Ch 53: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

Qin Xia couldn’t be certain that the Immortal Duck he was preparing would taste the same as the one made by Madam Song in the past.

But even so, he poured his heart and soul into this dish.

He selected a two-and-a-half-pound mallard duck, boiled it in water with scallions, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, to remove the duck’s gamey odor.

While waiting, he simmered a pot of maltose syrup and then evenly spread the syrup over the duck’s skin.

Next came the most critical step: oil basting.

This step is essential for giving the duck’s skin its bright red color. Simply steaming the duck wouldn’t achieve this effect.

Qin Xia speculated that the cooks at the Song residence couldn’t recreate the Immortal Duck likely because they skipped this step or didn’t execute it properly.

The oil must not be too hot, or it would toughen the duck meat.

With one hand, Qin Xia secured the duck using an iron hook, while with the other, he ladled hot oil over it from top to bottom.

After several repetitions, the duck’s skin gradually took on a stunning hue.

He placed the golden-red duck back onto a plate and began arranging the side dishes.

He cleaned and blanched pig tongue and beef tripe, then sliced them thinly along with bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms.

Though these ingredients seemed unrelated, they all shared the common medicinal property of nourishing yin, moisturizing dryness, and strengthening the kidneys and qi.

Qin Xia speculated that Madam Song included them for their health benefits.

As for the two vegetarian dishes, they were purely for enhancing flavor.

He laid the side dishes as a base in the dish, placing a clean steamer cloth on the plate first, then layering and spreading out the ingredients.

Next, he placed the duck on top, tightly wrapped it in the steamer cloth, ensuring the duck remained juicy and flavorful during steaming.

The final step: seasoning.

He took a bowl of prepared broth, added syrup, salt, pepper, and cooking wine, and evenly poured it over the duck, soaking the cloth.

He garnished it with scallions and ginger before placing it in the steamer.

…

When Song Yunmu and Song Dongling arrived at the restaurant, the Immortal Duck had not yet finished cooking.

Qin Xia sent Qiu Chuan to serve them some small dishes to pass the time.

The sweet yam porridge from last time had been well received, so Qin Xia cleverly used yam again, this time making a dessert: jujube yam cake.

In Dream of the Red Chamber, it’s mentioned that Qin Keqing, while ill, ate two pieces of jujube yam cake sent by Jia Mu and found them easy to digest.

(T/N: “Dream of the Red Chamber” (红楼梦) is a classic Chinese novel written by Cao Xueqin in the 18th century. It follows the decline of the wealthy Jia family, focusing on the love triangle between the sensitive Jia Baoyu and his two cousins, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai. The novel explores themes of love, fate, and societal expectations, and is celebrated for its rich character development and detailed depiction of Qing dynasty aristocratic life. It is considered one of China’s greatest literary works.)

Qin Xia used the wooden flower molds he had bought for making peach blossom pastries, choosing a plum blossom pattern, and placed six pieces on a plate, accompanied by a pot of hawthorn, poria, and tangerine peel tea.

Qin Family Eatery wasn’t a high-end establishment capable of offering top-grade teas or exquisite, varied snacks. Qin Xia didn’t try to compete with those places; his restaurant had its own unique charm.

In addition to the Immortal Duck, he also prepared a few light, tasty stir-fried dishes.

An hour and a half later, the Immortal Duck was finally ready.

He unwrapped the steamer cloth, inverted the duck onto a plate, seasoned the radish and lettuce with the duck’s steaming juices, and used them to garnish the dish, finishing with a glaze of thickened sauce.

Qin Xia picked up the plate and served it himself.

Though the taste was yet to be determined, the moment Song Yunmu caught the scent of the dish up close, he was certain: this was the Immortal Duck he had once tasted.

At the very least, Qin Xia’s version was more authentic than anything the chefs at the Song residence had managed to produce.

Qin Xia set the plate down and didn’t rush to leave but stood quietly nearby, waiting for their evaluation.

Song Yunmu’s attendant and Xiao Lian each stepped forward, took a piece of duck along with some side dishes, and presented it to their master.

The duck meat on the plate was tender and fragrant, with each fiber distinct.

Song Dongling’s mouth watered involuntarily. She thought that even if she had never heard of this dish before today, just seeing it now would make her eager to try it.

