Chapter 203 Roasting the Troll

Li Xiao frowned slightly as he read the unrestrained comments in his stream chat.

He could tell some people were just joking, and he didn’t have much of a problem with them.

After all, the internet was a place where people spoke their minds freely. On a livestream, which often attracted a crasser audience, a few teasing remarks were inevitable.

But he could also see that some people were clearly using “just joking” as an excuse to make vulgar, dirty jokes.

He wasn’t like other streamers. When other streamers featured a beautiful woman, it was usually to attract traffic from lechers, but he had no need for those kinds of people in his chat.

Besides, Zhou Shishi was his assistant; she was under no obligation to put up with their harassment.

He adjusted the camera so it was no longer on Zhou Shishi, then issued another warning in a serious tone.

“This is your last warning.”

“I will not tolerate any vulgar, dirty jokes or malicious harassment in my stream.”

“Perhaps I wasn’t clear before, so I’ll say it again.”

“Of course, you can continue. But I will immediately time you out and issue a permanent ban.”

“Any future giveaways on my stream will have nothing to do with you. And if you take it too far, I will hire a lawyer and send you a legal notice.”

“There are over 5,000 people in this stream right now. Making these kinds of disgusting, dirty jokes and malicious comments in public could constitute slander.”

“You can assume I’m just trying to scare you. That I wouldn’t be bored enough to actually sue you.”

“And it’s true… I don’t have the time to sue every single one of you.”

Hearing this, many of the people who had been nervous a moment ago breathed a sigh of relief. But they didn’t get to feel smug for long.

Because Li Xiao’s tone suddenly shifted.

“I don’t have the time, it’s true. But anyone who watches my stream knows I’m not short on cash.”

“For a simple case like this, lawyer’s fees of ten or twenty thousand would be more than enough to have lawyers flocking to take it.”

“As long as I’m willing to pay, plenty of lawyers and law firms would be happy to take on such an easy, winnable case.”

“There are, at most, one or two hundred trolls in this chat. Suing all of you would only cost me one or two million. That’s not even enough to buy a new car.”

“So, for all you trolls out there, are you sure you have the time and energy to play this game with me?”

Li Xiao’s tone was perfectly calm, but his quiet words carried the weight of a low-pressure system, suffocating and oppressive.

In a flash, the once-unruly flood of comments in the chat instantly became orderly.

If it were possible to retract comments, many people would probably be scrambling to delete what they’d written.

After all, for another streamer, threatening legal action might just be an empty warning. But this guy, who spent money without a second thought, would actually go through with it.

Seeing the chat immediately return to its usual clean state, a satisfied smile touched the corners of Li Xiao’s mouth.

The internet was full of trolls and arrogant people who acted like they were the toughest guys around. In reality, however, they were often complete cowards.

After hearing Li Xiao’s warning, the trolls immediately backed down.

They might not know about other streamers, but given Li Xiao’s habit of spending money like water, they knew he was crazy enough to actually pull a stunt like hiring hundreds of lawyers to send out legal notices.

Having dealt with the trolls in the chat, Li Xiao turned to Zhou Shishi with an apologetic look.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t expect so many trolls in the chat.”

It was the first time Zhou Shishi had ever seen Li Xiao truly angry.

She had been startled for a moment, but when she realized he was angry because she was being harassed, a warm feeling spread through her chest.

She quickly smiled and waved her hands dismissively.

“It’s okay, it’s okay! Don’t be angry, Boss. Those trolls are just trying to get a rise out of you.”

“If you let them get to you, then they win.”

The food here arrived very quickly.

The two of them had only exchanged a few words when the first dish was brought to the table.

The first dish to arrive was the Boneless Pig’s Trotters with Sand Ginger.

Since it was a dish that had to be prepared in advance, it was normal for it to come out so quickly.

The Boneless Pig’s Trotters with Sand Ginger was a far cry from what Li Xiao had imagined.

He had assumed that “boneless pig’s trotters” simply meant the chef had removed the bones beforehand. He hadn’t expected the preparation to go a step further: not only were they deboned, but they were also pre-sliced.

The red-and-white-streaked boneless trotters were sliced thinly and uniformly, arranged on the plate like a lotus flower in full bloom on a bed of snow—fresh and elegant.

Li Xiao gently picked up a slice with his chopsticks. It trembled slightly in their grasp, revealing its tenderness.

He dipped the slice in the sand ginger sauce. The moment it entered his mouth, the pork seemed to dance on the tip of his tongue, light and silky smooth.

The aroma of the sand ginger instantly filled his mouth. Its spiciness was perfectly balanced; rather than overpowering the pork’s natural savory flavor, it enhanced it, adding layers of complexity.

The texture of the meat was incredibly tender. Every bite revealed its delicate and juicy qualities.

Pig’s trotters normally contain a lot of fat, but thanks to some special preparation, the skin wasn’t greasy at all. Instead, it had a subtle, springy crispness.

The mild spice of the sand ginger and the savory flavor of the pork complemented each other perfectly. Each bite was a flawless harmony of the sand ginger’s gentle kick and the pork’s rich, sweet undertones.

The fragrant spice of the sand ginger blended seamlessly with the savory pork, creating a uniquely wonderful experience.

At the same time, a system notification sounded in his ears.

[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 75th item in your collection.]

[Food collection item unlocked: Boneless Pig’s Trotters with Sand Ginger]

[Dish rating: 91 points (Excellent)]

[Due to the Excellent rating, reward x4]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]

[Congratulations, you have received a reward: 0.1% of the shares in Haitian Flavors]

[Congratulations, you have received an experience reward: Sand Ginger Sauce Crafting Insights]

[Congratulations, you have received a recipe reward: Boneless Pig’s Trotters with Sand Ginger Recipe]

…

Li Xiao picked up a slice of the trotter and held it in front of the camera.

“These pig’s trotters taste incredible.”

“It’s tender and juicy. The skin is translucent and packed with collagen, but there isn’t a hint of greasiness.”

“Dipped in the sand ginger sauce, it’s fragrant, tender, and absolutely delicious.”

“I highly recommend everyone come and try these sand ginger pig’s trotters.”

In the stream chat:

“If the streamer hadn’t said anything, I never would’ve guessed those were pig’s trotters!”

“The way they look so translucent has completely changed my negative impression of pig’s trotters.”

“I’ve only ever had braised pig’s trotters before. I had no idea they could be prepared like this.”

“Those trotters look so refreshing.”