For Su Ge, life was worth living, but for the few aliens, it was a question of why life had to be so difficult. 

Let’s not even talk about tasting the hot pot yet; just using chopsticks was a nearly insurmountable challenge for them—oh, no, no. Everyone is struggling except Glaki. 

After all, for someone as skilled with their hands as Glaki, using chopsticks, though very unfamiliar. It only took a few tries before he could use them as proficiently as a native Chinese person. 

So, imitating Su Ge, he picked up a slice of tenderloin, swished it in the pot for a couple of seconds, then put it in his bowl, coated it with the dipping sauce, and stuffed it into his mouth. 

To ensure the aliens could handle it, Su Ge prepared a dipping sauce for the others with minimal Sichuan pepper and chili, using more garlic to season it and reduce the spiciness. 

But even so, when Glaki put that pale tenderloin slice into his mouth, his expression became quite strange. 

In fact, it wasn’t just Su Ge watching Glaki’s reaction to the first bite; Rong Shi, Zigmadar, and Sela were all closely observing him, even more intently than Su Ge. 

Glaki’s expression froze, the chopsticks still in his mouth, unmoving as if time had stopped. His gaze shifted slightly downward to the simmering bone broth, his calm demeanor causing Su Ge’s heart to race. 

After a few seconds of pause, Su Ge sharply noticed a fine layer of goosebumps appearing on Glaki’s cheeks, becoming increasingly evident. As the goosebumps grew more prominent, Glaki’s previously motionless cheeks began to move slowly. 

One, two, three times. 

From slow movements, the motion gradually quickened. When the food finally slid down his throat, Su Ge suddenly realized that two bright, glistening streams of tears were running down Glaki’s face. 

Su Ge: “…” 

“Is this what food is?” Glaki turned his head mechanically to look at Su Ge, his tears now even more apparent on his face. 

Su Ge: … 

No, if you don’t like the taste, just say so. You don’t have to cry. It’s making me feel like I’m trying to harm you or something. Aren’t you aware that this behavior is not conducive to interstellar unity? Look at you… 

“Yes…” Su Ge was also getting nervous seeing Glaki like this. She swallowed hard; “…maybe…” 

“No, Glaki, what’s going on with you? If something’s wrong, just say it. Don’t cry. You’re making us all very nervous!” Zigmadar, the most emotionally expressive, couldn’t hold back any longer. Seeing Glaki like this was making his heart ache, and he quickly started shouting. 

“Delicious…” It was only then that Glaki realized tears were streaming down his face. He flipped his right hand, still holding the chopsticks, and vigorously wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. After that, he fell silent, lowering his head and swiftly maneuvering his chopsticks, continuously adding ingredients to the hotpot. 

Pudis people are inherently dexterous with both hands, not to mention that the surrounding aliens were so clumsy that they hadn’t even learned how to use chopsticks. In front of this hotpot, Glaki was in his element. The others could only see the blur of his chopsticks and the rapidly diminishing ingredients. 

Stunned by the scene in front of them for just a few seconds, Rong Shi, Zigmadar, and Sela also joined the race to grab the food. 

Unfortunately, their skill with chopsticks was embarrassingly poor. Trying to compete with Glaki in speed was simply asking for trouble. 

At first, Glaki quickly grabbed the meat and vegetables into his bowl. But when he realized that the other three couldn’t even open their chopsticks properly, let alone pick up the meat even when they managed to, he slowed down and mumbled occasionally, “Wow, this meat is so delicious! It’s so tender!” 

“Oh my! These vegetables are so fresh! So crisp!” 

At first, the other three didn’t react, but the more anxious they became, the worse they used the chopsticks. The worse is that the more they used them, the more anxious they got. Watching the meat slices and vegetables float up and down in the broth and gradually disappear, anyone would go crazy. 

Especially when Zigmadar finally managed to pick up a piece of meat, only to have his chopsticks collide with Sela’s. Not only did the meat fall back into the pot, but one of his chopsticks also dropped in. He finally got angry and pointed the remaining chopstick at Glaki, yelling, “Shut up!” 

