Chapter 57
Chapter 57
"Somehow this red broth looks really dangerous..."
Kakayan's lips parted slightly, and the rolling scarlet waves were reflected in her bright eyes.
The crimson oil bubbled like lava in a volcano, crackling and hissing, and the rising steam carried an ominous warning that stung her nose.
"The meat that comes out of this broth is the real delicacy."
With solemn authority, Jiang Li lifted his chopsticks and fished out a slice of tripe.
Fresh from the pot, the tripe was glazed with ruby-colored chili oil; every fold brimmed with crimson sauce, and its aroma drew an invisible thread straight to the nostrils.
Jiang Li blew on it twice, then popped it into his mouth. The flavor was so addictive he nearly groaned.
How long had it been since he'd tasted spice?
He'd almost forgotten what it felt like.
During his years in the other world he'd swallowed plenty of bitterness, but hardly any heat.
One bite, and it was as if the chili he'd missed for three whole years had suddenly caught up with him.
Because... this was spicy.
Just how many peppers had gone into this pot?
His tongue tingled, but Jiang Li's face stayed perfectly calm.
Not because he had iron self-control.
If he showed how much the spice hurt, he was afraid Kakayan wouldn't dare try it.
If the cautious Witch Miss decided red-broth food was too dangerous, she'd stick to the safe white broth next to it and never risk the scarier stuff.
Then his video would lose a lot of its best material.
No—he had to trick Kakayan into tasting the spicy pot.
Jiang Li chewed the tripe thoroughly, swallowed, and took a slow sip of cola from his cup.
His brows snapped together.
Disaster.
It was room temperature.
Across the table, Kakayan sat frozen, staring at Jiang Li with something close to horror as he ate from the red pot.
"What does it taste like?" she blurted out.
"How to put it..." Jiang Li cleared his throat for effect, and a wave of chili heat scorched his airway, forcing him to clear it again.
"It's delicious." He gave a thumbs-up.
"What does it feel like when you eat it?"
"Like a goddess has you by the throat."
"...?"
"You'll understand once you try."
With that, Jiang Li scooped another piece of beef from the pot.
The red broth was punishingly hot, yet somehow the more you ate, the more you wanted.
Jiang Li had never been a spice lover, but once his taste buds woke up, he couldn't stop.
He glanced at Kakayan. She had shifted a fraction toward the red broth, eyes darting, clearly still conflicted.
Anything red just screamed danger to the subconscious.
"If you're not eating it, I'm finishing it," he said, mimicking her tone.
He lifted a spoon, ladled a little of the crimson base, and sipped delicately.
The burn felt like Grandma Rong jabbing needles into his tongue.
Beside him, Kakayan watched his "blissful" expression with open suspicion.
After a moment she exhaled, lifted her chopsticks with ceremonial care, and plucked a slice of tripe from the red broth.
The hiss as it emerged made her freeze.
She looked at Jiang Li. "Is this really good?"
"Would I lie to you?"
"..."
Slowly she brought the chopsticks to her lips, blew once, tilted her chin, and took a tentative bite.
Halfway through the swallow, her throat seemed to lock.
Suddenly she slammed her chopsticks on the table, grabbed the cola at her elbow, and tipped her head back to drain the cup.
Judging by her expression, the flavor had more than satisfied; Jiang Li relaxed.
"Tastes great, right?"
He smiled mildly.
Kakayan dabbed chili oil from her lips with a tissue, then glared at him with genuine fury.
Her delicate face was flushed, her lower lip caught between her teeth, red and glistening—outrageously cute.
She opened her mouth, ready to unleash the cruelest words she knew.
Then she smacked her lips, and a strange aftertaste spread across her tongue.
The tripe had hit like molten rock—scorching, painful—but once it slid down, her tongue tingled as if dormant taste buds had suddenly awakened.
The flavor was... magical.
She watched Jiang Li slip another steaming slice of meat into his mouth; his brows drew together and then relaxed into clear enjoyment.
Hesitating only a moment, Kakayan lifted her chopsticks again and plunged them into the red broth, sending up a spray of oil.
The dark base looked more like red oil than soup; the meat inside quivered in the heat.
Eating this would make your mouth hurt.
Not the kind of pain you hated, but the kind you... liked.
Liked?
Her thoughts scattered; she had no words for what she was feeling.
She speared another slice of beef, glossy with chili, and sniffed it. Spice and fragrance flooded her nose.
Decision made, she opened her cherry-red mouth and popped the meat inside.
With a small gulp the beef—and its ruby oil—slid down to her stomach.
"Whoa... this taste..."
"That's spice." Jiang Li refilled her cola. "See? I wasn't lying— it's delicious."
Kakayan didn't answer. She turned away and gave an almost inaudible hmph.
She realized now that Jiang Li had kept quiet about the flavor on purpose, just to see her reaction.
Watching the faint smirk at the corner of his mouth made her inexplicably irritated.
Despicable modern human, using her for entertainment.
And he'd film it all to share with strangers online.
Jiang Li—shameless, vulgar, pervert.
Kakayan lifted her chopsticks: she would eat every last slice of meat in this pot.
This was the witch's revenge on the Hero!
"Ugh... so spicy."
Jiang Li fanned his mouth; with Kakayan already initiated, there was no need to keep acting.
He gulped cola and exhaled hard, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Room-temperature soda did nothing against the burn.
Kakayan saw Jiang Li's scrunched brows and the thin sheen of sweat, and felt a small surge of satisfaction.
This idiot had pretended to be unfazed just to trick her into eating chili.
Fool.
Thinking that, Kakayan couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at her lips.
She held out her hand. "Give me your cup."
"What for? You still have cola."
"Hand it over."
Jiang Li passed her the half-empty cup.
When she returned it, the glass was suddenly ice-cold; even the bubbles looked livelier.
Jiang Li blinked, then drank without hesitation.
"Ahhh..."
Nothing beat ice-cold soda for killing spice.
"If you don't eat faster, I'm finishing it all."
While Jiang Li cooled his mouth, Kakayan tucked her hair behind her ear and, with a decisive bite, sent another mouthful of hotpot into her mouth.
"Careful, it's hot."
"Hmph, I don't believe you."
...
...
Empty plates towered in precarious stacks along the edge of the table.
Jiang Li had finally hit his limit. He dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin, then reached for the phone propped on its stand.
On the screen, Kakayan was still attacking the hotpot with gusto, her small face glowing with pure enjoyment and bliss.
Jiang Li had a hunch—this clip was going to go viral.