Chapter 22: The Intensely Aromatic Lees Fish
Translator: OnGoingWhy Editor: mole, Vermillion
When Ouyang Xiaoyi saw Xiao Yanyu, she immediately turned around and ran toward her room. She wanted to escape the moment she realized the situation.
However, her opponent was Xiao Yanyu, the number one female prodigy in the imperial city and a fourth grade Battle-Spirit genius. Xiao Yanyu appeared beside the little loli, as if she had just teleported, and grabbed her by the clothes.
“Ah! Elder sister Yanyu, what a coincidence.” Ouyang Xiaoyi blinked. When she realized that she could not escape, she looked at the frosty-looking Xiao Yanyu with an innocent expression.
Xiao Yanyu exasperatedly tapped the little loli on her head. “You brat, you’ve really grown! Where did you learn to run away from home! Do you realize how anxious your grandpa is?!”
Xiao Xiaolong and Ji Chengxue approached them with smiles on their faces. Xiao Xiaolong was even winking at Ouyang Xiaoyi. “Heh, the entire imperial city has been almost thrown into turmoil by the old general because of this little brat, but the culprit has actually been hiding here enjoying delicious food. I wonder if Old General Ouyang would vomit blood if he found out about this?”
“Xiaoyi, be a good girl. The old general was only thinking of you. You should go back. It’s not good for the elderly to get angry.” Ji Chengxue, dressed entirely in white, gently gazed at the loli.
Ouyang Xiaoyi grievously scratched her head and retorted, “I am not going back. Grandpa has been forcing me to practice martial arts everyday, when my tiny limbs aren’t suitable for fighting. Besides, look how cute I am, isn’t it a waste for me to practice martial arts?”
Xiao Yanyu was immediately tickled by what Ouyang Xiaoyi said; the both of them had gotten along since they were young, so she was familiar with her temperament.
“The Light Wind Empire is a martial country. Your grandfather, Old General Ouyang, came from a military background and served the Emperor during the expeditions. He naturally holds a higher regard for martial arts and wants his descendants to inherit the essence of his martial arts. Do you how many people in the entire empire desire to study under your grandfather? You’re the only one who doesn’t understand how lucky you are.”
Ouyang Xiaoyi still felt wronged. She clamped her mouth shut and indignantly turned her face to the other side.
When they saw this, Ji Chengxue and Xiao Xiaolong immediately laughed. They were worried when they heard that she left home but now they could finally relax.
The third prince, Ji Chengxue, patted Ouyang Xiaoyi’s head and solemnly said, “Xiaoyi, you should go home. There’s a lot of experts from the Sects hanging around in the imperial city these days. It’s not the time for you to be unruly. If you were to be abducted by one of them, it would be a huge handicap for your grandfather.”
Ouyang Xiaoyi was still a little afraid of the elegant Ji Chengxue, so she blinked and grievously nodded.
At that moment, Bu Fang had already finished cooking the Egg-Fried Rice. After placing it at the window, his voice coldly sounded out, “Girl, your Egg-Fried Rice is ready.”
“Ah! I am coming!” Hearing that her Egg-Fried Rice was ready, Ouyang Xiaoyi immediately brightened up. She excitedly jumped up and swiftly ran toward the window.
Placing the aromatic bowl of Egg-Fried Rice on a table, the starving Ouyang Xiaoyi ignored the others and began to devour the food in front of her.
“This brat… I can’t believe she managed to find this place.” Xiao Xiaolong had a gentle expression on his face as he watched Ouyang Xiaoyi gorge herself.
“Owner Bu, give me the improved Egg-Fried Rice,” The third prince refinedly shouted toward the kitchen.
“Look for that girl if you’re ordering,” Bu Fang replied without leaving the kitchen.
Ji Chengxue, Xiao Xiaolong and Xiao Yanyu were all stunned.
The little loli, who was busily eating, was startled. She lifted her face, which had a few grains of rice, and adorably said, “I am currently the waitress here. If you’re ordering anything, just tell me.”
“You? The waitress?” Xiao Xiaolong’s eyes widened as he looked at Ouyang Xiaoyi with a weird expression on his face. “Owner Bu is fearsome indeed! He actually dared to hire this brat as a waitress, is he not afraid of that three barbarians from Ouyang family?”
Xiao Yanyu knitted her eyebrows and said, “Xiaoyi, it’s not easy for Owner Bu to run a business. Don’t cause trouble for others.”
Ji Chengxue seriously nodded as well.
Ouyang Xiaoyi expressionlessly looked at the three of them, she was tempted to spit out the rice in her mouth at them. What did they mean by causing trouble for others? Was she that… fearsome?!
It was clearly that smelly boss’ fault for threatening her and making her pay the debt with her body.
Swallowing the Egg-Fried Rice in her mouth, Ouyang Xiaoyi snorted and said, “Hurry up and tell me if you’re ordering! I don’t have the time to waste on you.”
