"If you like her, Wenruo, you can have this little cat!"
Fan Dazhi grinned, stood up, and rubbed his empty stomach.
"You two live at the institute. Having a cat for company will help relieve the boredom. I won't take away something you love." Ding Wenruo shook her head and spoke softly, then glanced at He An.
As they chatted, the old steward came to the door to report that the kitchen had finished preparing the food and the feast could begin.
In the Ding residence's front hall, dishes covered the large pearwood table. They were exquisitely prepared, modest in portion but artfully arranged. With guests present, the meal was far more lavish than usual.
Golden and glistening with fat, the Bucket Chicken had been sliced and piled on a porcelain plate with a scalloped rim. A few slices of lush green squash lay on top, with a red cherry nestled in the center-a sight that whetted the appetite.
The oval Golden Silk Pumpkin had been steamed until soft and tender and served on a snow-white porcelain plate. Fan Dazhi tucked into it with relish. Halfway through, he discovered another world hidden inside the pumpkin: a plump, tender squab that had absorbed its delicate fragrance. The balance of sweet and savory was just right, the meat fresh and succulent. Even the broth tasted indescribably wonderful.
The steamed mandarin fish had been cut into the shape of a swallow in flight, its slices as thin as cicada wings, and dressed with the Ding residence chef's secret cooking oil. After a single bite, Fan Dazhi suddenly felt the urge to cry. For such delicious food, he would willingly have had his tongue cut out afterward.
The food at the Ding residence was simply too delicious. Even a plate of dried radish, cooked