After My Rebirth Chapter 22: New Dishes

Chapter 22: New Dishes

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Li Sinian slowly blinked, digesting Jiang Rongxuan’s words. He looked down, his shoulders shaking gently, indicating he was laughing—and quite happily. Jiang Rongxuan rested his chin on his hand, waiting for him to look up again. “Is it that funny?”

Li Sinian nodded. “I thought you came to apologize for Mr. Ma, telling me not to dwell on what happened yesterday. I didn’t expect you…to throw your friend under the bus so quickly.”

Jiang Rongxuan sighed in mock concern. “If he weren’t such an idiot, I wouldn’t.”

The two of them chatted casually. Jiang Rongxuan seemed particularly free today, lingering over his meal for a long time, eating from noon until nearly two in the afternoon. Even after finishing, he wasn’t in a rush to leave and continued chatting with Li Sinian.

They started talking about why Li Sinian was so skilled at cooking. Li Sinian thought for a moment and answered, “Because I’m interested, so I put my heart into it, and that’s how I got good.”

“At first, I followed the recipe ratios strictly, using the exact ingredients and seasonings. Over time, I discovered some patterns and started making improvements to the recipes.”

“After moving out, I poured myself into cooking, studying agriculture, and using the produce I grew myself along with the improved recipes. That’s how I developed the current flavors.”

Jiang Rongxuan nodded. “That’s impressive. Your cooking skills have become so good in just three months.”

“It’s not that big of a deal. If you focus on one thing for three months, you’re bound to make some progress.” Li Sinian sounded a bit proud. “And I haven’t ever messed up since I started cooking for the first time, so I guess I have some talent. I’ve only made adjustments to existing recipes, so it’s not that amazing.”

“But I’m currently trying to develop new dishes, and it hasn’t been as smooth. Failing ten or eight times per dish has become common.”

“You’re launching a new dish?” Jiang Rongxuan asked.

“Possibly,” Li Sinian said. “If I get it right, I’ll add it to the menu.”

“Then…let’s add each other on WeChat.” Jiang Rongxuan took out his phone, opened his WeChat QR code, and held it up to Li Sinian. “When your new dish is ready, let me know. I want to be the first to try it.”

“Sure,” Li Sinian agreed easily.

After adding each other on WeChat, Jiang Rongxuan finally left. Li Sinian felt exhausted after keeping the restaurant open for over two hours that afternoon, so he closed up and went home.

It was a bit late for a nap, so after lying down for a while, he got up and returned to the kitchen to continue testing his new dish. He had been developing this recipe, a spicy pig’s trotter dish, for two weeks, failing numerous times, but recently the taste had finally started heading in the right direction.

He’d recently accepted an advertisement for Minghui, and he wanted to recommend a product he liked in a video by showcasing this new dish.

He spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen.

Li Sinian felt that he had never found something he truly enjoyed doing before. He had dedicated his life to the company, sacrificed his stomach and liver for deals over drinks, and thought he was happy to pay the price for his career. But in the kitchen, handling fresh ingredients, he discovered that genuine passion wasn’t about painful sacrifices. It was about immersing oneself, enjoying the process without worrying about gains or losses.

In his past life, he had endured every day with frustration, but cooking, despite being tiring, brought him joy.

This seemed like a common dish from the name alone, but the preparation was unlike any ordinary pork trotter recipe. In the process, no light or dark soy sauce was added, yet it tasted even better than recipes that used a bunch of seasonings.

That’s right, after two weeks of attempts, Li Sinian finally succeeded with his spicy pork trotters. He hadn’t recorded it during his trial run, so if he wanted to make a video, he would need to redo the recipe and film the process.

Li Sinian hated wasting ingredients, so whenever he modified a recipe, he used the minimum amount necessary; this time was no different, making only half a trotter. But eating half a trotter for dinner wasn’t a small amount, and based on his principles of not keeping leftovers and not wasting food, it would’ve been better to record the video tomorrow. However, he couldn’t resist.

He loved cooking and experimenting with recipes, a double-layered passion that made him want to film and upload the video right away, to let the world know his first original dish had succeeded.

Li Sinian stared at the few new kitchen tools he had barely used, then decisively opened the fridge to grab ingredients and start filming. What principles? In the face of passion, they were hardly worth mentioning.

He decided to make it now; at worst, he’d eat overnight pork trotters tomorrow. It wouldn’t kill him. Li Sinian set up the camera and began washing the trotters. Unlike any of his previous videos, he filmed this process in great detail, narrating as he went to make everything clear.

Since it was an original recipe, this video didn’t focus on the soothing atmosphere of cooking as his other videos did; instead, it prioritized the step-by-step instructions. After filming, Li Sinian edited the video carefully.

When he finished all the work and looked up, it was already one in the morning. This was his first time staying up late since leaving home; clearly, a strong interest could break any rule. Li Sinian uploaded the video and fell asleep immediately.

Since he went to bed late, he slept in the next day, missing the breakfast window. Not in the mood to go to a restaurant, he slowed down his routine, exercised leisurely, showered, and then had brunch: leftover spicy pork trotters with some white congee and greens.

