Chapter 89 Spicy Boiled Fish Slices
Lin Xiangwan also brought Ju Zi and Chen Yufei into the shot together.
As soon as the live stream started, fans flocked to it, and the chat was immediately filled with "ahhhhh!" comments. After seeing Chen Yufei, they exclaimed how good the two of them were.
Lin Xiangwan opened the honey-glazed pork ribs she bought from the small restaurant to show everyone, "Today I'm going to do a food broadcast, these honey-glazed pork ribs are super fragrant."
[Is this Yu Ji Restaurant? Wanwan really loves this place, hahaha]
I want to eat it too! I watch food livestreams every day, and every time I watch one, I get hungry.
【Can I have a bite of your honey-glazed pork ribs every night? I miss you so much on the Atlantic coast】
Still warm, Lin Xiangwan pulled Ju Zi and Chen Yufei to eat together. The honey-glazed pork ribs were simply too delicious. How did Boss Yu manage to make the ribs both crispy and tender? The outer layer tasted crispy, while the inside was tender and delicious meat. The sweetness of the honey glaze wasn't cloying, and the savory aroma that slowly seeped in made the ribs' texture exceptionally rich, becoming more and more fragrant with each bite.
Since the live stream was still ongoing, Lin Xiangwan really wanted to revert to her true nature and transform into a horse, letting out loud cries of delight when she ate something delicious.
All three ate with great focus and grace, a sight to behold. Lin Xiangwan recalled watching mukbang videos where the hosts would describe the taste of the dish, and she wanted to imitate them and describe the honey-glazed pork ribs—
"This honey-glazed pork ribs smell so good..." Lin Xiangwan stopped to think for a moment, realizing she had stumbled upon a blind spot in her knowledge. Chen Yufei and Ju Zi picked up another piece of pork ribs and started eating, while Lin Xiangwan, afraid she wouldn't get to eat the next piece, immediately shut up and obediently ate the honey-glazed pork ribs.
[Baby, eat your food properly, it looks delicious to us.]
Ahhh, so cute! The three of them look like they haven't eaten in ages.
I will not give up going to Yuncheng, and I will not give up going to that little restaurant.
The three of them were like travelers who had walked for a long time in a snowy night, tired, hungry, and thirsty, but had finally spotted a house in the distance with a warm fire, thirst-quenching water, and a hearty meal. Their happy and content expressions were the best advertisement for the small restaurant.
Shortly after Lin Xiangwan started her live stream, the hashtags related to Lin Xiangwan and Yu Ji Restaurant became trending topics.
While browsing Weibo, Li Jiayu clicked on the trending topic. For some reason, her first reaction was that Lin Xiangwan was being too exaggerated and was trying to create a persona for herself.
Even something as simple as whether sweet or savory tofu pudding is better can spark a heated debate online. The online world is a chaotic place, and in the online community, many people who dislike Lin Xiangwan say she's wasting public resources and exaggerating. Li Jiayu dislikes Lin Xiangwan because Lin Xiangwan is her idol's rival. She also posted a thread subtly criticizing Lin Xiangwan for creating a persona.
This post was buried among many others and few people saw it. Li Jiayu noticed that Yu's Little Restaurant was in Yuncheng, only 4.1 kilometers away from her. Perhaps because of a grudge against the restaurant, she also had a bad impression of it.
Li Jiayu clicked into the fan group. Most people in the group disliked Lin Xiangwan. When the small restaurant was mentioned, everyone said they would never eat there again.
Li Jiayu also chimed in, saying she would absolutely never eat a single bite at that small restaurant. After all, how good could that restaurant possibly be? Did Lin Xiangwan really need to pretend she'd never eaten anything good in her life?
Her love and hate came so simply and decisively. Li Jiayu chatted with everyone in the group for a while before doing her homework.
—
Yu Miaoyin packed the things everyone had given Xiaotangbao into the snack box, telling her she could bring them over whenever she wanted. Thinking of Xiaoran, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, Xiaotangbao wanted to bring some over for her to eat, telling her how much she missed her.
