Xiao Wai Ting really didn't expect that this seemingly ordinary drink could be so sour!
My tears are sore.
He found it a little hard to accept. He was obsessed with Yan Qiushu's cooking skills and had been secretly reminiscing about them for several days!
He looked at Yan Qiushu and asked suspiciously, "Did you do this?"
The level is wrong!
Is this girl only capable of doing these two things?
Yan Qiushu coughed lightly and explained, "This is sour plum soup to stimulate the appetite and relieve the heat. It is sour and sweet. If you can't accept it, you can try diluting it with water." After that, she looked at the others and said sincerely, "Try it. If it doesn't suit your taste, don't drink it."
She tasted it herself and it was just the right sour taste!
You won’t really fail at the first step, right?
Yan Qiushu pursed her lips nervously, and her slightly chubby face looked a bit silly because of this expression. Her cheeks were a little red, and her eyes seemed to be able to speak, revealing obvious nervousness.
"It smells good, I'll drink it first." Xie Qingyun looked distressed, and gritted her teeth to break the frozen atmosphere, then picked up the cup.
However, in order to prevent her facial features from being distorted like Xiao Waiting due to the sour taste, she was still very cautious and only took a small sip.
Unexpectedly, Xie Qingyun's eyes lit up.
It was different from the expected sour taste, and also different from the vinegar I often remember eating, but it did have some similarities with the sour preserves in the fruit preserves shop.
The sour taste stimulated her whole body and made her tremble when it touched the tip of her tongue, but was quickly soothed by the sweet taste, resulting in the overall taste being within an acceptable range.
I even thought it tasted quite good and wanted to have another sip. It also made my mouth water, so it really whetted my appetite!
Now, looking at the food on the table, she wanted to taste it even more.
Xie Qingyun was a little surprised and said, "It tastes good! And it's really appetizing. I can't wait to eat."
Dongdong saw that his aunt had eaten first, so he dared to take a small sip. After smacking his lips, he looked suspicious for a moment, then he gulped down a big mouthful and said crisply, "It tastes good!"
Wan'er looked around, then took a sip from the cup. After finishing, she pursed her lips and smiled, saying in a sweet voice, "Mm, it tastes good~"
Although Xiao Huaiting thought it was too sour, seeing that his sister-in-law and sisters liked it, he still tried it again, but only after adding some water.
The sourness and sweetness were much lighter, within his acceptable range. After tasting it carefully, he was somewhat pleasantly surprised. This thing was indeed quite appetizing. After taking a sip, his saliva was full of water. If he didn't eat something to replenish it, he would feel that he was letting his mouth down.
But that was not his purpose.
Xiao Huai Ting looked straight at his mother.
Seeing this, the others also looked over, all with some anticipation.
Not to mention that they have all experienced its appetite-stimulating effect, and although they don’t know whether it will be equally effective for Mrs. Xiao, it’s good to have some hope.
Mrs. Xiao pursed her thin lips, glanced at her son, then looked at the little girl who was also looking at her eagerly, feeling helpless.
It has been a long time since she lost her appetite. The chefs in the mansion cooked various dishes for her, but she had a mental illness, and a cup of sour plum soup could not cure it.
Lao Liu must have told the little girl about it, so she made this thing on purpose.
Mrs. Xiao thought that this thing was made by her herself, and if she really didn't touch it, she would probably feel so uncomfortable that she would cry.
Thinking of this, she still picked up the cup and took a sip.
What surprised her was that as soon as she took a sip of the sour plum soup, the sweet and sour taste made her feel refreshed, and her scalp even felt numbed by the slightly stimulating taste.
She frowned. She was old and hadn't eaten anything so exciting for a long time.
Xiao Huai Ting and others who were staring at her immediately withdrew their gazes in disappointment and frowned. They definitely didn't like it. Xie Qingyun was also disappointed, but she still cheered herself up to smooth things over so as not to upset the little girl.
However, before she opened her mouth, she saw Mrs. Xiao take another sip.
Everyone: “!!!”
Apart from other things, there is really nothing else that can make her take the second sip on her own initiative, except the tonic soup that she usually uses to keep herself alive. Even for the tonic soup, she has to be urged and invited.
