Xiao Jun clung to the doorframe, his bright black eyes fixed on the tofu on the table as he swallowed unconsciously. “Sister Jiang, I want some too…”
Wang Dagou hurriedly glanced at Yu Weidong and waved his hands. “Go on, go on, stop making trouble. Can’t you see the adults are discussing important matters?”
Scolded by his father, the little boy’s lips immediately drooped, his eyes filling with tears that trembled but refused to fall, a pitiful sight that tugged at the heart.
Jiang Qingli had grown up in an orphanage in her previous life and could never bear to see children being wronged. She crouched down and looked at Xiao Jun. “This tofu is a bit spicy. How about I make a non-spicy version for you?”
Boom!
Shen Li stared in disbelief at the woman crouching on the ground with a sweet smile.
Didn’t she hate the elderly and children the most?
Thinking of how Jiang Qingli usually treated Shen Xiaohua harshly, Shen Li frowned.
Last time, she had even flown into a rage just because Shen Xiaohua had accidentally touched her clothes.
Could it really be as Su Keqing said?
That she had taken a liking to Wang Dagou?
The thought caused the pressure around Shen Li to drop instantly, as if the temperature in the entire room had fallen.
“A-Assistant Shen…” Wang Dagou stammered, frightened by the oppressive aura emanating from the man.
People said that Assistant Shen had once been a legendary figure in the field army, someone who could dig up landmines with his bare hands…
At the thought, he quickly pulled his son aside, cold sweat forming on his forehead. “Xiao Jiang, don’t mind this brat, business comes first!”
Jiang Qingli smiled and had already walked toward the clay jars in the corner. “It’s fine. Actually, this tofu has another way of preparing it that’s especially suitable for children.”
She opened a jar, took out a bowl of unseasoned Hairy Tofu, and asked, “Brother Wang, do you have sesame oil?”
Wang Dagou craned his neck curiously. Could this moldy tofu be prepared in another way?
But what was sesame oil?
“Oh, I mean cooking oil.” Jiang Qingli nearly forgot that the term sesame oil wasn’t commonly used in this era.
Wang Dagou suddenly understood and quickly fetched a bucket of dark-colored rapeseed oil from the storage room, something he had just gotten from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative a few days ago.
Watching Jiang Qingli stride confidently toward the stove, Shen Li hurried after her.
The muscles beneath his military uniform were tense, ready to deal with any “disaster” that might occur.
As far as he knew, this woman couldn’t cook at all.
“Do you need help?”
He lowered his voice, each word sounding like a warning squeezed through clenched teeth.
She wouldn’t insist on showing off and end up blowing up the kitchen, would she…
Jiang Qingli naturally understood his concern. She blinked slyly. “If Comrade Shen doesn’t mind, you can help me start the fire.”
After saying that, she ignored his tense expression, rolled up her sleeves, and revealed a fair, slender wrist.
Soon, light smoke rose from the oil in the wok. Jiang Qingli slipped in the tofu pieces coated with a thin layer of flour.
At once, a unique aroma spread through the courtyard, combining the fresh fragrance of tofu with the rich depth brought by fermentation.
Watching her skillful movements, Shen Li’s eyes widened in surprise.
Since when has this woman learned how to cook?
And from the looks of it, she was actually quite good?
“It smells so good!”
Wang Jun ran in from outside, rubbing his eyes, his little nose twitching. “Dad, why does the tofu smell different after frying?”
Of course it was different. People only knew to eat Hairy Tofu pickled, but they didn’t realize that once fried, it became a heavenly delicacy…
The first batch came out of the pan, its golden exterior crisp while the inside remained soft and creamy.
Jiang Qingli sprinkled a bit of chopped scallions and salt, then handed a piece to Wang Jun. “Careful, it’s hot.”
At some point, Shen Li had already moved to her side and silently handed her a pair of long chopsticks.
His gaze unconsciously settled on her focused profile.
Under the sunlight, her long lashes cast a small shadow on her cheeks, and a speck of flour rested on the tip of her nose, giving her an unexpectedly endearing look.
The little boy bit into it eagerly, hissing from the heat but unwilling to spit it out as he mumbled, “Mm, it’s delicious, even better than meat!”
Suddenly, a burst of noisy footsteps and laughter came from outside the courtyard.
“Oh my, this aroma has drifted all the way to our embroidery workshop!” a loud female voice called out.
He Lanying from the neighboring embroidery factory appeared at the gate, carrying a bamboo basket, followed by several female workers who had also been drawn by the smell, all peering curiously into the courtyard.
He Lanying sniffed deeply and asked, “Old Wang, what are you cooking? The whole alley smells so good we can barely walk straight!”
Jiang Qingli’s eyes lit up, excitement surging in her heart.
The opportunity had arrived.
She quickly picked up a plate of freshly fried, golden tofu still steaming hot and walked over briskly.
“Aunt He, you’ve come at the perfect time!”
Her eyes curved with her smile, her voice crisp and pleasant. “This is ‘Hairy Tofu’ newly developed by Brother Wang, please have a taste!”
He Lanying was the workshop director at the embroidery factory, overseeing three to four hundred female workers.
If she could spread the name of Hairy Tofu through her…
With that thought, Jiang Qingli’s smile grew even brighter, her movements more eager as she directly picked up a hot piece of tofu and held it toward He Lanying’s mouth. “Try it while it’s hot!”
He Lanying looked at Jiang Qingli in surprise.
The last time she had seen this girl, she had been strolling down the street chewing on a chicken leg, looking lazy and carefree.
But the lively, capable young woman before her now bore no trace of that former image.
Has she been mistaken before?
Suspicious, He Lanying took the tofu. The moment she bit into it, her eyes widened. “Oh my heavens!”
She quickly took another big bite, chewing as she exclaimed, “This taste… incredible! Crispy outside, tender inside, it’s so fragrant I could swallow my tongue!”
The female workers behind her, seeing this, eagerly crowded closer.
Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but smile. This was exactly the effect she wanted.
Seeing He Lanying’s exaggerated reaction, Yu Weidong hesitated but also picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. Everyone held their breath and stared at him.
At first, his brows furrowed, then gradually relaxed, and finally his face lit up with delight. “Wonderful. Crispy and fragrant, with a lingering aftertaste. The layers of flavor…”
Encouraged, the others rushed forward as well, each grabbing a piece, and in no time several large plates of stinky tofu were completely devoured.
“Xiao Jiang, I heard you played a major role in developing this tofu…”
“Xiao Jiang, your skills are impressive…”
Shen Li stood at the edge of the crowd, staring in disbelief at Jiang Qingli, who was surrounded by people.
The woman who had once been scolded by neighbors in the compound as lazy and gluttonous now wore a confident smile, as if she were glowing.
A strange feeling suddenly rose in his heart.
It was as though he was truly getting to know her for the first time.