Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Delicious

At this moment, everyone who had witnessed it all stared at Lu Xiao as if she were a goddess. ’What an incredibly intelligent female she must be,’ they thought, ’to come up with such a method.’

Admiral Hans felt that in his long military career, he had never been truly grateful to anyone. But at this moment, he desperately wanted to kneel at Lu Xiao’s feet and offer her his devotion and fealty.

Lu Xiao’s existence gave him hope for survival. Not just for him, but for all males.

’If it’s for Lu Xiao,’ Admiral Hans thought, ’I would even pledge my loyalty.’

Lu Xiao’s expression, however, remained unchanged, as if she didn’t think she had done anything particularly grand. She was merely fulfilling her duty as a therapist, treating an ordinary patient.

Her calm demeanor suggested their surprise and gratitude were unwarranted.

The more she acted this way, the more extraordinary she seemed to others.

But Lu Xiao paid these thoughts no mind.

“I think we can go to the dining hall now and sample some of Robin’s cooking,” Lu Xiao suggested to Admiral Hans. “If there’s any news here, just come get me.”

Admiral Hans snapped back to his senses and nodded with a smile. “Alright, let’s go now.”

Looking at the young female’s nonchalant expression, who would have thought—if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes—that just a short while ago, she had accomplished something incredible.

Yet she showed no pride or complacency, instead smiling and saying she wanted to go eat.

Although he had already marveled at her a thousand, ten thousand times in his heart, Admiral Hans couldn’t help but wonder, ’Why is there such a special female like Lu Xiao in this world?’

’She truly is one of a kind.’

Teacher Ai Li’s gaze on Lu Xiao was also exceptionally gentle.

’Who wouldn’t love a young female like her?’

As they walked down the corridor, Lu Xiao attracted even more stares, each one growing more intense.

When they arrived at the dining hall, Robin had, as expected, already prepared a table full of delicacies. In the place of honor was the very dish Lu Xiao had specifically requested: Fish with Pickled Greens.

Seeing the Fish with Pickled Greens placed in the center of the table, its aroma and appearance identical to what she remembered, a look of surprised delight finally spread across Lu Xiao’s face. She looked even happier than she had after her great accomplishment.

Robin stood nervously to the side. When he saw Lu Xiao approach, he said, “Please, have a taste. I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”

Most people found the flavor of Fish with Pickled Greens too strong and didn’t care for it. Even though Lu Xiao wanted to try it, Robin assumed the young female was just curious about something she’d never eaten before, and that her request was a kindhearted way of comforting him.

So he was extremely anxious.

Lu Xiao didn’t say much, however. After sitting down, she immediately used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. The meat, having absorbed the rich broth, was tender and delicious. The sour and spicy flavors were complex and vibrant—it was explosively good. It tasted exactly like the Fish with Pickled Greens she had been craving. She couldn’t help but take two more pieces. Only after eating them did she nod in satisfaction. “Robin, you’re amazing! This Fish with Pickled Greens is delicious. I love it!”

Her face and eyes were full of smiles. It was clear she wasn’t just saying it to be polite; she genuinely loved it.

The anxiety in Robin’s heart vanished, replaced by excitement. He wrung his hands, still a bit flustered. “I-I’m glad you like it, really glad. I made a lot, so you can pack some to take with you later.”

“That’s great! Robin, do you have any more of these pickled greens? Could you give me some? I can pay for them. I really love them so much, I want to try making this when I get back.”

Hearing this, Robin was so happy he was at a loss for words. How could he possibly take money from Lu Xiao? “No, no, I’ll give them to you. If you don’t mind, I’ll pickle greens for you whenever you want in the future. Please, don’t be so formal with me. You saved my life. A few pickled greens are nothing, really.”

“Alright then. This time, I won’t pay. But in the future, you have to let me. Otherwise, I won’t take them from you.”

“No, no, no… okay, okay. I’ll do whatever you say.”

Having gotten the result she wanted, Lu Xiao finally relaxed. She then noticed that no one else had touched their chopsticks; they were all just watching her talk with Robin. She laughed. “Everyone, try some of this Fish with Pickled Greens! It’s really delicious and has a great kick. And the broth over rice is so fragrant, it makes you want to eat more and more!”

As she spoke, she demonstrated for Teacher Ai Li and Admiral Hans.

Her enthusiastic eating made the two of them, who hadn’t been very hungry, feel starved.

It was simply because Lu Xiao was eating with such relish.

Tempted, Teacher Ai Li couldn’t help but prepare a bowl for herself. The moment it entered her mouth, the sour and spicy flavor of the fish flooded her senses. The intense taste took her by surprise.

She found it a bit hard to get used to, but Lu Xiao was enjoying it so much that she tried it again. It was better this time. By the end, she found herself wanting more.

Even Admiral Hans found himself eating more and more. Finally, he said to Robin, “If you knew how to make this dish, why didn’t you make it before? It’s genuinely delicious!”

He was so warm from eating that beads of sweat formed on the tip of his nose.

Robin had smiled so much today that his face was starting to feel stiff, but even that couldn’t dampen his good mood.

He was just so happy. Not only had Miss Lu Xiao eaten the food he’d personally cooked, but his hometown cuisine, a source of his long-held regret, had finally been validated.

He had never imagined that so many good things could happen to him at once.

Suddenly, he felt that being able to keep on living was truly wonderful!

“I’ll make it often from now on, hehe,” Robin said, so happy he felt like jumping around on the spot.

Lu Xiao ate two whole bowls of rice. If she weren’t so full, she would have had another. It was safe to say that this meal at Robin’s was the most satisfying one she’d had since arriving here.

Seeing that Lu Xiao had stopped eating, Admiral Hans didn’t let the last of the broth go to waste and drank it right down.

Lu Xiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sight, but she was also happy that a dish she loved had gained such approval.

Wiping her mouth, Teacher Ai Li said, “I really ate too much today. I can barely fasten my buttons. I’m definitely going to get fat!”

Lu Xiao comforted her, “It’s just this once, it’ll be fine. Besides, you can’t let good food go to waste.”

Thinking about how Lu Xiao had eaten even more than her, Teacher Ai Li instantly felt relieved. “You’re right!”

Meanwhile, Robin had already prepared the pickled greens and a warm portion of the Fish with Pickled Greens for Lu Xiao.

When Lu Xiao saw it, she smiled and said, “Robin, thank you for letting us eat such a delicious meal. And thank you for never giving up. You’re going to do better and better from now on. I look forward to our delicious Fish with Pickled Greens becoming the most popular dish in the Empire!”

Robin had never thought about promoting Fish with Pickled Greens to be the most popular dish in the Empire. Not long ago, he was still worried about whether he would even survive. But who could have imagined that the young female before him would not only give him a chance to live but also hold such high hopes for his future.

For the first time, Robin felt a desperate need not to disappoint someone. He nodded emphatically. “I will! I definitely won’t let you down!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep