Chapter 133 Kiln-roasted Chicken/Sweet Potato...

"Sure, I didn't know Jiajia knew all this," Yu Miaoyin said. Kiln-roasted chicken is made by wrapping pre-treated chicken in lotus leaves or tin foil and then roasting it at high temperature in a kiln built with mud blocks. This makes the chicken exceptionally fragrant and juicy.

Jiajia laughed and said, "When I was little, I would spend Chinese New Year at my maternal grandmother's house, and my cousin would often take me to make kiln-roasted chicken." But later, everyone grew up, and the relationship wasn't as good anymore. Jiajia hasn't eaten kiln-roasted chicken in a long time.

Moreover, Jiajia came prepared this time, bringing along a pre-marinated chicken: "This is the recipe I got from Sister Ayin, it's sure to be delicious."

Yu Miaoyin was wondering why Jiajia had asked her yesterday how to marinate chicken for making kiln-roasted chicken; it turned out she was preparing for today.

There was a ready-made muddy area behind Grandma's house where they could make kiln-roasted chicken, so the group didn't go far. Making kiln-roasted chicken required building an earthen kiln, and Jiajia was more skilled than Yu Miaoyin. She collected many large pieces of mud to build the base, and then, like building blocks, she placed the mud blocks from large to small on top of each other. After finishing, Jiajia picked up some small stones to fill in the large gaps.

Little Tangbao circled the earthen kiln and exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Jiajia is so amazing! She actually built a little house!"

There was a hole under the little house. Yu Miaoyin brought some dry wood and told the children to go first. She then skillfully started a fire. The firewood in the hole crackled and popped, and flames shot up extremely high through the cracks. The surrounding air was also scorching hot. The "little house" was tanned dark red by the firewood, and occasionally a few sparks carrying the smell of ash would emerge from the cracks.

Yu Miaoyin clapped her hands: "Put the chicken in later."

Making kiln-roasted chicken doesn't involve putting the chicken directly into a burning earthen kiln to cook it. Instead, the kiln is heated until it turns completely red-hot, and the chicken is then cooked using the residual heat inside.

While waiting, Yu Miaoyin went back and wrapped the chicken that Jiajia had marinated in lotus leaves that had been soaked in water. She also cut slits in the sweet potatoes that her grandmother had given her, which had been soaked in salt water, and the chestnuts that He Li's family had brought over. She would put them in the kiln with the chicken later.

Judging that the kiln was almost fired, a few people went to check on it. The entire kiln had been fired to an amber color, and the air was hotter the closer they got to it. Yu Miaoyin took a stick and brushed away the ashes, leaving only orange-red embers piled up inside the kiln. She put in the wrapped kiln-fired chicken, chestnuts, and sweet potatoes, and the embers danced, like fireworks exploding before her eyes.

Yu Miaoyin pushed down the earthen kiln, letting the scalding hot earth completely encase the kiln-roasted chicken, "We'll be able to eat it soon."

The red-hot earthen kiln was like a natural furnace. Fortunately, there was no wind today, so a few people sat down next to the kiln and started chatting. Their noise and laughter were muffled by the wind.

During the conversation, the kiln-roasted chicken had become tender and juicy, and the sweet aroma of sweet potatoes and chestnuts wafted out from the cracks of the earthen kiln with the heat. Yu Miaoyin used a stick to remove the clods of earth from the top.

Watching her older sister's movements, Xiao Tangbao felt as if her sister was digging for treasure, the heat and the smell of the baked earth growing stronger with each movement.

After discovering the treasure, the lotus leaves that wrapped the chicken, sweet potato, and chestnuts carried the scent of earth, mingling with the aroma emanating from within, enticing people.

The group returned home with the treasure. Jiajia exclaimed that the kiln-roasted chicken, made with Sister Ayin's secret recipe, was indeed much more fragrant than the one her cousin made.

