The main ingredients for making smoked bacon are pork, salt, Sichuan peppercorns, various seasonings, and most importantly, cypress branches. 

Relying on the tender meat of domestic pigs was out of the question, but wild boars were still a practical option. 

Although Planet 756 is a planet without intelligent beings, the vegetation and animals on this planet are still very abundant, and wild boars constitute a relatively large population in the wilderness. 

After Su Ge mentioned the idea of making smoked bacon, the aliens, unable to resist the allure of delicious food, put down their work the next day and directly went out to catch two wild boars. 

This made Su Ge truly admire their efficiency. No wonder there’s a saying that foodies can change the world. 

Slaughtering pigs is quite a labor-intensive task, but for the sake of food, Su Ge didn’t have to do much herself. She just stood by and gave instructions while the men, all stripped to the waist, took on the task. In less than half a day, they had slaughtered both pigs. 

Technically, you can smoke anything with bacon, but Su Ge herself preferred to smoke pig tongues, legs, pork belly, and ribs. She cut these parts off, cleaned them, and placed them in large basins with plenty of salt and Sichuan peppercorns. Ideally, some soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar should be added, along with a bit of white wine to remove any gamey smell. However, given the current conditions, they had to settle for the most basic version. 

The pork was covered with salt and Sichuan peppercorns. Su Ge pressed her hands onto the meat, continuously rubbing it, and then used a small, sharp stick to poke numerous small holes in the meat to allow the seasoning to penetrate. 

Each piece of meat had to be rubbed in this manner for about ten minutes before it could be placed in a shaded area to marinate for about four to five days. After this marinating period, it could be hung in a smoking house specially constructed from thick cypress branches to start the smoking process. 

Making smoked bacon is a long process that involves fermentation, smoking, and air-drying. In short, it takes patience to eventually enjoy the bacon, and patience is a virtue that people from China do not lack. 

However, it was evident that the aliens did not possess this virtue. During the four to five days of marination, the aliens were like little dogs circling around Su Ge, either directly, indirectly, or very tactfully asking when the bacon would be ready to eat. 

When they heard that it would take one or two months before they could eat it, their disappointment was so obvious that you could even see it through the live broadcast screen. 

The most important festival in China is the Spring Festival. During this time, children are the happiest. When the day to smoke the bacon arrived, the aliens were just as excited and happy as children celebrating the Spring Festival in China. They efficiently set up the smoking house, gathered plenty of good cypress branches, and even the usually lazy Lana and Nalita worked diligently. 

Glaki had already skillfully threaded the marinated bacon with sturdy twine and hung them on several wooden sticks, so Su Ge didn’t need to handle it. 

Even the task of carrying the bacon was eagerly taken by others. 

This left Su Ge feeling a bit empty. The joy of making delicious food comes from hands-on involvement, but now she had nothing to do and could only stand by with her hands behind her back while giving instructions. This truly made her feel like a hero with no use for their skills. 

When the cypress branches were lit and the thick smoke started rising inside the smoking house, Su Ge began covering the outside of the approximately one-meter-tall smoking house with more branches to ensure the smoke didn’t turn into an open flame by coming into contact with too much air. This way, the meat inside could be consistently smoked. 

This is a process that requires a lot of patience and is quite painful. 

After all, smoking meat is indeed a rather unpleasant task. 

At first, the aliens eagerly watched from the sidelines, but they quickly couldn’t withstand the dense smoke. Lana retreated to the side, coughing constantly. She said to Li Ya and Nalita, who were also rubbing their eyes and noses from the smoke, “On our planet, we’ve never seen such thick smoke. If we did, it would probably be recorded in our planet’s history.” 

“Why?” Nalita, who no longer looked like a celebrity, had a face covered in black soot. Combined with her tear-streaked and runny nose, she looked completely unrecognizable—utterly miserable. 

“Such thick smoke must mean that an important fashion factory burned down…” Lana shuddered at the thought of a market factory on her planet burning down. 

Nalita and Li Ya couldn’t help but wonder if such thick smoke on their home planet would signal a terrible disaster. Just thinking about it made them shiver. 

