Chapter 246 Cai Family Aunt and Nephew

Yue Ning welcomed the three aunts and nieces of the Cai family into the private room. Aunt Cai Meiyue was a regular customer of Ningyan and was already familiar with the place. She was introducing the dishes of Ningyan to her niece Cai Baoer.

Cai Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Aunt, I asked Ningning to cook the dishes herself, so you don't have to order any dishes."

The aunt smiled and said, "Okay, we'll follow Ningning's arrangements."

In front of each seat was a wine glass filled with clear yellowish wine, and the first cold dish was placed on the table. Yue Ning asked them to sit down, and Cai Baoer looked at the cold dish and asked, "Is this Italian octopus carpaccio and our Chaoshan soft-boiled shrimp?"

Cai Zhiyuan put his finger to his lips, signaling Yue Ning not to introduce it yet, and said, "Aunt, try it first."

Cai Baoer picked up a piece of octopus. The octopus legs were rolled up tightly and marbled. They were cut as thin as cicada wings, and the emerald green sauce dripped slowly. After eating, the taste was very different from the same dish in Italian restaurants.

"Aunt, it tastes like Puning green plum sauce! Sweet, sour, refreshing and crispy, so delicious!" Cai Baoer said to Cai Meiyue in surprise.

Cai Meiyue asked with a smile: "What else? You little greedy cat, you can taste it, right?"

Cai Baoer savored it carefully: "There is also the fresh fragrance of dried fish." She continued, "Aunt, when I was studying in the UK for a few years, you made wonton noodles for me when I missed home. This is the taste."

When Cai Baoer went to study in the UK, Cai Meiyue worked at the British Law School. Cai Meiyue looked at Cai Zhiyuan and recalled: "When your great-grandmother was still alive, every time I came back, she would prepare a lot of Chaoshan seasonings, especially the dried bighead carp that she dried by hand and ground into powder. I used these to cook noodles for the greedy little cat."

"Aunt, I'm already 45 years old, and you still call me a greedy cat?" Cai Baoer picked up the wine glass and took a sip, "Aunt, is this Qingmei Wine Bar?"

Cai Meiyue looked at her niece and recalled that more than 40 years ago, Baoer, who had a baby voice, said that she wanted to be a big lawyer like her. Over the years, she has watched her niece grow up. Now Baoer has taken over the Cai family's law firm and has become the backbone of the Cai family. She smiled and took a sip of wine: "What? Wait another 20 years, and I will still call you Little Greedy Cat."

The conversation between the aunt and nephew made Yue Ning feel sad. She thought to herself that if her father were still alive, even if she was in her thirties or forties, she would probably still be a greedy cat in his eyes.

At this time, Cai Baoer was already tasting the rich shrimp. The runny part was as soft as cream, while the shrimp meat was firm and sweet. The salty, sour and sweet taste of the marinated sauce, mixed with the mellow Huadiao and the strong brandy, seeped into the shrimp meat. She couldn't help but exclaimed: "It's delicious, really delicious!"

"Aunt, aunt, I mentioned that matter to you this morning. Now let Ningning tell you in detail." Cai Zhiyuan said.

Yue Ning told her about the young couple he met on the road and the things he heard in Pengcheng. Cai Baoer listened while eating the side dishes on the plate, first finishing the cold shredded radish, and then turning her attention to the lettuce slices.

After Yue Ning finished speaking, Cai Baoer put down her chopsticks and said, "Ning Ning, it is indeed more appropriate for me to handle this matter."

At this time, the waiter pushed open the door and brought the first soup. He held the earthenware soup bowl covered with golden puff pastry in both hands and placed it in front of everyone. The puff pastry was baked to an attractive caramel color and slightly bulged in the middle.

"I guess it's definitely not puff pastry mushroom soup." Cai Baoer didn't wait for others to respond, and gently cracked the puff pastry with a spoon. With a crisp "click", the rich seafood fragrance overflowed, and the broken puff pastry fell into the mellow soup. Abalone, sea cucumber and pigeon eggs were faintly visible in the golden soup.

"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall!" she said.

"Aunt, try it while it's hot." Yue Ning said.