Yu Miaoyin tore open the lotus leaf, which was roasted until it was wrinkled and brown at the edges. The lotus leaf clung tightly to the chicken, and when she parted it, the aroma of the chicken and lotus leaf filled the air. The chicken juices slid down the veins of the lotus leaf. The kiln-roasted chicken was golden in color, with the wings and legs being a darker color. You could even smell the charred aroma. The whole chicken was glossy and fragrant.

Grandma couldn't help but drool as she looked at it, and her stomach started growling.

Adults can control themselves, but kids really can't. Little Tangbao wiped her drool and said, "Sister, this kiln-roasted chicken smells so good."

Yu Miaoyin then opened the chestnuts and sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes had been roasted until they developed charred spots, and the outer skin had cracked open, revealing the golden, shiny flesh inside. The honey that had seeped out had solidified on the skin, making it sticky and oily. The chestnut shells, which had been opened, were roasted until they were taut and curled, and the dark brown outer shells made the soft, powdery chestnut kernels inside even more tempting.

The whole room was filled with a sweet, warm aroma. The kiln-roasted chicken was very tender; the skin and meat separated easily with a tear in your hand, and the juices bounced up with each movement. Hot steam wafted out from the cut end of the kiln. Since it was Jiajia who brought the chicken, Yu Miaoyin helped Jiajia tear off the large chicken leg and then tore open a piece of lotus leaf for her to wrap it in to prevent burns.

"Thank you, Sister Yin." Still steaming hot, Jiajia blew on the chicken leg twice before tearing into it. The skin was smooth and flavorful, and the meat was tender and juicy. As she chewed, she could taste the rich juices jumping around in her mouth. The marinade had completely melted into the chicken, and the skin had a faint lotus leaf aroma. It was so delicious that Jiajia wanted to jump around on the spot.

"The kiln-roasted chicken made with Sister Ayin's secret recipe smells so good!" Jiajia finished the whole chicken leg in a few bites. She thought the meat at the bone was the most delicious, and even the bone was amazing. Jiajia sucked all the marrow from the bone into her mouth.

The remaining chicken leg was given to Xiaotangbao. She gasped for breath and opened her mouth as wide as possible to devour the hot and fragrant chicken leg. Her eyes crinkled as she ate.

Grandma was even more tempted by the roasted sweet potato that was dripping with honey. She held the sweet potato in her hand, and the honey that had dripped from the surface made her hands sticky. When Xiaotangbao ate it, she licked her fingers and said, "Wow, it's still sweet."

Peeling back the sweet potato skin revealed flesh inside that resembled solidified honey. However, it was too hot, so Grandma could only take a small bite of the soft, sweet outer layer. The most amazing part was the innermost bite; after biting through the inner layer of flesh, the glistening, amber-colored, juicy orange-red flesh was revealed. Grandma, ignoring the heat, took a big bite, her mouth filled with the warm, melting sweetness. The sweetness traveled from her throat to her heart.

After finishing the big chicken leg, Xiao Tangbao started peeling chestnuts. She put the peeled chestnut kernels aside and then handed them to Yu Miaoyin as if to show off: "Sister, these are for you."

"Thank you, baby," Yu Miaoyin said, then patted her head.

Little Tangbao was also very happy. Her older sister called her "baby," and she was her older sister's baby!

Yu Miaoyin ate the peeled chestnut kernels, which were soft, sweet, and fragrant.

In the corner of her eye, Yu Miaoyin saw the child playing with Jiajia, and her eyes lit up with laughter.

——

After the New Year, the calendar turned several more pages, and life was still the same as before. She still ran her small restaurant, but because she cooked different dishes every day and met different customers, she found life very interesting.

These diners come from diverse backgrounds and have varied personalities. They might be the pickiest and most difficult children in kindergarten, high school seniors crying during evening study sessions after failing mock exams, or even people like Liu Yi who have given up on life. But after eating at this small restaurant, the kindergarten children will finish their meals, the high school seniors will wipe away their tears and continue studying, and even those who have given up on life can find the simplest kind of happiness.