“Not just shut up! Get me some meat! Hurry up and get me a piece!” Sela, who had just managed to scoop up a piece of meat only to have it fall back into the pot, watched helplessly as Glaki snagged it for his own bowl. Sela was furious. 

“Why? We’re all eating together!” 

“Just get it for me, or I’ll punch you!” Sela bared his teeth. 

Pushed too far, the overconfident Glaki reluctantly grabbed a piece of meat for Sela. When he turned around, he saw Zigmadar tapping his bowl expectantly. Sighing, he gave Zigmadar a piece too. Just then, he noticed that Rong Shi had shakily taken a piece of freshly cooked meat from his own bowl. He shouted in protest. 

“Rong Shi! You’re the team leader! You’re the boss of our group! How can you steal food from your subordinates? Don’t you have any shame?” 

Nervously gripping his chopsticks, Rong Shi watched the piece of meat carefully, anxious it might slip back into the pot like Zigmadar and Sela’s mishaps. It was only after the meat safely landed in his bowl that he responded to Glaki. 

“Who said I’m the team leader? Was it you? Did you all vote? How can you just declare me leader out of nowhere? We’re all equals here, so why can’t I eat? Besides, I was the one who killed the pig! I deserve more!” 

As Rong Shi spoke, he popped the sauce-covered piece of meat into his mouth. Instantly, an explosion of flavors he had never experienced before ignited every taste bud. His tongue, accustomed only to liquid nutrients, seemed to awaken to new sensations. 

Suddenly, he understood why Glaki had felt like crying. He too felt something stirring within his chest. 

Su Ge quietly observed from the sidelines as the four aliens turned the space around the hotpot into a battleground. Unable to approach, she tried to reassure herself: “I’m just an ordinary mortal. It’s not worth getting into a fight over a bite of food…” o(╥﹏╥)o 

She looked at her dipping sauce, which held just a single piece of meat, and felt a sudden urge to cry. 

She had wanted to eat hotpot. She had been craving it for so long. Why did it end up like this? 

Though the viewers in the livestream had long debated fiercely about whether the contestants would eventually eat Earth food when their nutrient supplies ran out, when the moment arrived unexpectedly, it sparked a tidal wave of discussion in the chatroom. 

If the barrage of comments on the screen had to be categorized and summarized, there were probably three main types of responses. 

The first type of reaction is astonishment towards this matter. For the aliens to start eating Earth’s food is seen as a loss of their final dignity. They are all deeply saddened, pounding their chests and stomping their feet. The intensity of their emotions can be felt even just by reading the barrage of comments. 

This group is probably mainly composed of those from the high-ranking planets, as at that time the issue of anti-racism had not yet reached its peak. So, this group stands on the so-called moral high ground. 

【It’s fallen! It’s fallen too far! As a highly developed civilization that has evolved for so many years, to one day stoop down to accept food from a lower-class fifth-class planet, this is backward, this is decadent! 】 

【Rong Shi, Zigmadar, Sela, and even Glaki from the fourth-class planet, do you still have any pride as the superior races among the interstellar alliance? 】 

【Don’t even mention Glaki, he’s originally from a fourth-class planet, is there a difference between fourth-class and fifth-class planets? None. 】 

【Rong Shi is simply disgraceful, a Royal Major General of the Milky Way Galaxy! If I were from the royal family of the Milky Way Galaxy, I would probably die of shame right now! 】 

【What food? Nutrient solutions are simple, convenient, provides all the nutrients, and makes the body stronger. Isn’t that appealing? Why accept Earth’s food? Why pollute your body with such unevolved methods? 】 

【Too foolish. 】 

… 

The second type of reaction towards this matter is mostly curiosity, and originally there was tolerance and acceptance towards the idea of food. Coupled with many explanations and introductions about hotpot in the live broadcast by Earthlings, their views are neutral or even more friendly. 

