Chapter 235 Grass Carp Fish Ball Soup
On the second day at the summit of Wushan, the weather turned against them. Thick clouds pressed heavily on the mountain peaks, and the wind, carrying damp and cold mist, swept away people's expectations for watching the sunrise, but instead surrounded Su Yingxue's stall.
The shop owner ran up the slippery stone steps, carrying a heavy wooden bucket on his shoulder. He lifted the lid, and a dozen fresh grass carp swayed their tails in the water, their scales gleaming silver.
There were also quite a few small fish. They were swimming very happily.
"Miss Su! These fish were just caught in the reservoir down the mountain, they're still lively and jumping!" His voice was so loud it drowned out the wind.
"We can't see the sunrise today, so let's keep people here with fresh fish soup!"
Su Yingxue's eyes lit up instantly.
She took the wooden bucket, her fingertips touching the icy water, and a smile spread across her face: "What a coincidence, I was just thinking of making something to warm everyone up."
She deftly prepared the fish, deboning and extracting the meat. She placed the tender fish meat in a stone mortar, added some scallion and ginger water to remove the fishy smell, and then carefully pounded it with a wooden pestle.
With even pressure, the fish meat gradually turned into a smooth paste. She added a little salt and starch, stirred it in one direction until it became sticky, grabbed a handful of the paste, squeezed it between her thumb and forefinger, and the round fish ball rolled into the boiling spring water.
The white fish balls floated and sank in the soup, and soon became fluffy and plump.
Su Yingxue chopped some tender tofu cubes, sprinkled some bright green scallions, and added a few drops of sesame oil to the soup. Instantly, the delicious aroma broke through the mist, making the people in line swallow their saliva.
"Is the front one ready yet? It smells amazing!" someone at the end of the line couldn't help but shout, which drew a chorus of agreement.
"I was feeling down because I missed the sunrise, but this smell instantly cheered me up!"
Su Yingxue smiled as she ladled out the soup: "Don't rush, don't rush, everyone gets a share. The fish ball soup is warm and comforting; have a bowl to ward off the cold."
The shop owner helped maintain order, his smile never fading.
He watched the tourists holding their rough earthenware bowls, all beaming with joy as they drank, and couldn't help but lean over and ask, "How is it? Is our fish fresh?"
"So fresh! It's incredibly fresh!"
A boy wearing glasses took a big gulp of soup, his eyes squinting.
"The fish balls are as tender as tofu, and there's absolutely no fishy smell in the soup, just pure freshness. Paired with chopped green onions, it's absolutely delicious!"
An auntie next to me nodded repeatedly, the bottom of her bowl almost empty: "My hands and feet were freezing from climbing the mountain, but after drinking this soup, I feel warm all over! It's even more worthwhile than watching the sunrise!"
The girl with the ponytail dragged her best friend out early this morning, just to enjoy Su Yingxue's delicious food again. They had rested on the mountain yesterday.
She was holding a bowl, sipping her soup slowly, and muttering, "Sister Su's cooking is amazing! I didn't get enough of yesterday's potstickers and corn porridge, and today's fish ball soup is just incredible!"
The fog gradually thinned, and the damp chill in the wind was dispelled by the aroma of food.
The queue grew longer and longer, but no one complained. Everyone looked at the fish balls bubbling in the pot, listened to the praises around them, and had satisfied smiles on their faces.
Su Yingxue wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked up at the horizon. The clouds were still thick, but she looked at the crowd of people in front of her and the way their eyes crinkled as they drank hot soup.
Suddenly, I realized that this morning was just as good as the day when the sun rose.
The copper bells on the backpacks jingled in the wind, mingling with the bubbling sounds from the pots and the laughter of the people, creating a unique kind of human warmth atop the misty mountains.
Su Yingxue thus settled down atop the misty mountain.
Some call her stall "a fairy's eatery by the sea of clouds," saying that her fish ball soup can warm you up from the chill of climbing the mountain, and the aroma of her potstickers can lure away the immortals in the clouds. These embellished rumors drift down the mountain road, attracting wave after wave of tourists to come up the mountain just for a taste of the hot mountain flavor.
Old Wang, who works at the scenic area management center, was also curious after hearing his young colleagues in the office talking about it every day.
He got up very early that day, carrying an enamel mug, and slowly moved forward in the queue.
At the front of the line, Su Yingxue was bending over, frying small fish. The palm-sized mountain stream fish, coated with a thin layer of cornmeal, were dropped into the sizzling oil and quickly turned golden and crispy.
With a swift flick of her wrist, she scooped up the fried fish and drained the oil. Her movements were quick and steady, and the wisps of hair at her temples curled slightly from the heat, but she remained focused, her eyes and brows full of concentration.
Watching her personally handle everything from preparing the fish and mixing the batter to deep-frying the fish, with beads of sweat on her forehead that she didn't even bother to wipe away, Old Wang's suspicion that she was just an "internet celebrity trying to ride the wave of popularity" quietly dissipated.
When it was finally his turn, Su Yingxue had just finished scooping out a pot of small fish. She looked up and saw him in his uniform, paused for a moment, and then greeted him with a smile: "Uncle Wang, you're here? Do you want fried small fish or fish ball soup? I made some fresh plum juice today, it'll be perfect to cut through the greasiness."
Old Wang handed over the enamel mug, smiling as he said, "Give me some fried small fish and a bowl of plum juice. I've heard that there's a skilled girl on the mountaintop, and seeing her today, I can confirm that her reputation is well-deserved."
Su Yingxue deftly filled a jar with fried small fish, then ladled out some plum juice and handed it over, thoughtfully adding two extra ice crystals: "Uncle, please enjoy. The freshly fried small fish are very crispy, be careful not to burn your mouth."
Old Wang took a bite of the fried small fish. The outer skin was crispy and crunchy, while the fish meat inside was tender and flavorful, with no fishy smell at all. The sweetness of the plum juice perfectly balanced the oily aroma, making him feel so comfortable that he couldn't help but squint his eyes.
He watched as Su Yingxue turned around and got busy again, speaking softly to the tourists in line while her hands never stopped moving. He couldn't help but give her a thumbs up: "Girl, you're not here to play around, you're here to do your job properly! Just for your dedication, if there's anything you can help out at the scenic area in the future, just let me know!"
These words were overheard by the tourists in line, and some immediately joined in the commotion: "Director Wang is right! Miss Su's stall is a treasure trove on the mountaintop!"
Su Yingxue was a little embarrassed by the praise, her cheeks flushed slightly, but she gripped the object with even more strength.
The oil sizzled and the copper bells jingled. The steam carried the aroma of fried fish and the sweetness of plum juice. Laughter filled the queue, and even the thick clouds seemed to be tinged with a warm, homey atmosphere.
Su Yingxue clutched the corner of her apron with her fingertips, her earlobes slightly red, her voice soft and hesitant, tinged with embarrassment: "Uncle Wang, actually, I have another request. I was thinking, the scenery in Wushan is so beautiful, and there are so many tourists coming and going. If we could set up a small stall here, it doesn't have to be too big, just big enough to fit the pots, pans, and ingredients, and I could make some local snacks for everyone every day, what do you think..."
Before he could finish speaking, Old Wang slammed the enamel mug onto the stone table beside him, waved his hand, and shouted in a voice so loud it made the nearby copper bells jingle: "Hey! What's this! No problem!"
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