Lu Erlang made two trips. The first time, since it was still early, he went to Main Street, paid for a ride to the East Market to buy spices, but the cart wouldn’t leave until at least three people had boarded, so he had to run back to Main Street—the whole round trip was a waste of time.

As soon as he left, in the Lu family courtyard, Tian Chuzi was sorting through the ingredients the family had provided: a slightly skinny chicken, plenty of pork, some meat bones, and the rest were just common vegetables.

“This isn’t nearly enough.”

Tian Chuzi immediately grew frustrated. Even the most skilled cook can’t work miracles without ingredients. As a chef who relied on his reputation to take on jobs across the various districts of Fengyuan City, if the banquet turned out poorly or the food tasted bad, it would ruin his reputation. Who would dare hire him for a banquet in the future?

So Chef Tian discussed the matter with the host: these ingredients wouldn’t do; they needed to be supplemented. At the very least, they needed two more chickens. The banquet couldn’t consist entirely of stir-fried pork with Chinese cabbage and braised pork with potatoes, could it?

That’s not how people in the village host banquets—since villagers raise chickens and ducks, they usually include some poultry.

The Lu family was used to living frugally; their usual approach was to scrimp first. But after Chef Tian mentioned it, they thought it over and realized it did seem a bit meager. In the end, the couple agreed to add more dishes. However, even though they agreed, they couldn’t help but wonder: Was Chef Tian trying to line his own pockets?

When Lu Erlang returned from running errands to buy spices, Chef Tian took a look and heard the couple accusing him of skimming off the top. They had a heated argument. “You bought too few spices. You’ll have to buy the ingredients yourselves—I’m not getting involved.”

But at this late hour, if Lu Erlang had to make another trip—first to the West Market for fish, then for spices—he likely wouldn’t return until after noon, and they were running out of time to prepare the banquet.

Chen Qiaolian then remembered that the Tang family next door had a mule, and thought of borrowing it.

…As for what happened next, Tang Xianling already knew.

As Tang Xianling listened to Tieniu speak, he finished the remaining half of his meal. He then fanned Tieniu and urged him to eat.

“No wonder it’s taken this long.” Jiang Yun hadn’t expected this either. “Logically, these things should have been bought in advance. Perhaps it’s because of the heat—Qiaolian was afraid the food would spoil.”

“Never mind the meat and vegetables—spices, red paper, peanut candy, and the like should have been bought in advance,”

Tang Xianling said. “How could these things go bad in just a day or two?” Huangfu Tieniu replied, “They did buy them, but they didn’t buy enough.”

“……” Tang Xianling had no reply.

Jiang Yun said, “As long as it’s taken care of, it’s fine. Everyone has their moments of confusion.”

“True,” Tang Xianling chimed in, echoing his mother’s tone. After all, it wasn’t his family’s business, so it didn’t matter. He had money

to spend, so he liked to buy in bulk—stocking up on things that would keep.

So they moved on to another topic.

“Mother, how much should we contribute to the wedding gift?”

Jiang Yun considered it and said, “Usually, for neighbors and close acquaintances in the neighborhood, people either give thirty or fifty wen, or bring a piece of cloth or some pastries.” “Let’s just give money. It’s more practical,” Tang Xianling said.

Jiang Yun nodded and asked, “But how much should we give? Xiangping told me at noon that she went to the banquet alone and brought some meat and pork bones as a gift. I estimate that’s worth about ten wen. Since I’m the only one from our family—”

“Give her fifty wen,” Tang Xianling said.

Jiang Yun thought that was a bit much; after all, she was the only one from her family attending the banquet.

Tang Xianling, however, said to his mother, “Our two families live close by. In the past, when times were hard, giving twenty or thirty wen wouldn’t have raised any eyebrows. But now everyone knows the Tang family shop is making money. We’ve asked our neighbors across the way to watch our courtyard several times before, so we should give them a bit more.”

