The braised pork had taken quite some time to cook, and by now it was tender and soft, easily pierced with just a slight press of the chopsticks. The fat had all been rendered out, making it not the least bit greasy in the mouth, while the pork skin was delightfully chewy and springy. The rich, reddish-brown sauce had particularly won Shen Yan’s heart—poured over rice, he could devour three large bowls in one go.
As for the stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork, the meat was first pan-fried until golden brown and slightly crispy, sizzling with oil, then quickly stir-fried with fresh bamboo shoots. The savory aroma of the meat paired with the crisp texture of the bamboo shoots created a rich and flavorful dish.
The bowl of pumpkin soup was light and refreshing, perfectly balancing the hearty flavors of the other two dishes.
Before he knew it, the pot of rice was empty, yet he still felt a lingering sense of satisfaction.
Seeing him eat like a whirlwind, as if he were a starving ghost reincarnated, Sang Sang couldn’t help but feel both surprised and an irrepressible joy.
At least he liked the food she made—she wasn’t completely useless after all.
With an expectant look, Sang Sang asked, “So, how was it? Did you enjoy the dishes I made?”
Shen Yan set down his bowl, suppressing the urge to burp. His expression remained unreadable, and his tone was indifferent. “It was passable.”
Hearing this, Sang Sang couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.
His taste was truly picky.
But it didn’t matter—she would double her efforts from now on, determined to win over his stomach!
Sang Sang began eagerly probing his preferences. “So, what do you like to eat?”
Shen Yan answered without hesitation, concise and to the point. “Meat. Any kind of meat—I’m not picky.”
Sang Sang muttered softly upon hearing this, “Then it seems my braised pork wasn’t tasty enough. I won’t make it again next time.”
Shen Yan…
Thinking back to the unforgettable taste just now, he immediately regretted his earlier stubbornness.
Just as he was about to make amends, Sang Sang spoke up. “Then I’ll try other flavors next time. How about spicy rabbit stir-fry?
Rabbit meat stir-fried with plenty of scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise, pepper, chili, and other spices over high heat—it’s bound to be fragrant and spicy, offering a different taste compared to roasted rabbit.”
Hmm? That sounded quite good too.
“But, can you still catch rabbits?”
Did this question even need asking?
Shen Yan felt a bit offended.
The next day, Shen Yan answered this question with his own skills.
As dawn was just breaking, he got up and headed into the mountains.
While Sang Sang was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, Shen Yan returned carrying several lively, hopping rabbits.
He handed the rabbits to her, his expression calm and composed. “Here, the rabbits you wanted.”
Sang Sang’s gaze instantly filled with delight and admiration. “You caught the rabbits already? You’re amazing!”
The corners of Shen Yan’s lips lifted almost imperceptibly, but they quickly returned to their usual flat line, as if he couldn’t care less.
“Just a few rabbits—what’s there to make a fuss about?”
Sang Sang continued to look at him with sparkling eyes. “It’s just incredibly skilled!”
Shen Yan felt as if a feather had lightly brushed against his heart—a little tingly, a little itchy.
“You haven’t eaten breakfast yet, right? Perfect, the minced pork and mushroom porridge I made is ready. You should eat now.”
The porridge had been cooked earlier, but she hadn’t called him, thinking he was still asleep.
Now that he was back and the porridge had cooled down a bit, the timing was just right.
Sang Sang searched through the vegetable garden in front of the courtyard and found a few tender cucumbers among a pile of weeds, then prepared a refreshing cold cucumber salad.
In this kind of weather, porridge paired with a refreshing cold cucumber salad was the most appetizing.
Thinking that Shen Yan liked meat, the small amount of minced meat probably wouldn’t even fill the gaps between his teeth, so Sang Sang also fried a few eggs—although eggs weren’t strictly considered meat, they were still a form of protein.
Shen Yan picked up a large bowl of porridge and slurped down a big mouthful.
The rice grains in the porridge had been cooked until exceptionally soft and tender, with the fragrant aroma of the rice blending with the savory scent of the minced meat. With just one bite, he felt physically and mentally refreshed.
