Ch 51: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

When Xiaolian recognized Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque, Yu Jiuque had already noticed them as soon as they entered. He recognized Xiaolian as the maid who had once bought several snacks and later even gave them a tip.

He guessed that Miss Song, the third daughter of the Song family, had likely already tasted their cooking.

However, while the previous dishes were street food, this time Qin Xia would be preparing a proper meal.

Given that neither of the siblings seemed to have a large appetite, and with Song Yunmu being ill, Qin Xia carefully considered the menu after confirming that red meat could be used today. He then began his preparations.

The first dish Qin Xia selected was mandarin fish.

There’s a saying: “In March, the mandarin fish is plump like the peach blossoms.”

The use of the word “plump” to describe the mandarin fish likely comes from another saying about its taste—”it tastes like pork.”

Pork refers to its rich, fatty flavor, meaning that the mandarin fish’s richness is comparable to that of pork.

Qin Xia also loves mandarin fish, not because of its richness, but for a practical reason: it has thick meat and few bones.

When cooked, the fish’s flesh segments like garlic cloves, making it a delight for those who enjoy fish.

Although there’s a famous dish called squirrel mandarin fish, Qin Xia decided to make a lighter, cleaner dish today that would best showcase the fresh flavor of the fish: steamed mandarin fish with scallion oil.

He started by preparing the fresh mandarin fish that Zhuang Xing had just bought from the market. After killing the fish, scaling, and cleaning it, he chopped off the head and tail, cut out the large central bone, and then split the remaining fish into two halves, each scored with knife cuts about an inch wide.

The fish was then seasoned with salt and yellow wine and left to marinate for a short while, after which it was placed on ginger slices and steamed.

Once steamed, the fish would be drained of any excess liquid, garnished with julienned vegetables, drizzled with hot oil, and finished with a splash of steamed fish soy sauce.

While the fish was steaming, Qin Xia prepared another dish: shrimp with scrambled eggs.

He took a plate of large river prawns, peeled and deveined them, and then prepped them for cooking.

After briefly frying the shrimp until just cooked, he whisked a bowl of golden egg mixture combined with water-dissolved starch and poured it into the pan with the shrimp, quickly stir-frying them together.

The eggs fluffed up like clouds, with the shrimp nestled within, retaining their fresh and tender flavor.

In addition to these two dishes, Qin Xia also prepared pearl meatballs. The process involved finely chopping the meat, shaping it into balls, and rolling them in glutinous rice.

The meatballs were perfectly round, with the rice grains gleaming like pearls.

Another dish, three bamboo shoots soup, was made by simmering three types of fresh bamboo shoots in chicken broth.

The soup was to be drunk first, followed by the bamboo shoots, a flavor that could only be savored during the winter and spring seasons when bamboo shoots are at their freshest.

A plate of vegetarian Kung Pao, inspired by Kung Pao chicken, was also prepared.

The selection of vegetables could vary according to the season. Today, Qin Xia chose potatoes, cucumbers, and carrots.

Quick stir-frying ensured the vegetables retained their vibrant colors, making the dish as pleasing to the eye as it was to the palate.

Finally, Qin Xia added a small portion of cold-served pickled duck liver.

Pickling, in this case, involved using a fragrant pickling brine rather than the more common salty brine.

The fragrant pickling brine used at Qin Family Eatery was homemade by Qin Xia, using aged wine lees bought from a distillery and a good quality Huadiao wine.

Unlike regular pickled foods, those prepared in fragrant pickling brine lack the intense dark color, but the rich flavor is fully infused.

When all the dishes were served, Song Dongling found herself at a loss, unsure of which one to start with, as each dish was perfectly suited to her taste.

However, her favorite was the pearl meatballs—not only were they visually appealing, but their texture was also delightfully unique.

The outer layer of glutinous rice was soft and flavorful, while the meat filling inside was perfectly balanced, rich but not greasy.