Beside her, Song Yunmu had already taken his first bite of duck.

His expression grew serious as if he was comparing the taste with the one in his memory.

After a long pause, it was unclear whether he had reached any conclusion.

All Qin Xia could see was him slowly tasting the duck, pig tongue, beef tripe, and various side dishes one by one, before finally setting down his chopsticks without saying a word.

Qin Xia couldn’t decipher the young master’s reaction, so he continued to stand quietly, his eyes lowered in contemplation.

Meanwhile, Song Dongling stared at the lettuce on the plate, lost in thought.

She murmured, “Brother, do you remember that this dish originally didn’t have lettuce?”

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Song Yunmu’s lips, and after a moment, he said, “I thought you might have forgotten, considering how young you were back then.”

Song Dongling shook her head. “I was young, but I still remember. I didn’t like eating lettuce when I was little, but I loved the Immortal Duck that Mother made. So later on, Mother added lettuce to the dish because it soaked up the duck’s juices, making even the lettuce taste good.”

Song Yunmu’s expression softened as he, too, recalled, “I remember Father even joked that we should make a dish of just lettuce cooked in the duck broth and call it ‘Immortal Lettuce.'”

Song Dongling smiled as another memory came to her.

“Mother also said that only a family like ours would pair a whole duck with just two pieces of lettuce.”

Sang Jinyao didn’t often cook, and the Immortal Duck that the Song family had cherished for so many years was something they had only eaten a few times. Even the “Immortal Lettuce,” which was made to coax a little girl, had only appeared on the table two or three times.

Not long after, Sang Jinyao passed away.

She left behind two children and a husband who, although he had shed tears for his late wife at her funeral, began planning to elevate his concubine to the status of a legitimate wife within two years.

Song Dongling was no longer the naive little girl she once was. Looking back now, she realized that even before her mother passed away, her father’s heart had long since strayed from their family.

Otherwise, how could he have appeared so loving with their mother on one hand while being deeply involved with Concubine Guo on the other, even fathering a son with her?

The image of her father had long been shattered in her mind. To her, nothing was more important now than ensuring her brother recovered his health and preventing her foolish father from leaving the family estate to the son born of Concubine Guo—the very brother who seemed proper on the surface but spent most of his days seeking pleasure in Yanzhang Alley.

Her reverie ended.

After finishing the lettuce on her plate, Song Dongling said seriously, “Brother, I truly feel that Boss Qin’s version of the dish is almost identical to Mother’s, perhaps eight or nine parts similar.”

Song Yunmu silently agreed.

His earlier silence had been due to this very reason.

The version of Immortal Duck prepared by the cooks at the residence always tasted like a variation of braised duck, with the flavors of the side dishes remaining distinct and unblended.

But the dish that Qin Xia presented captured the essence of authentic Immortal Duck.

It was salty with a hint of sweetness, the flavors rich and penetrating. The pig tongue, beef tripe, and other ingredients melded perfectly with the duck’s aroma, creating a harmonious and unique taste.

“Boss Qin’s culinary skills are indeed remarkable. I’m truly impressed,” Song Yunmu said sincerely as he looked at Qin Xia.

Receiving this affirmation from the siblings, Qin Xia finally felt a sense of relief.

“Your praise is too generous, young master. I am merely a humble cook, and cooking is the only thing I truly know. The credit for this dish goes to Madam Song’s brilliant idea of combining these ingredients in such a way that they complement each other perfectly, living up to the name ‘Immortal.'”

Qin Xia’s words were heartfelt. This dish was good enough to be the signature dish of any fine restaurant.

Unfortunately, Madam Song was no longer alive. Otherwise, Qin Xia believed that if she had written a recipe book, it might have been remembered through the ages.

Having successfully recreated the dish, Qin Xia didn’t forget that the siblings also wanted to learn how to make it.

He initially thought that the young master and miss were merely expressing interest and that when it came to the actual cooking, they would likely send servants or maids. To his surprise, Song Dongling actually rolled up her sleeves and wanted to learn.

Since some key steps could only be demonstrated in person, Qin Xia slaughtered another mallard and began explaining the process from blanching the duck.

He also wrote down all the key points on paper and handed them to the Song siblings.

