Braised Pork with bean curd leaves

Xia Jiao stood frozen for three seconds before suddenly realizing, “How did you know?”

Wen Chongyue raised her hand and replied, “An unlikable big data algorithm recommended your Weibo account to me.”

Xia Jiao’s face suddenly turned as red as a cooked shrimp. Wen Chongyue removed the soft meat from the fish’s lips and said, “But don’t worry. I only looked at that one recommended post. I don’t want to invade your privacy.”

Xia Jiao sighed in relief.

It was fine that he only looked at one post. After all, Xia Jiao rarely expressed her feelings in real life. Most of her emotions and experiences were shared on Weibo, including everything from venting about drinking parties to her obsession with various otome games.

Wen Chongyue placed the meat in a clean small bowl and carefully sliced the fatty parts of the fish. “But I have a question,” he said.

“What is it?” Xia Jiao asked.

“Why do you never call me ‘husband’?” Wen Chongyue inquired.

Xia Jiao hesitated. “Um, well…”

With few bones in the fish, slicing it was a skilled task. Holding a knife, Wen Chongyue watched the tender fish meat bloom like a flower in his hands. After a moment, he asked, “Are you shy?”

“Congratulations, Teacher Wen. You got it right,” Xia Jiao replied.

Wen Chongyue asked, “What do I get for answering correctly?”

At that moment, the air fryer beeped, releasing a rich, sweet aroma of sweet potatoes and sesame.

Xia Jiao rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands, and carefully picked up a sesame taro ball, blowing on it before offering it to Wen Chongyue’s lips.

“Here’s your reward: a sweet potato ball,” she said.

Wen Chongyue smiled at her evasive answer, leaned down, and took a bite. The roasted sesame was crispy, while the filling was sweet and delicious. Even though it was a semi-finished product, it tasted great.

Xia Jiao set down her chopsticks and shifted the conversation. “Is there anything I can help with?”

She didn’t usually cook, but Wen Chongyue was happy to let her do simple tasks like peeling garlic or slicing ham.

Most of the time, Xia Jiao stood at the counter, chatting with Wen Chongyue about the flowers and plants in his aunt’s garden. She softly complimented his aunt’s taste in clothing and home decor.

Cooking the fish required precise timing and skill. It couldn’t be rushed. Wen Chongyue cooked part of it to make braised fish, heating the oil before adding sliced garlic and ginger to infuse the oil with fragrance. He added cooking wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and salt. Since Xia Jiao had a sensitive stomach and couldn’t handle spicy food, Wen Chongyue hesitated before putting the chili peppers back.

The cooking process involved two quick bursts of high heat, each lasting three minutes, followed by half an hour of slow simmering.

As the fish cooked slowly, Wen Chongyue answered Xia Jiao’s curiosity about it. “Honestly, I can’t give you a clear answer on whether this fish is a catfish or not. Some people say that only catfish weighing one or two pounds can be called catfish.”

“Hold on,” Xia Jiao interrupted, raising her hand. “Teacher Wen, I’m having trouble following. Can I take a break?”

Wen Chongyue gathered the ham and bamboo shoots Xia Jiao had sliced. “Sure.”

The fish was freshest at this time of year. Wen Chongyue prepared the fish delicately, using the fatty lips with ham, fermented black beans, soft tofu, and Shanghai greens to make soup, which turned a milky white. The fatty parts of the fish were simmered with garlic, creating a thick, fragrant broth. He didn’t waste the fish head either, adding it with leftover meat and bones to make soup with bamboo shoots.

Zhang Baolin came over, bringing a dish of sautéed shepherd’s purse with dried tofu. Yu Tan ran a flower shop, and he occasionally came over to help with housework, especially cooking. Yu Tan was very picky about food, so he racked his brains to learn several dishes. In spring, you need to eat some fresh vegetables. Cut the blanched shepherd’s purse into pieces, put it in a large bowl with diced dried tofu and fried peanuts, and mix it with sesame oil and salt.

Xia Jiao wasn’t very familiar with him, and Zhang Baolin was shy and gentle, so their conversation was brief. The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of a food delivery. It was a takeout order Yu Tan had placed from a restaurant serving local cuisine: braised pork with hundred leaves, scallion oil clams, wine-cooked grass, two baskets of crab roe soup dumplings, and a serving of stir-fried pig liver.

The aunt didn’t eat rice, so the amount Wen Chongyue had steamed was a little less. When it was ready, Xia Jiao opened the lid, intending to serve herself, but Wen Chongyue quietly stopped her. “Go outside.”

“Ah?” Xia Jiao responded.

“You are my newlywed wife,” Wen Chongyue explained. “I brought you to my aunt’s house as a guest, so you don’t need to serve food. Go outside and chat with my aunt. I’ll take care of things here with Baolin.”

Xia Jiao understood his intention and didn’t insist, so she put down her things and went outside.

In truth, the only common topic she had with Yu Tan was plants and flowers. Wen Chongyue and Zhang Baolin brought out the dishes one by one. Yu Tan prepared tea himself, serving a fine Biluochun from Dongting.

Upon learning that Xia Jiao had just quit her job, Yu Tan spoke up. “I’m looking for a floral designer. Xia Jiao, would you be interested?”

Xia Jiao was taken aback. “A floral designer?”

She carefully replied, “But I don’t have any relevant experience…”

Yu Tan reassured her, “Everything can be learned. Chongyue should have mentioned my business to you.”

Xia Jiao nodded.

Wen Chongyue placed the rice in front of her. It was Qingpu thin rice, steamed to a crystal-clear finish with a slight green sheen. It was soft, sticky, and fragrant, resembling the early morning sun gradually rising.

