Chapter 67: Stir-fried Peach Kernels, Lily Bulbs, and Red Beans.

Tao Zhiwei had always had a good impression of Gu's Private Kitchen. It all started when she packed some meat dishes from Gu's Private Kitchen to take to school and have dinner with her daughter. At the time, she thought that eating crab and soup together might be a little uncomfortable. After Qingqing realized this, she even borrowed her phone to send a message to Gu's Private Kitchen on Xiaohongshu to remind them.

At first, she didn't pay much attention. Restaurants would want to cover up something like this if they were aware of it, and might not even reply to Qingqing's message.

Who knew that after waking up from her afternoon nap at home, Tao Zhiwei opened Xiaohongshu and saw a message from Gu's Private Kitchen, saying that they had already realized what had happened and taken appropriate action. They also contacted her to refund the cost of the order and said that if she felt unwell, she could get reimbursed at the store with her medical records and invoices.

The daughter realized this early, so the mother and daughter didn't eat the soup and crab together.

They had a wonderful time eating crabs that noon; the crab meat was plump and delicious, and the crab roe was fragrant. The other meat dishes were also very tasty.

As for the Four-Ingredient Black Chicken Soup, two small bowls and a few pieces of black chicken were given to Qingqing to take back to her dormitory to reheat in the evening. The rest she took home and put in the refrigerator to reheat in the evening.

Tao Zhiwei didn't try to take advantage of the situation. After truthfully explaining the situation, she politely declined the restaurant's offer of a refund.

Most restaurants would just go along with it and accept the money once it's in their pockets. How many people would be willing to take out the money and return it?

Gu's Private Kitchen was very generous and insisted on refunding the money and making the meal free. In the end, Tao Zhiwei added the restaurant on WeChat, and they transferred the entire bill back to her and apologized again.

That evening, I talked to my husband about it, and he said, "This restaurant really has great service. There's definitely a reason why it's so popular. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so famous at Qingqing's school. Everyone knows about it, and she even specifically asked you to go there to get meat and vegetables to take to school. That shows that the meat and vegetables at this restaurant are something special."

“Of course, you have no idea how delicious the crab and beef stew we had for lunch was. Even the rose and cyperus tea was especially good. Look, there’s some beef stew left over, your daughter asked me to bring it back for you to try. And this four-herb black chicken soup is also very nourishing. We just heated it up and had a bowl each,” Tao Zhiwei said.

That night, the couple thoroughly enjoyed the Four-Ingredient Black Chicken Soup. The flavor was rich and mellow, with the unique nourishing aroma of medicinal herbs, making it a truly satisfying and enjoyable experience.

The husband raved about the beef and ate a lot of rice with it. Even the carrots that were cooked with the beef became a perfect accompaniment to the rice.

Since then, Tao Zhiwei often came to Gu's Private Kitchen to pack meat dishes and soup to take to school to eat with her daughter. Seeing her daughter's slightly thin face due to the stress of studying made her feel sorry for her. But seeing her happy and contented smile after eating Gu's Private Kitchen made her feel that the trip was worthwhile, and her goodwill towards Gu's Private Kitchen also increased dramatically.

When they ate the meat dishes from Gu's private kitchen, Tao Zhiwei also showed the same comfortable and enjoyable smile as her daughter. The mother and daughter were so similar in their eyes and smiles.

Occasionally, if there were leftover meat or vegetables, Qingqing would ask her to take them home for her husband. When the couple really craved something, they would go to Gu's Private Kitchen for a meal. Every time they left the restaurant after eating there, the husband would sigh and say, "This is what life is all about."

Of course, neither of them told their daughter about going to Gu's Private Kitchen for dinner, so as not to disturb her preparation for the exam.

Sitting in the restaurant, surrounded by customers who also love Gu's Private Kitchen and enjoy delicious meat dishes, the lively and cheerful atmosphere permeates everyone. Being there, feeling the rich atmosphere of everyday life, one can't help but show a bright smile.

Tao Zhiwei picked up a piece of pigeon meat and ate it. The meat was even more tender than she had imagined, and it didn't even need much chewing; it could be said to melt in her mouth.