By the time Song Dongling had learned most of the difficult parts of the recipe and was ready to practice at home, it was nearly evening.

Qin Xia received a reward of thirty taels of silver from Song Yunmu for his efforts, but he didn’t let the siblings leave empty-handed.

He prepared a box of jujube yam cakes along with osmanthus lotus root starch cakes and a jar of pear syrup for coughing.

“I’ve studied cooking for many years and have also delved into medicinal cuisine. This pear syrup is different from what’s sold in the market. If you have any concerns, young master, you can have it checked by a physician. I’ve also written down the recipes for several other medicinal dishes, which your household’s cooks should be able to prepare.”

The recipes Qin Xia provided were ones he had learned in his previous life from an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor with a long family history.

Judging by Song Yunmu’s symptoms, he suspected they were similar to those of a cousin in his family who had suffered from cor pulmonale.

This condition is essentially a combination of lung and heart disease. The afflicted person coughs incessantly, experiences chest tightness and shortness of breath at the slightest exertion, and feels weak, unable to engage in vigorous activity. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is referred to as “lung distension.”

Back then, he studied with an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor for several months and compiled quite a few medicinal recipes, all of which he memorized. Later, he selected a few and gave them to his cousin’s parents. He heard that, combined with TCM treatment, they gradually had some effect.

These recipes are of no use to him now, so it’s better to give them to someone who can benefit from them, helping in a small way.

Song Yunmu had been ill for many years and had consulted numerous renowned doctors, but his condition had never improved, so he no longer held out much hope.

However, after interacting with Qin Xia twice, he felt that this person was trustworthy and understood that Qin Xia’s intentions were good. Therefore, he accepted everything and promised to try it after returning home.

Meanwhile, Song Dongling, after hearing Qin Xia mention “the same origin of medicine and food,” seemed to fall into deep thought.

It wasn’t until Xiao Lian gently reminded her that she snapped out of it and politely bid farewell to Qin Xia.

With the Immortal Duck settled, the menu for the Song family’s birthday banquet was mostly finalized, and Qin Xia finally had some free time.

Good news also came from the authorities: a group of thieves who had been stealing dogs and cats in Qinan County had been apprehended. The head constable led his men to the thieves’ hideout in a rundown house on the outskirts of town, where they found dozens of cats in cages and over a dozen large dogs.

During interrogation, the thieves revealed that due to the strict investigations by the Street Office in Qinan County, coupled with a county magistrate who was intolerant of any corruption, they had been secretly selling the cat meat, disguised as wild game, to neighboring counties. Many of the cats in the cages had died due to prolonged confinement and lack of food and water, but most had survived.

In response, the constables posted notices at the county office and the Street Office, informing those who had filed reports to come and claim their pets. Any unclaimed cats would be released as strays.

Yang ge’er and his husband also found and reclaimed their cat. On the day they brought it home, they even brought gifts to the Qin family to express their gratitude.

Qin Xia jokingly said that they should thank Da Fu more than him.

What started as a joke turned out to be taken seriously by Yang ge’er. Afterward, he frequently brought food for Da Fu, and whenever he bought small fish or shrimp for his cat, he would bring some for Da Fu as well.

Qin Xia also heard that recently, more families in Furong Alley and Liuteng Alley had started raising geese. Throughout the day, goose calls could be heard several times.

Da Fu would often engage in “conversations” with other geese across the distance, honking back and forth. Who knew what they were “talking” about?

Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque also found some time to visit the stray cats temporarily housed at the Street Office. They selected a few familiar ones and brought them back to their yard, providing them with food bowls, water dishes, and cat beds both in the front and back yards, allowing them to come and go as they pleased.

Among them, the calico mother cat that Yu Jiuque had been thinking about for a long time ended up staying permanently. It could be seen every day, lying on its back in the yard, basking in the sun.

The two of them also adopted a small tabby cat they took a liking to and brought it to the restaurant kitchen to catch mice.

The little tabby cat, less than a year old, with a stocky build, was named Xiaohu. It was a fearless character, and within a few days, it had become fast friends with Zhaocai, the dog.

It never slept in the cat bed prepared for it, preferring to squeeze into Zhaocai’s dog bed and even compete with Zhaocai for meat.

