abcnovels
Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Cat-and-mouse Game
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
At the Villa
Li An’an washed the vegetables that she had bought. Today, she was going to make her signature dish, Dongpo pork. She also bought some wild mushrooms to cook a stir-fry with meat. These wild mushrooms were delicious, and she was sure Chu Yichen had never tried them before. She hoped that she would pass his test.
She busied herself in the kitchen. First, she rinsed the pork and cut it into small pieces. Then, she mixed a honey wine marinade for it. She placed white sugar in a hot pot to make the braising liquid. Then, she stir-fried the top-quality pork belly, and added in star anise, cinnamon and other spices. The pork was cooked to golden brown and then braised. Soon, the entire kitchen was filled with a rich fragrance.
Many of the servants in the living room were secretly salivating. It smelled too good. They didn’t expect Li An’an’s cooking to be so excellent!
After two hours of work, Li An’an brought the dishes to the table. The Dongpo pork was bright red and alluring, and the fragrance of the stir-fried wild mushrooms with meat wafted through the air. The shredded potatoes with vinegar were crisp and not mushy, while the cucumber salad was deliciously sour and spicy. The dishes were enough to make someone crave them, even from afar.
Chu Yichen came back from the office in the afternoon and smelled the alluring fragrance as soon as he entered. He took off his coat and went into the dining room.
Li An’an hurriedly prepared bowls and chopsticks for him.
“Try it. I’ve put in a lot of effort, but I didn’t make much. Just a few dishes, but I think it’s enough.”
Li An’an was very confident. In order to buy the wild mushrooms, she had gone to many places and even jostled with the other housewives to get them.
Chu Yichen picked up the bowl and took a bite of the Dongpo pork with his chopsticks.
His furrowed brow relaxed.
Actually, he didn’t really like greasy dishes, but this dish was not bad with white rice.
He ate the shredded potatoes and cucumber salad, and drank the kelp soup. Finally, his gaze fell on a dish he had never seen before.
“What’s this?”
“This is stir-fried wild mushrooms with meat. It’s very delicious. These mushrooms are only available during this season. They grow under pine trees. It’s usually very difficult to obtain them, and they can’t be artificially cultivated.”
She loved to eat them too. She would buy them for her kids, but they were too expensive.
Butler Chu walked over.
“Some wild mushrooms are poisonous. I’ll remove this dish.”
The ingredients for the food served at the villa had to be strictly selected to ensure they did not harm the young master’s health.
This dish did not meet the requirements.
Li An’an hurriedly stopped him.
“It’s not poisonous. Everyone can eat it, so why can’t he? If you don’t believe me, I’ll prove it to you. It’s really delicious.”
This was her secret weapon. She had hoped that Chu Yichen would find it interesting and hence forgive her for what happened yesterday. If he didn’t eat it, her plan would fail.
Li An’an went to the kitchen to get a pair of chopsticks. She picked up some mushrooms and put them into her mouth. After she chewed and swallowed them, her eyes curved into crescents as she savored the aftertaste.
“Mm, it’s really delicious. I won’t lie to you.”
Li An’an’s expression was one of ecstasy.
Chu Yichen scrutinized her.
She looked like she could eat a lot, but there was no excess flesh on her face or body. He wondered where all the calories went.
Then, he picked up some wild mushrooms and took a bite.
At first, he only intended to try a little, but his mouth became filled with the fragrance of the meat and the unique taste of the mushrooms. It was different from the expensive dishes he had eaten before, but the taste was surprisingly good.
He ate a little more.
In the end, the small plate was almost emptied.
Li An’an heaved a sigh of relief. She supposed that meant she had passed the test.
“Can we forget about what happened yesterday?”
Li An’an waited for Chu Yichen to finish eating before asking.
Chu Yichen drank some water and nodded.
“I keep my word.”
Li An’an smiled. She had passed. It had not been easy for her.
Her smile was happy and charming, and her eyes were sparkling.
Chu Yichen’s gaze fell on her and the familiar feeling grew stronger. He rubbed his forehead but could not remember! But he was not in a hurry. He was patient. If she wanted to play a cat-and-mouse game, he would play with her!
Li An’an felt uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Chu Yichen smiled. “If you’re not looking at me, how would you know that I’m looking at you?”
Li An’an knew she was at his mercy and had to concede for now. She pursed her lips and stopped arguing with him.