Chapter Ninety-Seven Raw Fish Slice Congee
Liu Yi's health has improved a lot. The nurses knew that he couldn't go out to buy food, so they brought him some as well, since they also liked the food at the small restaurants.
After receiving the porridge, Liu Yi didn't rush to eat it. Instead, he took a picture and posted it on Weibo. Many kind-hearted netizens said they wanted to see how he was doing.
This porridge looks delicious; you can tell it's from Yu's Little Restaurant.
Liu Yi replied to her: [It's from Yu's Small Restaurant]
There were many other encouraging comments as well, and he slowly scrolled down to read them one by one.
After reading many comments, his heart felt as warm as the bowl of porridge. The porridge wasn't so hot anymore, so he picked up the bowl and took a sip. The porridge base was exceptionally smooth and creamy, and the pork offal inside was also very fragrant. His mouth was filled with a warm, sweet taste.
After finishing half a bowl of porridge, Liu Yi started eating other things. The nurse brought him stir-fried rice noodle rolls. The rice noodle rolls were stir-fried until crispy and fragrant, soft and chewy, with the rich aroma of soy sauce enveloping them. You could also taste the rice flavor when you bit into the bottom.
The family member in the next bed also heard his story and was relieved to see how well he was recovering. She also thought the porridge and rice noodle rolls smelled delicious.
"Did you buy this from Yu's Little Restaurant too? It smells so good," the patient's family member asked.
Liu Yi nodded, "Yes, I bought it from a small restaurant. They use fresh ingredients to make it, and it tastes great."
After saying that, Liu Yi lowered his head and finished the last mouthful of porridge. He thought to himself that his second life was given to him by Yu's Little Restaurant.
—
The porridge was sold out, and unfortunately, Xiao Tangbao hadn't had any yet. Yu Miaoyin went to the market again to buy pig intestines to make pig intestine porridge. Seeing that the fish at the fish stall looked good, and the owner said it was a type of dried fish, she decided to buy some to make fish fillet porridge as well.
But we haven't decided on dinner yet. What the shop sells can certainly be given to the child for dinner. But today the shop only has fried noodles and rice noodles, and the child is still growing and needs to eat more meat.
After searching for a while, Yu Miaoyin noticed a stall selling mutton. This season is also a particularly good time to eat mutton, so Yu Miaoyin went over.
"Xiaoyin, you're here too?" Grandma greeted her from among the crowd. "There are so many people. Xiaoyin, what do you want? I'll buy you something to take home."
Yu Miaoyin was tall, and she stood on tiptoe to take a look at the mutton sold at the stall. She could tell at a glance that the mutton was very fresh; its color and marbling were incredibly beautiful. The uncles, aunts, grandfathers, and grandmothers shopping at the market could also tell that the mutton was fresh, otherwise they wouldn't be crowding around here.
"I want some lamb belly for tonight's meal. Grandma, you can decide what to buy," Yu Miaoyin called out. After her grandmother agreed, she squeezed into the crowd, and Yu Miaoyin stepped back.
Before long, Grandma Chen came out with two large bags of beef brisket. Seeing that Xiao Yin was still carrying things, she offered to help her carry them.
"I also bought a new outfit for Xiaotangbao. The child is so cute, she'll definitely look especially good in this." Grandma bought a lot of things today, and Yu Miaoyin looked at her large cloth bag, which was stuffed full of things. It was like going to the market in the past, as if she wanted to buy everything the whole family needed.
"What else did you buy? Let me see." Grandma handed it to her to look at. Yu Miaoyin glanced at it casually, then naturally took it and helped Grandma carry it. She carried less than Grandma, and since she was a cook, she was strong.
"Thank you, Xiaoyin. I don't know what to say. You're such a good child..." Grandma was so moved that she didn't know what to say.
Yu Miaoyin laughed, "I'll be good to whoever is good to me."
...
Back at the shop, Yu Miaoyin first made fish congee. Aunt Zheng helped tidy up the small restaurant, and after she finished, she was surprised to find that Boss Yu had already deboned the fish and quickly sliced it into thin slices, arranging them on a plate.
Aunt Zheng was amazed by her speed and skill. Yu Miaoyin quickly marinated the fish fillets and then started cooking porridge. With limited time for meal preparation in the afternoon, Yu Miaoyin also took care of other things while the porridge was cooking.
