Chapter 105: Praised by Little Wolf Cub  

After washing her hands and wiping her face, Jiang Rou finally came back to her senses. Half an hour had already passed.  

The iron pot was still bubbling.  

Jiang Rou returned to the stove and lifted the lid.  

In an instant—  

The rich aroma, carried by the rising steam, rushed toward her.  

It felt as if she had just applied a sesame oil facial mask.  

This time—  

Zhou Xiaohua and Zhou Xiaochuan were finally allowed to step into the kitchen.  

They stood on their tiptoes, peeking over the stove, and saw the duck inside the iron pot. It had turned a deep, rich soy sauce color.  

At this stage, the Sesame Oil Duck was still not fully completed.  

Jiang Rou picked up a chopstick and pierced the duck meat.  

It slid through effortlessly, from one end of the duck’s skin to the other.  

This level of tenderness meant that the braising process was nearly complete.  

Next—  

Jiang Rou fished out the ginger slices, green onions, and spice packet that had been added earlier.  

The braising liquid was now pure.  

She then poured in another half-bowl of sesame oil.  

The stove’s low flame was adjusted to medium heat.  

This was the final step—reducing the sauce.  

At this stage, there was no need to rush.  

To ensure the duck absorbed the sauce evenly, she continuously ladled the thickened sauce over the duck’s surface, just as she had done at the start when pouring the hot oil.  

However, this time, there was no danger.  

Only patience was required.  

As the sauce reduced, the sesame oil-infused liquid gradually thickened.  

From a runny consistency, it slowly turned into a sticky glaze, with countless tiny syrupy bubbles rising to the surface.  

Bit by bit—  

The braising liquid diminished, and the duck’s color grew even more beautiful.  

A glossy soy sauce hue evenly coated the entire duck, emitting an intense sesame oil fragrance.  

At last—  

It was completely done. 

Jiang Rou carefully lifted the Sesame Oil Duck from the iron pot and placed it onto a large serving plate, letting it cool.  

Unlike Beijing Roast Duck, which was served hot, this Wenzhou-style Sesame Oil Duck was a cold dish meant to be eaten chilled.  

During the cooling process, the duck’s skin would shrink slightly, making the meat firmer and chewier.  

By the time it was ready to eat, each bite would be packed with rich, aromatic flavors.  

As Jiang Rou worked—  

A single drop of thick, fragrant sauce slid off the duck and landed on the table.  

Zhou Xiaohua, who had been following Jiang Rou closely without moving a step away, saw the droplet and her eyes sparkled.  

She reached out a finger, dipped it into the sauce, and quickly brought it to her mouth.  

Delicious!  

So delicious!  

The sauce was sweet and salty, infused with the rich aroma of duck.  

Even though there was no actual meat, the taste was so full-bodied that it felt like she was eating it.  

She could hardly believe how delicious the real duck would be.  

Just at that moment—  

Gurgle.  

The rumbling of a stomach echoed through the quiet little house, making it especially noticeable.  

Jiang Rou lowered her head instinctively and looked at Zhou Xiaohua.  

Zhou Xiaohua immediately denied it with her expression.  

[Not me, not me! My tummy is very obedient. It didn’t make a sound!]  

The little girl shook her head vigorously from side to side.  

Since it wasn’t Zhou Xiaohua, then it could only be—  

Jiang Rou and Zhou Xiaohua turned their heads simultaneously, their equally clear eyes landing on Zhou Xiaochuan.  

The stubborn boy stood to the side, looking visibly nervous and uneasy.  

His not-yet-prominent Adam’s apple moved slightly as he swallowed, trying to do so quietly.  

Usually, at times like this, Zhou Xiaochuan would immediately turn his head away, press his thin lips together, and use all his willpower to resist Jiang Rou’s concern. He would never let anyone witness such a moment.  

But this time—  

Though his face still carried embarrassment and discomfort, he did not turn away.  