She rolled over in bed, climbed up a little, and met her older sister's face. She asked, "Why doesn't Xiaoran's mother run the shop anymore?"
"Because she's busy packing and delivering delicious chestnuts to various places," Yu Miaoyin said. She added that she's been missing He Li's shop since she's been away for so long.
The two started talking about other things, about Yi Ling's little orange cat, and about the two chickens He Li had brought over. They had just cackled twice for no reason, which startled Xiao Tang Bao.
"Little Tangbao, would you like to eat shredded chicken, salt-baked chicken, or poached chicken?" She wanted to pick a good time to kill the two chickens and eat them as soon as possible.
Xiao Tangbao, who didn't like chickens at first, was pleasantly surprised and let out a "ha!" She found the two noisy chickens quite adorable, after all, they could be turned into delicious poached chicken or hand-shredded chicken.
Xiao Tangbao wanted to eat everything, but after a long time of choosing, she still couldn't pick the one she wanted to eat the most. Yu Miaoyin told her to take her time to think about it.
That night, Xiaotangbao dreamt she was being chased by chickens. The next morning, still shaken, she said, "Let's eat the chicken quickly."
Otherwise, she was really afraid that chickens would sneak into the house and peck at her hands while she was sleeping.
"Okay." Yu Miaoyin fastened the hair clip to her hair and said goodbye.
Then, she received a message from Xiaoyu about the show, in which she was told that the official recording of the show would take place in mid-November.
Yu Miaoyin hadn't had a chance to look at the script yet. She replied "okay" and planned to look at it when she had some free time.
Around 1 p.m., Yu Miaoyin was still quickly stir-frying noodles. The customers in line kept craning their necks to look at and smell the aroma, and asked the owner, "When will it be ready?"
"This fried noodles smells so good, boss, could you cook it faster?"
"Could the boss grow eight arms? That way he could cook dozens of portions at once," someone voiced their idea.
It would be terrifying if someone mutated into a tentacle monster. But if that person were Boss Yu, the diners would be overjoyed, because then Boss Yu could make a lot of delicious food at once.
Grandpa Xu was eating noodles when he was startled by the roar of a motorcycle, followed by several exclamations. Always eager for a spectacle, he quickly picked up his noodles to see what was happening. The newcomer was carrying a large fish on his back, looking cheerful and radiant.
Grandpa Bai is from the next community. He doesn't have many hobbies, except fishing and taking big fish around the streets.
But today, after catching a big fish, he didn't go around showing it off. Instead, he went straight to a small restaurant to ask the owner if he could help process the fish. Money was no object.
After all, this fish was the biggest he had ever caught. Such a good fish deserved to be caught by the best fisherman so that his efforts in basking in the sun would not be in vain, so that the fish's life would not be wasted, and so that it could die a worthy death.
He carried the fish over to Boss Yu and asked, "Boss, could you help me process it?"
"Processing with supplied materials" is quite common in restaurants and eateries in Yuncheng. Some people are not comfortable with the ingredients provided by the restaurants, so they bring their own slaughtered chickens, ducks, and big fish that they have caught.
Yu Miaoyin glanced at the big fish. She hadn't cooked any fish dishes in a long time, so she wanted to try it and agreed to Grandpa Bai's offer.
"Thank you, Mr. Yu. How late do you expect to finish?" Grandpa Bai asked.
"It'll be soon," Yu Miaoyin said.
But upon hearing this, he didn't seem happy; on the contrary, he appeared somewhat disappointed.
Grandpa Bai was planning to show off his fish, but normally when he catches a big fish, he wouldn't just pass by his house three times without going in; he'd be completely lost and would just keep showing it off until his car ran out of gas. He'd even pack up the fish if he didn't need it! Today he was just in a rush, eager to find Boss Yu to deal with this big fish.