In the end, they couldn’t help but admire, “Earthlings are really… incredible. To create so much smoke just for a dish. It’s amazing.” 

While they were talking, more aliens retreated, their faces blackened and eyes red and teary from the smoke. Laughing and chatting, they all headed to the river to wash their faces. 

Su Ge was still over here smoking bacon. Although the heavy smoke was making her uncomfortable, she had done this task with her grandmother back home, and as long as she mastered the knack, it was actually fine. However, Rong Shi, who had been following her, seemed to be coughing a lot. 

“You should go wash up too. This will be done soon,” she suggested. 

Rong Shi shook his head. He was a very observant person. Although at first, he was choked by the chaotic smoke and didn’t know what to do, he quickly noticed that Su Ge wasn’t as troubled by the smoke. 

She always positioned herself to face the wind. Wherever the breeze blew, she followed, adding branches and leaves as she walked. This way, the smoke rarely bothered her. 

After discovering this method, Rong Shi immediately followed suit. Sure enough, not only did he stop being choked by the smoke, but he could also smell a peculiar fragrance carried by the wind-diluted smoke. 

It was originally the aroma of protein being grilled, but it was infused with a special woody scent. These two seemingly unrelated aromas magically blended together under the smoke, creating an indescribable smell. 

It was extremely fragrant, and it almost penetrated to the bone. Just one whiff was irresistible. 

Rong Shi, inhaling the scent, couldn’t help but ask Su Ge, “On your home planet, are there many such delicacies?” 

While adding leaves, Su Ge replied, “There are many countries on Earth, and each country has its own cuisine. But if you talk about who knows how to eat and eat well, no other country compares to ours. Take this bacon for instance. What I’m making is a very basic version and rather a crude version of it. In our country alone, there are dozens or even hundreds of ways to make this kind of bacon, and each taste different.” 

As she said this, something seemed to cross her mind. She looked at Rong Shi and said, “You can try it in the future.” 

Before Rong Shi could respond, a noisy commotion came from afar, led by the particularly loud voice of Zigmadar, whose wide and clear vocal range could be heard clearly from a distance. 

“Su Ge! Su Ge! Come and take a look!” 

It was hard to tell if it was good or bad news from the voice, but it was clearly something urgent. Su Ge and Rong Shi exchanged glances and then quickly jogged towards the group. 

“What’s going on?” Su Ge raised her voice to ask even before they were fully in sight. 

“Hurry up! Go look in the field!” Zigmadar kept waving at Su Ge, and the people around were echoing the urgency of the situation. Clearly, something had come up that they couldn’t handle. 

As soon as the field was mentioned, Su Ge couldn’t help but feel a rush of anxiety. She quickened her pace, her face tense with worry. Walking beside her, Rong Shi gently pressed her shoulder, his voice calm and soothing, like warm water, “It’s alright. No matter what the problem is, there’s always a solution. Don’t worry.” 

Su Ge paused and turned to look at Rong Shi, who smiled slowly, “Life doesn’t have a standard answer. Don’t burden yourself too much.” 

Su Ge didn’t know if Rong Shi had some sort of magic, but when he said that the anxiety that had been gripping her heart began to ease. Although it hadn’t completely gone away, she felt much less worried. 

Her brows relaxed, and a smile began to curve at the corners of her lips. 

There indeed was a problem in the field. 

Su Ge’s mouth hung open in disbelief as she looked at the new shoots sprouting from the ground. She stared at the tender green sprouts, nearly speechless, her mind swirling with chaotic thoughts. 

There were countless small seedlings, each about two or three centimeters high. Some had just two leaves, while others had already sprouted three or four. They quietly grew in the furrows and small pits, their tender appearance was incredibly endearing. 

No, no, no, the main point now isn’t whether the seedlings are endearing or not, but that there’s something off about this situation. 

Have they sprouted? 

Impossible! 

It usually takes ten days to half a month, or even longer, for seeds to germinate after sowing. Using seedlings can shorten this period significantly, but they didn’t use seedlings; they sowed the seeds directly. So, no matter how you calculate it, it should take half a month for the seeds to sprout and another seven or eight days to reach this stage after sprouting. 

