Chapter 515: A Taste That Cooked By You
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
“Stupid.” Even after he walked out of the restaurant, Li Wentong still heard the words from Master Cheng.
“He’s really a hot-tempered guy. But Boss Yuan is really nice.” Instead of getting angry, Li Wentong just grumbled with a light tone.
Having solved the matter of Green Jade Rice Crust, Li Wentong appeared fairly happy. Even his footsteps became lighter.
“You can also go back now.” Seeing Li Wentong leave the restaurant, Yuan Zhou turned his head to Master Cheng and said to him.
“Master Yuan, are you cooking the rice crust so slowly on purpose these few days?” Master Cheng revealed a smile on his simple and honest face and then asked straightforwardly.
“No, I’m always cooking at the same speed.” Yuan Zhou babbled primly.
“Usually, you only need four and a half minutes to cook one serving and you can also cook some other dishes at the same time. But now, you need 8 minutes to cook one serving which you could have actually made two more dishes in the process.” Master Cheng always watched Yuan Zhou cook the dishes carefully and attentively, thus he naturally knew that well.
“Pretty good. You really watched carefully. Why don’t you cook a serving of rice crust and bring it here next time?” Yuan Zhou nodded his head, pretending to be serious, and then said.
“No problem. Thank you, Master Yuan.” Master Cheng said in excitement.
“Um. It’s not early. You can go back.” Yuan Zhou said lightly.
“Okay. See you, Master Yuan.” Master Cheng said his goodbyes respectfully and then left.
“Ta Ta Ta”. The footsteps of Master Cheng receded gradually. As Shen Min had already gone to the pub to tidy the things, there was only Yuan Zhou left in the restaurant now.
“Luckily I’m smart.” Yuan Zhou let out a long sigh of relief before he sat on his chef chair and had a rest.
The following several days, Yuan Zhou didn’t make tea for himself anymore. He had used 50g of the tea leaves last time and during the process, he wasted most of them while only drank a little.
“It turns out I have no talent in the aspects of tea ceremony.” Yuan Zhou sighed once with emotion when he recalled treating Mu Xiao to the tea.
That’s right. Though Yuan Zhou had got the techniques of making tea, he wasn’t practicing it as deftly as his culinary skills, but was contrarily performing it with difficulties. As a result, he wasted a lot during the process, which even made Yuan Zhou, who didn’t love to drink tea at all, feel heartache.
However, the reason why Yuan Zhou didn’t make tea for the past few days was because he was thinking about Boss Tong’s matter. Although she didn’t come to talk about her store with him again, Yuan Zhou was still a little worried.
After all, Boss Tong had neither relatives nor friends over here.
Nonetheless, Li Wentong didn’t have such worry at all. He came over here and ordered a serving of Green Jade Rice Crust every evening. No matter where he was seated, he straightforwardly went up and stood beside Master Cheng when Yuan Zhou was cooking. Both people stared at Yuan Zhou cooking this dish together.
“Hi, Master Cheng.” Li Wentong greeted him courteously every time.
“Don’t talk so much. Just watch.” Every time, Master Cheng said the same words, yet his tone became softer and softer.
“Um.” Li Wentong nodded his head.
Due to his overall disposition and temperament, Li Wentong always made people feel comfortable. Even Master Cheng felt the same. As for Yuan Zhou, you would know the answer when you saw him cook the Green Jade Rice Crust carefully and earnestly step by step.
Speaking of the techniques, the Green Jade Rice Crust wasn’t really too difficult, especially with Yuan Zhou’s careful demonstrations. Of course, it was so only to Master Cheng.
Though it was a little difficult for Li Wentong, he was, fortunately, very smart. For some of the cooking skills which he couldn’t master now, he would break them down and replace them with some simple ones, which made it achievable. After all, what he was good at wasn’t cooking.
When Li Wentong came to the restaurant after another two days, it was during noon. He didn’t order any dishes to eat this time, because when he arrived here, lunchtime had just ended. However, Master Cheng was still there.