But if it tastes good, it's worth it. After all, the happiness and satisfaction brought by a delicious meal is no less than the vanity of showing off a big fish in the street.
Grandpa Bai glanced at the diners in the small restaurant eating all sorts of delicious food and felt a little hungry, but the owner said they were sold out, so he had to look away to prevent himself from getting hungrier the more he looked.
"What do you want to do?" Yu Miaoyin weighed the fish, which weighed a full thirteen pounds.
"Make some spicy boiled fish fillets and fish balls," said Grandpa Bai. He explained that his family is small, and they can't finish just one dish. He suggested that Mr. Yu make fish balls so they could be stored for longer.
Yu Miaoyin thought for a moment, then quoted a price. The price for making spicy boiled fish fillets was different from that for making fish balls. Yu Miaoyin asked him how many kilograms he wanted for each type of fish before she would start making them.
She deftly gutted the fish, not even sparing the head. After cutting it in half, she removed the gills and the black membrane inside the belly. She then sliced the fish body into evenly sized thin pieces, added marinade, starch, and cooking oil to seal in the moisture. The fish head also needed to be cleaned to remove the fishy smell. While it was marinating, she went to the market and bought some enoki mushrooms, bean sprouts, and other ingredients.
A 12-pound fish yields about 45% meat. Yu Miaoyin used about 3 pounds to make spicy boiled fish fillets, and the rest to make fish balls. She threw the fish head and bones into a pot and boiled them for about 15 minutes, then removed them. After stir-frying the base ingredients until fragrant, she poured in the prepared fish bone broth, allowing the umami and spiciness to blend naturally, before adding the fish fillets and cooking until they turned white. She arranged the blanched side dishes on a large plate, poured in the fish broth and fish fillets, added some chili pepper pieces, chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic, and then drizzled hot oil over it. The intense aroma wafted over in waves.
Grandpa Bai quickly sent a message, inviting his son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter to come over for a meal. The family of three, who were just about to order takeout, immediately set off to eat after learning that the spicy boiled fish slices Grandpa Bai mentioned were made from a large fish he had caught.
Li Jiayu also went.
The spicy boiled fish fillets were ready. Following Grandpa Bai's instructions, Yu Miaoyin leisurely made fish balls. Making fish balls was more troublesome and more expensive. After removing the fish skin, she began to mince the meat, adding scallion, ginger, garlic, and water as she minced.
After beating the fish until it became elastic, she added some egg whites, starch, and her own rendered lard.
When the navigation indicated that they had arrived at Yu's Restaurant, Li Jiayu realized that the restaurant she had come to was the very one she had sworn never to come to yesterday.
She climbed back into the car, the chains on her clothes jingling. Li's mother asked, "What's wrong?"
Mr. Li said, "The fish that Grandpa caught must taste delicious."
Glancing at the five large characters on the signboard, Li Jiayu pursed her lips and said, "How good can this restaurant's food be?"
Grandpa Bai stared at the bright red, spicy boiled fish fillets on the table. Dark brown Sichuan peppercorns and bright red dried chilies floated on the bright red broth, and the snow-white fish fillets floated faintly in the soup, looking incredibly tempting.
Grandpa Bai quickly called his son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter to come and eat, "Jiabao, why aren't you here yet?"
He adored his beloved granddaughter Jiabao, and of course he wanted her to try such delicious food. Mr. and Mrs. Li took turns trying to persuade her, and with her grandfather still calling her, she finally got out of the car, out of respect for the big fish her grandfather had caught.
However, she said yesterday that she wouldn't come to the same small restaurant as Lin Xiangwan, but today is an exception, and she definitely won't eat a single extra bite!
Li Jiayu was dressed entirely in black, with several chains hanging from her clothes that jingled when they touched together. She also wore a skull earring, making her stand out on the main road.
Grandpa Bai stared at his granddaughter's lip piercing for a long time, "Can she eat spicy food?"
"Yes, I can. I've already passed the dietary restrictions," Li Jiayu said.
