Transmigrated into an Ancient ABO Fantasy World: A Culinary Comeback - Chapter 6

According to Fan Xi, dinner tonight would include three members of the Liu family, Elder Xie, and Miss Xie, none of whom had dietary restrictions. Since Miss Xie would be present, Wang Xiaojin considered adding a dessert. He ultimately decided on three dishes: shrimp-stuffed eggplant boxes, sour and spicy chicken gizzards, and sachima. These dishes sounded quite novel at least Fan Xi had never seen them before. After expressing his satisfaction, Fan Xi went off to attend to some unknown business.

Wang Xiaojin worked alone in the kitchen, starting with the sachima. He beat several eggs into flour, mixed until smooth, and kneaded it into a soft dough. After covering it to rest for 40 minutes, he rolled it out and cut it into short strips. These were then fried in hot oil over high heat, constantly turned with chopsticks until golden brown. He made a syrup by boiling sugar and maltose until it could form threads, then tossed the fried strips and dried fruits in it. The mixture was pressed into a mold, flattened, and left to cool at room temperature.

By nearly four o’clock, other chefs began trickling in to start their shifts, and orders from the front started coming in. Wang Xiaojin moved on to the shrimp-stuffed eggplant boxes. He cut long eggplants into slices to form “sandwiches,” stuffed them with seasoned minced pork and a whole shrimp, pressed them firmly, coated them in flour, and deep-fried them until golden. After draining, he drizzled a sauce over them, giving the dishes a glossy red hue and plump appearance.

The other chefs had been instructed not to comment on anything they saw, so Wang Xiaojin wasn’t worried about being observed even if they watched, they couldn’t replicate his skills. Finally, he prepared the sour and spicy chicken gizzards.

Fan Xi arrived right on time, eyeing the three dishes greedily. He swallowed his saliva, packed them into a food container, and carried it to the study, where Madam Deng was waiting.

In the main hall, Mother Liu, Liu Fujin, Elder Xie Xing, and Xie Yu’an were chatting and taking their seats. Mother Liu, in her fifties, was dignified and imposing. In the Kingdom of Yulong, Kunze were permitted to hold official positions, though few did, most being from established families. Elder Xie was one such official, yet she remained kind and amiable. Xie Yu’an sat demurely by her side.

After sitting, Mother Liu asked her son, “Why hasn’t your wife arrived yet? Such lack of manners!”

Liu Fujin smiled apologetically. “Mother, Dengniang said she recently practiced a few new delicious dishes and wanted to take this opportunity to honor you and Elder Xie. She’ll bring them over shortly.”

“I suppose she has some consideration.”

“Indeed, having such a filial daughter-in-law is a blessing,” Elder Xie chimed in soothingly.

Just then, Madam Deng Shu walked in gracefully, carrying the food container, exuding the poise of a well-bred lady. She greeted the elders with a bow before taking her seat, allowing her maid to arrange the dishes she had brought.

Mother Liu examined the three dishes, their appearance was appealing and unfamiliar. “Did you make these?” she asked.

Deng Shu replied softly, slightly nervous, “Yes, Mother. I specially learned them to honor you and Elder Xie.” She then introduced each dish one by one.

Mother Liu invited Elder Xie to taste first. Xie Xing picked up a piece of chicken gizzard from the plate adorned with green and red chili chunks. As she bit into it, her eyes lit up, and she nodded while savoring it crispy, sour, and spicy, with the pickled chili’s heat intensifying as she chewed. She quickly took a few mouthfuls of rice. The combination of the gizzard’s savory oil and the rice was not only satisfying and cooling but also appetizing, thanks to the pickled chili’s tang.

The others watched in surprise as the composed Elder Xie devoured several bites of rice and praised the dish enthusiastically: “In all my years as an official, I’ve never tasted such an exhilarating dish. Madam Deng’s skill is truly admirable.” She gave a thumbs-up in approval.

Deng Shu felt a mix of delight and slight embarrassment from the praise, her cheeks warming. She stole a glance at Madam Liu, who, seeing her friend’s exaggerated admiration, also picked up a bite. The others followed suit, and soon they were all taking several mouthfuls of rice in unison while continuously helping themselves to more dishes.

Madam Liu, having sampled countless delicacies, rarely found any food that could truly move her heart. Yet this dish before her brought such an exquisite sensation it felt as if it shot straight to the crown of her head, lightening the heaviness in her chest.

Her expression softened noticeably as she turned to Deng Shu, offering rare praise: “Child, this dish you’ve made is truly delicious. It’s rare to find someone with such culinary skill.”

Hearing this, Deng Shu humbly demurred, exchanging a glance with Liu Fujin, their eyes alight with shared joy.

The atmosphere grew warm and lively, filled with laughter and chatter. The group shed their formalities, and Xie Yu’an, unlike the older folks who could handle spice, found her face flushed red from the heat. She turned to the shrimp-stuffed eggplant boxes round, coated in a crimson sauce. With a light bite, she discovered a perfect blend of sweet, sour, and crispiness, with a hint of spiciness. The eggplant was tender and smooth, the shrimp fragrant, and the meatball inside juicy and delicate. Her eyes sparkled like stars as she exclaimed, “Wow, this is so delicious!”

The two elders chuckled at her reaction. Madam Liu kindly said to her, “If you like it, come often. Your sister-in-law can make it for you.”

Knowing Xie Yu’an’s true identity as a noble lady, Madam Liu felt both genuinely pleased by the food’s quality and proud that it had impressed someone of such status. Her regard for Deng Shu grew even warmer.

