Chapter 27 Boiled fish smells delicious, but I can't eat it...
It seems that going to kindergarten is not an easy thing.
Song Xinran was a little worried. She had only been in town for a short time and didn't know many people. She had no connections whatsoever, so even if she wanted to give gifts, she couldn't find anyone to give them to.
Song Yu remained obedient. When at home, he would read or draw, or help her with some housework. He would also go with her to the market in the afternoon.
"If Xiao Yu isn't home, how will your friends come to play with you?" Song Xinran asked him.
Song Yu's voice was clear and crisp: "I told them that I was going to sell Bo Bo Chicken with my mom, and they came here to play with me."
Song Xinran thought to herself that Song Yuxin's group of friends were quite nice; they even came to see him after school.
Song Xinwen praised from the side, "Xiao Yu is really amazing! He's only been in town for a few days and he's already made so many friends!"
Song Yu said, "I've been here for a very, very long time."
In the child's memory, they stayed for more than a few days, because they did a lot of things: his mother took him to get a haircut, bought him new clothes, and even went to the city to buy books.
Song Yu was surprised to find that they had been buying things ever since they arrived in town.
The little boy was a bit worried. Buying things was the most expensive thing. What would they do if they ran out of money?
Just then, Song Xinran handed him a two-yuan note: "You can buy something to eat when Xiaoyu gets hungry while playing with his friends later."
Song Xinran was also a child, so she naturally knows how troublesome it is to be poor when you are young. Other children buy this and that and eat delicious food. She also wants to eat, but when she touches her pocket, she doesn't have a penny. She can only swallow her saliva and endure it.
Now that she can earn money, she hopes her children can be happier.
Song Yu hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it, putting it in her pocket: "Thank you, Mom."
But he definitely won't spend any money later!
When his mother runs out of money, he opens his piggy bank and gives all the money to her, so their family can have money to buy things again.
Song Xinran had no idea what the child was thinking. If she had known, she would have told him, "Don't worry about using it. Our family isn't that poor yet."
Suddenly, Song Xinwen exclaimed, "Xinran, look! That fried food stall actually dares to come back!"
As the two adults and one child approached the stall, Song Xinran glanced at them out of the corner of her eye and saw Xiong Li and Yang Changhai standing in front of the fried skewers stall with their arms crossed.
Xiong Li had a white gauze covering his forehead, and Yang Changhai had one arm slung around his neck with a bandage. Both of them looked seriously injured, but they remained calm and expressionless, displaying a strong sense of self-importance, truly deserving the description of "disabled but determined."
Meanwhile, the owner of the guokui (a type of flatbread) stall on the other side had a dark expression, and his gaze, sharp as a knife, would occasionally dart at the couple selling fried skewers.
Presumably because of the fight yesterday, the couple who made the fried food put away their loudspeaker today. However, the banner has been completely changed. The lettering has been changed to gold, and some yellow tassels are hanging from the bottom of the banner, making it look very eye-catching.
Without noise pollution, this place is much quieter.
Song Xinwen chuckled to himself and whispered to Song Xinran, "Look at them, thinking they're so great. They deserved to get beaten up!"
"But why are they still setting up a stall in this condition? They're really risking their lives for money." Song Xinwen couldn't understand why the two of them, who looked so badly injured, wouldn't even rest.
Song Xinran glanced at it briefly before looking away, and said indifferently, "It's an act."
People who are truly injured don't act so smug and arrogant. The bandages on their heads and arms look more like a show.
Song Xinran simply couldn't understand why the couple who made the fried food stalls could gain anything other than ridicule by putting on a show for others to see and to make money.
Students are unlikely to buy from a vendor selling rotten, reconstituted meat skewers just because the vendor was injured; they'll only curse in their hearts that heaven has eyes and good and evil are rewarded accordingly.
Yang Changhai was starting to have second thoughts: "Wife, why don't we go back? My arm is still a little sore."