Grandpa Bai looked at his granddaughter's outfit today, gave her a thumbs up and praised, "This outfit is great, it's unique, and it suits my Jiabao perfectly."
Mr. and Mrs. Li don't quite understand the trends of today's young people, but they support and respect their daughter, praising her beauty and saying, "So pretty!"
Grandpa Bai served the food to his granddaughter and told her to eat quickly.
Mr. and Mrs. Li also started eating. Mr. Li picked up a piece and began to taste it. The fish slices were very thin and tender, and the freshness of the fish meat was perfectly combined with the spiciness and freshness of the soup. The chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns rose up with the heat, and it was so delicious that he almost bit his tongue.
"How did you make this? It smells so good!" They'd had spicy boiled fish fillets before, but this was the first time they'd ever tasted it this delicious. Especially the broth—the natural sweetness of the fish was infused into the soup, adding a touch of umami to the otherwise rich spiciness, preventing it from feeling monotonous or dry.
Grandpa Bai had a mouthful of rice soaked in soup, and he was full of praise for it. He felt that finding Boss Yu this time was definitely worthwhile.
Mr. and Mrs. Li fell silent, their chopsticks moving about, picking up various delicious foods. The side dishes buried at the bottom of the bowl also looked exceptionally tasty. Eating them while they were hot was incredibly appetizing; the warm, spicy sensation in their mouths was irresistible.
Grandpa Bai was eating with great relish when he noticed that Li Jiayu hadn't touched her chopsticks much. He called out, "Jiabao, why aren't you eating? This big fish that Grandpa caught is absolutely delicious, and with Boss Yu's cooking skills, it's amazing!"
To save face for her grandfather, Li Jiayu picked up a piece of fish.
The fish slices were still white and tender, but the flavor was exceptionally strong, first the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, then the spiciness of chili peppers. The moment they entered her mouth, the fresh and spicy taste spread across her tongue. She swallowed them without even chewing them many times.
Soon, she added some bean sprouts and enoki mushrooms. The enoki mushrooms, soaked in the soup, were glistening with red oil, and the oil slowly seeped from the crevices of their stems. Li Jiayu put them in her mouth, and the crisp, tender enoki mushrooms burst open between her teeth, the spicy and numbing flavor instantly filling her entire mouth—fresh, fragrant, and invigorating.
And the bean sprouts, they're still crunchy when you bite into them, and the more you chew, the more flavorful they become.
After finishing her meal, Li Jiayu reached back into the pot with her chopsticks and continued eating. She ate the boiled fish slices one bite after another, almost forgetting what she had said yesterday.
However, the food at this restaurant smelled really good, and she suddenly felt that Lin Xiangwan might not actually be trying to create a persona...
"Jiabao, do you like it? Doesn't it smell delicious?" Grandpa Bai asked his granddaughter with a smile, his mouth glistening with oil as he ate.
"I love it, it's delicious." It's so spicy and addictive that you just can't bear to put your chopsticks down.
The family of four ate the spicy boiled fish fillets very quickly, finishing in half an hour. Grandpa Bai patted his round belly, feeling happy and satisfied with the meal.
but……
Grandpa Bai's keen nose caught a delicious aroma. He coughed twice to dismiss the food, saying, "Are you full? If you're full, go home. Jiabao, would you like some milk tea?"
"I won't drink it."
"Why don't you two go for a walk to digest your food?"
The two shook their heads.
Grandpa Bai's eyes darted around, and he continued to think of a solution. All three of them saw through his little scheme. Li Jiayu asked, "Tell me, what good stuff are you hiding this time?"
"No, no, no." Grandpa Bai hurriedly waved his hand and touched his nose, clearly showing his guilty conscience.
"Uncle Bai, I've made your fish balls. Would you like to take them now?" Yu Miaoyin asked.
The three of them turned their heads to look at Grandpa Bai. Grandpa Bai's eyes darted around, and he said to Yu Miaoyin, "Take it now, take it now."