Mrs. Xiao did not think too much about it. She just felt that the taste of the sour plum soup stimulated her mouth, which had been bland for many years, and made it a little more lively. After taking a sip, she secreted more saliva, so she subconsciously took a second sip to soothe her irritated lips and tongue.
"Not bad." Mrs. Xiao swallowed it and expressed her evaluation without frowning.
Looks like I like it.
As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Qiushu felt that Xiao Huaiting beside her was obviously relaxed, and her heart was at ease.
She smiled and was about to speak.
Dongdong smacked his lips, held up the empty cup, and said in a cute and obedient voice: "Sister Shu, is there any more? Dongdong wants more!"
"Of course there is more." Yan Qiushu came back to her senses, nodded, and looked at Shui Yu.
At this time, she discovered that Wan'er, the little girl next to the Third Miss, was looking at Dongdong eagerly.
Yan Qiushu sat up straight, glanced at her cup, and gestured to Shui Yu: "And Wan'er."
The little girl's pretty lips immediately formed a sweet smile, which could melt anyone's heart.
Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "Everyone, there is another dish, Shuilu, please serve it." She looked at the two children and said, "I think you will like it very much."
"What is it?" Dongdong was indeed looking forward to it.
This sour plum soup tastes good, and it must be delicious to eat too.
After hearing this, Xiao Huaiting's expectations were rekindled. Although the soup was not to his taste, he was still confident about the dishes.
Shuilu came forward and served the dishes between Yan Qiushu and Xiao Huaiting, smiling, "Madam, Young Madam...the young lady went to the pharmacy herself to buy a lot of things for seasoning, and only took the middle part of the chicken wing, taking out the bones. Her deboning skills are amazing, even Madam Xu admires her very much."
Shui Yu's expression changed slightly. When he saw her put down the plate, he carefully went behind her, pulled her over, and glared at her.
Shui Lu curled her lips and smiled, not resisting.
And among the dishes on the table, there were two more dishes. It was originally one dish, but considering the children's taste, it became two dishes.
Spicy chicken wings, and non-spicy honey chicken wings.
The spicy chicken wings are a little redder and dotted with a little peppercorns, while the honey chicken wings are more shiny.
These two dishes are particularly pleasing in terms of color alone, but when paired with the aqua color, they feel a bit weird.
At least Mrs. Xiao, Xie Qingyun and others showed some surprise. Cooking was already very unusual. Who among the ordinary ladies dared to handle these ingredients by themselves?
Xiao Wai Ting was also a little surprised, but his angle was slightly different: "Deboning? This looks very complete!"
Apart from the cuts on the surface, there were no other visible cuts. Could the bones have been removed like this?
Yan Qiushu smiled and nodded: "Yes, the bones in this part of the chicken wing can be easily removed with scissors, so you don't have to spit out the bones when eating. This one is spicy and that one is not spicy. Wan'er and Dongdong can eat it."
"So this is actually possible. You've thought it through very carefully." Xiao Huai Ting became interested and grabbed it for himself right away.
He prefers spicy food, so the food he picked was naturally spicy. When a piece of chicken wing entered his mouth, he took a bite first. The skin was fried till crispy and fragrant. When he bit it open, he could still hear the crisp sound in his ears.
Then the skin of the chicken wing breaks open, revealing the tender and refreshing meat inside, mixed with the spicy, salty and fragrant flavors that have long been soaked into it. The whole chicken wing is tender but not fat, smooth but not greasy, and spicy!
Delicious!
It’s delicious too!
Xiao Huaiting ate attentively and tasted the food carefully. After he finished, he looked at the others and said, "It's delicious! Mom, sister-in-law, you guys come and try it!"
But why should he remind me?
This time when the dishes came, everyone had already stretched out their chopsticks. Each person took a piece and tasted it happily, while everyone praised Yan Qiushu for her good cooking.
Dongdong was not tall enough, so he just watched helplessly. When he saw that no one gave him any food, he immediately shouted anxiously, "I want to eat too! I want to eat too!"
