Chapter Forty-Nine: Minced Meat and Eggplant

Lin Jiaying was pleasantly surprised and gave a sweet smile: "Thank you, then I'll try a little bit."

Ji Xiaotong moved the lunchbox to a different spot for Lin Jiaying to try. After taking a bite, Lin Jiaying's eyes widened slightly. "Did you really buy this from the little restaurant across the street? It smells so good! Why didn't anyone tell me that the food at that little restaurant across the street is so delicious!"

Lin Jiaying is a boarding student. For boarding students, the most important thing is to get back to the dorm to shower. As for meals, she can just sneak a bite during evening self-study. She rarely buys food outside, mainly because she thinks the food outside the school is just as good as what's in the school cafeteria!

But how come such a delicious restaurant has opened outside the school now?

"Thank you, Xiaotong, this is really delicious!" Lin Jiaying said excitedly, and took out the mooncakes and pomelos she brought from home to share with Ji Xiaotong.

"Thank you. Would you like to try some of these pickled green beans? I think they're delicious too," Ji Xiaotong continued, inviting her.

Lin Jiaying was so craving it that she naturally agreed. She almost jumped up and said, "Okay, thank you Xiaotong, I love you so much, mwah!"

She was truly amazed by how delicious the pickled green beans were at this shop! The green beans were crunchy and burst with a tangy and spicy juice, which was very appetizing.

The two girls chatted as they ate. Lin Jiaying said, "Even if the owner's other dishes aren't good, I'd still eat them just for these pickled green beans!"

Pickled green beans can save the day!

Ji Xiaotong remembered the honey-glazed chicken wings that Teacher Shen had given her. She knew that her teacher might have bought them from this shop as well. They were delicious. "The owner's food is always delicious. There's nothing bad about it. You can try it next time."

"Okay, hehe, thank you Xiaotong for recommending such a delicious restaurant, I'm very happy," Lin Jiaying said. The two started chatting again because of the meal, like good friends.

...

After returning to the classroom, Xu Jiajia frantically finished her homework, with Yiling helping her copy it. She finally managed to finish all her assignments before the deadline. The biggest advantage of studying physics, chemistry, and biology is that, unlike students studying history and politics, there aren't as many subjective questions to answer when catching up on homework.

After the first evening self-study session, Xu Jiajia leaned back in her chair when the class monitor slid in from the outside to the door. "Report! We just got intelligence. The results are out, and we're still ranking them."

Xu Jiajia covered her head with the test paper. She hadn't actually checked the answers yet. When she heard that the results were about to be released, she reluctantly picked up her red pen and began grading and estimating her score.

Exams bring joy to a few and sorrow to hundreds. Xu Jiajia buried her head in a pile of exam papers, feeling utterly hopeless.

Xiao Du exclaimed "Wow!" to his deskmate in front of him, his voice flat and lacking any real emotion, though he seemed to be forcing a smile. "Great! I'm going to be at the bottom!"

"..." Just as Yi Ling was about to comfort Xu Jiajia, Xu Jiajia pulled her head out of the test paper and said, "I'm hungry. I want to eat fried noodles to soothe my wounded heart."

Just as she bent down to reflect on her mistakes while reviewing her interview paper, she smelled the aroma of fried rice noodles, which made her mouth water.

The rice noodles were in an insulated lunchbox, but they had cooled down a little. Xu Jiajia quickly put them in her mouth; they were still slightly warm, and the individual strands of rice noodles were distinct. Because not much oil was used, they weren't dry or greasy, making them particularly enjoyable to eat, without even needing water. The rice noodles also had a natural chewiness, neither hard nor dry. The slightly cooled stir-fried noodles had a unique flavor, with the aroma of egg and rice slowly spreading in her mouth.

"Even this cold fried rice noodles taste so good." Xu Jiajia completely forgot about her anxiety today. It was just an exam, not the college entrance exam.

Perhaps because of the fried noodles, Xu Jiajia was in a good mood and memorized English words for two whole evening study sessions!

When she got home, she was still full. Xu's mother greeted her and asked, "Jiajia, do you want a midnight snack? Mom will make you something delicious, okay?"

Xu Jiajia shook her head and said, "I'm not eating. I'm not hungry right now."

Before Xu's mother could say anything more, Xu Jiajia had already returned to her room.

Mr. Xu walked out with his hands behind his back: "Our daughter, could she really be in love?"

"She hasn't eaten anything and says she's not hungry. Does she think she's gained weight and wants to lose weight for that guy?" Mrs. Xu wondered, since teenage girls are usually quite concerned about their appearance. She didn't object to her daughter dating, but losing weight for a boy was something she wouldn't allow. Her darling had gained all that weight herself!

Mr. Xu also looked worried. What kind of idiot had tricked his perfectly good daughter?

“I don’t object to her dating, but if it hurts her, I can’t just ignore it,” said Xu’s mother with a serious expression, then pondered how to find out about the situation while respecting her daughter’s privacy…

—

The next morning, Aunt Zheng got up early and went to the small restaurant according to the address her daughter had given her.

"You're here for a trial period, right?" Yu Miaoyin asked her with a smile when they met.

