Chapter 206: All-Fish Banquet, A Professional Food Streamer

"I have both red and green peppers, so I'll make a two-pepper fish head."

At this moment, Yearning 6 had completely turned into a food show.

The camera focused on the stove. Huang Sanshi and Ning Fei stood by the counter, with Peng Xiaochang helping out on the side. The others chatted as they lent a hand.

Huang Sanshi planned to make the two-pepper fish head and was prepping his ingredients.

The giant sea bass had already been washed clean and lay on the cutting board. It was so massive that it spilled over the edges.

"Then I'll make the fish balls," Ning Fei said casually.

The live broadcast camera then zoomed in on Ning Fei for a close-up.

Both Yearning 6 and Ning Fei's Live-stream Room were broadcasting his every move.

With a Kitchen Knife in hand, Ning Fei brought the blade down. A large slab of meat was instantly sliced away from the sea bass. His technique was so practiced and smooth that it made everyone's eyes light up.

"Great knife skills!" Huang Sanshi praised from the side.

Then, both men got busy.

Ning Fei and Huang Sanshi were both famously skilled cooks. It was rare to see them sharing a kitchen, making the process incredibly entertaining to watch.

"To make good fish balls, you have to choose the right cut of meat."

"After slicing off a thick piece, rinse it under running water for three minutes. Then, tilt your knife at a forty-five-degree angle and gently scrape the flesh until all the dark parts are removed, revealing the pink, tender meat underneath."

Ning Fei explained as he cleaned the fish with his knife.

Through the broadcast lens, viewers watched him gently scrape the surface of the meat with the back of his blade. The dark spots were peeled away bit by bit, leaving the fish a delicate pink. It looked exceptionally fresh.

Next came mincing.

Ning Fei swapped to a pair of Kitchen Knives and skillfully brought them down in a rapid rhythm. His hands moved so fast that the twin blades blurred into afterimages on screen.

The chopping wasn't loud. It was obvious that his force control was absolutely precise.

"Holy shit! Are my eyes playing tricks on me? How many hands does Temple Master Ning have?"

"Such fast knife skills!"

"This is way too fast."

"Is this how cultivators cook?"

"I've studied culinary arts for five years. Look closely at his force—it's perfect. The cutting board isn't taking any damage at all. I couldn't do that if I tried."

"Temple Master Ning's understanding of cooking is just too deep."

The audience marveled.

Once the meat was minced, Ning Fei added a variety of seasonings.

He explained as he worked, "Add cooking wine, eggs, chopped scallions, and salt to the minced fish, then start stirring vigorously."

He sprinkled the scallions, dotting the pink meat with specks of green. Then, he cracked two eggs over the top. The yolks sat perfectly intact, looking incredibly fresh.

Ning Fei began to stir with a pair of chopsticks.

The pink, green, and yellow mixed with the egg whites and fish oils, gradually blending into a pale yellow paste.

He tossed in a little starch and flour, then stirred again.

"Whether the fish balls turn out bouncy all depends on this step. The exact amount of starch and flour, and the quality of the ingredients—it all matters."

After that came the water.

"You can adjust the water ratio to your own preference."

"For fish balls, more water makes them tender, while less water keeps the flavor rich and savory. Just find the balance that works for you."

"The more water, the more tender!"

Ning Fei finished prepping the paste just as the water in the adjacent pot reached a rolling boil.

Peng Xiaochang's task was to man the stove. He diligently fed firewood into the hearth, keeping the flames burning bright.

Ning Fei then started squeezing the paste into balls by hand, dropping them into a bowl of cold water before pouring them all into the boiling pot.

Soon, the pot was completely full, the fish balls tumbling in the bubbling water.

Some viewers noticed that every fish ball Ning Fei squeezed out was strikingly identical in shape and size. They were perfectly round and incredibly smooth.

"How did he do that?" While most netizens didn't catch the nuance, several experienced chefs watched the scene in utter shock.

"There are many ways to eat fish balls. You can boil them, fry them, or make soup." After tossing the last of them into the pot, Ning Fei washed his hands and wrapped up his explanation.

On the other side, Huang Sanshi's two-pepper fish head was just about done. The fish head sat on a large plate, smothered under a mountain of dual-colored peppers. The broth pooled around the edges, looking like a piece of art.

"These fish balls are nice. They look very bouncy," Huang Sanshi said with a smile, glancing over at Ning Fei's station.

"They aren't finished yet," Ning Fei replied. He noticed Huang Sanshi's diced pepper fish head and his eyes lit up. "You can lay some enoki mushrooms under the diced pepper fish head. It makes the flavor even better."

"That's a great idea." Hearing Ning Fei's suggestion, Huang Sanshi nodded thoughtfully. "Adding enoki mushrooms can remove some of the fishy smell, and they would definitely taste amazing soaked in that broth. I never actually thought of that before."

"Sometimes you get stuck in a certain mindset when cooking. It just becomes a habit. As expected, you can learn a lot just by exchanging ideas."

Huang Sanshi was thrilled.

Over the past five seasons at the Mushroom House, they had invited countless guests, but very few actually understood how to cook.