In the fragrant steam, Xia Jiao remembered what Wen Chongyue had mentioned. Yu Tan owned two flower shops in Suzhou and took many floral design commissions—such as for a celebrity’s wedding or collaborating with a luxury brand on a display.

Yu Tan’s floral works had received much acclaim in the industry.

“A sense of aesthetics can be cultivated, but talent is also very important,” Yu Tan said, nodding. “I’ve been recruiting for two years and haven’t found anyone suitable.”

Sighing, she glanced at Zhang Baolin. “Originally, Baolin could do it, but he’ll be in his third year of graduate school soon. It’s better for him to focus on his studies.”

Zhang Baolin responded, “Sister, I can manage my studies and work.”

Yu Tan didn’t comment, shaking her head again before turning to Xia Jiao. “But let me be clear. I’m picky and have high standards. If you want to work with me, you’ll need to learn first. I heard from Wen Chongyue that you’ll be going back to Beijing in a couple of days?”

“Yes.” Xia Jiao replied.

Yu Tan thought for a moment and said, “I have a little apprentice who is also in Beijing, but he hasn’t learned much, just the basics… I’ll call him later. After you return to Beijing, you can take a few days’ lessons with him. When Chongyue returns to Suzhou, you can come over, and I’ll take you with me to train and teach you.”

Wen Chongyue smiled and said, “Auntie, let me think about it a bit more.”

Yu Tan chuckled, “What’s wrong? Are you reluctant to leave your wife?”

Xia Jiao felt her palms sweating. She was never good at making decisions. Yu Tan had said so much that it overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t process it all at once.

Thankfully, there was Wen Chongyue.

Wen Chongyue picked up a piece of braised fish and placed it in Xia Jiao’s bowl. “We should take our time to think about this. It’s a big deal. I know Auntie likes Xia Jiao, but she is my hard-won wife. You should let us discuss it together.”

Yu Tan laughed, “Then let’s take our time. There’s no rush—let’s eat.”

This was, without a doubt, the hardest Xia Jiao had worked at a meal recently.

The braised fish made by Wen Chongyue was incredibly authentic. He hadn’t added any cornstarch, but the sauce was thick and rich. The fish skin was intact, glistening red, with a hint of wine fragrance.

Xia Jiao took a bite. The thick sauce was delicious, the fish was tender without being greasy, and even the rice dipped in the sauce tasted fantastic—she could easily eat two big bowls just using the sauce.

The broth was also delightful. When cooked, it had a tender, milky taste. The fish was white as fat, fresh and tender, with a smooth and chewy texture. It absorbed the flavors of the ham, tofu, and vegetables beautifully. Xia Jiao’s dieting plan had failed once again.

Since their houses were close, the two walked home side by side. Early spring in Suzhou was only lightly draped in misty rain. The tree trunks hadn’t yet burst into deep green, and the stones along the road still felt the chill of winter. However, the surrounding greenery was beginning to show signs of spring.

Xia Jiao stretched her body lazily. Yu Tan ordered a snack gift box and some floating flowers she made herself. Wen Chongyue carried them. Under the bright moonlight, Xia Jiao walked slowly for several steps and suddenly asked Wen Chongyue, “If I become a florist, how much will I be paid?”

Wen Chongyue pondered for a moment, “Should we check Auntie’s previous job postings?”

Xia Jiao exclaimed, “Perfect.”

Once home, Xia Jiao immediately dug out the job listings that Yu Tan had previously posted. Within the salary range, the lowest figure matched what Xia Jiao earned while working in Beijing. The higher salaries were indeed impressive—if the florist could take on orders independently, there would be corresponding commissions as well.

This was truly the job Xia Jiao had dreamed of.

After communicating with Wen Chongyue, he quickly passed the information on to Yu Tan. Yu Tan worked efficiently and soon sent Xia Jiao her little apprentice’s WeChat contact.

Xia Jiao stared at the serious, vintage-looking profile picture and the maternal-sounding nickname for a while. She then skillfully typed her greeting.

Xia Jiao: “Hello, this is Xia Jiao. my friends call me Xiao Xia Jiao”

Xia Jiao: “May I ask how to address you, teacher?”

Yijiangnan: “Just call me Old Zhang.”

Xia Jiao replied, “Okay, Teacher Zhang.”

Without revealing much about himself, Teacher Zhang was rather distant and not very talkative. He first provided Xia Jiao with a list of names and then shared some teaching videos he typically used, asking her to watch them first. He would guide her step by step once she returned.

Xia Jiao began watching the videos, but she had been feeling sleepy lately. As she lay on the couch, she projected the video onto the television. She made an effort to focus for half an hour but ended up falling asleep without realizing it.

She only wanted to take a brief nap, just a little rest.

However, when Xia Jiao woke up, it was already dark outside.

The room was lit with warm lights. Wen Chongyue had come home from work, was loosening his tie, and glanced at her with a smile. “How did you end up napping here? Don’t catch a chill.”

Xia Jiao stood up, rubbed her head, and explained, “Ah, no, I was studying.”

Wen Chongyue’s gaze lingered on her for a few seconds before looking at the coffee table in front of her. A brand new book sat there, still in its plastic wrap.

Xia Mi was curled up on the back of the sofa, sleeping soundly and softly snoring. Her striped tail gently rested against the sofa.

Xia Jiao: “…”

Well, she really didn’t look like she was studying hard. She looked more like someone caught napping at home with a cat on a spring day.

Wen Chongyue asked, “Were you studying while lying down?”

Xia Jiao tried to explain, “Well, that…”

“I understand,” Wen Chongyue mused for a moment. “Your study method—”

“Is it that you want your teacher to visit you in your dreams?”