In the end, the group polished off every dish Wang Xiaojin had prepared, each feeling thoroughly satisfied. As they prepared to leave, Xie Yu’an couldn’t stop thinking about the shrimp-stuffed eggplant boxes and that uniquely textured, oddly named sha qima.

By then, Wang Xiaojin had long since taken her earnings and returned home. With an extra 200 coins in her pocket, she slept soundly that night.

Waking refreshed, she faced another day of setting up her stall.

However, the days that followed weren’t as smooth. She often found herself bailed out by Fan Xi sometimes because Madam Liu suddenly craved a snack, other times because Xie Yu’an dropped by to mooch a meal from Deng Shu. This happened so frequently that Fan Xi became adept at independently running the noodle stall.

Wang Xiaojin and Xie Yu’an’s relationship also “advanced by leaps and bounds,” mainly because wherever Xie Yu’an went, Wang Xiaojin seemed to be there. It wasn’t intentional; Xie Yu’an constantly stuck close to Deng Shu, and since Deng Shu often needed Wang Xiaojin’s help, their paths inevitably crossed.

After numerous encounters, the young girl grew annoyed: “Hey, why are you always following me!”

Wang Xiaojin, utterly innocent, stammered, “I’m really not following you. I…” She struggled for words, sweating anxiously, unable to articulate a response. It wasn’t an act, she genuinely seemed flustered.

Seeing her like this, the girl let out a disdainful “tsk,” half-convinced, half-skeptical. As she passed by, she caught the scent of freshly cooked food on Wang Xiaojin but didn’t dwell on it.

Occasionally, the girl would stop her to ask about her monthly wages as a servant. Wang Xiaojin randomly replied with 70 coins per day. The girl pondered this, commenting that the pay was fair not high, but acceptable since it included room and board.

It dawned on Wang Xiaojin then that Xie Yu’an, despite her seemingly naive and unworldly demeanor, still carried the upbringing of an aristocratic family, not entirely detached from practical matters.

As for what “aristocratic family” truly meant, Wang Xiaojin didn’t fully grasp it. But in her short time here, she could sense that the waters of Yulong Kingdom ran deep far beyond what her historical knowledge could help her navigate.

Then one day, Wang Xiaojin nearly blew her cover. Xie Yu’an, on a sudden whim, decided to take a stroll along the riverbank at noon and happened to spot Wang Xiaojin selling noodles there, bustling with activity. The young lady, quick-witted, didn’t approach rashly. After observing for a while, she noticed that Wang Xiaojin’s demeanor and speech were no different from an ordinary person’s, and she was clearly the owner of the stall. Fuming, Xie Yu’an stood to the side, glaring at Wang Xiaojin.

Wang Xiaojin was happily cooking noodles when she suddenly felt a chill. After handing a bowl to a customer, she casually glanced up at the sky, and her eyes widened in shock Xie Yu’an was standing not far away, staring right at her!

When there were no customers for the moment, Wang Xiaojin took an unused spare bowl, cooked a portion of noodles, and approached the girl with a smile. “Um, Miss Xie, please have some noodles.” The girl didn’t take it.

Wang Xiaojin set the bowl on a nearby tree stump and said, “Actually, you might not know this, but this stall isn’t mine.”

“Oh, keep making things up. The stall might be a lie, but you don’t seem stupid either you were calling out to customers quite naturally. And would a master let their servant run off to do other work?” The girl crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. Even now, she was still spinning tales.

Wang Xiaojin broke into a sweat, thinking, “She’s right. How am I going to explain this?” Why was it that whenever she faced Xie Yu’an, her mind seemed to freeze and her words became clumsy and awkward?

Seeing her fall silent again, the girl put her hands on her hips, annoyed. “Wang Xiaojin! Why aren’t you saying anything now? Weren’t you quite talkative earlier?”

Wang Xiaojin wiped her forehead and said, “I don’t know what to say.”

“Hmph, I let you off the hook last time when you pretended to be a fool, but it seems you’re not much smarter now,” Xie Yu’an glanced her over from head to toe. “But if you’re not a servant, how can you come and go from the Liu family? And why pretend to be one? Ah, forget it.” Seeing Wang Xiaojin acting like a mute, Xie Yu’an waved her hand impatiently, deciding not to press the matter further.

Relieved that she wasn’t digging deeper, Wang Xiaojin thought to herself that if Xie Yu’an had insisted on getting to the bottom of it and the truth came out, losing 200 wen would be a small matter but she couldn’t bear to disrupt the relatively stable life Deng Shu had finally managed to build.

Although she didn’t think Xie Yu’an would do something like that, it was better to be safe than sorry.

After mulling it over, Wang Xiaojin smiled ingratiatingly and said, “Miss Xie, have you eaten? Try the noodles I made. This bowl and chopsticks haven’t been used by anyone.”

Wang Xiaojin looked at her expectantly, making Xie Yu’an feel a bit awkward. She touched her stomach she was indeed a little hungry. But the tree stump was hardly an elegant place to eat. Fortunately, Wang Xiaojin found her a stool and also served her some cucumber salad.

After taking just one bite, Xie Yu’an’s expression lit up. The delicious flavor felt strangely familiar and incredibly fragrant. She finished the meal with satisfaction, wiped her mouth, and said to Wang Xiaojin, “I never expected it you might be a bit slow, but your cooking skills are quite good! This young lady is very pleased!” She clasped her hands behind her back and smiled, like a proud little cat.

Once again, Wang Xiaojin didn’t know how to respond. She could only nod and say, “Yes, yes, yes.” Her awkwardness made Xie Yu’an lose interest immediately, and she gracefully walked away.

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