He took the opportunity of wiping someone’s face to secretly touch it.
It wasn’t until Ji Hong pulled him back to the kitchen that Yu Jinnian suddenly came to his senses—he had pulled the fire out of the stove, so how could the water possibly boil! He turned back to look at Ji Hong, who stood at the kitchen door with his arms crossed, looking entirely unbothered by his lie.
Yu Jinnian, puzzled, took the almost-cooked chicken out of the pot, set it aside to dry, then fetched some sesame oil to rub over its surface. As he was doing so, a thought struck him: “Could it be that he’s afraid I’ll run off with that old Taoist to become an immortal?”
He wanted to ask, but after glancing at Ji Hong’s face, he found he couldn’t. What if this nine-level life-skill handicap actually believed the water in the pot had boiled? Then it would seem he was overthinking things.
Never mind, never mind.
Yu Jinnian picked up a knife, and with a few swift cuts, he sliced the shiny chicken and arranged it on a plate. At this point, the chicken was perfectly cooked, with a slight red tinge in the marrow, and the meat was incredibly tender. He then set up the pot again, needing to prepare a dipping sauce. He took some soy sauce and looked around.
Ji Hong took a step forward and asked, “What do you need?”
“Shrimp,” Yu Jinnian said, “and ginger.”
Ji Hong went out and returned shortly with a plate in each hand: “This?”
Yu Jinnian nodded, poured the soy sauce into the pot to heat, brought it to a boil, then added ginger, wine, sugar, and shrimp to cook further, skimming off the foam on top to make shrimp soy sauce for dipping the white-cut chicken. He picked up a few slices of chicken, rolled them in the shrimp soy sauce, and brought them to Ji Hong’s mouth: “Try the dish.”
Ji Hong leaned down slightly, biting the chopsticks held by the youth, and took the entire piece of chicken into his mouth. The salty taste of the soy sauce, wrapped with the freshness of the shrimp and the tender, smooth chicken, spread over his tongue, making him reluctant to swallow.
Yu Jinnian thought he would take it, but unexpectedly, the man leaned in and ate directly, leaving Yu Jinnian momentarily stunned. Once the chopsticks loosened, he quickly looked at the man’s expression but saw no change. Anxiously, he asked, “How is it?”
Ji Hong looked down slightly, then after a moment, looked at the young man and said, “Hmm,” followed by, “Not bad.”
Such a concise response… Yu Jinnian, irritated, stuffed the small dish with the remaining two pieces of chicken into his hand and sent him away: “After you finish, go borrow paper and pen from the Taoist. If you can’t borrow them, don’t come back.” He then muttered to himself, “I’m not interested in any Taoist longevity methods. It’s more interesting to make money in the mundane world. As a Taoist, you can’t eat meat or marry a wife. I wouldn’t go.”
After he finished speaking, he noticed Ji Hong’s deep eyes seemed to brighten for a moment, but before he could look closely, the man had already turned and left.
Yu Jinnian could only suppress his curiosity, breaking down the remaining two chickens, throwing the heads and bones into the pot to stew with green onions, ginger, and red dates. Ji Hong soon returned with the borrowed paper and pen, but his expression was terrible, as if frozen over. Who knows what nonsense the Taoist said to him this time? Ji Hong spread the paper on a small stool, and Yu Jinnian, busy cutting vegetables, called out the names of the dishes for him to write. After writing, Ji Hong held it up for Yu Jinnian to see.
Naturally, Yu Jinnian couldn’t recognize most of the characters, but he admired them and earnestly praised, “Really nice. If only I could write like that.”
Ji Hong opened his mouth to say something when suddenly two young boys burst in from outside. They looked eager, saying they were brought by Master He to help in the kitchen, asking if there was anything they needed to do.
Yu Jinnian guessed that the Master He they mentioned was the injured chef. At this moment, he was worried that Ji Hong, being a life skills handicap, was not much help, and he himself was extremely busy. The arrival of these two boys was a great help. He quickly thanked them, “Could you please take this menu to the host?”
One of them, who could read, immediately left while the other stayed to help Yu Jinnian.
