Chapter 63: Ultimate Deliciousness
Zhao Yanglin marveled inwardly.
Qu Feng and He Xianfei, in turn, picked up their spoons and took a sip of the broth.
After savoring it for a moment, Qu Feng was thrilled.
’This broth is simply the finest of them all.’
’Could this be the best Cabbage in Boiled Water in the world?’
Of course, he couldn’t be one hundred percent certain.
But Qu Feng believed the chances were very high.
’Boss Li’s culinary skill is truly unfathomable.’
Meanwhile, He Xianfei sighed to himself.
Just as he’d feared, the broth was indeed far more delicious than his own Cabbage in Boiled Water.
And the difference wasn’t subtle.
It was a fact he was reluctant, yet forced, to accept.
’If the broth is this good, what about the cabbage?’
He Xianfei picked up his chopsticks, lifted a piece of cabbage, and placed it in his mouth.
The moment he tasted it, He Xianfei was stunned all over again.
He had been mentally prepared for the cabbage to surpass his own.
But the flavor of the cabbage in his mouth was still beyond his wildest imagination.
’How can the cabbage in this dish be so delicious?’
’Just how did this young boss do it?’
Once again, He Xianfei was baffled.
Zhao Yanglin also sampled a piece of cabbage.
The aftertaste was sublime and lingering.
’Delicious!’
It was even better than he had imagined. He had never tasted cabbage this good in a Cabbage in Boiled Water before.
’This young boss has perfected Cabbage in Boiled Water!’
Tasting a Cabbage in Boiled Water like this made his many years of relentlessly pursuing culinary excellence all worthwhile.
The more Zhao Yanglin thought about it, the happier he became.
Nowadays, there were very few things that could make him this happy.
Exquisite food was one of them.
Observing his expression, Qu Feng could tell that Zhao Yanglin was overjoyed. He decided to suggest they try some of the other dishes.
So he said, "Mr. Zhao, Chef He, Boss Li’s other dishes here are just as amazing. How about we order the Twice-cooked Pork to try?"
Zhao Yanglin smiled. "Excellent, I was just about to suggest that. Also, add an order of Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes."
Although potatoes were one of the most common ingredients, whether a dish was considered a delicacy had nothing to do with the rarity of its components.
Zhao Yanglin knew this well.
That was why he had to try the Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes.
He Xianfei had no objections.
Not only that, but after a moment’s hesitation, he added, "I’ll also have a small bowl of Yangchun Noodles."
Qu Feng was taken aback for a second but quickly understood why He Xianfei had ordered the Yangchun Noodles. He smiled faintly. "After you taste it, Chef He, you’ll know I wasn’t exaggerating."
He Xianfei nodded.
Although his feelings were complicated and he still couldn’t accept that Li You’s skill with Cabbage in Boiled Water surpassed his own, he still decided to try the Yangchun Noodles here.
Zhao Yanglin also knew why He Xianfei had ordered the noodles.
On the drive over, Qu Feng had told him about his last trip to Xingshui City, where he had challenged someone over their Yangchun Noodles.
’I’ll just wait and see. Maybe I should order a bowl for myself, too?’
"Boss Li, we’d like to add an order of Twice-cooked Pork, one Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes, and a small bowl of Yangchun Noodles," Qu Feng said to Li You.
Li You nodded, "Alright, they’ll be ready soon."
With that, he went into the kitchen and started cooking.
A short while later, the three dishes were ready.
He brought them out to the trio’s table.
The moment Zhao Yanglin saw them, he was once again pleasantly surprised.
’So this young boss’s expertise isn’t limited to Cabbage in Boiled Water.’
’The Twice-cooked Pork, Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes, and the Yangchun Noodles all look incredible.’
’With a presentation this good, the flavor is bound to be incredible.’
’This little restaurant, hidden away in the mountains, is truly something special!’
’This trip was absolutely worth it!’
Zhao Yanglin was now more certain of this than ever.
He Xianfei, meanwhile, was shocked yet again.
When it came to stir-frying, he was an undisputed master and expert.
How delicious would a stir-fry be? How skilled was the chef’s control over the heat? He could tell with a single glance.
The final appearance of a stir-fried dish revealed a great deal.
An ordinary person, or even a regular chef, wouldn’t be able to see it, but he could.
And the Twice-cooked Pork and Shredded Potatoes before him now were, by every possible measure, absolutely top-tier.
They were on par with his own work, if not superior.
He Xianfei was truly, deeply shocked.
As for the Yangchun Noodles, it was not his specialty.
However, based on appearance alone—the "color"—this bowl of Yangchun Noodles had unquestionably surpassed Qu Feng’s.
’If I taste it, I’m afraid the flavor will surpass it by a wide margin.’
He Xianfei looked at Qu Feng.
Qu Feng understood the meaning behind his glance. With a bitter smile, he said, "You believe me now, don’t you, Chef He?"
He Xianfei sighed in resignation.
Afterward, the three of them all picked up their chopsticks and started eating.
They started with the Twice-cooked Pork.
Rich but not greasy, its fragrance filled their mouths. It was absolutely the finest example of Twice-cooked Pork—perhaps even the pinnacle of the dish.
Next was a bite of the shredded potatoes.
Crisp and fragrant, with a flavor that seemed to go on forever. This too was a masterpiece, the absolute peak of what Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes could be.
Zhao Yanglin was once again deeply satisfied, getting to eat Twice-cooked Pork and Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes of this caliber.
He Xianfei, however, sighed to himself again. The quality of the Twice-cooked Pork and Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes was, as he’d suspected, a level above his own.
His eye for cooking was as sharp as ever.
Only this time, that accuracy brought a sense of helplessness and bitterness.
’There’s always someone better, and it’s normal for another chef’s skill to surpass your own,’ he thought. ’But did they have to be so young?’
’It’s just so hard to accept!’
But in the end, He Xianfei had no choice but to accept it.
’So be it.’
’This must be what they call talent.’
Time to try the Yangchun Noodles.
He Xianfei lifted a bundle of noodles with his chopsticks and took a bite.
After one bite, he felt that same sense of helplessness wash over him.
It was indeed far more delicious than Qu Feng’s Yangchun Noodles.
’This has to be the pinnacle of Yangchun Noodles, doesn’t it?’
’This young boss’s talent is just off the charts.’
Why would someone with such incredible talent hide away in these mountains, running a small restaurant all by himself? It was hard to understand.
As He Xianfei pondered this question, he looked up and happened to see several large birds flying across the sky in the distance, their crisp calls clearly reaching his ears.
Added to that was the breathtakingly beautiful scenery that filled his view.
Lush green trees, vibrant young grass, wildflowers blooming in profusion, and strange, rugged rock formations.
Nearby.
Butterflies danced and chased one another through the flowers, while dragonflies perched on the tips of grass blades.
It was a beautiful scene.
For a moment, He Xianfei was completely captivated.
He hadn’t seen such a scene in a long time.
The scene was so familiar, yet so foreign.
It felt as if he could reach out and touch it, yet there seemed to be layers of barriers in the way—the lingering hustle of the city, the dazzling neon lights. So close, and yet so far.
In that moment, He Xianfei began to understand why the young owner of this restaurant chose to hide away in these mountains.
Qu Feng and Zhao Yanglin both noticed He Xianfei staring out the window, apparently captivated by something.
Puzzled, they also turned to look outside.
They saw the same scene.
It seemed they hadn’t seen such a scene in a very long time.
Or rather, they hadn’t truly taken a good look at nature in a very long time.
For a moment, they too were captivated.
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