Chapter 57 Stone Pot Crab Roe, Shrimp and Tofu

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the kitchen window, bathing the room in a warm golden-orange hue.

Su Xiaonuan completely pulled her mind away from the thrilling "chance encounter" that afternoon and focused on the small world in front of her.

After the day's events, she especially wanted to eat something light, warm, and comforting tonight.

She decided to make a stone pot crab roe and shrimp tofu dish, and serve it with a rich and sweet chocolate brownie as dessert.

Take out the soft tofu provided by the system, as white as jade and with a moist texture; fresh sea-caught prawns, shelled and gutted, leaving only plump and bouncy shrimp meat; and a small bowl of golden, shiny, and fragrant crab roe.

The side ingredients include soaked and shredded dried shiitake mushrooms, tender peas, minced ginger, and chopped green onions.

The soup base is made by mixing specially supplied stock cubes with water, resulting in a light yet flavorful broth.

Then she ordered a heavy black stone pot that could keep food warm for a long time.

She had just carefully cut the soft tofu into evenly sized cubes and marinated the fresh shrimp with a little cooking wine and white pepper when the phone rang.

At the same time, the system notified that the task was completed, and 200 merit points were credited to the account, bringing the merit point balance to 3700.

The caller ID showed "Qin Haoran".

Su Xiaonuan felt reassured, wiped her hands, answered the phone, and said calmly, "Hello, Officer Qin?"

Qin Haoran's slightly tired but relaxed voice came from the other end of the phone: "Little cook, we've caught the main culprit in that case this afternoon, the manslaughter case! Caught red-handed! The guy tried to deny it at first, but he was completely dumbfounded when he saw the video you took."

Su Xiaonuan felt relieved and smiled slightly: "That's good. Thank you for your hard work."

"However..." Qin Haoran's tone shifted, tinged with frustration, "The other one who helped, that accomplice, has an incredibly sharp sense of smell! We had just surrounded him when he sensed something was wrong and jumped out of the back window! He was on the second floor; he didn't fall, he just disappeared in a flash! We've already issued an arrest warrant, don't worry, he won't get away!"

"He escaped?" Su Xiaonuan frowned slightly, but thinking that the main culprit had been caught and the main danger had been eliminated, she felt relieved. "Yes, I believe you can catch him."

"Thanks to you again this time!" Qin Haoran's tone became sincere. "If you hadn't discovered it in time and provided such a crucial clue, this case would have been difficult to solve after they disposed of the body. I'll give you a big credit later!"

Su Xiaonuan smiled modestly and said, "It's nothing, we just happened to run into each other. You guys go ahead with your work, and be careful."

After hanging up the phone, Su Xiaonuan felt a weight lifted from her heart.

She retied her apron and began cooking.

First, preheat the heavy stone pot by dry heating it on the stove until the pot is hot to the touch.

In a separate pot, heat a small amount of sesame oil, then add minced ginger and sauté until fragrant. Next, add shredded shiitake mushrooms and peas and stir-fry until fragrant.

Pour in the prepared broth and bring it to a boil. Then, carefully slide the cut tofu cubes into the pot with a spoon, keeping them intact. Finally, add salt and white pepper to taste.

Keep the heat at a medium-low and let the tofu simmer slowly in the simmering broth to absorb its delicious flavor.

Once the tofu has absorbed the flavors and the broth has thickened, add the marinated fresh shrimp to the pot. The shrimp will quickly turn red and curl up.

The most crucial step! Pour the bowl of golden, glistening crab roe into the pot, and gently stir it with the back of a spoon to allow the crab roe to evenly infuse into the broth.

Instantly, an extremely domineering, fresh and rich aroma of crab roe rises up, perfectly blending with the fragrance of tofu, the sweetness of shrimp, and the richness of mushrooms, creating a rich and intoxicating aroma!

Finally, sprinkle with a handful of bright green chopped scallions.

Turn off the heat and carefully pour the hot and fragrant contents into the already heated stone pot.

"Sizzle—!"

The scalding hot broth makes a pleasant sound when it comes into contact with the hot stone pot, and the steam rises violently, fully releasing and locking in the aroma!

Stone pots can maintain temperature for a long time, allowing you to enjoy the best taste of food from start to finish.

Looking at the bubbling, golden and white crab roe and shrimp tofu in the stone pot, exuding a fresh and fragrant aroma, Su Xiaonuan nodded in satisfaction. Just as she was about to prepare the brownie batter, the phone rang again.

This time it's [Xu Zhixian].

Su Xiaonuan was a little surprised, but she immediately answered, "Officer Xu?"

Xu Zhixian's gentle voice came through, carrying a hint of relief at having finished his work: "Xiao Nuan, the investigation into the online dating fraud case at C University has been completed today and transferred to the procuratorate. The chain of evidence is very complete, and a verdict is expected soon."

"That's great!" Su Xiaonuan said sincerely, the efficiency was even faster than she had imagined.

"In addition," Xu Zhixian paused, softening his voice, "regarding the girl you mentioned last time, we have verified that her situation is basically true. We have followed the procedures and contacted the city's major illness relief foundation and several related charitable projects for her. The application materials have been submitted, and there is a high chance that she will receive some assistance. Although it may not cover everything, it will greatly alleviate their pressure."

Su Xiaonuan listened quietly, and the heavy weight in her heart about the ill-fated couple finally lifted with a thud.

The law gave the criminals the punishment they deserved, and society did not completely abandon the girl struggling in despair.

This is perhaps the best outcome under the current circumstances.

“Also,” Xu Zhixian added, “that girl… asked me to convey her thanks to you. She said that although the outcome cannot be changed, thank you for listening to her and for reporting her situation.”

Su Xiaonuan was stunned for a moment, and then a complex warm current surged in her heart.

She answered softly, "I...didn't do anything. Thank you for everything you did for her."

Xu Zhixian smiled and said, "It's what we should do. And thank you, Xiao Nuan, you always manage to find these corners that need help."

Su Xiaonuan chuckled somewhat embarrassedly, "Officer Xu, you're too kind. I really didn't do anything."

After hanging up Xu Zhixian's call, Su Xiaonuan felt exceptionally lighthearted.

She placed her phone on the counter and got up to preheat the oven to bake brownies.

However, just as she stood up, her phone rang for the third time!

The screen displays the name [Zhao Liming].

Su Xiaonuan's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

When Zhao Liming called at this time, it was almost certain that it was about the most mysterious case—the phone call in Morse code for help.

She took a deep breath, answered the phone, and her voice unconsciously carried a hint of nervousness: "Officer Zhao?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was Zhao Liming's usual cold and emotionless tone, concise and to the point: "Su Xiaonuan. The case at the West Suburbs Chemical Plant. She couldn't be rescued."

Despite having a premonition, Su Xiaonuan's heart still sank when she heard the news with her own ears, as if something had clenched it tightly.