The atmosphere between the two was interrupted, and the two helpers, after tasting Yu Jinnian’s newly made dishes, looked at him with bright eyes, calling him “Brother Nian” with admiration. Ji Hong’s face darkened, so he stayed silent, pushed aside to continue picking beans. After filling a basket, he touched something in his sleeve, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“Dongzi, Xizi,” a man called out as he walked in from outside, “the water in the jar is empty. Go fetch some more from the river behind.”
Yu Jinnian looked up and quickly greeted, “Master He.”
Earlier, although he had caught a glimpse of him with the Taoist priest, He Dali was then immersed in sorrow and hadn’t noticed the young man. Now, taking a closer look at Yu Jinnian, he was surprised and delighted, pulling him over by the hand, “Aren’t you the young brother from the noodle shop?”
Yu Jinnian was startled by his overly excited reaction and nodded, “I am.”
He Dali’s eyes suddenly reddened. It is said that men don’t easily cry, but this middle-aged man sobbed uncontrollably, with snot and tears all over. Despite being consoled, he wouldn’t stop. If it were a delicate girl crying on Yu Jinnian’s shoulder, he might have felt a bit sympathetic. But being held and cried on by a burly man with bulging biceps made Yu Jinnian very uncomfortable, and his hands were smeared with He Dali’s tears. He had no choice but to turn his head and look helplessly at Ji Hong.
Before the young man could speak, Ji Hong, frowning, walked over, pulled Yu Jinnian’s hand away, lifted his own hem to wipe it clean, and protectively stood in front of him, asking, “Who are you? What’s the matter?”
Yu Jinnian shook his head, looking innocent, “I don’t know, I don’t recognize him.”
When Yu Jinnian finished cooking a dish of hot and sour bean sprouts, He Dali finally stopped crying and looked over pitifully. But before his gaze could reach Yu Jinnian, Ji Hong’s body blocked it. He looked up to see a handsome young man staring at him expressionlessly.
He Dali awkwardly stepped back, sniffed, and tried to peer around Ji Hong to see Yu Jinnian, calling out, “Brother Xiao Nian! Please, I need your help!”
Yu Jinnian frowned as he served the dish, hesitating to go over, fearing another crying episode. Fortunately, Ji Hong understood his thoughts and calmly said, “Speak.”
“Master He, please go ahead. I’m listening,” Yu Jinnian echoed, hiding behind Ji Hong.
He Dali, unable to surpass the barrier that was Ji Hong, slumped onto a small stool and began his story dejectedly: “I have a useless son who always misbehaves, mingling with a bunch of scoundrels. But you know, no matter how useless, he’s still the only heir of the He family. Alas, since the beginning of spring, this useless boy somehow got sick. He’s been coughing day and night, never getting better. We’ve consulted many doctors, but none have given a clear diagnosis. One even told us to prepare for the worst.” He was about to cry again. “My He family only has this one heir…”
Hearing it was an illness, Yu Jinnian’s medical instincts kicked in. He ran through the symptoms of He Dali’s son in his mind and interrupted his crying, asking, “Is he coughing up blood?”
He Dali hadn’t initially intended to talk about his son’s illness, but upon hearing Yu Jinnian’s question, he recalled the rumors that the young brother from the noodle shop not only cooked well but also knew medicine. Although he doubted a youngster could have much medical knowledge, having prayed to gods and consulted many doctors to no avail, he thought it wouldn’t hurt to let Yu Jinnian take a look. He replied weakly, “He’s not coughing up blood, just occasionally spits phlegm with some blood streaks.”
Yu Jinnian asked again, “Does he have a fever in the afternoons?”
He Dali thought carefully and said, “I haven’t noticed, maybe not.”
Ji Hong looked down at the young man beside him and saw him slightly frowning. Unlike his usual relaxed demeanor while cooking, Yu Jinnian now appeared serious and composed, adding a sense of maturity to his usual obedient demeanor, which made Ji Hong take a few more glances.
Yu Jinnian, having made some preliminary judgments in his mind, quickly reverted to his cheerful mode and smiled as he asked He Dali, “So, Master He, what do you need me to do?”