That was from a fight yesterday. Although it wasn't serious enough to break my arm and require a neck brace, there are still some aftereffects.
Xiong Li glared at him: "Go back? Going home with your tail between your legs after being beaten up? Wouldn't that just let others know we're easy to bully? Then everyone will dare to step on us!"
Yang Changhai: "But..."
But how long can they keep their stall here? Ever since the news of the bad meat skewers came out, their business has been getting worse and worse. Before the guokui incident yesterday, no one was buying fried skewers anymore.
"No buts!" Xiong Li said. "A person can't lose face in their lifetime. Today I want to see who dares to chase us away!"
Indeed, no one came to chase them away today. No one dared to look at them for long. Even if a student wanted to buy Bo Bo Chicken, they would rather cross the road and go around to buy it than have to pass by the fried skewer stall.
It was as if the two owners of the fried food stall carried a virus, and getting too close would cause infection.
Although the fried food stall was open today, it was no different from an invisible stall, and in the end, not a single skewer was sold.
The couple neither promoted nor shouted; they just stood there with their arms crossed, their faces grim and dark, like two gatekeepers.
Unlike Song Xinran's pot-boiled chicken, the guokui (a type of flatbread) vendor's business has built a reputation and word-of-mouth. Even a small mishap could severely impact his business, but since the police were involved yesterday, the vendor is too afraid to take any action today.
Looking at the few customers, the guokui (a type of flatbread) owner felt extremely regretful. He should have known better than to have been looking forward to a good show in the first place; now he was the one who was in trouble.
After selling all the Bobo Chicken, Song Xinwen walked and laughed all the way, unable to contain herself. How come she had never noticed how funny the two fried food stall owners were before?
But her smile vanished as soon as she reached her doorstep. There were two people standing there too. Cai Yongde had brought Cai Yang with him again. Cai Yongde was carrying some things, and as soon as he saw her, he handed them to Cai Yang.
Cai Yang ran over with the things in his arms: "Mom, here you go."
When Song Xinwen looked inside, he saw that it contained two of her clothes.
Cai Yongde didn't dare to come over, but stood a short distance away and said, "I think it's going to get colder in the next couple of days. You didn't bring any warm clothes with you when you came, so don't catch a cold."
Song Xinwen was stunned when she heard this. She had been married to Cai Yongde for many years and had never heard such thoughtful words from him before.
Cai Yang looked at her with red eyes: "Mom, I miss you. Grandma told me to ask you when you're coming home with us, sob sob..."
Cai Yang couldn't hold back her tears: "Grandma told me to wear something thinner because it's so cold on the motorcycle."
Cai Yongde was stunned when he heard his son say this. Cai's mother had said a lot to Cai Yang, but she never expected that Cai Yang would add "Grandma said" before every sentence. Even he knew that he should never add it!
"Xinwen, that's not what my mom meant..."
Song Xinwen's initially surprised and shocked heart immediately hardened. He touched Cai Yang's hand and found it to be ice-cold.
A piercing gaze shot towards Cai Yongde: "I told Xiao Yang to wear something lighter, but you know to wear a sweater and a down jacket! And you asked me when I'm going back? Just wait here!"
After saying that, Song Xinwen took Cai Yang's hand and walked into the house. The door closed, blocking out the cold wind, and Cai Yang shivered.
Feeling sorry for Cai Yang, Song Xinwen casually draped one of his thick coats over Cai Yang's shoulders, asking, "When did you arrive? How long have you been waiting?"
He tapped Cai Yang's head again: "Are you stupid? If you're cold, just call your dad and ask him to buy you clothes! Anyway, doesn't he think that a few hundred yuan will last a month and you'll have plenty left over?"
Before Cai Yang could answer, she asked again, "What did you eat last night? Was it still porridge with green beans? I already told your dad yesterday that if he still can't cook for himself, don't even think about me coming back!"