【To be honest, is this thing really that delicious? 】 

【What’s the difference between delicious and not delicious? 】 

【I find the salty nutrient solution not good, but the sweet and sweet-sour ones very tasty. This hotpot looks salty; will it taste good? I’m very surprised. 】 

【Actually, I think the salty flavor isn’t bad. I quite like the salty nutrient solution. If I had this thing in front of me, I think I would try it. 】 

【This thing is called hotpot, a unique type of food on Earth. There are two main kinds: red broth and white broth. Because Su Ge and the others don’t have all the ingredients, they can only make the white broth kind. 】 

【Right, don’t be fooled by how much they’re enjoying it now. The essence of hotpot is in the red broth, and it’s a pity they can’t have it!】 

【Wait a minute, Earthlings, is this thing called hotpot really that delicious? 】 

【According to our Earth tastes, it’s very delicious. But seeing the reactions of Rong Shi, Zigmadar, Sela, and Glaki, I think you guys might like it too!】 

【Suddenly, I feel a strong curiosity. What does this thing actually taste like? 】 

… 

The last reaction was purely simple. They had only one thought while watching the live broadcast— 

【This thing looks so delicious; I really want to try it. 】 

【Me too, me too. If Rong Shi can accept it, I think I can too. I really want to eat it. 】 

【Ahhh, do you know what word I just learned from Earthlings? 】 

【What word did the previous person say? I’m very curious! 】 

【When I watched Su Ge eat, I felt a lot of saliva being produced in my mouth. I thought it was just my body reacting, but I just learned from an Earth netizen what this condition is.】 

【Speak up! Don’t keep us in suspense! 】 

【He said this is called craving! 】 

【What does craving mean? 】 

【It means seeing them eat makes me produce a lot of saliva and I wish I could jump into the live stream and eat with them. That’s called craving! 】 

【So that’s it, then I’m also craving! 】 

【Craving +1】 

【Craving +2】 

… 

Of course, some very proactive viewers quickly left messages on the newly launched Earth promotion website. 

【Excuse me, where can I eat the hotpot that Su Ge made in the live broadcast? 】 

【Excuse me, do you sell the hotpot made in the live broadcast? 】 

【Excuse me, do you Earthlings sell the hotpot made in the live broadcast? 】 

… 

At this very moment, Earth was actually embroiled in a heated debate with Helmor Star about Su Ge’s beating of Flynn the previous night. They never expected that the first wave of fervent messages on their newly launched, desolately quiet Earth homepage would all be about hotpot! 

The Minister of Propaganda, currently suffering from a headache due to the debate with Helmor Star, rubbed his temples and chuckled bitterly to the Secretary-General, “So many messages asking if we sell hotpot. I really want to sell it… But how do we handle this situation now? Setting aside how to minimize the losses from the situation with Helmor Star, even if we resolve it, our home planet doesn’t have the capacity to host these extraterrestrial visitors.” 

The Secretary-General was also greatly troubled by the current situation. He kept an eye on the uproar within the Interstellar Alliance regarding the issue of racial discrimination. “Now, I actually hope this matter escalates further. Maybe then we’ll have better solutions. As for the hotpot… well, for now, we can only dream about it temporarily.” 

At that time, everyone had very normal and singular thoughts. However, Earthlings at the time never anticipated how swiftly things would reverse in the Interstellar Alliance, nor did they know that several major surprises were already in store for them. 

It wasn’t until a few days later, after the Minister of Propaganda received notification from headquarters about investments starting on the planet Helmor, that he felt a surreal sense of relief. Immediately, he said to his secretary, “Quickly contact the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture. The aliens wanting to eat hot pot must be made a priority!” 

How satisfying the nutrient solution truly was, Su Ge couldn’t say, but she knew just how much the aliens who switched from nutrient solution to food could eat. 

Most of her stored vegetables were gone, along with at least fourteen or fifteen catties of pork belly, loin, ribs, and offal. Among these, what she ate could be ignored; it was mostly consumed by the four aliens. By a rough average, each of them could eat nearly three or four catties in one meal??? 

Su Ge: No, did she calculate it wrong? 