At that moment, the three of them finally acknowledged the fact that Owner Bu had really made Ouyang Xiaoyi into a waitress. They were impressed with Bu Fang’s courage as well. Everyone knew that the young mistress from Ouyang family was the number one troublemaker in the imperial city and creating trouble was one of her habits.
“Eh? There’s a new dish?” Xiao Xiaolong gleefully exclaimed with widened eyes, when he saw the new dish on the menu.
Xiao Yanyu and Ji Chengxue’s attentions were attracted as well. It was not a trivial matter for Owner Bu to produce a new dish.
“Lees Fish and Fish Head Tofu Soup?” Xiao Xiaolong read it out loud. Then his eyes squinted and the edge of his mouth was twitching. “Lees Fish and Fish Head Tofu Soup each costs twenty crystals per serving… Owner Bu’s dishes are expensive as usual.”
“The Fish Head Tofu Soup is really delicious! I tried it last night! It tastes really good! It’s the best soup I’ve ever had! It’s even better than the fatty uncle’s ‘Colored-Glass Seven-Stars Fish Soup’!” Ouyang Xiaoyi said as her eyes lit up.
Xiao Yanyu was astonished. The fatty uncle that Ouyang Xiaoyi mentioned was none other than the head chef in the imperial palace. Could this fish soup really compete with the fatty uncle’s signature dish?
“I am really looking forward to it. Since Xiaoyi said that, then I’ll give it a try… Give me Lees Fish.” Ji Chengxue elegantly smiled with squinted eyes.
Ouyang Xiaoyi expressionlessly looked at him. What happened to the bond between people?
“Then I’ll order Fish Head Tofu Soup,” Xiao Yanyu softly said. Her voice was still as beautiful as the song of birds.
“I… I will still get the improved Egg-Fried Rice.” Xiao Xiaolong was in agony… He did not foresee that Bu Fang would bring out a new dish, so he did not bring additional crystals with him and the store did not allow customers to have unpaid tabs either.
“Alright, wait for it.” The little loli seriously memorized the orders of the trio, then headed toward the kitchen window and reported to Bu Fang.
“Alright, I see.” Bu Fang expressionlessly nodded, then turned around to prepare the ingredients.
“Someone ordered the Lees Fish?” Bu Fang was slightly looking forward to it as well.
He walked toward the wine vat and unsealed the cloth cover. A rich fragrance immediately rushed out and a slight redness appeared on his face from the intoxicating smell.
Taking out the third grade Ice Sea Fish, he saw its pale blue meat was dyed pink from the marinating process. the Ice Sea Fish was completely covered in the rich and thick distillers grains.
Bu Fang removed the distillers grains from the exterior of the Ice Sea Fish, then placed it on the cutting board and made a few superficial cuts on it with a kitchen knife; their purpose was to fully maximize the taste of the fish meat during the steaming process.
He carefully placed the Ice Sea Fish on a plate, then placed it in a bamboo steamer and started steaming.
The entire process required around ten minutes, so Bu Fang already started to prepare the Fish Head Tofu Soup. After preparing the dish a few times he was already very familiar with cooking it and his efficient movements were filled with beauty.
While the Fish Head Tofu Soup was simmering Bu Fang began to cook the Egg-Fried Rice. The amount of time it took was short, so he quickly finished it.
Ouyang Xiaoyi once again used that unique style of hers to serve the dish and the corner of Bu Fang’s mouth only widened. At that moment, a rich fragrance was already drifting out from the bamboo steamer. The fragrance was the smell of fish mixed with the aroma of wine, which was especially enticing.
When Ji Chengxue noticed the fragrance, his eyes immediately lit up as martial artists were naturally wine lovers. From the especially strong aroma coming from the wine, he knew that it was definitely a good wine. He began to salivate and was looking forward to it even more.
When the ten minutes countdown was up, Bu Fang lifted the cover of the bamboo steamer. Steam rose up from within and rushed out of the steamer; it was refreshing and slightly sweet. The water used in the steamer was rich in life energy because it was obtained from a dragon lake, that was said to be home to a seventh grade Drake, within the Dragon Spring Mountains.
Bu Fang carried out the Lees Fish and placed it on a table.
After the marinating and steaming process, the blue skin of the Ice Sea Fish had turned into pinkish-red; the skin was crystal-clear like jade and looked as if was twinkling. Light pink distillers grains were spilling from the cut at its stomach, and the soup from the steaming process was both mellow and thick. The fish meat that was cut was split open during the steaming process, revealing the sparkling grease as it flowed out.
Bu Fang himself was swallowing his saliva while blushing red from the rich wine aroma.
Bu Fang did not let Ouyang Xiaoyi serve the dish. Since it was a new dish, he wanted to do it himself.
As he walked out of the kitchen, a rich wine aroma was emanating from the mouth of the Lees Fish and enveloped the entire store.