The small restaurant was filled with everyday stories: which family's child got married to whom, which family's child got into graduate school, and some outrageous news. For example, a wife helped her husband build a business from scratch, only for him to cheat on her. After the divorce, the wife took her daughter and succeeded in starting her own business, while her ex-husband couldn't hold onto his wealth and returned to poverty. Hearing this kind of ending, Yu Miaoyin was genuinely happy for him.

The small restaurant also witnessed many happy and touching moments. After Chen Xi was discharged from the hospital, she returned to school and often went to the restaurant with her friends to eat and chat. Liu Yi also recovered very well. After the tourism industry in Yuncheng developed, he used his skills to set up a stall in Lingyu Mountain to sell the souvenirs he made. Because they were beautiful and cheap, he gained the favor of many customers, and his life gradually improved.

Then there's Xiaoming. The day he received his high school admission notice, he excitedly ran over to show it to Yu Miaoyin. Xiaoming's parents were also very grateful to Yu, saying that if it weren't for her family's small restaurant, Xiaoming might have only been able to attend a vocational school. Xiaoming's story of overcoming adversity has been widely circulated among his younger schoolmates. When asked what motivates him to study hard, Xiaoming bluntly said, "Because if I get into high school, I can eat delicious food from the restaurant every day!"

Of course, Huang Mao did well on the exam. Although he didn't get into the top high school, he successfully got into a decent local high school, which wasn't far from the small restaurant.

Even though she wasn't directly involved, Yu Miaoyin could still sense the joy and happiness.

——

One morning six months later, Lu Jingming drove to Yu Miaoyin's house. Grandpa Xu was sitting at the door drinking tea. Grandpa Xu took a sip of tea and said, "Young man, do you even have any guts?"

Seeing that Yu Miaoyin wasn't there, Grandma whispered, "That's right, she's not as daring as I was when I was young."

Xu Changxing turned his back and gestured dramatically, "Ask your sister Gui how I pursued her."

Zhou Gui kicked his butt, "I'm too embarrassed to say it."

Lu Jingming was completely confused by what these people were saying, so he went over to Grandpa Xu and asked, "Grandpa, what are you talking about?"

"You like Xiaoyin, do you think we can't tell?" Grandpa Xu said bluntly in a low voice.

Lu Jingming coughed violently, stammering, "Is it...is it that obvious?"

Little Tangbao came over and slumped against her grandmother, blinking her glass marble-like eyes at Lu Jingming, who nodded in return.

Grandpa Xu nodded and said, "It's written all over your face."

In the past six months, this young man would come to the small restaurant every now and then, and he always dressed smartly, wearing either a windbreaker or a coat. In contrast, other young people around his age wore black down jackets in winter and shorts and flip-flops in summer, and some even wore their high school trousers.

Lu Jingming coughed. Did that mean Miaoyin knew too?

Just as I was thinking about someone, Yu Miaoyin came out of her house and said, "Let's go."

Lu Jingming nodded somewhat awkwardly, went over and opened the car door. Xiao Tangbao said goodbye to them before running into the car.

The two were going to attend a food expo in a city next to Yuncheng. Lu Jingming thought it wasn't far, so he offered to drive them. Yu Miaoyin thought it was convenient and agreed. The city was also a tourist destination, so Yu Miaoyin planned to take Xiaotangbao there for a few days before returning, which would also be a kind of vacation for herself.

After driving for several hours, they finally arrived in the city. Lu Jingming took the two to their hotel and helped them settle in. He also bought them dinner to fill their stomachs.

Inside the hotel, Xiao Tangbao excitedly looked at the night view and asked her older sister to take some nice photos of her.

After resting, Yu Miaoyin and Lu Jingming went to handle their work. Lu Jingming's mother happened to be there as well, so Yu Miaoyin asked her to look after Xiaotangbao.

The first day was spent handling the work at the exhibition, and the second day the two of them worked as exhibitors, showcasing and selling their products in the venue.

The exhibition set up a trading platform for import and export commodities, and Yu Miaoyin brought her mushroom sauce, which she produced in collaboration with Lu Jingming. The venue was filled with buyers speaking various languages, and there were also some university students acting as on-site translation assistants.

