Remember That Time (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The Daoist tended the stove; the little girl fed the fire.

A pot of loofah soup with tender pork simmered within.

There was only an oil lamp on the stove, casting a dim yellow glow. By its light, Song You was placing pieces of tender pork into the pot one by one, while tiny bubbles continuously rose along its edges.

The meat, coated in a layer of starch, quickly took on a lotus-root pink hue under the high heat. Its starchy outer layer began to turn translucent and glistening, enough to imagine its smooth, delicate texture.

Loofah had only recently been introduced from beyond the region. It was a summer-and-autumn ingredient, and since it took up no ground to grow—needing only a tree to climb—it was planted in many places throughout Yizhou. Besides being edible, its dried fibrous pulp could also be used as a dishcloth.

Yesterday, while wandering through Spirit Spring City, Song You had seen someone selling it. It was cheap, so he bought one without a second thought.

Now it had been cut into small chunks, bobbing up and down in the pot and giving off a fresh fragrance.

After adding all the tender pork, the Daoist did not rest. Once he had put on the lid, he picked up several eggs, cracked them into a bowl, added a spoonful of salt, and briskly beat them.

His chopsticks struck the bowl with a bright clinking sound.

Three Flower Lady's face was lit by the firelight as she craned her head high, watching the Daoist's every movement.

Once the eggs had been beaten, the meat soup was nearly boiling. The Daoist lifted the lid, and steam immediately billowed upward. The oil lamp's light at once became hazy. Amid the rising vapor was the rich, fresh fragrance of loofah