By the time Xiao Da finished boiling the pork, Qiao Zilin had already started slicing the fish.
Unable to resist his curiosity, he walked over to watch.
As a chef with more than twenty years of experience, Xiao Da considered his own knife skills fairly decent. Yet compared to the young woman standing before him, his abilities suddenly seemed ordinary.
Her technique was astonishing.
Every slice of fish was nearly identical in thickness, so thin that light could almost pass through them. Her movements were swift and precise, leaving the onlookers barely daring to blink for fear of missing something.
In what felt like mere moments, the entire fish had already been processed.
Removing the flesh, slicing the fillets, chopping the bones, every motion flowed seamlessly into the next without a single wasted movement.
Once she finished, Qiao Zilin looked up at the crowd gathered around her. Her gaze landed on Xiao Da.
“Bring the pork over here.”
“Yes, Madam.”
This time, the respect in Xiao Da’s voice was unmistakable.
For Twice-Cooked Pork, the meat needed to be sliced as thinly as possible.
Qiao Zilin personally liked the texture of slightly crisp, curled slices of pork with lightly charred edges. Of course, some people preferred thicker cuts for a heartier bite, but her preference leaned toward delicate slices that absorbed flavor beautifully.
Once the pork was prepared, she began cooking.
Using the excuse of retrieving something from the carriage, she secretly took out a bottle of sauce from her storage space.
This was a special sauce she had prepared specifically for Boiled Fish.
Originally, she preferred the heavily numbing flavor of Sichuan peppercorns, but since she was unsure whether the locals could handle such intense spice, she decided to make a fragrant spicy version instead.
As the wok heated, she tossed in ginger and garlic.
The rich aroma instantly bloomed.
Next came a spoonful of her secret sauce. After stir-frying it until fragrant, she poured in boiling water.
Once the broth began bubbling again, she added the marinated fish bones.
While the bones simmered, she used another pot to blanch fresh greens, arranging them neatly at the bottom of a large serving bowl.
When the fish bones were fully cooked, she removed them before gently sliding the fish fillets into the broth.
The fillets cooked quickly.
Once they were about eighty percent done, she carefully ladled everything into the large basin.
Xiao Da and Wang Yuan stared at the dish in amazement.
Not only was the cooking method unlike anything they had ever seen before, but the fragrance filling the kitchen was unbelievably enticing.
Until now, the only ways they knew to prepare fish were steaming or braising.
They had never imagined fish could be cooked like this.
“Madam,” Wang Yuan asked eagerly, “is this what you call Boiled Fish?”
Qiao Zilin nodded while preparing the final step.
She scattered a generous amount of minced garlic over the surface of the fish.
Then she grabbed a handful of dried chilies and tossed them into a pot of smoking hot oil.
The moment the chilies hit the oil, a sharp, mouthwatering aroma exploded into the air.
Without hesitation, she poured the sizzling oil over the garlic-covered fish.
A loud sizzling sound instantly echoed through the kitchen.
Finally, she sprinkled chopped green onions across the top.
The fragrance that burst forth was rich, spicy, and utterly irresistible.
The aroma drifted straight out the kitchen windows and into the street outside.
“What is that smell? Why does it smell so good?”
“It seems to be coming from Linglong Pavilion.”
“No way! Linglong Pavilion has the worst food in Ping’an Town. How could that scent possibly come from there?”
Passersby immediately began whispering among themselves.
Meanwhile, inside the kitchen, Qiao Zilin moved on to the second dish.
Twice-Cooked Pork with Green Peppers.
The peppers were first stir-fried until their skins blistered into a tiger-skin texture.
The pork slices were then fried until golden and slightly curled at the edges.
Combined with shredded ginger, fermented black beans, and garlic, the resulting aroma was so rich that it practically tortured anyone nearby.
“The smell really is coming from Linglong Pavilion!”
“Did they hire a new chef?”
Outside, more and more people began gathering curiously.
Inside the restaurant, Qiao Zilin instructed the waiter to bring the dishes into the main hall.
At the same time, she ordered fresh rice to be served.