The first taste is the freshness and subtle saltiness of the pigeon itself, followed by the fragrance of lotus leaves and the aroma of Shaoxing wine. The combination of these flavors makes it easy to enjoy, making you feel that this is how the dish should be prepared to taste its best.

Lotus leaves, pigeon, and Shaoxing wine—you can't do without any of them.

The pigeon meat was so tender that you could taste the subtle juices oozing from the shredded meat while chewing, with a hint of sweetness. Tao Zhiwei guessed that this faint sweetness came from the red dates, as the whole plate of lotus leaf-wrapped Shaoxing wine pigeon was sprinkled with finely chopped red date strips.

After finishing one piece of pigeon meat, she couldn't resist picking up another piece to eat.

After finishing her meal and swallowing, savoring the fresh aroma of the meat, the fragrance of the lotus leaves, and the mellow taste of the Shaoxing wine, Tao Zhiwei vaguely remembered something and looked at her daughter.

Qingqing, who usually refuses to eat the pigeon meat in soup, is now chewing it with relish. Her cheeks puff out from time to time, making her slightly chubby cheeks look quite cute.

Tao Zhiwei asked with some concern, "Qingqing, this pigeon meat was cooked with Shaoxing wine. Can you still accept it? Don't eat too much, or you'll feel unwell later."

For the first eighteen years of her life, Lü Qingqing basically never touched alcohol. At most, when she was in elementary school, she would sip a little wine at a family gathering when she saw the adults drinking it. When she was in high school, some of her classmates liked to buy low-alcohol fruit wine to experience the feeling of being "slightly tipsy," but she never bought any to drink.

Even after the college entrance exam, when elders say during family gatherings that I'm an adult now and can try drinking, they don't expect me to become a great drinker, but at least I won't get drunk after just one drink in public.

That day, Lü Qingqing drank the wine poured for her by her elders. To be honest, it wasn't as delicious as she had imagined. After drinking it once, she felt there was no need to drink it again.

But as she ate the pigeon meat, the rich and mellow flavor of Shaoxing wine filled her mouth, making her feel very fragrant and refreshed.

It's not that she doesn't like drinking; she just hasn't discovered the right way to drink alcohol. This lotus leaf-wrapped Shaoxing wine pigeon is perfect, combining the aroma of Shaoxing wine, the tenderness of the pigeon, and the fragrance of the lotus leaf to the extreme. It's simply irresistible.

After chewing and swallowing a piece of pigeon meat, the lingering aroma of wine in the mouth is enough to make one savor the aftertaste.

After listening to her mother's words, Lü Qingqing nodded and said, "It's acceptable! It smells absolutely amazing! I feel that this is the best way to cook pigeon meat to bring out its deliciousness! In four words, it's fragrant, salty, and savory! Absolutely divine!"

Lu Anzhi, sitting to the side, couldn't help but laugh when he heard his daughter's words. He nodded in agreement and said, "People who have just finished the college entrance exam are different; they speak with such eloquence! This lotus leaf-wrapped roasted pigeon with Shaoxing wine is perfect; you can't do it without any of the ingredients. This is how it's cooked to be the most delicious!"

He just ate several pieces of pigeon meat in silence.

Tao Zhiwei breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this: "It's good that you don't feel uncomfortable eating it. This pigeon meat is indeed well made. I think it tastes very good. The fragrance of lotus leaves has a summery feel to it. The Shaoxing wine adds a lot of fragrance to the pigeon meat. However, Qingqing, you don't usually drink much, so don't eat too much to avoid getting drunk."

Lu Anzhi thought to himself, how much alcohol could this Shaoxing wine, which is cooked into the food, possibly have? As long as he didn't finish the whole plate of lotus leaf Shaoxing pigeon, even if he had never touched alcohol before, he wouldn't get drunk, right?

Of course, he wouldn't dare say that. At home, he would never question or refute his wife's opinions or suggestions regarding their daughter's education. They would discuss any disagreements privately.

Lü Qingqing smiled and nodded: "I know, Mom, don't worry, I definitely won't get drunk. I'll just have one or two more pieces and then I'll stop."