How long has it been? Barely a week, at most? 

From sowing to growing this tall in just a week, that’s not scientific! 

“Have the vegetables sprouted?” Although Rong Shi was clueless about farming, he had read many miscellaneous books in the National Library when he was young, so he had some exposure to these things. Thinking back to the situation when they planted the seeds, he finally boldly asked. 

Su Ge was still extremely confused. When she heard Rong Shi’s question, she looked at him with a bewildered expression. After a few seconds, she slowly replied, “Probably… yes.” 

Her uncertain answer made Rong Shi turn his head in surprise and left all the aliens stunned. “What do you mean by ‘probably’?” 

Su Ge scratched her head and then organized her words before saying, “It looks like they’ve sprouted, but on our planet, these things can’t grow that fast. It feels like their growth period has been shortened by many times.” 

“They’ve grown very fast?” Rong Shi asked again. 

Su Ge nodded. 

But clearly, this answer only troubled Su Ge, who already had a preconceived notion. For the other aliens, who had no knowledge of farming, it didn’t affect them at all. In fact, they felt very excited. 

“Hey! Isn’t that great?” 

Su Ge was taken aback by the aliens excitement. “Why is that a good thing?” 

“If they grow quickly, it means we can eat them sooner. You originally said it would take several months, but now it might be ready in just a month. Isn’t that a great thing?” The alien’s faces were all filled with indescribable excitement. 

Listening to their excitement, Su Ge wore a deadpan expression. 

Going against the natural growth habits of plants is not a good thing! 

She thought this but didn’t say it out loud. After all, seeing all the aliens so enthusiastically gathered around the seedlings, saying something to dampen their spirits seemed too harsh. 

Moreover, Rong Shi’s words unintentionally stuck in her mind, constantly reminding her. 

Life has no standard answers. 

Maybe these plants grow like this on Earth, but things might be different on Planet 756. No one can give a definitive answer, not even Su Ge. 

So, after hesitating for a moment, she decided to be as hopeful as the aliens about what the rapidly growing plants would turn out to be. 

After a day and night of smoking, the cured meat was finally taken out of the smoking chamber, which had been charred beyond recognition, to the anticipation of all the aliens. 

The pork, originally rich in moisture and white in color, had completely lost its original color and turned deep brown. In the sunlight, the brown meat had a thin layer of oil, making it look very appetizing. 

Not only did the meat’s color change, but its volume underwent a significant transformation. After a day and night of smoking and roasting, most of the moisture in the bacon had evaporated, causing it to shrink considerably. Despite this, it didn’t feel light when held; instead, it resembled chunks of enticing, sauce-colored stones. 

“This is bacon?” The aliens surrounded Su Ge in a circle, watching her skillfully take out pieces of cured meat from the smoking chamber. Their voices were full of disbelief, and if one listened closely, they might hear the faint dripping sound of water. 

“Yes,” Su Ge responded, prodding each piece of bacon with her fingers to assess its current softness and moisture content. The ribs had been thoroughly smoked and dried, with the sauce-colored meat clinging tightly to the bones. It was clear they had a good grasp of what would occur during the drying process. 

She tossed half a rack of ribs into a nearby bowl and hung the rest in a ventilated area within the campsite. Once they were completely dry, they would be ready to eat. 

As the aliens observed Su Ge’s actions, their excitement grew. They jostled and pushed closer to Su Ge. 

In the air filled with the distinctive smoky aroma, Glaki, the camp’s number one food enthusiast, unleashed his intense enthusiasm. He promptly squeezed next to the large bowl where Su Ge had placed the half rack of ribs and asked eagerly, “Su Ge, are we having this today?” 

“Absolutely.” 

Upon hearing Su Ge’s confirmation, the entire camp erupted into almost shrieking delight. 

With this enticing meal hanging just within reach, all the aliens were working diligently. They were watering and weeding in the vegetable garden, and on the construction site, the framework of the houses was already set up. 