Seeing that the conversation was finally back on track, He Dali quickly said, “Ever since my ungrateful son got sick, he hasn’t had any appetite and hasn’t been able to eat anything. A few days ago, my wife bought some sweet dumplings from the noodle shop, and he actually ate them happily! Later, I wanted to buy more food from the noodle shop, but got tied up with the business here. You know how it is, making a living is hard… Then, I even cut my hand in the process, and that’s when I went to the Taoist priest for a talisman…”
Honestly, Yu Jinnian couldn’t understand how a man could talk so much, almost revealing his entire family background. He turned to look at Ji Hong’s indifferent face and thought it would be nice if He Dali could share some of his words with this taciturn gentleman.
After He Dali finished his lament, Yu Jinnian finally understood, “Master He, you want me to cook some food for your son?”
He Dali nodded vigorously and added, “As long as my son, Er Tian, can have a satisfying meal, money is not an issue!”
Only a fool would pass up money, and Yu Jinnian indeed felt an itch to see the supposedly incurable He Er Tian. He nodded and agreed, “Alright. But I have a rule when cooking—I need to see the person who will be eating first, to decide what dishes to make.”
He Dali had no objections to this and even offered to help enthusiastically.
The number of people attending Aunt Wu’s feast was not too many nor too few. Four square wooden tables were perfectly filled. Each table had a dish of white-cut chicken and braised potato chicken, a soy-braised pork shank, a plate of fried fish, as well as hot and sour bean sprouts, garlic-braised eggplant, and various other home-cooked dishes. They also steamed two trays of plump white buns. Although not extravagant, the table was fully laden, making it look very satisfying.
The craftsmen ate heartily, their mouths full of oil, devouring meat and buns voraciously.
The most restrained table was the one with the Taoist priest. The priest maintained an air of aloofness typical of his kind, making the couple at the same table with Aunt Wu afraid to lose face, only able to look at the food with longing.
During the meal, Yu Jinnian brought more dishes and was again pulled aside by the Taoist priest, who tried his best to recruit Yu Jinnian to his sect. Ji Hong saw this and walked over with a frosty demeanor, pulling Yu Jinnian to his side and glaring at the Taoist priest before leaving.
Back in the kitchen, Yu Jinnian didn’t want to go out again. He brought the chicken soup, which had been simmering all afternoon, back to a boil. Ji Hong cooperatively brought a few bowls and lined them up, following the young man’s instructions to crack a fresh egg into each bowl. These eggs were free-range, golden, and fresh, with no contamination.
He Dali, watching curiously from the side, asked, “What kind of dish is this? I’ve never seen it before.”
Yu Jinnian, not hiding his skills, smiled and explained, “This is called ‘san,’ a type of soup from the north. It’s actually a meat porridge made by stewing minced bones and meat, but due to different local preferences, there are variations with beef, mutton, chicken, and duck bones. Depending on whether black or white pepper is added, there are black san and white san. The soup can also be cooked with wheat grains for a fuller texture. The one I’m making is a type of white san. The key is to pour the hot soup directly over the egg to get a fresh and smooth texture. You can’t cook the egg in the pot.”
After saying this, he scooped out a ladle of the steaming chicken soup and poured it high and fast into the bowl with the egg, instantly cooking the egg into a golden, floating layer. In his past life, he had lived with his adoptive father in their hometown for a few years, often enjoying a bowl of san soup with steamed buns at street food stalls, finding it incredibly delicious.
He Dali and his two apprentices, listening to him, were already salivating and eager to try it.
Yu Jinnian sprinkled a pinch of cilantro, added a few drops of sesame oil and vinegar to the soup bowl, and said, “Give it a try.”
He Dali immediately picked up a bowl and, despite the heat, sipped along the edge, drinking in a mix of cilantro leaves and egg flower. Before he could chew, the chicken soup had already slid down his tongue. He quickly took two more big sips, even though it burned his mouth, exhaling loudly, “Fresh, spicy, fragrant! Delicious!”
The two apprentices also grabbed bowls and took a sip, repeatedly praising the taste.