In today’s neighborhood relationships, some families stay put for generations without ever wanting to maintain appearances; twenty wen wasn’t a big deal. He’d already soured his relationship with the Zhao family, so naturally, he had to keep things friendly with the other neighbors in the neighborhood—even if it was just for show.

“Alright, I’ll take your word for it.” Jiang Yun thought it made sense. Earlier, when her Wu-ger Tieniu returned to the village, Qiaolian and Sanniang would often drop by the courtyard to chat with her.

Well, it’s only right to be a little more polite.

After their afternoon nap, A-Liang and Sister Tong arrived.

The family began preparing the ingredients and packing the evening meal boxes.

Tang Xianling went out to the courtyard again to see what Chef Tian was up to. As he stood there, he saw Chef Tian slicing vegetables.

That heavy iron knife, though weighty, moved with remarkable agility in his hands. The knife and cutting board produced a rhythmic thud-thud-thud, and the vegetables beneath his hands were sliced into even strips and thin slices.

With just a few more strokes, a piece of white radish was carved into a flower. Tang Xianling watched in admiration; his knife skills were truly remarkable.

Chef Tian placed the potato strips into a basin of water, and his apprentice, Dayuan, rinsed off the starch. Chef Tian looked up at the visitor. “What are you looking at, Mr. Tang?” 

“Your knife skills are truly impressive,” Tang Xianling said enviously.

Chef Tian: … he chuckled.

This Mr. Tang is quite an interesting fellow.

They say competitors are always jealous and can’t stand each other. When the reputation of Mr. Tang’s boxed lunches reached his ears, Chef Tian initially looked down on him. But seeing him today, he felt that this man—how to put it—

He’s a straight-talker.

But when it came to cooking—their trade—they didn’t teach outsiders. Chef Tian put down his knife and turned to examine the pork.

The sight of that basin of pork and bones filled him with worry.

Seeing Chef Tian’s furrowed brow, Tang Xianling struck up a casual conversation and offered some advice: “These two cuts are a bit too fatty. Trim off the fat first—render it for oil. We’ll use that meat fat to stir-fry the vegetables later. But blanch the shredded potatoes briefly, then toss them with a few Sichuan peppercorns and a splash of vinegar.”

“As for the remaining pork, let’s braise it. Add a spoonful of sugar to the soybean oil, stir-fry over low heat until it caramelizes, then add the meat. Next, add a bowl of rice wine and two bowls of water to simmer it, and throw in some star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon…”

“If you have pickled cabbage, stewing the pork ribs with it makes them the most flavorful.”

“Since these aren’t prime ribs, they’re only good for five-spice or sour cabbage stew. On a hot day, the sour cabbage stew is more appetizing.”

As Tian Chuzi listened, his brow alternately relaxed and furrowed. He looked over and said, “You’ve taught me all your meat-cooking methods—” 

“Then teach me your knife skills!” Tang Xianling asked bluntly, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Chef Tian: …

“If I don’t teach you, then you’ve just been talking for nothing.”

Tang Xianling: “If I want to learn knife skills from you, naturally I should offer something first. That’s what sincerity means.” Learning requires a tuition fee.

Chef Tian: … I’ve never met someone so shrewd, straightforward, and yet so likable.

“It’s also because you’re a good person,” Tang Xianling said with a smile. He wasn’t a fool; Chef Tian treated his two apprentices fairly well, unlike those these days who treat apprentices like dirt, constantly beating, scolding, and being harsh toward them.

Being an apprentice these days is no easy life. Not only do you get no wages, but you also have to pay your master. Whatever tasks the master assigns—anything related to his household—you have to do them without complaint, working tirelessly. It’s almost like being a slave. As for whether you’ll actually learn a trade, that all depends on the master’s conscience.

This Chef Tian feeds his two apprentices quite well.

“Watch closely.” Chef Tian picked up his knife again, selected a potato, and placed it on the cutting board. This time, he demonstrated six different cutting techniques using a single potato.

The straight-cut method is the most common technique for home cooking, which includes pushing, pulling, chopping, sawing, and rolling.

