Gourmet: The Master Chef Just Wants to Leisurely Set Up a Stall - Chapter 66

“Are you still eating, Wen Jin? If not, I’ll have Aunt Niu clear the table!” Wen Yulan gave her brother a firm slap on the back. “We’ve all finished—only you’re left!”

Wen Jin glanced around, seeing everyone’s bowls already clean and their eyes on him. Embarrassed, he quickly spooned up more mung bean ice and continued eating.

“Jingjing, do you get to eat fried skewers every day at the construction site?” Yunyun, amused by Wen Jin’s flustered state, turned to Zhao Xiaojing with curiosity.

“That’s right! When I visited the site last time, the workers were so enthusiastic about meal times!” Wen Yulan chimed in, recalling the scene with a laugh. “I even heard that because they’re so eager to eat, the kitchen staff finishes half an hour earlier than usual!”

“It’s true—we do finish earlier now. Some of the workers order three servings of fried food, pairing it with two bowls of rice,” Zhao Xiaojing chuckled.

“Hah… Mom, does your construction site need any college students for brick-laying? I want in!” Yunyun said, enviously.

“If you go, you’ll end up moving all the bricks into the canteen instead of building anything!” Grandpa Wen teased, his exaggerated tone making everyone burst into laughter.

Time passed quickly as they chatted, and soon Aunt Niu called them to the dining room for dinner. By then, the sweet ice had settled in their stomachs, and everyone washed their hands before gathering around the table.

Wen Yulan mentioned that they had hired a chef to cook for the occasion since there were so many guests today.

The dining table was lavishly set with dishes arranged beautifully. In the center stood a large platter of spicy crab, surrounded by a steaming pot of pork rib and lotus root soup, pearl meatballs, steamed sea bass, and dried green beans with braised chicken. The outer circle included winter melon shrimp soup, garlic eggplant salad, stir-fried bok choy with tofu, and a cold century egg salad.

In the very middle was the platter of fried skewers that Zhao Xiaojing had made. She had refried some and carefully arranged them on a large plate, each type sprinkled with its matching seasoning.

Seeing her dish in such a prominent spot made Zhao Xiaojing feel a little shy, while Wen Jin glanced at it, frowned slightly, but ultimately stayed quiet.

Everyone else’s eyes lit up with excitement as they gazed at the skewers in anticipation.

“Mom, Dad—should we have some wine tonight?”

“Let’s drink a little!”

Grandma Fan waved her hand energetically.

“Get that bottle I brought last time—the one I bought especially for Mom and Dad! That one’s good,” Wen Jin called out enthusiastically.

“Fine! Only what <i>you</i> bring is good,” Wen Yulan teased as she pulled out two bottles of red wine and a jug of yellow wine. The older generation would drink the yellow wine while the others would stick with red.

They didn’t usually serve strong liquor at family gatherings—white wine was too harsh for casual dinners.

Yunyun grabbed the corkscrew and eagerly started pouring glasses of red wine.

“Jingjing, do you drink? I forgot to ask.”

The Wens were all seasoned drinkers, and Yunyun could hold her own after years of joining in. But she wasn’t sure if Zhao Xiaojing could handle alcohol.

“I’ll try a little,” Zhao Xiaojing said, feeling tempted to join in the fun.

“I’ll pour you a glass to start. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to drink it.”

“Jingjing, just take it slow. If you don’t enjoy it, we have other drinks. We drink because we’re happy—no pressure here.”

“That’s right! Don’t try to keep up with these girls—pace yourself.”

As Yunyun poured Zhao’s wine, Grandma Fan and Grandpa Wen chimed in with words of caution, prompting Zhao Xiaojing to smile and nod gratefully.

“Alright, I’m the oldest here, so let me make the first toast. This one’s to welcome Jingjing! We’ve all taken a liking to you—so from now on, treat this place like your own home! Cheers, everyone!”

Grandpa Wen raised his glass with a warm smile, and Zhao Xiaojing quickly thanked him.

“To Jingjing!” With Grandpa leading the way, the entire family clinked glasses and took hearty sips of their drinks.

After the first sip, everyone began digging into the food—with the exception of Zhao Xiaojing and Wen Jin, who both hesitated. The rest of the family immediately reached toward the center of the table, where Zhao’s fried skewers sat.

