Chapter 97 (continued)

Ming Chunxi: "I'll be back early this afternoon."

Qing Mengzhu: "Then I'll wait for you!"

After finishing breakfast, Qing Mengzhu waited until after eight o'clock before calling Ming Lexin to invite her over for dinner that evening.

Ming Lexin smiled and readily agreed, then asked curiously, "Why did you suddenly decide to invite me to dinner?"

Qing Mengzhu: "I've managed to get my hands on a decent piece of meat, and I'd like to invite you over to try it."

Ming Lexin: "Wow, that sounds amazing! I'll be there on time this evening."

After calling Ming Lexin, Qing Mengzhu called Zhao Hexi. Zhao Hexi didn't even ask and immediately agreed, "Do you need me to bring anything? Or do you need me to buy any other groceries? I'm going to town today, so I can bring the groceries back with me."

Qing Mengzhu thought for a moment, "No need for now, the vegetables we have at home are enough. I'll go to Uncle Changhong's house later to buy a chicken, that should be about right."

Zhao Hexi: "Okay, if you want to buy anything else, just let me know."

Tonight we're having a get-together, Qing Mengzhu has been looking forward to it since morning, planning the dishes while she works.

Everyone who saw him could tell he was in a good mood, which surprised them. Many people even teased him about it, but he didn't explain.

In the afternoon, Zhao Hexi arrived first. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she smelled the delicious aroma filling the air. "It smells so good! Have you already started cooking?"

Qing Mengzhu: "Let's start simmering the chicken soup first. Wild mushroom chicken soup should taste good."

Zhao Hexi took a few steps in the yard. "I need to clean the chickens. Wait for me."

Qing Mengzhu: "I can manage by myself. It'll be done in no time. It's not much trouble. You sit down and have some tea. We can cook the rest of the dishes when they get back, otherwise they might get cold."

Zhao Hexi had no objections, sat down at the table to drink tea, and casually patted the Guard's forehead.

The Guard turned to look at Zhao Hexi and even obediently nudged his hand with his head.

Zhao Hexi simply hugged the Guard and started stroking him from his head all the way down to his tail.

Seeing that he was having fun, Qing Mengzhu didn't stop him, but only said after he finished petting the dog, "Go wash your hands first."

Zhao Hexi had no choice but to stand up and wash her hands.

As he walked through the yard, he suddenly saw a head pop out from behind a large flowerpot—it was an otter.

He peeked out and saw the red fox was also there.

Zhao Hexi asked in surprise, "Why are these two little ones here too?"

Qing Mengzhu: "They're waiting for dinner, and they're hungry too."

Zhao Hexi: "Won't they eat too much human food?"

Qing Mengzhu: "It's okay to eat them occasionally. I'll make them a version without seasoning later, so it won't harm their health."

Zhao Hexi tentatively stroked the otter's head.

The otter looked up, then suddenly lay down, rolled over, and exposed its belly. "Waaah?"

Zhao Hexi walked up to the otter without any hesitation and casually stroked its belly. "So good!"

Otter: "Eek!"

When Ming Lexin and Ming Chunxi returned, they saw Zhao Hexi squatting in the yard, petting the otter and the dog, his face full of a happy smile.

Ming Lexin put down what she was holding and quickly stepped forward. "The otter is willing to be touched now?"

Qing Mengzhu: "It's always been quite willing, but you have to touch it gently. If you touch it too hard, it will feel the pressure and then run away."

Seeing Ming Lexin approach the red fox, Qing Mengzhu added, "Red foxes don't like being touched. They're naturally wary and quite fierce, so don't get too close."

Ming Lexin nodded repeatedly. "Okay, I'll just touch the otter."

Zhao Hexi gave up her seat. "Auntie, touch your belly, it's so soft."

Ming Lexin rubbed her hands together, then warmed them with her neck before touching the otter's belly. She exclaimed happily, "The fur on its belly is so fine and smooth!"

Zhao Hexi: "Right?! I just thought so too."

Ming Chunxi glanced at the two exchanging their experiences petting otters, then walked towards Qing Mengzhu: "Shall we start making dinner? How should we make it?"

