Zheng Shiyi was a little disappointed. Why was there no pig offal today? Was he late again?
His father insisted on eating it, as if he were addicted. They didn't even set out lunch, just waiting for him to bring over the braised pork offal.
Gu Nanjiao said apologetically, "I'm sorry, sir, it's been hot lately, and braised pork offal isn't selling well, so we've stopped."
Zheng Shiyi said with a bitter face, "What should we do? My master is in a bad mood today. He didn't eat breakfast or lunch and is just waiting to eat braised offal."
Gu Nanjiao felt really bad. Brother Zheng had helped her so much because his husband liked this kind of food. Now that she hadn't sold it, and his husband wanted to eat it, but she hadn't made it, Brother Zheng was really in a difficult position. Since he had helped her, she should return the favor and help Brother Zheng in return.
Gu Nanjiao thought for a while and asked Zheng Shiyi, "Brother, how about this? I heard you say before that your master has a strong palate. How about this, I'll go to your master's mansion and make some exquisite dishes that are even better than braised offal. I guarantee your master will like them."
Zheng Shiyi slapped his forehead and grinned from ear to ear: "That's a great idea."
"Young man, please wait for me a moment. I'll help my mother get ready, and then I'll come with you."
"Okay, I'll help you pack!"
After finishing her preparations and informing Lu's mother, Gu Nanjiao followed Zheng Shiyi toward the Zheng residence.
Standing in front of the mansion, Zheng Shiyi was a little embarrassed: "Madam Gu, please wait a moment, I need to inform my master."
Gu Nanjiao smiled and nodded, not caring much; she understood the rules of wealthy families.
After a while, Zheng Shiyi came out and gestured for Gu Nanjiao to enter.
The Zheng mansion was indeed large, at least more impressive than the surrounding houses. The vermilion gate was guarded by a gatekeeper, with red bricks and green tiles, high white walls, and drooping green willows.
Passing through the corridor, a pavilion halfway up the mountain comes into view. It is quiet, elegant, and antique. The flowers and trees under the pavilion are lush and exquisite.
The Zheng family mansion is nice, but it's far from the grand mansions you see on TV. At best, it's just an elegant place with beautiful scenery.
Entering the mansion for the first time, Gu Nanjiao couldn't act like a country bumpkin visiting the Grand View Garden, so she could only obediently follow behind Zheng Shiyi.
Zheng Shiyi led Gu Nanjiao to the kitchen and pointed to the old woman in her forties in front of her, saying, "This is Granny Cui, the cook in the manor. You can tell her what ingredients you need. You can also ask her to help you make the dishes you need."
Granny Cui was burly and thick-waisted, which fit the image of a cook. She also had a kind and approachable face, so she should be an easy person to talk to.
Gu Nanjiao looked around. There were only two pork patties in the kitchen, but plenty of vegetables, including potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and eggplants.
Gu Nanjiao smiled and asked, "Aunt Cui, do you have any eggs?"
When Granny Cui saw that the woman in front of her was fair-skinned, beautiful, and polite, she quickly smiled and said, "Yes, yes, I just bought it this morning. It's in the basket. I'll get it for you."
With the help of Granny Cui, Gu Nanjiao rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
First, she cracked a few eggs, stirred them well, and then poured them into the hot oil. With a sizzle, the golden eggs steamed. Gu Nanjiao then scrambled the eggs while they were still hot, and once they solidified into chunks, she transferred them to a prepared plate.
While the oil in the pan was still hot, she quickly added the chopped scallions and diced tomatoes, along with a suitable amount of salt and sugar, and some dipping sauce. The dipping sauce was brought over by Granny Cui, who said it was for enhancing the flavor. Gu Nanjiao smelled it and thought it tasted a bit like modern oyster sauce.
Once the tomatoes are almost soft and mushy, add the egg pieces to the pan and stir-fry a few times to coat each piece of egg with the sauce.
After stir-frying, put the scrambled eggs with tomatoes on a plate. The red, yellow and green colors, plus the glistening sauce, look very appetizing, and smell delicious!
Zheng Shiyi looked at the bright red and yellow scrambled eggs with tomatoes and couldn't help but swallow hard. He wanted to eat it, but what should he do?
Granny Cui praised repeatedly, "I never thought eggs and tomatoes could be stir-fried together. I've really learned something new today."
Next, Gu Nanjiao cut the pork into strips and marinated it, and cut the carrots, wood ear mushrooms, green and red peppers into strips for later use.
When the oil is hot, sauté the scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant. Then add the shredded meat and stir-fry until most of the meat changes color. Add the shredded carrots, green and red peppers, and wood ear mushrooms to the pan, along with soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and other seasonings, and stir-fry quickly.
