The Game of Life

Ten minutes later, the steamed pigeon was ready to come out of the pot.

The most crucial step of thickening the sauce had arrived, which was also the most important part of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon. Guanyun’s technique for thickening the sauce was different from the ordinary method; he used pigeon broth, which was made from the bones removed from th>s very pigeon. The longer the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon had een in preparation, the longer the pigeon broth for the sauce had simmered First, he tasted the soup to ensure it was good enough and then beckoned Jiang Feng to taste it as well.

Wu Minqi, standing by the side, was the picture of envy, like a child denied candy while her playmate had a whole basket full, making it impossible not to be envious.

Guanyun couldn’t help but laugh; he had long heard that Old Mr. Wu’s precious granddaughter was obsessed with cooking, and her reputation was indeed well-deserved. He wasn’t worried about teaching her how to thicken the sauce because he was confident that Jiang Feng lacked the skill to learn it.

Neither did Minqi.

“Wu, come and try it too,” Guanyun said with a smile.

Minqi was delighted and, abandoning the few orders she’d managed to pilfer quickly made her way to Jiang Feng’s side to taste the pigeon broth.

“Once the broth has simmered to this consistency, it’s time to begin thickening the sauce,” Guanyun explained, his hands constantly moving, rapidly shaking the ladle, and quickly the sauce was ready.

“The sauce ensures the pigeon remains at the correct temperature. The texture of this dish entirely depends on the temperature; you need to find the perfect temperature of the sauce to pour over the pigeon to make this dish perfectly ” Guanyun continued, “This is something I can’t teach you. It’s something you’ have to comprehend on your own-it’s a sense, and it’s also a talent. Later when you’re thickening the sauce yourself, I can give you some tips, but the key part is still up to you.”

Guanyun watched the sauce in the pot silently, the pigeon having been removed from the steamer and now gradually cooling. Suddenly, he scooped a ladleful of sauce and slowly drizzled it over the pigeon, spoonful by spoonful his movements slow and focused.

After the final spoonful of sauce had been poured, Guanyun set aside the ladle.

The Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon was ready.

“In one minute, it will be at its prime for tasting,” Guanyun said.

The small pigeon, with its plump belly, lay in the dish, a faint brown in color. Guanyun took it and slowly slit the pigeon’s belly open, and the vegetarian stuffing immediately spilled out, a tempting mix of white and yellow. The world’s delicacies pale in comparison.

“When you eat, dip it in some sauce,” Guanyun instructed.

Jiang Feng scooped a little and dipped it in the sauce beneath. With just that many people in the restaurant, a bite each and the small Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon would be gone.

Upon tasting it, the pigeon’s rich, natural flavors were fully expressed, with the vegetarian stuffing absorbing the taste of the meat perfectly. The various vegetables complemented each other, having soaked up the pigeon’s fat they were anything but bland. The smooth chestnuts and the powdery lotus seeds blended together, creating an exquisite combination of texture and taste that made Jiang Feng exclaim without thinking:

“Holy shit.”

Guanyun had truly perfected this dish to the utmost.

Jiang Feng rushed to the kitchen doorway and shouted outside, “Mom Ji Yue come quickly and eat the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, it’s not ’ good when it gets cold! ?

Han Guishan and Xu Cheng, who had just entered the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, exchanged smiles.

“You’re indeed the best,” Guishan said.

“I told you the timing was just right, but you had to argue it was too early Come on, we’re going to miss the perfect taste,” Xu Cheng said with a laugh.

Xu Cheng walked ahead of Guishan, and just as he was about to enter the back kitchen, he was stopped by Jiang Feng, still licking the spoon.

-Hello, we can’t allow…. Mr. Han?” Jiang Feng saw him about to enter the kitchen and wanted to stop him when he noticed Han Guishan behind him.

Xu Cheng took the opportunity to slip into the kitchen, dodging in an S-shape and left behind a message, “I’m looking for Master Sun.”

“JiangXiaoyou!” Han Guishan was also a bit surprised to see Jiang Feng, but time waits for no one, a step slow and a second late, and the taste of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon would change. Though he spoke, his feet didn’t stop moving, “What a coincidence, you know Master Sun too.” Jiang Feng still had a spoon in his hand and what he had just eaten was self-evident.

Just as Jiang Feng called out, Ji Yue had already entered the kitchen, a step ahead of Xu Cheng, and now she was already eating, while savoring she exclaimed, “Oh my god, this is so delicious, what is this? How can pigeon meat be made this tasty!”

“It’s chestnuts, lilies, lotus seeds, and some vegetables, there’s no pigeon meat.” Wu Minqi kindly pointed out.

“Oh my god, this is simply the most delicious chestnuts, lilies, and lotus seeds I’ve ever eaten!” Ji Yue immediately corrected herself, turned around, and upon seeing Xu Cheng, put on a professional fake smile, “Sir, this is the back…” “I’m here to find Master Sun.” Xu Cheng smiled and nodded at Ji Yue then turned to Sun Guanyun and said, “Master Sun, quite the coincidence’ You’re really in high spirits today to be making Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon here. It’s been eight years since you last made it, hasn’t it? Truly a rare treat!”

“Oh, you’re looking for Sir Sun.” Once Ji Yue saw Xu Cheng knew Sun Guanyun she didn’t interfere further and devoted herself to tasting the Eight Treasures ’ Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon in her spoon.

Sun Guanyun stared at Xu Cheng as if he’d seen a ghost, and then, also noticing Han Guishan behind him, he understood the situation and gruffly said, “You really do turn up everywhere, don’t you? You can even guess from some pigeon eggs. Well, since you’re here, try it and see if my skills have deteriorated.” XU Cheng had been waiting for just that, so he scooped up a half spoonful from the side and wisely dipped it into the soup at the bottom.

Han Guishan, clueless about such refinement, also scooped up a half spoonful and ate it dry.

“Master Sun, not only have your skills not regressed over the years, but they have even improved. This dish is even better than the one I had eight years ago,” Xu Cheng sincerely praised.

“Yes, indeed,” echoed Han Guishan.

Jiang Feng, standing at the door, realized belatedly and waited until Wang Xiuhan finished wiping tables outside and came in before recalling that the person with Han Guishan earlier was Xu Cheng, no wonder he looked so familiar.

How come both of them ended up here?

Wang Xiulian had grown accustomed to the kitchen of her restaurant being visned by some unfamiliar faces, so she too scooped up half a spoonful, leaving the last half spoonful for Jiang Jiankang, who was still cooking.

When Jiang Jiankang had eaten the last half spoonful, there was some soup left in the plate along with the pigeon skin and a bit of meat, but with outsiders present, everyone was somewhat reserved, and Ji Yue, thick-skinned, took this to her advantage. She scooped up the last bit and went upstairs to lick the plate clean.

“Alright, let’s not disturb the business in someone else’s kitchen- if there’s something to discuss, we can talk outside,” Master Sun finally announced. “We can go to the second floor; there are no guests there now,” Wang Xiulian said, as she went out to attend to the customers.

Everyone went back to their own duties, the three masters along with Xu Cheng and Han Guishan headed to the second floor, while Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi returned to continue cooking.

“How much of the thickening technique did you catch just now?” Jiang Feng asked.

“About two percent, after all, it’s a special skill, not something one can learn just by watching once,” Wu Minqi replied.

Jiang Feng:…

“And you?”

“About… about the same.”

He too was at two percent, but his was out of a hundred..