Chapter 498 A Dream of Youth 30
As the group entered through the hanging flower gate, they were greeted by a large table made of huanghuali wood with landscape patterns. On it was a stone screen inlaid with natural painted stones, intended to ward off evil spirits. On both sides were covered corridors. After passing the screen, the group entered the back garden.
Since it was a family dinner, things were kept casual, and the setting in the garden made it even more relaxing.
Inside, there were several iron racks with charcoal fires burning underneath. On a large round wooden table next to them were two copper hot pots, with white and red broths bubbling inside, their aroma spreading with the white steam, making one's mouth water.
The white broth has a delicate fragrance, while the red soup exudes a domineering spiciness that is extremely enticing.
Besides the sliced mutton, there were several dishes on the table, including vegetables such as cabbage sprouts, lettuce, celery, water bamboo shoots, and cabbage, as well as various kinds of meatballs such as fish balls, pork balls, and tofu balls. There were also meat dishes such as fish slices and rabbit meat.
Of course, the most eye-catching of them all is mutton. Because of its delicate texture and rich nutrition, it is extremely popular among the wealthy and powerful. However, since mutton is expensive, ordinary people usually use rabbit meat instead when eating hot pot.
Xie Ning likes to eat both. The rabbit meat slices are bright in color. When the hot pot is filled with white smoke, the pink rabbit meat is bubbling in the hot pot. When you stir the rabbit meat with chopsticks, it is like stirring the sunset. Therefore, it is also known as "stirring the sunset".
It has a firm and chewy texture, and when dipped in seasoning, it becomes incredibly fragrant.
"Baby, you should eat less spicy food."
Chen put a piece of clear soup on Xie Ning's plate, but then Xie Wangzhi took a sizzling, oily mutton skewer and put it to Xie Ning's mouth.
"Bao'er, try a bite first and see your father's skills." Although there were servants helping, grilling skewers is more enjoyable when done by oneself.
Xie Qi and his cousins were already eating with their mouths full of oil.
This was mutton that Xie Wangzhi specially ordered to be cut into small pieces, skewered on bamboo sticks and grilled, then sprinkled with special seasonings, and the aroma was so strong that it wafted into people's noses.
Xie Ning took the skewer, blew on it for a while to keep it warm, and then bit off a piece of meat. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and you could taste the juice inside with one bite.
After a few bites, he nodded repeatedly, "Father's cooking is really good!"
Xie Wangzhi was satisfied, and then continued to enthusiastically grill meat for his wife and children.
Mrs. Chen also liked it very much. The mutton was processed so that there was no muttony smell at all. However, she prefers a lighter taste, so she likes hot pot mutton the most.
The thinly sliced lamb rolls shrink as soon as they touch the bubbling broth, and the color of the meat changes, which means they are cooked.
Pick it up, dip it in the sauce, and take a bite. The tender lamb slices coated in the savory sauce are incredibly stimulating to the taste buds.
Xie Ning could smell the aroma of mutton in every breath. Chen Yuncheng picked up a white fish ball with his chopsticks and was about to hand it to Xie Ning, saying, "Baby, eat this!"
Mrs. Chen smiled and accepted the gift, saying, "The cook at my sister-in-law's house is really good; these fish balls are both bouncy and tender."
“These aren’t homemade; they’re from the Ma family’s shop on Kangqian Road. Their fish balls are unique in the city and are absolutely delicious. If you want some, Madam, you’ll have to go buy them early.” Madam Huo was very honest.
Xie Ning silently bit into the fish ball, and the burst of juice scalded her.
Seeing this, Xie Wangzhi quickly poured her a glass of warm water.
Although it's warm water, it has a slightly sweet taste, followed by a delicate fragrance.
Chen Yin glanced at the few half-grown boys who seemed to be starving, and found it amusing. He then asked Xie Wangzhi, "Brother-in-law, are you here in the prefectural city to send Qi'er to the prefectural school?"
"I have that idea." Xie Wangzhi glanced speechlessly at his son, who was almost burying his head in the bowl.
"However, whether he can pass the exam in the end depends on himself. If he fails, he will be sent to another academy."
However, the quality of the teachers will be a bit worse, so it seems he will have to supervise the child's studies more during this period to prepare for the exam.
Chen Yin thought so too. "Students at the prefectural school are different from others. Qi'er has talent, but he still needs to work hard. I found some past exam questions and will give them to Qi'er to look at later, so he will have a better understanding of the situation."
Xie Qi felt as if a huge mountain had been pressed down on his shoulders. Before, he was happily eating, but now he was eating while crying. Of course, he didn't dare to cry out loud; he could only shed tears silently in his heart.
The other children, both big and small, looked at Xie Qi with pity. They had seen the test questions; there was a thick stack of them!
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