Now, being able to chat with Ning Fei about culinary experience felt fantastic.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ruoyun and Teacher He were teasing a few puppies, while Li Xiaoqin sat off to the side chatting with Tang Yixin.

"Hey, hey, hey, stop staring. You're completely mesmerized," Tang Yixin teased with a laugh, noticing how Li Xiaoqin kept glancing over at Ning Fei.

The two girls were smart. Before getting into a private chat between best friends, they had already switched off their mics from the Production Crew. The cameras could capture them laughing and talking, but couldn't pick up a word they said.

"I am not! I just think men who can cook are handsome," Li Xiaoqin laughed, scrunching her nose.

"So do you think Teacher Huang is handsome, or is that Daoist priest more your type?" Tang Yixin pressed, her face full of gossip.

"They're both handsome."

"Give me a break. You think I can't see right through you? It's basically written on your face," Tang Yixin chuckled.

"Shut up and just worry about your own husband," Li Xiaoqin muttered shyly, her cover blown.

"If you ask me, that Daoist priest is pretty handsome, has a great body, and is excellent in every way. Why don't you wash yourself clean tonight and offer yourself up?" Best friends often joked with a bit of color, so this kind of banter was perfectly normal.

"Drop dead. Why don't you go offer yourself?" Li Xiaoqin shot back in exasperation.

"I'm married, and my husband is right here. If he wasn't, maybe I actually would go. Just don't get jealous if I do."

"Go, go, hurry up and go. He loves it when women deliver themselves to his door."

The two girls chatted enthusiastically, giggling non-stop.

It was a pity Ning Fei couldn't hear their conversation, otherwise he might have thought to himself: 'There's actually a deal this good?'

While chopping the sea bass earlier, Ning Fei had specially cut off a prime piece of meat to feed to Little falcon.

Little falcon ate it happily.

"With the next portion of fish, I can make spicy fish chunks," Huang Sanshi suggested to Ning Fei.

"I can use the tail to make a Sweet-and-Sour Chrysanthemum Fish, and use the rest to cook up a fish and tofu soup," Ning Fei agreed with a nod.

The two hit it off instantly and immediately got back to work.

The netizens watched the two of them cook, growing more envious by the second.

"Temple Master Ning really lives up to his title as a food streamer. He's way too professional."

"I always thought Teacher Huang's culinary skills were absolutely the best among public figures. I didn't expect Temple Master Ning to be this amazing too."

"Yeah, usually Teacher Huang is the head chef. Rarely can anyone work alongside him like this, let alone make it feel like Temple Master Ning is the actual head chef."

"Xie Tingfeng from the entertainment industry makes great food too, right? Handsome and knows how to cook."

"The styles are different. Xie goes for that Michelin restaurant vibe; it's not as down-to-earth as this."

"Both styles are great. Just watching them is a treat."

"Watching the two of them cook makes me so hungry!"

The netizens kept up their lively discussion.

By this time, Ning Fei had already heated oil and spices in his wok. He added a spoonful of cooking wine and began frying the fish.

With a loud sizzle, steam billowed upward as the meat gradually turned a crispy golden brown.

Then, he poured in boiling water to let it simmer. Ning Fei chopped up some tofu and scallion whites, tossing them in as well. Taking Teacher He and Teacher Huang into consideration, he let it boil for a few minutes before throwing in a generous handful of goji berries.

It only needed to stew for a few more minutes. With a dash of salt and some scallions, the milky-white fish and tofu soup would be complete.

Combined with Huang Sanshi's spicy fish chunks and sashimi, and Ning Fei's Sweet-and-Sour Chrysanthemum Fish...

Not a single piece of the entire sea bass had gone to waste.

"Get ready, it's time to eat!" Huang Sanshi called out to Peng Xiaochang.

Peng Xiaochang immediately ran off to notify the other guests.

Everyone set the bowls and chopsticks out. The atmosphere was incredibly warm and joyful.

Piping hot dishes were served one after another. They looked smooth, tender, and mouthwatering. Bursting with color, aroma, and flavor, the spread left the viewers practically drooling.

Everyone had a drink in hand at the dining table. Before the meal officially began, Teacher Huang and Teacher He gave their customary welcome to the guests.

"Welcome to the Visual Couple, Zhang Ruoyun and Tang Yixing. Welcome, Li Xiaoqin. Welcome, Temple Master Ning. The Mushroom House welcomes you all," Teacher Huang said warmly, raising his glass.

Everyone raised their glasses, happily cheered, and took a sip of their drinks.

Then, they picked up their chopsticks and began sampling the incredible feast before them.

Li Xiaoqin was seated right next to Ning Fei. At that moment, she raised her glass, turned to him, and whispered softly, "Temple Master Ning... um, thank you for saving me in the water today. Here's a toast to you."

The two were sitting very close. The table at the Mushroom House wasn't very large, and everyone was sitting cross-legged in a circle, so they naturally rubbed shoulders.

Ning Fei also raised his glass and gave Li Xiaoqin a gentle smile. "You're welcome. It was the right thing to do."

The image of the two of them clinking glasses was picturesque and incredibly pleasing to the eye.

Catching the hint of shyness in Li Xiaoqin's eyes, Tang Yixin sat off to the side with a teasing, auntie-like grin plastered across her face.