Cai Yang felt a little dizzy from listening and didn't remember much. He sniffed and said, "Mom, say it again. I forgot."
Song Xinwen: ...
Watching them from the side, Song Yu repeated in a childish voice, "Little Yang, Auntie asked when you arrived and how long you've been here?"
Cai Yang scratched his head: "Dad brought me here as soon as he got home. I've forgotten how long it's been, it feels like ages."
Song Yu imitated her aunt's tone and said, "Let your uncle buy you clothes. He said several hundred yuan is a lot."
Song Yu: "Did you have congee with pickled cowpeas last night?"
Cai Yang shook his head: "Dad cooked a dish last night, scrambled eggs with pickled cowpeas, not porridge, but rice."
Song Xinwen: …………
She glanced at Song Yu, her gaze filled with indescribable comfort and affection. How come she had never noticed before that Song Yu had such a good memory, remembering the adults' words so clearly?
Looking again, her gaze fell on Cai Yang, and she sighed with disappointment: "You used to say you couldn't do it, but you've clearly never been forced to! Tonight, have him buy some meat and cook it for you!"
Cai Yang's eyes widened: "Isn't Mom coming back with us?"
Song Xinwen snorted coldly: "Wait until your dad makes more changes before we talk!"
Cai Yang burst into tears: "Mom, are you going to be Song Yu's mom and not my mom anymore?!"
His words were complicated, and Song Xinwen didn't react for a moment. Instead, Song Yu became nervous: "No, your aunt is your mother, but my mother is mine. A child can only have one mother!"
Song Xinwen almost laughed in anger, and slapped Cai Yang on the head: "Don't talk nonsense!"
Song Xinran said, "Sister, when you came back just now, your husband apologized to me. He seems to have changed a lot."
Song Xinran knew that at this time, she should not say anything bad about the other party, otherwise Song Xinwen would leave after he had vented his anger. The more she said good things about the other party, the angrier Song Xinwen would feel.
As expected, Song Xinwen frowned upon hearing her words: "Change what? He's faking it. You don't know what he used to be like..."
After listening to Song Xinwen's long rant, Song Xinran thought to herself, "Since you know what Cai Yongde was like before, it's not easy for him to have tolerated me for so many years." She said, "It's getting late, I'm going to cook."
Song Xinwen let the two children play together while he went to help.
As soon as she left, Song Yu said, "Little Yang, you've come again today."
For some reason, Cai Yang felt uncomfortable hearing this, and raised his chin: "My dad insisted on bringing me."
Song Yu didn't mean anything by it. Like a little adult, he said, "Let's eat now that we're here. My mom is going to make boiled fish tonight."
Cai Yang was initially very sad. His grandmother said that if his mother didn't go back with him, he would be a child without a mother. But when he heard Song Yu mention boiled fish, Cai Yang thought of the pickled fish he had secretly eaten that night, and his mouth started watering. He swallowed and asked, "Really?"
“Of course it’s true,” Song Yu said. “I saw my mom come back with fish. She said it’s good to eat more fish.”
Cai Yang: "I want to eat fish too."
At that moment, he completely forgot about his father, who was still outside in the cold wind.
Cai Yongde stood outside the door, hesitant to go in or leave. The cold wind was blowing so hard that his face was almost frozen. He could only stomp his feet to warm himself up.
He was secretly relieved, thinking that at least Cai Yang was in jail and would definitely speak up for him, since he had taught Cai Yang a lot when he came.
Song Xinwen might soften his heart for the sake of the children, and might go back with them today.
As darkness fell, Cai Yongde, having worked a full day at the factory, was starting to feel hungry.
Suddenly, he smelled a pungent aroma. The fragrance wafted over in wisps, forming a hood-like effect that made his head spin.
A sizzling sound came from the air, and Cai Yongde's nose twitched. He then smelled the pungent aroma of stir-fried scallions and garlic.
