Chef Hua-Chapter 702: Extra Story Four: The Best Thing_3

"Then I’ll make this one."

Hua Xiaomai nodded at him and immediately took a piece of beef brisket, thought for a moment, and asked the helper to bring a can of dried fermented black beans and a small bunch of perilla. She then rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

She heated oil with garlic in the wok, quickly seared the whole piece of beef brisket to remove the blood, then started another pot, stir-fried the chili and dried fermented black beans, followed by adding the perilla, and finally, placed the beef brisket back into the pot, sprinkled a little soy sauce, and added clear broth. She only had to wait for the beef brisket to stew until tender before finishing with salt and taking it off the heat. Only at this point, she cut the beef brisket into thumb-sized cubes to serve.

This was not a particularly difficult dish, and the steps weren’t complicated, but it demanded precise control of the heat. Beef, if overcooked even slightly, would become tough, making it difficult for those with weak teeth to chew, especially since beef brisket is known for its tenderness, so it was certainly not a task to be taken lightly.

Throughout the process, Hua Xiaomai’s movements were not particularly fast, yet always flowed smoothly, without a moment of hesitation or pause. She even seemed leisurely; calm and composed, she didn’t utter a word nor need to taste for seasoning. It was as if she exuded an aura of mastery amid the smoke, the spatula lifting and dropping, reminiscent of a reclusive expert.

Chef Du stood by, watching dumbfounded, feeling a jolt within.

Stewed Beef Brisket with Perilla and Dried Fermented Black Beans indeed wasn’t an extraordinary dish, but why did it seem like a special privilege just to have a taste of it when she made it? No wonder she had been the leading figure of the Eight Treasures Conference for three consecutive terms; this was no joke!

"Um..."

Watching Hua Xiaomai cutting the beef brisket into small cubes, he couldn’t help but speak up, "Normally when we make this beef brisket, we cut it into thin slices for plating. Why do you..."

Hua Xiaomai turned to look at him, said nothing, served two or three cubes of the beef brisket in a small bowl, and presented it to him: "Try it."

Chef Du indeed picked up a piece and tasted it.

With the addition of dried fermented black beans and perilla, the dish had a rich flavor with a hint of sweetness, avoiding excessive heaviness. Perhaps due to being cut into small cubes, the broth and meat juices were securely locked in, as if not a drop had escaped. The tender beef resisted slightly against the teeth before reluctantly breaking apart, releasing a surge of savory juice that lingered on the tip of the tongue and then filled the mouth. In the end, it seemed as though one’s entire being was immersed in this indescribable freshness.

Chef Du’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he looked at Hua Xiaomai, rendered speechless for a long while.

Hua Xiaomai gave him a confident smile, a hint of triumph on her face: "Cut into thin slices, the beef brisket would not retain its juices as well. How about it, isn’t this much tastier?"

She even raised her eyebrows playfully.

Meng Yuhuai, with his arms crossed, stood at the kitchen entrance, watching the entire scene and couldn’t help but smile.

It seemed like many years ago, when he had just met Hua Xiaomai, he found her quite a headache, thinking she lacked manners and was too handsy, switching between playful grins and stubborn defiance, rather odd indeed.

But each time she stood at the stove, she would transform into another person.

When it came to cooking, she was always brimming with confidence, and she never felt the need to hide this self-assurance. Thin to the bone and far less beautiful than her sister, yet whenever she produced a delicious dish, she would lift her little chin with sparkling eyes full of flair, and she looked... actually quite lovely.

So, gradually, this unruly girl found her way into his heart. When she caused trouble, he was more than willing to clean up after her. Whatever she desired, he swallowed his pride to get it for her, and if anyone bullied her, perhaps he didn’t show it openly, but alone, his anger was fierce enough to make him clench his fists...

Since becoming the Escort Master, Meng Yuhuai had feared nothing, but on that perilous night facing river pirates, other than his own mother, another figure flashed through his mind, and for a moment, he felt a twinge of fear.

What if something happened to him and he could no longer see her?

After talking with Chef Du for a while, Hua Xiaomai turned to see Meng Yuhuai daydreaming and teasingly approached, nudging his shoulder: "What are you spacing out for? Are you mad because I didn’t let you eat the beef brisket?"

"Nonsense."

Meng Yuhuai chided her with a smile, not minding that Chef Du was still watching, and tapped her on the forehead before pulling her out of the kitchen.

Fortunately, in the end, this girl married him and became his wife, bringing him three lovely children. That was... the best thing. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)