Taking Liu Yifei back to Northeast China for the Chinese New Year has sent the entire internet into

"Of course! Let's start the second act now!"

Fang Yu turned around and took out a porcelain bowl from the back of the stove.

The bowl contained several clumps of crystal-clear substance.

Liu Yifei curiously leaned over for a look.

"What is this now?"

She stared at the soft, translucent clouds in the bowl, tilting her head slightly.

"This stuff is called toad oil, or more specifically, forest frog oil."

"But in Northeast China, it has a nice name: Snow Frog."

Fang Yu held the bowl and gently shook it.

The snow frog in the bowl swayed, reflecting a warm, lustrous sheen similar to that of mutton fat jade.

"Don't underestimate this small bowl; it would cost at least several hundred yuan in the market."

He paused, then glanced at Liu Yifei.

"But there's a reason why this thing is expensive."

"Snow frog is most famous for its beauty-enhancing properties."

"Full of protein and natural active ingredients."

"Those serums and face creams that you girls spend thousands of dollars on."

"To put it bluntly, it's all about slathering industrially synthesized collagen onto your face."

"This stuff is all-natural, it nourishes you from the inside out."

Liu Yifei's eyes visibly lit up.

Natural collagen.

Repair from the inside out.

These keywords accurately struck the most sensitive nerve of an actress who deals with the camera all year round.

She spends countless amounts of money on skincare every year.

She's tried almost everything imaginable, from imported serums and cosmetic procedures to collagen oral liquids.

Fang Yu then told her that none of these were as good as eating a toad directly?

Her gaze returned to the glistening, translucent clouds in the bowl.

Indeed... it looks very gelatinous.

In the live stream, discerning viewers immediately went wild.

[Holy crap, snow frog oil? Look at the color, the clarity, it's definitely top-quality!]

[Soft gold, brothers! A highly nutritious substance! It's said that Empress Dowager Cixi's beauty secrets included this stuff!]

I can testify! I was there at the time!

Fang Yu picked up the porcelain bowl and drained the water from the soaked snow frog.

Then, tilt the bowl and let the snow frog slowly slide into a small clay pot.

"Snow frog itself doesn't have much flavor; it relies entirely on the accompanying ingredients."

As he spoke, he picked out a few plump, dark red dates from the bowl next to him and threw them in.

"Rock sugar as the base, red dates to replenish qi and blood, and goji berries to improve eyesight."

A handful of bright red goji berries were sprinkled into the pot.

Finally, Fang Yu took out a large piece of rock candy from the paper bag.

"Smack."

The rock sugar was dropped in and sank to the bottom of the pot with a dull thud.

"The fire must not be too big."

Fang Yu stirred the firewood in the stove, reducing the flames.

"It needs to be simmered over a low flame, allowing the rock sugar to dissolve little by little, so that the sweetness of the red dates can seep into every fold of the snow frog."

He covered the pot with the lid and patiently observed the heat.

The overpowering aroma of fried food that had filled the room had now dissipated.

Instead, it has a light, gentle sweetness.

The sweet aroma wafted out from the gaps in the lid of the clay pot.

Liu Yifei stood beside the stove, watching the white steam rising from the rim of the clay pot.

Her gaze shifted from the casserole dish to Fang Yu's profile at some point.

Ten minutes ago, this person was grabbing a toad and throwing it into a pot of boiling oil, acting ruthlessly.

What now?

When he turned down the fire, the way he poked at the firewood with his fingertips carried an inexplicable patience.

Liu Yifei found it hard to equate the person in front of her with the "Toad Terminator" from before.

Twenty minutes later.

Fang Yu lifted the lid of the casserole.

The snow frog in the pot has fully expanded.

Each clump, soaked in the sweet soup, became even more translucent than before, trembling slightly in the gently bubbling broth.

The red dates plumped up after being cooked, and their skin cracked open, revealing the honey-colored flesh inside.

The whole pot of soup has an enticing pale golden color.

Fang Yu stirred the soup with a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, and looked at it against the light. The soup clung to the spoon, forming a thin, long thread.

"It's done."

He ladled out a small bowl and placed it in front of Liu Yifei.

"Rock sugar stewed snow frog, drink it while it's hot."

When the bowl was handed over, Liu Yifei felt its warmth in her palm first.

It felt warm, from my palms all the way to my fingertips.

She picked up a small spoon and gently stirred the snow frog in the bowl. The texture was soft and fluffy, like a small cloud trapped in sweet soup.

Liu Yifei scooped up a spoonful, brought it to her lips, and blew on it.

As the heat dissipated, the sweet aroma first entered the nasal cavity.

She carefully put it in her mouth.

"Well……"

Her eyes instantly curved into beautiful crescent moons.

It's so slippery!

The moment it enters your mouth, the snow frog melts away on your tongue, not chewed up, but dissolved.

That extremely delicate, gelatinous texture slid down the tongue and down the throat.

The sweetness of rock sugar is pure, while the aroma of red dates is rich and lingering.

The warmth flowed into my stomach, soothing my entire body.

Liu Yifei scooped up another large spoonful.

This time, I didn't blow on it; I just stuffed it into my mouth.

"Fang Yu, this really... isn't fishy at all."

She spoke with half a spoonful of snow frog meat in her mouth, her voice muffled.

"It's actually quite refreshing, with a slightly sweet aftertaste."

Fang Yu leaned against the stove, arms crossed, watching her eat with relish.

"Of course, Grandpa added ginger slices to remove the fishy smell when he soaked them, and I added another layer of red dates and rock sugar when I stewed them."

Liu Yifei held the bowl and shoveled spoonful after spoonful into her mouth, her speed visibly increasing.

Not long after.

empty.

She paused for a second, her gaze involuntarily drifting to the clay pot on the stove.

Fang Yu could see it clearly.

"Would you like another bowl?"

"...Give me another half bowl."

"it is good."

Fang Yu took the bowl and served her another one.

This time, I scooped up two extra red dates.

After finishing her second bowl, Liu Yifei finally put down her spoon.

She wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.

Then, subconsciously, she reached out and touched her cheek.

The fingertip lingered on the smooth skin for two seconds.

Fang Yu witnessed the entire scene.

"What? Inspecting the goods on the spot?"

"You want to check if your skin has improved right after drinking it?"

"Let me tell you, the effects of snow frog aren't immediate; you have to drink it for at least three days..."

"Oh." Liu Yifei withdrew her hand, pursed her lips, and showed a hint of visible regret.

"...It's not an immediate effect."

Fang Yu looked at her somewhat disappointed expression and smiled:

"fine."

"When we leave, I'll ask Grandpa to give you more."

"After you get home, stew a bowl of this every day and drink it for half a month, and you'll see the effects."

After saying that, he turned around and took two steps toward the corner of the kitchen.

He pulled something out of an inconspicuous cloth bag and held it in his palm.

"Oh, right."

"My maternal grandfather's family also has a kind of snack that every household in this forest area has."

You've most likely never seen it before.

Liu Yifei's curiosity was piqued again.

"What is it?"