Chapter 227: Deeper and Deeper Bonds

"Hot pot!!" Ouyang Yidan cheered happily, "Then I have to eat less at noon! I can only eat two bowls! No, one and a half bowls!

Sister, sister, I want to eat tripe! Beef! Shrimp paste! "

"Sister, I'll eat whatever you cook, but I also want the tripe and fatty beef shrimp balls that Dandan ordered!"

"Junior sister, are you planning to cook it yourself? Then I can stay home for lunch and prepare the food in the store early, and then prepare the hot pot directly when you come back."

"Then I'll come early this afternoon! I'll finish the work so that my sister can have time to make hot pot!"

"Then I'll go with you!"

The hot pot proposal immediately garnered strong support from everyone. Amidst the clamor of orders and overtime requests, Zhao Xiaojing couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, those of you who don't want to go back can rest here. Those who want to help can come early. Just decide what you want to eat. Ouyang will write it down and I'll buy it for you."

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone cheered again. Zhao Xiaojing smiled and shook her head, washed her hands and started preparing the food, feeling a lot in her heart.

In the past, she was always worried about bothering others, stubbornly maintaining a clear distinction between them. She would always return any kindness beyond her relationship with her, even if it wasn't an equal return. Over time, she relied on what she believed to be fairness to maintain inner peace, so all her relationships were lukewarm. Her approach to not crossing boundaries also gave her the ability to not cross boundaries.

But after opening the shop, her bonds with those around her deepened, and the balance of all relationships became difficult to calculate with fair exchange. The kindness of others was already invaluable, and her giving and helping became a natural thing. The boundaries that she had never crossed blurred, and her previously calm emotions began to flow, giving her a stronger sense of connection with the outside world and unknowingly deepening her intimacy with friends, partners, and family.

There was another lively discussion going on behind them. Ouyang Yidan was smiling and using his mobile phone to write down the hot pot dishes that everyone wanted to eat. At this time, Su Yuchen's phone rang.

"Okay, Aunt Chen, it's okay. By the way, we've recently added a new dish: stir-fried minced meat with spicy vegetables.

Yes, it's a seasonal dish. It's been on the market for a while. Would you like to try it? "Okay, that's fine." Su Yuchen simply responded and hung up the phone.

"Mirror, Aunt Chen and the others will be here later. Leave some for stir-fried minced meat with spicy vegetables and stir-fried pork liver. Also, bring your own cabbage for the salad."

"You've come just in time! The dried radishes are ready to dry. I was thinking of calling them one of these two days." Zhao Xiaojing curled the corners of her mouth slightly.

Now is the right time to come. The spicy vegetables in the market these days need to be carefully selected. Most of them have passed their freshness and are no longer suitable for stir-frying. This seasonal dish in the store will also be taken off the shelves soon.

It was said that this dish was served because Wang Jiandang loved to eat wild vegetables, so she bought some to try. Unexpectedly, it was quite popular in the restaurant. It was almost out of season when Wang Jiandang came to eat it for the first time.

Zhao Xiaojing reserved a portion of the spicy vegetables and pork liver. By 1:30 p.m., the prepared dishes had sold out, and Yun Yongyuan had begun preparing the staff meal before Chen Huiping and the others arrived.

"Xiao Zhao, we're here so late again. It's your uncle Wang's fault that he drank too much and couldn't get up, and he insisted on having dinner with you!" Chen Huiping came over to explain, and stuffed a bag of green dates and a cabbage into Zhao Xiaojing's hands.

Zhao Xiaojing exchanged a few words of greeting, then turned around and quickly washed, cut and drained the cabbage.

The dried radish has been processed in advance. After blanching and wrung out, it is cut into shreds and the water is drained. Then simply add a little salt and chicken essence, pour in the sesame oil bought from the old lady in the village and mix well.

Add the next two dishes to the pan, first serve the stir-fried pork liver, and while the spicy vegetables are being stir-fried, add the cabbage.

Another two minutes later, all the dishes were ready. Zhao Xiaojing carried the cold cabbage, minced meat with spicy vegetables, and shredded dried radish to the front hall.

"Auntie Chen, you want to eat the shredded dried radish. Try it and see if it works."

"Oh! Xiao Zhao, you still remember it. Your uncle Wang and I have been busy for a while and have forgotten about it!" Chen Huiping looked at the clear and bright shredded dried radish in the plate with surprise.

"Well, this feels right. No colored seasoning was added." Wang Jiandang looked at it with a smile, handed the chopsticks to Chen Huiping, and moved the spicy vegetables and minced meat in front of himself.

"Xiao Zhao has good taste. There aren't many restaurants that make this dish. We have tried making it at home, but it's either too bitter or astringent."

"It's a seasonal dish, and it's only been cooked for two days. We won't be able to eat it soon. Uncle Wang is so lucky." Zhao Xiaojing said with a smile.

"This tastes just right!" Chen Huiping praised, and offered a piece of food to Wang Jiandang beside her. "Try it now, Xiao Zhao's cooking skills are second to none!"

"Well! You should try this too!" Wang Jiandang also raised his eyebrows, quickly picked up two chopsticks of spicy dishes for Chen Huiping, and then lowered his head to take a bite himself.

This spicy minced pork dish is crispy and spicy, removing the bitterness and earthy flavor of the spicy vegetable while preserving its unique wild flavor and texture. The minced meat is a blend of fat and lean, not greasy, but with a subtle oily aroma. The sparse chili peppers add a touch of flavor, creating a delicious combination. Each bite reveals the granular texture of the minced meat and the tenderness of the spicy vegetable, creating a dry, fragrant, and spicy dish that goes well with rice.

Wang Jiandang took several bites before looking up with a satisfied look. "Xiao Zhao, I finally understand. Next time we want to eat something, we won't waste our time on it ourselves. We need professionals to do professional things. Your Aunt Chen and I are wasting food every day!"

"Okay, no problem!" Zhao Xiaojing agreed readily.

As Wang Jiandang spoke, he picked up the dried shredded radish that Chen Huiping had given him and tasted it.

I was delighted when I tasted it. The shredded radish had just the right texture, dry and crisp, and the taste was so refreshing that it seemed to have just a hint of saltiness and the dry fragrance of the radish itself. The smell of sesame oil was very rich, and the fragrance lingered in my teeth after taking a bite.

"Xiao Zhao, your cooking skills are amazing. Your aunt finally got the taste she wanted, which is the kind that has no taste but is fragrant!" Wang Jiandang looked carefully at the shredded radish in the dish, and Chen Huiping nodded repeatedly beside him.

"This dish isn't really about my cooking skills," Zhao Xiaojing smiled. "I thought it was about the ingredients, and it seems I was right."

"Raw materials?"

"These radishes and sesame oil are all grown by people in the countryside..."

Zhao Xiaojing explained the origin and cooking method of this dish, and then the two of them suddenly understood.

"I'm sorry to trouble you and make you go through so much trouble to buy it. But now that you mention it, I understand what's going on. Thank you, Xiao Zhao!" Chen Huiping smiled and patted Zhao Xiaojing.

Zhao Xiaojing smiled, waved her hand and said a few polite words, then turned and walked into the kitchen.

When I checked the system, I found that the task progress had been updated as expected, and the special favorability had changed from 3 to 4. Lacai had made a great contribution!

Zhao Xiaojing happily filled the bottle with the sesame oil she bought in the village and the remaining dried radishes, wrote down the recipe in detail, and gave it all to Chen Huiping.

It was originally a thank you, but when it came time to pay, Chen Huiping secretly added 100 yuan to her bill...