Then came a "splash," which must have been the addition of fermented soybean paste. Oh no, it didn't seem to be fermented soybean paste. Fermented soybean paste doesn't usually have this kind of aroma. A salty and fragrant aroma mixed with the pungent spiciness of the chili peppers went straight into Cai Yongde's lungs, making Cai Yongde sweat from his nose.
His stomach started growling loudly again. He wondered who was cooking, and what they were cooking that smelled so good! He couldn't help but swallow hard. Cai Yongde wanted to go eat too, but he didn't dare to leave, afraid that Song Xinwen wouldn't come back with him if he did.
A short while later, he heard the sound of water bubbling. The pungent aroma from before became more mellow, and Cai Yongde seemed to smell a rich aroma like chicken soup.
What are they doing? How come the aromas are so complete?
Just then, he heard Song Xinwen's voice: "Xinran, is that chicken soup you poured in?"
"Yes, this makes the soup of boiled fish richer and less pungent, while still retaining the spiciness of the chili peppers."
Cai Yongde's eyes widened in surprise. It turned out they were cooking! And they were making boiled fish!
In this kind of weather, a pot of boiled fish is the most comforting thing. The fish is scooped out as soon as it's cooked, and it's tender and sweet. It can slide down your throat in one gulp, and it warms you up inside. You can also bury some bean sprouts or other vegetables under the fish slices. The taste is spicy and delicious, and it goes well with rice.
A bite of fish and a bite of bean sprouts—it's a perfect combination of meat and vegetables, and the flavor is amazing!
Cai Yongde couldn't help but recall the pot of boiled fish that Song Xinran had made when she first came home half a month ago. The taste was indescribably delicious! Just thinking about it now makes his tongue feel alive!
"It smells so good! Mom's boiled fish is so delicious!" It was Song Yu's voice.
Cai Yongde snorted, "Let him have some good food too."
"Is it ready? I've put it on the table," Song Xinwen said.
"Wait a minute." It was Song Xinran's voice. "Pour the hot oil over it at the end."
Not long after, Cai Yongde heard a "sizzle" sound, and the aroma exploded like fireworks, wafting straight outside, filling the air with an enticing spiciness.
Sure enough, Cai Yongde overheard the neighbor say, "What delicious food are they making next door? The smell is making my mouth water."
Cai Yongde straightened his back and a smile appeared on his face. He thought to himself that the smell was very tempting. He had been standing outside for so long. Now that the food was ready, Song Xinwen should call him in to eat.
Cai Yongde waited and waited, but no one called him for a long time. He stared intently at the door, feeling that it would definitely open at any moment.
Finally, unable to wait any longer, Cai Yongde tiptoed toward the kitchen window, wondering if they were still cooking something.
I just peeked over the fence and saw that there was no one in the kitchen, only the aroma of spicy food lingering in the air.
Cai Yongde was shocked, stunned, and frozen in place. Where was he?!
"Mom, the fish slices are so delicious! Mom, have some too!" Song Yu's clear voice rang out.
"Is it spicy? Xiao Yu, would you like some water?"
"Not spicy, but fragrant."
Cai Yongde: ...What?! They've already started eating?! Why didn't anyone call him?!
He rushed to the door, only to find it still locked and unmoved.
Cai Yongde frowned and paced back and forth at the door several times. His stomach was growling loudly, and the boiled fish smelled incredibly delicious. He was even more agitated now, but he didn't dare to knock on the door or leave. He could only stomp his feet outside to remind the person inside that he was still there.
After chopping off his foot, Cai Yongde listened intently. He heard muffled voices, but he was certain he didn't hear Cai Yang or Song Xinwen's voices.
What happened?!
Could it be that the stomping sound was too soft and they couldn't hear it inside?
Cai Yang is really something. He knows his father is out there and doesn't even try to persuade him. And he's supposed to be his own son!
Cai Yongde refused to believe it and coughed heavily a few more times. He even pretended to be exhausted and slumped against the door with a thud.