Three or four catties??? 

They’re not competitive eaters, how could they eat so much? 

And that’s just one meal. 

Oh, one meal… 

“These are only four aliens. If, as Rong Shi suggested, all aliens were to come to her for meals in the future… 

Su Ge suddenly felt dizzy. It was as if she had plunged into an abyss and needed to rescue herself; she couldn’t allow this to happen.” 

After all, this deal was just not profitable at all. 

It had to be said, although aliens could eat, their ability to help with chores was quite impressive. After dinner, without waiting for Su Ge to arrange, several of them actively helped clean up. They washed, dried, and even rekindled the fire in the kiln to prepare for firing the pottery they had sun-dried. 

In short, the aliens, now fed to satisfaction, seemed to suddenly possess a myriad of household skills, spinning around Su Ge’s residence in circles. 

After glancing from one alien face to another, Su Ge finally fixed her gaze on Rong Shi. She saw a serious expression on her face as she said to him, “I’ve considered your proposal. I think it’s better for you all to stick to the nutrient solution.” 

Rong Shi raised an eyebrow indifferently. He even refused without changing his expression, “I don’t think so.” 

“It’s not about what you think, it’s about facing the facts.” Su Ge frowned impatiently and tapped a pottery jar in front of her with her finger, making a banging sound. 

“What facts?” 

“What facts? Are you even asking that with a straight face? It’s the fact that you eat too much!” 

This was the first time Rong Shi had heard someone say he ate too much in his life. Although he had no concept of eating too much or too little, he deduced from Su Ge’s disdainful expression that “eating too much” was not a good thing in her eyes. 

So, he raised his hand to lightly cover his lips, lowered his head slightly to conceal his embarrassment, cleared his throat, and attempted to change the subject. Unfortunately, Su Ge’s attention was entirely focused on this issue now, and he didn’t succeed. In the end, Rong Shi could only confront the issue head-on: “Eating too much isn’t a problem.” 

Su Ge retorted, “Haha. Do you think I’m a fool? You say what is what. I’ve been eating since I was a child. Would I listen to the arguments of someone who just started eating for the first time?” 

“Eating too much isn’t a problem? Let’s not even talk about how we transported that pig back. Just think about how coincidental it was to find that pig. Do you think I can find a pig every time? You ate so much in one meal; do you think I can get that much food every time?” Since they were having an honest conversation, Su Ge didn’t hold back. 

“Or do you think any creature can be eaten?” 

On this matter, Rong Shi was genuinely stunned. Honestly, he did think any creature could be eaten. Ever since he met Su Ge, it seemed like she could make delicious dishes out of anything. She even managed to pull out edible things from the grass here. 

So, he hadn’t really considered this issue. 

“Isn’t it?” 

“Of course not.” Su Ge crossed her arms, a little annoyed, tapping her fingers lightly on her elbows. “Let me explain. On Earth, all the creatures we currently consume are not wild animals.” 

Rong Shi slightly widened his eyes, acknowledging that this was a blind spot in his knowledge. “Why can’t they be eaten?” 

“On Earth, these creatures are all called wild animals, which humans don’t eat. We consume only domestically raised animals because they are cleaner.” Su Ge briefly explained the issue of wild animals to Rongshi. “We have dedicated shops or locations to purchase these domestically raised animals, so we don’t worry about whether there’s enough to eat.” 

“But now…” 

Su Ge didn’t need to finish her sentence; Rong Shi understood clearly. He pursed his lips, thought for a moment, then shared his thoughts earnestly, “Su Ge, have you ever considered what exactly is being broadcasted on Wilderness Livestream?” 

“Entertainment for the masses?” Su Ge looked at Rong Shi strangely, somewhat puzzled. After all, before coming to participate in this program, she hadn’t watched it much. She was selected, then hastily caught up on a few episodes, but never finished watching them. 

She believed that no matter how fancy the words sounded, the primary goal of such a live broadcast program was to entertain the audience. 