As soon as she finished speaking, she reached for a piece of pigeon meat with her chopsticks and started eating it, her movements so fast it was as if she was afraid of being stopped.

Tao Zhiwei chuckled and shook her head, saying, "Alright, you decide for yourself."

She thought it was a rare treat to find such delicious lotus leaf-wrapped roasted pigeon with Shaoxing wine; not only did Qingqing love it, but she herself wished she could eat more. Since her daughter wasn't allergic to alcohol, and even if she did get drunk, so what? She should eat as much as she could while she could.

Tao Zhiwei also reached out her chopsticks to pick up a piece of pigeon meat and continued eating.

Not wanting to fall behind, Lü Anzhi knew that the portion of the lotus leaf-wrapped Shaoxing pigeon was limited, and every bite meant one less piece left, so he had to hurry.

The family of three ate with great relish, and soon the entire plate of pigeon meat was reduced to just a few pieces, and the red date shreds that had been sprinkled on top as garnish were almost gone as well. It was mainly Tao Zhiwei and her daughter Lü Qingqing who ate it; Lü Anzhi didn't like those dishes.

Before we could even catch our breath, the staff came over and served the last dish: stir-fried peach kernels and lily bulbs with red beans. It still looked like a rather light dish.

Lu Anzhi laughed and said, "Why do the dishes at Gu's Private Kitchen seem to be all light and bland today? The meat dishes before were steamed, and this one looks like it too."

Tao Zhiwei said, "It is quite light, but it is not easy to make light dishes delicious. The steamed taro and pork ribs, the steamed beef with loofah, and the lotus leaf and Shaoxing wine pigeon that you just praised again and again, which one of them is not light and which one is not fragrant?"

Lu Anzhi said helplessly, "I was just sighing..."

Tao Zhiwei: "I know, I'm just explaining it to you. This dish of peach kernels and lily bulbs stir-fried with red beans can barely be considered a vegetable dish. You see, this combination is very novel and looks quite colorful. It should taste pretty good too."

Lu Anzhi nodded: "Okay, let's try it quickly."

Lu Qingqing sat to the side, head down, chuckling to herself. She didn't interrupt or seem nervous at all. This was probably her parents' unique way of getting along, and she was already used to it.

Seeing her parents start eating the new dish, she smiled and said, "I'll try it too."

The white porcelain plate featured amber peach kernels, creamy white lilies, and reddish-brown red beans—the colors certainly looked vibrant. I picked up a few of each with my chopsticks and popped them directly into my mouth.

The flavor is quite refreshing, with a light sweetness overall, and a rich texture, featuring the crispness of peach kernels, the tender and crispness of lily bulbs, and the creamy sweetness of red beans.

The lily bulbs mixed with peach kernels and red beans have a slightly bitter taste at first when you bite into them, but before you even have a chance to savor the flavor, it's already sweet.

The red beans, crisp and slightly sweet, are clearly the sweetest ingredient in this dish. The peach kernels add a nutty crunch, enriching the overall flavor profile.

It's quite interesting to eat; each bite is chewy and has a fresh, delicate flavor with a hint of savory aroma, making it a very refreshing summer dish.

Lü Qingqing nodded and praised, "This stir-fried peach kernels and lily bulbs with red beans is also quite good. It has a rich flavor and a light sweetness that is not cloying but rather refreshing and makes you feel comfortable."

"It's really refreshing and quite appetizing," Tao Zhiwei nodded in affirmation. She immediately picked up another piece of peach kernel and lily bulb stir-fried with red beans and ate it. As she chewed, all that was left in her mouth was a sweet and fresh taste, as if the meat flavor she had eaten earlier had been completely gone.

Just like my daughter said, I felt very refreshed and comfortable after eating.

Lu Anzhi has bad teeth and usually doesn't dare to touch nuts. He often jokes that if he eats a macadamia nut, he'll probably break his teeth and have to get gold teeth.

But this time he was really enjoying the stir-fried peach kernels, lily bulbs, and red beans, chewing it bite after bite.

The peach kernels were probably roasted long enough to retain their characteristic crunchiness, but the overall texture wasn't as hard as when eaten raw. The lily bulbs were smooth and crisp, and the red beans were creamy and delicate. When eaten together, the textures of the soft and hard parts were balanced, resulting in the most palatable and delicious flavor.