The only two customers currently dining inside could no longer sit still after smelling the food.
Their eyes remained glued to the dishes from the moment they appeared.
Qiao Zilin smiled lightly.
“If the two of you don’t mind, please join us.”
She had cooked enough food for at least ten people anyway.
Wasting good food would be a shame.
The two men immediately nodded enthusiastically.
“We would be honored!”
Once everyone sat down, Qiao Zilin briefly introduced the dishes.
“This large basin is Spicy Boiled Fish, and this plate is Twice-Cooked Pork with Green Peppers. Please eat while it’s hot, and afterward, I’d appreciate hearing your honest opinions.”
The next fifteen minutes were filled with nothing but the sounds of chopsticks clinking against bowls and satisfied chewing.
Nobody even bothered speaking.
By the time they finally set down their chopsticks, everyone looked utterly content.
Wang Yuan immediately raised a thumb toward Qiao Zilin.
“Madam, this is the best fish I’ve ever eaten in my life. The fish is tender and fresh without even the slightest fishy taste. It’s incredible! And the Twice-Cooked Pork, it’s absolutely perfect with rice!”
Xiao Da nodded vigorously in agreement.
“Both dishes are excellent. Once these are added to the menu, they’ll definitely become the restaurant’s signature dishes.”
One of the customers Qiao Zilin had invited over also spoke excitedly.
“I’ll definitely come back every day. No, twice a day! Especially this fish dish, it suits my taste perfectly. I could eat it forever and never get tired of it.”
The other customer laughed loudly.
“I like both dishes. Honestly, I’d eat here every single day if I could!”
Only after hearing everyone’s feedback did Qiao Zilin finally speak again.
“In that case, Linglong Pavilion will officially reopen in three days. I hope the two of you will come to support us then.”
The two men immediately replied in unison.
“Of course! We, Lu and Qi, will definitely come!”
After finishing their meal, the two customers left the restaurant.
The crowd waiting outside immediately surrounded them.
“Was that incredible smell really coming from Linglong Pavilion?”
The two men exchanged a glance before smiling and nodding.
Master Lu loudly declared to the crowd, “Their restaurant reopens in three days. If you want to eat there, you’d better line up early! I’m telling you right now, that fish dish is so delicious you’ll still crave it after going home!”
Someone nearby looked skeptical.
“Come on, are you sure you’re not someone they hired to advertise for them? Linglong Pavilion’s food used to be terrible.”
Master Lu snorted.
“Believe it or not, that’s your business. Either way, I’ll be here bright and early.”
With that, he swaggered off proudly.
The crowd remained divided between doubt and curiosity, each person wondering whether the restaurant had truly changed.
After the customers left, Qiao Zilin toured the building thoroughly before gathering the staff together.
Following the culinary lesson she had just given them, everyone now looked at her with complete admiration.
“The restaurant will officially close starting today for full renovations,” she announced calmly. “Anyone who stays behind to help during this period will continue receiving their normal wages.”
Then she pointed toward the dining hall furniture.
“Arrange the tables and chairs properly. A messy dining area leaves customers with a terrible first impression. Set the tables in two neat rows.”
She then continued issuing instructions.
“As for the private rooms upstairs, every room needs a plaque with a name. Use names like Prosperity Hall, Auspicious Hall, Bamboo Garden, and similar themes. The room decorations should match their names.”
Afterward, she quickly sketched several room layouts and design concepts.
Manager Kang stared at the drawings in complete shock.
Her cooking skills alone had already stunned him.
Now, seeing her design talent as well, he felt utterly speechless.
Their Young Mistress was simply too capable.
“Rest assured, Madam,” Manager Kang said respectfully. “This old servant will handle everything properly.”
Qiao Zilin smiled gently.
“Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Kang.”
Then she handed over two written recipes.
“These are the detailed instructions for the dishes we made today. Give them to Wang Yuan and Xiao Da so they can practice.”
Pausing briefly, she continued,
“Tomorrow is the roof beam ceremony for our new residence. We’ll return to town tomorrow afternoon. Please have the back courtyard cleaned up, as we’ll be staying here for several days.”