As for Song Yunmu, it had been a long time since he had such a good appetite.

He ate several pieces of fish, three or four pearl meatballs, and several spoonfuls of the shrimp and scrambled eggs.

The three bamboo shoots soup, served in a small porcelain bowl, was so fresh that it made his taste buds tingle with delight.

Song Dongling rarely saw her brother so focused on eating. Usually, at home, getting him to take a few extra bites was like pulling teeth.

Feeling satisfied, she smiled and carefully tasted another bite of duck liver.

The liver required only a light chew to dissolve into a fine powder, a delicacy indeed.

“No wonder Boss Qin caught Uncle’s eye. Just take this duck liver, for instance—our family’s chef can’t produce anything like this.”

She ate with such enjoyment that her expression became more animated.

At this point, the meal was still missing one final dish—”the main course.”

Considering the siblings’ small appetites, Qin Xia slowly simmered a special porridge.

“This porridge is called ‘Sweet Soymilk Porridge,’ a recipe that originated in Jinling. It’s also known as ‘Beauty Porridge.’ It contains various grains and yams, with a base made from soy milk, which is nourishing and easy to digest,” explained Qiuchuan as he stepped aside, allowing Xiaolian to step forward and serve the porridge into small bowls for the two siblings.

Song Yunmu listened and nodded with a smile.

“Boss Qin has truly put thought into this.”

This sweet porridge, with its name “Beauty Porridge,” was not only a compliment to his younger sister but also aligned with the principles of health, allowing him to eat a few more spoonfuls without worrying about upsetting his stomach.

It seemed that the owner of Qin Family Eatery not only had excellent culinary skills but also the sharpness of a savvy businessman.

“This porridge is truly unique. It looks like there’s no rice in it, yet the aroma is rich with the scent of rice.”

Song Dongling gently stirred the porridge with her spoon, letting the steam rise.

After it had cooled slightly, she took a sip, her almond-shaped eyes widening in delight.

“Brother, you must try this! You’ll definitely like it!”

Urged by his sister, Song Yunmu quickly took a taste.

“Hmm, it’s indeed very good.”

The rice and yams in the porridge had been cooked down and pureed, so while you couldn’t see the grains, you could still feel a fine texture on your tongue.

Before he knew it, Song Yunmu had already drunk half of the porridge in his bowl.

His attendant quickly stepped forward to remind him, “Master, you’ve eaten quite a bit today.”

Song Yunmu coughed lightly and reluctantly put down his spoon.

Song Dongling, unhappy with this, remarked, “You haven’t eaten much at all, Brother, not even as much as I have. I’ve always thought that our family’s approach to health is flawed. Who says you should eat less when you’re ill? Starving yourself won’t make you better! When Mother was still around, she often made special meals for us, and we never got sick from it.”

Seeing his sister’s temper rising, Song Yunmu had to gently remind her, “Dongling, be careful with your words when you’re out.”

Song Dongling took a deep breath, suppressing the anger that had flared up inside her.

Once she had calmed down, Song Yunmu instructed his attendant, “We’ve finished eating here. Go inform Boss Qin that we have something to discuss with him.”

The attendant immediately went to carry out the order.

Qin Xia had expected that the Song siblings wouldn’t come all this way just for a meal, so he had been waiting.

When he entered the room, the table had already been cleared, and a pot of fresh tea along with a few tea snacks had been set out.

A beast-shaped incense burner was releasing tendrils of fragrant smoke, masking the lingering smells of the meal.

After exchanging greetings, Song Yunmu was the first to speak.

He explained that after receiving the recommendation from Sang Chenghua, Master Song had approved the arrangement.

“The matter of the birthday banquet has been entrusted to my sister and me by our father, so today we speak on behalf of the Song family.”

Just like the steward who came from the Sang residence, the Song family provided a down payment of twenty taels, with the promise of an additional hundred taels if the banquet went smoothly.