After taking three or four bites, Lü Anzhi was all smiles. He looked up and saw his wife sitting next to him and his daughter sitting opposite him looking at him. Even though they didn't say anything, he knew what they wanted to say.

Lu Anzhi laughed and said, "Don't worry, this dish is stir-fried quite softly, while retaining the crunch of the walnuts. It's rare for me to come across something so tender that I have to eat more!"

"That's good. I was worried you'd need to get gold teeth after this meal." Lü Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief.

Tao Zhiwei chuckled and said, "Don't worry about your dad. He knows what he's doing. He's been wanting to get gold teeth for a long time."

Both of them had tried this stir-fried peach kernels, lily bulbs, and red beans before; the texture was indeed just right, even the peach kernels were fragrant and crunchy with a touch of softness. While they were talking about getting gold teeth, they both knew he wouldn't have any problem eating this dish.

The family of three then proceeded to enjoy this fresh and tender dish of stir-fried peach kernels, lily bulbs, and red beans.

Actually, they don't usually eat that much, but when they ate at Gu's Private Kitchen, the tempting meat dishes unleashed their gluttonous potential, and they managed to eat most of the four dishes and soup.

There were some left over from the steamed taro and pork ribs, and the steamed loofah and beef. The lotus leaf and Shaoxing wine pigeon were all eaten except for the lotus leaf. There were also a few bites left of the peach kernel and lily bulb stir-fried with red beans. There was more than a bowl of soup left. The fish slices were all eaten, and there were a few pieces of papaya left.

Lu Qingqing touched her now quite noticeable belly and shook her head: "No, no, I'm so full right now, I can't eat any more."

Lu Anzhi was already chubby, and even through his loose polo shirt, his large belly was quite noticeable, especially now that he had eaten a full meal.

He was still in high spirits: "Then let's take a break and continue eating. Such delicious meat and vegetables will taste quite different if we pack them up and reheat them."

"Alright, I don't think Qingqing can eat anymore," Tao Zhiwei said, dividing up the tasks of cleaning up the leftovers. "The amount of taro steamed ribs and loofah steamed pork slices left over is not a lot, but it's not a small amount either. We can put them in a takeout box. It's rare that you can eat the peach kernel and lily bulb stir-fried with red beans, so you can eat more of that. I drank the remaining soup and had some papaya, so that's done."

Lu Anzhi nodded and smiled, "Okay, I'll follow your arrangements."

After resting for a while and exchanging a few words, the couple felt they could eat again and each started eating the dishes they were responsible for.

Of course, they were happy and content, it's just that their bellies soon started to swell again.

Lu Qingqing watched her parents eat with a smile, then looked down at her phone to look at the photos of the dishes she had just taken.

She took photos of each dish as soon as it was served, and looking back now, she couldn't help but marvel at how the dishes at Gu's Private Kitchen were indeed a perfect embodiment of color, aroma, and taste.

No filters or editing are needed. I didn't even bother to adjust the angle or composition when taking the photos. The photos I took were so vibrant and attractive.

Especially for salted egg yolk and pork rice dumplings, take a picture of the whole dumpling after unfolding the bamboo leaves, and then take another picture of the exposed cross-section when you're halfway through eating it.

The former looks good; the rice dumpling is wrapped tightly and neatly, a beautiful four-cornered dumpling, and the surface of the glutinous rice is oily and has a rich, dark brown color, making it look delicious.

The latter is even more amazing. Bright orange salted egg yolks are embedded in the rice dumpling, and the oozing butter moistens the surrounding glutinous rice, making it oily and glistening. You can also see the half-exposed pork belly, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat glistening with oil. It looks soft, sticky, salty, and delicious.

Originally, Lü Qingqing had already suppressed her desire to eat another salted egg yolk and pork rice dumpling. Her attention had been diverted by the lotus leaf-wrapped roasted pigeon and the stir-fried red beans with peach kernels and lily bulbs. But when she saw the tempting photos, she instantly recalled the salty and refreshing taste of the salted egg yolk and pork rice dumpling she had just eaten. Even though her stomach was still full, her mouth was already silently watering.

