Chapter 183 Spicy Fried Tofu [Second Update]...

It was Wen Fan's first time celebrating Qixi Festival. Unlike the modern version that has been hyped up as "Chinese Valentine's Day," in her time, Qixi Festival was also called Qiqiao Festival, and it was more of a "Daughters' Festival."

Even within the palace, on this day, there were customs of "building a high platform" and "praying for skill under the moon." Among the palace maids, the most common activity was testing their skill by throwing a needle. At noon, a bowl of water would be placed in the sun, and a film would automatically form on the surface. In the evening, under the moonlight, a needle would be thrown in, and the needle would float on the film, casting a shadow on the bottom of the bowl. Under the moonlight, the needle shadows would vary, and the contest was to see whose needle shadow created the best imagery.

Wen Fan had also cast a needle, and its shadow resembled a lotus flower, drawing everyone's amazement and feeling that it suited her name.

Thinking about these past events, Wen Fan got out of the car.

At the foot of Qingtang Mountain, a string of simple houses had been erected sometime during the day. Although they were simple houses, each one was decorated in its own unique way, with an antique appearance and a dazzling array of colorful lanterns. The street vendors selling snacks had also changed into ancient costumes, creating a truly immersive experience for visitors.

Mr. and Mrs. Wen were also in a rare moment of leisure, and bought quite a few things along the way.

In a certain rural village, a specialty shop sells fried tofu, and they generously offer samples of their spicy and deep-fried tofu to tourists. Wen Fan took a bite and found the tofu surprisingly well-made, with the frying batter perfectly balanced—salty, fragrant, oily, and spicy. Its rough exterior revealed the flavorful oil inside with each bite. Many tourists bought a serving, eating it as they walked, finding it much more delicious when freshly fried than cold.

In Feng Huijuan's village, a pig farm got a quota and opened a shop specializing in fried meatballs and pork cracklings. The pork cracklings were crispy and fragrant, and because all the oil had been rendered out, they weren't greasy at all. Paired with the pickled radishes that the shop gave them as a gift, they were perfect for eating one bite at a time.

The remaining items include honey from Liangjia Village and walnuts from Majia Town…

Wen Fan held a small honey cake in his left hand and a string of fried meatballs in his right.

I have to say, after getting used to home-cooked meals, the taste of food from other places was surprisingly novel.

Now that Wen's father has been learning to cook for a while, he inevitably grumbles a few things while eating, saying things like the fried meatballs are too dry or the dried tofu is too spicy. Wen Fan, on the other hand, is in a good mood and doesn't say anything critical.

The taste of these shops may not be outstanding, but the quality of their products is top-notch. Take dried tofu for example; Wen Fan thinks that even if he made it himself, it would be about the same quality.

The tofu, made from fresh soybeans, had a rich, rustic soybean aroma. Wen Fan took a few bites and found it too salty, so she bought a cup of green tea. It was tea from near Qingtang Mountain, and it was this year's new tea, with a refreshing taste and a subtle tea fragrance. Surprisingly, the tea seller recognized her.

"Hey, aren't you that guy from Wenji?"

The other person had a loud voice, and as soon as he mentioned Wen Ji, many tourists turned their attention to him.

Wen Fan:......

"You know me?"

Wen Fan's heart skipped a beat. When she participated in the show, the production team only showed her face a few times, and most of the shots focused on her hands. Although after the show aired, a few people talked about how Wen's chef was a pretty girl, because Wen Fan didn't deliberately market herself, it was just a passing fad.

Did you recognize this person from the TV show?

The man chuckled: "Aren't you from Huijuan's boss's family? You even came to our village to buy pigs during the Chinese New Year!"

His family missed the opportunity to sell their property and regretted it for a long time afterward.

Mother Wen smiled: "Yes, we know each other. What are you doing here?"

The man deftly placed the tea leaves on the table: "Our family used to lease a small plot of land to grow tea, but for years we only kept it for our own consumption. Now people are saying that the tea around Qingtang Mountain is good and needs to be promoted, so I came!"

No one in the village had as much tea as his family, so the task of selling tea fell to him.

He was actually quite happy. He came here to sell tea and they even paid him a salary, though it wasn't much, but it was still a way to make a living.

Now that Feng Huijuan and her husband are setting an example in the village, he hopes to be like them, sell to a few big clients, and then just collect and process tea leaves in the village. How wonderful that would be!

After exchanging pleasantries with the other party for a while, Wen's mother heard a commotion ahead, so the whole family gathered towards the source of the noise.

At the end of the commercial street, a row of long tables stands out.

Upon closer inspection, it read "Free Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic".

Mother Wen: "...No wonder Old Master Duan wasn't in the shop a few days ago...Hey, isn't that Ji Baiyi?"

Ji Baiyi also saw their family and quickly came over.

"Uncle and Auntie, are you here to play too?"

Wen's mother: "Yes, was this organized by your school?"

Ji Baiyi nodded: "The cultural and tourism department has contacted the principal and agreed that he will come every weekend during the three months of August, September and October."

The local area is rich in several kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs, and the medical school he studied is also highly regarded in the field of traditional Chinese medicine nationwide. He had never thought of getting involved in cultural tourism before.

After Wenji became a hit, many people discovered the pharmacy next door while waiting for a table.

Grandpa Duan was already quite famous. When someone searched his name on the spot, the results showed a string of impressive titles following his name. Some people who weren't in a hurry thought, "Since we're already here, we might as well take a look."

So I asked Mr. Qu for a number, waited a few days, and would come to Wenji to queue for a meal whenever I had free time. I would also check how quickly the appointments were going that day, and if I had any spare time, I would cut in line.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the old man was not just a figurehead, but truly capable.

This has made Wenji even more popular online. Netizens are saying that they absolutely must visit this city.