“For my father’s birthday, many guests will be invited. It’s likely that Boss Qin won’t be able to handle everything alone. You may bring one or two assistants with you, and their wages will be covered by our household.”

A hundred and eighty taels of silver might be enough to support an ordinary family for more than a year, but for these wealthy merchants, it was just the cost of one meal—only the chef’s payment, not even including the cost of ingredients.

Qin Xia had no objections to this.

He planned to bring Zheng Xinghua and Zhuang Xing along, close the restaurant for a day, and leave the Qiu siblings in charge—no problem at all.

He had a feeling that the banquet at the Sang residence was just the prelude.

After the Song family’s birthday banquet, Qin Family Eatery would likely become even more renowned in the city.

Besides, in his past life working at a five-star hotel, he had served all kinds of customers. Whether it was the Sang family, the Song family, or the Liu or Chen families, whatever families, nothing could shake Qin Xia’s composure.

Song Yunmu observed the young boss in front of him, who was about the same age as himself, and was surprised by his calm demeanor.

It was worth noting that the previous chef the Song family had hired was Old Master Chang, and even though Chang Yue lou’s reputation had taken a hit recently, it was still miles ahead of Qin Family Eater in terms of prestige.

Song Yunmu had initially worried that Qin Xia might be a sycophantic person driven by fame and fortune, but now he seemed more like someone who had seen the world.

Sitting with his hands tucked into his sleeves, Song Yunmu tapped his fingers lightly and exchanged a glance with Song Dongling before revealing the second reason they had come—

They wanted Qin Xia to recreate a dish from their memories.

Qin Xia was genuinely surprised by this request.

“I wonder what kind of recipe it is—could it be a lost one?”

Qin Xia initially thought it might be an ancient recipe from a previous dynasty, but to his surprise, Song Yunmu replied, “This dish doesn’t come from any famous chef; it was one of my mother’s specialties.”

Song Yunmu barely got a few words out before he started coughing uncontrollably, with even the medicinal tea failing to calm it.

As she gently patted her brother’s back, Song Dongling took over the conversation.

Song Yunmu and Song Dongling’s mother, who was the wife of Master Song and the younger sister of Sang Chenghua, was named Sang Jinyao.

Although Sang Jinyao and Song Luan were married by arrangement, their union had produced a son and a daughter, indicating that they had shared a genuine and loving relationship for some time.

After marrying into the Song family, Sang Jinyao not only managed the household but also took charge of the kitchen. In her spare time, she loved to experiment with cooking in her small kitchen.

“When Mother was cooking, she wouldn’t allow even her closest maids and attendants to enter. She insisted on doing everything herself from start to finish because she said that the time she spent cooking was the only time she could truly find some peace and quiet, and she didn’t want anyone else disturbing that.”

One of Sang Jinyao’s best dishes was a dish called “Immortal Duck.”

According to Song Yunmu and Song Dongling’s descriptions, this dish truly lived up to its name, offering a taste that was nothing short of divine.

“This was also Father’s favorite dish. After Mother passed away, he often reminisced about it. Unfortunately, Mother never had the habit of writing down her recipes. Even though we managed to piece together some of the ingredients from what the servants remembered, no matter how the cooks in the household tried to prepare it, they could never replicate the original taste.”

At this point, she looked at Qin Xia.

“Boss Qin, your culinary skills surpass those of the chefs in our household. My brother and I were hoping that perhaps you could recreate this dish. If you succeed, we’d like to prepare it ourselves as a special birthday treat for our father.”

Qin Xia listened carefully and didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he took a moment to ponder before finally speaking.

“Recreating a dish is not an easy task, and I can’t guarantee success, but I’m willing to give it my best try.”

Qin Xia wasn’t particularly concerned with the internal conflicts of the Song family, but it was clear that the upcoming birthday banquet for Master Song was likely to become a battleground between the first and second branches of the family.

The second branch had made mistakes and was likely in the wrong, while Song Yunmu and Song Dongling, through Sang Chenghua, had found a chef with no ties to the second branch.