The addition of the tabby cat brought a lot of joy to the restaurant’s backyard, especially for little Qiu Yao, who adored Xiaohu so much that she wanted to take it to bed with her.

Upon hearing this, Qin Xia gave Qiu Chuan some coins to buy some flea and tick powder from the pharmacy to use on Xiaohu and Zhaocai.

After all, it was important to keep the restaurant clean.

…

By mid-March, spring was coming to an end.

Yan Wei, after a long absence, came to deliver goods to the Qin Family Eatery.

This time, he brought seven or eight wild rabbits, along with five or six pheasants and wild ducks, and a string of quail.

Except for the quail, all of them were unharmed, as Qin Xia had instructed, so they could be kept in cages and slaughtered fresh when someone ordered them.

“I also have some poplar catkins, all picked by my younger siblings from the mountains. I’m not sure if Boss Qin wants them. If not, I’ll take them to the market to sell.”

Yu Jiuque didn’t know what “poplar catkins” were, so he glanced over and saw a basket full of red, worm-like things, immediately taking a step back.

“What are those?”

He then saw Qin Xia reach into the basket, grab a handful of the “worms,” and Yu Jiuque’s face turned pale.

Qin Xia found this amusing, and just then, Zheng Xinghua passed by. He held out his hand and asked, “Sister Zheng, do you recognize this?”

Zheng Xinghua glanced at it and was initially startled, but then she laughed when she realized what it was.

Seeing Yu Jiuque’s startled expression, she immediately understood what had happened.

“Don’t worry, little boss, these aren’t worms. They’re flowers from the poplar tree, also called poplar tassels or poplar fur in the countryside.”

Qiu Chuan heard the commotion and came over to join in the fun. Qin Xia gave him a couple, and sure enough, the boy went off to scare Qiu Yao with them, making the little girl run all around the yard.

Although Yu Jiuque understood what they were, he still asked with some hesitation, “Can you really eat these?”

Just looking at them made his scalp tingle.

“It’s edible. My grandmother used to love making dumplings with this.”

However, it’s rare to find this stuff in the city. Even if it falls to the ground, it’s quickly trampled, run over by cars, or eventually swept away by sanitation workers.

He remembered that when he was in elementary school, the school had planted many poplar trees. Being particularly fond of food from a young age, he would often drag his classmates to help him collect the fallen catkins after school, managing to fill an entire bag.

Qin Xia bought all the poplar flowers that Yan Wei brought, and that evening, Zheng Xinghua mixed up a bowl of dough, intending to make a batch of large steamed buns with them.

The filling, in addition to chopped poplar flowers, included chives for added flavor and some pork lard to balance the distinct aroma of the poplar flowers.

Since Yu Jiuque seemed to be quite averse to the idea of eating “red caterpillars,” Qin Xia separately mixed a three-flavor filling with just chives for him and asked Zheng Xinghua to make a few three-flavor buns specifically for him.

What started as a meal intended just for the restaurant staff attracted some visitors when the food was ready and the enticing aroma wafted out.

To Qin Xia’s surprise, one of the visitors was a familiar face—Merchant Xiao Shou from the trading company, who had previously dined with Xing Yiming.

“Don’t say anything—let me guess. Are these buns made with poplar tassels?” Xiao Shou asked with a grin.

Qin Xia nodded with a smile, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then had Qiu Chuan bring a hot plate of buns over to Xiao Shou’s table.

Today, Xiao Shou was dining alone. He had ordered some appetizers: aged vinegar peanuts, a plate of stir-fried pork and tripe, six fried quails, and a platter of marinated delicacies, all paired with a small pot of Magu wine.

Magu wine was a southern wine recently brought north. Compared to northern wines, it had a softer taste with a sweet aftertaste.

Of course, that was the opinion of those who enjoyed drinking. Qin Xia wasn’t much of a drinker and thought they all tasted the same.

As Xiao Shou picked up a large bun with his chopsticks and took a bite, his face showed pure satisfaction, his already small eyes narrowing into slits.

“I love this flavor. I haven’t had it in years. I’ve noticed that the best things at your place are usually kept for yourselves to eat.”

Qin Xia neither confirmed nor denied this.

