Chapter 2: Simple Cold Dishes

Looking at the bowl filled with chicken and topped with a layer of yellow fat, giving off a strong aroma, Xu Nuo felt deeply moved.

“Nuo Nuo, quickly drink the soup! This old hen soup is nourishing. There’s still a whole pot in the kitchen; if it’s not enough, I can serve you more,” Wang Shi hurriedly urged Xu Nuo to drink the soup while it was hot.

Xu Nuo picked up her bowl and chopsticks, took a small sip of the chicken soup, and the rich flavor enveloped her. The unique sweetness and depth of the broth made every taste bud dance with delight. Taking a bite of meat, it was nothing like the expected toughness of an old hen’s flesh; if this were in modern society, you’d have to go to a private kitchen to find such quality.

Only cooking on an open fire could preserve the freshness of the ingredients! As a modern food blogger, Xu Nuo felt convinced by Wang Shi’s cooking skills just from this bowl of chicken soup.

Knowing that their family situation was dire now, this chicken soup was likely one of the rare treats in the past few months. If it weren’t for her almost fading away this time, Wang Shi wouldn’t have killed the laying hen.

Taking advantage of Wang Shi’s distraction, Xu Nuo stealthily placed some chicken in Wang Shi’s bowl. “Girl, this chicken soup is for you to nourish yourself; why are you giving me all the meat? That won’t do!” Wang Shi said as she tried to put the meat back into Xu Nuo’s bowl.

“Mother, the essence is in the soup! I’m happy just drinking it! Besides, the soup you made is really delicious!” Before she could finish, she took another big sip.

Xu Nuo poured rice into her soup bowl, transforming it into fragrant chicken soup rice. This rich broth mixed with the sweet rice was far superior to any chicken soup rice she had tasted in her previous life at a restaurant.

After finishing her meal, Wang Shi suddenly remembered that she needed to go to the city tomorrow to deliver some embroidery she had finished. However, since Xu Nuo had just woken up from being ill, she worried that she might faint again, and there was no one at home to take care of her.

Wang Shi’s face showed her hesitation, and a hint of worry crept into her expression.

“Mother, is something troubling you?” Xu Nuo couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing Wang Shi’s concerns, Xu Nuo sighed in relief, “What’s the big deal? Tomorrow morning, I’ll go to the city with you! It’ll be good for my recovery to move around a bit.”

Looking at her daughter, who seemed to be regaining her spirit, Wang Shi was still hesitant. She wondered if it would be better to wait a few days to go. What if this batch of goods went unsold?

Xu Nuo saw her mother’s indecision and felt excited about visiting the city in ancient times. She wanted to see the ancient walls, explore the quaint shops, and taste the delicious snacks. If she couldn’t visit, it would be unbearable for someone like her, who loved exploring such places; she would be restless for days.

No, she had to take action. Looking at the chicken soup on the table, a sudden idea struck her.

“Mother, summer is just around the corner, and the weather is getting warmer. This soup won’t keep well.”

Wang Shi paused at Xu Nuo’s words, realizing how unfortunate it would be to waste the soup, and her face showed her concern.

“So, we should go to the city tomorrow! We can also bring some food for your husband. Studying is exhausting; we can’t let him tire himself out,” Xu Nuo spoke beautifully, but in reality, it was just a convenient excuse for herself.

With no way to escape Xu Nuo’s insistence, Wang Shi had no choice but to agree to leave early the next morning to go to the city together.

On the morning of the next day, while it was still dimly lit, Xu Nuo was pulled out of bed. Rubbing her messy hair, she could barely open her eyes. “Mother, are we getting up this early? What time is it?”

Looking out the window, she noticed that it wasn’t even light yet, and she could still see the stars in the sky.

“It’s not too early. We need to get up and have breakfast. It takes us about two hours to get to the city, and we’ll probably only arrive around noon!” Wang Shi insisted.

Xu Nuo gathered her spirits and got up. Looking at the table outside, she saw that Wang Shi had already steamed some buns and prepared half a bowl of chicken, with just a thin layer of broth at the bottom. She understood that this was likely the dish for Shang Guanziqian for lunch.

In the weather of May and June, the sun was already very hot. By noon, it would be scorching. Today’s dry rations for the journey would be these buns. Xu Nuo, who disliked the heat, didn’t want to eat such dry food.

Glancing at the kitchen, she noticed some fresh vegetables in the bamboo basket on the floor: cucumbers, celery, and white radishes. She even spotted some black fungus on the stove. Remembering the red chili peppers she had seen in the yard yesterday, she thought it would be nice to make a cold dish—simple, refreshing, and delicious.

Without wasting time, she rolled up her sleeves and went out to pick a few red chili peppers and some garlic. She chopped them up with a knife and placed them in a bowl, adding salt and sugar in the right proportions, then poured in vinegar. Heating oil in a pan, she poured it over the ingredients in the bowl, and the sharp sour and spicy smell wafted up, instantly opening her appetite.

She deboned the chicken in the bowl, shredded it, and mixed it with the blanched radishes, cucumbers, celery, and herb, adding the sauce and stirring it with chopsticks.

Seeing Xu Nuo busy in the kitchen gathering red ornamental fruit to use for the dish, Wang Shi was about to step forward to stop her. But when the strong aroma of sour and spicy flavors filled the air and she saw the vibrant colors of the dish in the bowl, she couldn’t help but gulp.

“Mother, you should try it first,” Xu Nuo said as she handed her chopsticks to Wang Shi.

Wang Shi hesitated for a moment but eventually took a bite of the cucumber. The texture was very interesting; it retained the cucumber’s crispness and was both sour and a bit spicy. On a hot summer day, it made her appetite surge. Unable to resist, she reached for a couple more bites.

Seeing Wang Shi’s reaction, Xu Nuo realized the cold dish seemed to be a success. She quickly went to the stove and ladled out some porridge. Alongside the cold dish, she drank the warm porridge, and the delicious, sour, and spicy flavors combined with the sweet rice porridge felt warm in her stomach. Life was truly comfortable!

After finishing the meal and packing up their things for the trip to the city, Xu Nuo shouldered her basket and set out with Wang Shi. Their village was located at the foot of a mountain, surrounded by lush green forests. A small stream flowed gently beside the village, and taking a deep breath of fresh air made Xu Nuo appreciate the idyllic life of the ancient countryside.

However, reality struck harshly. After walking for half an hour, the sun had come out, making her regret her earlier enthusiasm. She wished she could take back what she said. Modern society was indeed better; at least transportation was convenient. Even in the 1990s, having a bicycle at home was common, not to mention owning a small car.

At noon, the blazing sun shone without restraint, radiating heat. The streets were almost deserted as people sought places to escape the intense sunlight. Xu Nuo finally arrived at Pingyang County, dragging her tired legs through the city gates.

The main street was lined with shops selling liquor, rouge, and tailor services. Little vendors were shouting at passersby, and scattered stalls set up along the roadside created a lively atmosphere, unlike the quiet outside the city, even though it was nearing meal time.

Xu Nuo immediately wanted to find a place to sit down and drink some water. She hadn’t had a sip all morning. Looking at Wang Shi, who had sweat-soaked hair along her temples, cracked lips, and flushed cheeks, she felt a pang of sympathy.

However, considering their current situation, dining in a restaurant was possible, but it also meant they would have to eat very little for the next month or two.

Xu Nuo had no choice but to resign herself and follow behind Wang Shi, heading toward the academy. She could only hope that her modest husband would be generous enough to let her have a sip of water.