Because Duan Yongping had made the reservation one day in advance, all the ingredients were ready, and the dishes were served within five minutes.
When the first dish was served, Paul Allen was dumbfounded. What is this? Are you sure these are not insects? Can these things be eaten?
Paul Allen felt he is on the verge of breaking down after seeing all the dishes. He could recognize some of the ingredients, and these are all insects! Don’t think I cannot recognize it after they are deep-fried!
What is Feng Yu doing? Does he want to see me embarrass myself? I don’t believe you all dare to eat these insects!
The banquet table is full of dishes, and Paul Allen did not see any dishes that are edible to him. But he noticed Feng Yu and the rest are looking normal. Could it be these things can be eaten?
“Paul, we cannot fit any more dishes on the table. Let’s eat first, and they will continue serving the rest after we finish the food here.” Feng Yu said warmly.
Paul Allen controlled his urge to run outside to vomit and said. “Ah… I am not very hungry. You all should go ahead.”
“Our Chinese custom is to have a toast before starting our meals. I think it’s the same in the US, right? Here, let’s have a toast to welcome Paul to Shenzhen!”
Paul Allen’s hand is shaking as he held his wine glass. He felt like he would rather die than to drink this glass of insect wine!
“Wait a minute. Feng, I think that jar seems better. Can you change that wine for me?” Paul Allen points to the Three Penises wine.
“You prefer that wine? Sure. That is the Three Penises wine, and deer penis, dog penis, and donkey penis are soaked in it. It is a great tonic for men’s vigor. Did you bring a female companion with you on this trip?” Feng Yu purposely asked.
After Paul’s translator explained to him, Paul decide… to stick with the Ants wine! What are the Chinese thinking?! How did they come up with the idea of soaking animals’ reproductive organs in wine?!
Paul Allen greeted his teeth and took a small sip. After that, he wiped away the ants on his lips with his hand.
Luckily, the wine does not have any weird taste, or Paul Allen will puke. At this moment, he no longer has any appetite.
“Paul, let me introduce the dishes. This dish is called Water Hen, but it is not chicken. It is a type of insect and is high in protein. The Chef had used the stir fry method to cook it. Try it.”
Feng Yu said and picked a piece into Paul’s plate. “I have not used this pair of chopsticks.”
Paul looks at the insect sitting in his plate, and the insect seems to be staring back at him, giving him goosebumps.
But Feng Yu and the rest did not hesitate and ate it. It was crunchy, and Kirilenko even ate three pieces. He really loves this dish.
“You don’t like this? It’s fine. You should try this. This is called Bamboo worm. It is a type of worm that lives on bamboos. It is deep-fried and delicious!”
Once again, Feng Yu picks up four to five worms and placed them on Paul’s plate.
Paul Allen looks at the golden-brown worms and felt like puking. He hesitated and looks at the rest, eating it. But he still doesn’t dare to put the worm into his mouth.
“This dish is called Longhorn beetle. It is also deep-fried and extremely crispy. Try it.”
“This is the locust. A type of insect that can jump very high. It is very tasty.”
“Try this too. This is earthworm stew.”
“How about this? The main ingredient is a type of flightless cockroach. Try it. It is very tasty.”
“You don’t like that? How about deep-fried centipedes? You also don’t like it? Deep-fried spiders? You don’t dare to eat it? Then you must try this deep-fried scorpion.”
Feng Yu kept asking Paul Allen to eat. Feng Yu also do not dare to eat some of the dishes like deep-fried spiders, etc. but Kirilenko and Duan Yongping are eating everything.
Paul Allen is white, but his face is as pale as a white sheet now. Feng Yu also noticed his hand is shaking uncontrollably.
“Oh… I forgot you are not used to using chopsticks. Waiter! Give this gentleman a long spoon.”
When the spoon was brought to the table, Feng Yu used it to scoop a spoonful of dragonflies and placed it onto Paul Allen’s place with the spoon. His plate is full of ‘food’ now.
Paul Allen did not even dare to touch the spoon, let alone eat the bugs and insects.
“Since you don’t feel like eating, try some soup. Waiter, serve a bowl of Sour Ants soup to this gentleman first. Paul, try this. You must be tired from all the traveling, and this soup will cure your fatigue and dispel the heat.”
A bowl of black sticky soup is placed in front of Paul Allen, and he saw it was full of ants.
Paul Allen did not even dare to take another sip of the Ants Wine, let alone this bowl of Ants soup. He will never drink it even when he is starving to death!
Kirilenko looked at Paul Allen and said sarcastically. “The Americans keep saying they are brave and are heroes… Hmph!”
Kirilenko said and took a big bite of the deep-fried centipede and wash it down with a glass of Three Penises wine.
Although Paul Allen does not understand what Kirilenko is saying, and his translator does not understand Russian, he knows Kirilenko is not saying anything nice from his expression.
But Paul Allen could not retort as this barbarian from Russia is stuffing his face with insects.
Paul Allen is afraid to speak to Kirilenko as who knows if he might spit out a bug from his mouth.
“Paul, why are you not eating anything? Here, this is the most nutritious food. You can check with your nutritionist. Oh, it’s called maggots, which is the larva of flies.”
Paul Allen stood up and rushed out of the private room. The bodyguards outside were stunned and did not know what happened. They looked into the private dining room and saw the rest are having their meals.
The translator also ran after Paul Allen. He had only eaten the food he ate before, like silkworm pupae and bamboo worms, and did not dare to touch those poisonous bugs like spiders, centipedes, etc.
Feng Yu sneered after Paul Allen ran out. You want me to host you?! Fine. I will be a good host!
Kirilenko took a disdainful glance at Paul Allen as he ran out of the room. He is a coward and doesn’t even dare to eat anything. Also, these dishes are delicious.
Kirilenko had only tried slightly over 30 dishes and had not tried the rest of the dishes in the Hundred Insects Banquet.
Kirilenko had never tried such interesting food in his life and is considering if he should hire a Chinese chef at home in the future.
“Feng, why are you not eating?” Kirilenko picks a deep-fried spider and placed it on Feng Yu’s plate.
Feng Yu’s face changed immediately. “I am full. Brother Ki, you should eat more!”
Translator’s notes: Weird stuff that Chinese eats. But do note that not all Chinese eat these things, and some of these foods are only available in certain regions of China.
Deer penis