The nanny quickly helped him pick it up and said, "Young Master, you can't eat spicy food, so how about this?"
The one she picked wasn't spicy.
Dongdong was too late to answer. He liked what he drank, and he liked what he ate even more. Meat was his favorite food!
He couldn't wait any longer, and when the food was in the bowl, he took a bite of the honey chicken wing eagerly. The salty and sweet tastes were unexpectedly blended very well without any abruptness. The first thing he tasted was the sweetness, then the saltiness, and then the juicy and tender chicken. There was no bone in it, and the meat on the chicken wing was extremely tender, with a great taste.
Xie Qingyun immediately picked up a piece for Mrs. Xiao and said, "Mother, please try it."
Mrs. Xiao looked at her daughter-in-law silently, with a hint of reproach.
Did he realize that he didn't want to disappoint the girl, so he deliberately took advantage of her?
Xie Qingyun was eating the delicious food, but she didn't really think about that. She just wanted to let Mrs. Xiao taste it. She was still confused when she was looked at by her, and continued to eat. Although she ate delicately, her movements were very quick.
In the boneless chicken wings, the fatty chicken skin is fried so that it is not greasy at all, and inside is the tender and smooth chicken meat after exercise. The spiciness and saltiness are just right, she really likes it!
Mrs. Xiao sighed, but saw that both adults and children were eating at the table. Even her granddaughter, who was usually the most delicate, was eating so hard that her eyes were narrowed. Despite the sour plum soup she had just had, she still picked up her chopsticks.
The first thing she ate was the honey chicken wings, which had a salty-sweet taste at first, first salty, then sweet, but not greasy, and the perfect blend of sweetness and saltiness added a bit of flavor. The shell was still crispy, and the texture was very tender, so her elderly teeth could eat it smoothly.
Even chewing doesn't require much effort.
As if he didn't realize it, the chicken wing slipped into his throat.
have eaten!
Just eat it so easily without any disgust!
Mrs. Xiao blinked and looked at the spicy chicken wing left in the bowl. According to common sense, she should not eat any more, because eating one chicken wing was actually enough for her dinner, and drinking some tonic soup would be enough.
She had no interest in food. Ever since her husband and sons passed away one after another, she no longer had any interest in these things. She wanted to accompany them, but she couldn't bear to leave her remaining children. She was entangled and tormented by this and that, and she would usually eat a little and then vomit it out.
But now, she felt like continuing to eat.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Xiao started to move her chopsticks!
But she didn't continue to eat chicken wings, as they were a bit greasy for her condition. Even though there was sour plum soup, she shouldn't eat too much. Her appetite was still there, so she started eating vegetables.
The light greens were boiled in water and tasted average, but the tongue was still satisfied.
Xiao Huaiting, who had been secretly observing Mrs. Xiao, smiled lightly and raised his eyebrows, "Mother, is the food cooked by Miss Shu delicious?"
Mrs. Xiao felt a little relieved after eating her fill. This time, she smiled unconsciously: "Mm, it tastes good."
Xiao Huaiting's voice became more and more joyful, and he said naturally: "Then Miss Shu will often cook for you in the future. Remember to taste it. If you like it, eat more."
As soon as the words came out, Mrs. Xiao's face changed slightly and glared at her son: "Xiao Huaiting! Ah Shu came to our house as a guest, not to cook for you. Ah Shu is kind to you, but she doesn't want you to take advantage of her. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll let your brother beat you up!"
The serious people got angry and everyone at the table became listless.
Yan Qiushu wanted to explain that she was very willing, but she didn't dare to say a word.
The young general, who was always serious in front of outsiders, now showed a choked expression in front of his family. Then, under Madam Xiao's gaze, he shyly bowed to Yan Qiushu and said, "Miss Shu, please don't blame me for my careless words."
Yan Qiushu immediately replied: "It's okay, General Xiao, you don't have to be so polite."
The two of them exchanged polite words, but Xie Qingyun, who also disagreed, covered her mouth and laughed, and pushed Mrs. Xiao.
"Ah Shu is still too shy!" Mrs. Xiao's expression eased a little, but she still stared at her son and warned him, "If it were your fourth sister, she would have beaten you up! Don't do this again next time."
