Douluo Continent: Gourmet Prisoner

Day 21

clear

There are only three days left until the start of the Shrek Academy semester.

The sunlight outside the window was exceptionally bright, streaming through the glass and onto the aquarium, making the jellyfish appear even more translucent. And within me, an unprecedented certainty surged—a strong premonition told me that today, I would surely unravel the mystery of the jellyfish.

Why was I so stupid before?

It wasn't until yesterday, when I empathized with those little creatures and felt their sadness and helplessness, that I belatedly realized that I had been putting the cart before the horse all along.

They clearly presented the answer to me in the most straightforward way long ago.

I stared at the jellyfish in the aquarium, watching the tiny lights on their heads, and couldn't help but pat my forehead.

Each jellyfish has a different illuminated position on its head! Some are on the left, some on the right, and some on the top, like a code waiting to be lit up.

I took a deep breath, calmed my excited emotions, and slowly walked to the aquarium.

This time, I didn't wear rubber gloves or gather soul power to protect myself. I simply reached out and, with unprecedented gentleness, slowly probed into the water, gently lifting up a pink jellyfish.

Something magic happened.

This jellyfish didn't release electricity as usual, nor did it extend its tentacles to sting. Its body even stretched slightly, as if responding to my kindness.

A cool, smooth sensation came from my fingertips, with a hint of seawater saltiness, but it wasn't unpleasant.

I held my breath and carefully touched the glowing spot on its head with my fingertips.

The moment the fingertips touched it, the faint light flickered and slowly moved to another position on the head.

My heart skipped a beat, further confirming my suspicions.

I continued with gentle pressure, following the trajectory of the shifting light, touching it little by little. Once, twice, three times... each touch felt like unlocking a tiny mechanism.

The jellyfish's body stretched out more and more, and its original pale pink color gradually became more and more vibrant.

Until my fingertips touched the last speck of light on its head, a miraculous scene unfolded—

Suddenly, the entire head of this pink jellyfish emitted a soft glow, like a tiny pink lantern.

Immediately afterwards, its originally slender tentacles slowly secreted crystal-clear droplets of liquid. The droplets rolled down and gathered, quickly solidifying into a viscous, pink sauce with a faint fruity aroma.

It's strawberry jam!

A rich, sweet aroma instantly filled the entire laboratory, just like the alluring fruity scent that had been emanating from the jellyfish earlier.

I suppressed my overwhelming joy and carefully placed the jellyfish back into the aquarium.

It swayed its body as if it were flirting with me, while the other jellyfish around it also swayed their bodies, the faint light on their heads shimmering even more joyfully.

I stretched out my finger, lightly dipped it in the strawberry jam on the table, and put it in my mouth.

The pure, sweet flavor of strawberries explodes on the tongue, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour, without any artificial sweetness.

The sauce has a smooth and thick texture with a rich flavor. After swallowing, a faint fruity aroma lingers in the throat, leaving a delightful aftertaste.

I did it! I really did it!

As I watched the jellyfish swimming happily in the aquarium, my eyes instantly welled up with tears.

I looked at them, my voice choked with emotion yet filled with joy: "Thank you! Thank you!"

The moment the words left my lips, a warm, joyful emotion quietly entered my heart; it was them responding to me.

Unable to contain my excitement any longer, I carefully collected the strawberry jam, put it into a clean glass jar, and then hurried towards the dean's office in the Department of Gastronomy.

Footsteps clattered lightly on the stone slabs of the corridor, and even the wind carried a sweet scent.

dong dong dong-

I knocked on the door of the dean's office.

"Come in," Dean Xuanzi's voice came from inside, still carrying a hint of lazy laughter.

I pushed open the door and entered, clutching the jar of strawberry jam tightly in my hands.

Dean Xuanzi was sitting at his desk, holding a pastry in his hand. When he saw me come in, he raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Oh, it's Xiaoxiao. What trouble have you encountered this time? It's alright, take your time. Just tell me what you need, and I'll definitely help you solve it."

"Elder Xuan, it's a success!" I couldn't hold back any longer, my voice filled with uncontainable joy.

Dean Xuanzi paused, still chewing on his pastry, and mumbled, "It's alright, it's alright, failure is the mother of success... Wait, what did you say? You succeeded?"

He abruptly stood up from his chair, his languid expression vanishing instantly, replaced by shock and disbelief in his eyes.

"That's right! Elder Xuan!" I nodded vigorously, quickly stepped forward, and handed him the glass jar. "I've found the cooking method! As long as you approach them with kindness, you won't be attacked. And by touching the glowing spots on their heads in sequence, lighting up all the points, they will secrete delicious jam!"

Dean Xuanzi's eyes were fixed on the jar of strawberry jam, and he quickly took it.

He unscrewed the cap, brought the jar to his nose, and took a gentle sniff. The rich fruity aroma instantly filled his nostrils, making his eyes light up.

He didn't care about his appearance, so he stretched out his oily hand, dipped his finger in the jam, and put it in his mouth to savor it.

The moment he entered, Dean Xuanzi's eyes widened, and his face showed an unprecedented look of amazement.

"Great! Great! Absolutely great!" He exclaimed "Great!" three times in a row, rubbing his hands excitedly. "This strawberry jam is absolutely amazing! It's better than any jam I've ever had! Xiaoxiao, I knew you could do it! I was right about you!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, patted my shoulder, and said solemnly, "These jellyfish are the result of your discovery of this cooking method. Give them a name, and I'll have them recorded in the culinary department's archives and textbooks so that all future culinary students can learn this unique cooking method!"

"Yes, Elder Xuan!" I nodded vigorously, my heart filled with pride.

After saying goodbye to Dean Xuanzi, I carried the jar of strawberry jam and walked briskly back to my office.

I sat in front of the aquarium, looking at the jellyfish of various colors inside, watching the shimmering light on their heads, and fell into thought.

What should I call you?

They can secrete delicious jam and have colorful bodies, like a group of jam fairies living in the sea.

As I looked at them, a gentle smile crept onto my lips.

"Let's call you Jam Jellyfish!"