First, bring the heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the rice grains are fully cooked and have burst open, turning a milky white color as if the rice and water have blended together. After sliding the fish slices into the porridge, gently stir with chopsticks to cook them in the boiling porridge. The fish slices are thin enough, and the porridge is piping hot enough, so they only need to be cooked briefly. Before serving, she sprinkled on some chopped celery.
Classes haven't ended yet, but the rich, delicious aroma has already attracted several diners, including Grandpa Xu and Grandma Chen.
Grandpa Xu shows up at the small restaurant every day without fail. He's retired, his grandson is in school, and it's close to Xiaoyin's restaurant, so of course he comes to eat there every day. With good food around, life is truly like paradise.
Yu Miaoyin brought the porridge to him, saying, "Be careful, it's hot."
The porridge was fresh from the pot, still bubbling with tiny, slowly bouncing bubbles, carrying a delicate aroma of rice. The fish slices floating on top were still milky white. Grandpa Xu rubbed his hands together; a bowl of hot porridge like this on a cold day was truly comforting.
He had eaten fish congee before, and some shops even offered fish to be cooked in the congee themselves, but none of them could compare to Xiaoyin's. The congee base was thick and smooth, and the cooked fish slices were so soft and tender. Although they were whole slices, they seemed to have melted into the congee base, and the umami flavor combined with the aroma of the white congee was simply irresistible.
"It's so good, so delicious." Grandpa Xu exclaimed in admiration as he drank. When he saw Xiaoyin come out, he started praising her again: "Xiaoyin, you are really amazing. It tastes so good. Give me another bowl. I dare say that no place in the world can compare to yours."
"That's an exaggeration." Yu Miaoyin brought him another bowl. There was still some time before class ended, so Grandpa Xu ordered a plate of stir-fried beef noodles. Xiaoyin's shop hadn't introduced any new dishes recently, but he still didn't want to go to other shops. After all, Xiaoyin's food was his absolute favorite.
It smells so good! What's that little restaurant making? Even the students from the No. 1 Middle School, separated by a street and a wall, can't concentrate on their homework. They feel like something delicious is tempting them from outside.
Jiajia rested her chin on the table, pondering how to continue this story. Jenny, however, was determined to participate in the competition... As she thought about it, her thoughts drifted to the small restaurant. She could tell from the smell that Sister Ayin was making fish porridge today.
On the other side, Xiaoming got the leave slip from the school gate, and Huangmao accompanied him.
Xiao Ming sneezed a few times. "Let's go, let's go to the small restaurant first and then buy medicine, otherwise there won't be any left to eat."
During the first physical education training session in the afternoon, he sweated a bit and felt hot while running the 1000-meter dash, so he took off his clothes. He didn't expect his body to be so fragile; a slight breeze made his throat feel uncomfortable. So, he was a bit listless all afternoon. His homeroom teacher noticed that he wasn't feeling well and offered to ask him if he wanted to see a doctor, since he couldn't let it drag on.
As a good student, and especially since the last period in the afternoon was math, he didn't want to miss it. Xiaoming initially thought he would go after class, but then he remembered that there was hot food at Yu's Restaurant, so he quickly said, "I'm going, I'm going!"
"Okay." Xiaoming's homeroom teacher wrote a leave slip for the two of them.
After leaving the school, Xiaoming felt that he was cured. His throat no longer hurt, his head was no longer dizzy, and his legs were strong again. He even felt that he could run another kilometer.
The two of them walked and ran to the small restaurant, where retired grandpas and grandmas were sitting, leisurely drinking porridge. Xiao Ming rubbed his nose; he also longed to retire early, to live a life of leisure, receiving his pension and only having to worry about what to eat each day—how blissful!
The two entered the small restaurant. Outside, the cold wind was howling, but inside, the restaurant was warm and cozy, surrounded by various hot dishes.
Seeing that there was congee with raw fish slices, the two of them ordered one.
Aunt Zheng brought out two bowls of piping hot fish porridge and reminded them to be careful because it was hot. Huang Mao immediately exclaimed, "It smells so good! This fish porridge looks delicious!"
Huang Mao eagerly placed his portion in front of him, touching his ears to cool them down, and said, "It smells so good! Hot porridge is perfect for this cold weather. It's much better than fried chicken or anything like that."
He opened his mouth wide and blew air, causing the bright green celery bits floating on top to scatter a little. He then scraped off the top layer with a spoon and began to eat.