Wen Jin glanced at the beautifully arranged dishes on the table and then looked at his parents. His brow furrowed again as he watched them reach for the skewers first.

Sensing his displeasure, Wen Yulan picked up a piece of garlic-fried pork rib and placed it in Wen Jin’s bowl. “Eat up!”

Caught by his sister’s pointed gaze, Wen Jin sighed and reluctantly picked up his chopsticks.

But after taking just one bite of the fried pork rib, his expression softened. The ribs were incredibly crispy on the outside, bursting with rich garlic flavor. The inside was tender and juicy—not dry at all—and even had a bit of crunchy cartilage that provided a satisfying chew.

Unable to resist, Wen Jin grabbed another piece.

As he ate, he glanced over at Zhao Xiaojing. “So, little girl—are you Yunyun’s classmate or something? Your cooking’s not bad at all. Did you learn from a family restaurant?”

“No, I met Grandpa while fishing,” Zhao Xiaojing replied with a polite smile. “I actually learned my cooking skills online—just experimenting as I went along.”

Well, technically it was through the system… so not entirely a lie, Zhao Xiaojing thought to herself.

Wen Jin nodded, clearly impressed. After tasting how fresh the meat was and noting that there were no off-flavors in the oil, he decided that it wouldn’t hurt to let his parents indulge a little tonight.

“Jingjing, this is amazing! Have some yourself!” Yunyun exclaimed as she quickly put a piece of garlic-fried rib on Zhao Xiaojing’s plate.

“This is delicious too!” Zhao was in the middle of enjoying a pearl glutinous rice meatball, which she then placed on Yunyun’s plate in return.

This particular dish was a specialty of Yang City. The meatballs required soaking glutinous rice overnight before forming perfectly round balls of seasoned meat filling, which were then coated in rice and steamed. A masterful dish had to be both visually appealing and structurally sound—the rice needed to stick without falling apart during steaming. The ones served tonight were impeccable.

The exterior rice layer was soft and sticky, while the interior meat was springy and full of flavor.

“You’ve got good taste, Jingjing. This is one of the chef’s signature dishes.”

Wen Yulan noticed Zhao Xiaojing’s appreciation for the meatballs and smiled as she introduced the dish.

“Try the pork rib and lotus root soup next. The lotus root comes from Hong Lake—it’s been simmered until perfectly tender.”

Wen Yulan rotated the pot of soup toward Zhao and adjusted the ladle for easier serving.

“Give it a try.”

“It’s delicious! The lotus root is fragrant and soft, with a natural sweetness. And the broth is so flavorful.”

Zhao Xiaojing scooped some soup into her bowl and offered it to Yunyun as well.

“No thanks! It’ll fill me up too much—I want to save room for more fried food,” Yunyun said as she gnawed on a piece of chicken frame, her mouth shiny with grease.

“Jingjing, this fried duck neck of yours is fantastic—perfect for pairing with drinks!” Grandpa Wen praised as he held up a piece of duck neck.

“Dad, it might be tasty, but don’t eat too much. It’ll upset your stomach later,” Wen Jin couldn’t help but interject.

“Come now! Didn’t he just say it pairs well with drinks? Let’s grant him his wish—cheers to that!”

Seeing her son’s concern, Grandma Fan quickly defused the situation by raising her glass for another toast.

“Yes! Let’s raise our glasses to Mom and Dad’s health—and may they always have wine to drink!” Wen Yulan followed suit, lifting her glass high.

“To our parents’ health! Long life and happiness!” Wen Jin reluctantly joined in, though his tone carried a hint of resignation.

“Longevity doesn’t matter as much as quality of life. I’d rather live happily until seventy-three or eighty-four than drag on in misery till a hundred!” Grandpa Wen declared with a grin as he clinked glasses with Wen Jin, giving him an exaggerated glare.

—

Footnote ⁸: Pearl Meatballs (珍珠糯米丸子, zhēnzhū nuòmǐ wánzi)

This dish is a specialty of Yang City. It involves soaking glutinous rice overnight before forming perfectly round balls of seasoned meat filling. The meatballs are then rolled in the soaked glutinous rice so that they are coated evenly before being steamed. A well-made version of this dish ensures that the meatballs maintain their shape, and the sticky rice clings to them without falling apart during steaming. When done right, the rice on the outside is soft and chewy, while the meat inside remains juicy and tender with a satisfying bite.