Oh dear, he was originally planning to secretly hide the food and eat it himself...
—
In the afternoon, Yuncheng No.1 Middle School was holding the last event of the school sports meet, the 4x100 meter relay. This event was arguably the most attractive among all the events, and the playground was crowded with spectators holding homemade cheering signs to cheer on their class's athletes.
Everyone was very nervous because it concerned the honor of the class.
Jiajia's homeroom teacher stood anxiously on one side of the track and said to her students, "Do your best. Your teachers and classmates will be waiting for you at the finish line."
The students stood still to warm up, with the courage and confidence unique to their age. "Teacher, don't doubt us! We can definitely get first place!"
"Okay, of course the teacher believes you," the homeroom teacher said with a smile.
Jiajia joked with her classmates, "If you could hang a loaf of bread made by Sister Ayin in front of me, I would definitely run faster than anyone else. Don't underestimate the power of us foodies."
The homeroom teacher smiled upon hearing this. These kids were really adorable. But the food at the small restaurant was indeed delicious, and both adults and children enjoyed it.
The first group was boys. The classmates were all cheering and shouting encouragement. They ran another 100 meters with the runners, and then another 100 meters. The baton was passed to the next person. Cheers and the whooshing sound of the wind filled Xiao Du's ears, along with the sound of his heartbeat. Xiao Du was the last runner.
His heartbeat was deep and muffled. Noticing that the next baton was getting closer, he took a deep breath and prepared to receive it.
The psychological pressure is the greatest for the last runner. After receiving the baton, Xiao Du took off running. Two seconds later, he saw out of the corner of his eye that he had overtaken one person.
The cheers from his classmates mingled with the pounding of his heart and the sound of the wind, filling his ears as he tried to pick up speed—
"Go, Xiao Du! Go for it! Sister Yin is waiting for you at the finish line. There are pineapple buns today!" Jiajia shouted, holding a megaphone given to her by her classmate.
Pineapple Bun! ?
There was no time to think; all Xiao Du knew was that there were pineapple buns at the finish line—delicious pineapple buns! He felt as if he'd been injected with adrenaline, and he became incredibly excited. Soon, he overtook the second person, and in the final few meters, he passed the third and crashed into the finish line.
His classmates crowded around to give him sweet soup. After taking a deep breath, Xiao Du looked left and right, up and down, and hurriedly asked, "Where's Sister Ayin? Where's the pineapple bun? Where's my pineapple bun?"
The culprit, Jiajia, is quietly leaving.
Later, Xiao Du learned that there were no pineapple buns at the finish line, and Sister Ayin was not there either. Jiajia had come up with this tactic to make him run faster.
However, Sister Ayin didn't make pineapple buns today, but she made brown sugar steamed sponge cake instead. She's been really into making these kinds of pastries lately, mainly because she loves eating them. She doesn't have time to make them in the morning, so it's nice to have some for afternoon tea. Little Tangbao just got out of school too, so the kids will definitely love these.
The dough had fermented properly. Yu Miaoyin shook the dough to release the air bubbles and then put it in the steamer to steam.
Xiao Du and Jiajia Yiling walked into the small restaurant together, and Xiao Tangbao also got out of school.
She put down her schoolbag, and Xiao Du wiped away her fake tears, tearfully accusing Jiajia of what she had done.
Jiajia helplessly shrugged, "I just wanted to unleash your potential."
Little Tangbao felt sorry for Brother Du, who didn't get to eat a pineapple bun. She also thought Sister Jiajia was really smart.
Yu Miaoyin was listening in the kitchen. She came out, pulled Xiao Tangbao aside, and said to Xiao Du, "There are no pineapple buns today, but I made brown sugar steamed sponge cake. Would you like to try some?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Du immediately stood up and bowed to Yu Miaoyin, saying, "Thank you, Sister Ayin, I'll eat it, I'll eat it!"
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