Transmigrated into an Ancient ABO Fantasy World: A Culinary Comeback - Chapter 16

After trying the casserole potato noodles once, Shen Kai couldn’t get them out of his mind and often came back for more. Sometimes, when meeting with Lady Chen at Hongqing Tower, he would even send servants to buy them for him.

The so-called Lady Chen, named Chen Yi, was an entertainer who performed but did not sell her body. With her icy beauty and unparalleled musical talent that astonished all who heard her, it was difficult to get close to her at Hongqing Tower. Those who could share a meal with her were few and far between, and Shen Kai was one of them, as was Xie Yu’an.

The two were also good friends, as their personalities aligned, and they shared an unusual fondness for entertainment.

As the lanterns lit up the evening, the area around Hongqing Tower bustled with activity, lively and bustling. Inside the tower, singing and dancing filled the air, accompanied by the melodious sounds of wind and string instruments, their lingering notes drifting far into the distance.

Shen Kai, Xie Yu’an, and the entertainer Lady Chen sat in a room on the upper floor with an excellent view, listening to music, sipping tea, and enjoying snacks, thoroughly content.

Shen Kai invited the two to try the casserole potato noodles. Upon hearing the name, Xie Yu’an found it familiar. As soon as she took a bite from the small porcelain bowl, she remembered: wasn’t this the dish invented by Wang Xiaojin from Dongyang County? How had it made its way to the capital?

Upon further inquiry, she learned it was from Wang’s Casserole Potato Noodles on South Street. Listening to Shen Kai enthusiastically recount the legendary experiences of the shop’s owner, Xie Yu’an had a guess and couldn’t help but laugh. Who would have thought that clumsy Wang Xiaojin had such talent, even making a name for herself in the capital? How had she never noticed it before?

Preoccupied with this thought, Xie Yu’an went early the next morning to Wang’s on South Street. As soon as she entered, she saw Deng Shu sitting at a table, seemingly doing accounts. When Deng Shu noticed someone had come in, she looked up and greeted them habitually, “Welcome, esteemed guest. What would you like?”

But then she saw it was Xie Yu’an! She let out a joyful exclamation, and the two, reunited after a long separation, embraced warmly.

“Xiaojin, come see who’s here!” After a moment of excitement, Deng Shu quickly called out to Wang Xiaojin, who was preparing food in the kitchen.

Wang Xiaojin emerged, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist. When she saw Xie Yu’an, her eyes lit up with delight. The young woman, dressed in a green blouse and pink skirt, tilted her head and smiled at her, as bright and lovely as she remembered.

Wang Xiaojin’s face flushed red, so overjoyed she didn’t know what to do. She fidgeted, unsure whether to stand or sit.

Xie Yu’an burst out laughing, “Hahaha, Wang Xiaojin, you’re still the same! You’re practically a big boss now, aren’t you?”

She was somewhat familiar with Wang Xiaojin’s temperament and was no longer surprised by it, even finding the mood to tease her.

Wang Xiaojin scratched her head awkwardly, “Well, Miss Xie, what would you like to eat?”

Xie Yu’an, who had been curiously observing the small shop, waved her hand dismissively, “No need, I’m not hungry right now. I’ll keep Sister Deng company for a while. You go ahead with your work.”

“Oh!” Wang Xiaojin replied dejectedly, rubbing her nose. Watching the two chat happily nearby, she clenched her fists, sighed inwardly, and left the space to the two sisters, returning to her tasks.

It wasn’t just Xie Yu’an who knew about Wang Xiaojin; her father, Xie Ding, had also learned of her, thanks to a letter from his younger sister, Xie Xing.

Wang Xiaojin’s main mission was to ensure the safety of Xie Ding and Xie Yu’an. Xie Xing had provided a letter as proof to help the prince trust the group.

After learning about it, Xie Ding frequently contacted Wang Xiaojin. Sometimes he would visit her shop, and other times he would have her enter and leave the prince’s residence under the guise of delivering meals. The two often secretly sparred in the backyard. Both Xie Yu’an and Xie Ding were practitioners of the Metal element, but Xie Ding’s Metal energy was not as refined and elegant as that of a younger man. Tall and imposing, he carried himself with the aura of a tiger, exuding the demeanor of a scholarly general. His moves were grand and unrestrained, carrying an overwhelming sense of lethality that always left Wang Xiaojin struggling to defend herself.

When Xie Yu’an or others inquired, the excuse given was, “The prince craves Wang Xiaojin’s cooking.” Whether the black-clad figures lurking in the shadows believed it or not was unimportant as long as others took it at face value. Although these black-clad individuals were at odds with the Xie family, they seemed unwilling to openly reveal such a unique constitution to the world.

Xie Ding shared Xie Xing’s gluttonous nature, and often Wang Xiaojin had the illusion that the prince wasn’t there to spar or discuss matters but simply to indulge his cravings. Today was no exception, she was summoned once again.

The prince’s kitchen had lamb today, so Wang Xiaojin made lamb shaomai. It had been a while since she last had shaomai, and she found herself craving it. She prepared a bowl of lamb filling, adding green onions, ginger, Sichuan pepper water, and other seasonings. To ensure the shaomai were juicy, she added some bone broth and stirred the mixture clockwise until it became a paste. Then, she rolled the dough wrappers thin, pressed them into lotus-leaf edges with a tool, filled them with the lamb filling, and gently shaped them with her hands each shaomai standing upright in no time.

With three liang of dough, she steamed three baskets of shaomai. Wang Xiaojin also made a few beef pies, deep-fried lamb chops, and a large bowl of milky-white lamb soup. She prepared a dipping sauce of chili and vinegar, and she and the prince began their meal.

In the days since Wang Xiaojin had been sparring with the prince, her skills had improved, and her appetite had grown accordingly. As for the prince, a fierce general with the appetite to match, it went without saying. The moment the food was served, the two devoured it like a whirlwind.

The shaomai had thin skins and generous fillings fragrant without being gamey, tender and juicy. Both of them downed them in one bite. As they watched the top basket diminish one by one, it became clear that the shaomai weren’t enough. The beef pies, cut into triangles, were soft and overflowing with filling. Dipped in the chili-vinegar sauce, they were rolled up and swallowed in no time. Washed down with the delicious lamb soup and a few bites of fried lamb chops, it was yet another satisfying meal.

After eating their fill, the prince solemnly told Wang Xiaojin that he intended to support the sixth prince and asked for her opinion.

Wang Xiaojin had been quietly observing the two princes at events they frequently attended. The third prince was flamboyant and unrestrained, sharp and clever, but overly arrogant. The sixth prince was reasonably intelligent and indeed low-key and honest, but for some reason, Wang Xiaojin felt intensely uncomfortable whenever she saw him.

After a moment of contemplation, she voiced her thoughts. The prince laughed heartily, dismissing her concerns. “I’ve watched the sixth prince grow up,” he said. “Though he isn’t particularly likable, he means no harm. There’s no need to rush to a conclusion, we can observe him a bit longer.”

Wang Xiaojin nodded. They would wait and see. Gut feelings were too elusive, and it would be too rash to dismiss the sixth prince based solely on that.

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