Cai Baoer scooped up a spoonful of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall wrapped in puff pastry, and the thick soup almost hung on the side of the spoon. She bit off a piece of puff pastry soaked in soup and exclaimed: "This puff pastry not only locks in the heat of the soup, but also pairs so perfectly with the traditional Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."

She ate a spoonful of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and then said seriously: "But, Ningning, you have to consider whether this is the right time. The British are reluctant to let go of Hong Kong, but colonies around the world have become independent one after another, and there are not many colonies left. The mainland has repeatedly emphasized that Hong Kong must return, but now the British have been exaggerating that the Chinese government is unable to manage Hong Kong, blaming the mainland for Hong Kong's current problems. Isn't it just what the British want to hype this matter at this time? The Cai family has been deeply involved in the legal affairs since my grandfather. My grandfather and aunt are both rare Chinese chief justices. My grandfather was awarded the KBE and my aunt is a Justice of the Peace. I will return to Hong Kong to take over the Cai family's legal affairs, and I will also continue my aunt's path. If I come forward in this matter, I can speak for the grassroots women and deal with the Hong Kong British government appropriately. However, although I hold British nationality, my ancestral home is Shantou. Before my grandfather died, he told me that Hong Kong belongs to China and the Cai family must help Hong Kong return. I am willing to run for these women, but..."

The room fell silent. Yue Ning stirred the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in the soup bowl, knowing that what his aunt said was very true. For China, the return of Hong Kong was the top priority. In the previous life, the Iron Lady fell down the stairs, which marked the beginning of the return of Hong Kong. In this life, he was such a small figure, and doing such a small thing would not affect the return process.

However, even if she couldn't directly help the return, she couldn't make things worse. But when she thought of the sweet smile of that young lady, she couldn't bear it.

Cai Zhiyuan saw that she looked lost and tried to comfort her, "Silly girl, Hong Kong is already in chaos. Although we are not ordinary people, we are not omnipotent. I will try my best to help you find Li Wanqiu. Don't make it too hard on yourself."

At this time, the door was pushed open, and Cai Zhiyuan changed the subject, "Try the duck! This is your most famous glass-skinned roast duck in Hong Kong."

Two slices of roast duck were placed crosswise on a large porcelain plate, with refreshing sweet bamboo shoots, double peppers and morels on the side. Yue Ning nodded and said, "Try it and see how it is different from Cantonese roast duck."

Cai Baoer picked up a piece of red roast duck and took a bite. The crispy duck skin cracked with a "crack", and the fat slowly flowed out. The duck meat was tender and juicy, which was very different from the traditional roast duck in her memory. After eating the rich roast duck, she took a bite of the crispy sweet bamboo shoots and fried morels. The two tastes complemented each other.

"Zhiyuan." Cai Meiyue put down her chopsticks.

Cai Zhiyuan looked up: "Grandma."

"The Sino-British negotiations are a long process. Now that we know about this, we can't just sit back and watch those girls get cheated." Cai Meiyue looked at Yue Ning again, "We both act at the same time. Baoer is responsible for raising the issue, and I will include it in the mainland immigration issue currently being discussed by the Legislative Council. Ningning, you and Zhiyuan go to discuss with Mr. Qiao, and then communicate with the Guangdong Provincial Government. It would be best if the mainland could first catch a few human traffickers with Hong Kong City identities, and then expose them from our side. This way, it can show that the mainland attaches importance to and cracks down on such crimes, avoiding public opinion storms; secondly, it can lead the topic to the discussion of the conflict between the mainland and Hong Kong City's criminal jurisdiction."

She looked at Cai Baoer again: "Baoer, this is the direction you need to convene for discussion. With the opening up of the mainland and the frequent exchanges of people, such issues will become more common. Discussing the jurisdiction of criminal cases can also lay the foundation for future cooperation between the two places. It is an opportunity for you to enhance your reputation in the legal circle of Hong Kong City."

Cai Baoer nodded: "Aunt, old ginger is still spicy."

"That's right! If my great-grandfather hadn't backed out at the last minute and was unwilling to go to court and divorce my great-grandmother directly, my aunt would have filed for divorce for my great-grandmother!" Cai Zhiyuan took the opportunity to flatter her.

When he mentioned his great-grandmother, Cai Meiyue's face darkened: "Cai Zhiyuan, do you know why your great-grandmother, a woman with bound feet, wanted to divorce? With your current nonchalant look, how can you have the face to kowtow to your great-grandmother?"

