"These dumplings are so exquisitely made!"
After watching Jiang Yu and Yan Tongtong leave, Liu Shurong finally took the ti to examine the dumplings in the stear.
Of course, she had eaten dumplings before. Not only are there several dumpling shops in Qiantang, but nearby Shanghai and Gusu also have many famous dumpling places that her family often frequents.
But to her, even the dumplings from those famous shops didn’t seem to look as good as the ones in this school cafeteria, perhaps even a bit inferior.
The dumplings in the stear were each about the size of a fist, lying softly in the stear like flowers. The evenly and finely pleated folds on the dumplings looked as if they were asured with a ruler, each one perfectly uniform in length and depth, so exquisitely detailed it was almost unbelievable.
Picking up a dumpling with chopsticks, the rich broth inside began to drip downward, making the dumpling look like a beautifully shaped lantern.
The dumpling skin was as thin as paper, and through the light, you could see the broth inside shimring and the at filling floating—
"Mom, I want to eat this!"
Liu Shurong was marveling at these dumplings, akin to works of art, when she suddenly heard Lele speaking beside her,
"These dumplings sll so good, they must be delicious!"
"You want to eat dumplings? Okay, this one’s for you!"
Hearing this, Liu Shurong’s heart leaped with joy. She couldn’t help but put the dumpling she was holding into her son’s bowl, gently reminding him,
"Eat slowly, be careful not to burn your mouth!"
"Okay, okay!"
Lele responded, gently poking the dumpling with chopsticks, making the skin burst open and allowing the steaming, thick broth to flow out, the rich aroma striking right at that mont.
Lele closed his eyes and took a deep breath, unable to resist anymore. He lifted the small bowl and drank the broth clean. But that was clearly not enough, as he swiftly picked up the dumpling again and took a big bite, chewing vigorously, nodding as he ate.
"Mom, these dumplings are so fresh and fragrant, and the at is so tender, it’s amazing, better than that place we had in Gusu!"
"Really? If it’s good, eat more!"
Hearing this, Liu Shurong’s heart was filled with even more happiness.
Yesterday, Lele was looking listless and didn’t want to say much, but just this morning, he had already said so much, more than he usually would in a day!
Isn’t this a sign of improvent?
At the very least, it shows that Lele’s spirits are much better than before!
While thinking about this, she quickly moved the green vegetable and lean at porridge towards her son, saying,
"Son, don’t just eat dumplings, have so porridge to soothe your throat!"
"Okay!"
Lele nodded, leaned over, and sipped a mouthful of the porridge, his eyes imdiately narrowing with enjoynt,
"This green vegetable and lean at porridge is also delicious, mom, you have so too!"
"Oh, oh!"
Hearing these words from her son, Liu Shurong couldn’t help but feel a tightness in her nose, her tears nearly falling.
She held back from crying, turned away to discreetly wipe the corner of her eyes, her heart filled with indescribable joy.
It seems like Lele’s appetite disorder really has improved significantly!
This Boss Jiang is truly amazing!
...
While Liu Shurong and her son were enjoying their al in the cafeteria’s dining area, Jiang Yu was, of course, unaware. At that mont, he was preparing to add a dish to breakfast.
Last night, just before bed, Jiang Yu suddenly had a craving for fried rice noodles, so he called Boss Zhao to bring over so rice noodles and beef to make beef fried rice noodles for everyone after breakfast.
Unexpectedly, Boss Zhao misunderstood, thinking Jiang Yu ant to sell them, and sent over a whole box of fifty pounds of fresh rice noodles, along with ten pounds of beef.
Since Boss Zhao had already sent them over, Jiang Yu couldn’t ask him to take them back, and besides, they were all ingredients, which the cafeteria could certainly use.
So Jiang Yu decided to stir-fry all the rice noodles, leaving so for the cafeteria staff to eat, and selling the rest at the window. Whoever managed to get so would be lucky.
After all, there’s only so much rice noodles, and not every student at the cafeteria would be able to get so.
Zhangjiang Province is a major rice noodle-loving province, with nearly every place having its own unique way of preparing rice noodles.
Jiangzhou has cold noodles, porcelain has chilled noodles, Raocheng has soup noodles, Linchuan has soaked noodles, as well as Yuanzhou’s firm noodles, Xinyu’s preserved noodles, Gannan’s sweet potato noodles, Pingxiang’s fried noodles, An Ren’s beef noodles, Liucheng’s three-flavor noodles...
Each thod of preparing rice noodles has its own unique character and flavor, offering a feast for the palate.
So, fifty pounds of rice noodles can easily be sold out in Jiangzhou, let alone the fact that they were stir-fried by Jiang Yu himself.
After slicing the beef and marinating it for flavor, cutting a good amount of green chili peppers and small chili peppers, and preparing ingredients like garlic, green onions, and ginger, Jiang Yu started heating oil in the pan.
Once the oil was hot, he added the marinated beef, stir-frying briskly over high heat until the color changed, then dished it out onto a plate.