He did not avoid their gazes. He did not resist.  

Even though his stomach’s growling was awkward, he accepted it without trying to hide.  

Meeting Jiang Rou’s eyes, Zhou Xiaochuan finally relaxed his tense lips and said: “The duck you made smells really good.”  

He wasn’t actually that hungry. It was just that the aroma was so overwhelming that even his insides were protesting.  

Jiang Rou raised an eyebrow in disbelief.  

Was she just… praised by the little wolf cub?!  

Even when she became the top food blogger, she hadn’t been as happy as she was now from hearing Zhou Xiaochuan’s compliment.  

If she weren’t afraid that he might resist, she would have hugged him right then and there.  

In the end—  

Jiang Rou did as always, gently patting the top of Zhou Xiaochuan’s head.  

“Since it smells so good, that means Xiaochuan wants to eat it, right?”  

“But we have to wait a little longer. If we cut it while it’s hot, the duck meat will fall apart easily. Once it cools, it will be firmer and taste even better.”  

“Is there anything else Xiaochuan wants to eat? You can tell me. I can make anything…”  

That night—  

Jiang Rou took the now-cooled Sesame Oil Duck and split it in half.  

She kept the wings, feet, and legs intact, while the rest of the body was cut into bite-sized pieces.  

Half was left at home.  

The other half was packed into a lunchbox, reserved for an important purpose the next day.  

Of the portion left at home, they ate a quarter of it during dinner.  

Another quarter was placed on a plate and covered with an upside-down bowl.  

Because that day, once again, Zhou Zhongshan had not returned home for dinner.  

That remaining quarter was set aside specifically for the old man.  

“Alright, let’s eat.”  

At the dinner table, Jiang Rou placed a piece of Sesame Oil Duck onto Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua’s plates.  

The two of them stared intently at the duck, their eyes following its every movement.  

After smelling the enticing aroma all day, they could finally taste it for themselves.  

Since Zhou Xiaohua wasn’t skilled with chopsticks yet, Jiang Rou had already washed her hands in advance, allowing her to eat with her fingers.  

A piece of duck meat—layered from crispy skin to tender flesh and down to the bone—was grasped in her small hands.  

The moment she took a bite, the rich sesame oil fragrance and the flavorful braising sauce, absorbed deep into the duck’s fibers, burst in her mouth.  

Every bite was intensely savory and aromatic.  

It was so delicious that even her fingers felt like they should be eaten too.  

For a while—  

No one spoke.  

The only sounds filling the small house were the soft slurping noises of two children licking their fingers.  

Not a single drop of sauce was wasted.  

Watching them eat so heartily, Jiang Rou’s own appetite surged, and she ended up eating an extra half-bowl of rice.  

After finishing the meal—  

Zhou Xiaohua, clearly not satisfied yet, kept staring at the plate where the Sesame Oil Duck had been, as if she wished she could lick up the remaining sauce.  

Even with her little belly round and full, she still wanted more.  

She was the very picture of a little glutton.  

Seeing her still craving food, Jiang Rou picked up a duck foot and placed it in her hand.  

“Here, take your time chewing on this.”  

There wasn’t much meat on the duck foot—just skin.  

And the skin clung tightly to the bones, requiring patience and effort to clean off completely.  

Especially for Zhou Xiaohua, with her tiny teeth and little strength.  

It would take her a long time to finish.  

She could enjoy it for quite a while.  

Yet, after receiving the duck foot, Zhou Xiaohua didn’t eat it right away.  

Instead, she ran over to Zhou Xiaochuan with soft, quick footsteps and held it out to him.  

[Brother, you eat it.]  

Zhou Xiaochuan shook his head. “Brother doesn’t want it. You eat it.”  

Only after confirming that Zhou Xiaochuan truly didn’t want it did Zhou Xiaohua finally smile happily and start nibbling on it.  

Although the little girl had grown increasingly close to Jiang Rou, she had never forgotten her favorite brother.