I'll Watch This Pot

Early the next morning, Zhao Hai and Han Cheng came, just as promised.

They filled the water vat, split the firewood, and even checked every crab in the baskets brought back yesterday. When Uncle Zhou walked in and saw the courtyard already tidied up, he momentarily had no idea what to do first.

These boys never came this early when they usually helped out.

But when he thought of the new dish mentioned yesterday, he understood. Smiling, he called the two over to wash their hands and eat breakfast instead of just circling the bamboo baskets.

After breakfast, Chen An went to cultivate as usual. By the time he returned to the Kitchen, Chen Chuan had followed his earlier instructions, scrubbing the crabs clean and laying them belly-up in the steamer.

With some ginger slices lining the pot, the steamer went on once the water boiled. Before long, a savory fragrance drifted out with the white steam.

Zhao Hai had been carrying firewood outside. When he caught the scent, his steps quickened despite himself. After putting away the last bundle, he came over to the cooking room doorway.

Han Cheng was hardly any better.

Yesterday, they had merely heard there would be a new dish, and the wait had not seemed particularly difficult. But now that the ingredients were in the pot and the aroma kept burrowing into their noses, they could hardly settle down to anything else.

Amused, Chen An simply had them stay and pick the crabs.

If they wanted to eat, they had to help with some work first.

Once the crabs were steamed, he took one out and let it cool slightly, lifted off its shell, and removed the inedible parts. He picked out the roe first, then extracted the meat bit by bit. The legs could not be discarded either; once broken open, they held strips of tender white meat.

"Do it like this. Pick out all the shell, and keep the meat and roe separate for now."

The two nodded, washed their hands, and sat down.

It looked simple, but actually doing it was not so easy. Han Cheng worked carefully, spending quite a while on a single crab before producing barely half a small plate of meat. Zhao Hai was fast, but too fast: several shell fragments ended up on his plate, and he had to pick through it again.

After that, he no longer dared focus only on speed.

Chen An did not rush them. He left them the space and carried the pork into the inner room.

Once the door closed, a gleam of silver appeared in his palm, and the Eternal Spirit Knife settled into his hand. The dragon markings on its blade were faintly visible. As he infused it with Soul Power, the broad, thick blade changed slightly, taking on his usual Slicing Knife form.

For Crab Roe Lion's Head, the pork could not simply be chopped into a paste.

Four parts fat to six parts lean, cut separately: first into fine strips, then into small dice, and finally given a light, coarse chop. Only then would the meatballs be soft without losing all their texture in the mouth.

The blade fell against the chopping board in a rapid succession of light sounds. Thin slices of pork were stacked together and turned into evenly sized strips in an instant. As the blade shifted across again, the white fat and pink lean meat scattered into tiny pieces.

Changing it into the Civil and Martial Knife form, Chen An gave the pork a few light chops, then stopped.

Small granules were still visible in the bowl, their color evenly mixed-exactly what he wanted.

Using his Martial Soul for this really was convenient.

It was just somewhat troublesome that he still had to keep out of sight. Chen An put away the Eternal Spirit Knife and cleaned the chopping board before carrying the pork outside.

The two outside were still picking crabs, and Uncle Zhou had sat down to help as well. Tender white crabmeat gradually piled up on several small plates, while beside them sat a small bowl of gleaming golden roe, appetizing at a glance.

Chen An seasoned the meat mixture first.

He added the scallion-and-ginger-infused water in several batches, stirring in the same direction after each addition until the meat absorbed the water and became moist and cohesive before adding more.

Once the seasoning was right, he mixed in the crabmeat and some of the roe, immediately adding a fresh savoriness to the pork's aroma.

Zhao Hai had just finished picking the crab in his hands. Seeing Chen An cradle the mixture in his palm and shape it into a large, round meatball, he finally understood what yesterday's "lion's head" meant.

Such a big meatball, with crabmeat and roe mixed inside-it sounded delicious just thinking about it.

Chen An had no time to pay him any mind. He shaped several more in succession, pressed some crab roe into their tops, and gently lowered them into clay pots lined with napa cabbage.

Chen Chuan brought over the clear broth prepared earlier and slowly poured it along the sides of the pots until it covered the meatballs, then laid another layer of cabbage leaves on top.

The clay pots went onto the stoves one by one. He heated them until they were just about to boil, then reduced the heat.

As the broth's surface stirred faintly, the crab's savoriness and the pork's fragrance slowly mingled inside the pots.

At this point, impatience was useless. All they could do was wait.

Chen An checked the heat at each stove and was about to wash his hands when Zhao Hai brought over the little stool from in front of the stove.

"Xiao An, I'll watch this pot. Go take a break."

Chen Chuan usually tended the fires. He glanced at Zhao Hai, happy enough to have an easier time, and explained how much fire to leave and when to add wood before going to help Uncle Zhou.

But Han Cheng had nothing to do just then either. Seeing Zhao Hai sit down, he brought over a stool himself.

There were actually two Soul Masters sitting beside a single firebox.

Chen An could only feel helpless. It was not as though there was anything extraordinary in the pot. Did it really need guarding like this?