While eating, he set up his phone nearby, intending to watch a video while he ate. When he opened Station C, he was surprised to see that his spicy pork trotter tutorial was on the homepage recommendations. He hadn’t expected the review process to be so quick, but since it was already there, it only made sense to give himself a view.

The video had been approved around 6 a.m., and in the four hours since then, it had already surpassed 100,000 views. The coins and comments were increasing rapidly, refreshing the page would show the numbers going up again.

The video’s popularity was due to his own high visibility, which brought viewers to watch it. At first, the comments were all about Li Sinian himself. But once the actual cooking began, the attention shifted entirely to the cooking process.

There are typically two ways to add color to a dish: dark soy sauce or caramelizing sugar. Since Li Sinian didn’t use soy sauce in his spicy pork trotters, many viewers assumed the coloring came from caramelizing sugar. But in the very first step, question marks filled the screen as he simply simmered the pork trotters with red yeast rice for coloring.

“[????? Really? Red yeast rice for color? Will that even taste good?]”

“[Soy sauce isn’t just for color; it’s for flavor, too! Without it, won’t it be bland? It’s meat, after all!]”

“[Not necessarily; there are many ways to season without soy sauce. I think Sinian’s method is interesting; it’s only the first step, so let’s keep watching.]”

After the trotters were cooked, Li Sinian heated up the oil. As someone who had been a CEO of a listed company for nearly twenty years, he understood the art of product placement. So, when he started heating the oil, he began his advertisement script.

“This is my new pan, a non-stick from Minghui,” he said off-camera. “It’s perfect for cooking, and if you don’t want to use a pressure cooker, you can actually simmer dishes on low heat with this pan too.”

“Minghui is a well-known brand, no need for me to say much. If you’re interested, you can click the purchase link below the video. Using my link gives you a 30% discount.”

“Just being transparent: this is a sponsored ad. I’ve been a content creator for over three months now and haven’t taken any brand deals until now. I’m recommending this because I genuinely like it, so you can buy with confidence.”

The barrage of comments instantly doubled at that moment.  

[What the heck?! Minghui’s ad? Nian Nian actually managed to get Minghui’s endorsement?!]  

[I took a quick look, and it really is Minghui, the famous Minghui. Oh my god, Minghui is now asking influencers to promote their products? The e-commerce era has really changed them.]  

[I remember a top-tier celebrity once lowered their price to endorse Minghui, but Minghui refused, saying they didn’t need celebrities to promote their brand. Now they’re asking an influencer to do it? Emmmmmm…]  

[Stop with the “emmmmmm,” just say what you mean. Isn’t it disgusting to be so passive-aggressive? I actually think Minghui choosing Nian Nian as their spokesperson is a recognition of Nian Nian. All my kitchenware is from Minghui, and their quality is unbeatable. They would never harm their own reputation. I believe they trust Nian Nian.]  

[Same here, I’ve been a fan of Minghui for years, and I truly don’t believe Minghui would harm its reputation. I’ll trust Nian Nian for Minghui’s sake.]  

Good reputations are built together, and at first, many people thought Li Sinian’s cooking methods were too innovative and somewhat unreliable. But as he managed to secure Minghui’s endorsement, the doubts started to fade.  

An influencer chosen by Minghui definitely wasn’t one of those who just made clickbait videos. At the very least, his videos showed sincerity. This innovative spicy pork trotter dish might not be liked by everyone, but Li Sinian surely wouldn’t have shared it unless he found it delicious himself.  

He added rock candy, green onions, ginger, bean paste, and cinnamon into the pan to stir-fry together.  

Rock candy not only enhances the color and freshness of the dish but also adds thickness to the broth. After stir-frying the ingredients to a certain point, he added water and started simmering.  

During the simmering process, Li Sinian filmed with other kitchenware. “Minghui sent me quite a few things, and I’ve used each one. I’ve written some reviews, but since the video is too long, I’m guessing you don’t have the patience to watch it all. So, I’ll post the detailed review in my stories tomorrow. If anyone needs kitchenware, you can check my story then.”  

“Even a big brand like Minghui doesn’t always make the most useful products. I’ve listed my personal thoughts and experiences on the kitchenware I’ve used—the pros and cons—so you can decide whether you want to buy them or not.”  

“Of course, these are just my personal opinions. They may not be the absolute truth, so you should still consider what works for you and not rely too much on my recommendations.”  

[Wow, this influencer is so thoughtful.]  

[I just checked his stories, and wow, that was really detailed!]  

[Now I get why Minghui chose to work with Nian Nian. Even when doing an ad, he’s thinking about us fans, unlike those influencers just in it for the money. Ughhhh.]  

[Exactly, his attitude matches Minghui’s attitude toward their products.]  

[That’s why I love cooking with Minghui’s cookware and then watching Nian Nian’s videos with my meal.]  

As the water boiled, Li Sinian took out the pork trotters, removed the spices from the pan, and then added the millet chili and continued to simmer the trotters.  

Earlier, he had simmered them on low heat, but now it was time to turn up the heat to thicken the broth.  

During this process, Li Sinian stirred the ingredients with a spatula, worried about burning the pan.  

