“Ye! An! An!”
Xiao Jingshi almost ground the words out through his teeth.
He felt that his twenty-one years of proper upbringing were on the verge of collapse at this very moment.
This woman—she was blatantly testing his limits!
In the courtyard, Ye An’an heard the furious shout and, far from being intimidated, her eyes lit up.
He’s here! Today’s chief food critic has finally arrived!
She turned back, flashing Xiao Jingshi a dazzling smile and waving the slotted spatula in her hand.
“Your Highness, perfect timing! Almost ready—don’t worry, the first piece is guaranteed to be yours!”
“…” Xiao Jingshi was momentarily speechless, infuriated by her carefree, utterly fearless attitude.
The attendants behind him were about to cry. My prince… please do something about the empress. If she keeps “performing” like this, the entire Eastern Palace is going to smell like a pickle barrel!
But Ye An’an ignored them, focusing entirely on the tofu sizzling in the oil.
Strangely, the moment the tofu went into the pan, the stench reached its peak—but as it fried longer, that sharp, pungent smell began to change.
A strange, enticing aroma, a mix of bean curd and roasted oil, slowly started to emerge from the stench.
Foul… yet fragrant.
It was a paradoxical, yet utterly tempting smell.
Soon, the tofu blocks turned golden and crispy on the outside, puffed up like little pillows.
Ye An’an scooped them out with her slotted spatula, drained the oil, and placed them on a plate.
Just looking at them made one’s appetite soar.
She then brought out the specially prepared sauces and pickles from the kitchen.
The sauce was made with garlic, chili, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and various spices—salty, fragrant, slightly spicy. The pickles, made of cabbage and carrots, were tangy, sweet, and crunchy.
She poked a hole in the fried tofu, filled it with sauce, and topped it with a layer of crisp pickles.
A classic, perfect plate of fried stinky tofu was complete!
“Done!” She presented the first piece to Xiao Jingshi like a treasure.
The golden, crispy tofu, paired with shiny red sauce and colorful pickles, looked vibrant and enticing.
Even the pungent stench had faded a lot, replaced by rich aromas of sauce and soy.
Yet, remembering the “gas-bomb” potency from just moments ago, Xiao Jingshi instinctively recoiled, his face full of resistance.
“Take it away,” he said coldly, unwilling to even look at it again.
“Don’t be like that, Your Highness! Just try it, it’s really delicious!” Ye An’an persisted. “You can’t judge something just by its smell—same goes for people. Don’t discriminate against the tofu!”
“…” Xiao Jingshi’s temples throbbed at her twisted logic.
Just then, a pair of saviors appeared.
“Wow! Crown Princess! What are you making now? Smells amazing!”
The Seventh and Ninth Princes, those little foodies, had somehow tracked the scent.
They ran over, staring at the golden tofu, mouths watering.
“What’s this? It looks so yummy!” the Ninth Prince asked.
“This, my dears, is called the ‘Golden Pillow,’” Ye An’an said, eyes twinkling as she gave the stinky tofu a fancy, high-class name. “Want to try?”
“Yes!” they shouted in unison.
Ye An’an immediately gave each a piece.
The two little princes, with no hesitation, bit down with a big crunch.
“Crunch—”
The crisp shell cracked under their teeth.
Inside, the steaming soft tofu, almost like custard, mixed with savory sauce, burst in their mouths.
“Mm—!”
Their eyes went wide, mouths stuffed, unable to speak. All they could do was gasp for air and furiously nod.
Delicious! So delicious!
Crispy outside, tender inside, savory sauce, crunchy pickles—all flavors and textures perfectly combined into a shockingly delightful experience.
Xiao Jingshi watched his two younger brothers, completely conquered by taste, and felt the wall he’d built around himself start to crack.
Could it really… be that good?
“Brother! This Golden Pillow is amazing! You have to try it!” the Seventh Prince exclaimed, barely able to swallow before urging Xiao Jingshi.
Ye An’an seized the moment, holding out the plate with an expectant look.
“Your Highness, just one small bite. Think of it as me tricking you a little—just try it, okay?”
Her voice was soft, laced with a hint of coquettish pleading.
Xiao Jingshi looked at her, then at the tofu on the plate, hollowed out and filled with sauce, and felt a fierce inner struggle.
Finally, he took a deep breath, as if making a monumental decision.
“…Just one bite.”
He picked up a piece from the plate, stiffly bringing it to his lips.
Under everyone’s breathless gaze, he closed his eyes and bit down.
“Crunch.”
A crisp sound rang out.
The next second, Xiao Jingshi’s body shuddered.
For the first time, the expression on his eternal “iceberg” face was one of utter upheaval.
It was a shock that shook his worldview.
He had expected rot—what he got was perfect, roasted aroma.
He had expected a disgusting texture—what he got was supremely soft.
Stinky… could be fragrant.
Fragrant… could be exquisite.
Smelling stink, tasting delight—these six simple words, he experienced with his own taste buds, fully and unmistakably.
His chewing went from stiff, to hesitant, to… enjoyment.
The first piece of stinky tofu disappeared quickly.
He opened his eyes, looking at Ye An’an, his gaze a complex storm of emotions.
Ye An’an raised an eyebrow triumphantly, silently saying: See? Convinced now?
Xiao Jingshi didn’t reply—he simply picked up a second piece from the plate.