After slamming the door, he quickly pressed his ear against it, listening intently to what was happening inside. But even Song Yu wasn't making a sound; it was completely quiet inside, except for the rich, overpowering aroma of boiled fish that kept wafting through the crack in the door…
What's going on?
Cai Yongde couldn't believe that Song Xinwen was really so heartless.
With a soft "creak".
Cai Yongde's body stiffened slightly; it turned out that someone in the next household had opened their window.
Their eyes met, and the other person's gaze flashed before they closed the window first. The next instant, the curtains were also drawn shut with a "whoosh."
He looked like some kind of strange person.
Cai Yongde was a man who cared a lot about his reputation, and his family had a good reputation in the village. He was about to lose his composure and wanted to go back on the spot, but after thinking about it for a while, he remained standing there stiffly.
Finally, after another ten minutes or so, the tightly closed door was opened.
Cai Yongde looked up and sneered inwardly, thinking that he should be invited in for dinner now. Wasn't he just trying to give him a hard time and make him eat leftovers?
Cai Yang was dragged out, and Song Xinwen stood blocking the doorway, hands on his hips: "Go back with your old man!"
After saying that, he closed the door. The last thing Cai Yongde saw was a large ceramic basin filled with boiled fish, the soup a bright red and still steaming.
Cai Yang whimpered, turned around and pressed his face against the door, clenching his little fists and knocking: "Waaah, Mommy, I don't want to go back, Mommy, I want to stay with you."
Upon hearing this, Cai Yongde was immediately enraged, thinking to himself, "Who has been feeding and caring for you, and cooking for you, during the two weeks your mother has been gone?"
You just ate one meal at your mom's place and then never went back home. What an ingrate!
He took a few steps over, grabbed Cai Yang by the arm, and dragged him back: "What are you shouting for? Come back with me!"
Cai Yang wailed, stretching his arm out towards the door: "No! Mom, save me!"
However, Song Xinwen never opened the door to save him.
Finally, sitting on the motorcycle on the way home, Cai Yongde smelled the aroma of boiled fish emanating from Cai Yang and was so angry that his liver hurt. He smacked Cai Yang's head hard with his hand and said, "You sure know how to eat well!"
Cai Yang cried and sobbed, "The food, the boiled fish, made by my aunt, it was so, so delicious."
Even while crying, I couldn't forget the taste of those fish slices. It's just that I didn't get to eat many slices, sob sob sob.
In the past, when Cai Yang ate something delicious, he would scoop it up into his bowl until it was piled high. But today, he scooped up one piece and was about to pick up a second piece when his mother slapped his hand with her chopsticks: "Finish eating before you pick up more!"
Cai Yang dared not disobey, and in the end he didn't eat enough, but his stomach was full.
Hearing Cai Yang's words, Cai Yongde's anger burned even more fiercely. He banged on Cai Yang's head and said, "Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! Don't you think about how much you enjoy your old man waiting outside?"
Cai Yang covered his head: "I... I thought of something, but Mom said... she said if she calls you, she'll kick me out too..."
After weighing the options, Cai Yang ultimately chose to satisfy his own needs.
Cai Yongde suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
"Dad," Cai Yang said tearfully, "let's come back to see Mom tomorrow."
"Looking for you my ass!" Cai Yongde cursed. "I'm not coming!"
On the other side, Song Xinran said in a pretentious tone, "Sister, you're just leaving your husband waiting outside like this, without even letting him eat a bite of food. What if he gets angry?"
Song Xinwen said, "I was so angry! How could I not be furious! Before, when I was at home, I would cook, and when I finished and sat down at the table, my husband and son would already be eating. They didn't even think about waiting for me. How could I not be angry then?!"
"Hmph!" Song Xinwen said, "I feel great seeing him get the short end of the stick and angry!"
There was a sudden knock on the door. Song Xinwen was alert: "Could it be that guy surnamed Cai again?"
Song Xinran felt something was wrong, so she opened the door and saw that it was the neighbor's house.