After lting lard in the pan, Jiang Yu added garlic and ginger, frying until fragrant, before adding green chili peppers and small chili peppers to bring out the aroma, then stir-frying the rice noodles for a mont.
After that, he added the previously stir-fried beef back into the pan, drizzled in so soy sauce, salt, pepper, and MSG, stirred well, added chopped green onions, and after a couple more stirs, he turned off the heat and plated the dish.
As soon as the beef stir-fry noodles were ready, Lu Shuwu and Hu Zhihai squeezed in with shining eyes, practically drooling over the dish.
"Boss, can I taste it first?"
"Lao Jiang, I could eat two plates of this stir-fried noodles!"
"Boss Xiao Jiang, haha!"
"..."
"Bring a pair of communal chopsticks, one plate per person. It’s early morning; don’t eat too much greasy food. Sell the rest at the window."
Jiang Yu glanced at everyone, turned around, and said while washing the pan,
"Hurry up and eat. Once you’re done, switch with Xiaoyan and the others. They’ve been busy all morning and must be hungry."
"I’ll go sell the rice noodles. You guys go ahead and eat."
Lu Shuwu smiled, grabbed a pair of large chopsticks for cooking noodles, served so of the beef stir-fry rice noodles onto a plate, and took the rest on the tray towards the sales counter, while saying to Hu Zhihai,
"One portion each, don’t take too much. Xiaoyan and the others are still outside selling breakfast."
"Why are you looking at while you say that?"
Hu Zhihai was imdiately upset and retorted, "I wouldn’t grab more than my share."
"Tsk, I’m talking about you!"
Lu Shuwu didn’t say more, turned around, and hurried to deliver the rice noodles.
He needed to co back quickly, otherwise, even if Hu Zhihai didn’t eat too much, Ma Guoqiang certainly would.
This crafty old man, he may be all smiles all day, but he’s actually full of tricks!
...
Ever since the Seventh Dining Hall opened, Liu Fan rarely ca by. Though he craved the delicious dishes like braised pork with preserved vegetables and chili fish pieces, the ti for his graduate entrance exams was approaching, and he had little free ti.
There were still so many concepts not fully grasped, so many practice exams yet to be completed, and quite a few English words not morized...
He had no spare ti to waste in the queue for food.
So, knowing that the Seventh Dining Hall had delicious food, he still held back his desires and chose the First Dining Hall, even though the food wasn’t great, at least there was no queue. He quickly bought sothing to fill his stomach before diving into the library’s study room to begin another day of ascetic exam prep life.
But today was his birthday, and even though there was no cake or anyone to wish him well, Liu Fan decided to treat himself with a delicious breakfast at the Seventh Dining Hall as a way to wish himself a happy birthday.
Even after deciding to have breakfast there, Liu Fan didn’t rush to line up at the window; that would be a waste of ti.
With a vocabulary book in hand, he found a corner on the empty bleachers of the stadium and sat down, silently morizing words.
Whether ti flew by too quickly, or Liu Fan lost track of ti while studying, by the ti he snapped out of it, it was almost 8:30.
"Oh no! It’s so late already, the dining hall probably doesn’t have much left to eat!"
He jumped up in shock and imdiately headed toward the Seventh Dining Hall.
The beginning of breakfast rush was the busiest ti in the dining hall.
By now, most students who had to finish breakfast quickly and head to class had already eaten and left. Those still around were in twos and threes; the dining area was still bustling but the serving windows were not crowded.
Upon entering the dining hall, Liu Fan washed his hands, grabbed a tray from the sanitizer, and headed to the serving window. He leaned in for a look and couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
The juicy buns were already sold out; even the at and veggie buns were gone. Only a few lonely stead buns and stuffed flatbreads were left on the tray.
A little further ahead, the marinated dishes were also gone, and in the stainless steel bowl ant for the cold dishes, only a few cilantro leaves remained, floating wiltedly in the broth.
"Ah, looks like for this birthday I’ll just have so congee..."
Seeing there wasn’t much food left, Liu Fan sighed, planning to order two stead buns and a bowl of vegetable porridge to fill his stomach.
But before he could speak, an enticing aroma wafted over from the kitchen. The next mont, a large tray of steaming hot food was brought out and placed on the warm countertop in front of the window.
"Beef stir-fry rice noodles! Freshly made by Boss Jiang, five yuan a portion! If you want so, hurry and line up!"
Lu Shuwu had just placed the noodles down, tapping the tray with his large chopsticks, announcing loudly.
His shout, combined with the irresistible aroma of beef stir-fry noodles wafting all around, froze the previously bustling dining hall for an instant, as if soone had pressed a pause button.
But quickly, people snapped out of it, grabbing trays and rushing to the window.
Once one person started moving, the others followed suit, "boom," like a pack of cats attracted by the sll of fish, all surged forward.
Soon, the dining hall was buzzing like hot oil into which water had been thrown:
"Give a portion of the beef stir-fry noodles! No, no, I want two portions!"
"This beef stir-fry noodles slls amazing, no one better fight for it!"
"Whoa! Stop squeezing, my pants are about to fall off!"
"..."
User Comments
0 comments from readers