She acknowledged that she wasn’t someone with strong desires for exquisite food, but Jiang Chan’s cooking was truly delicious. No matter how strong Lin Shi’s willpower was, she couldn’t resist the temptation of such good food.
Jiang Sen was delighted with all of this, especially since he got to enjoy the dishes prepared by Jiang Chan. Now, he no longer went to places like Chunfeng Tower or Mingyue Tower, and he even stopped eating the lunches provided by the academy. Instead, he had Uncle Zhong deliver his meals every day.
Jiang Chan had learned a variety of dishes from Uncle Mo, and she could easily create different ones within a month without repeating. Jiang Sen was also sociable; having spent a long time in the academy, he had a few good friends.
Every time Uncle Zhong brought him a meal, Jiang Sen would show off in front of his friends. He would open the food box, revealing a copper stove with charcoal underneath to keep the food warm during the journey.
This idea was from Jiang Chan because on such cold days, she felt sorry if Jiang Sen had to eat cold meals. When he opened the lid, the hot aroma of the food would fill the air.
It was the middle of winter, but Jiang Chan, drawing on modern experience, managed to produce leeks and leek sprouts, and even some bean sprouts. This greatly improved Lin Shi’s appetite during the winter.
Today, Uncle Zhong brought two dishes and a soup: bean sprouts with tofu, braised pork, and leek and egg soup. The combination of meat and vegetables was very reasonable.
During lunchtime, Jiang Sen always ate with a few friends, and it was the moment he looked forward to the most. Seeing bean sprouts and leeks in Jiang Sen’s lunch surprised his friends.
“Jinzhi, you’ve been quite well-off recently, eating dishes from Mingyue Tower every day. It’s not cheap there.” Jinzhi was Jiang Sen’s name. Recently, Mingyue Tower had introduced fresh vegetables, and not everyone could afford to eat there.
Now, seeing Jiang Sen enjoying a variety of dishes every day, everyone assumed he was buying them from Mingyue Tower. The reason Mingyue Tower had these fresh dishes was thanks to the good relationship between Jiang Chan and the shopkeeper.
In the half month since Jiang Sen came to the house, Jiang Chan had sold several dishes to Mingyue Tower. Even the winter vegetables were taken by the old shopkeeper; business was business.
Jiang Chan, being a novice, couldn’t compare to the shopkeeper. Of course, he also offered a generous price. Now, Jiang Chan’s pockets were full, and she could be considered a small rich woman.
Jiang Chan is not alone now; usually, it’s Uncle Zhong, the steward, who accompanies her. Of course, the innkeeper has kept her identity well hidden, and outsiders don’t know that these dishes originated from Jiang Chan.
Mingyue Tower has transformed into the largest restaurant in town. New dishes are introduced every now and then, and many people haven’t tried all the dishes at Mingyue Tower because there are just too many.
Going a step further, Jiang Sen smiled proudly, “These aren’t dishes from Mingyue Tower. My daughter specially had the chef make them for me.”
Jiang Sen is now satisfied with everything about Jiang Chan. It can only be said that a food enthusiast is the easiest to please; as long as you can make delicious food to satisfy his appetite, everything else is easy.
“Your daughter?” The crowd teased, eyebrows raised. They had heard that Jiang Sen adopted a girl from the clan, but they didn’t expect her to be so skilled. Jiang Sen is really fortunate.
“Yes, my daughter is exceptionally skilled in cooking.” Jiang Sen proudly lifts a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks. The meat is layered and marinated in a glistening sauce, tempting and precarious, making one’s appetite open wide.
Others were drooling with envy. Those who have a good relationship with Jiang Sen are the first to grab a piece from the food box, and the rest follow suit.
Jiang Sen doesn’t stop them; besides, stopping them wouldn’t work. It has been like this recently. Each time, Li Ma would prepare a lot, even letting his friends taste the freshness.
The first time he brought food, Jiang Sen couldn’t eat enough; it was all snatched up by his friends. He complained to Jiang Chan when he got back that night, so now Jiang Chan makes sure Li Ma prepares more than enough each time.
Jiang Chan rarely went to the kitchen now because Li Ma was there. After teaching Li Ma, she could now cook delicious dishes. People in this era weren’t stupid; they just hadn’t thought that dishes could be prepared in this way.
Jiang Chan only provided some guidance, and Li Ma, being an experienced cook, made significant progress. Many of the dishes Li Ma made now were quite decent, and Jiang Chan had become someone Li Ma greatly admired.
“Ah, you’re doing well now. You can eat dishes from Mingyue Tower without going out. How nice.” A friend said with a hint of jealousy while continuing to eat.
“Speaking of Mingyue Tower, Jinzhi, what’s the relationship between your girl and Mingyue Tower? How come the dishes we tasted yesterday are available at Mingyue Tower a few days later?”
This was said by a smiling scholar, looking at Jiang Sen like a fox. Jiang Sen glanced at him and said, “Mingyue Tower’s Master Fan has visited our house a few times to learn.”
This was something he could openly share. Initially, Jiang Chan was supposed to go to Mingyue Tower to teach Master Fan, but the shopkeeper directly sent Master Fan to learn cooking at their home.
Jiang Sen was pleased with this arrangement; it saved Jiang Chan from going out and potentially attracting unwanted attention. Now, if anyone asked, they could simply say it was their own cook who made delicious dishes.
Fan Master discovered the fresh vegetables that Jiang Chan had been working on and took them away. Jiang Sen sighed, “Can’t you guys stop talking when you’re eating?”
The crowd chuckled in unison, tacitly hastening the pace of their eating. If there’s anything not so great about Jin, it’s that he’s too stingy. His daughter cooks so deliciously, yet he never invites them over for a meal.
Just as they were thinking about it, the fox-like man said, “Jinzhi, we’ve been classmates for so many years, and you’ve never invited us to your place for a meal. It’s a bit unfair, isn’t it?”
“Exactly, Jinzhi, you’re not being fair. You’re enjoying all the benefits alone.”
“None of you need to eat. I’ll just eat by myself. You accuse me of being unfair.” Jiang Sen was not happy, arranging to put the bowls and plates into a food box.
Everyone chuckled and increased the pace of eating. Jiang Sen reluctantly began collecting the bowls and plates, but others quickly grabbed the last few pieces of braised pork. Jiang Sen ended up with an empty plate, and someone, looking at the rich sauce at the bottom of the plate, sighed with regret, “It would be great if we could mix it with rice.”
The fox-like man smiled and said, “Jinzhi, the academy is off tomorrow. We haven’t had tea and enjoyed flowers for a long time. How about we get together?”
Jiang Sen didn’t fall for it and replied, “Sure, Mingyue Tower it is. I’ll treat.”
He couldn’t bear to let Jiang Chan cook for others. His daughter was his priority, and even if Jiang Chan agreed, Lin Shi wouldn’t allow it.
Discover more from Lilly Translations
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.