CH 53

After several consecutive cooking live streams, Lu Jingqian attracted some viewers who were interested in martial arts. They purely came to appreciate Lu Jingqian’s cooking process and felt he achieved impressive effects through live streaming, which in itself was a remarkable feat.

Moreover, even though they couldn’t taste the dishes he made through the screen, just watching them made their appetites soar. So those who specifically came to watch Lu Jingqian perform his cooking skills were eager for him to do more live streams.

Each time Lu Jingqian live-streamed, the number of viewers would skyrocket, surpassing other concurrent live streams and ranking higher each time. Because the people who criticized him hadn’t left, and the number of those who genuinely enjoyed watching him cook kept growing.

When the original host’s grandfather bought this mountain, he also acquired the lake below it. The lake was filled with fish and shrimp, all of which were wild.

Lu Jingqian built a wooden shed boat and live-streamed fishing on it. He made his own fishing rod from bamboo and crafted his own bait. With plenty of fish in the lake and no previous fishing activity, it was relatively easy to catch them.

The calm and mirror-like surface of the lake reflected the surrounding mountains like a painting. The whole lake had only one wooden shed boat parked in the middle as if it were a scene created with special effects. Photography enthusiasts were very curious about why Lu Jingqian’s camera captured such beautiful images.

After the aerial camera circled the entire lake as a panoramic shot, the lens slowly zoomed in, and the image revealed Lu Jingqian sitting on the boat with a fishing rod in hand.

Suddenly, Lu Jingqian stood up and vigorously swung the bamboo rod. A fish weighing about two to three pounds was pulled out of the water, creating a splash before gracefully landing in the boat.

Lu Jingqian took out the fish hook and placed the fish into a hanging basket in the water next to the boat. Then he put on a new bait and continued fishing.

Fishing enthusiasts knew how strong fish could be in the water, so seeing Lu Jingqian catch a sizable fish with just a bamboo rod already astonished them.

After catching three fish in a row, Lu Jingqian put away the fishing rod and prepared to make fish soup on the boat.

Those who had watched Lu Jingqian’s previous cooking live streams knew that he could skillfully handle a kitchen knife, even tossing it in the air. So when they saw him descaling and gutting the fish with fluid motions, sometimes so fast that they could only see the gleam of the blade, they were not surprised but rather observed and appreciated it carefully.

During his cooking, Lu Jingqian’s relatively small wooden boat didn’t sway at all, which made those martial arts enthusiasts even more certain that Lu Jingqian’s foundational skills were very solid.

After the fish soup was cooked, Lu Jingqian poured the creamy white and fragrant soup from the pot into a bowl. Then, holding the wooden bowl, he sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, sipping the warm fish soup while watching the reflection of the mountains and sky on the lake’s surface.

The viewers felt that he was truly living a secluded life cut off from the secular world. Most people wouldn’t be able to endure such a life, but he seemed so content and comfortable, evoking a sense of envy.

In today’s society, efficiency and speed are emphasized, and people experience significant pressures in their daily lives and work. The most significant relaxation in city life is just various forms of venting and entertainment. This kind of return to nature, forgetting about time and all worries, where there is only oneself between heaven and earth and nothing else matters, is the most important thing. Such a life is more healing compared to a short vacation in a mountain resort, making people both admire and envy him.

In the eyes of the viewers, Lu Jingqian’s live-streamed ‘miserable life’ appeared far from miserable. He not only knew how to plant and cook but also raised many animals, which reproduced continuously. This self-sustaining lifestyle could genuinely reduce a lot of stress but also required great courage.

Although the viewers felt deep admiration in their hearts, they lacked the courage to give up everything or the ability to live such a life well.

However, wanting to live such a life and actually living it were two different things. They admired and appreciated it while immersing themselves in it, imagining that Lu Jingqian was themselves. After watching the live stream, they felt greatly healed in their hearts, even better than the effects of antidepressant medication. As a result, the number of people who indulged in watching Lu Jingqian’s live streams to temporarily escape reality was increasing.

After finishing the fish soup, Lu Jingqian used a bamboo pole to paddle the boat back to the lakeshore. He bent down and pulled up the shrimp net he had set earlier in the day, finding several pounds of crayfish inside.