He had a habit of buying rare and unique ingredients when he came across them. If he didn’t buy them, his hands would itch.

Once bought, they often weren’t enough to make a full dish for the customers, so he kept them for himself.

Otherwise, who would he sell them to? This customer or that one?

Since it was impossible to please everyone, he simply stopped trying.

Qin Xia didn’t account for the buns; they weren’t worth much. Even if they were, they couldn’t compare to the small knife and tea bricks that Xiao Shou had gifted him from the Western Regions.

Xiao Shou was thoroughly enjoying his meal, and before he had even finished this one, he was already thinking about his next. He mentioned that he wanted to have some small wontons with yellow croaker.

The best season for yellow croaker is right around the transition from spring to summer, so Qin Xia agreed without hesitation. Then he heard Xiao Shou say, “At the end of the month, my caravan will be on the move again. We’re heading south first, then east, mainly to collect silks, porcelain, and tea leaves from the southern regions. Is there anything you’d like us to bring back?”

Xiao Shou expected Qin Xia to ask for some rare items from the south. To his surprise, Qin Xia’s first reaction was, “I wonder, does your caravan travel near the coast?”

Being a seasoned businessman, Xiao Shou immediately caught on and smiled, saying, “Is Boss Qin perhaps interested in some seafood?”

Seeing Qin Xia nod, Xiao Shou continued, “Are you thinking of things like sea cucumbers, abalone, or dried scallops?”

Qinan County was far from the sea, and the people here usually ate these rare and expensive items, which were only found on the banquet tables of high-end restaurants.

But Qin Xia replied, “Not specifically those rare items. If you can get dried sea fish, dried squid, seaweed, shrimp, and the like, that would be ideal.”

Xiao Shou shook his head.

“To be honest, my business has never really dealt in that trade. We did try in the past, but it didn’t sell well here and was hard to get rid of, so we stopped. However, I do have a brother who deals in dried seafood. If you’re interested, I can put in a good word for you, and you can get it from him at a reasonable price.”

Seeing that Qin Xia had more to say, Xiao Shou raised his hand to stop him.

“No need to feel indebted. If you buy from him, he’ll thank you for it.”

Qin Xia had been hoping to get these ingredients for a long time. Upon receiving the information from Merchant Xiao, he went the very next day with Yu Jiuque to the Yue Trading Company where Merchant Xiao’s brother worked.

They went inside and asked to see someone, mentioning Xiao Shou’s name. To their surprise, the person who came out was someone they knew.

“Brother Qin?”

“Brother Wei?”

It turned out that the Yue Trading Company was exactly where Wei Chao’s younger brother, Wei Xi, worked. Today, he had been instructed by the manager to await Merchant Xiao’s friend.

“The manager had some urgent matters to attend to at home and couldn’t come himself. I hope Brother Qin won’t take offense,” Wei Xi said.

Unlike his brother Wei Chao, Wei Xi wasn’t as familiar with Qin Xia. After exchanging greetings, Wei Xi led Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque to the warehouse where the batch of dried seafood was stored.

As soon as they entered, Qin Xia was immediately hit by the “smell of the sea”—not the fresh scent of seafood, but the distinctive salty aroma unique to dried seafood that had been stored for a while.

Yu Jiuque discreetly rubbed his nose, while Qin Xia was more curious about the contents of the boxes.

“This batch may have been stored for a while, but I guarantee the quality is still good. Brother Qin, feel free to pick whatever you like,” Wei Xi said.

Qin Xia dove into the warehouse with enthusiasm, inspecting the four boxes that Wei Xi opened one by one.

To his surprise, he found quite a few unexpected treasures.

In addition to several kinds of dried fish, dried seaweed coated in thick layers of salt, and a large bag of dried scallops, there were also dried squid and jellyfish skins.

It was no wonder this batch hadn’t sold; hardly anyone in Qinan County would know how to eat these items.

“Since they don’t sell well, why did you bring in these goods?” Qin Xia asked.

Wei Xi briefly explained that their manager had been swindled when acquiring the goods.

“Fortunately, the initial cost was low, but these items have been sitting here, taking up space, and it would be a waste to throw them away. Now, we just hope to clear them out quickly.”

Qin Xia inquired about the price and found that it was almost as if they were giving the goods away.

