Chapter 8 (Spicy Chicken Wings + Honey Chicken Wings…)

Xiao Huaiting really didn’t expect that such a simple drink would be so sour!

His eyes began to tear up.

He was quite disappointed. He had been fondly remembering Yan Qiushu’s cooking for days!

He looked at Yan Qiushu and asked, “Did you make this?”

Something seemed off!

Was this girl only good at making a few dishes?

Yan Qiushu coughed and explained, “This is sour plum soup, meant to increase appetite and cool down the body. It’s sour and sweet. If it’s too much for you, try adding water.” She looked at the others and sincerely said, “Would you like to try it? If it doesn’t suit your taste, you don’t have to drink it.”

She tasted it herself and felt the sourness was just right!

Did she mess up on her first attempt?

Yan Qiushu bit her lip nervously, her slightly chubby face turning red, and her eyes, filled with worry, seemed to be silently pleading.

“It smells nice, so I’ll go first,” Xie Qingyun said, gritting her teeth to break the tension. She cautiously took a small sip, trying to avoid the same sour experience.

Surprisingly, Xie Qingyun’s eyes lit up.

The taste was unlike the usual sourness she remembered from vinegar. It reminded her of some preserved fruit she once had. The sourness gave her a small shiver, but the sweetness that followed made it quite pleasant.

It even tasted delicious, making her want another sip. It made her mouth water and really increased her appetite!

Looking at the food on the table, she couldn’t wait to try it.

Xie Qingyun was a bit surprised and said, “It tastes good! It’s really appetizing. I can’t wait to eat.”

Dongdong saw that his aunt had tasted it first, so he took a small sip. Smacking his lips, he looked surprised and then gulped down a big mouthful, saying happily, “It tastes good!”

Wan’er glanced around and took a sip from her cup. After finishing, she smiled sweetly and said, “Mmm, it tastes good~”

Although Xiao Huaiting felt it was too sour, seeing his sister-in-law and younger sisters enjoy it, he hesitated but added water and tried again.

With the sourness and sweetness lighter now, he found it quite tasty. He was surprised at how much it boosted his appetite. After one sip, his mouth watered, and he felt the urge to eat something to relieve it.

But that wasn’t his main purpose.

Xiao Huaiting looked directly at his mother. The others followed, all looking at her with some hope.

They all felt how much the drink improved their appetite. Although unsure if it would work the same for Mrs. Xiao, having a little hope was better than none.

Mrs. Xiao straightened her lips and glanced at her son, then at the little girl who was looking at her expectantly. She felt a bit helpless.

She hadn’t felt hungry in a long time. The cooks made many dishes for her, but her lack of appetite was due to mental fatigue, which couldn’t be cured by just drinking a cup of sour plum soup ^[1]a traditional Chinese drink made from sour plums and sugar..

Sixth Elder must have told the little girl about this, and that’s why she made it.

Mrs. Xiao thought, “If I don’t even try it, the little girl might feel bad and cry.” 

With that in mind, she picked up the cup and took a sip.

To her surprise, as soon as she tasted it, the sweet and sour flavor refreshed her, and the slightly sharp taste even made her scalp tingle. She hadn’t had anything like this for a long time.

The others, who were watching her closely, quickly looked away, feeling disappointed.

Xie Qingyun also felt down but tried to stay positive to avoid upsetting the little girl.

However, before she could speak, Mrs. Xiao took another sip.

Everyone was shocked!

Mrs. Xiao rarely took a second sip of anything on her own, except for the health soup she drank regularly to stay alive. Even with the health soup, she needed constant reminders to drink it.

Mrs. Xiao didn’t think too deeply about it. The taste of the sour plum soup made her bland mouth feel a little more lively. After one sip, her mouth produced more saliva, so she instinctively took another to calm her lips and tongue.

“Not bad,” Mrs. Xiao said, swallowing without frowning.

It seemed like she enjoyed it.

Right after that, Yan Qiushu noticed Xiao Huaiting, who was sitting beside her, visibly relax. She also felt at ease.

She laughed, preparing to speak.

Dongdong, still smacking his lips, held up his empty cup and asked sweetly, “Sister Shu, is there more? Dongdong wants more!”

“Of course, there is more,” Yan Qiushu nodded and looked at Shui Yu.

At this point, she noticed Wan’er, the little girl beside the Third Miss, also looking eagerly at Dongdong.

Yan Qiushu adjusted herself, glanced at her cup, and gestured to Shui Yu. “And for Wan’er, too.”

The little girl’s lips curled into a sweet smile that could warm anyone’s heart.

Yan Qiushu smiled and said, “Everyone, there’s another dish. Shui Lu, please serve it.” She then turned to the two children and said, “I think you both will like it.”

“What is it?” Dongdong asked, clearly excited.

The sour plum soup tasted good, so the food must be delicious too.

Even Xiao Huaiting felt curious. Although the soup wasn’t to his taste, he felt confident about the dishes.

Shui Lu came forward and placed the dishes between Yan Qiushu and Xiao Huaiting. Smiling, she said, “Madam, Young Madam… The young lady went to the medicine store to get many seasonings. She only took the middle part of the chicken wings and even removed the bones. Her deboning skills are amazing, even Madam Xu praised her.”

Seeing this, Shui Yu carefully moved behind Shui Lu and pulled her over.

Shui Lu smiled and didn’t resist.

There were two dishes on the table. Originally one dish, it was made into two versions to suit the children’s tastes.

One was spicy chicken wings, while the other was non-spicy honey chicken wings.

The spicy wings had a red color and were topped with some peppercorns, while the honey wings looked shiny.

The vibrant colors made the dishes look appetizing, but the pairing with the green drink felt odd to Mrs. Xiao and Xie Qingyun.

Xiao Huaiting, surprised, asked, “Deboning? This dish looks complete!”

The wings had no visible cuts other than a few on the surface.

Yan Qiushu explained, “Yes, you can easily remove the bones from the middle section of the wings with scissors, so you don’t have to worry about spitting them out. One version is spicy, and the other isn’t, so Wan’er and Dongdong can enjoy them.”

“You’ve thought it through very well,” Xiao Huaiting said, impressed, and immediately picked up a spicy wing.

He loved spicy food, so he naturally chose that. When he took a bite, the skin was crispy and flavorful. He could almost hear the crunch in his ears.

As he continued eating, the chicken wing revealed tender and juicy meat soaked with spicy and salty flavors. The wing was tender but not fatty, smooth but not greasy, and deliciously spicy.

Very tasty!  

“It’s delicious too!”  

Xiao Huaiting ate carefully, savoring the food. After finishing, he looked at the others and said, “It’s delicious! Mom, sister-in-law, you guys try it!”  

But why did he need to remind me?