pjbooks Chapter 98 Father and Son Working Together
Chapter 98 Father and Son Working Together
Chapter 98 Father and Son Working Together
Back home, Mr. Li couldn't wait to open the lunchbox.
Kung Pao Chicken features tender chicken pieces coated in a bright red sauce, crispy peanuts, and an enticing aroma of scallions and dried chili peppers.
Fish-fragrant shredded pork, along with shredded pork, wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and green peppers, are cut into even strips and soaked in a classic fish-fragrant sauce that is savory, sour, spicy, and sweet, making it look incredibly appealing.
Just looking at it makes my mouth water.
The elderly couple each set aside a portion of the dish onto a plate, reheated it, and served it with rice. Grandpa Li picked up a piece of diced chicken with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.
The tender chicken, the complex flavors of the sauce (sweet, sour, and slightly spicy with a perfect touch of numbing), and the crunchy peanuts exploded in his mouth in an instant. His eyes lit up, and he slowed down his chewing to savor the moment.
"Old woman, come and try it! This tastes amazing!" Grandpa Li called to Aunt Zhang.
Aunt Zhang was stunned after taking a bite of the shredded pork with garlic sauce.
That familiar yet unfamiliar "fish-fragrant" flavor has distinct layers, with sour, sweet, salty, spicy, and umami in an incredibly exquisite ratio. It is both rich and harmonious, completely unlike the kind of flavor that you can make at home, which is either too sour or too sweet.
The shredded pork was tender yet juicy, and the side dishes were crisp and refreshing. "This—this really comes from the cafeteria? Old man, this is so much better than what we make! How can the chicken be so tender? How did they create this fish-flavored sauce?"
Grandpa Li was extremely proud: "I told you! It's good stuff! There's a reason for queuing! I'll save half for my son, so he can see it for himself tonight!"
Li Ming worked overtime that evening and came home a little late.
As soon as you enter, you're greeted by the aroma of food filling the room. The dining table is laden with dishes.
There were Aunt Zhang's signature stir-fried bok choy and braised ribbonfish, Grandpa Li's attempt to show off his homemade stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar (which didn't look very appealing), and two takeout boxes carefully sealed with plastic wrap.
"You're back? Wash your hands and come eat!" Grandpa Li greeted him, his face filled with barely suppressed anticipation.
Li Ming washed his hands and sat down, feeling a warm glow in his heart as he looked at the table full of dishes. He first picked up a piece of braised ribbonfish made by his mother: "Mom, the ribbonfish is so flavorful today."
Aunt Zhang smiled and put some bok choy on his plate: "Eat more vegetables."
Li Ming tasted his father's plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar again. The taste was a bit too sour, and the shredded potatoes were cut unevenly, but he still nodded: "Dad, not bad, you've improved."
Grandpa Li snorted, didn't reply, but gestured with his eyes to the two takeout boxes.
Li Ming understood and smiled as he peeled off the plastic wrap.
A more distinct and enticing aroma wafted towards us.
Although the Kung Pao Chicken and Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce have been heated twice and their colors are slightly less vibrant than when they were fresh out of the pot, their unique complex aroma remains rich.
He picked up a piece of Kung Pao Chicken first.
The moment the chicken entered his mouth, Li Ming paused in his chewing motion. It was a completely different experience.
The chicken was exceptionally tender, almost melting on the tongue. A sweet, sour, and slightly spicy sauce coated every fiber of the meat, while the crunchy peanuts and the savory aroma of scallions and peppers were perfectly interspersed, creating an incredibly satisfying flavor experience. This is a level of quality that no ordinary canteen or small restaurant could achieve!
He quickly took another bite of the shredded pork with garlic sauce. It was just as amazing! The classic garlic sauce was perfectly balanced; any more would be greasy, any less would be bland. It brought out the freshness of the shredded pork and side dishes perfectly, making it tangy, refreshing, and appetizing, so delicious that you couldn't help but want to shovel a big mouthful of rice into your mouth immediately.
Li Ming raised his head, his eyes shining, and looked at his parents: "Dad, Mom, where did these two dishes come from? You didn't make them, did you?" He pointed to Kung Pao Chicken and Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce.
Grandpa Li straightened his face and feigned anger, saying, "Why can't it be me and your mother who make it? Can't we just relax at home and think of some new dishes?"
Li Ming laughed, put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said, "Dad, stop teasing me. I've been eating your cooking for decades, don't I know what it tastes like? Mom's cooking might occasionally be a bit off in terms of oil and salt, but the cooking time and the taste of home are always perfect; as for you, you can try some new dishes when you're in the mood, but the taste—like today's shredded potatoes, is just your usual style."
He pointed to the plate of Kung Pao Chicken, "But this, and this shredded pork with garlic sauce—the seasoning, the cooking time, the preparation of the ingredients—it's completely professional-level, no, it's top-tier among professionals! If you two had this skill, our family could have opened a restaurant and made a fortune years ago. Be honest, which restaurant did you get this from? The taste is absolutely amazing!"
Seeing the unwavering, curious, and admiring look in his son's eyes, Grandpa Li finally couldn't hold back anymore. His wrinkles blossomed into a wide smile, his little bit of vanity greatly satisfied. He lowered his voice mysteriously, "Hehe, you might not believe it—the school cafeteria! It's inside Jinling University, at window number 05, run by a young owner surnamed Wang!"
"What?"
Li Ming was genuinely shocked this time, his voice rising eight octaves, "The school cafeteria? Dad, you mean the cafeteria at Jinling University next door? The one we used to walk past on walks, the one that looked like it was all big pot dishes and no appeal?"
"Yes! That's it!" Grandpa Li nodded emphatically. "They're different now! They do reservations, and their skills are top-notch! Your dad spent three days learning how to use a mobile phone and queued three times just to finally get a taste of this! How about that? Impressed?"
Li Ming's face was filled with disbelief. His memory of the university cafeteria remained unchanged from ten years ago when he was a student:
The food was stewed in a large pot, heavy with oil and salt, and the dishes were all the same. It was edible, but definitely not delicious, let alone "amazing." The window number 05 that his father described completely overturned his understanding.
"Really?! A school cafeteria can make this much?" Li Ming murmured, then couldn't resist picking up another piece of shredded pork with garlic sauce, savoring it carefully. The more he tasted it, the more unbelievable it seemed. This flavor would be a signature dish even in commercial restaurants famous for Sichuan cuisine.
"Would I lie to you?"
Grandpa Li said proudly, "They also have Dongpo pork, which I've heard is absolutely amazing—fatty but not greasy, melts in your mouth, and the reservations are booked for days in advance! I'm going to book a table to try it tomorrow!"
Aunt Zhang chimed in, "Yes, Xiaoming, that dish was really good. I've lived this long, and I've rarely seen food taste this good, whether it's homemade or eaten out."
Seeing the genuine excitement on his parents' faces, a result of discovering a "treasure," and savoring the truly amazing taste in his mouth, Li Ming's doubts were gradually replaced by immense curiosity.
A university cafeteria window that can teach a stubborn old father to make reservations using a smartphone and that can make a discerning old mother rave about its food?
A young boss who can cook such high-quality dishes?
"Dad," Li Ming looked intently at Grandpa Li, "when you make your reservation tomorrow at noon—please reserve one for me too. Dongpo pork, right? I'd like to try it too."
He paused, then added, "I want to see for myself what kind of person this Boss Wang really is."
Upon hearing this, Grandpa Li laughed heartily and patted his son's shoulder forcefully: "That's right! Leave it to this old man! Tomorrow, the two of us will go pick up the food together!"
""