“Thank you, Boss Yuan. Thank you, Master Cheng.” Once he entered the restaurant, Li Wentong said thanks to them straightforwardly.
The two people were a little puzzled, but they still said earnestly, “Don’t mention it.”
Li Wentong was really very happy today as he had finally fulfilled his wife’s wish.
It just happened last night.
That day, Li Wentong specially spared an afternoon from his busy schedule. He first called his wife to let her leave their home temporarily with a made-up excuse and then went back home. Then, he entered the kitchen and started to cook busily.
Li Wentong cooked very slowly. It took him about two hours to make the Green Jade Rice Crust. Luckily, he had a good command of the timing. When it was just done, his wife returned.
“Wentong, what did Sister Liu cook? It’s quite fragrant with a little scorched smell.” An amiable female voice came with the sound of the door opening.
Then, a slender and spirited, middle-aged woman with short hair and light make-up walked into the room.
“Ah Hui, Sister Liu isn’t here today. Change your shoes and come taste this.” After he untied the ap.r.o.n and set it down quickly, Li Wentong pointed at the big soup bowl covered with a lid on the table and said.
“What is it? Why are you being so mysterious?” The woman called Ah Hui smiled and said. However, she also quickened the speed of changing shoes as she was also very curious.
“You’ll know why in no time.” It was rare for Li Wentong to not behave calmly and gently, but contrarily appeared a little excited.
“Alright. It’s time. Should I open it, or you do it?” Ah Hui sat beside the dining table and asked with a smile.”
“Of course you open it.” Li Wentong sat across the table and looked at his wife expectantly.
“We have been an old married couple for years. You are still doing this?” Stared at by Li Wentong, Ah Hui blushed slightly. Although she said that with a seemingly angry tone, the smile on her face stated her happiness clearly.
“Hurry up.” Li Wentong didn’t care about that, but just urged her.
With the sound of the porcelains colliding, A Hui removed the lid of the soup bowl. A semi-circle rice crust was upside down and floating in the bowl. It was the Green Jade Rice Crust.
“It’s actually the Green Jade Rice Crust?” While looking at the rice crust and Li Wentong, Ah Hui instantly felt a warmth in her heart. For an instant, she didn’t even know what to say.
That’s right. Li Wentong cooked this dish just for his wife.
Her real name was Zheng Hui. She and Li Wentong were considered to be a couple that went through many difficulties. Ever since Li Wentong first started his career, she had been with him until now.
As for this Green Jade Rice Crust, Li Wentong had once specially brought her to eat it when they were in love in order to please her. At that time, they were still in a small county.
Until now, Zheng Hui could still remember the taste of this dish. It tasted crisp, soft, and sticky while the broth inside was mellow, fragrant, and sweet. It was the first time that she had known the rice crust could be so delicious after being rinsed in the broth.
As their 20th wedding anniversary was coming, Zheng Hui suddenly thought of this dish again and thus wanted to eat it. She just mentioned this matter twice and Li Wentong indeed took her to eat it somewhere.
However, this dish didn’t exist anymore, no matter in the five-star hotels or famous small restaurants along the street. Even if somebody had truly cooked the dish, it was more in name than in reality.
They either carried to them some rice crust and poured some chicken soup inside or made it into Sliced Meat with Rice Crust. Having eaten these types of overrated rice crust several times, even Zheng Hui herself couldn’t bear it and no longer thought of going to eat it.
She was reluctant to go out to look for it even when Li Wentong invited her. Yet, now, this dish was served in front of her.
“Was it cooked by you, Wentong?” Zheng Hui revealed a smile and asked.
“Of course. You can try the taste.” Li Wentong said proudly.
“I remember you could only cook Fried Eggs with Tomatoes. When do you learn to cook this dish?” While inserting complaints in her speech, Zheng Hui, on the contrary, reached out the chopsticks in her hands to pick the rice crust.
“After eating, you’ll know it’s definitely the taste you want.” Li Wentong said full of confidence.