The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 785: SURPRISED LIVESTREAM (II)

ASTRID paid little attention to the viewer count. As long as he knew people were watching, that was enough. So he just kept cooking, talking to the audience as he worked, and explaining why he did each step.

He gave the dark, fragrant sauce in the pot one more stir. He turned the burner down to a gentle simmer.

”Alright, this is the last step,” he said to the camera. ”We’re going to let everything cook together slowly now.” He placed a heavy lid on top of the pot, the sound echoing softly in the quiet kitchen.

”This is where the magic happens. The low heat lets the chicken get really tender and just... drink up all those spices,” he explained. He checked the timer he had set. ”We’ll give it about twenty minutes.” He wiped his hands clean on a kitchen towel and leaned back against the counter, looking at the screen. ”And that’s it for the cooking part. Now, we wait,” he said, checking the timer. ”Since we have about twenty minutes, we might as well chat.”

[Yes! Let’s chat! I have so many questions!]

[Aster, when did you learn to cook like that?]

[You look like a real chef! It’s so impressive.]

[Can you share the full recipe after this?]

Astrid glanced at the chat and replied to a few comments. ”I learned how to cook when I was pretty young. I used to help my mom in the kitchen whenever she was making something. It was sort of our thing to do together.”

Of course, the real truth was that he had learned to cook in his past life because there was no one else around to do it for him. He had to do it for himself. But he couldn’t exactly say that to everyone watching. So, he just gave them a tame version that everyone could accept. Besides, it wasn’t a total lie. He and his mother used to cook together all the time back on the farm in Delryria.

”And yes, I will post the recipe for this spicy braised chicken later on,” he added.

[Aww... bonding with your mom by cooking together. That’s so sweet.]

[I can already picture little Aster in the kitchen.]

[Do you have any pictures of you as a kid?]

[Aster, what’s your favorite thing to cook for yourself?]

Astrid smiled a little at the question. ”I don’t really have one favorite thing to cook,” he said. ”It kind of depends on my mood, or if there’s a special occasion. I enjoy trying different things. And I like baking, too. Making sweets can be really relaxing.”

[The fact that you bake too... Aster, you’re perfect. A baking stream would be amazing!]

[Seriously, you can cook and bake? Is there anything you can’t do?]

[I would love to see you decorate a cake or something. Please consider it!]

[Aster, I’m just curious, when did you first know you wanted to be an actor?]

”I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was a kid, really,” he began, his tone warm and reflective. ”I’d watch films and just think, ’I want to do that. I want to tell stories like that.’ That dream led me to Redwood Academy. Then I got incredibly lucky with [The Sleeping God]. That role... it was the break that started everything for me.”

[I’m really happy you became an actor, Aster.]

[It’s great you went for it. We all benefit from your choice.]

It was then that the soft chime of the kitchen timer rang out.

”There we go,” Astrid said, turning off the timer. ”That should be perfect.” He moved the pot off the heat and lifted the lid. A cloud of fragrant steam billowed out. ”Now, let’s get this plated.”

He took two shallow bowls from the cupboard and used a large spoon to carefully portion out the chicken and sauce, making sure each bowl got plenty of the tender meat and rich, spiced gravy. He finished with a sprinkle of the chopped scallions he had prepared earlier.

He opened the rice cooker beside him, releasing another wave of steam, and scooped a generous serving of fluffy white rice into the bowl next to the chicken. He held the finished bowl up toward the camera.

”A dish like this,” he said, ”is definitely best served with rice. It soaks up all the sauce.”

Astrid placed the finished bowl on the kitchen counter. He directed the main camera to move closer. The feed closed in on the dish, showing the glossy sauce and tender chicken in clear detail.

He sat down on a stool at the counter. The camera view smoothly widened, showing him clearly with the bowl of spicy braised chicken and rice set on the counter before him.

”Well, I’m going to eat my dinner now,” he said, picking up his spoon and fork. ”But please, feel free to keep the chat going. I’ll still be here.”

[That looks absolutely delicious! I’m definitely trying this recipe.]

[It looks so good! I can’t wait to make it myself.]

[Thank you for still talking with us while you eat! This is so nice.]

[Enjoy your dinner, Aster! It looks amazing.]

Astrid had just taken a bite when he glanced at the chat. He almost choked on his food when he saw the flood of comments coming from one username.

@astridsnumber1fan: [What is this?]

@astridsnumber1fan: [How is there a livestream I didn’t know about?]

@astridsnumber1fan: [It’s been forty-five minutes? No!!! Aster, can you do it all again from the start?]

@astridsnumber1fan: [Wait, is there a way to watch what I missed?]

@astridsnumber1fan: [Anyway, Aster, you look great in your home clothes.]

@astridsnumber1fan: [Can I send you a gift on here?]

@astridsnumber1fan: [That food looks incredible.]

@astridsnumber1fan: [I am going to learn how to cook this immediately.]

Astrid grabbed his glass of water and took a drink to clear his throat. One thing he hated most, besides grapes, was the feeling of choking. But even though he was annoyed at first, seeing Wulfric’s frantic messages in the chat made him smile subconsciously.

”It looks like my self-proclaimed number one fan has finally joined us,” he said, his tone playful. He smiled at the camera and gave a little wave. ”Hi there, White Wolf.”