Su Ge leisurely separated the ribs from the backbone of the dragon, putting them into the iron pot to cook.  This particular iron pot had been recently replaced and was considered the most valuable treasure in the entire camp. At this moment, the water in the pot was boiling vigorously. Su Ge lifted the lid of the pot, and the ribs were tossed around in the bubbling water. 

After about ten minutes of boiling, Su Ge took out the ribs one by one and placed them by the side of the water tank. She rinsed them clean with fresh water and brought back a basin of water to continue cooking. 

However, just as she returned to the makeshift stove, she froze. 

The stove was the same, the iron pot was the same, but the half pot of boiling water for cooking meat inside the iron pot was gone, not a drop left. If it weren’t for a circle of smoky grease stains on the edge of the pot, she would have thought the pot had already been washed. 

No, the main issue now wasn’t whether the pot had been washed, but where did the water in the pot go? 

Concentrating hard, she tried to recall. Where did that water go? 

She had just finished cooking meat and was about to wash the ribs. Did she pour out the water before washing them? Usually, she poured it out right away, but sometimes she forgot. Did she do it today? Why couldn’t she remember? 

Just as Su Ge kept thinking and questioning herself about this, someone approached her. 

“Why are you standing here?” Ron asked, holding a torch. He carefully lifted the iron pot and used the torch to light the stove inside. 

“The water in the pot for washing the meat is gone,” Su Ge didn’t know how to express herself because she couldn’t clearly remember what the situation was like at that time. 

“You probably poured it out,” Ron, who understood Su Ge quite well, said, “I’ve seen you usually pour out the water after washing the pot.” 

“Really?” Su Ge blinked. Was that really how it was? Why did she feel otherwise? 

“Really.” Ron had already lit the fire. Holding the torch, he walked towards the construction site, pointing to a ditch beside the campsite specifically used for wastewater drainage. “Don’t you pour the water used for washing dishes and pots here every day? You must have poured it here.” 

Su Ge: =.= 

I know the water used for washing dishes and pots is poured there. My current issue is how I remember not pouring out that pot of water, but now it’s disappeared, and there’s no one around me! 

After agonizing over it for a while, Su Ge pushed this issue out of her mind. She chopped the ribs into small pieces and placed them all in the iron pot. Once the water boiled, she reduced the heat and simmered slowly. After stewing the smoked flavor into the ribs completely, she scooped them out. Then, she mixed rice, corn, and dried beans together in the soup, following her usual rice cooking procedure. 

When the rice was almost done, she added the ribs back into the rice to steam together. Once the rice was fully cooked, she stir-fried the rice and ribs together to blend them thoroughly. 

This pot of smoked rib and dried bean steamed rice was ready. 

White rice, yellow corn kernels, green dried beans, and fatty, glossy smoked ribs piled up together, their colors alone are incredibly pleasing. 

The smoked ribs have a distinct smoky aroma that blends with the meat, creating an aggressive and overpowering flavor that is highly recognizable. Once this aroma takes hold, it can overshadow other ingredients. 

Mild rice, tender corn, fresh beans, combined with the strong flavor of smoked ribs—everything gradually changed and fermented in the iron pot, finally presenting itself as this pot of steamed rice. 

The aroma was rich yet not overwhelming, and the texture was soft yet elastic. With just one bite, it felt as though the energy from the food flowed smoothly through the stomach, into the bones, and through the blood. 

Amidst such fragrance, the aliens were moved to tears as they ate, each expressing an extraordinary change in their praise for this pot of steamed rice. They savored it alongside a pot of lush vegetable soup, the oil practically dripping from their mouths. 

Su Ge sat in her usual spot, holding a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other. She glanced back. 

Under the gentle sunshine, their camp remained unchanged. In the distance, a neatly tended vegetable field and a gradually developing housing construction site were the only signs of activity. There was nothing else around. 

Su Ge frowned. She must have been mistaken. Why did she sense a curious gaze on them? 

“What’s wrong?” Rong Shi picked up a piece of pork rib from the bowl and offered it to Su Ge. 

Su Ge turned to look at Rong Shi. There was a gentle light in his eyes, which reminds her of spring—soft and warm. She twitched the corners of her mouth but ultimately shook her head. “No, it’s nothing.”