After Song Xinran moved in, she was busy with her business. The two families would occasionally bump into each other in the building and sometimes exchange greetings, but they rarely interacted.
"Auntie, is there anything I can help you with?" Song Xinran asked.
The old lady next door said, "I just saw a man standing at your door, looking around. He had a pointed face and looked like he was begging for food."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinwen behind him burst out laughing. Cai Yongde was very concerned about his reputation, and he would be upset for days if he knew that he had been called a beggar.
Song Xinran also laughed: "No, ma'am, we know each other."
The old lady knew but didn't ask any more questions. Instead, she changed the subject: "What are you doing tonight? The smell is so good that we can smell it all over the house."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "I'm making boiled fish. Let me know next time we eat fish."
The old woman beamed from ear to ear, her face crinkling with wrinkles: "No need, no need, you're too kind!"
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Song Xinwen burst into laughter as soon as he closed the door, feeling more exhilarated than ever before: "That's exactly how we teach him a lesson. He can forget about eating here!"
As Song Xinwen expected, Cai Yongde came again the next day, this time with Cai Yang, and carrying a piece of beef.
These days, beef is several times more expensive than pork, so ordinary people wouldn't buy it to eat. Cai Yongde is really going all out.
Upon seeing this, Song Xinwen took the beef away and sent the person back, leaving only Cai Yang with a meager chance to have a meal.
When Song Xinran brought the beef home, she saw that it was a good piece of beef brisket. Since she happened to have tomatoes and potatoes at home, she decided to make a pot of tomato beef brisket stew with potatoes.
Cut tomatoes, beef brisket, and potatoes into chunks, and prepare some seasonings. First, stir-fry the ingredients in a pan until fragrant, then pour them into a clay pot and simmer over low heat.
When it came out of the pot, it was still bubbling away. The amber-colored broth coated the evenly chopped beef brisket and potatoes. The tomatoes had long since dissolved in the broth, and their flavor had infused the soup with a beautiful, rich, and almost indistinguishable color.
The beef brisket is so tender that it can be easily pierced with chopsticks. The tendons and membranes of the brisket are stewed until they become sticky and melt in your mouth, full of collagen, mixed with the sweet and sour taste of tomatoes, making you want to swallow it down your throat.
Cai Yang usually loves meat, but today he unusually ate several pieces of potato. The potatoes absorbed the aroma of the meat and the tomato juice, and were sweet and delicious.
As he ate, he thought to himself, "I wish I could come again tomorrow. If Mom doesn't come home, so be it. I'll come with Dad to find her."
At that moment, she completely forgot about her father who was waiting outside the door.
Cai Yongde was well-prepared today and wouldn't come hungry again; he specially cooked a bowl of noodles at home.
He just didn't expect that even though he was full, the smell still made him crave it. But no one inside came to call him, obviously because he had completely forgotten the words he had told his precious son in the car.
The four people in the room ate their fill, and in the end, they used the broth to soak rice. The sweet and sour flavor was appetizing, and the warm broth made everyone sweat.
Cai Yongde truly learned his lesson this time. He came for several days in a row, each time carrying something in his hand. He would wait outside instead of going in to eat, and he never complained when he saw Song Xinwen. In terms of perseverance, he was even more persistent than the couple who ran the fried food stall.
The couple who ran the fried food stall finally stopped wanting to perform their "disabled but determined" act every day. Perhaps the most important thing is that after performing for three days, they still didn't make a single sale. This is not an exaggeration; they genuinely didn't sell a single skewer.
On the fourth day, this show, which only moved themselves, finally came to an end.
The vendor selling guokui (a type of flatbread) breathed a sigh of relief, as did the other vendors near the Third Middle School. Song Xinwen said, "They won't come back tomorrow, will they?"
She was genuinely scared.
At first, I found the couple making fried skewers funny, but by the second and third day, I was annoyed. I really couldn't understand whether they were deliberately trying to disgust me.
