With the first bite, she tasted the crispy rice crust, and as her upper and lower teeth met, a crunchy sound echoed. She couldn't help but chew it a few more times, letting the tip of her tongue savor the burnt aroma.
The rice crust was already flavorful, not just with a burnt aroma but also with the rich taste of mushrooms and the salty spiciness of chili peppers. These three flavors mixed together, making Mo Ying squint in pleasure, her hands continuously feeding herself, just like drinking porridge in the morning.
Du Xixi started eating too, although she ate more, and due to the lack of ingredients in the Star Era, she ate rather slowly.
Seeing Mo Ying enjoying her meal, she smiled, "Sister Mo Ying, how about we have a whole pig feast later?"
"A whole pig feast?" Mo Ying widened her eyes. Although she'd never heard of the term, if it's made by Du Xixi, how could it be bad? Thus, Mo Ying nodded eagerly, wishing the whole pig feast could happen sooner.
But as she anticipated, Mo Ying became puzzled, "What is a pig?"
Du Xixi was stunned, then quickly realized that the terms of the Star Era were different from those on Blue Star, and that pigs, chickens, and ducks were avoided. She chose her words carefully and said softly, "Just now... the Rob delivered, it's a pig, and should be the same species as the Humming Beast."
Du Xixi knew how much the people of the Star Era hated the Insect Clan, but likewise, Du Xixi couldn't live without meat. If the Insect Clan could be eaten, then people's perception of the Insect Clan would surely need to change.
The first step of change should start with Mo Ying.
Mo Ying was a soldier but withdrew from the battlefield because of the Insect Clan. If Du Xixi could change the image of the Insect Clan in Mo Ying's mind, then changing others might just be a matter of time.
After listening to Du Xixi's words, Mo Ying fell into silence, even the last few bites of clay pot rice seemed tasteless.
The evil of the Insect Clan was deeply rooted in the minds of the people in the Star Era. They feared and hated the Insect Clan, and now Du Xixi said... that pigs, the same species as the Humming Beast, could be eaten!
Being the same species as the Insect Clan, it naturally counts as part of the Insect Clan. Eating the Insect Clan was something Mo Ying couldn't even imagine.
Don't be fooled by Mo Ying's seemingly indifferent attitude towards withdrawing from the battlefield, in truth, she cared a lot. She was the epitome of someone saying one thing and feeling another. Clearly, she cared and was still afraid inside, yet outwardly she acted as if she had forgotten and moved on.
To be honest, Mo Ying already trusted Du Xixi a lot, not just because of her as a person, but more because of her culinary skills. Mo Ying couldn't believe that someone who could make delicious food would lie to her that the Insect Clan could be eaten.
Thinking of how Du Xixi just instructed 2569 to gather pig's blood, that surely must be part of the whole pig feast?
"Xixi... the Insect Clan is far more dangerous than we perceive." After a long silence, Mo Ying uttered these words.
Du Xixi smiled calmly, her tone gentle, "Sister Mo Ying, perhaps the Insect Clan is far more delicious than you imagine."
Du Xixi didn't take Mo Ying's instinctive resistance and avoidance to heart. Back on Blue Star, Du Xixi participated in an event caring for autistic children. She prepared a table full of food children liked, yet not a single autistic child approached voluntarily.
Some were naturally autistic, and some developed it later, but without exception, they harbored fear and avoidance towards strangers, even family. They were reluctant to open their hearts to accept the kindness shown by others because... they were afraid of being hurt, or hurt again.
The setback Du Xixi experienced that time wasn't small; that was the first time her food was rejected. However, she did not give up. She began to try to approach them, to try to care for them, to try to bring them into the world of culinary delight.
What was the result in the end? Du Xixi took dozens of autistic children to make desserts together. It was their first time making desserts, and the first time they were willing to accept the kindness of someone who was once a stranger.
Du Xixi did not believe that people's hearts were made of stone. No matter how cold or hard a heart is, there will come a day when it softens.
Since then, Du Xixi learned to integrate food into life, to blend emotions into food. She worked hard to ensure that her food conveyed the emotions contained within it to those who tasted it.
Although Mo Ying is now very resistant to eating the Insect Clan, who could possibly reject gourmet food? Even someone who has lost their sense of taste would feel joy from within when smelling and seeing delicious food.