[Gulu: On the first day after landing, I'll go to Wenji Restaurant for a meal, get a number at the pharmacy next door, and then happily go to Liyu Village to stroll around the market, buy fried crispy fish and fried shrimp balls. At noon, I'll pack some crayfish to take to the back mountain of Liyu Village to get some skewers to eat together. In the evening, I'll watch the giant fish lanterns in Liyu Village and pray to the koi god. On the second day, I'll eat at Wenji Restaurant during the day, and then start climbing Qingtang Mountain in the evening to watch the sunrise before taking a bus down the mountain and going back to Wenji Restaurant for dinner... Delicious!]

The cultural and tourism departments, with their keen sense of opportunity, discovered the huge market potential of traditional Chinese medicine and immediately approached the president of the university specializing in traditional Chinese medicine. The president was naturally willing, which led to this free clinic that evening.

The long queue was full of young people. Old Master Duan narrowed his eyes and thought to himself that some of these young people were not as healthy as the elderly.

"Take this prescription and get the ingredients yourself. Take it for a few days, then stop for a few days. It should take about a month."

The girl was puzzled: "Do I have to stop? I saw a traditional Chinese medicine doctor before, and he prescribed several months' worth of medicine for me."

Grandpa Duan: "Wouldn't your kidneys be damaged if you didn't eat this for a few months? What kind of body can withstand this kind of abuse? Even if you don't have a serious problem, eating this for a long time will make you sick. This recipe, stewed with pigeon, is the best. If you can afford it, buy it and cook it yourself."

Grandpa Duan took Wen Fan's three medicinal diet recipes and, after studying them with his senior brother, made many changes to them, creating dozens of medicinal diet recipes suitable for different constitutions.

Over the past six months, these prescriptions have proven effective, so this time, most of the prescriptions written by Grandpa Duan are medicinal diet recipes.

Wen Fan felt a bit uneasy when she saw the medicinal diet recipe. Her mother said she was going to say hello, but she didn't want to go with her.

"I'll go check over there."

Next to the Chinese medicine stalls were the carp village stalls, where inflatable fish ponds were filled with koi of various colors. Children were scooping them out with small nets, shouting excitedly as they did so.

Wen Fan was engrossed in watching when suddenly a net appeared in front of him.

"Give it a try."

Ji Baiyi had bought one at some point and handed it to Wen Fan.

Wen Fan: "No, thank you."

How do I care for it after buying it? Do I have a suitable fish tank at home? What if the yolk sac gets inside the fish and starts playing with it?

Ji Baiyi pushed it forward again: "You scoop it out first, and I'll keep it. I've been wanting to buy some goldfish."

Wen Fan looked at the net bag, feeling a strong urge to take it, but in the end, he accepted it.

In the blink of an eye, Wen Fan caught several goldfish and handed them to Ji Baiyi with satisfaction.

"Would you raise a pet?"

Ji Baiyi: "I'll learn slowly."

The two carried a bag of fish back to find Wen's mother, but they immediately saw Wen's father and mother being held down in their seats by Old Master Duan to have their pulses taken.

Ji Baiyi glanced at his watch: "Your parents seem to be waiting a while. The fireworks are about to start. How about I take you to get a good spot?"

Wen Fan thought for a moment, picked up her phone and sent a message to her mother, then followed Ji Boyi forward.

Ji Baiyi found a perfect spot—a semi-protruding platform. Although it required walking uphill for a while, it offered a great view of the large open space where fireworks were being set off. Wen Fan sent his location to his parents as soon as he arrived.

As she lowered her head, Ji Boyi suddenly asked her, "I'm going to take the postgraduate entrance exam next year, Wen Fan, which school do you want to attend?"

Wen Fan casually replied, "It's local, I guess."

Having been talked to by her teachers so much these past few months, Wen Fan has also carefully considered which university she should attend.

Based on her current grades, if she works hard in the coming year, she has a good chance of getting into the best local university.

As for majors...

Wen Fan is inclined towards business studies.

Running her own small shop isn't that complicated, but if she wants to expand it, she needs modern management thinking.

Ji Baiyi: "I understand... Let's watch the fireworks."

With a loud bang, the first firework exploded in the sky, dazzling far more brilliantly than any Wen Fan had ever seen.

Wen's father and mother also arrived, holding the prescription given by Grandpa Duan. They were relieved to see their daughter.

"There are too many people, don't wander around... Where's Ji Baiyi?"

Wen Fan: "I don't know, let's go."

Wen's father and mother stood on either side of her. The fireworks in the distance were more and more beautiful, exploding in colorful smoke, as ethereal as a fairyland.

Wen Fan was engrossed in watching, while his mother took out her camera.

"Shall we take a picture?"

I set up my camera, snapped a picture, and captured the perfect moment: the fireworks exploding in the background.

Wen's mother looked back at the photos and was very satisfied.

The fireworks were going to last for more than half an hour, and the family stood for a while before sitting down on the ground.

Wen's mother sighed, "This year has gone by so fast. In the blink of an eye, you'll be a senior in high school."

Wen Fan clung to his mother's arm. Wen's mother had finally made up her mind.

“Your father and I have discussed it. This year of high school is crucial. You need to focus on your studies. We won’t need you at the shop anymore. We’ll also stop the private kitchen.”

Wen Fan listened quietly to her mother.

"Mom and Dad will take good care of everything in the store. Even if the store doesn't make much money, it's okay. I hope you can have the power to choose without any regrets."

Touching her daughter's face, Wen's mother joked, "But it's okay if you cook at home yourself, because you'll probably get tired of your dad's cooking after a while."

Mr. Wen muttered, "I'm not that bad, am I?"

On an August evening, a gentle breeze blew as Wen Fan leaned against his parents and smiled.

“I know, Mom.”