish on Ji Xizhi’s cutting board, her face turned pale, but seeing Ji Xizhi’s flawless profile, she felt even more annoyed.
Partly annoyed that Ji Xizhi was so beautiful—just why would she choose the wrong person and interfere with others?!—Partly angry at Zhong Yulu’s behalf.
Resolute, Zou Li intended to use the fish on the cutting board to disparage, “Ji Xizhi, do you just like being like this fish…”—jumping around everywhere!
Zou Li hadn’t finished her last four words when there was a “thunk.”
A wide and sharp knife thudded heavily onto a fish head, Ji Xizhi’s fair hand calmly gripping the knife handle. It was an old-fashioned iron kitchen knife, large and thick, usually a challenge for most women to wield, yet Ji Xizhi held it effortlessly.
She lifted her wrist, moved the blade aside, and the fat fish that had been squirming below instantly stopped its struggle.
Zou Li’s words were directly cut off, her face turning even paler.
Doing it on purpose, wasn’t she?!
Zou Li raised her voice, “Ji Xizhi, you…!”
“Bang,” came another sound.
Ji Xizhi struck with another swipe, and the second fish joined its companion.
Zou Li: “…”
Ji Xizhi finished handling the two fish before turning to Zou Li who had spoken to her.
“What’s the matter? What were you saying?”
Ji Xizhi had just stunned two fish, and her knife had just been lifted, so she asked Zou Li while holding the heavy iron kitchen knife.
The knife seemed extra sharp against the kitchen light, especially with the fishy smell emanating from the blade.
Zou Li swallowed and said, “I was saying you seem to like these fish, your fish-slaying technique is impressive!”