Chapter 5 Part 1
[T/N: SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT!!!!! I"ve been very busy lately and I had to update my another novel translation ? Here is part 1 of Chapter 5, another mouth watering update! Be sure not to read it on an empty stomach, if not you may become even more hungry XD Please enjoy ? ]
After sitting down at the dining table, Qiao Yin looked at the dishes on the table, she became so hungry and could not know where to start eating.
When Xiao Yang saw her eyes shining like facing a great enemy, he reached his chopsticks towards the crispy skin spicy fish. He then took some meat on the belly and put it in her bowl. His action was considered he had decided for her, “Try it, it"s not exactly the same taste as in the restaurant.”
She nodded immediately and put the fish meat into her mouth. The first thing she tasted was the refreshing soup. The crispy skin spicy fish"s soup was typically chicken soup added with stir-fried ginger garlic and pickling pepper, and stir-fry it evenly. She tried to cook it herself but the soup was not as fresh as Xiao Yang"s. He used the chicken soup from the sweaty chicken, which had a sweet and sour taste but you would not get sick of this taste that would occur if you added sugar. Beneath the gold-fried skin was the fresh fish meat that was mixed with the refreshing soup. It was so fragrant that she felt it was a pity for her to swallow it.
“It is not as sweet as the restaurant"s but it is more refreshing… This taste is so familiar.” Qiao Yin carefully distinguished between the sweet and sour flavors. She squinted and thought for a while, “Did you change the sugar for tomato juice?”
Xiao Yang nodded and tasted a piece of the braised preserved fish she had brought over. “If too much sugar is added, we will easily get sick of the taste. It"s better to use tomato juice.” And then he asked her, “How was the chicken?”
To be honest, the preserved fish tasted good. Although it was a common home-cooked dish, she had steadily handled every step well and handled the fire well, and had made this dish up to its standard. In addition, the saltiness from the preserved fish was moderate and the meat was soft. When took a bite, it was excellent. The unique aroma filled the mouth which added a lot of points to it.
It seemed that she not only knew how to eat, but she had basically mastered the means to satisfy her appet.i.te. He glanced at Qiao Yin casually and grabbed another piece of preserved fish.
“It"s delicious!” When mentioned about the sweaty chicken, Qiao Yin"s face glowed and nodded very vigorously. “But it is also not the same taste as in the restaurant. You used different spices correct?”
“Mm.” He replied casually and then grabbed a piece of preserved meat for her. He also tasted a piece of it, “I have eaten those spices for decades, I"ve long been sick of it.”
The flavor of the preserved black bean pepper preserved meat was slightly heavier and it was better to go with rice. Each piece of meat carried one-third of the fatty meat. But after all, it was preserved meat, even the fatty meat part was elastic; fat but not greasy.
It was only then that Qiao Yin realized he had started eating the dishes she prepared. She felt pale by comparison, laughing at herself, “It"s all simple dishes. Once compared, my dishes are too inferior to show in public…”
“It"s good.” Xiao Yang was straightforward. He then hinted her to look at the cabbage, “Don"t just eat the meat.”
Five dishes were a little too much for two people but they were both good eaters. At the end of the meal, only some preserved fish and meat were left. Qiao Yin was slightly amused by the fact that the preserved fish and meat were usually sweeter for the second meal and she had already figured out what to eat for the next morning.
But at this very moment, she still missed the three dishes that Xiao Yang made.
She volunteered to help him wash the dishes, and he did not refuse. The two of them were standing together in the kitchen. One was washing the pots while the other was washing the dishes. Before the meal, Qiao Yin was only looking at the dishes when she entered the kitchen. It was only now that she realized Xiao Yang"s kitchen was very clean and fully equipped. The kitchen knives of all sizes were neatly inserted into the kitchen knife rack. There was not only a commonly used microwave but also an oven, grill, and other tools.
“Xiao Yang, you"re such a good cook, why didn"t you stay at your father"s restaurant as a cook?” She was curious, “I can see that you also like to cook and your kitchen is fully equipped.”
Xiao Yang wrung dry the cloth and used it to wipe the pots dry. “Cooking is just a hobby. It is fun when you are free, and it is annoying to be a professional and keep doing it every day.”
“You"re right.” Qiao Yin nodded in agreement. When she thought of the dishes that he made, it was lingering in her memory and she couldn"t help but closed her eyes to remember it. “When you get married, your wife will be so fortunate. Women now like men who can cook. You"re so good, you"re absolutely a hit.”
“Not necessarily.” Xiao Yang put the lid on the pot and placed it on the stovetop and rejected peacefully. “I am very busy and can"t go into the kitchen every day. My life is irregular, and I spend very little time at home, not many women can stand it.”
She remembered that he had girlfriends before. When Qiao Yin just moved in the opposite of him, she met his girlfriend before. She heard that she was introduced by his family and she looked delicate and lovable. However, within a year, Qiao Yin heard that they had broken up. Then, a year or so later, he was introduced to another girl, and in less than half a year, they broke up as well. Both times, because the women couldn"t stand his job, and he spent less time with them, he didn"t have a deep affection for them, so he didn"t do much to keep them.
That was indeed a problem.
“That"s not true.” Qiao Yin smiled at the first moment, stacking the dishes that had been washed together. “Actually, the people who were introduced aren"t necessarily reliable. It"s not a human problem, it"s just that you are really busy. It"s difficult to get used to your life with someone you didn"t know before while you are so busy. So maybe you can also have more contact with your former acquaintances who know you well, who understand your job better and accept it more easily.”
She took a different approach to the problem, and if could look at it briefly, the logic was quite clear. However, the focus was shifted. Xiao Yang only listened to her and did not continue her sentence. After all, she"s a lawyer and it"s not a matter of one or two times that she could talk so smoothly.
The two talked about something else, and soon the kitchen was tidied up.