Now he understood why Xiao Shou had said that if he came to buy these, the manager would probably thank him.

Dried seafood has a long shelf life, and with such a good price, Qin Xia couldn’t resist buying the entire lot.

Others might not know how to cook these ingredients, but he had plenty of ways to turn these unimpressive-looking items into delicious dishes.

Seeing how generously Qin Xia was buying, Wei Xi thought for a moment and then pulled out another small box from the warehouse.

“Brother Qin, we also have some inexpensive shark fin. It’s from a batch that was heavily damaged, but it’s very cheap. Could your restaurant make use of it?”

Wei Xi had to admit, he was quite skilled in business.

Qin Xia didn’t want to be taken advantage of, but given the relationship between the Wei family and his own, he didn’t think they would swindle him. Out of politeness, he walked over to take a look.

As someone who had spent two lifetimes as a chef, Qin Xia had no particular reverence for shark fin, a so-called luxury ingredient.

In the private dining restaurant he opened, he never used such ingredients as gimmicks.

However, that didn’t stop him from being able to judge the quality and grade of shark fin at a glance.

Shark fin is categorized into whole fins and fragmented fins, and the names differ depending on the part of the fin from which they are taken. The lowest grade is called “fin roots,” which come from the shark’s pelvic fins.

The shark fins that Wei Xi presented were indeed “fin roots,” and as he mentioned, they were heavily fragmented and considered “second-rate” products.

But at the end of the day, they were still shark fins.

High-end restaurants might look down on these scraps, but smaller eateries would jump at the chance to buy a batch at a low price.

Shark fin can be prepared in a sophisticated manner or cooked in a more affordable, homestyle way. Qin Xia picked up a couple of pieces to examine them, feeling a bit tempted.

“What’s the price?” he asked.

This time, Wei Xi didn’t respond with words but held up a hand to indicate a number, then added in a low voice, “Don’t underestimate these broken fins—they can still fetch a good price when resold. Several people here have their eyes on them, but they haven’t found the right buyer yet. If you want them, Brother Qin, I can cut down my profit and give them to you at a good rate.”

In modern terms, Wei Xi was essentially working in sales, and Qin Xia didn’t mind helping him “boost his performance.”

They quickly came to an agreement, and Qin Xia hired a cart from the street to haul away five large and small crates of goods. Wei Xi personally escorted them out of the trading company, calmly accepting the envious glances from others in the business.

Back at the restaurant, Qin Xia immediately pulled out several straw mats from the storage room and spread all the seafood out in the backyard to dry.

The salty, oceanic smell wafted everywhere as the wind blew through.

Aside from Qin Xia, everyone present was a local from Qinan County and wasn’t accustomed to the scent of dried seafood. Zhuang Xing quietly covered his nose and whispered to Zheng Xinghua.

“Sister Zheng, do you think the boss might have been duped? These things smell so strong… Can they even be eaten?”

Zheng Xinghua gave him a sidelong glance, thinking that the boss had an incredibly sharp eye for ingredients—who could possibly fool him?

“That’s not for us to worry about. What we should focus on is preparing the dishes for lunch. Didn’t the boss say that today’s set meal would include braised chicken with rice?”

The chickens had already been slaughtered and plucked clean, neatly piled in a large basin.

Zheng Xinghua recalled the long list of ingredients Qin Xia had mentioned and began selecting them from the recently purchased supplies, placing them in a basket.

Potatoes, red onions, bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms…

And also ginger and a large handful of dried red chilies.

The dried chilies were a mild variety, used just to add flavor.

If the dish were too spicy, many people might be deterred from ordering it.

While Zheng Xinghua and Zhuang Xing busily chopped vegetables and marinated the meat, Qin Xia was in the yard, washing off the salt crystals clinging to the pile of seafood with a large basin of water.

Yu Jiuque watched from the side as Qin Xia explained what each type of seafood could be used for.

“Dried squid can be cooked with meat, jellyfish skin can be made into a cold dish, seaweed can be soaked and used to stew pork ribs, and the large dried squid can be roasted and torn into strips as a snack with drinks.”

Although they couldn’t have fresh seafood for now, using dried goods to satisfy their cravings would have to do.