“That’s not wrong to say, but in my opinion, it’s actually more about exploring different geographical environments and cultures on this deserted planet. Everyone is eager to see how people living on this barren planet are changing it. So, as an Earthling, why did you come to participate in this program, Su Ge?” Rong Shi said, standing up as he spoke. He looked at Su Ge, who seemed to be stunned after this statement, falling into thought. 

Rong Shi’s smiling face concealed some imperceptible nervousness. Beneath his calm tone was a hint of coaxing. He said, “I think my suggestion is not bad. You should seriously consider it.” 

Hmm, this should pass as a sufficient response. 

But over the course of the meal, both Rong Shi and Su Ge’s thoughts underwent some changes. 

Su Ge thought practically. These aliens were big eaters. There are only four of them. If there are more than ten together, they can consume a pig a day. Where could they possibly find so many pigs? If they can’t find them or can’t make them, it will spell complete trouble for them. 

If they ended up ruining the alien’s appetites by discussing the challenge of cooking without ingredients, it could potentially cause a lot of trouble. Would it affect Earth’s reputation? It was already classified as a Class V planet; if its reputation worsened because of their indecisiveness, how could they manage to survive? 

So, it was best to refuse from the beginning. 

Rong Shi’s thoughts were even more practical. Before the meal, he had never even touched food. Despite reading about it in library books, it remained a mystery in his understanding. He couldn’t even fathom what those descriptions truly meant. 

So, if Su Ge told him before the meal that she wouldn’t do it, that she wouldn’t cook for them, Rong Shi wouldn’t be surprised. 

However, after eating the dish called “hot pot,” Rong Shi felt like he had opened the door to a new world. At the same time, he realized how bleak and pale the organisms in front of him were. At this point, if Su Ge wanted to refuse to cook for them again… 

Hmph! It’s too late! 

He must find a way to dissuade her from this idea. 

“If you’re only worried about the issue of ingredients, I think you don’t need to worry too much,” Rong Shi, who had taken five or six steps away, turned to look at Su Ge with sincerity and said, “Earthlings are very capable, but actually, we’re not bad either. Why don’t you leave the task of finding food to us?” 

Su Ge remained seated by the campfire, earnestly pondering Rong Shi’s question to herself. Why did she really come to participate in this program? 

Was it for the prize money? To ensure a better life for her family after leaving, or for some other reason? 

Before leaving Earth, the Foreign Minister had a straightforward request for her: just don’t get eliminated, and nothing else needed her serious consideration. At that time, Su Ge really just wanted to avoid being eliminated. 

She had been living like that all along, exchanging various knowledge she possessed with the aliens for quite a few benefits, even forming good relationships with some of them. If she relied solely on her interests, continuing to live like this wouldn’t be bad. 

But, after meeting Flynn and having a fight with him, her mindset seemed to have quietly changed. 

Individualism wasn’t acceptable, especially not for Earthlings. Throughout human history, there hasn’t been a successful instance of individualism. Success has always come through cooperation. 

Rong Shi was right. The Wilderness Livestream aimed to showcase the diverse cultures created by different races in the Interstellar Alliance to all its viewers. This program indeed entertained the masses, but what exactly entertained them? 

In essence, it was the different races, different lifestyles, and different habits that entertained the masses. 

Su Ge didn’t know how other contestants would demonstrate this, but at this moment, she realized she couldn’t continue to maintain her individualistic mindset of being satisfied as long as she was well-fed. She needed to collaborate with Rong Shi. 

As a natural leader, Rong Shi obviously had an advantage in mobilizing all the aliens. If she wanted more people to understand Earth, to know how Earthlings lived, she had to cooperate with Rong Shi. 

So, eating was just the first step; there would be many more steps to come. 

Just as Rong Shi’s voice echoed once more, she glanced at him nearby and suddenly felt reassured. Everything should be given a chance. Refusing something without giving it a try could mean turning away from something incredibly wonderful. 

At this moment, Su Ge’s wavering heart finally settled, and she made a firm decision regarding her lingering thoughts. 

She stood up and said to Rong Shi, “Okay, then it depends on your performance!”