Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn-Chapter 200 - 20: The Little Food Stall on the Commercial Street (Part 2)

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At five-thirty in the afternoon, both of them were so hungry that they felt weak in their arms and legs, having just finished playing basketball. Xiao Xian could barely make sure he didn’t lose control of the ball while dribbling, and as for shooting, Zhang Yiyi had said it depended not only on accuracy but also on the feel of the shot, which Xiao Xian was still lacking.

The cafeteria food had been mostly taken by then, and with evening self-study class at six-thirty, they had no choice but to eat out on the commercial street.

Because they were in a hurry, Zhang Yiyi didn’t picky about choosing a restaurant, and instead of heading to a crowded place, they found a newly opened eatery called "Sichuan Rice Stall," run by a middle-aged couple from Sichuan in their forties.

"I’m starving to death, previously in Tianjin a master chef made delicious spicy dishes," said Zhang Yiyi while looking at the menu. This small shop located on the commercial street wasn’t very big, with a total of only six tables. The tables, made of raw wood and smoothly sanded at the edges, seemed to be handcrafted by the male owner without any paint, emanating a pleasant woody scent.

A large menu was posted on the wall featuring stir-fried rice cakes, noodles, and various small stir-fry dishes.

Other restaurants were bustling with regular customers, but this couple’s shop was newly opened and looked rather reticent, without making any attempts to pull in customers by distributing flyers like others did. The couple was busy, one washing peppers on the ground and the other preparing broth for later use, making the shop look quite deserted.

"Can you make sour soup fish?" Xiao Xian, just out of sports, smelled the freshly cut peppers and remembered the sour soup fish he had a few years back in Bai Family Ancient Town.

The lady cutting peppers looked up, her nose red from the pungent peppers, "Young student, we are a Sichuan rice stall. The dishes from Guizhou wouldn’t taste authentic even if we make them. How about trying our Sichuan-style Boiled Fish? It’s delicious. If you want it, I’ll let my husband make a pot for you. You won’t need to order anything else; one pot is enough for three bowls of rice for you both."

Zhang Yiyi, hearing that Boiled Fish was available and listening to the straightforward suggestion from the owner, ordered a pot, and the owner’s wife casually chatted with them.

It turns out that the couple’s daughter had entered a university in Beijing this year. They were farming back home a few years earlier, and once their only daughter moved to Beijing, they decided to follow. Unfortunately, with their limited education and being of an awkward age, no one wanted to employ them. Eventually, hearing that a stall in the commercial area near Sacred Heart Middle School was up for grabs, they took it over. Today was only their second day running it.

"My girl always loved the Boiled Fish her dad cooked. We brought the peppers and Sichuan peppers we use from back home. They are great when you stir them in hot oil," the wife said as she placed a bowl of freshly made chili sauce in front of Xiao Xian and Zhang Yiyi. freёnovelkiss.com

This wasn’t the commercial type of chili sauce colored artificially but made by frying chilies in hot oil, which gave the sauce a dark reddish hue, with chili seeds floating amidst the spicy aroma.

"Did you cook this chili sauce here?" Xiao Xian asked as he looked at the simple Sichuan couple, reminded of Uncle Jin and Aunt Jin from Ge Village. The honest simplicity of these mountain folks couldn’t even be masked by the strong chili scent.

"Oh no, people up north aren’t used to eating hot chilies; cooking it here would make passing students and teachers tear up and sneeze. It’s brought from our hometown. My husband was mentioning in the afternoon whether we should add some sweet flavor like they do in the south so it’s more palatable here," the lady owner was shaking her head in denial, knowing continuing like this would be challenging.

"Don’t worry about making others uncomfortable, those who don’t eat spicy wouldn’t come this way anyway. For those who do, smelling your chilies would be like smelling fish for a cat," Xiao Xian thought that just like "fine wine doesn’t fear the deep alley," authentic spice should appeal to those who know their food. If kept hidden here, waiting for returning customers would take forever.

"How spicy," Zhang Yiyi tasted a spoonful, her eyebrows and nose wrinkling together, "but it’s very authentic. My mom loves spicy food; she’d definitely come here if she knew about this place."

"Don’t change it; changing it would just make it similar to every other place on the street," the pot of Boiled Fish arrived, sizzling hot oil in vibrant red, with the white fish beneath emitting a tempting aroma. Instinctively, Xiao Xianensen and Zhang Yiyit’s stomachs started rumbling. They, unaffected, devoured three bowls of rice each and finished the fish clean.

"We’ll come back tomorrow and bring Lin Xiang and Lin Ya too," Zhang Yiyi burped contentedly, and Xiao Xian nodded in agreement.

In just a few days, word of the authentic Boiled Fish at a Sichuan rice stall on the commercial street spread. They said the chili and Sichuan pepper used there were especially authentic, and its pungent scent filled the street, but it made those who love spice like it even more. With the business booming, remembering the kindness of Xiao Xian and her friends, the couple always ensured generous servings whenever they saw them.

Finally, it was the end of the month, and by three-thirty, Feng Xing and Zhuo Feng were waiting at the gate of Sacred Heart Middle School in their small car.

Xiao Xian got in the car and noticed Zhuo Feng looking pale and then spotted a few scratches on Feng Xing’s ear. Could the couple have had a fight, even physically? (To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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