She barely suppressed her craving, cursing inwardly: "You're such a glutton, it's no use. Gu's Private Kitchen only allows one free dish per person, what can you do?"

As for the idea of ​​paying for salted egg yolk and pork rice dumplings, a customer already asked about it and was politely refused by the staff.

After confirming that these food photos could be directly output as round images without needing any editing or filters, Lü Qingqing simply collaged two comparison photos of salted egg yolk and pork rice dumplings, then opened WeChat, went to Moments, edited and posted a status update.

[Lv on the Green Grassland: My mom sent me Gu's Private Kitchen countless times before the college entrance exam. I finally got to eat there! Wishing everyone a happy Dragon Boat Festival!]

Papaya and bamboo shoot fish fillet soup.jpg; Taro steamed pork ribs.jpg; Loofah steamed beef.jpg; Lotus leaf and carved pigeon.jpg; Salted egg yolk and meat rice dumpling (composite version).jpg; Peach kernel and lily bulb stir-fried with red beans.jpg

I originally intended to prominently feature the photo of the salted egg yolk and pork rice dumpling, which I had only half-eaten and which smelled so tempting, but that would result in seven photos, which wouldn't look very good in terms of layout.

Lü Qingqing can only accept nine-square grids, six-square grids, four-square grids, three photos, and single photos. What's with seven photos? She can only reluctantly put together two photos of salted egg yolk and meat dumplings to make one.

After posting it on her WeChat Moments, she clicked to look at it and found that the collage was also quite good. The contrast between the whole zongzi before eating and the tempting salted egg yolk and pork belly revealed after eating half of it was even more obvious and tempting.

Perhaps due to the immense pressure before the college entrance exam, students after the exam have become veritable surfing experts, practically living online 24/7. Sure enough, a post on WeChat Moments quickly garnered many likes and several comments.

Generally, those who comment on posts on WeChat Moments are close classmates or friends.

[Lin Xiaoxin: Slurp~ Is this the Gu Family Private Kitchen you always say is delicious? It looks incredibly tempting! I'll have to try it sometime.]

[Zhou Yu said: We're both eating zongzi, but yours looks especially delicious!]

[Chen Mingyang: Waaaaah, I'm really craving it now! Gu's Private Kitchen, right? I'll definitely go eat there when I get back to Jiang City!]

[Wang Bing: I was having a great time at the lunch banquet, but seeing what you ate suddenly made the meat and vegetables in my mouth taste bland (laughs and cries). I'll have to try Gu's Private Kitchen when I have time.]

Lü Qingqing read the comments with a smile and replied to them one by one.

After she finished replying to all the comments and was about to scroll down to other people's Moments, a new comment suddenly appeared under her own post.

[Cao Zhuojia: What! You've actually already eaten at Gu's Private Kitchen! (Shocked.gif, Envious.gif) My family and I were planning to go there tonight, but seeing these photos you posted makes us even more excited, especially that salted egg yolk and pork rice dumpling—it looks so delicious, my mouth is already watering! Thank you!]

After reading it, Lü Qingqing couldn't help but laugh out loud, and her fingers flew across the keyboard on her phone to reply.

[Lv from Green Grassland replies to Cao Zhuojia: Haha, yes, I got to try today's Dragon Boat Festival limited-edition dishes before you (although they're limited every day). All the meat dishes and soups were especially delicious today, but the best one, in my opinion, was the free salted egg yolk and pork rice dumpling. It completely shattered my understanding of how delicious rice dumplings could be over the past eighteen years. In short: Absolutely amazing!]

Cao Zhuojia quickly replied with another comment.

[Cao Zhuojia replied to Lü on the Green Grassland: Ahhh, hearing you say that makes me even more excited! I wish time could speed up and it would be evening already!!!]

After reading it, Lü Qingqing smiled and replied, only to be called by her mother a second later.

"Qingqing, stop looking at your phone, we're about to leave," Tao Zhiwei said.

While her daughter was looking at her phone, she drank a bowl of soup and ate the remaining papaya chunks. The papaya was sweet and soft, with a delicate and smooth texture, and she finished it all easily.