Qing Mengzhu showed Ming Chunxi the prepared menu. "The wild mushroom and chicken soup is already simmering. Now I'd like to make braised beef with dried bamboo shoots, stir-fried pork, and steamed fish. Also, I'd like to stir-fry some eggplant and make some lettuce with oyster sauce and garlic."

Ming Chunxi said in a low voice, "Isn't this too much food for four people?"

Qing Mengzhu: "There are four more animals; the Dharma Protector and his Guard have quite the appetites."

The Dharma Protector and Guard are now almost the size of large dogs. They eat more than an adult male. If they were allowed to eat freely, the amount of food would not be enough.

Ming Chunxi had no questions about the menu.

The two washed their hands and prepared to cook, starting with stewed beef as the first dish.

Qing Mengzhu originally planned to fry the beef first and then stew it. Frying the beef would cause its surface to shrink and wrinkle, and when stewing it, it would absorb the broth, making the beef taste more delicious.

When it came time to cut the beef into chunks, Qing Mengzhu looked at the beautiful marbling of the beef and felt that frying it would be a waste.

Such good ingredients will definitely lose their flavor if they are fried once.

He hesitated for a moment, then decided not to fry it, but to stir-fry it briefly before stewing it.

Stewed beef requires tomatoes and their roasted bamboo shoots.

The bamboo shoots had been soaked long ago, and the tomatoes were freshly picked from the field.

Qing Mengzhu started by stir-frying the beef. He barely used any seasonings, only adding two slices of ginger, before putting the beef chunks into the wok and stir-frying them.

Soon, the beef was coated with a brownish-red color, and its aroma was released, filling the room with the unique fragrance of beef.

He then added the soaked bamboo shoots and stir-fried them together until the bamboo shoots also released their aroma.

Qing Mengzhu set aside the bamboo shoots and beef, and without washing the pot, used the remaining oil from stir-frying the bamboo shoots and beef to stir-fry the tomatoes.

Bright red tomato chunks are added to the pot and quickly turn into a juicy, flavorful broth as they cook in the oil.

Seeing that it was almost cooked, he added a large spoonful of tomato sauce produced by their company.

Tomato sauce will make the soup richer and more flavorful when stewed later.

After stir-frying the tomatoes, Qing Mengzhu added the bamboo shoots and beef back in, then added the broth, brought it to a boil, and then transferred it to a clay pot to simmer.

By the time this step is done, the aroma is already very strong.

Qing Mengzhu herself couldn't stand it, so she took out a small bowl and tasted the flavor with Ming Chunxi.

As a chef, you always have to taste it first to know what seasonings to add later.

As they were enjoying their meal, they turned around to find six pairs of eyes watching them from outside the door—four animals and two humans, not one missing.

Qing Mengzhu was startled. "What are you all doing standing outside?"

Zhao Hexi said quietly, "It smells so good! We came over to see if the food was ready yet, but we didn't expect to find you sneaking a bite."

Qing Mengzhu: "How can a cook tasting the food be considered stealing food?"

Zhao Hexi Ming Chunxi: "What about God Ming? Is he also considered a cook?"

Ming Chunxi replied, "Why doesn't it count? Wasn't I just helping out?"

Ming Lexin: "I don't care, I want to try it too."

So Qing Mengzhu had no choice but to take out two more small bowls and let Ming Lexin and Zhao Hexi taste the food. She also threw a piece of beef into each of the little creatures to prevent them from protesting.

The little ones stopped squealing after eating the beef; they just kept licking their lips, looking quite pitiful.

Qing Mengzhu couldn't stand it, so she threw each of them a piece of meat.

The little ones were delighted, but when they turned around, Qing Mengzhu met two pairs of deep, unfathomable eyes.

Ming Lexin and Zhao Hexi tacitly showed their empty bowls, indicating that they had finished eating and wanted more.

Qing Mengzhu couldn't stand it anymore and chased the two out of the kitchen. "Stop eating! If you keep eating, the meat won't be cooked yet and you'll finish it all!"

Zhao Hexi smacked her lips. "It tastes pretty good right now, I feel like it doesn't need to be stewed anymore."

Qing Mengzhu: "Give me a break, there's no salt in it, how can it taste good?"