Inside the venue, people came and went, and Yu Miaoyin opened the mushroom sauce to attract buyers.

Soon, several people came over, and they took turns translating to help the buyers ask about the mushroom sauce. Yu Miaoyin and Lu Jingming patiently and meticulously answered the buyers' questions, and many buyers' eyes lit up after tasting the mushroom sauce.

The aroma of the mushroom sauce attracted many buyers, and after tasting it, it gained considerable favor, leading to successful transactions.

After a busy day, Lu Jingming drove Yu Miaoyin back to her hotel.

After another day of rest, Yu Miaoyin and Lu Jingming took Xiaotangbao out to play. Before leaving, Ms. Lu told Lu Jingming to seize the opportunity. Lu Jingming had been busy with work these past few days and had long forgotten about it. Now, with his mother's reminder, he started to get nervous again.

This city is not only delicious but also fun. The group first went to a teahouse for morning tea before heading to the scenic area. Lu Jingming watched them from behind, occasionally smiling to himself. Xiao Tangbao pulled her older sister and ran a little further away. Yu Miaoyin squatted down and asked her what was wrong. Xiao Tangbao looked at Lu Jingming standing in front and whispered, "Older sister, do you know that brother likes you?"

Although complaining is not a good thing, her older sister is the most important!

Yu Miaoyin also glanced at Lu Jingming: "I know, so what?"

"Does my sister like him?"

"Um."

"If you like each other, shouldn't you be together?" Xiao Tangbao asked, puzzled.

“Silly child, it’s because he doesn’t say anything,” Yu Miaoyin said.

Little Tangbao let out a long "Oh," and said, "No wonder Grandpa and Grandma said he was a coward."

Yu Miaoyin was amused by her words. As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Tangbao took off running away, saying, "I want to see the flowers. The flowers there are so pretty."

It's normal for children this age to like running around freely, Yu Miaoyin told her, "Be careful."

Then, Lu Jingming and Yu Miaoyin walked side by side.

Lu Jingming racked his brains, trying to figure out where he had shown his true feelings. Was this a case of being too close to the situation to see things clearly? Did Miaoyin know or not? If she knew, why didn't she say anything? Did she dislike him?

Lu Jingming thought for a long time before finally calling out to Yu Miaoyin, "Miaoyin, I want to tell you something."

"Mmm." Yu Miaoyin looked at him with a smile in her eyes.

Lu Jingming unconsciously looked away and whispered, "Miaoyin, I like you. Can I...can I pursue you?"

As soon as he said it, Lu Jingming regretted it. Who confesses their love like that?

Yu Miaoyin hummed in agreement, "No need to pursue me, I like you too."

Lu Jingming: !!!

Yu Miaoyin turned around, and Lu Jingming looked at her and asked, "So, are we together now?"

He wanted to chop his mouth off; what was he saying?

Yu Miaoyin's beautiful eyes curved into a smile, and she chuckled, "What else?"

When Xiao Tangbao came back, she looked at Lu Jingming suspiciously, her big eyes full of doubt. Yu Miaoyin patted Xiao Tangbao's head and said to her, "Sister is with him."

Xiao Tangbao said "Oh" again, smiling as she looked at Lu Jingming, as if she had already understood something.

This time, Lu Jingming coughed violently again. No wonder Grandpa Xu said he was timid!

On the way back, Xiao Tangbao held her older sister's hand, while Lu Jingming awkwardly held Yu Miaoyin's hand.

After returning from the Import and Export Commodities Fair, Yu Miaoyin continued running her small restaurant, while Lu Jingming was busy with factory affairs. Thanks to the contracts signed at the fair, the factory's profits improved, and Yu Miaoyin received more dividends.

The calendar turned twelve pages again, and it was another new year. This year, life remained largely unchanged. The same people were still by her side. The osmanthus tree in front of her grandmother's house bloomed more profusely each year. Little Tangbao became a first-grade elementary school student, and Yiling was now a senior in high school.