She waved to the shop assistant to bring a takeout box and a takeout bag. After putting the remaining steamed taro and pork ribs and steamed loofah and beef into the takeout box, she put the lid on and then put it into the takeout bag.

Tao Zhiwei was also very happy. She had always liked the takeout bags from Gu's Private Kitchen. The designs on them were very homey and beautiful. She used to come here often to pack meat and vegetables to send to her daughter at school. She kept all the bags she took home and reused them repeatedly.

One is its excellent heat retention, and the other is its attractive appearance. Even if you don't expect to attract attention from passersby when you walk down the street, at least you'll feel good looking at it.

Seeing that her husband had finished the rest of the stir-fried peach kernels, lily bulbs, and red beans, leaving the plate spotless, Tao Zhiwei looked at her daughter and saw her looking down at her phone with a smile on her face, and couldn't help but say something.

There are still many people queuing outside for food. It's best to finish eating and leave quickly to make room for the people behind you.

After listening to her mother's words, Lü Qingqing put down her phone, looked up, and replied, "Okay, let's go."

Lu Anzhi also stood up to make sure that the family had all their bags on their backs and hadn't forgotten anything before they went to the cashier together.

He walked in front, told the clerk his table number, waited for the clerk to tell him the total amount, and then took out his phone to scan the code to pay.

"Here is your receipt, please take care."

"Thanks."

As the family walked out of the restaurant, they didn't even need to look back; just by the sounds, they knew another group of customers who had been waiting in line were happily entering the store. Perhaps worried that the salted egg yolk and pork rice dumplings they had been looking forward to would be sold out if they were a little late, they asked the waiter to bring the rice dumplings first after they heard the newly seated customers order all the dishes on the menu as usual.

Unlike back then, when several other tables of customers around them would only wave to the staff to bring salted egg yolk and meat dumplings after finishing their soup and eating one or two meat dishes.

As the lively sounds of the restaurant behind them faded into the distance, Lü Qingqing and her family remained in high spirits, walking towards the end of Suli Street to park and drive home.

Thinking about the money he had just paid, Lü Anzhi exclaimed, "Gu's Private Kitchen is really affordable! A whole table of food only cost 261 yuan, and that's the price of the takeout containers! Plus, we got to eat such delicious free salted egg yolk and pork rice dumplings, which is perfect for the holiday. It's such a great deal!"

Tao Zhiwei nodded in agreement: "Yes, if it were any other restaurant, these four dishes and a soup would cost at least four or five hundred yuan. And let alone giving away salted egg yolk and meat dumplings for free, they would probably have to sell them to us for twenty or thirty yuan each."

As Lü Qingqing walked between the two, she immediately revealed a smug smile: "Hehe, Gu's Private Kitchen is not only affordable, but its taste is also incomparable to those restaurants and hotels. I think it's even better than the meat dishes in five-star restaurants. Otherwise, it wouldn't have become popular in our school's second year of high school first, and then spread to the third year of high school, where I heard about it and urged my mom to come over and pack some to send to school for me to eat."

"The fact that Gu's Private Kitchen is so popular online is proof of its quality!"

"Yes, yes, yes, it would be an injustice if Gu's Private Kitchen didn't become popular!" Lu Anzhi nodded in agreement.

Tao Zhiwei couldn't help but laugh as she listened, genuinely agreeing with her daughter and husband's words.

Lu Qingqing said with anticipation, "I hope my score will be higher when the results come out in a while, so I can apply to Jiang University and come over to eat Gu's Private Kitchen whenever I want."

Jiangda has always been their daughter's dream school, and Tao Zhiwei and Lü Anzhi have been very supportive. It is something to be very proud of for a local from Jiang City to be admitted to Jiangda, a 985 university.

Tao Zhiwei said, "You'll definitely pass the exam. You've worked so hard, you'll succeed!"

Lu Anzhi nodded: "Yes, when you want to eat Gu's private kitchen, just give me a call and I'll drive over to the school to pick you up. Our family will also come to this restaurant for a meal."

Lü Qingqing smiled brightly, filled with anticipation for the future: "Great! I'll be waiting!"