Chef Tian didn’t say a word; he simply demonstrated. Since the other man wasn’t his apprentice, how much he could learn was entirely up to him. Tang Xianling watched intently.

Soon, the potato was sliced into pieces.

Before Chef Tian could say a word, Tang Xianling clasped his hands in thanks. “I’ll go home and practice. You go ahead and get back to work.”

Chef Tian chuckled. Glancing at the meat in the bowl, his frown vanished. “I’ll give it a try. Did you guys write down the spices Mr. Tang just mentioned?” Da Yuan shook his head, and Xiao Mi shook his too.

Chef Tian: Speechless.

“You two idiots.” Chef Tian didn’t have time to scold his apprentices; he started picking out spices from the spice box as Mr. Tang had instructed. Mr. Tang hadn’t specified the proportions—he had his own way of doing things…

The Tang Family Courtyard.

“I just learned how to make six-hand soup. From now on, we’ll be eating nothing but potatoes and radishes every day,” said Mr. Tang.

Huangfu Tieniu:?

“Don’t worry. If you can’t stomach my practice dishes, I’ll send them over to A Liang and Sister Tong.”

Huangfu Tieniu laughed and said, “I’m not afraid of eating potatoes and radishes day after day. Now I get it—you’re going to use these two vegetables to practice your knife skills?” Master Tang nodded, his eyes burning with ambition and his voice full of pride: “Love what you do. I’m going to hone my skills!”

Taking one’s work seriously while also honing one’s skills.

Huangfu Tieniu saw the earnestness on his husband’s face, his eyes shining brighter than the most dazzling pearls—when Tang Xianling turned around, he found his little husband’s face completely captivated by him.

“Hehe, I know I’m charming~” Tang Xianling giggled.

Huangfu Tieniu’s face flushed, but he replied earnestly,

“That’s right.”

Next door, Lu Dalang rode a donkey to fetch his bride, accompanied by the matchmaker, the palanquin bearers, the musicians, and Lu Erlang. The betrothal gifts had already been delivered to the bride’s home; today was simply a festive procession to welcome the bride, consisting of two palanquin bearers, a trumpet player, and a gong player, who made a racket all the way.

That matchmaker was quite the character; she didn’t stop uttering auspicious blessings the entire way, making the six or seven-person wedding party seem as lively as a group of over ten. Carrying a basket, she’d hand out peanuts, sunflower seeds, and candied ginger to any children she encountered on the street, offering them as gifts while speaking her blessings.

The children were overjoyed to receive the treats and chattered excitedly: “It’s a wedding procession! They’re getting a bride!”

As Chen Qiaolian and her husband saw their son off, they opened the door to their shop up front. The children who hadn’t managed to grab any peanuts, sunflower seeds, or candies came into the shop to offer their congratulations and ask for treats.

Chen Qiaolian happily handed some out to each of them.

Luckily, Erlang had bought some extra; otherwise, there really wouldn’t have been enough.

All told, the wedding cost a total of five taels of silver—and that still wasn’t enough. Chen Qiaolian thought of the matchmaker’s fee, and her smile immediately dimmed a little.

In the afternoon, a string of firecrackers went off in front of the Lu family’s shop, crackling and popping. Jiang Yun said from the kitchen: “I suppose the wedding procession is back.”

“Mother, go and see the festivities; I’m almost done here.” Tang Xianling said to his mother. Worried she might not go, he added with a smile, “Tell me and Tieniu all about it later.”

Jiang Yun hesitated for a moment, then said, “All right, I’ll go.”

“Mother, change your clothes,” Tang Xianling reminded her. After all, she was going as a guest to the banquet.

Jiang Yun: “Oh, I’d completely forgotten until you mentioned it. I’ll change first.” The clothes she was wearing now were all hand-me-downs, patched up in several places; since she was doing chores at home, there was no need to wear anything fancy.

Back when Tieniu married Wu-ger, they’d made her a new dress too, and it fits perfectly. In front of the Lu family’s shop next door.

