Chapter 31: Rich Fish Head Soup and Caramelized Apples

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Rich Fish Head Soup and Caramelized Apples

Nan Zhi and Fu Chao worked together to put away the groceries.

Nan Yi and Qing Xi were eating the candied haws they had just bought.

The scene was incredibly warm and harmonious.

Even the viewers in the live stream chat couldn’t find a single thing to complain about.

Especially now. Since the two groups of guests had joined up, their live streams were temporarily merged. All the bullet comments were visible to everyone, so the screen was no longer flooded with insults aimed at Nan Zhi. Instead, there was a lively back-and-forth!

[This is actually pretty heartwarming. It has the feel of a family bustling about.]

[Don’t ship Nan Zhi with my Brother Fu, okay?]

[Heh, if it weren’t for Nan Zhi, your Brother Fu would still be walking the streets reeking of fish! So ungrateful!]

[Nan Zhi lent him money for clothes and is treating them to a meal, and she still gets flamed by his fans? Some of you need to back off!]

[Who knows if she has ulterior motives? She’s probably trying to latch onto my Brother Fu...]

[Alright, knock it off. Brother Fu already thanked Nan Zhi, so we as fans shouldn’t be contradicting him.]

[Exactly. It’s rare to get help when you’re in need. Given Brother Fu’s current situation, Nan Zhi has been a huge help!]

[Everyone, please don’t get angry over the extreme comments from a small minority of fans. Most of us are very grateful to Nan Zhi!]

...

Although Fu Chao’s fandom could be vicious, there were also many discerning people.

Regardless of what happened in real life.

Here on the show, it was clear at a glance who had the upper hand and who was at a disadvantage between Nan Zhi and Fu Chao.

If Nan Zhi hadn’t stepped in to help, Fu Chao and his little nephew, Qing Xi, would probably be starving!

As a result, most of Fu Chao’s fans knew better and chose to keep quiet.

Some fans also genuinely praised and thanked Nan Zhi.

The mood in the live stream chat gradually became more friendly.

In the humble little kitchen, Nan Zhi saw that Fu Chao had finished with the miscellaneous prep work and gestured for him to step aside.

"I can take it from here."

Fu Chao had been busy for a while, going from clumsy to competent, and was already covered in sweat.

He didn’t find it arduous, though. Instead, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

"Is there nothing else to do? I can be your assistant!"

Nan Zhi looked at the man who was actively looking for work when there was none and gave him a subtle hint:

"Why don’t you go check on the kids?"

Fu Chao turned his head to look toward the small coffee table—

The two little ones had their heads huddled together, whispering about something.

Of course, it was mostly Qing Xi doing the talking, with Nan Yi just chiming in with a few words here and there.

In front of them were the picture cards Nan Zhi had bought, and they were crunching loudly on their candied haws.

’...Where was he, a superfluous adult, even needed?’

Fu Chao made a firm decision:

"I think I’ll stay and help, okay?"

Nan Zhi was exasperated.

’Does she really have to spell it out for him? That Mr. Fu is too inefficient and would just be in the way?’

Having no other choice, she decided to just pretend Fu Chao wasn’t there, calmed her mind, and started to work on the fish.

The first dish of the day was a rich fish head soup, an idea she got from Qing Xi.

The best fish for this soup was bighead carp, also known as silver carp.

The fish Nan Zhi had chosen was large, its flesh plump and firm. Its scales were moist and shiny, and it had almost no muddy taste—it was an absolutely top-grade catch.

Therefore, just using it for soup wasn’t enough. It was best to use the head for soup, braise the tail, and mince the body into fish balls—truly making the most of the entire fish!

This was where Nan Zhi’s exquisite knife skills were on full display.

There was no flashy showmanship. A large kitchen cleaver, which in her hands seemed as light as a feather, sliced through the layers of fish flesh. With a twist and a pull, the entire, intact fish bone was removed!

Fu Chao, standing beside her, watched with eyes so wide they looked like they might pop out of his head!

He thought he was watching a live performance by some master chef!