He tried a piece of the cold cucumber salad—crunchy and crisp, truly refreshing.
The fried eggs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making them exceptionally fragrant to eat.
Sang Sang sipped her porridge in small mouthfuls, while Shen Yan devoured his meal as swiftly as ever.
Slurp, slurp…
By the time Sang Sang had only finished half a bowl, Shen Yan had already polished off two large bowls.
There was still about half a bowl left at the bottom of the pot. Shen Yan glanced at it, and Sang Sang quickly said, “I’ve had enough.”
Shen Yan roughly knew her appetite, so he didn’t stand on ceremony and finished it all in one go.
Sang Sang held her bowl, her eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at him. “Was it to your liking?”
Shen Yan answered evasively, “It was a bit lacking.”
Sang Sang…
Even with such a large pot, he still thought it wasn’t enough? Was his stomach a bottomless pit?
But if he thought it was lacking, did that also mean her cooking was delicious?
A secret sense of joy quietly rose in Sang Sang’s heart.
Seeing the plump rabbits in the courtyard, Shen Yan couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation.
That spicy diced rabbit she mentioned must taste really good.
Shen Yan asked in a low voice, “How should we handle these rabbits?”
Sang Sang shook her head. “No rush. We just had breakfast, and lunch is still a while away. If we slaughter them now, they won’t be as fresh by noon.
By the way, do we have a cage at home? There are so many rabbits—we definitely won’t finish them all today. I’d like to keep them for now.”
Shen Yan could only suppress his disappointment and instead put all the rabbits into a cage.
In one corner of the courtyard was a chicken coop. He had raised chickens before, but he wasn’t a meticulous person and didn’t have the patience to care for poultry. Eventually, he slaughtered and ate them all, so the chicken coop had been left unused.
Sang Sang went to the vegetable garden to cut some tender grass to feed the rabbits. Seeing that the chicken coop was quite dirty and messy, she simply rolled up her sleeves and started cleaning it.
“Why are you cleaning this place?”
Sang Sang looked up, her face mask slightly dampened.
“I… I want to raise some chicks. Otherwise, this chicken coop is just sitting idle. Once they grow up, they can lay eggs, and we can also eat chicken.”
Shen Yan wore a dismissive expression. “What’s so good about chicken?”
How could domestic chicken compare to the wild pheasant he hunted in the mountains?
Sang Sang immediately began listing them off. “There are so many ways to cook chicken—beggar’s chicken, spicy chicken, salt-baked chicken, white-cut chicken, Sichuan pepper chicken—they’re all delicious.”
Shen Yan’s eyes flickered, and he couldn’t help but salivate.
Sang Sang looked at him with anticipation. “So, can I raise chickens?”
He replied casually, “If you want to raise them, go ahead.”
Sang Sang was immediately delighted and quickly asked, “What about the chicks…”
“I’ll go to town to buy them. Is there anything else you need?”
Sang Sang initially wanted to shake her head, but after a moment’s thought, she hesitated slightly.
Shen Yan spoke in an impatient tone, “Hurry up, stop dawdling.”
Sang Sang immediately replied, “I want to buy a few pickle jars to make some pickled vegetables. Radishes, long beans, ginger—soaked with a bit of chili, they’ll be sour and crunchy, perfect for whetting the appetite in summer.”
Shen Yan thought of the bowl of crisp and refreshing cold cucumber salad he had eaten that morning and couldn’t help but feel deeply curious about the pickled vegetables she described. His mouth began to water uncontrollably.
Shen Yan nodded, “Anything else?”
Sang Sang hesitated for only two breaths before continuing.
“I also want to make some chopped chili pickled shallots…”
“Sweet pickled garlic is also quite good…”
How could a kitchen be without these jars and bottles of pickled vegetables?
Everything can be pickled, everything can be preserved!
Without these pickled delights, how much joy would life lose?
Slurp, slurp.
Shen Yan’s mouth watered even more fiercely.
This woman was deliberately trying to stir up his cravings!
She’d better actually manage to whip up something worthwhile, or else, hmph!