Chapter 145 Isn't that how it's been figured out?
Xiao Wang couldn't resist any longer. He grabbed a piece of pork knuckle with his hand—since they were upstairs, he didn't care about his image. The moment his teeth first bit into the pork knuckle, a rich aroma of soy sauce mixed with the fragrance of meat exploded in his mouth.
"Mmm—!" He couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh, his lips glistening with lard. The pig's trotter skin melted in his mouth, as soft as the finest dessert, yet with a slight elasticity;
The subcutaneous fat layer has completely melted and blended into the skin and flesh, making it moist but not greasy; the innermost lean meat maintains just the right chewiness, with distinct strands that are not tough or dry.
What surprised him even more was the sauce. The rich and mellow aroma of soy sauce was mixed with the complex flavors of spices such as star anise and cinnamon, along with a slight sweetness and just the right amount of spiciness—clearly catering to his request for "more spice."
The sauce had completely seeped into the rice, and every grain of rice was soaked with the essence of the sauce, making it fragrant and sticky. It was even more delicious than any restaurant's signature dish he had ever eaten.
"This proprietress is amazing!" Xiao Wang mumbled, his mouth full of pig's feet and rice. He scooped up another large spoonful of rice with pig's feet and put it in his mouth. The collagen from the pig's feet danced with the rice on his tongue, and the rich layers of flavor almost moved him to tears.
Watching from the side, a hint of curiosity appeared on Xiao Sui's usually calm face. He reached out and picked up a piece of pork trotter with disposable chopsticks, examining it closely.
The pig's trotters were cut into just the right size, and each piece retained the complete skin, fat, and lean structure, making them look incredibly appetizing.
"Leave some for me," Xiao Sui said briefly, then joined the ranks of those eating.
While wolfing down his food, Xiao Wang mumbled his comments in a very unclear and indistinct way: "This pig's trotter...this pig's trotter skin...it's so soft and chewy, it's like...like...oh my god! This sauce! Did the proprietress secretly put in some kind of magic seasoning?"
He stuffed mouthfuls of food into his mouth, the gelatinous texture of the pig's trotters stretching in his mouth, mixed with the rice and the spicy sauce, every bite was an ultimate enjoyment.
Especially those pieces of meat with tendons and fascia, which are both elastic and not too hard to chew, and the collagen is slowly released during chewing, filling the whole mouth with a rich meaty aroma.
"This rice is amazing!" Xiao Wang suddenly exclaimed, his mouth full of food. "It's soaked in sauce, but not mushy; every grain is plump and chewy!"
Although Xiao Sui didn't say anything, his actions said it all—he was shoveling rice into his mouth at a speed he rarely did, not even bothering to pick out the scallions that he usually hated.
When Xiao Wang finished the last piece of pig's trotter and licked his lips contentedly, he noticed that there was still some thick sauce left at the bottom of the box.
Without saying a word, he poured the rice into the sauce, mixed it, and then ate the last bit of the sauce with gusto.
"Fifty yuan...worth it! No, it's totally worth it!" Xiao Wang patted his round belly, leaned back in his chair, and exclaimed contentedly, "If this proprietress opened a restaurant, it would definitely be a hit!"
Xiao Sui nodded in agreement, a rare occurrence for him. A little sauce still clung to the corner of his mouth, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. The only sounds in the room were the two of them burping contentedly and occasionally letting out exclamations of praise.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the nearly empty takeout box, as if casting a golden halo over the delicious braised pork trotter rice.
Wang Zhiqiang was still catching up on sleep on the folding bed in the inner room when he was half-awake by rustling sounds and occasional exclamations of praise. He turned over irritably and covered his ears, but the sounds grew clearer and clearer—"Mmm, this meat is amazing!" "This rice has soaked up all the sauce, it's incredible!"
"What are those two rascals making such a racket in the middle of the afternoon..." Wang Zhiqiang muttered, rubbing his eyes as he sat up and sleepily walked towards the outer room. He had intended to scold them and tell them to keep their voices down and not disturb his rest.
But when he pushed open the door and saw the scene before him, he was completely stunned.
For the first time ever, Xiao Wang and Xiao Sui didn't argue! The two sat around the messy computer desk, their heads almost touching, enthusiastically "eating".
Xiao Wang's cheeks were bulging like a hamster's, and he was holding a piece of pig's trotter in his hand, putting it into his mouth; Xiao Sui was eating quietly, but at a fast pace, constantly picking up rice and pig's trotter with his chopsticks and putting them into his mouth.
What surprised Wang Zhiqiang even more was that both of them had satisfied expressions on their faces, and their usual confrontational demeanor had completely disappeared.
"You two..." Wang Zhiqiang had barely opened his mouth when a rich aroma wafted into his nose. The fragrance seemed to have grown hands, pulling him directly towards the dining table.
Xiao Wang, his mouth stuffed with food, looked up and mumbled, "Brother Wang! Come and eat! This braised pork trotter rice is amazing!"
Xiao Sui also looked up and spoke up, which was rare for him: "It's really delicious, Brother Wang. If you don't bring another serving of braised pork trotter rice soon, we're going to finish it all."
Wang Zhiqiang then noticed the four takeout boxes on the table that had been almost completely emptied.
He paused for a moment, then realized: "That's it? Isn't it just the boxed lunches made by the female boss downstairs?"
"You have to try it!" Xiao Wang immediately stuffed another big mouthful into his mouth, chewing and recommending it indistinctly, "This pig's trotter...this pig's trotter skin...it's as soft and chewy as cotton candy! And this sauce, it's so fragrant!"
Wang Zhiqiang walked to the table with some skepticism and picked up the only remaining takeout box, which still had a little bit of rice left. He looked down and saw several pieces of glistening pork knuckle lying on top of the rice, with dark brown sauce flowing between the grains, giving off an enticing sheen.
"This braised pork knuckle rice costs fifty yuan a serving. Is it really that delicious?" Wang Zhiqiang picked up a piece of pork knuckle with a skeptical look and put it in his mouth.
After taking the first bite, he froze completely.
The pig's trotter skin melts in your mouth, and the rich collagen bursts on your tongue, carrying a subtle sweetness and a complex aroma of spices.
The subcutaneous fat layer has completely melted, moisturizing every taste bud without feeling greasy at all. The lean meat is chewy, with distinct strands that become more fragrant the more you chew, and the collagen is slowly released during chewing, filling the entire mouth with a rich meaty aroma.
And the rice—Wang Zhiqiang looked up and could hardly believe his eyes—the ordinary white rice had become so delicious after absorbing the sauce.
Each grain of rice was plump and translucent, glistening with an oily sheen. The sauce had completely permeated the rice grains, with a savory and slightly sweet flavor and a hint of spice. It was fragrant and sticky, and it was simply the best rice he had ever eaten in his life!
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