The three of them each finished a bowl of san soup and, still craving more, licked their lips, “Haha, this soup is addictive! It would be even better with some noodles soaked in it.”
“What’s that wonderful smell?” Aunt Wu came in, following the aroma, and seeing the group huddled in the kitchen eating, she laughed heartily, “Brother Xiao Nian, what delicious thing have you made now, making them slack off their work?” She then sent the two helpers to serve the dishes.
Aunt Wu kindly said, “Brother Xiao Nian, you’ve worked hard all afternoon. Why don’t you go outside and eat a bit too? Everyone is happily eating and drinking at the feast.”
Yu Jinnian smiled gently, “No, thank you, Aunt. My brother doesn’t like being around strangers. I’ll just eat some leftovers here.”
“Alright then. There are two jars of pickled chili peppers on the table over there, which Aunt prepared. Don’t forget to take them with you when you leave.” Aunt Wu didn’t insist further. Hearing her husband calling for more wine from outside, she quickly took out some silver from her sleeve and handed it to Yu Jinnian, then hurried back to the banquet to entertain the guests.
Yu Jinnian weighed the small silver ingot in his hand, pondering when he could open his own medical clinic. But speaking of which, he had been busy making money for the past few months without encountering such good business opportunities. How come, since this cold gentleman arrived, people like Aunt Wu and Master He kept coming to invite him to cook?
Could it be that this man is a god of wealth descended to earth?
As he thought about this, he glanced at Ji Hong out of the corner of his eye, only to find Ji Hong looking right back at him. Their gazes met. The man’s clear, deep eyes were like traps luring people in. After a long moment, Yu Jinnian snapped out of it, patting his chest and exclaiming that it was dangerous. He had stared into a man’s eyes for so long!
Ji Hong asked, “What’s wrong?”
Yu Jinnian replied irritably, “I’m hungry!”
Ji Hong: “…”
–
The two of them ate a simple meal, each having a bowl of chicken soup san and a few pieces of freshly fried egg buns made by Yu Jinnian. Though the meal was simple, it left them both feeling warm inside.
Yu Jinnian stretched comfortably and noticed that it was getting dark outside. He began packing up, putting the jars of pickled chili peppers from Aunt Wu into a basket, preparing to go to He Dali’s house to see the patient.
As he was about to leave, Ji Hong suddenly stopped him: “Wait a moment.”
“Hmm?” Yu Jinnian stood there curiously, watching as Ji Hong wet a cloth and folded it into a neat square. Then, with one hand, Ji Hong gently lifted Yu Jinnian’s chin, bringing their faces closer. Feeling confused, strange thoughts flashed through Yu Jinnian’s mind, and he stammered, “W-what are you doing…”
Ji Hong paused, then continued to wipe the soot off Yu Jinnian’s cheek with the corner of the cloth. The young man blinked uneasily, his long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, creating small whirlpools in Ji Hong’s heart. Taking the opportunity of wiping his face, Ji Hong discreetly touched Yu Jinnian’s face. The “butterflies” quickly closed their wings and stayed still, resting quietly in place.
“Alright,” Ji Hong said, lowering his hand.
Yu Jinnian turned his head away quickly, “Th-then let’s go!” He said, walking forward with his head down, only to trip over the kitchen doorframe with a loud thud.
It seemed very faint, but he heard Ji Hong chuckle behind him, like a ripple spreading across the calm surface of a lake.
“Let’s go,” Ji Hong said after a moment, following slowly behind.
He Dali, who had eaten his fill, saw the two of them walking past him, one behind the other, with an awkward atmosphere. He didn’t dare to speak and quickly ran ahead to lead the way.
Author’s Note:
On a certain date, Yu Jinnian was writing in his diary:
Uses for Ji Hong #1: Cracking walnuts~ Extremely useful!
Uses for Ji Hong #2: Picking beans~ Extremely useful!
Uses for Ji Hong #…
Suddenly, the room darkened behind him.
Yu Jinnian wrote quickly: …handy, skilled, with great temperament, extremely useful! I love him forever!