Night had fallen, and a full moon hung high in the sky.
Moonlight spilled onto the flowing waters, casting a silvery glow over the waves.
On the deck of the Alcor.
"Potba, breathe fire!" A girl's spirited shout rang out.
Flames burst onto the iron wok, and the Jueyun Chilies and lean meat inside sizzled, releasing a spicy and tantalizing aroma.
Xiangling gripped the spatula, constantly stirring the ingredients in the wok. The golden-brown slices of meat paired perfectly with the Jueyun Chilies—like a match made in heaven!
"As expected, chilies with intense heat bring out the most aromatic flavors."
Beidou sniffed the scent, already feeling her mouth water from the explosive fragrance wafting out after the stir-fry.
"Ahem... Not bad for the big sis. She can handle something this spicy!"
"I can only eat stir-fried meat slices mixed into rice to mask the heat."
"Only the big sis loves such heavy flavors."
Old Zhao and the other sailors grumbled one after another.
Even Ye Xi, drawn by the smell, couldn't help but cough a little.
It was just too pungent!
He never imagined stir-fried meat slices could pack such a punch!
In the game, stir-fried meat slices could revive a character with one HP left!
But if someone on their last breath actually ate this to "revive," they'd probably breathe their final breath right after!
Stir-fried meat slices, served hot—!
Xiangling plated the dish and eagerly brought it to Ye Xi, boasting, "This is a signature dish from Wanmin Restaurant! It's a must-order for customers who love bold flavors! Ye Xi, give it a try!"
Ye Xi forced a bitter smile. All day long, Xiangling hadn't stopped, insisting on letting him sample every dish from Wanmin Restaurant!
Of course, he only took one bite per dish, leaving the rest for the others on the ship.
Reluctantly, Ye Xi picked up a slice of meat and popped it into his mouth. Instantly, a wave of spiciness hit him.
[Hiss—This is way too good with rice...]
[It tastes great, but tomorrow might be rough.]
[Better not overdo it.]
But Ye Xi wouldn't say anything so tactless. Instead, he pretended to enjoy it and smiled. "It's pretty good. If I eat it once in a while, I'd definitely stop by Wanmin Restaurant for a taste."
Hearing Ye Xi's inner thoughts, Xiangling's heart bloomed with joy.
She had been testing to see if his heart voice was always genuine.
Sure enough, even with this extra-spicy dish, he resisted inwardly.
Resisting in his heart but praising it on his lips without exaggeration.
What a gentle guy.
But if she couldn't hear his heart voice, she wouldn't have known his true feelings at all!
Being able to hear Ye Xi's thoughts was truly fascinating!
Now that she'd made all of Wanmin Restaurant's signature dishes, her goal was achieved.
With a clap of her hands, Xiangling announced, "Alright! I declare today's tasting session a perfect success!"
The surrounding crew and sailors cheered.
Old Zhao came over to Ye Xi's side and sighed, "Ye Xi, kid, you're really something else. I've never seen Xiangling work this hard to cook for just one person!"
The nearby Hailong nodded hurriedly too. "Yeah, I don't get it. Why was Xiangling so motivated today? She made every single good dish from Wanmin Restaurant just for you!"
"We all benefited from your luck today, Ye Xi! Xiangling usually doesn't make this many varieties! Brothers, you've got some real fortune coming your way!"
"Ye Xi's got some magic touch. The big sis recognizes him so much— they just met today, and they're already this close. It's enviable!"
"I bet Xiangling's taken a liking to Ye Xi. After all, our Ye Xi is dashing as a jade tree in the wind. It's only natural for Xiangling to fall for him!"
At that point, everyone suddenly fell silent.
They all knew what happened today: Inazuma's White Heron Princess had exchanged tokens with Ye Xi, clearly showing an unusual bond.
Joking around now would be reading the room wrong.
But Xiangling didn't know about it.
Hearing everyone say that, she sneaked a glance at Ye Xi's face, and her cheeks flushed red.
Truth be told, someone as handsome as Ye Xi was one of the few in all of Liyue.
Even if there were others, none treated her cooking with such sincerity!
Seeing Xiangling fidgeting shyly, Beidou understood immediately and pretended to ponder. "The brothers are right. Xiangling, you're at that age where marriage is on the table. Why not give it some thought?"
With the big sis leading the teasing, everyone caught on right away.
They all started chiming in.
"Xiangling, don't waste that cooking talent of yours!"
"I knew there was a reason Xiangling was working so hard today. Turns out—"
"Hahaha, Ye Xi, brother, you're in for a treat from now on! Eating Wanmin Restaurant's dishes every day at home— who knows how many people would envy that!"
The teasing turned Xiangling's face beet red on the spot.
"Big Sis Beidou!"
She pouted coquettishly. "You haven't even found someone yourself—I'm not in a rush!"
Beidou hadn't expected to get counterattacked like that and could only smile wryly in defeat.
Everyone on the ship was from the Crux Fleet, of course they sided with Beidou. They kept fanning the flames, leaving Xiangling flushed and too embarrassed to stay.
So she grabbed Ye Xi's arm. "Ye Xi, let's go—ignore them!"
With that, she dragged him away from the group.
They arrived at the empty bow of the ship, where Xiangling quickened her pace to walk ahead of Ye Xi.
At this hour, no one was at the bow, and the torches had all been taken below deck.
Moonlight quietly bathed the scene, outlining Xiangling's figure with a glowing halo.
On closer look, it was because her skin was so fair that even the moonlight left a faint sheen on it.
The sea breeze whispered, the ship rocked gently, and the sound of waves filled the ears.
Xiangling crossed her arms and stretched lazily, showing off her youthful charm.
"Whew, for you today, I've used up every last bit of my strength!"
"It's been ages since I worked this hard. Finishing everything once over feels so refreshing."
Ye Xi: ???
[Finishing everything once over?]
[She means cooking, right!]