Nearby, Zhaocai and Xiaohu were circling the seafood. Zhaocai clearly didn’t like the smell, wrinkling his nose and letting his tail droop.

Xiaohu, on the other hand, was fixated on a dried fish with bulging eyes, tentatively reaching out with his paw to tap the fish’s head a few times.

Seeing this, Yu Jiuque laughed and said, “Xiaohu, that fish is too salty; you can’t eat it.”

Xiaohu seemed not to hear and moved on to another fish, continuing his investigation.

The seafood would need to be soaked overnight before it could be cooked. Qin Xia washed the first batch, set it to soak in fresh water, and then left it alone.

Noticing that it was getting late, he shook off his water-splashed clothes and headed into the kitchen to start on the braised chicken.

The marinated chicken pieces were evenly colored, and the potatoes had already been pre-fried by Zheng Xinghua until their skins were golden brown.

Qin Xia heated oil in the pan and began by caramelizing sugar to make the base for the dish.

As the rock sugar melted into the oil, it turned a perfect caramel brown, signaling that it was time to add the chicken pieces to the pot. Qin Xia stirred the chicken over high heat, ensuring each piece was evenly coated.

At this stage, he added scallions, ginger, chilies, soy sauce, cooking wine, and pepper, briefly sautéing them together.

A seasoned chef can tell the saltiness of a dish just by the aroma, and Qin Xia was no exception. From the scent, he knew it was just right.

He then added red onions and shiitake mushrooms, poured in water, and brought it to a boil before covering the pot.

“Let it simmer for 45 minutes, then add the potatoes. After another 15 minutes, reduce the sauce,” he instructed, handing over the final steps to Zhuang Xing. From here, Qin Xia wouldn’t intervene.

The process was also a lesson; the restaurant would continue serving this dish the next day, so Qin Xia would watch as Zheng Xinghua prepared it. As long as it was up to standard, he would consider her to have mastered the recipe.

Aside from the affordable lunch set, which was popular during the midday rush, Qin Xia had many other diners to cater to.

For example, today Shopkeeper Xing Yiming had brought his family to dine again. He had reserved a table the day before, specifically requesting ham.

He had even provided the ingredients himself—two pieces of ham were sent to Qin Xia ahead of time, along with a message from the delivery boy.

“Boss Qin, my master said that this ham is too good to be wasted by cooking it himself, and only you could do it justice. He doesn’t mind how you prepare it, as long as the quality of the meat isn’t wasted. One piece is for you to keep for yourself.”

Hearing this, Qin Xia could easily imagine Xing Yiming’s expression as he said it.

Just like the excitement of discovering those crates of dried seafood, Qin Xia’s mind instantly filled with ideas on how to prepare the ham.

The first dish he decided to make was undoubtedly honey-glazed ham, as the piece Xing Yiming had sent was a prime cut.

The ham had been cured deeply with salt, so turning that saltiness into a honeyed sweetness required repeated steaming.

Qin Xia had already washed the ham in a solution of plant ash and water, scraped the skin clean with a small knife, and then steamed it with yellow wine and Sichuan peppercorns for half an hour.

This was the first steam.

After draining the broth from the first steam, he added more rock sugar and yellow wine and steamed it again.

This was the second steam.

The third steam was the most crucial.

After discarding the broth from the second steam, Qin Xia added a few slices of ginger to the rock sugar and yellow wine. Once the sugar melted under the high heat, he added peeled lotus seeds and waited for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.

When he lifted the lid, he carefully arranged the thick slices of ham on a plate, garnishing the edges with lotus seeds. He then prepared a honey glaze by simmering rock sugar, honey, two spoons of sesame oil, and a bit of water until it lightly boiled. He poured the glaze evenly over the ham, creating a dish that was perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, rich and fragrant. It truly lived up to the saying, “Soft as coral, bright as amber.”

Yet, there was still some ham left.

Spring bamboo shoots were in season, so Qin Xia decided to make a pot of ham with preserved fresh bamboo shoots.

There are various versions of this dish, with the common one using salted pork. Using ham elevates the dish to a higher level, especially when paired with fresh pork leg meat.

All these ingredients were slowly simmered together, with the broth gradually changing color.

A good version of this dish is often described by eight words: “White and rich in color, crispy and fresh in taste.”

