Chapter 154 Fermented Bean Curd Meat and Fried Tofu Balls
Alexi was cooking her own staff meal when she heard a familiar young man's voice say, "Hello, two bowls of noodles, fried tofu balls, fried tofu, matsutake mushrooms... Do you have any fried tofu skin?"
"Yes." Alexi quickly put on a business smile. She glanced at the glass refrigerator next to her and replied cheerfully and enthusiastically, "Takeaway or eat here?"
"Same old story, packing up." The short blond boy placed his basket on the counter. Inside the basket were two large soup bowls. "One spicy bowl without cilantro, one plain with green onions and cilantro... What's the meat for today?"
"We have braised beef, braised prawns... Hey, you're in luck! The main store just sent over a large piece of fermented bean curd meat. I highly recommend it!"
"Fermented bean curd meat...? What is that?" The short blond boy asked in confusion. He looked in the direction of Alexi's finger and his eyes fell on a large piece of crimson pork belly with alternating fat and lean parts.
His pupils suddenly shrank. "Why is this meat so strangely red? Could it be some kind of creation of dark magic?!"
"No! The texture of fermented bean curd meat is a bit like braised pork, but it's even better! The red color on the meat is the color of our store's special rose fermented bean curd, not blood or undercooked! It tastes sweet and fragrant, rich but not greasy, salty and sweet, guaranteed to satisfy you!" Alexi tried hard to sell it. "We don't make rose fermented bean curd often in our store, it's very rare to have it in stock. The main store makes fermented bean curd meat even less often! It's a rare opportunity to come across it, why not try it?"
"Then... let's have two." The young man said hesitantly.
"Okay, a total of two silver coins." Alexi quoted the price a little nervously.
The noodles they sell are very cheap, but the prices of the various side dishes vary, ranging from cheap to expensive. The teenager ordered the more expensive side dishes and mushrooms, so they were naturally quite expensive.
But this young man is a regular customer. He is Paphis, who runs a magic bookstore across the street. According to his usual style, he shouldn't think it's too expensive... right?
"Hmm," the young man nodded, fished two silver coins from his pocket, and looked reluctantly at the fried tofu balls in the glass freezer. "By the way, there aren't many tofu balls left here. Can I buy them all? And don't add the extra balls to the noodle soup. Heat them up and fry them again for me, okay?"
"Of course!" Alexi always liked straightforward and generous customers. She counted the remaining croquettes and quoted the price. "Just give me... thirty coppers."
She took the money Paphis handed her and quickly cooked noodles, blanched vegetables, boiled mushrooms, cut meat, and fried meatballs. Her movements were so fast that they almost showed their joints... Ten minutes later, two bowls of rich soup noodles, almost piled up like small hills, were neatly placed in the big basket.
The fried tofu balls were then placed in a paper bag after being cooled slightly to release excess moisture. Paphis took it directly, picked up a ball and stuffed it into his mouth without fear of the heat. "Whoosh, hot, hot, but so delicious!"
Alexi quickly handed him a few bamboo sticks and asked him to eat with them: "Slowly, be careful of the heat."
Paphis nodded, holding the tofu balls, and cast a levitation spell on the basket. The basket floated steadily behind him, and the soup in the big bowl didn't even shake.
"By the way, thank you for teaching me the levitation spell. It's very useful!" Alexi said with a smile.
"Well, I'll teach you something else next time!" Paphis puffed out his cheeks and chewed the tofu balls happily. "Don't look down on my young age. I'm also a disciple of the great magician!"
"Oh, that's amazing!" Alexi smiled, covering her mouth. She couldn't help but think of her own children who were in school. "Then they should work hard in class~"
"Ah... I don't have to go to class anymore..." Paphis' voice got softer and softer. He looked a little guilty and waved to Alexi, "I'm going back to eat noodles first!"
"Yeah, go back quickly, or the noodles will clump up."
After seeing Pafes off, Alexi could have lunch. She glanced at the fermented bean curd pork in the refrigerator, cut herself a few thin slices, and then carried her soup pot to the back room to take over with a veteran couple who had just finished their meal.
"The lunch box from the main store is on the table."
"Okay, thanks!"
Their employees took turns eating, so that they could always ensure that there were one or two people in the front to deal with the guests. There was also a couple eating in the room. Alexi greeted them happily, took his braised pork rice lunch box, and opened the bamboo lid.
On the crystal clear white rice, there was a layer of brown diced braised pork belly, braised mushrooms and crispy onions, with a braised egg buried in the middle. The grid next to it was filled with green blanched vegetables. Alexi carefully spread the fermented bean curd meat as a snack on the rice, picked up a spoon, scooped a large spoonful of meat and rice, and put it into his mouth.
"Wow! So happy!" The temperature of the braised pork rice is just right, not too hot and not too cold. The fat from the meat melts on the tip of the tongue and blends into the rice, nourishing the hungry stomach.
The slightly salty braised diced mushrooms perfectly neutralize the greasiness of the braised meat. Combined with the crispy fried onions, the taste and flavor suddenly become richer, not monotonous, and every bite has a little surprise.
Perhaps because she'd been hungry for so long, Alexi really enjoyed this kind of oily and slightly sweet food. Braised pork rice, braised pork, fermented bean curd pork... they were all her favorites. Paired with fried tofu soaked up the beef broth... Oh! Could life be happier?
Eat a few bites of meat, then take a bite of a crispy, green vegetable dipped in soy sauce, and drink a sip of hot soup... all the fatigue from body to soul is swept away, hunger is soothed, and only full satisfaction remains.
After wolfing down his lunch, Alexi suddenly felt like he could fight for another eight hundred years!
No more days bound by rules, no more worries of starving and suppressing her nature, no more incompetent husband who couldn't handle the work and still wanted her to serve him... Even after leaving her own tribe, Alexi didn't feel lonely or regretful at all. She still had lovely daughters, and she also found a new family here.
Boss You, Aunt Wolf, the store employees and those lovely regular customers... they are all her new tribe members!
Alexi felt a sweet sensation welling up from the depths of her heart. Her soul felt full, her energy overflowing, her mood peaceful and happy. If her heart had always been like a stormy sea, now it was like a calm, unruffled ocean surface under the sun, easily unsettled and unshaken.
Alexi hummed a song and became busy again with full energy.
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