Chapter 4 Cold Chicken Salad
Pei Ye was startled by the shout and suddenly met Jiang Zhi's gaze. He saw that the girl who had just been washing her hands and cooking had already cleaned up the entire stove and was staring at him with a smile.
He couldn't help but cough lightly to cover up his earlier embarrassment.
"I can't refuse your kindness—please give me a bowl!"
He had intended to politely decline, but to his surprise, the young lady opposite him showed no sign of politeness. As soon as he finished speaking, she casually poured the ladleful she had just poured into her own bowl.
This forced Pei Ye to quickly change his mind.
Jiang Zhicai, with a rather wicked sense of humor, tilted her hand and handed a bowl to Pei Ye.
Then he lazily lay on the bamboo chair and picked up the noodles one by one with his chopsticks.
Pei Ye stared intently at the large porcelain bowl that had been unexpectedly pushed into his hand, his eyes filled with conflict.
It felt like two little people were fighting inside him. One was yelling for that damned pig intestine to get lost, while the other...?
I wish I could bury my whole body in that soup that smelled so tempting.
Finally, he took a deep breath, unable to resist the temptation of the rising white steam, grabbed the rim of the large porcelain bowl, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
With just one bite, the spiciness of the spices instantly descends into your throat along with the soup. What follows is a rich, meaty sensation.
Pei Ye did not grow up in poverty. On the contrary, the Second Young Master Pei was born into a life of luxury. He had eaten not only pork, a low-grade meat that the poor could only afford to buy a few ounces of, but also sparrow meat, which was bestowed upon him by the royal family.
But he had never heard of this girl Jiang's actions before.
But it really is delicious!
The spiciness in the soup perfectly countered the slight chill of the morning frost, while the pig intestines and lungs were completely different from what Pei Ye had seen before. Not only were the flavors completely gone, but after being stewed with this ingredient, the aroma of the fat practically wafted into one's nostrils.
By the time Pei Ye realized what was happening, he had already taken a bite.
The sausage skin is thin yet slightly chewy, and juices overflow from it, making it incredibly fragrant. Compared to this chewiness, the sausage meat is more tender and smooth, with an indescribable rich aroma that spreads between the lips and teeth with each chew—simply divine!
The sliced lung was absolutely amazing. It had been sliced so thinly by Jiang Zhi that it tasted like a cloud when you put it in your mouth, smooth and tender.
When Pei Ye finally snapped out of his reverie, he had already picked up several chopsticks, but the bowl was now devoid of the images of intestines and lungs.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Jiang Zhi's intrigued gaze. He forgot all about continuing to savor the noodles and subconsciously sped up his slurping.
Jiang Zhi was quite satisfied anyway.
She nestled in the bamboo chair, smiling as she made a suggestion to the man who was enjoying his meal.
"Young Master Pei, how's breakfast?"
When she went out today, she also inquired about her landlord's information. To her surprise, the neighbors only knew that he was surnamed Pei. Because he had the air of a young master, they secretly mocked him as Young Master Pei.
However, Jiang Zhi didn't care much about these small details. She was only asking around to prevent encountering another strange landlord causing trouble.
Clearly, she was lucky this time; at least she ran into a normal person.
Therefore, she plans to negotiate a deal with this normal landlord.
"Young lady, your skill is truly remarkable!"
After confirming that there wasn't a drop of soup left in the bowl, Pei Ye lazily glanced at Jiang Zhi, said something, and gestured for her to speak quickly.
Jiang Zhi didn't say anything more. She simply straightened her back a little from the bamboo chair, stood up, and looked at Young Master Pei with a light smile.
"It is an honor to receive such praise from Young Master Pei. I wonder if you would be willing to rent this kitchen to me as well? In return, I promise that I will make sure you are satisfied with all three meals a day whenever you are home!"
"If you are ever dissatisfied, Young Master Pei, please feel free to mention it, and I guarantee you will be satisfied!"
As she said this, the girl was radiant and her laughter grew even more cheerful.
**
Jiang Zhi didn't argue much and naturally obtained the right to use the kitchen.
She knew perfectly well what was going on. When she was in the kitchen earlier, she noticed the slightly dusty interior and knew that for the landlord, the kitchen was probably just a pretty but useless tool.
So for that landlord, if he could provide three meals a day, the kitchen could at least have a marginal practical use.
However, Jiang Zhi's eyelashes curved, and she smiled like a little fox:
She didn't say that she rented this kitchen just for her daily meals!
Please, even if she's setting up a street stall, she still needs a place to make her products!
*
After eating and drinking her fill, Jiang Zhi began preparing lunch.
Midday is always unbearably hot and humid, so Jiang Zhi planned to prepare lunch with an appetizing theme.
As for whetting the appetite, Jiang Zhi immediately thought of a dish that made her mouth water – cold shredded chicken salad.
With that thought in mind, she slung her bag over her shoulder and pushed open the door, heading towards the meat market.