It's done! The fragrant shredded pork with garlic sauce is ready.
Finally, Gu Nanjiao made a cucumber salad, stir-fried some hot and sour shredded potatoes, and served it with a loofah soup. That made up four dishes and a soup.
Granny Cui was stunned: "I didn't expect someone so young to have such good cooking skills. Ordinary ingredients become so fragrant and delicious in your hands that I can't help but drool."
Gu Nanjiao smiled a little shyly: "I can't say I'm a good cook, I just like to experiment." Her cooking skills weren't particularly good, but these were just some of the home-style dishes that didn't exist in ancient times, so they were novel.
"Send this to your master." Gu Nanjiao handed the food box to Zheng Shiyi and said, "I saw that the young man didn't eat lunch either, so I'll make another one. When he brings the groceries back, he can just come to the kitchen to eat."
Zheng Shiyi swallowed hard, took the food box, and said, "That's great." After saying that, he rushed off to deliver the food to Master Zheng, his movements extremely fast, as if he were walking on air.
In the dining room, Master Zheng was getting impatient, but his expression softened when he saw Zheng Shiyi arrive.
"Why are you so slow? Do you want me to starve to death?!"
Zheng Shiyi swallowed hard and bowed respectfully: "Master, this is freshly made, it's already considered fast."
Zheng Shiyi lifted the lid of the food box and placed four dishes and a soup on the table, filling the entire room with an enticing aroma.
When Mr. Zheng went over to take a look, he saw red, yellow, and green colors. In the sweltering summer heat, the visual impact made him unable to resist his appetite.
Mr. Zheng swallowed hard, pointed at the shredded pork with garlic sauce, and asked, "What dish is this? The colors are so beautifully combined."
"Sir, this is shredded pork with garlic sauce."
No sooner had Zheng Shiyi finished speaking than a loud bang was heard as the door was opened from the outside.
"Grandpa, haven't you eaten yet?" A clear male voice rang out. The man had an exceptionally handsome appearance and wore a spotless white robe.
Old Master Zheng's face was rather unpleasant, and he scolded, "You brat, you always choose mealtimes to come over."
Bai Luochen walked over, waving a jade fan, his narrow eyes full of smiles. He put away the jade fan and sat down opposite Master Zheng in a very casual manner.
Staring at the four dishes and soup on the table, he grinned and said, "How can you eat such delicious food if you don't pick and choose your mealtime?" Without waiting for Master Zheng to call him, he picked up his chopsticks and started eating without any politeness.
Mmm! The food tastes really good, even better than what he had eaten at fancy restaurants. Bai Luochen was starving and felt that the food in front of him was comparable to imperial cuisine.
Seeing this, Master Zheng quickly picked up his chopsticks and kept piling food into his bowl. Bai Luochen didn't give way either, and the two of them, old and young, were quite a spectacle as they fought over the food.
After letting out a burp, Mr. Zheng couldn't help but think of the plate of shredded pork with garlic sauce. Why hadn't he gotten any fish in it?
He asked Zheng Shiyi, "Why isn't there any fish in the shredded pork with garlic sauce?"
Zheng Shiyi replied, "Its name is Yu Xiang Rou Si (Fish-flavored Shredded Pork), but there's no fish in it!"
"How can there be a fish flavor without fish?"
"This...?" Zheng Shiyi scratched his head. How would he know? He couldn't cook. This could only mean that Madam Gu was a highly skilled cook, able to make dishes taste like fish even without fish.
"Madam Gu's cooking skills are superb; she certainly didn't put any fish in it. If you've enjoyed your meal, sir, I'll take the plate to the kitchen!" Zheng Shiyi replied earnestly. Thinking that Gu Nanjiao had also cooked a portion for him in the kitchen, Zheng Shiyi couldn't wait to taste the delicious food.
Master Zheng nodded, and Zheng Shiyi hurried off to the kitchen.
Old Master Zheng patted his round belly, feeling a bit full, and got up to digest. Bai Luochen, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward to help him, but was shoved aside.
"Get out of here! Stealing the old man's food, aren't you ashamed!"
Bai Luochen felt a little wronged: "I didn't even manage to take it from you, yet you're blaming me."
Gu Nanjiao greeted Granny Cui and then prepared to go back.
Just as I reached the entrance, I saw a refined and easy-going plump old man pacing back and forth in the Half-Mountain Pavilion, accompanied by a handsome young man in white.
Upon closer inspection, wasn't that Bai Luochen?
The world is so small, how could I encounter something like this?
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