"Yes, yes!" Xiao Huai Ting nodded with amusement.
He was blamed, but he was not angry at all. Instead, he smiled at the rare vitality his mother showed.
Yan Qiushu also found it very funny, but at the same time, she felt a little sad. In this strange and class-divided world, someone treated her with sincerity and respect. Even though there were some misunderstandings in this treatment, she was still happy.
I just feel a little sympathy for Xiao Wai Ting.
So she curiously glanced at the boy beside her, a little worried that he would be angry and then terminate the cooperation with her. When she looked up, she happened to meet his eyes that were also smiling but with a bit of apology.
The boy had beautiful eyes, his peach blossom eyes were slightly raised because of his smile, his eyes were bright, just like the first time he saw her, as if his eyes were full of stars.
Yan Qiushu's heart skipped a beat at this moment, and she subconsciously narrowed her eyes and looked away guiltily. At this moment, she suddenly realized something.
According to the plot, in two years, this kind-hearted and handsome young man will die in the struggle for imperial power.
As a cannon fodder, lay the foundation for the protagonist to occupy the high ground of justice.
Her eyes shifted quickly, and she naturally didn't notice the young man next to her. He was also stunned for a moment because of her subconscious smile.
Yan Qiushu was only amazed by Xiao Huaiting's handsomeness.
But she forgot that her own face was also very beautiful, especially her big round eyes, which were watery, clear and bright. When she smiled, her eyes curved and the watery light sparkled.
Especially because of the seats, the distance between the two people was quite close.
Xiao Huaiting had never looked into the eyes of a woman at such a close distance before. He had been trying to calm down and deal with the misunderstandings of his mother, sisters-in-law and other sisters, but at this moment, his composure failed and a blush appeared on his face.
He felt it and was so scared that he immediately lowered his head to eat.
He picked up a dish casually and saw that it was still spicy chicken wings. He took a bite and was satisfied and praised it. This cooking skill is really amazing!
His decision was indeed right!
What's the point of being misunderstood? Having something to eat is the best!
The sour plum soup and chicken wings brought by Yan Qiushu were very popular among the Xiao family, especially the honey chicken wings. Wan'er, who usually didn't eat much and was very slow in temper, ate three and wanted to eat more, but her mother didn't let her continue because she was afraid that she would have food stagnation if she ate too much.
So she drank three cups of sour plum soup and ate some other dishes. When the party was almost over, the little girl kept hiccuping secretly. When she was discovered, her face was red and she hid in her mother's arms and didn't dare to come out.
Dongdong's belly was so bloated from eating so much that the nanny who served him couldn't control him, so he overeaten and whined in discomfort.
Yan Qiushu also ate a lot.
The Xiao family's dining table was much less "ruled" than in the original owner's memory. Everyone was chatting and talking. Xie Qingyun would ask Xiao Wai-ting about the military camp, and Xie Qingyun would ask about the third lady Xiao Huai-yu's children.
Yan Qiushu would also be mentioned, but since the two parties were not familiar with each other, there was not much to say, but she ended up hearing a lot.
Xie Qingyun was cautious and said something about cooking. When it came to this, Xiao Huaiyu, who rarely spoke up, finally spoke up: "Is this troublesome to make?"
"It's not a problem. Sour plum soup is also very simple. I taught Madam Xu how to make it. If Miss Third likes it, you can ask Madam Xu to come and learn how to make it. Or I can make it and send it to you."
Xiao Huaiyu smiled and nodded: "Thank you."
That's acceptance.
Dong Dong, who was listening to the two people talking, came over happily: "Sister Shu, I want to eat too!"
Yan Qiushu smiled and rubbed his head: "Yours is definitely one of them." After saying that, she noticed that Wan'er on the other side of Xiao Huaiwu was looking at them eagerly, so she smiled and said, "There is also Wan'er's."
The little girl's eyes lit up, and after making sure that she had heard it, she smiled at her and was very obedient.
Yan Qiushu's heart melted with cuteness.
The Xiao family members are so good-looking!