"Yes, yes, hello boss, my surname is Zheng." Aunt Zheng has a particularly kind face, with a gentle and benevolent expression, and her appearance is very pleasant.

"Hello Aunt Zheng, my name is Yu Miaoyin, you can also call me Xiaoyin," Yu Miaoyin said.

"It's your trial day," Yu Miaoyin invited her in. "I made some breakfast, would you like to try some?"

As Yu Miaoyin spoke, she took out an egg and meat patty from the insulated lunchbox.

Aunt Zheng had already eaten breakfast and was thinking of refusing. But as soon as she opened the thermos, she smelled the aroma of fried eggs mixed with the fragrance of steamed minced pork, and she was so tempted that she couldn't bear to refuse.

"Thank you, Xiaoyin." Aunt Zheng took a bite of the egg and meat patty. The egg wash on the outside was a warm, yellowish hue, revealing the bright green scallions and minced pork inside.

“You still want to open a shop, so making this must take a lot of time, the dough needs a long time to ferment,” Aunt Zheng said.

Yu Miaoyin said, "I made the dough and prepared the meat filling last night. It was quick to make, and it only took me about ten minutes."

Aunt Zheng listened with some admiration. The boss was a very proactive person, and he must be quick, efficient, and decisive in his work.

"Let me tell you about my arrangements here. I run this business by myself, and I do a lot of different things."

Aunt Zheng took a bite of the egg and meat pie, first shaking her head then nodding. The aroma was so enticing she almost lost herself in it. The caramelized egg and savory pork burst in her mouth, perfectly seasoned. The meat juices seeped into the pie, infused with the savory flavor of the seasonings. The slightly charred egg, combined with the tender meat filling, created a rich texture. The crust wasn't thick, and the filling was just the right amount, so it wasn't dry or greasy.

Yu Miaoyin explained what she would be doing at the shop, which was more like assisting her with tasks such as preparing and cleaning ingredients, while Yu Miaoyin herself would be responsible for cooking.

Aunt Zheng carefully memorized these tasks; they were all routine duties for working in a restaurant, and she could do them.

"I just told you about the salary; meals are included, but accommodation isn't." After Yu Miaoyin finished speaking, Aunt Zheng was still a little smug.

Is the salary the boss just mentioned true?

Moreover, the boss said meals would be provided. To exaggerate a bit, with such delicious food, if you put up a sign, plus this salary, there would definitely be many people vying for this job.

Since the boss offered her an unexpectedly high salary, Aunt Zheng happily accepted, "Thank you, boss, I will work hard!"

Aunt Zheng thought she had to do a good job and do a lot so that the boss would know that hiring her was worthwhile!

After chatting, Yu Miaoyin noticed that she seemed to really like the egg and meat patties she made, so she took out some more and shared them with her. "Let's get to work after we finish eating."

Aunt Zheng took a bite of the egg and meat patty, and the aroma of egg, meat, patty, and scallions burst in her mouth layer by layer. She could feel the pork juice melting on the dough, making it even more fragrant and moist, and the caramelized aroma after frying. It was so delicious!

"I bought some eggplants, so I'll make eggplant with minced meat today," Yu Miaoyin said. She had decided what she wanted to make last night and had a clear idea in mind. But she would sometimes change her mind. For example, today she saw eggplants at the market with a rich, deep purple sheen that looked particularly tempting, so she changed her mind and decided to make eggplant with minced meat.

"Okay." Aunt Zheng glanced at the small blackboard that still displayed yesterday's menu. She noticed that the owner made different dishes every day. Some restaurants change their dishes, usually seasonal vegetables, while the meat dishes are usually the same and rarely change.

"Do we change our dishes every day?" Aunt Zheng asked.

"Yes, some items are fixed, but many are only available once they're eaten, which makes it more interesting," Yu Miaoyin said. She enjoys exploring the market, finding it particularly fun, and the market has a strong sense of local life; the shouts and bargaining sounds are quite comforting.

Seasonal foods are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so since they're available and seasonal, she naturally wants to buy some and cook them deliciously. Besides, even just pork can be made into so many delicious dishes; you get tired of cooking only one kind of food.

"I see, then I'm so lucky to be able to eat with you." Aunt Zheng spoke her mind. "My daughter says she really likes your cooking. I just tried your egg and meat patty, and I'm truly impressed. It's so delicious!"

She smiled faintly after being praised again, "I'm especially happy that you like the food I make."

After speaking, Aunt Zheng started steaming the rice. Yu Miaoyin washed the eggplant, and Aunt Zheng came over to help. She often cooked at home and had good knife skills, cutting the eggplant very well, which pleased Yu Miaoyin.

The sliced ​​eggplant needs to be marinated in starch for a while to lock in its moisture.

On the other side, the homeroom teacher of Class 11 had a stern face, and the students also lowered their heads, not daring to look up.

The reason is simple: the monthly exam results are out...

After a long silence, the homeroom teacher sighed helplessly, "Fine, I don't blame you. After all, my salary is fixed no matter how many points you get, but it's your turn to take the college entrance exam. Can't you be more mindful?"