Now, they had the idea of recreating the “Immortal Duck” dish.

Qin Xia couldn’t help but feel a bit curious himself—if he succeeded, what expression would Master Song have when he tasted the dish on his birthday?

“In that case, I’ll need both of you to provide as many details as possible about this ‘Immortal Duck’—the ingredients, flavors, even the color and plating. All of these could be important clues.”

Qin Xia had Qiuchuan bring over a set of pen and ink, and he took notes as they spoke.

After a stick of incense’s time, several sheets of paper were filled with notes.

By this point, Qin Xia felt he was about 30 to 40 percent confident in his ability to recreate the dish.

The two parties then agreed on a three-day deadline.

Song Yunmu mentioned that even if Qin Xia couldn’t successfully recreate the dish within three days, it wouldn’t be a reflection of his skills, and they would still pay him for his efforts.

For Qin Xia, there was no downside.

Over the next few days, Qin Xia found himself juggling several major tasks.

In addition to managing the restaurant’s daily business, he had to discuss the banquet menu with the Song family’s steward. Any remaining time was devoted to working on the “Immortal Duck.”

After all, this was a dish he had never tasted, or even seen.

He had to extract information from the Song siblings’ descriptions and reverse-engineer the recipe based on his own experience.

For instance, if the outer skin was bright red, it likely had been brushed with a sugar glaze.

If the whole dish remained tender both inside and out after being served, it was probably steamed, not roasted.

Then there were the questions of why pig tongue and beef tripe appeared in the dish, at what stage they were added, and what role they played…

After several trials, he finally produced a version that he was at least satisfied with.

But whether it matched the taste in the Song siblings’ memories remained to be seen.

After repeatedly researching and testing the recipe, everyone at the restaurant ended up eating several ducks. Qin Xia even began dreaming that he had fallen into a nest of ducks.

One more time, he dreamed that his face was covered in duck feathers, and with a start, he woke up suddenly.

Only then did he realize that he wasn’t holding a duck, but Da Fu, who had somehow jumped onto the bed.

“What are you doing up here?!”

Qin Xia instantly became fully awake, sat up, and quickly shooed Da Fu off the bed. He then hurriedly inspected the bedding.

Thankfully, this straightforward creature hadn’t had time to leave any marks on the bed.

“I’ve told you, you can go anywhere, but not on the bed.”

He gave Da Fu a light flick on the head, then got dressed and left the room.

Da Fu, slightly hurt by the reprimand, flapped his wings furiously, shedding a few goose feathers.

Qin Xia bent down to pick them up as he made his way to the courtyard, where he ran into Yu Jiuque, who was coming from the direction of the backyard.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” he asked.

He stepped forward to take the bucket from Yu Jiuque’s hands, finding it already empty.

“Did you go to water the vegetable garden?” he asked.

The young man nodded, smiling. “Yes, everything’s growing nicely. In a little while, we should be able to start harvesting.”

For two novice gardeners, this was truly encouraging news.

Seeing the drowsy look on Qin Xia’s face, Yu Jiuque added, “While you were still sleeping, I went to the street and bought some egg wraps for breakfast, and I also made porridge. Go wash up, and I’ll bring it to the main hall.”

Egg wraps were a local breakfast delicacy in Qinan County, made by cracking an egg onto a flatbread and then frying it in oil.

It was different from egg-stuffed pancakes or egg burgers.

In his previous life, Qin Xia had never tried this dish, but after buying it once out of laziness, he found it quite to his liking.

Relieved that he didn’t have to prepare breakfast himself, Qin Xia quickly fetched some water and found a spot to wash up.

Since opening the restaurant, their finances had improved, and they had upgraded their toothbrushes and tooth powder to better quality.

He brushed his teeth, set the cup aside, and had just splashed some water on his face when he suddenly heard someone shouting from outside the courtyard wall.

“Stop the thief! Stop the thief!”