The Lu family had temporarily moved aside the steamed bun cabinets and other items, clearing up the front area and setting it up as a wedding hall. The bride, her head covered with a veil and dressed in a red wedding gown, stepped out of the small palanquin. Supported by the matchmaker, she stepped over the fire basin, while a string of auspicious blessings rained down upon her.

A crowd of guests had gathered in front of the Tang family’s shop, now watching the festivities.

Before long, the bride was ushered into the Lu household. Chen Qiaolian first settled the final payment with the palanquin bearers amid the sound of music and fanfare, then prepared a packet of peanuts and candied sugar and saw them off.

The matchmaker called out, “Where’s the mother-in-law? The bride is waiting to serve tea.”

“Coming, coming,” Chen Qiaolian replied.

The onlookers outside the door murmured, “What’s all this commotion?” and “It’s her first time marrying off a son; she must be flustered.”

In truth, regarding the payment for the palanquin bearers’ music and performance, it had been agreed upon upfront and settled straightforwardly. Palanquin bearers in this line of work rarely cheat on payment or cause delays. Yet, still uneasy, the matchmaker was put in charge of the money payments; and if there was still concern, other female relatives from the family would step in to help out. On such a joyous occasion, how could the mother-in-law possibly handle everything herself?

Meanwhile, the Tang family shop has opened for business.

“Mr. Tang is open.” 

“Let’s go, let’s go, no more looking,” 

“What’s for dinner today?”

“Mr. Tang has braised pork, soy-glazed spare ribs, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and stir-fried zucchini.”

“All great dishes to go with rice.”

Jiang Yun and Xiangping stood together, having watched the ceremony. In Fengyuan City, there was a custom that the bride wouldn’t emerge from the bridal chamber until after the wedding banquet—after all, this was a commoner’s wedding, and Lu Dalang’s new wife would eventually need to appear in public to manage the business.

However, after the bride was escorted to the bridal chamber to rest for a while, she would still have to come out to greet everyone during the banquet. When it was time for the banquet, Jiang Yun took Xiangping by the hand to look for a place to sit.

Chen Qiaolian came over to make arrangements and invited the two to sit at this table. “Over there is my second younger brother’s family, and the first table is for the in-laws and brothers-in-law.” The remaining two tables were for the neighbors and the local community.

“Oh, Xiangping, why did you come alone? Didn’t you bring the kids?”

Zhou Xiangping smiled and said, “I sent the child to play at her uncle’s house. Old Zhu has to mind the shop, so I’m here alone.”

This was, of course, just an excuse, but she added some flattering words: “Sister-in-law, you’re truly blessed to have such a capable and well-mannered daughter-in-law. I’ve only just met her, but she’s clearly a blessing. She has many brothers on her mother’s side who can all lend a hand.”

“Oh, it’s not as good as you make it out to be—just an ordinary family,” Chen Qiaolian said modestly, though her face remained beaming.

As soon as Zhou Xiangping heard this, she quickly came to her defense. After all, the daughter-in-law’s brothers were right there—even if she knew Chen Qiaolian was being modest, she couldn’t let her speak that way. Immediately, she chimed in cheerfully, “I think she’s wonderful. Just look at those young men—each one is exceptional in his own way. Naturally, their sister is just as wonderful.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Chen Qiaolian agreed. “They’re all wonderful, all wonderful.”

She hadn’t even thought about it—her in-laws’ brothers were still there, and she’d been so happy she’d forgotten.

Jiang Yun listened from the side and thought to herself that Xiangping was smooth-talking and knew how to handle herself—she had a lot to learn from her.

There were four tables, each seating ten people. Chen Qiaolian and her husband had calculated that there would be enough food, but they’d forgotten to account for the guests their own family members would bring—Father Lu’s younger brother had even brought his daughter-in-law and her child from her parents’ home, so there wasn’t quite enough.

Chen Qiaolian asked everyone to squeeze in a bit, then went to call Sanniang and Erlang to bring their own stools. Finally, everyone was seated.