He poured the crayfish into another bamboo basket, hung the basket and the fish basket on the back of a cow, and rode the cow back home up the mountain.

The large black cow ambled along while Lu Jingqian sat sideways on its back, swaying along with the cow’s movements. Lu Jingqian took out a bamboo flute and started playing. The sun was already slanting, casting warm light on him. Accompanied by the melodious flute sound, it gave people a sense of a hermit and master.

Instead of returning to the mansion, Lu Jingqian rode the cow to the lotus pond beside the mountain. He placed the fish basket in the lotus pond and carried the basket with the crayfish into the wooden house next to the pond. There, in the small kitchen of the wooden house, he prepared a spicy crayfish1 dish.

He filled a large wooden plate with the cooked crayfish, walked to the wooden platform in the middle of the lotus pond, and, in between the lotus flowers and leaves, boldly started devouring the crayfish.

The setting sun cast its glow on his delicate and fair face, completely disregarding any semblance of proper eating etiquette. Yet, it made him appear real and adorable, unlike those who pretended to be refined and reserved while eating.

Sitting in the middle of the lotus pond and eating crayfish, it was truly the first time they had seen such a scene. However, they didn’t feel that this elegant beauty was being ruined by him at all. On the contrary, it made them feel as if he was a lotus spirit who had cultivated into human form and was secretly enjoying the crayfish. The image was incredibly adorable, making me involuntarily smile like a proud mother.

Lu Jingqian waved the crayfish in his hand toward the camera and said, “Today’s miserable life is over. I will give away thirty servings of crayfish. If you want to eat, apply on my homepage.”

Every time Lu Jingqian gave away food, he gained dozens of loyal fans. Although the number was not large, nor did it have much promotional effect on the deliciousness of the food he made. However, the food he currently shared served as bait. He was preparing to catch big fish.

The number of internet users who came to criticize Lu Jingqian did not decrease, but they always found themselves involuntarily immersed in watching the live stream. Only after the live stream ended did they remember that they had come to criticize him. However, like submitting a late assignment, they continued to leave comments cursing him beneath the concluding live stream footage.

However, Lu Jingqian now had quite a few fans. For those internet users who had been continuously insulting Lu Jingqian during his live streams, they felt they could no longer tolerate it and didn’t want to hold back any longer. They began to refute those people. Naturally, those who were refuted couldn’t just leave meekly. This sparked a heated war of words, and both sides argued fiercely.

[I don’t think it should be called a ‘miserable life’ live stream. It should be called a ‘healing life’ live stream, or a live stream of a hermit-like master. I can’t see any sense of misery at all. Honestly, I envy and admire you for having the courage and ability to live like this.]

[I think he intentionally calls it a ‘miserable life’ to mock those who want to see how miserable he is. He can cook and grow vegetables. He’s the kind of person who can survive and live well even if he’s thrown into the deep mountains. How could he be miserable?]

[I received the beef jerky he made last time, and even in my dreams, I’m still savoring that taste. It was simply too delicious! I really want him to sell it. If it’s available for purchase, I will work even harder to try and eat his beef jerky every day.]

[My older brother also received it, but he ate it all before I came home. I just licked the box and it tasted so good that I almost ate the box itself. Because my brother didn’t save any for me, we ended up having a fight. I hope I can apply for the crayfish this time.]

[How much money did you guys receive? You’re here blowing him up with praise. If his cooking is truly that good, would he run and hide in the mountains? It’s amazing how you can say anything when you’re paid.]

[Exactly! This kind of person actually has people speaking up for him for money. In the last competition, he injured Lan Mingze’s hand in order to win, and his own dish was heavily criticized by the judges. Now, all he can do is a few fancy knife skills, and there are so many people boasting about how delicious his food is.]

[You people are really interesting. Does his, live stream of his current life have anything to do with you? Who do you think you are, coming here every day to curse him? Did he kill your entire family? If you hate him so much, shouldn’t you have cursed enough by now?]

[This kind of person deserves to be scolded for the rest of their lives! Who let him do things that harm others? Being scolded is the punishment he must suffer!]

