Chapter 15 West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce is my signature dish…
If Lu Xiaoqi were here, she would surely tease that this flame is simply a collision of ancient and modern civilizations, illuminating history.
But at this moment, only Sister-in-law Song was there, and she simply praised it sincerely: "It's really useful!"
If only her old restaurant had one of these, it would have saved her so much time chopping wood and starting a fire. Plus, the fire was incredibly constant, never fluctuating in size, and it produced no smoke—it would make any chef fall in love with it.
So, following Lu Xiaoqi's previous instructions and with the help of their phones, the two of them managed to cook a meal, albeit with some difficulty.
"Turn off the gas in time." Zhao Feiyan had been supervising closely as if facing a formidable enemy. Only after the gas stove was turned off did she breathe a sigh of relief, and then followed the instructions to turn off the gas valve next to her. "It's not difficult."
Song Wu Sao didn't try to show off her skills; she simply made a fish soup and a stir-fried vegetable dish.
Even Zhao Feiyan, who rarely eats due to her need to maintain her figure, managed to finish a whole bowl of rice.
The rice was a bit too soft and mushy.
Sister-in-law Song was a little embarrassed: "I don't know how to use that rice cooker yet, so I put in a little too much water."
“It’s already very good,” Zhao Feiyan praised sincerely, “It tastes even better than the meals Xiao Lu took us out to eat! If the imperial chefs in the palace had your skills, I’m afraid I wouldn’t even be able to dance.”
If I gain weight, how can I still spin around?
No wonder he was born with innate talent!
Zhao Feiyan looked at the empty bowl in front of her, then at the little bit of fish soup left, and was tempted to get some more rice. She struggled to suppress the urge and sighed regretfully.
And so, Sister-in-law Song gave up her shopping plans and simply went to the market each day to buy groceries and cook at home. The two of them stayed home peacefully for two days, one reading and the other cooking.
These kitchen utensils will be easy to use; they're mostly user-friendly and you'll get the hang of them after a few tries. However, many of the ingredients and seasonings are unfamiliar to her and require learning. She knows that sometimes the difference between delicious and awful food can be just a few extra grains of salt – a tiny error can make a world of difference.
Lu Xiaoqi knew that Sister-in-law Song had started cooking, and she was very hungry. She really wanted to rush back to taste the cooking skills of the famous ancient chef, but she had been busy with loan applications and various documents these past few days, and she always missed mealtimes, which made her very angry.
She was also worried that Yuwen Kai was getting too engrossed in studying the materials at the city planning museum, and that he couldn't take such a strain at his age. So she asked Sister-in-law Song to keep an eye on Yuwen Kai, which led to the scene of Sister-in-law Song bringing food to feed him.
After Yuwen Kai finished eating, he didn't make many comments, and his expression still looked serious. However, if you looked closely, you could see that the sorrow in his eyes and brows seemed to have disappeared all of a sudden, and he became much more peaceful.
Those who know him well would know that this means he is in a very good mood at the moment.
When Sister-in-law Song came to clear the dishes, Yuwen Kai suddenly asked her, "Sister-in-law Song, have you seen that stir-fry shop outside the community? It's right next to the breakfast shop."
Sister-in-law Song was taken aback, then remembered: "I have a vague impression, but Xiao Lu said that the food there was just so-so, so I've never eaten there."
But why bring this up all of a sudden?
Yuwen Kai smiled slightly: "That small stir-fry shop is run by a young couple. A few days ago, something seemed to have happened in their family. I overheard them talking privately about wanting to transfer the shop for a few months, but they were worried that no one would take over in such a short time."
He was watching the municipal workers laying paving stones outside the stir-fry restaurant, and happened to overhear them.
When Sister-in-law Song heard this, she hadn't quite processed it yet.
But she was a smart woman, and after thinking for a few seconds, she understood what Yuwen Kai wanted to say: "You mean I can take over that shop and try opening my own?"
Yuwen Kai smiled but remained silent.
He merely touched on the topic, stating the information he knew, but offered no further suggestions or advice.
The more Song Wu Sao thought about it, the brighter her eyes became. This seemed like a good idea.
“That is indeed a good idea,” Zhao Feiyan nodded in agreement.
Sister-in-law Song Wu: "You also think I could give it a try?"
“It’s worth a try. Your cooking is the best I’ve ever tasted,” Zhao Feiyan said earnestly. “And right now, we need to have more money on hand. If you don’t mind, I can help out at your little eatery if it opens.”
She seemed to have returned to her days as a dancer, only thinking about saving some money for herself. However, back then it was about making ends meet, but now her mindset was completely different.
Thinking about those fluffy little cuties on the shelves gives me even more motivation!
Zhao Feiyan was also somewhat envious; having a skill to rely on was truly advantageous.
Someone like her, who only knows how to dance, can't exactly run around dancing in the street and then put a bowl of rice in front of her to beg, can she?
I don't know if it will work... Zhao Feiyan's thoughts started to wander.
Both of them expressed their support, and Sister-in-law Song was also moved.
She thought that three months wouldn't be suitable for other people who wanted to do serious business. After finally building up their business, would they have to give it all back? Few people would be willing to be such a sucker. But for her, it was possible. She had already made an appointment with Lu Xiaoqi to help out in Qinghe Ancient Town after it opened; Lu Xiaoqi had promised to open a large restaurant for her. These three months could be used to practice her skills.
So, just as Lu Xiaoqi was about to come over and check on the others, Sister-in-law Song Wu called first, inviting her to her home for dinner and to discuss future plans.
"Do you want to open a restaurant?" Lu Xiaoqi asked, somewhat surprised.
She never expected that in just five days, they would not only have become familiar with life here, but also be ambitious enough to start a business.
No wonder he's someone who has left a mark on history—Lu Xiaoqi has a very positive view of him.
Sister-in-law Song smiled and said, "Yes, I've already talked to that young couple. They'll only be back for three months, and I'll take over the shop during those three months. They only need to pay the rent, and we'll cover all the other expenses. We can use everything in the shop as usual."
The agreed rent is five thousand yuan per month.
Song Wu Sao was a shrewd woman who was used to doing business. She inquired elsewhere and found that the rent for nearby shops was about the same. She knew that the couple was not ripping people off, but probably just didn't want to pay rent for nothing, so they came up with this idea.
She thought it was worth a try.
Lu Xiaoqi also thought it was worth a try. She hadn't forgotten that even that dog emperor Zhao Gou had praised her cook! The Song Sister Fish Soup was a recipe passed down from her!
And she also possesses special abilities!
She became more and more excited as she thought about it: "Then we'll call it Song Sao Fish Restaurant."
"I really do have a knack for cooking fish." Sister Song Wu said with a smile and a touch of nostalgia, "It's not just the Sister Song Fish Soup that everyone is still eating now, but I also have another specialty dish that many nobles in Lin'an City loved back then. You could say that half of the people who came to my house for dinner did so because of it."
Lu Xiaoqi asked curiously, "What is it?"
Sister-in-law Song's smile deepened: "Spicy fish in vinegar sauce!"
"Spicy fish with vinegar..." Lu Xiaoqi said "oh," then suddenly realized something was wrong, "Wait..."
Fish stir-fried in vinegar sauce!
She suddenly remembered an unverified piece of information she had seen while researching Song Wu Sao's life—that the now-criticized West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce was invented by Song Wu Sao!
No way, no way, really?
Sister-in-law Song was overjoyed: "It's called this name now? It sounds quite nice. Please wait a moment, I'll go and cook something for everyone to eat."
Lu Xiaoqi: "......"
I don't really want to eat it!
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