Let’s eat.

Jiang Yun, thinking of how Wu-ger had always been curious about “what kind of banquet they’d be having,” paid closer attention to the dishes. A fragrant aroma drifted over from the Lu family’s courtyard—it smelled somewhat familiar, just like the braised pork Wu-ger used to make.

Chef Tian brought out a pot of stewed pork. The color was simply stunning—a vibrant, glossy red—and it looked even more appetizing than the chicken or fish he usually cooked. He picked up his chopsticks to taste it first, and his eyes immediately lit up. Da Yuan and Xiao Mi, standing nearby, asked eagerly, “Master, what does it taste like?”

“It’s the aroma,” Chef Tian said, scooping out a small piece for each of his apprentices. “Remember the flavor.” He couldn’t help but marvel, “This pork has lost all its gamey smell; all that’s left is its unique richness and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.”

Mr. Tang next door certainly had some skill. He’d followed the other man’s instructions on the ingredients, figuring out the proportions himself, and the flavor was this good.

Thinking of this, Chef Tian reached into his pocket and pulled out thirty wen. “Xiao Mi, go next door and buy a boxed meal. Take our own bowl with you.” Xiao Mi received the order, took the money, and scurried off.

Da Yuan dutifully stayed by his master’s side, assisting with the preparations and serving the dishes.

The Lu family’s banquet menu was later finalized with eight dishes: the meat dishes were braised pork, roasted chicken, fermented black bean-fried fish, and soy sauce spare ribs; the vegetarian dishes included stir-fried shredded potatoes, fried pork cracklings with cucumbers, soy sauce-stir-fried winter melon, and garlic-stuffed eggplant.

The banquet was complete.

Father Lu’s younger brother remarked, “What a lavish feast, brother. You’ve really spent a lot of money today.”

“It’s only right to spend on my eldest son’s wedding—the Zou family’s daughter is a fine match,” Father Lu praised in front of his in-laws.

Chen Qiaolian urged her sisters-in-law and guests to help themselves to the food.

“Eat up, eat up—the food won’t taste as good once it gets cold.” Lu Sanniang whispered to her mother, asking if she should save some food, since her older brother and sister-in-law hadn’t arrived yet.

Chen Qiaolian smiled and teased the guests, “My Sanniang is already thinking about her sister-in-law. She’s usually the only daughter in the house, but now that Lingniang has arrived, she’ll have someone to keep her company.” She then reassured her daughter, “Don’t worry, the cook has set aside some food—it’s all fresh.”

Naturally, the family couldn’t join the table; today, they were the hosts, and it wouldn’t do for the hosts to sit down and eat.

Upon hearing this, the Zou brothers were immediately delighted. The Lu family was a kind and decent household; their sister had certainly made a good choice in marrying into it.

As they ate and drank, the young couple arrived shortly after to toast the guests and introduce themselves. Chen Qiaolian introduced them from the side: “Lingniang, this is your uncle and aunt…”

Xiao Mi came back carrying two plates of food and told the master, “Mr. Tang said he was worried the flavors might mix, so he told me to finish eating and then take the plates back to exchange them for our bowls.”

He carried a large bowl over with both hands. Fortunately, Mr. Tang recognized him and called him Xiao Mi—even though Mr. Tang was quite young, he addressed him just as the master did, so Xiao Mi instinctively obeyed.

Chef Tian glanced at the two plates holding four dishes; each serving seemed a bit small.

Oh, he remembered—the boxed meals ordered from Mr. Tang’s shop were meant for one person, so that was actually plenty.

Xiao Mi swallowed hard. The customers outside had already sat down to eat, but they hadn’t eaten a thing all day—just nibbled on some flatbread and had a single bite of the meat Master Tian had cooked.

Chef Tian reached out, and Da Yuan, standing beside him, handed him a pair of chopsticks. Chef Tian took the chopsticks and first picked up a piece of braised pork—not to eat, but to examine. For a chef, the essence of cooking lies in the perfect harmony of color, aroma, and flavor.

