After finishing the roof beam ceremony feast that morning, Qiao Zilin sat down with Shiyi to carefully go over the matters at home that required attention while she was away.
She repeatedly emphasized the importance of the chili fields.
“Check the fields every day,” she instructed seriously. “If you spot pests or any problems, deal with them immediately.”
“Miss, let me come with you!”
Qing Mei looked utterly reluctant.
The two of them had grown up together since childhood and had never truly been apart before.
Qiao Zilin smiled helplessly and gently patted her head as though comforting a child.
“Be good. I’m only leaving for a few days.”
Then she pointed toward the vegetable garden.
“Stay here and help me look after the vegetables. The cucumbers, eggplants, and beans need to be harvested every day. Give some to the craftsmen building the house, and dry the rest using the method I taught you.”
Qing Mei could only nod reluctantly.
“Then you must take good care of yourself, Miss. Don’t make me worry.”
“I know,” Qiao Zilin replied with a smile. “And don’t forget to water the garden daily.”
With that, she boarded the carriage.
Long Zhenting flicked the reins lightly, and the horse slowly pulled the carriage down the mountain path.
About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Linglong Pavilion in Ping’an Town.
The restaurant’s front doors were tightly shut.
Long Zhenting drove the carriage directly into the back courtyard, the same courtyard where Qiao Zilin had stayed when she first arrived after marriage.
The small courtyard was not large, but Uncle Kang had cleaned it meticulously until everything looked spotless.
Rather than returning to rest, Qiao Zilin immediately headed toward the kitchen through the rear corridor.
The moment she entered the building, she had already smelled the aroma of Boiled Fish.
The scent was correct, but she still did not know whether the texture had been done properly.
As she reached the kitchen doorway, she saw Wang Yuan scooping fish out of a pot.
The moment she looked into the bowl, she frowned slightly.
The fish fillets had completely fallen apart.
Instead of smooth slices, the meat had turned into scattered flakes.
The moment Wang Yuan saw her, his eyes nearly lit up with relief.
“Madam, you’re finally here!”
He looked utterly distressed.
“This fish has been tormenting me all morning. Look at it, the meat keeps breaking apart. Why doesn’t it stay tender and whole like yours?”
Qiao Zilin did not answer immediately.
Instead, she looked toward the remaining fish fillets soaking in the basin nearby.
The fillets were cloudy and slimy.
Clearly, they had not been washed properly after marinating.
As for the broken texture, there was another obvious reason.
The fish had been overcooked.
“You didn’t rinse the mucus off after marinating,” she explained calmly. “And you cooked it too long.”
Without another word, she dumped the remaining fish slices into clean water and rinsed them thoroughly until the fillets became firm and clear.
Afterward, she seasoned them again.
Salt.
A little seasoning powder secretly taken from her storage space.
One egg white.
She mixed everything evenly before finally adding a splash of soybean oil to lock in the moisture.
Once the fish was ready, she reheated the wok while explaining the process step by step to Wang Yuan.
“After the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the fire first. Add the fish slices, then raise the heat again.”
She demonstrated carefully while speaking.
“The moment the fish firms up slightly, remove it immediately. If you leave it too long, it becomes overcooked.”
She pointed toward the steaming bowl.
“The fish only needs to be cooked to about eighty percent. The hot oil poured over it afterward will finish cooking it perfectly with residual heat.”
By the time she finished explaining, the dish was done.
Qiao Zilin picked up a pair of chopsticks and tasted a piece.
Tender.
Smooth.
Perfectly cooked.
Only then did Wang Yuan finally relax.
After tasting the improved fish himself, he immediately started over and cooked another batch under Qiao Zilin’s supervision.
This time, with her guiding him through every detail, he finally produced a flawless bowl of Boiled Fish.
Looking at the finished dish, Wang Yuan silently reflected on everything he had learned.
At last, he felt he had grasped the true essence of the recipe.
Qiao Zilin looked at him approvingly.
“Remember these two points. First, the fish must be washed thoroughly after marinating. Second, control the heat properly.”
Then she added,
“The same applies to all cooking. Ingredient preparation and heat control are the most important parts.”
Wang Yuan immediately bowed respectfully.
“I understand now, Madam.”
Qiao Zilin nodded with satisfaction.
Fortunately, Wang Yuan learned quickly.
With him and Xiao Da managing the kitchen together, she could finally feel at ease about the restaurant’s future.
After leaving the kitchen, she returned to the main dining hall.
Compared to before, the restaurant already looked far more organized.
The tables and chairs had been arranged neatly, greatly improving the atmosphere.
However, after observing the room carefully, Qiao Zilin noticed that the hall still felt somewhat empty.
She stared thoughtfully at the unused spaces between the tables.
Then suddenly, inspiration struck.
Small square tables.
Tables suitable for one or two diners.
Immediately, she called for Manager Kang.
Standing in the middle of the hall, she gestured while explaining her ideas.
“Manager Kang, send someone to the furniture shop and buy several smaller square tables. Ones that can seat around three or four people.”
Manager Kang instantly understood her intention.
Those smaller tables would be perfect for individual guests or small groups, while the larger round tables could remain reserved for families and gatherings.
“Understood, Madam. I’ll arrange it immediately.”
After Manager Kang left, Qiao Zilin continued examining the large tables.
Something still felt missing.
She frowned slightly while thinking.
Then suddenly, her eyes lit up.
“Haha, a Lazy Susan!”
The large tables were inconvenient because diners could only reach the dishes directly in front of them.
Whenever someone wanted food from the opposite side, they practically had to stand up.
But with a rotating tray in the center, everyone could easily reach every dish.
The problem was…
In her memory, Lazy Susans were usually made of glass.
But did glass even exist in this era?
So far, she had not seen any.
Even windows were covered with paper instead.
If glass did not exist, perhaps wood could work instead?
The more she thought about it, the more excited she became.
She immediately hurried back to their temporary room in the rear courtyard.
Taking out paper and a pencil, she quickly began sketching.
Whether it would work or not, they would only know after making one.
The base could use an iron ring fitted with fixed screws.
The rotating tray itself could simply be a circular wooden board.
Roughly fifteen minutes later, she finally completed the sketch.
Looking at the drawing in her hands, she suddenly felt impatient to see the finished product immediately.
Excitedly, she rushed out to find Long Zhenting.
After asking around, she learned from one of the waiters that he was upstairs.
She hurried to the second floor and finally found him inside the private room named Prosperity Hall.
“Husband, do you know any especially skilled craftsmen? I want to make something.”
Only after speaking did she notice there was another person in the room.
Sitting across from Long Zhenting was an exceptionally handsome young man.
His features were delicate and refined, almost too beautiful.
At that moment, the man was staring intently at the drawing Qiao Zilin had just placed on the table.
“Little Sister-in-law,” the man asked curiously, “what exactly is this thing you drew?”
Qiao Zilin stared openly at him.
Then she turned to look at Long Zhenting.
How did her husband know someone this beautiful?
Meanwhile, Lu Wenchen noticed her staring at him without blinking.
He immediately glanced sideways at Long Zhenting.
Interesting.
This woman truly lacked restraint.
She was openly staring at another man right in front of her husband.
And staring quite enthusiastically at that.
Lu Wenchen raised a hand and waved it in front of her face.
“Sister-in-law?”
Only then did Qiao Zilin snap back to reality.
Without hesitation, she blurted out,
“Are you actually a woman disguised as a man? You’re way too pretty.”
Lu Wenchen froze instantly.
So that was why she had been staring at him so intensely.
And here he had thought…