Chopping the lamb into pieces, I decided to make my favorite braised at.
I carried the chunks to the basin, letting the cold water wash away the blood until the at was clean and fresh. Then, I set my wok on the fire, pouring in just enough oil to coat the bottom.
Once the oil shimred, I tossed in slices of ginger and crushed garlic, the sizzling sound making my heart light. The fragrant aroma began to dance in the air, drawing curious glances from the others.
Yan i and the children were seated nearby, but I could feel their eyes glued to . Mo Yuen’s chin was propped on his hands, Yiling leaning so far forward I thought she might fall.
I worked like I had been doing this my whole life, asuring by instinct, moving the wok with ease. The lamb went in with a satisfying hiss, and I stirred it quickly, making sure every piece soaked up the golden oil. Then ca the seasonings: soy sauce for depth, a spoon of sugar to balance the salt, a dash of cooking wine, and a sprinkle of my secret spice blend.
The sll grew richer with every turn of my spatula. Once the lamb was browned, I added water just enough to cover it, dropped in star anise, and let the simring magic begin. The bubbling sound was like a gentle hum, promising sothing delicious.
Yan i sniffed the air and sighed dreamily. "Lin Xu... I didn’t know you cooked like this."
By the ti the sauce thickened and clung perfectly to the at, the glossy pieces looked like they belonged in a restaurant. I lifted the pot off the fire and brought it to the table.
I filled a small bowl, handing it to Yan i first. "Taste it."
She blew on it and took a bite her eyes widened instantly. "Oh my goodness! This... this is too good!"
Mo Yuen snatched a piece next, chewing with exaggerated happiness. "Mama, this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten!"
Even Yiling nodded so fast her hair swayed. "We can sell this for a lot in the market!"
Satisfied with the praises I received, Without wasting ti, I packed the braised at into a large pot, arranging clean plates and glass bowls beside it. Mo Yuen helped carry them to the basket.
"Let’s go," I said with a grin. "It’s ti to make so money."
-
Yan i stayed with Yiling and Bao Bao while Mo Yuen accompanied to the market.
It was bright and the market was buzzling with so many people.
Finding a corner, I was able to set a small stall as I arranged my things with the help of Mo Yuen.
As soon as I opened my pot, the strong aroma imdiately lingered in the air, as a group of people started making their way towards my stall.
"Braised at, co and get your Braised at.. fresh and tasty, 100 percent satisfaction!" I thought Mo Yuen to resite as his words brought more and more people.
"Hmmm... Slls so delicuous, young girl.. what do you have here?" A woman asked, her eyes not leaving my pot.
"It looks so tasty, how much is it.. I want one.." Soon said another person.
" too."
"I as well!"
They all rushed as I smiled happily, "This is my own, ho cooked braised at.. for just 50 wen, get yourself a bowl!" I responded.
But before I could say more, I was interrupted by soone absolutely annoying.
Just as the crowd was getting bigger and the sll of my braised at filled the air, an all-too-familiar voice ca from behind.
"Oh, please!" Lu Fei pushed her way to the front, looking at my pot with disgust. "Braised at? What a joke. Only Yun Restaurant and Bai Restaurant can make real braised pork."
So people turned to look at her.
She crossed her arms and raised her chin. "Don’t let the sll fool you. I bet it tastes terrible. Probably half-cooked or full of salt. This is just so trick to make you waste your money."
I looked straight at her, my smile fading. "That’s funny... I don’t rember you being a cooking expert in this village."
Her smirk twitched. "What are you-"
I didn’t let her finish. "I’m saying, since you’ve never cooked anything without burning it, maybe you should stop talking and let people who actually know how to cook speak."
So custors laughed, and I could see her face getting red.
I leaned forward just a little. "You know, Lu Fei... being jealous is like wearing cheap perfu. No matter how much you put on, everyone can still sll it."
This ti, the laughter was louder, and her mouth opened and closed like a fish. I stood up straight and turned to the crowd.
"Everyone! Because so many people love my braised at today, I’m giving a special price. Usually it’s 50 wen per bowl-"
People began to murmur in excitent.
"-but today, you’ll get it for 41 wen. That’s a 19% discount. Fresh, tasty, and worth every coin. Co and try for yourself!"
The custors ca rushing forward again, and the sound of coins hitting my hand made smile even more. Lu Fei just stood there, looking like she swallowed a bitter lon.
In less than half an hour, the entire oot was empty as even more people ca but unfortunately, all the at were gone.
"Aya! Don’t you have more?" So asked as I shaked my head.
"If you want more the do make sure to be here early tomorrow as I’ll be making a even bigger batch but do be aware that the 19% discount promised has ended already so it would be sold for the original prices starting from tomorrow!"
I inford as they all nodded and left. Smiling I turned to Mo Yuen who was busy counting the money we had earned today.
"Wow.. Mama! We made up to 12 teals in just one day." He said, his eyes glowing in joy as I smiled too.
12 teals was indeed a lot of money. Now I could get more ingredients and dicine for Bao Bao.
---
Soon we packed our things and started heading back ho, but midway I stopped and called softly, "Susu."
In an instant, she appeared before , glowing faintly as usual.
[ Host, what do you require? ]
"I want to check the prices of things in the supermarket."
[ Accessing Supermarket... Please wait... ]
A panel appeared in front of , rows of neat items with their prices clearly written. My eyes widened.
Oil... so much cheaper than the ones in the village.
Grain... almost half the price.
Rice... ridiculously low.
Potatoes... cheaper and in better condition.
Seasonings... more variety, all fresh.
I scrolled further, my eyes shining.
[ Host, special discount in progress. Selected items 15% off for the next 2 hours. ]
Without wasting ti, I tapped on the seasonings, star anise, pepper, dried chili, cinnamon sticks, and soy sauce.
[ Purchase confird. Deducting 3 silver from account. Items will be delivered to Storage Space. ]
My lips curled into a smile. "Perfect."
As I kept browsing, another section caught my eye - Lighting and Ho Needs.
[ Lamps for sale. Oil lamps, glass lamps, and lanterns available. Prices range from 20 copper to 2 silver depending on type. ]
I selected three sturdy glass lamps for the house.
[ Purchase confird. Deducting 1 silver 50 copper. Items will be delivered to Storage Space. ]
"Good... this will make the house brighter at night."
I swiped again and almost laughed. There was even a section for livestock.
[ Chickens, Roosters, Goats currently on sale. Chickens—30 copper each. Roosters—50 copper each. Goats—3 silver each. ]
I rubbed my chin. "Susu, I’ll wait until I fix the pen at ho. But once it’s ready, I’ll buy a few."
[ Noted. Host’s preference saved. ]
Closing the panel, I felt lighter than ever. With prices this cheap, I could save so much money and still get better quality.
"Alright," I said to Mo Yuen, who was still holding the heavy pouch of coins, "let’s go ho. We’ve got work to do."
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