“White” refers to the broth, while “rich” refers to the tender, non-greasy texture of the meat. The “crispy and fresh” part describes the perfectly cooked bamboo shoots.

The dish’s name, “First Fresh Taste of Spring,” is well deserved.

Around noon, the Qin Family Eatery was bustling with guests.

Although the lunch set menu still offered a few stir-fry options, half the customers opted for the braised chicken with rice, eager to try something new.

Qiu Chuan and Qiu Yao were as busy as two spinning tops, constantly darting between the front hall and the kitchen, taking orders and serving dishes.

This was the scene that greeted Xing Yiming when he arrived with his wife and daughter.

Yu Jiuque personally went to greet them. Just as the three adults exchanged greetings, Xing Yuan quickly grabbed his hand.

“Hello, Uncle!” she said with a bright smile.

Yu Jiuque smiled and said, “Hello, Yuan Yuan.”

After a moment’s thought, he added, “Let me guess, Yuan Yuan wants to go to the backyard to see the puppy?”

Yuan Yuan’s expression immediately gave away that her thoughts had been exposed.

Yu Jiuque followed up with an even more enticing offer, “Not only is there a puppy in the backyard now, but there’s also a little tabby cat.”

Seeing Yuan Yuan’s eyes widen in excitement, he added, “But you have to finish your meal first, and then I’ll call them to come and play with you.”

Yuan Yuan quickly agreed, her face beaming with joy. “I’ll eat really well, I promise!”

Xing Yiming, noticing the busy scene, said, “I see business is booming today, so don’t worry about us.”

Just as he finished speaking, someone at the counter called out to settle their bill.

Cui Rao nudged Yu Jiuque, urging him to attend to it.

“We’re all friends here, no need for formalities. We’ll make ourselves at home and help ourselves if we need anything.”

Yu Jiuque could only apologize with a smile. “I’m really sorry, I’ll excuse myself for now.”

He quickly walked back to the counter, collected a handful of copper coins, and sold ten meal tickets to a scholar-like customer.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Qin Xia was frying boneless chicken tenders and French fries.

He remembered that both Cui Rao and Yuan Yuan loved them, so he made extra to sell to other customers as well.Xing Yiming himself was already peeking into the kitchen.

Qin Xia casually grabbed a few freshly fried crispy pieces, placed them in a bowl, and handed them over.

Xing Yiming grinned widely. “Heh, every time I come here, I never leave empty-handed.”

He picked up a piece with chopsticks and blew on it before taking a bite, just as his daughter’s voice rang out from not far away, “Daddy, you’re eating alone again!”

Startled, Xing Yiming nearly dropped the crispy morsel.

“My dear daughter, how could Daddy eat alone? I’m just taste-testing it for you!”

He then gave Qin Xia a knowing look and said with mock seriousness, “Hmm, I think it could use a bit more seasoning, maybe some extra pepper and salt.”

Qin Xia held back a laugh and nodded in agreement.

Cui Rao, seeing his shameless behavior, shook her head helplessly and led Yuan Yuan into the private dining room.

The honey-glazed ham and ham and bamboo shoot stew were served to the Xing family, followed by the crispy fried chicken and French fries, arranged on a plate with two dipping sauces: pepper and salt, and Qin Xia’s homemade ketchup.

The remaining batch of crispy chicken and fries was tossed with pepper and salt, portioned into small plates, and sold for fifty wen each. Only twenty servings were available, and they sold out almost immediately, leaving latecomers disappointed.

As the afternoon wore on, the lunchtime crowd began to change over.

Yu Jiuque rubbed his neck and updated the ledger with a few more entries.

Qiu Chuan finally found a moment to rest and sat on a bench at the entrance, occasionally glancing at passersby. Anyone who lingered while looking at the restaurant’s signboard was a potential customer.

However, after watching in one direction for a while and then turning back around, he suddenly felt a shadow fall over him, as if a wall had suddenly appeared.

Qiu Chuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he looked up to find himself facing a group of five men, each at least eight feet tall, standing right behind him.

Qiu Chuan immediately jumped up from the bench.

“G-gentlemen, are you here to eat?”

Now standing, he realized that he barely reached these men’s waists.