Christian stared at the plate of stinky mandarin fish in front of him, his brows furrowed, as if his entire taste buds were resisting the sudden, strange odor.
He stared wide-eyed, trying to connect the dish with his understanding of gastronomy, but he couldn't quite reconcile the two.
Christian scratched his head in confusion, his eyes full of helplessness.
Finally, he couldn't help but ask Qin Zi'an beside him, "Brother Qin, I'm really curious, why would you Chinese choose to make such smelly food?"
Seeing that Christian had finally steered the conversation to this crucial point, Qin Zi'an also abandoned his previous relaxed attitude and straightened his posture.
Qin Zian took a deep breath and began to recount the history and story behind this smelly food.
"Christian, it's not that the people of China want to make smelly food, but at certain stages of history, we had to choose to eat these seemingly unbelievable foods in order to survive."
Christian looked puzzled after hearing Qin Zian's words.
To survive, they have to eat smelly food?
For someone like Christian, who lived a life of luxury, such things were completely incomprehensible.
In particular, Eagle Tower Kingdom has not experienced any major disasters in the past two hundred years, unlike Dragon Kingdom which has a history of bloodshed and tears that lasted for a hundred years.
"Brother Qin, all that stuff is rotten, how can we eat it? Take this rotten mandarin fish, for example, even after processing it's still..."
Christian swallowed hard, keeping his mission in mind, and suppressed his discomfort as he continued to make up for lost time.
"If the processed stinky mandarin fish smells this bad, the original version must have made people faint from the stench. How did you Chinese people manage to eat it back then?"
Christian's bewildered expression vividly illustrates the proverb "Why not eat meat porridge?"
In order to survive, people in ancient times had to find ways to live by all means.
Eating is just one of many difficulties.
Stinky mandarin fish, stinky mandarin fish, no matter how ugly it is, it's still fish, it's meat.
Let alone people in ancient times, even people in China more than 20 years ago, it was not easy to get a bite of meat.
Only one chicken is killed during festivals, and that chicken is eaten from New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival.
Even if the chicken had turned sour and smelly, people still ate it with relish back then.
There was no other way; there was simply a severe food shortage.
If there were enough food and people could eat their fill, things wouldn't be like this.
Thinking it over, Qin Zian vividly recounted this part of the history of the Dragon Kingdom.
"If you can't eat it, then find a way to make it palatable. Just like stinky mandarin fish, add seasonings to remove the fishy smell, and it can still become a delicacy that has been passed down through the ages."
"But you should know that many people don't even have the chance to eat stinky mandarin fish. After all, it's meat, and it was very rare in times of food scarcity."
"When we Chinese people suffered famine, we couldn't even eat rotten food. We could only eat tree leaves, bark, and roots. The trees all over the mountains and plains were already shocked, but still, large numbers of people starved to death."
"If this plate of stinky mandarin fish had been placed in front of them back then, do you think they would still have been unable to swallow it?"
Christian shook his head subconsciously, already moved by the story Qin Zian told him.
Christian thought that rotten food was already unacceptable, but he never expected that someone would eat tree roots and bark.
He is a very compassionate person and is easily moved by things.
After hearing this story, Christian felt a lump in his throat.
When he thought about how extravagant the capitalist class in Eagle Tower was during the same period, he realized that...
They would rather pour milk into the river than give it to the poor.
Compared to the poor in Eagle Tower Country, the people of Dragon Country live even more difficult lives.
When Christian looked at the plate of stinky mandarin fish again, the turmoil in his heart had subsided considerably.
He imagined the choices people had to make in that difficult era in order to survive.
At this moment, Christian felt a complex mix of emotions, including admiration for the indomitable spirit of the Dragon Kingdom people and gratitude for his own circumstances.
"Brother Qin, how are these smelly foods made? Like this stinky mandarin fish," Christian asked curiously.
Seeing that Christian was finally interested in the stinky mandarin fish, Qin Zi'an began to explain the process of making it.
Making stinky mandarin fish requires multiple steps, including marinating and fermentation.
Although some off-flavors may be produced during the process, it is these steps that make the fish more delicious and flavorful.
After the explanation of the manufacturing process, Christian's doubts gradually dissipated.
Then, he began to re-examine the plate of stinky mandarin fish in front of him, as if he could see the history and culture behind it.
Christian pursed his lips, picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks, and put it in his mouth.
Unlike the nausea and vomiting he felt before, Christian now only felt...
This stinky mandarin fish is a gift from God.
Whether it tastes good or not is no longer important; what's important is not wasting food.
Although he was initially not used to the strange smell, he gradually began to appreciate the freshness and unique flavor of the fish.
Through the history of the pungent foods of the Dragon Kingdom, Christian realized that every food has its own story and cultural background.
The dish of stinky mandarin fish made him deeply appreciate the hardships and perseverance of the Chinese people throughout history, and Christian was extremely grateful to live in this era.
Before he knew it, Christian couldn't help but shed tears.
Once the tears started, they were completely unstoppable.
Christian's tears flowed more and more, and he ate the stinky mandarin fish faster and faster.
It wasn't because Christian particularly liked stinky mandarin fish, but because he had just learned a truth at the Pozi Street Police Station.
In the world of martial arts, speed is the only way to break through defenses.
As long as he eats fast enough, he won't be bothered by the smell of the stinky mandarin fish.
What's more, they've already gone this far...
Christian was genuinely afraid that if he stopped eating, he wouldn't be able to eat anymore.
Wouldn't that be a waste of food?
So many people have starved to death because they can't fill their stomachs, Christian dares not waste any more food.
And so, he ate the stinky mandarin fish while shedding tears, a scene that was utterly comical.
Seeing Christian eating the stinky mandarin fish with tears in his eyes, Qin Zian couldn't help but smile.
He took out his phone and filmed Christian eating fish from every angle.
The tears, the chewing, the expression...
It's perfect.
While Christian was eating stinky mandarin fish, Qin Zi'an edited the video footage into a film and posted it online.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