Song Xinran smiled slightly: "They probably won't come."
His reputation is terrible, and it's spread throughout the town. I guess if he wants to do anything else in Lingde Town, he will face a lot of exclusion.
As it turned out, Song Xinran was right. The couple who made the fried skewers were not seen for the next few days, and the stall in front of the Third Middle School returned to its usual tranquility.
One morning when she went to pick up chicken carcass bones, Song Xinran finally ran into Lei Hong. She greeted him with a smile: "Brother Lei, where have you been these past few days? I came to pick up some things this morning but didn't see you. I was just about to thank you. These chicken carcass bones really helped me a lot. The taste of the boiled chicken was the same, but the cost was reduced a lot. Your restaurant uses genuine grain-fed chickens!"
Who doesn't like to hear praise? Especially since Song Xinran was considered a culinary expert by Lei Hong, he couldn't stop smiling: "The chickens in our restaurant are all from the best batch that I specially ordered from the chicken farm. They are all free-range chickens that eat grain!"
"I've been going to the countryside to check on the pigs these past two days, planning to add a new dish to the restaurant menu: garlic-flavored pork belly," Lei Hong said. "The pork we ordered before was delicious when stir-fried, but it always tasted a little off when boiled. I figured the quality of the ingredients is very important, so I went to check on them more often."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinran asked, "Have you found a suitable one yet?"
Lei Hong beamed with joy: "Found it! These past few days I've only been back around lunchtime and dinnertime; the rest of the time I've been out running around. This should make things a lot easier."
Song Xinran nodded: "This is indeed a good dish. Well-made garlic pork belly is not greasy with fat and not dry with lean meat. It is fresh, fragrant, sour and spicy, and very appetizing."
Lei Hong felt like he had found a kindred spirit: "Yes, I used to study it, but I was never satisfied with the taste. I'm only now that I've adjusted the sauce to the right consistency before I'm going to add it to the menu!"
At this point, Lei Hong had an idea: "Xinran, you're a good cook, how about you give me some pointers? I'll make it for you to try right now."
He was a little embarrassed to speak, but Song Xinran readily agreed: "Okay."
"Alright!" Lei Hong beamed and immediately put on his apron to prepare to cook.
Heat an iron wok, sear the pork belly skin to remove hair and any unpleasant smell, then clean it thoroughly and put it back in the wok with water, ginger, scallions, Sichuan peppercorns, and cooking wine. Cook until done, then remove and slice.
Lei Hong knew these steps by heart and usually did them with ease, but he didn't know why he was a little nervous today, probably because he was under Song Xinran's gaze.
"Brother Lei, your knife skills are excellent. The key to garlic pork belly is to slice the meat as thinly as possible. The fat in your slices is so translucent."
Hearing Song Xinran's praise, Lei Hong's nervousness lessened considerably, and he said with a smile, "I've been doing this for over ten years."
He found it strange; after so many years of apprenticeship, he suddenly felt a sense of nervousness, as if he were working under his teacher's watchful eye, and he did his job very seriously and carefully.
After slicing the meat, Lei Hong arranged it on a plate. He didn't just put it anywhere because it was made for Song Xinran to taste; he arranged it neatly, with shredded cucumber and carrot in the center of the plate.
Finally, pour the prepared sauce over the pork belly, and a plate of garlic pork belly is ready.
Song Xinran praised, "Brother Lei, your cooking skills are really good. The meat is sliced thinly, and the sauce has a beautiful color. This dish will definitely be very popular with customers as soon as it is launched!"
Lei Hong smiled and said, "You try it first."
Song Xinran picked up a piece and tasted it. The first bite was a burst of sour and spicy sauce, fragrant garlic, and spicy red oil. The meat was also cooked well, but it was a little tough, making the lean meat slightly dry.
She put down her chopsticks: "Brother Lei, your cooking skills are impeccable."