The porridge was slightly hot, and the fish slices were boneless; he could easily melt them in his mouth with a single bite. The rice grains, having absorbed all the moisture, burst open. The entire bowl of porridge had no fishy smell whatsoever, only a fresh and delicious flavor.
"I feel like I don't need to see a doctor after eating this bowl of porridge." As the fish porridge slid down his throat, Xiaoming instantly perked up.
"Right? I think so too. Next time I get sick, I'll come to this little restaurant and have a bowl of hot porridge as medicine." Yellow Hair clicked his tongue twice, quickly drank the porridge while it was hot, and muttered after finishing a sip, "This porridge is so fragrant, and the fish slices are so tender and smooth."
It is indeed tender and smooth, but not loose or mushy in the porridge. Moreover, it has a slight chewiness. The whole bowl of porridge is only seasoned with the simplest salt, but it is still incredibly delicious.
"Do you think the boss will still open the restaurant during the winter break?" This winter break isn't long, but the thought of losing Yu's Little Restaurant for so long feels like an eternity.
Jiajia rushed in and ordered her food. After hearing Xiaoming's conversation, she was also curious whether Sister Ayin would open the door or not.
After school, Xiao Tangbao rushed into the small restaurant. Seeing that her older sister was busy, she obediently went to play with Jiajia.
The child was holding a safety responsibility agreement. Jiajia glanced at it and said, "Getting ready for New Year's Day, are you happy, baby?"
"I'm so happy, this way I can stay by my sister's side all the time." Xiao Tangbao snuggled up to Jiajia and said. She really missed her sister when she was at school, but after returning home, she missed Xiao Ran a little. The two of them hadn't seen each other for a long time.
New Year's Day is a statutory holiday, and Jiajia is happy. She looks forward to the winter vacation after New Year's Day. She just doesn't know if Sister Ayin will open during the winter vacation.
Yu Miaoyin served Xiaotangbao a bowl of porridge, saying, "I'll make you lamb stew when we get back today, so eat less."
"Okay." Little Tangbao sat down next to Jiajia and started blowing air into the air. Yu Miaoyin had just heard the child say that she missed Xiaoran, and realized that He Li hadn't been to the shop for a long time.
She took out her phone and messaged He Li, asking if it would be convenient for Xiao Ran and Xiao Tang Bao to chat for a bit. He Li said it was convenient and that she was bringing Xiao Ran over.
The video call connected, and Xiao Ran's face appeared on the screen. Both children put their faces close to the screen, and Xiao Ran could see Xiao Tang Bao's fluttering eyelashes. She said, "You're so cute."
Xiao Tangbao smiled shyly, then picked up the bowl and showed it to Xiao Ran, saying, "I'm drinking porridge. My older sister said this is fish porridge."
She picked up the bowl, took a big gulp, and exclaimed with satisfaction, "This porridge is so fragrant, and the fish in it is fragrant too!"
Xiao Ran also missed A Yin's cooking. She leaned against He Li and chatted with Xiao Tang Bao about many interesting things, including their kindergarten teachers and the crafts they were going to make for New Year's Day. The children's conversation was full of fun and cuteness, and He Li couldn't help but smile as she listened.
They kept talking until they reached the entrance of the small restaurant, where the two children said goodbye. As soon as they said goodbye, Xiao Tangbao's face appeared in front of them, and she warmly invited them in.
However, because it was far away, by the time the two arrived, the restaurant was almost empty.
He Li took out all sorts of gifts from the car. Yu Miaoyin was a little surprised when she saw them. He Li smiled and took her hand: "I came today for two reasons. First, to wish you a happy New Year in advance. Second, I want to discuss something with you."
The two carried their things into the small restaurant. When Yu Miaoyin saw that the fish porridge was sold out, she hung up a sign outside saying the restaurant was temporarily closed.
"Are you hungry? Let me make you something to eat first."
He Li shook her head dishonestly, but her child was very honest: "Hungry, I want to eat porridge!"
"We're out of porridge, but we still have some fish slices. I'll make you a bowl of noodles, it'll be quick." With that, Yu Miaoyin walked into the kitchen.
After taking only two steps, a light laugh came from behind, and a gentle female voice said half-jokingly, "Boss Yu, could you make another one?"
Yu Miaoyin turned around and looked back. After thinking for half a second, she recognized the person. It was the director of the Yuncheng Culture and Tourism Bureau. They had met when they were recording "Yuncheng's Lively Atmosphere".
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
