Chef Hua
Chapter 527: Episode 284 Business Sense

Chapter 527: Episode 284 Business Sense

Hua Xiaomai touched her temple, bowed her head and smiled silently without making a sound.

Wang Zhanrui’s words were indeed quite impolite. The implication seemed to be that he was a piece of fine jade hidden in a stone and everyone else, including Lady Yang and her company, were too ignorant to recognize his value, thus burying his talents as if they were nothing.

Being angry, how could one expect him to say anything pleasant? Not to mention him, even Master Tan, though he was quiet now and wearing a smile on his face, who knows what he was really feeling inside!

With these thoughts, Hua Xiaomai stopped worrying about it and silently began to prepare the sea bass by removing the skin and cutting it into small pieces before stuffing it into the bottomless lotus pod.

In about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, dishes were successively completed. Chun Xi and La Mei used covered food boxes to keep them warm and brought them to the edge of the fish pond.

At this time of year, the produce was always most abundant; not only the ingredients from the fish pond but also those at the edges of the fields—countless good dishes in the pot.

Sea bass seasoned with salt, wine, and various spices, stuffed into the lotus pod and sealed with a layer of honey before being steamed, resulted in the autumnal delicacy "Lotus Seed Fish Ball." Not only did the honey perfectly encapsulate the fresh taste of the fish but it also added a touch of sweetness to the already fragrant lotus pod; swallowing it left a lingering sweetness in the mouth;

Chinese yam and chestnuts were sliced and stewed in mutton soup with various ingredients. With the white yam resembling jade and the yellow chestnuts like gold, it was named "Golden Jade Soup." After prolonged stewing, both ingredients were softened to the point of having lost their structure, but the soup became thick and visually appealing. It was glutinous to the taste, extraordinarily nourishing and moist;

Loaches from the paddy fields were plump and juicy. For those who liked it spicy, there was also "Dry Fried Loach" made with fat loaches. Regardless of the taste, the thick layer of chili sprinkled on top at a glance made one’s mouth water. The Sichuan peppercorns, once drizzled with hot oil, produced a numbing fragrance that made one feel that, even if the tongue was scorched by the spiciness, they must indulge to their heart’s content first.

Even just a pot of rice in Hua Xiaomai’s hands was different from anywhere else.

When the white rice was steamed to the point of being just shy of done, she opened the pot and placed sliced segments of lotus roots inside, slightly pressing them down. Upon removal, the rice surface naturally formed the pattern of the character "well," rightfully called "Jade Well Rice." It looked fresh, smelled pleasant, and had a slight lotus sweetness when eaten, truly indescribably pleasant.

The breeze at the fish pond was cool, and the scent of lotus leaves fresh. With such a spread of dishes—even Hua Xiaomai herself thought that life couldn’t get any more comfortable.

Lady Yang and her female relatives had been in high spirits ever since they entered the garden. Some took the blue-canopied boats to the center of the pond, others sat around stone tables peeling lotus seeds to eat and chat leisurely, and some held fishing rods, trying their luck. When the dishes arrived, they all gathered around the table with beaming smiles and took their seats. Despite being women, they couldn’t help but heat a couple of pots of wine to sip for pleasure.

After finishing her work in the kitchen, Hua Xiaomai went to check on Zhou Yunyun’s situation and saw that she had also prepared many chilis for seasoning. She gave her a few reminders. Seeing that there was still some time left before the noon business hours, she went upstairs to the private rooms with Chun Xi to speak with Old Lady Meng.

When three women came together, they only talked about trivial matters. After chattering briefly, Chun Xi stuck her head out of the window and looked into the garden, her mouth corners turning downwards.

"She is a government official’s wife, and I truly wouldn’t dare to gossip behind her back; as it’s just the three of us here, and you, Old Lady, and Xiaomai are both tight-lipped, I just wanted to chat with you a bit." she said with a slight resentment, "Madam County Magistrate looks really beautiful, just like she’s stepped out of a painting, but why do I feel she is somewhat confused, unable to handle things? Sister Xiaomai invited her, and what does she do? Drags a whole crowd with her—as if it’s not her own money being spent, she does not seem to care at all!"

Hua Xiaomai pursed her lips and smiled, but before she could speak, Old Lady Meng, who had been diligently sewing clothing, had already bluntly replied, "Talking about others being confused? I think you’re the one who’s always bewildered!"

She said this without even lifting her eyelids.

Chun Xi always knew she was not someone to be trifled with, and being her elder, she didn’t dare to talk back openly. She muttered to herself discontentedly, "Old Lady, am I wrong? You didn’t see, although today’s ingredients aren’t particularly expensive luxuries, those fresh lotus roots and pods that just hit the market aren’t cheap either! Moreover, Sister Xiaomai’s cooking is extremely exquisite and takes a lot of effort—not to mention, she’s your daughter-in-law, pregnant with your Meng Family’s child; don’t you feel a little bit distressed?"