His words were earnest and sincere.

Actually, this was already considered a way out given by the teacher to the students. Someone sensibly said, "Thank you, teacher, for sparing my life."

The whole class burst into laughter, mimicking him and shouting, "Thank you, teacher! Thank God!"

Although she inevitably faced a lot of trivial matters and criticism after the exam, looking at these children, she really couldn't say anything harsh. Everyone was working hard and taking it seriously, and she saw it all.

but……

The homeroom teacher announced something that made the whole class shout, "Here's the thing, the monthly exams are over, but the school requires us to hold a parent-teacher conference..."

The homeroom teacher rubbed her head; she didn't want to hold a parent-teacher conference either, and obviously, the students didn't want to either.

Seeing the students' strong reaction, the homeroom teacher dropped another piece of good news, a little insider information: "But I heard from the head of student affairs that there might be a school sports meet at the beginning of November. It's just a possibility, everyone, so have some fun!"

The whole class exclaimed in surprise, "Teacher, we already knew that, you don't need to tell us."

Well, she's always the last to know the news, even later than these students.

As soon as get out of class ended, Xu Jiajia clung to Yiling like a pendant, saying, "What should I do? There's a parent-teacher conference coming up, and I'm going to be publicly flogged. I'm going to die a horrible death."

Her family didn't put too much pressure on her academically, but even a little pressure was extreme for the fragile Xu Jiajia, and she could be overwhelmed by it.

Xiao Du was even more worried, saying, "I hate parent-teacher conferences."

He hated parent-teacher meetings in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school.

Xu Jiajia offered words of comfort, but it sounded like kicking someone when they were down. "When your mom scolds you, you can say that I did worse in math than you. And when my mom asks me why I did so badly in English, you can say, 'Auntie, my English is even worse than Jiajia's. She has already tried her best.'"

Xiao Du and Yi Ling were amused and said, "Never mind, let's eat first."

Xiao Du walked into the small restaurant with Yi Ling and Jia Jia. Seeing the sign listing today's dishes, he read aloud, "Minced meat and eggplant, no wonder it smells so good."

Those who arrived later exclaimed, "It smells so good, it's really delicious!"

Grandpa Xu reserved a seat and quickly made a phone call to call for more people, instructing his good friend, Grandpa Sun, to come and eat as soon as possible.

Grandpa Sun rushed over after receiving the call. He often envied his old friend, who lived so close to the restaurant owned by the boss, and could eat there in just a few steps.

"Come, come, you're finally here," said Grandpa Xu.

Grandpa Sun rushed over and exclaimed, "You missed me that much?"

A plate of minced meat and eggplant was placed down, along with a plate of hot and sour shredded potatoes. "I've been waiting for you forever, the dishes I've been waiting for have finally arrived!"

The steaming hot and fragrant meal has finally arrived; how could anyone not be excited?

Grandpa Sun rolled his eyes at him, and then fell silent after seeing the minced meat and eggplant.

The eggplant became soft and limp after being fried, its skin glistening with oil, its deep purple exterior coated with a thick sauce, and some parts even slightly wrinkled. Finely chopped minced meat was evenly distributed in the crevices of the eggplant, and the sauce slid down the eggplant, garnished with chopped scallions, making it both visually appealing and delicious.

Upon closer inspection of the hot and sour shredded potatoes, the tangy and spicy aroma of the potatoes immediately filled his nose, causing his stomach to rumble.

"It tastes even better with hot rice." Grandpa Xu had already started tasting it. He especially liked the eggplant that Xiaoyin made. After frying, it wasn't oily at all. Other people's eggplant with minced meat was like an oil-absorbing sponge. One bite and it was so oily it could kill you.

The fried eggplant is soft and tender, with some small bits of minced meat hidden inside, adding a unique flavor and making it very fragrant.

"Did they hire an extra person?" he asked.

"Yes, with one more person helping Xiaoyin, he doesn't have to be so busy!" Grandpa Xu picked up a piece of eggplant, which was still trembling slightly, with the sauce dripping down its surface. He quickly caught it in his bowl, staining the rice a darker color. Xiaoyin's dish was very generous in portion, with plenty of minced meat hidden inside. The texture of the minced meat combined with the soft eggplant was fantastic!

Mix it with a mouthful of rice, and that's the happiest thing in life!

The hot and sour shredded potatoes in front of him were simply an appetizer. After taking a bite of the hot and sour shredded potatoes, Grandpa Xu said he could eat three more bowls of rice!

After a three-day holiday, the employees of Lu Yao Studio are left with weakened bodies, longing for another holiday, and a mountain of work to do.

Yang Churuo didn't like having too much work piled up. She took out a piece of bread to eat, but Lu Yao called out to her, "Churuo, time to eat."

"I won't eat, you guys eat." After all, delivering the film was urgent.

"Let's go eat at Yu Ji, are you sure you don't want to..." Before she could finish saying "Want to come along?", Yang Chu Ruo rushed out from inside at lightning speed, "Yes, yes, let's go!"

Lu Yao shook her head, "You just look greedy."

"Of course, I'm really craving it, I'm extremely craving it!"