This dish is called cold shredded chicken salad, so we should at least buy some chicken, right?
Chicken was not cheap in ancient times. Compared to the more expensive beef and mutton, and the difficult-to-process pork, chicken was undoubtedly the best option that ordinary people could afford if they gritted their teeth.
Jiang Zhi only did a quick calculation and, feeling that the owner hadn't overcharged her, didn't haggle much. She then paid in full for four chicken drumsticks, which were of moderate price. She got a piece of oil paper from the butcher, wrapped them up, tied them with hemp rope, and put them in the vegetable basket she was carrying on her right.
Before the morning market closed, Jiang Zhi strolled around the market with a smile, picking and choosing some cucumbers, carrots, and the like, which she also carried in her shopping basket.
After calculating that she had enough ingredients for the day, Jiang Zhi prepared to head back.
It was past 11:30 AM.
A breeze, carrying waves of heat, gradually swept towards the people under the shade of the trees. Pedestrians hurried along the road, while several stall owners, their goods still mostly unsold, sat under the shade of the trees, looking distressed and sighing.
Jiang Zhi was in a fairly good mood at the moment, but the heat wave made her lose all interest in looking around and she just kept walking with her head down.
But suddenly, she seemed to sense something—
A resistance came from behind her skirt.
Jiang Zhi almost instinctively pulled out the cleaver from under the vegetable basket.
She turned around abruptly, only to see a little girl with two small pigtails looking up at her. The little girl was neatly dressed, and her hair was styled in neat strands on either side of her forehead; clearly, this little girl was also loved by her family.
When Jiang Zhi subconsciously thought of this, she put down her urge to pinch his cheek and turned to leave. But the little girl lost her grip and was almost pulled to the ground by Jiang Zhi's skirt.
Left with no other choice, Jiang Zhi could only stand there stiffly.
After a moment of awkward silence, she finally sighed softly, squatted down, and came to the girl's eye level.
"Who are you, you little brat? You've got the wrong person!"
The girl didn't reply, but just stared quietly at Jiang Zhi.
The two, one big and one small, remained locked in this stalemate until the shade under the tree was squeezed smaller and smaller by the sunlight. Jiang Zhi sighed.
"Alright! I'll take you home. It'll be cooler this afternoon, then I'll take you to the government office. When you do, just tell your parents that I'm not a slave trader!"
While muttering to herself, Jiang Zhi reached out and took the little girl's hand.
The little girl had a round, chubby face, but her hands felt soft and delicate.
Jiang Zhi used a little force, and the little girl belatedly looked up at her.
With just that one glance, Jiang Zhi had some guesses in her mind.
*
After arriving home, Jiang Zhi first settled the little girl on a chair in the main room, and then ran to the kitchen to boil a pot of water.
Only then did he return and gently ask the little girl.
Although the little girl didn't utter a sound, her big, watery eyes kept following Jiang Zhi's figure.
Just then, the door was pushed open again. The little girl's gaze finally shifted from Jiang Zhi.
Pei Ye had just been called out by his group of friends and only just returned.
The first thing I noticed was the female tenant, who, unlike her confident and carefree demeanor this morning, seemed rather flustered.
He followed the gaze of the female tenant and looked over, and the second time he met a pair of clear, bright eyes.
Moreover, it seemed strangely familiar...
"Little twisted dough sticks?"
Just as Jiang Zhi heard that slightly surprised voice, those slender hands had already brushed past her slightly crouching body and headed straight for the little girl's armpits.
Then he picked up the little girl and weighed her in his arms.
How did she end up here?
The man's fox-like eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down at Jiang Zhi, who was still somewhat stunned.
However, Jiang Zhi was clearly quick to react. She clapped her hands slightly, stood up, stared at Pei Ye without fear, and smiled.
"This little brat is called Little Twist? Not a bad name. Why don't you ask her why she's dragging me like that?"
Just as the two were locked in a tense standoff, neither willing to yield, the little twisted hair suddenly broke free from Pei Ye's grasp and hid behind Jiang Zhi, still silently clutching Jiang Zhi's skirt.
Jiang Zhi smiled, but what about Pei Ye?
He exploded.
*
"Hey, you surnamed You, take care of your child. I've put so much effort into taking care of her, and she just betrays me the moment she sees a pretty girl!"
When Pei Ye burst through the door again, he was half-embracing and half-pressing down on a man slightly shorter than him.
The man was still holding a few sunflower seeds in his hand, and it seemed that he hadn't finished eating them before Pei Ye took them from him.
His face was filled with confusion and bewilderment.
The little girl who had been hiding behind Jiang Zhi finally stepped forward and appeared in everyone's sight.
Nevertheless, after silently glancing at the two guys who were already fighting in secret, she ultimately chose to silently take Jiang Zhi's hand.
Amidst the two's incessant bickering, Jiang Zhi strangely felt a sense of triumph.
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