Chapter 114 Tomato Stewed Beef Brisket and Hand-Pulled Noodles
"Boss, it smells so good!" Xiao Yu looked at Yan Yixi, who was still scrolling through stock market updates. His boss had been stuck on that page for ages. What was going on? Was there some inside story?
Actually, Yan Yixi was still wondering, is this really not a pre-made meal? Such a cheap boxed lunch? But seeing Su Yingxue actually making it, he began to doubt his own thoughts.
After Su Yingxue's dough had risen, she moved it to the work surface and began to roll it. The rolling pin creaked as it pressed down on the dough, which gradually transformed into a thin, round pancake under her force, so thin that the texture of the work surface underneath was visible through it.
She sprinkled some dry flour, folded the dough, and then swiftly sliced it with the knife, creating evenly thick noodles that looked like soldiers waiting for inspection. She picked up a handful of noodles and shook them out; the noodles stretched out in the air, each strand distinct, carrying the fresh scent of flour.
By this time, the beef brisket in the casserole had been simmering for forty minutes. The broth had thickened, the sweet and sour flavor of the tomatoes had completely infused into the soup, and the beef brisket had softened so much that it could be easily separated with a gentle poke of chopsticks.
She pinched the kneaded noodles into small pieces and dropped them directly into another pot of boiling water—hand-kneaded noodles are best eaten fresh to maintain their chewy texture. When the water boiled again, she added half a bowl of cold water, repeating this process three times. The noodles floated to the surface, becoming plump and white, and were springy to the bite.
The cold dishes were also prepared in abundance. The core of the Northeastern Chinese cabbage was shredded into thin strips, keeping it crisp and refreshing; the cucumber was smashed and cut into sections, giving it a sweet and refreshing taste; and the shredded carrots were blanched in boiling water for half a minute to maintain their crispness and tenderness.
She poured the sauce over the vegetables with a "whoosh," mixed it with chopsticks, and the shredded cabbage was immediately coated with the glossy sauce. The green of the scallions, the white of the cucumber, and the orange of the carrot created a vibrant color that resembled a painting.
Finally, there's lotus seed and white fungus soup. The white fungus was soaked early this morning, then torn into small pieces. The lotus seeds had their cores removed, and they were simmered in a clay pot with rock sugar. Now, when I lift the lid, the whole house is filled with a sweet aroma. The white fungus has developed a gelatinous texture, and the soup is so thick that it clings to a spoon.
Finally, after assembling everything, Su Yingxue looked around and found a set of exquisite tableware. She rinsed it clean. Although our environment isn't great, we can still prepare a refined meal.
"President Yan, your lunchbox is ready." Su Yingxue's voice was clear as she carried the tray toward Yan Yixi. The casserole contained steaming hot tomato and beef brisket hand-pulled noodles, next to which were small celadon dishes of Northeastern cold dishes, and finally a bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup, with a few plump lotus seeds floating on the surface, as translucent as pearls.
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on the lunchboxes, making the fresh ingredients gleam with a natural sheen. Even Yan Yixi, who had been keeping a cold expression, couldn't help but pause for a moment to look at them.
Su Yingxue was a little nervous; this restaurant owner was acting strangely. He hadn't touched the food she'd served, which was odd. She'd even gone to the trouble of plating it nicely and arranging it attractively.
Actually, Yan Yixi was still admiring the food. The noodles looked translucent, coated in tomato sauce, and the large chunks of beef brisket next to them looked incredibly appetizing. The dish on the far side was called "Cold Mixed Three Shreds." The ingredients seemed simple, but they were covered in a brown sauce, making it look very appetizing. The most visually appealing dish was the white fungus and lotus seed soup next to it. A few plump lotus seeds dotted the soup, and goji berries floated on top, adding a touch of health benefits.
His throat tightened, and he swallowed hard. But he still stubbornly insisted, "I don't know if it will taste good."
"Please give it a try. If it's delicious, we can sign the contract later," Su Yingxue said with a smile.
"Fine. Fine!" Yan Yixi continued coldly, "Just leave it here for now! I'll eat it later after I finish what I'm doing."
Su Yingxue put down the plate, turned around, and left.
Assistant Xiao Yu had already gone out with Su Yingxue. He couldn't wait to eat.
"What are you doing out there? Come back." Yan Yixi looked at Xiao Yu's figure with a cold face.
"Mr. Yan, aren't you going to eat? Didn't you eat two bowls of rice yesterday?"
Xiao Yu brought a disposable lunchbox this time. "Hehehe, I'll eat downstairs this time. I'll definitely get the freshest and biggest portion."
"Go back and get another disposable lunchbox, and get me another serving," Yan Yixi instructed Xiao Yu.
"No. Don't you already have a portion in front of you?" Xiao Yu was a little confused, then realized, "Is the boss worried there won't be enough?"
Yan Yixi was taken aback by Xiao Yu's question. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his ears inexplicably burned. He turned his face away, pretending to be focused on the unmoving stock chart on the computer screen, his voice a few decibels harder than usual: "Stop talking nonsense. Just take it when I tell you to."
Xiao Yu immediately understood and winked, then dashed back to Su Yingxue's side: "Sister Su, our boss said he wants another serving!" He deliberately emphasized the word "boss" and winked at Yan Yixi.
Su Yingxue was tidying up the stove when she heard this and paused. She turned to look at Yan Yixi and saw his slightly turned profile. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt there was a suspicious red tinge at the tips of his ears. She smiled gently and quickened her pace: "Okay, I'll make another one now."
Hearing the conversation behind him, Yan Yixi finally looked away. He stared at the almost untouched lunchbox in front of him—the aroma of tomato and beef brisket stubbornly wafted into his nostrils, the steam from the hand-pulled noodles filled the air, and even the bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup gleamed enticingly. He picked up his chopsticks and stiffly picked up a mouthful of noodles.
With a satisfying "crunch," the chewy texture of the noodles burst in her mouth, releasing a burst of rich tomato and beef brisket broth. The beef brisket was stewed to perfection, retaining its meaty texture while melting in her mouth; the sweet and sour flavor of the tomatoes blended perfectly into the broth, each noodle soaking up the deliciousness. Yan Yixi unconsciously squinted her eyes, picking up another large piece of beef brisket. The meat was tender yet still chewy, the tendons springy while the meat itself was soft and tender.
He glanced at the wall clock; there were still forty minutes until the end of lunch break. This realization made him speed up his eating, but he choked a second later because he was eating too fast. When Su Yingxue walked in with the repackaged lunchbox, she saw Yan Yixi coughing with his hand over his mouth, his cheeks slightly flushed from his rapid breathing.
"Mr. Yan, please eat slowly." Su Yingxue quickly lowered her voice and placed the new lunchbox on the table. "This is the extra meal that Xiao Yu said you wanted."
Yan Yixi put down his chopsticks, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he wanted to say something, but then stopped himself. He turned his face away and cleared his throat to cover up his unease: "Please sit down first." The invitation came abruptly, even surprising himself.
Su Yingxue paused for a moment, glanced at Xiao Yu, and seeing the assistant frantically gesturing to her, she had no choice but to carefully sit down on the chair next to her. She noticed that the lunchbox in front of Yan Yixi had been opened, and two-thirds of the tomato and beef brisket hand-pulled noodles inside were gone, with almost half of the beef brisket eaten.
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