He wasn’t a celebrity chef; he’d apprenticed under a veteran who specialized in banquets for weddings and funerals. Having spent most of his life in the trade, his only real claim to fame was his knife skills. As for the actual flavors of his dishes, he was particularly skilled with chicken and fish.

As soon as he dipped his chopsticks into Boss Tang’s braised pork, he could tell it was even more tender and melt-in-the-mouth. The color was beautiful—the meat had absorbed the sauce, stewing until it turned a translucent red, looking just like agate.

Beautiful.

He held it to his nose and took a whiff. It was fragrant, yet there was almost no scent of spices—only the natural aroma of the meat.

When he put it in his mouth, the pork skin was springy, the fat melted instantly, and the lean meat was tender and not at all dry.

The whole piece of meat was simply fragrant—

“Bring over the one I made,” Chef Tian said.

Da Yuan went to fetch the braised pork his master had prepared. Chef Tian didn’t even taste it; just by looking at the appearance, he knew he’d lost. But it wasn’t a loss he couldn’t bear—after all, this was Mr. Tang’s specialty. It was just that, at this very moment, he was thoroughly and wholeheartedly convinced.

The “Master Tang’s Boxed Meals” that everyone in Fengyuan City raves about aren’t just popular because of some Peking Opera endorsement—Master Tang truly has the real deal.

He’d tried every dish himself. Take that stir-fried shredded potato dish, for instance—he’d made it too. At Master Tang’s, the flavor was nearly identical to his own, yet for some inexplicable reason, Master Tang’s version tasted better.

Chef Tian puzzled over it, wondering what exactly was missing.

“Master, we’re almost out of shredded potatoes. Should I go buy some more?” Xiao Mi asked.

Chef Tian put down his chopsticks and stopped eating. “You two go ahead.” Seeing that the food was nearly finished, he pulled out some money and handed it to Da Yuan. “Finish your meal, then return the plates together. Just have your evening meal there—I don’t think this family plans to provide us with meals.”

Whether it’s a wedding or a funeral, the host family always has to provide meals for the cook.

“I don’t think so…” Da Yuan felt it was a bit of a waste to spend Master’s money. “Master’s cooking is really delicious.”

He meant there was no need to spend money on takeout, even though Boss Tang’s cooking was indeed delicious.

Chef Tian: “You still want to eat proper chicken, fish, and braised pork? That’s out of the question. You eat whatever they give you—get out of here.” 

Don’t bother him here; he still needed to figure out exactly what was wrong.

The two apprentices exchanged glances. After clearing their plates, they took the money to buy boxed meals, but instead of eating out, they brought them back to share with their master—one portion for him, and one for the two of them.

Chef Tian accepted his two apprentices’ gesture of filial piety. Though these two lads were a bit slow, they were genuinely down-to-earth and dutiful. They’d been with him since childhood. His son was gone, leaving only a granddaughter. He’d keep an eye on them; when the time came, he’d choose one of them to marry his granddaughter, ensuring his family line would continue.

At first, Da Yuan and Xiao Mi ate with some restraint, not wanting to hurt their master’s feelings—after all, no matter how delicious the food might be, it couldn’t compare to his own cooking. But once they started eating, they ate like pigs rooting for food.

“Delicious, delicious.”

“These shredded potatoes are delicious, too. How did you make them?”

“If I had Boss Tang’s skills, Master would have nothing to worry about.”

Chef Tian: …

Later, even after finishing his meal, Chef Tian couldn’t figure out exactly where he fell short. In the end, he concluded, every profession requires natural talent; some people are simply cut out for this line of work. Perhaps his knife skills were a bit lacking—that can be practiced—but the art of seasoning, the perfect timing of cooking, and the subtle tricks of the trade? Those can’t be learned through practice alone.

The eight-course banquet earned the Lu couple plenty of praise. Neighbors and relatives all spoke highly of it—it was impressive, and the dishes were delicious.