Still, if they were willing, he naturally had no objection. He merely reminded them again before leaving.

"Don't keep lifting the lid, and don't build up the fire. If they cook apart, we won't have any to eat at noon."

At that, both nodded repeatedly.

This was no joking matter.

As noon approached, more and more people arrived at the Kitchen.

Ning Rongrong ran into the courtyard and looked straight toward the cooking room. After returning last night, she had told her father and Grandpa Bone all about the new dish, and now all three elders had come along.

Chen An was sorting vegetables nearby. Seeing them enter, he greeted them with a smile and told Rongrong to sit down first; the meal would be ready soon.

Uncle Zhou took the remaining vegetables from his hands.

"I've got this. Just mind the pots."

Ning Fengzhi looked at the two disciples who had been guarding the stove for so long, and his smile deepened. Seeing their sect master arrive, they hurriedly stood to salute him, but even on their feet, they did not forget to glance at the pot lids.

They really were afraid that if they left for a moment, they would miss the meal.

Fortunately, Chen An did not keep them waiting any longer. Protecting his hands with a thick cloth, he lifted the lids one by one.

The heat trapped in the pots surged out at once.

Once the white steam cleared, the cabbage covering the top had stewed until completely soft. When it was pushed aside, the lion's head meatballs beneath were revealed. Pale in color and dotted with golden crab roe, they sat in the clear broth, wobbling at the lightest touch.

The fragrance instantly grew richer, too.

Fang Ming had been setting out bowls. When the aroma reached him, his hands immediately sped up. As soon as the bowls and spoons were arranged, he picked up his own bowl.

The others were much the same. Some had still been talking a moment ago, but now everyone fell silent, waiting for Chen An's ladle.

"There's enough for everyone. One each to start, then you can have more when you finish."

He had made plenty, but everyone still needed to get some first, lest those at the front eat themselves stuffed while those at the back could only stare.

Chen An lifted a lion's head meatball with the ladle and served it into a bowl along with clear broth and cabbage.

After taking his bowl, Zhao Hai found a seat and gently pressed his spoon into the meatball's edge. It immediately parted, revealing the fine pieces of crabmeat inside.

He put a piece containing crab roe into his mouth, intending to chew a couple of times, only for the meat to fall apart with a press of his tongue.

So tender.

The pork had soaked up the broth and was soft to eat, while the fat had long since stewed into tender richness without the slightest greasiness. The crabmeat's savoriness lay within it, and one bite filled even the spaces between his lips and teeth with that rich fragrance.

Zhao Hai swallowed and let out a long breath, then took another big spoonful.

All that time guarding the pot had been worth it.

Beside him, Han Cheng had no time to talk either. After several mouthfuls of meat and broth, he found his spoon too small and simply lifted the bowl to sip the clear broth from its rim.

It looked so clear and light; only after drinking it did he realize how savory it was.

Stewed until completely soft, the cabbage had also soaked up the broth. Spread over white rice, even those leaves made him reluctant to miss a single bite.

Ning Rongrong ate a little more slowly, but she had not stopped either. Seeing the meat in her bowl fall apart, Gu Rong casually added some rice for her to mix with it, then drank the last of his own broth.

"Xiao An, if there are any left in the pot, give me another one too."

Chen Xin held out his empty bowl. He had barely finished speaking when Gu Rong raised his bowl as well.

At the sight, Ning Fengzhi smiled helplessly. Rather than compete with them, he lowered his head and continued eating his own food.

They rarely gathered for a meal like this. Simply watching the lively scene was comforting enough.

Chen An busily refilled several bowls before finally sitting down to eat.

He had already checked the new dish's effect earlier.

It gently nourished the meridians and helped ease the slight discomfort that followed circulating Soul Power.

Though it was no powerful restorative with an immediate effect, making the body more comfortable during ordinary daily cultivation was still a tangible benefit. Besides, by rotating these dishes, they could nourish their bodies simply through their everyday meals.

After the meal, positive reviews arrived one after another.

[Crab Roe Lion's Head: 23/100.]

Including Uncle Ning and the two grandpas, all twenty-three people at this meal had given one, without a single exception.

Looking at the newly added Soul Power and constitution rewards, Chen An was naturally in a good mood. At this rate, he would draw ever closer to rank twenty, and then he could add another Soul Ring to the Dragon-Transforming Pot.

The first Soul Skill had given him BB Popcorn. What the second would be was certainly something to look forward to.

He did not need to worry about clearing the bowls and chopsticks; Fang Ming and the others had already gotten to work. Chen An wiped his hands clean and went to find Chen Xin, planning to rest a while before cultivating again.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Zhao Hai cradled the last half-bowl of broth, savoring it with every sip.

As Han Cheng passed, he casually remarked that he would help watch the fire next time too.

Hearing that, Zhao Hai immediately raised his head.

"It's settled, then. You and me, one side each, just like before."

Not far away, Chen Chuan listened and silently glanced at the stool where he usually sat.

Well, it looked as though even tending the fire would require lining up from now on.