The Game of Life

“I’ve had a bit of inspiration, now I need to verify it,” Jiang Feng said. Sun Jikai stepped aside, leaving the wok to him.

Sun Jikai had made significant progress in the initial preparation of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon over the past two days. It was clear lie had been practicing a lot on his own.

Jiang Feng approached the stove, ready to start making the sauce.

The sauce for the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon was meant not only to enrich the flavor of the stuffing but also to enhance the taste of the pigeon itself, while also maintaining an appropriate temperature to ensure the pigeon was at the optimal serving heat.

Taste, temperature.

Jiang Feng thought of Cao Guixiang’s method of preparing and pouring the sauce when making Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber.

A small spoonful of sauce, poured from the center of the sea cucumber, forming a line, then spreading out, the sauce was thick yet flowed down like water. Just two spoonfuls were enough to coat the entire sea cucumber, like a membrane that clung steadily to its surface.

He then recalled how Guanyun had done the same with the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, the small spoon moving over the whole pigeon, the dribbles of sauce touching the pigeon and spreading out fast, like water droplets in a pond creating ripples around them.

Using the original pigeon broth to make the sauce was to highlight the inherent freshness of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon.

The thickness of the sauce was for the taste.

Its water-like cascading was to thinly cling to the pigeon, sealing in the heat.

This was the true purpose of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon sauce—it was not a show of skill, nor for aesthetics, but for the sake of the food itself.

Jiang Feng sprung into action, like a protagonist in a martial arts novel who had suddenly attained enlightenment, dispelling millennia of confusion with an epiphany.

High heat to reduce the pigeon broth into a thick soup.

Cornstarch to thicken.

Add chicken fat.

Turn off the heat.

Lift the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon from the steaming pot and wait.

The exact temperature that’s best for the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon is something only the chef’s experience and understanding can determine—no one can say for sure, it’s all about feeling.

Fortunately, Jiang Feng had practiced the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon enough. His sense of it might not be remarkably keen, but it was certainly there to some extent.

Wu Minqi and Sun Jikai watched silently as Jiang Feng ladled a small spoon of sauce.

He poured it over.

The sauce spread over the surface of the pigeon, enveloping it entirely.

As the sauce fell, it wasn’t very smooth—there was a slight tackiness, a sign of the technical gap that couldn’t be bridged in a short time.

The dish was complete.

Looking at the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon in front of him, Sun Jikai’s heart raced uncontrollably and his breathing quickened. His instinct told him that the dish Jiang Feng had made might truly succeed.

“Want to try?” Jiang Feng offered the spoon to Sun Jikai, confident.

Sun Jikai sliced open the pigeon’s belly, scooped up a spoonful of the vegetable filling, and dipped it in some sauce.

He tasted it.

His eyes lit up.

That was the flavor, that was the sensation. He had been eating the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon made by Sun Guanyun since he was young; the taste was etched onto his tongue, and he recognized it immediately.

“Jiang Feng, can you… can you tell me how you did it?” Sun Jikai looked at Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng: ???

“This dish was taught to me by your Grandpa, and now that I’ve learned it, of course, I should teach you,” Jiang Feng said.

“It’s not the same, this is something you figured out on your own,” Sun Jikai shook his head, “My grandpa’s Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon isn’t as good as yours.”

“Not as good?” Wu Minqi hadn’t put down her spoon yet and said in surprise, “The Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon that I tasted from Sir Sun the other day was better than what Jiang Feng made.”

Sun Jikai: ???

Could it be that I’m a fake Sun Jikai???

Sun Jikai began to doubt his life.

“Qjqi is right, the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon that Sir Sun made the other day was indeed much better than the one I made today,” Jiang Feng agreed.

Sun Jikai couldn’t comprehend this world anymore; the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon in his memory seemed different from the one Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi had tasted.

“If I’m not mistaken, Sir Sun improved the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon over the past year or so,” Jiang Feng said.

“Improved?”

“Yes, improved. Sir Sun hadn’t realized at the time he taught you that temperature is the key to making Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon. Actually, temperature is just as important as the sauce, because it ensures the flavor of the pigeon itself,” explained Jiang Feng.

“The pigeon? But it’s the stuffing inside the pigeon’s belly that you eat!” Sun Jikai couldn’t understand.

“That’s how I understood it at first too, so I never realized why temperature could be the key to this dish. But just now, I suddenly remembered what my grandpa once told me: as soon as a dish is served, it’s meant for the guests to eat, and naturally that includes the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon.” Jiang Feng silently apologized to Master Peng in his heart.

Sun Jikai fell silent.

“The key to this dish is indeed the sauce, but it’s not just the flavor and method of making the sauce, it’s also about the timing of pouring the sauce onto the pigeon. As for when to pour the sauce, that’s up to your own judgment,” Jiang Feng explained.

Sun Jikai remained silent for a long while before finally exclaiming, “Grandpa Jiang is truly a master.”

Jiang Feng:…

This…

That…

Forget it, that’s right, my grandpa is indeed a real master!

Jiang Feng smiled somewhat sheepishly.

It was almost midnight, and there were still quite a few pigeons left to be processed in the kitchen. Sun Jikai glanced at his phone and realized it was getting late, so he urged Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi to head back.

“You guys go ahead first. I’ll finish up these pigeons and then head back. I’ll stay to clean up and lock up,” Sun Jikai said.

Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi were not in the habit of staying late in the kitchen to practice, after all, getting enough sleep was the key to staying energized for the next day.

The two left first, leaving Sun Jikai alone to practice in the kitchen.

On the way home, Jiang Feng was considering whether to continue practicing Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon on the back of his success or try making Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber.

Wu Minqi, noticing Jiang Feng deep in thought, asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“I was planning to try learning how to make Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber these next few days, but the feeling I got from making Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon just now was so good, I’m hesitating whether I should continue practicing it,” Jiang Feng said, conflicted.

Learning dishes, especially famous and difficult ones, should not be done half-heartedly.

“Go with Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon,” Jiang Feng couldn’t decide, so Wu Minqi made the decision for him, “The feeling you get from cooking is very important. Besides, you’ve never cooked sea cucumber dishes before. I suggest you familiarize yourself with sea cucumbers before trying to make those dishes. Moreover, Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber is extremely difficult. Even the two Grandpa Jiangs probably wouldn’t knowhow to make that dish, so why do you want to attempt it?”

After Wu Minqi put it that way, Jiang Feng also felt that he was being somewhat overambitious. Sea cucumber dishes are inherently difficult to prepare, and Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber sits at the pinnacle of sea cucumber dishes. His desire to attempt Braised Big Black Sea Cucumber as someone who had never dealt with sea cucumbers was indeed rather lofty.

“You’re right, I was getting ahead of myself,” Jiang Feng laughed, suddenly enlightened.

Side by side, hand in hand, they walked toward home, their shadows stretching long, so long that they dazzled the eyes of the single dogs returning from overtime.

At dawn, the desolate streets were filled with the scent of joyful couples in love.