Thick steam rose from the pot, swirling around, almost making it hard to see the contents of the video. But the faint red broth visible in the mist made it even more appetizing, as if you could smell the aroma through the screen.  

[Who would have thought, I’m actually getting hungry just watching steam.]  

[The simmering process is so soothing—the visuals, the sound, the bubbling, it’s such a cozy feeling.]  

[This video is perfect for winter. It’s not even cold watching it outside.]  

The broth gradually thickened over the high heat, coating the red pork trotters. Because the heat was still on, you could see small bubbles around the edges of the pot.  

The pork trotters were colored using red yeast rice, giving them a much more beautiful red hue than soy sauce, which would have given them a dark, blackish color.  

[Okay, I take back what I said earlier. The red yeast rice coloring is so beautiful! It’s basically a work of art!]  

[He somehow made pork trotters look so fancy! Nian Nian, you’ve really outdone yourself.]  

[It really looks so delicious. I want to eat it so badly.]  

[Though the dish looks delicious, it doesn’t necessarily mean it tastes good. Nian Nian’s method seems a bit risky, but honestly, it looks so good.]  

Once the pork trotters were out of the pot, the next step was the key: pouring the chili oil.  

Li Sinian took out a small frying pan and placed it on the stove.  

His voice came back on, “Next is the most important step: pouring the chili oil.”  

“I personally love spicy food, so I’ve done a lot of research on chili oil. The chili oil I’ve shown in previous cooking videos is my own recipe, and this time, it’s an improved version. I think it’s the most delicious thing in the universe. I’ve posted the ingredients and steps on the screen, so if you’re interested, you can follow along.”  

“Oh, and I have another ad to plug. The pan I’m holding is from Minghui, and I think it’s one of their best products. You can totally buy it without hesitation. If you need a pan, don’t miss this one.”  

[Hahahahaha, Nian Nian is so funny, he announces his ads like this.]  

[I think people just have a rebellious mindset. In the past, I’d avoid buying things when influencers subtly placed ads, but now that Nian Nian openly says he’s doing it, I just want to buy it.]  

[Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll buy it, I’m placing an order now. Can we start with the chili oil already?]

Li Sinian poured the hot chili oil over the pig’s feet, and the sizzling sound of the oil meeting the meat made the appetite surge with just the sound alone. The oil caused the surface to form a crispy layer, almost like adding a filter to this already beautiful dish. Finally, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro garnished the dish, and the spicy pig’s feet were ready.

The video ended, and Li Sinian didn’t record a tasting session. Instead, he sat in his usual tasting spot and switched to self-praise mode. “This method really tastes great, at least for me, I think it’s the best pig’s feet I’ve ever had.”  

“This is my first time creating a new dish, and there will definitely be more in the future. I’m not sure when, but when it comes out, it will definitely be delicious.”  

“Lastly… this pig’s trotter is really good, everyone should try it. If I go through the comment section and see comments like ‘I made it, it’s really good,’ I’ll be really happy. Thank you.”  

The video ended, and the live comments also came to a stop. As a result, everyone’s frustration was vented into the comment section.  

[??? That’s it? No tasting? What about the Adam’s apple? I took my pants off and you just showed me this?]  

[Same as every year, did you forget something? If the next video doesn’t have at least two different eating shots, I’ll be mad.]  

[I also want to see the tasting! I don’t want to see the Adam’s apple, I don’t want to see the hands, I really just want to see the tasting. I want to know what the color of that beautiful spicy pig’s feet tastes like. How could you be so cruel!]  

Li Sinian was also browsing the comments and, seeing the complaints, he posted an update.  

[Nian Nian You Today: In my usual videos, there’s a tasting segment because I actually eat the food. But last night’s dish was made in the evening, and I don’t have a habit of having midnight snacks, so I just made it and put it aside. If you want to see it, I’ll record a segment in the afternoon.]  

Actually, if he had seen the comments earlier, he might have recorded it immediately, but unfortunately, by the time he saw it, the pig’s feet had already been finished.  

Li Sinian carried the dishes to the kitchen to wash, then collapsed onto the couch, intending to watch the news and play Plants vs. Zombies. It was a new game he had discovered recently. Though the game had been around for years, he had never played it before due to his busy schedule. Recently, he played it and found out how fun it actually was.  

Opening Weibo, he hadn’t even clicked into the news section yet when he noticed a trending topic in the top ten related to him.  

#Minghui Kitchenware Collaborating with Influencers#  

It had to be said that Minghui’s influence was really huge. An inconspicuous blogger like him had actually made it to the trending list.  

Weibo’s trending list was visible to a national audience, and when Li Sinian saw the trending topic, many people saw it too.  

For example, Li Wenxing, who was preparing for his graduation defense.  

Li Wenxing stared at the Weibo post that mentioned Minghui Kitchenware collaborating with an influencer, his eyes almost popping out.  

It was really him, that unlucky brother of his!  

It was him again, Li Sinian!  

He had already been kicked out of the house, so why was he still lingering around?  

What was so good about him? How did someone who had been kicked out still manage to be accepted by a big company like Minghui?  

 

 

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