[I’ve always wanted to say, do you have any direct evidence to say that he injured Lan Mingze’s hand? Did someone witness it or was there any footage captured? Just because Lan Mingze, with his mouth alone, said that Lan Shaoxuan injured him, does it mean that Lan Shaoxuan actually did it?]

[Was it necessary for Lan Mingze to falsely accuse him? He still won the competition with an injured hand, and Lan Mingze even helped cover it up, saying it was an accident. You people really can’t distinguish right from wrong. Can’t he be criticized for the things he did wrong?]

[My sister has stopped taking her antidepressants. She just sits in front of the computer waiting for his live stream every day. If you keep cursing him and he stops doing live streams, I’ll fight with you people. If I can’t find you, I’ll go after Lan Mingze for revenge.]

[Lan Mingze’s crazy fans are terrifying. Last time, someone said that another chef’s dish was more delicious than what Lan Mingze made, and they chased that person, cursing them for over a month. They even went to that person’s family to curse them.]

[I also got attacked last time because I said that although these two are brothers, Lan Shaoxuan is much better looking than Lan Mingze. Even now, people are still leaving comments to curse me. Keep cursing, you crazy fans. Do you think everyone is afraid of you crazy fans?]

[Instead of polluting people’s eyes here, you crazy fans should go back to your idol’s place and contribute to the view count. The view count of Lan Mingze’s cooking live stream has been surpassed by a large margin by Lan Shaoxuan. Your idol must be furious, and you’re here contributing to someone else’s view count.]

Lan Mingze was indeed getting increasingly frustrated because the view count of his recent live streams kept decreasing while Lu Jingqian’s view count kept increasing. The gap between the two was slowly widening, and it started to create a psychological shadow on him regarding his live streams. He never expected Lu Jingqian to attract so many fans with just a few live streams. Although his own fan base didn’t decrease much, the fact that his fans were everywhere cursing people had brought him a lot of haters as well.

When Lan Mingze saw the hateful comments from those haters, he became so angry he threw his computer on the ground. He took deep breaths and slowly sat down. He felt a strong sense of crisis. He believed that Lan Shaoxuan would soon make a comeback, and he couldn’t just sit back and let him threaten him. He had to find a way to prevent him from ever making a comeback.

Lan Mingze grasped his hair tightly, desperately trying to come up with a solution.

Lu Jingqian woke up early and started his live stream, riding a bull towards the lotus pond. The viewers who were accustomed to seeing him leisurely riding the cow through the mountains found it relaxing and enjoyable.

Lu Jingqian brought the large wooden table and stove out of his wooden house and took out the fish basket that he had placed in the lotus pond yesterday. He took out one fish and put it back in. After simmering the fish soup, he began kneading the dough by the side of the lotus pond, preparing to make fish soup noodles for breakfast.

Lu Jingqian used Tai Chi movements to knead and beat the dough. The camera slowed down, clearly showing the flour dispersing in the air, and the dough becoming more elastic. When he started to pull the noodles, he skillfully waved and flipped his hands, throwing the noodles up high, creating a wave-like dance in the air, which grew longer and thinner.

The viewers watching the live stream were amazed, their mouths agape. They believed that Lu Jingqian must be truly skilled in martial arts to achieve such a feat. Not only were his movements captivating, but his strength and flexibility were also remarkable. It would be impossible without a solid foundation.

Lu Jingqian cooked the pulled noodles in a vegetable broth, then scooped them out and placed them in a wooden bowl filled with fish soup. The soup, seasoned only with salt and no other condiments, turned out to be incredibly delicious, making one’s taste buds tingle.

Sitting at the stone table by the lotus pond, Lu Jingqian began to eat the noodles, displaying his unrestrained and hearty eating style, making it look extremely enjoyable.

After finishing the noodles, Lu Jingqian looked at the camera and said, “This fish is really delicious, the soup is flavorful, and the fish meat is tender. How about I invite all of you to come to the mountains and have a full fish feast? I’ll prepare a full fish banquet for you. Those who are interested in joining the full fish feast can apply on my homepage. I will select thirty applicants and invite them to the mountains as my guests. I’ll cover all the expenses.”

Lu Jingqian had decided to publicly open Lanjing Villa, so he planned to invite netizens to come and be his guests, allowing them to live stream the entire process.