During the three days of the college entrance examination, Yiling's parents took time off to accompany her. Yu Miaoyin, knowing that Yiling needed to use her brain during the exam and was under a lot of pressure, took the initiative to cook breakfast and lunch for her. Jiajia's parents weren't good cooks, but they weren't comfortable ordering takeout these days, so they asked Yu Miaoyin for money to cook Jiajia's meals as well, and Yu Miaoyin agreed.

On the first day of the college entrance examination, students took Chinese and Mathematics. Yu Miaoyin made steamed eggs with shrimp and stir-fried beef with broccoli for the two of them, and also thoughtfully stewed a pot of chicken soup.

The two ate until they were about 70% full and then went to rest, leaving Grandma and Xiaotangbao to enjoy their meal happily. The shrimp and egg stir-fry with rice was perfect; the shrimp were springy and the egg was tender and smooth. The broccoli and beef stir-fry had a fragrant and sweet broccoli, and the beef was tender and juicy, with a wonderful wok hei (wok aroma) after being stir-fried quickly. And then there was the pot of chicken soup, clear, refreshing, and flavorful, with a bright, non-greasy broth that left a lingering, delicious taste in the throat after drinking it.

On the second day of the college entrance examination, Yu Miaoyin made braised pork ribs and scallion oil sea bass, along with a pot of sweet and sour tomato, egg drop and tofu soup.

...

During the three days of the college entrance examination, Grandma and Xiaotangbao followed behind their two older sisters and ate a lot of delicious food. If the college entrance examination were not so tiring, Grandma would really like Yiling to take the exam every day, so that she could eat such delicious food every day.

On the day the college entrance examination ended, many media outlets stood at the gate of Yuncheng No. 1 High School, carrying cameras and microphones, ready to interview the test takers. Some media even started live broadcasts to capture the college entrance examination scene.

The reporter shoved the microphone in front of a girl who was the top student in her grade at Yuncheng No. 1 High School. If they could interview her, they would have material for this episode.

The reporter asked, "Student, do you think this year's college entrance exam was difficult?"

The top student, fearing a group beating, said, "It's alright."

The viewers in the live chat breathed a sigh of relief. If even the top students said it was okay, then it must have been really difficult!

The reporter then asked, "We just asked some students, and they all said that the last big question in biology was extremely difficult, and many students gave up on it. Did this student finish it?"

The top student had participated in biology competitions, so this question wasn't particularly difficult for her, but she still nodded and said, "It was indeed a bit difficult; I spaced out for five minutes."

The reporter asked with amusement, "So what is this student thinking? Is he cursing the question-setting team?"

The top student shook his head: "I'm wondering if the small restaurant will be open today. I haven't been able to eat there during these past few days of the college entrance exam. I really miss the owner's cooking. I won't be able to eat there after graduation."

Comments: ? ? ?

On the other side, because graduation was approaching, the students huddled together, sobbing. They all knew that after the college entrance examination, once they left this school, it would be difficult to see each other again, and they might even have seen someone for the last time. The thought that their high school years were ending on such an ordinary afternoon inevitably made them feel a little sad.

As the school leaders and teachers watched the group of children hugging each other and seeing them reluctantly taking photos in various corners of the campus, they couldn't help but wipe away their tears. They were also extremely reluctant to see another group of children leave.

Not far away, a boy said with tears streaming down his face, "I don't want to graduate."

The school leaders looked at the student in surprise. Wasn't this the same student who frequently took leave due to the pressure of senior year? He had even said that the most painful year of his eighteen years was his senior year, and now that graduation was approaching, he was reluctant to leave. It seemed this student had finally realized how good the school was. The school leaders wanted to go up to him and say, "If you miss the school, you can come back and visit. The school is your home, and its gates are always open for you."

The next second, the student exclaimed, "After graduation, I won't be able to eat at those small restaurants as often anymore. I'll miss the small restaurants across from the school!"

School leaders and teachers: ...

—The End—

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