“What are you making now?” Seeing Jiang Qingli busy again, Wang Dagou eagerly came over.
Jiang Qingli smiled and explained carefully, “I’m cooking up a family-inherited sauce for Manager Li to try.”
“Family-inherited?” Li Chunxiang raised an eyebrow at that, her gaze falling on the small, ugly wild tomatoes in Jiang Qingli’s hands, doubt creeping into her mind.
These wild tomatoes were sour and astringent. Even the poorest villagers wouldn’t bother eating them, yet she treated them like treasure?
As expected of a capitalist’s daughter, she probably couldn’t even tell the five grains apart, her head full of impractical fantasies.
At that thought, Li Chunxiang’s lips curled slightly in disdain. That Hairy Tofu was probably just a fluke, a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse.
Though she looked down on it inwardly, she still sat down reluctantly for the sake of the tofu.
Jiang Qingli seemed oblivious to the varied expressions around her. She focused on peeling and chopping the tomatoes, her knife skills surprisingly deft.
These wild tomatoes might not look appealing, but their balance of sweetness and acidity made them perfect for making sauce.
She calculated in her mind while her hands never paused.
In her previous life, the younger children at the orphanage had loved the sauces she made, free of additives, nutritious and healthy.
Sizzle!
A burst of white smoke rose from the hot oil as Jiang Qingli poured in the chopped tomatoes.
A wave of heat carrying a sweet and tangy aroma rushed outward, and Shen Li unconsciously straightened his back.
Narrowing his eyes, he watched as the sauce in the iron wok, stirred by Jiang Qingli’s nimble wrist, gradually shifted from bright red to an enticing amber hue.
This woman was serious.
As the spatula moved, the tomato flesh slowly transformed into a silky, thick paste. Steam dampened Jiang Qingli’s lashes, tiny droplets clinging to them.
Strands of hair on her forehead were damp with sweat and stuck to her fair cheeks, yet her focused expression remained unchanged.
Her left hand stirred in steady circles while her right hand occasionally added a few drops of rice vinegar.
The tangy fragrance mixed with a hint of caramelized sweetness filled the room, and even Li Chunxiang, who had been dismissive earlier, unconsciously leaned forward.
“It smells amazing!” Wang Dagou sniffed vigorously, his stomach growling in protest, drawing laughter from He Lanying, who was watching nearby.
When the sauce thickened enough to coat the back of the spatula, Jiang Qingli picked up a coarse porcelain spoon and scooped up a ladle of the ruby-like sauce, gently pouring it over the snowy white Hairy Tofu.
The sauce seeped along the delicate strands of mold, spreading across the plate like the colors of a sunset.
“Manager Li, please have a taste.” She held the plate out with both hands, respectful, her apron dotted with red sauce stains like deliberately placed camellia blossoms.
Li Chunxiang had not expected much, but as the aroma deepened, she grew curious and took a bite.
The next second, her eyes widened.
The sourness struck her taste buds like lightning, only to be enveloped instantly by a soft sweetness. The two flavors danced on her tongue like a graceful waltz, even more layered than the sweet-and-sour sauce made by Chef Zhang at the county’s state-run restaurant.
“Th-this…”
Her voice trembled as she quickly picked up another large piece and stuffed it into her mouth, as if afraid the taste might disappear.
Heavens!
This flavor…
This texture…
In over thirty years of life, she had never tasted such an exquisite sauce.
Grabbing Jiang Qingli’s hand excitedly, she asked, “Qingli, what kind of sauce is this? How did you make it?”
With this sauce, the Hairy Tofu tasted completely different from before.
She had never imagined that the Shen family’s daughter-in-law possessed such skill.
She looked at Jiang Qingli again, reassessing her completely. Skill at this level could never be achieved without generations of inheritance.
Her gaze toward Jiang Qingli had entirely changed.
Jiang Qingli tilted her head, her dark hair slipping from behind her ear and swaying lightly against her soft, round cheeks, giving her a touch of charm.
Though the original body was plump, her skin was fair, and when she smiled, her dimples made her even more attractive.
She let out a soft laugh, her red lips parting slightly. “This is honey tomato sauce. It works for noodles, as a dip for fried foods, or for marinating meat. It’s even better with braised fish.”
She deliberately drew out the last words, watching as Li Chunxiang’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Jiang Qingli’s explanation seemed to open up a whole new line of thought for Li Chunxiang.
That’s right, why had she never considered this before?
Countless possibilities for improving dishes flashed through her mind: sweet-and-sour ribs, braised eggplant, even cold dishes.
This sauce was practically a universal seasoning.
She looked at Jiang Qingli in astonishment. This was no pampered young lady, but a hidden culinary master.
At that realization, her heartbeat quickened involuntarily.
If such a talent could be recruited into Hongqi Restaurant…
Without hesitation, she grabbed Jiang Qingli’s hand enthusiastically. “Comrade Xiao Jiang, would you be willing to work at the state-run restaurant? If you agree, I’ll file the application immediately!”
Hearing this, Wang Dagou’s eyes widened, his pipe nearly falling to the ground. “Good heavens! Girl Jiang, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you join the state-run restaurant, you’ll have anything you want to eat, and Shen Li will benefit too!”
Shen Li stood nearby, his brows slightly furrowed.
Was Jiang Qingli’s cooking really this good, to earn even Li Chunxiang’s recognition?
Even He Lanying, who loved watching the excitement, chimed in, “Comrade Xiao Jiang, the state-run restaurant is an iron rice bowl. Countless people try desperately to get in and fail…”
Just as everyone expected Jiang Qingli to accept happily, she gently shook her head. “I appreciate Manager Li’s kindness, but I only have a mouth that loves eating, not one that enjoys standing by the stove.”
The moment she said this, everyone froze.
They looked at each other in disbelief, hardly trusting their ears. She had actually refused.
That was a job at a state-run restaurant.
An iron rice bowl that countless people could only dream of.
Did Jiang Qingli not understand what it meant to work there?
Wang Dagou was the first to react. Slapping his thigh anxiously, he exclaimed, “Oh my! Girl Jiang, think this through. If you miss this chance, there won’t be another!”
Turning to Shen Li, he raised his voice. “Shen Li, what are you standing there for? Hurry and persuade your wife!”
He Lanying also couldn’t help but add, “Yes, Comrade Xiao Jiang, don’t be foolish. The benefits at a state-run restaurant are excellent, sheltered from wind and rain. So many people envy it but can’t get in.”
At the side, Li Chunxiang’s smile stiffened, the corners of her mouth slowly dropping.
Just as the atmosphere grew tense, Jiang Qingli suddenly changed her tone, her voice clear and calm. “However, I can provide the recipe for this honey tomato sauce to Hongqi Restaurant free of charge.”
What?
Wang Dagou and He Lanying both stared wide-eyed, their jaws nearly dropping to the ground.
Had the Shen family’s daughter-in-law lost her mind?
Giving away a family secret recipe just like that?
Hearing this, Li Chunxiang’s previously fallen expression slowly lifted again. Her eyes shifted thoughtfully. If this recipe could end up in her hands, that would be even better.