And that was just the beginning!

Nan Zhi heated a wok, added rendered lard, green onions, and ginger, then pan-fried the fish head until the skin was golden and crisp. She splashed cooking wine along the edge of the wok, then added boiling water and brought it to a roaring boil.

While the soup simmered, Nan Zhi worked without pause. She took the fish body and, using the same large cleaver, scraped the flesh along the grain into a fine mince. She then mixed it into a paste with her hands and squeezed it into balls.

By then, the fish soup was nearly ready. Nan Zhi cooked the fish balls in the original broth, then added shiitake mushrooms and green vegetables, and seasoned it.

The fish head soup and fish balls came out of the pot one after another, followed by a dish of braised fish tail.

Her movements were deft and efficient. The pots, bowls, and pans were like soldiers under her command, deployed at will and directed with ease.

Fu Chao felt like he had been standing there like an idiot for just a moment, and in that time, Nan Zhi had already whipped up several major dishes, each one fragrant and exquisitely delicious.

’And with skills like these... he actually had the nerve to offer to be her assistant?’

’It was simply asking for humiliation!’

"What are you standing there in a daze for?"

Nan Zhi saw Fu Chao standing there motionless and gave him an order,

"Take the dishes to the table."

"Oh? Oh!"

Fu Chao hurriedly complied, eagerly carrying the dishes over.

As he turned, two pairs of bright, dark eyes stared right at him, like glowing cat’s eyes. At first glance, they even looked somewhat similar!

Fu Chao placated the two little gluttons:

"We’ll all eat together in a minute!"

Nan Yi swallowed hard, managing to remain relatively calm.

Qing Xi, however, was completely dazed by the aroma and nodded frantically.

"Yeah! Eat together... It smells so good... SLURP..."

[Xiao Xi is drooling, and so am I.]

[Oh my god, is Nan Zhi’s cooking really this good?]

[New here? Have you been offline lately?]

[I can smell it through the screen! I’m going crazy, why did I watch this stream before eating?!]

[The food she made the last two days was simpler, so I didn’t think much of it, but today’s performance is that of a real master chef!]

[You don’t get it. Simplicity is the true test of skill!]

[Now I finally get why people were telling Nan Zhi to forget being a star and become a master chef instead!]

While Fu Chao was clearing space by taking the dishes away, Nan Zhi grabbed the apples Nan Yi had given her that morning, preparing to make a dessert.

She peeled and chopped the apples, coated them in a light batter, and deep-fried them in a wok until golden brown before taking them out.

Then, she cleaned the wok, added oil and white sugar, and cooked it down until it formed "fish-eye" bubbles. She then tossed the fried apple pieces in, ensuring each one was evenly coated in the syrup, before sprinkling them with white sesame seeds, plating them, and serving them with a bowl of cold water for dipping.

For this lunch, a fish prepared three ways plus caramelized apples—it couldn’t have been more lavish!

Fu Chao had originally thought that when Nan Zhi invited them to eat, she would at most make some simple congee and side dishes.

But what did he get? A full table with vegetables and meat. Even the plain white rice smelled so good it made his mouth water...

Nan Zhi asked, "Aren’t you going to eat?"

Fu Chao exclaimed, "I am!"

’He would never forget the kindness of this meal!’

Fu Chao helped set out the bowls and chopsticks, and, knowing his place, first ladled a bowl of fish soup for the master chef.

Then for Nan Yi and Qing Xi.

He served himself last.

Unable to wait any longer, Fu Chao took a sip of the creamy, fragrant fish soup.

His eyes flew wide open. Even his soul felt stunned by the ultimate, pure freshness, and his mind went completely blank!

Then he picked up a fish ball. The moment it entered his mouth, it was fluffy, soft, tender, and fresh! It even had a light, airy texture!

No complex seasonings were needed; the natural freshness of the ingredients was fully expressed... What incredible confidence!

Fu Chao had tasted the creations of many famous chefs.

But he still felt that this bowl of rich fish head soup was the best he had ever had. Bar none.