When Cai Zhiyuan saw the waiter bringing in the dishes, he quickly changed the subject: "Aunt, can you smell this fragrance?"

"Don't change the subject! Back then, your great-grandfather was bewitched by that woman, and it wasn't just your great-grandmother who suffered, but also your grandparents and your father..."

Before she finished speaking, the red wine stewed beef was served on the table, and the rich aroma of wine blended with the aroma of meat fat instantly spread. The white porcelain plate was simple and elegant, and the pieces of beef and side dishes in the middle glowed with an attractive oily luster under the warm yellow light. Cai Meiyue's words stopped abruptly, and her eyes were attracted by the steaming hot air.

Cai Baoer used a silver spoon to gently poke a piece of beef, and the meat was so soft and tender that it trembled and broke apart like tofu, revealing the pink texture inside. She scooped up the beef wrapped in red wine sauce and put it into her mouth. The mellow flavor of Shiraz red wine and the sweet aroma of carrots and onions cooked over a slow fire bloomed layer by layer on the tip of her tongue.

"Ningning, you can even cook Western food so authentically?" Cai Baoer exclaimed.

"If she wants to make it authentic, she can do it authentically. If she wants to be innovative, she can be innovative too." Cai Zhiyuan turned to Yue Ning and asked, "Today's main dish is Wagyu beef, foie gras and abalone rice, right? That is definitely a delicious combination of Chinese and Western cuisine."

Yue Ning shook his head: "Since beef is the main dish, we won't use beef again as the main dish. I asked Brother Lu to make snow vegetable and small yellow croaker noodles."

"That's not bad either!" Cai Zhiyuan quickly recommended to Cai Baoer, "Aunt, Chef Lu from Ningning's fish soup noodles have the best soup base!"

He looked at Cai Meiyue again, "Aunt, is that right?"

Cai Meiyue was too lazy to pay attention to him. Cai Zhiyuan shrugged helplessly and lowered his head to eat the beef on the plate.

Cai Baoer looked at Cai Zhiyuan and suddenly remembered: "The girl who followed you before was pretty and capable. I asked you to send her to my law firm as an assistant, but you refused. How is she now? Did she leave you?"

"He was dumped! Your aunt has been nagging me for a long time. I said he deserved it." Cai Meiyue looked at Yue Ning, "Now he has come to Ningning."

Cai Baoer rolled her eyes: "You deserve it."

As we were talking, the pickled mustard greens and yellow croaker noodles were served. In the curling hot steam, the freshness of the pickled mustard greens and the mellow aroma of the yellow croaker wafted into our noses. The milky white fish soup swayed gently in the bowl, the tender yellow croaker meat after deboning lay quietly on the noodles, and bits of pickled mustard greens dotted in between, making the soup even more clear and attractive.

Cai Baoer picked up a strand of thin noodles with chopsticks, and slurped the noodles wrapped in thick fish soup. The noodles were springy and smooth, and the salty and fresh taste of snow vegetables instantly awakened her taste buds. She bit off a piece of yellow croaker, the fish meat was delicate and soft, and it turned into a sweet taste without chewing, leaving only a faint aftertaste lingering in her mouth. She couldn't help but scoop up another spoonful of soup, and the mellow and fresh taste spread on the tip of her tongue, as if all the gifts from the East China Sea were concentrated in it.

Cai Meiyue introduced: "Most of the dishes today are made by Ningning. Next time you come, you must try Chef Lu's skills. His ancestors are the famous Lu family in Beijing, and they have been passing down Lu's cuisine for 200 years. Back then, the big traitor of the Wang Puppet Regime invited Grandpa Lu to cook for him, but the old man would rather die than obey. He is very noble."

"Really?" Cai Baoer exclaimed, "He really has integrity!"

Yue Ning nodded: "Yes, Brother Lu is also very graceful. Oh, by the way, he has been learning Cantonese with Sister Sophie recently."

"What did you say?" Cai Zhiyuan suddenly put down his chopsticks.

"Didn't you ask me to tell you? I told Sister Sophie that she will teach Brother Lu Cantonese when she is free."

Cai Zhiyuan looked down at the remaining noodle in the bowl and suddenly lost his appetite.