Upon hearing Song Xinran's words, Lei Hong immediately gained confidence. In the past, whenever he launched a new dish, he would ask his family to try it all. He was also a little nervous when it was on the menu, only feeling at ease if the response was good and many customers ordered it afterwards.
But after hearing Song Xinran's words today, my heart actually calmed down ahead of time.
“However…” Song Xinran paused.
Lei Hongxin immediately became anxious.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Brother Lei, don't be nervous. You did a great job. I just have a few tips for you. First, the sauce for this dish shouldn't be too dry, otherwise the pork won't absorb the flavor well. So adding some pork broth to the sauce is more suitable. Second, the finer you chop the garlic, the better. This will make it taste better and the flavor will be more complex."①
She didn't tell Lei Hong about controlling the heat, because it was difficult to master even if she did, requiring extreme control. If she wasn't careful, it would be either undercooked or overcooked. Besides, Lei Hong was doing a good job now, and most people wouldn't notice much difference.
Upon hearing her words, Lei Hong's eyes lit up immediately. What Song Xinran pointed out were also points he felt were lacking when he tasted the product. Song Xinran not only pointed them out but also gave him suggestions. He immediately said, "Great! Great! Xinran! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Song Xinran said, "Brother Lei, the most important thing about this dish is that it shouldn't be greasy."
Lei Hong nodded, explaining why he had been searching everywhere for suitable meat.
Song Xinran said, "I have another trick: after boiling the meat, poke holes in it to drain the oil, slice it, and then steam it for a while."
"Xinran, how do you have so many tricks up your sleeve!" Lei Hong was truly shocked. He hadn't learned this dish from the original head chef, but he always felt it was a bit greasy when he ate it later. He had been trying to solve this problem, but he couldn't find a way, so he could only work on the seasonings. Who knew that he could cook the meat and then steam it!
Song Xinran said, "I learned from others and I also like to think things through and experiment slowly."
Lei Hong gave her a deep look and thought to himself that appearances can be deceiving. Song Xinran looks so young, but she is so experienced in cooking!
"I'll do as you say later, and then could you help me check it out?"
Song Xinran said, "Of course."
Lei Hong was overjoyed and said, "Thank you so much, Xinran. I don't know how to thank you enough."
"By the way, how's business these days? I heard from my family that something seems to have happened to the stalls near the Third Middle School. Is there anything I can help with?"
Song Xinran said, "Our business is doing well, but I really have something to ask Brother Lei."
Lei Hong immediately said, "Just speak up!"
Song Xinran then told Huang Yun about her plan to send Song Yu to kindergarten. After learning about it from Huang Yun, she went to the only kindergarten in town. The situation was exactly as Huang Yun had described. Song Xinran could only wait in line. As for how long she would have to wait, she would have to wait for notification.
Song Xinran wanted to ask Lei Hong if he knew anyone there, but she hadn't run into him for the past few days. Since she was asking for help, she didn't want to bother him while he was busy cooking. Today, she finally managed to see him when she had some free time, so she asked him.
Lei Hong nodded after listening to her, and said thoughtfully, "That's indeed the case now. My child didn't go to primary school until he was six. But don't worry, I have a friend who teaches at a primary school. I'll ask around for you."
Song Xinran said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Lei."
After returning home, Song Xinran washed the chicken bones and boiled water to make soup. She planned to try making oden today.
Making oden in my past life was incredibly easy; there were plenty of seasoning packets on the market, and you could just add water to make a delicious broth.
However, this dish wasn't available in the town at that time, so Song Xinran prepared the soup base first, but her focus remained on the pot-boiled chicken.
They set up and packed up their stalls as usual, and saw Cai Yongde at their doorstep again. This was the seventh consecutive day that Cai Yongde had come. Song Xinwen, as before, took the goods and left.
However, after returning home, Song Xinwen said, "Xinran, I'm going to take Cai Yang back with me."
Author's Note: ① Sourced from the internet
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