The Zou family was delighted as well. After the meal, Chen Qiaolian even packed up two bowls of meat for them to take home.

“It’s all ready to go—just take it.”

“Let your in-laws try some too. You can rest assured about Lingniang at my house; I’ll treat her just as I treat my own Sanniang.”

The celebration came to an end.

Jiang Yun invited Xiangping to come sit in her courtyard for a while, but Zhou Xiangping waved her hand.

“Another time, Auntie. I need to go check on the shop.” 

“Alright then, come next time.” Jiang Yun also remembered that her own shop needed tidying up by now.

In the courtyard, A-Liang and Sister Tong had already finished most of the cleanup.

Huangfu Tieniu was bringing the tables and chairs set up outside back inside and stacking them against the wall. Tang Xianling was preparing the evening meal in the kitchen—he was slicing potatoes into thin strips, the knife and cutting board making a steady thudding sound. In no time, he’d finished one potato; the even, thin strips floated in the water.

“Why are you cooking for yourself? Wasn’t there any leftovers?” Jiang Yun came in and asked.

Tang Xianling: “There’s a little left, but not much. I’ll make another plate of potato strips.” He paused his knife and asked his mother, “Was the banquet good?”

“It was delicious! There were eight dishes in total. Qiaolian really saved face—everyone was praising her.” Jiang Yun imitated Wu-ger’s tone. “There was braised pork too, but I don’t think it tasted as good as yours.”

This wasn’t just flattery to boost Wu-ger’s ego—it was the truth.

“But that cook’s fish was really delicious.”

Tang Xianling: “What kind of fish?”

Jiang Yun gestured, “It was deep-fried fish, drizzled with sauce, and there were some dark, bean-like bits on top. It had a slightly indescribable smell—not exactly foul, but just a bit off—yet it tasted surprisingly fragrant. The skin was crispy, the flesh tender, and dipped in the sauce, it was absolutely delicious.”

If they were her own relatives, Jiang Yun would have had to swallow her pride and ask for a piece for Wu-ger.

But since it was the Lu family hosting a banquet, and after the meal, Father Lu, Chen Qiaolian, was packing leftovers for relatives, Jiang Yun, as a neighbor, couldn’t bring herself to ask. Even though Chen Qiaolian had said politely and warmly, “Take some for Wu-ger and Tieniu to try,”

Jiang Yun was tempted but refused, saying, “No, no, we have plenty at home.”

Thinking back now, she felt a bit of regret; after all, a single bite of fish wouldn’t have hurt.

Tang Xianling saw the look of regret on his mother’s face and guessed right away—she hadn’t brought him any leftovers from the banquet. “Mom, I know what flavor you’re talking about. I bet it’s the fermented black beans that Chef Tian made himself.”

This must be Chef Tian’s specialty. He knew the Lu family hadn’t packed any ingredients, yet Chef Tian brought his own fermented black beans—which shows that when it comes to cooking—at least for his signature dishes—he’s still very diligent and dedicated.

Indeed, one can’t let one’s reputation slip. Even if the other dishes are subpar, there’s always got to be one or two standout dishes to save the day.

Even before the banquet was over, his mother was already singing his praises. Back then, there was no internet or phone calls—it all relied on word of mouth. Everyone said that Chef Tian from Bajiao Alley prepared excellent banquets, especially the fish.

Whenever a family hosting a banquet had guests who loved fish, they’d be tempted to try his cooking, and that’s how his business took off.

Tang Xianling said, “It’s almost the weekend. I’ll head over to the East Market and the West Market, then to see if they’re selling fermented black beans. If I find some, I’ll try making that black bean-fried fish myself.”

It’s actually a bit like the modern-style “grilled fish”—first deep-fried until the surface is crispy and golden, then simmered in a sauce… You could also add a little cumin and a pinch of pepper.

!!!

The aroma made Tang Xianling so hungry he was practically drooling; he didn’t even want to keep slicing the potatoes anymore.

……But I’ll keep slicing. I still need to practice.