Chapter 762 - 458: A Complete Mental Breakdown, a Full Confession

Chapter 762: Chapter 458: A Complete Mental Breakdown, a Full Confession

"These aren’t just some big bugs. This stuff is called bee pupae. Don’t be fooled by their looks—they might seem a little scary, but they’re delicious when you deep-fry them," Lin Li explained to Zhou Tongtong with a chuckle.

"Delicious?" Zhou Tongtong trusted Lin Li completely. Hearing him say that these plump white bugs—no, these bee pupae—were delicious, she looked at the pupae in the bag, and most of the fear in her eyes instantly vanished.

"Take this bag of pupae. You can have your mom cook them for you later," Lin Li said with a smile, handing the bag to Zhou Tongtong.

"Thank you, Lin Li!!!" Zhou Tongtong took the bag of pupae he offered and politely thanked him.

THUD.

After closing the door, Zhou Tongtong opened the bag and peered inside.

At first glance, the constantly wriggling, plump white pupae were rather scary. However, after learning they were a delicious delicacy, the little girl’s mindset quickly changed, and her fear vanished.

Zhou Tongtong reached into the bag and poked a plump white pupa with her index finger, murmuring to herself, ’They’re so soft!’

Xia Qing, who was stir-frying in the kitchen, came into the dining room carrying a freshly cooked plate of vegetables. She set the dish on the table and called out toward the entryway, "Tongtong?"

PATTER, PATTER, PATTER...

The sound of light running came from the distance, and a moment later, Zhou Tongtong, wearing her school uniform with her hair in a bun, ran into the dining room.

"Mom!!!"

"Look at this..."

Zhou Tongtong ran up to her mom and, as if presenting a treasure, opened the bag in her hands to show her.

"Bee pupae!"

"Where did you get these?" Xia Qing asked, confused, as she looked at the large bag of fresh pupae her daughter was holding.

Beaming, Zhou Tongtong explained, "Lin Li gave them to me! He said these big bugs called bee pupae are really delicious and that you should cook them for me..."

Hearing this, Xia Qing realized their next-door neighbor was the one who had just rung the doorbell. "You accepted a gift from Lin Li. Did you remember to say thank you?"

"I did," Zhou Tongtong said with a nod.

Xia Qing took the large bag of fresh pupae from her daughter and told her to go wash her hands in the bathroom and get ready for dinner.

"Mom, when are we going to eat the bee pupae? Lin Li said they’re super delicious if you deep-fry them..." Having learned from Lin Li how tasty they were, Zhou Tongtong asked impatiently.

"A bit later! I’ve already finished cooking the other dishes. After we finish dinner, I’ll fry some up for you as a late-night snack," Xia Qing told her daughter with a smile.

Zhou Tongtong was a little disappointed to know she couldn’t have the pupae for dinner, but she was a patient child.

"Go wash your hands now!" Xia Qing urged.

"Okay." Zhou Tongtong nodded, then turned and ran toward the bathroom.

* * *

In the kitchen, a fist-sized Fireball floated beneath the wok.

When the oil in the wok was hot enough, Lin Li poured a small basin of washed, fresh pupae into it.

SIZZLE, SIZZLE, SIZZLE...

Although these plump, white, constantly wriggling pupae had a strong Life Force, they instantly perished in the hot oil.

Lin Li focused his attention, watching the color of the pupae in the wok. The moment they turned golden brown, he immediately used a slotted spoon to scoop them all out into a small basin.

SHH-SHH-SHH...

He grabbed the salt and pepper mix from the side, sprinkled some into the basin, then picked it up with both hands and gave it a few shakes to evenly coat the golden-brown pupae.

’Smells so good!’

Lin Li leaned in for a sniff, then picked up a golden-brown pupa and popped it into his mouth.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH...

The fried pupae were fragrant and crispy, with no strange aftertaste. They were absolutely delicious.

"This would be a great snack for someone who likes to drink," Lin Li mumbled after tasting the fried pupae.

Just then, an image flashed through his mind: Su Yue, back home, frying up a basin of pupae, the two of them drinking and eating them together.

Shaking the image from his head, Lin Li extinguished the Fireball under the wok, cleaned up the pots and pans in the kitchen, and then carried the basin of fried pupae to the living room.

’Why hasn’t my takeout arrived yet?’ Lin Li thought, puzzled, as he sat on the living room sofa eating fried pupae and watching TV. He glanced up at the clock on the wall.

’I’ll wait a few more minutes. If it’s still not here, I’m going to call the delivery guy...’

The minutes ticked by. Another six or seven minutes passed. Fried pupae alone weren’t enough to fill his stomach, so Lin Li picked up his phone, ready to call the delivery guy and ask why his order was taking so long.

Just as Lin Li was about to dial the delivery guy’s number, the doorbell rang.

DING-DONG...

Lin Li got up, walked to the door, and opened it to find a delivery guy, drenched in sweat, standing on his doorstep.

"Hey man, I’m so sorry for the wait..." the slightly out-of-breath delivery guy said, apologizing as he handed a large bag of takeout to Lin Li.

"It’s okay." Seeing the delivery guy’s disheveled state, Lin Li asked out of curiosity, "Can I ask why you were so late?"