Bai Yi Yang let them placed the boxes onto the sink first as she tell Bai Yi Chen and Bai Yi Mo to change or freshen up a bit. While at that, she brought Zhang Yong for a house tour.
"How much did you buy this house?" Zhang Yong ask. His condominium house is not this big, less then 100 meter square but all part except his bedroom is useless because he is rarely home. Sometimes he will sleep at their Zhang family's residence and sometimes the hotel when he is out drinking.
"3.9 million. I got it cheap right?" Bai Yi Yang said. If it is 5 years ago, this price is considered cheap because at that time, house price is higher. Now, the house price has lowered a lot, wait in 2-3 years time and she may only be able to buy this house including the interior if she have 10 millions.
"I got my first house around 5 years ago and I payed 4.5 million for it. Now, my house is only around 3.2 million. You really got it cheap." Zhang Yong grinned. He also have study the recent house price then compare them with the population rise percentage. He also think that house price will rise again as before in 2 years.
In the future, it will continue to increase and possibly never decreased again. That's why big business oriented family is competing to buy lands, including his family.
"That's what I am saying. I plan to buy a few more properties. At least one house for each of my siblings." Bai Yi Yang didn't hide it. She is sure that someone like Zhang Yong is intelligent and can predict the future trend.
While the price is still quite low, she really have this big plan to buy more properties.
"En. It's a good idea. Do you want me to look out for you? I can help ask around the nearby city too." Zhang Yong said. He knows that the Cui old couple is helping Bai Yi Yang with the paperwork, at least, he can help search.
"I will appreciate that. Grandma Cui have found a few around City Nan and she will show it to me every time she found one. They also help me with the paperwork, I don't want them to be burdened. If you chance to found one, I will really appreciate it." Bai Yi Yang said.
"What do you want as exchange? Beauty potion?" Bai Yi Yang said half serious and half joking. There is indeed a product like that in her system store, the fluid can make someone a few times more good looking.
"Nonsense. We are almost like family, just send me food once in a while is enough." Zhang Yong laugh and flick Bai Yi Yang's forehead.
"I can really give you Beauty potion. With this potion at hand, you can beat all the top celebrities and even debut as one." Bai Yi Yang said again as Zhang Yong ignore her.
"If you don't want it then fine." Bai Yi Yang said again. After that, they continue touring around and returned to the kitchen. Bai Yi Chen already started cleaning the seafood at the sink.
"Done touring?" Zhou Zhu Yao ask. She is currently arranging stuff onto the overhead compartment while Bai Yi Ling help to pass stuff to her.
"En. Time to cook." Bai Yi Yang smile.
"Are you helping?" She ask again when Zhang Yong follow behind her.
"En, I didn't come to swim." Zhang Yong said and Bai Yi Yang roll her eyes at him.
"Looking like this?" Bai Yi Yang ask and look at Zhang Yong up and down, he still have his business blazer on although unbuttoned. Zhang Yong laugh and took them off before folding his long sleeve.
Zhou Zhu Yao look and wanted to hit her forehead, this Zhang Yong, who is he showing off to, acting all cool and charismatic like this. But unfortunately, the target of his showmanship just have her eyes on the crabs, prawn and scallops, she didn't even faze. Is Bai Yi Yang always this hard to seduce? Instead, this Zhang Yong is smiling like a fool to Bai Yi Yang.
Just now, Bai Yi Yang wore her tank top when greeting Bai Yi Chen and the rest. Luckily Zhou Zhu Yao act fast and let her put on an oversized t-shirt over her, if not, she won't be assured leaving her walking around with Zhang Yong.
"Xiao Mo, bring Big brother Zhang's blazer to the room." Bai Yi Chen call Bai Yi Mo at the living room and the boy run over and took Zhang Yong blazer.
"Thank you." Zhang Yong smile and pat the small head.
"Roger and out." Bai Yi Mo made a salute and ran out of the kitchen again.
Bai Yi Yang call Zhang Yong over and gave him a task which is mincing meat to make the meatballs. Zhang Yong took a corner to do his job as Bai Yi Yang proceed preparing other ingredients for dinner.
She is cooking 10 dishes which are Pork Bone Soup with Carrot and Yam, Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly, Lion's Head Meatball, Steamed whole Pomfret Fish, Chilli Crab, Coconut Shrimp, Stir Fry Scallops with Vegetable, Roasted Five Spice Chicken, Salt and Pepper Tofu and Braised Mushrooms with Bok Choy.
There will be a lot to be done but there are many of them. Bai Yi Chen here is currently cleaning the seafood, Bai Yi Yang can rest assure if he is the one handling them. He is not a good cook but he can do all of these well. Scaling and removing fish gut, cleaning and shelling out shellfish like abalone and scallops, peeling shrimp and removing the gut, cleaning a squid and so on. He is very good at this after learning from Bai Yi Yang once. Well, he do it every weekend so of course he is good now.
As for Zhou Zhu Yao and Bai Yi Ling, they can handle with the stuff they purchased.
Zhang Yong and the twins chat as they stand in a row doing their own task. Zhang Yong was stunned when seeing Bai Yi Yang flashy knife skill and how she finished cutting the other ingredients and vegetables in no time. He feel threatened and don't want to be left out so he quickly mincing the meat earnestly.
"Sorry, I forgot to tell you to get the readily minced one. We usually just mince them at home." Bai Yi Yang said to Zhang Yong.
"No problem, people say that when you work hard on them, the fruits is sweeter." Zhang Yong said and continue mincing.
"Ge, that only work if you have talent like Yang Yang. I can never do it." Bai Yi Chen comment and Zhang Yong laugh.
"That's why I eat outside. I can't do it." Zhang Yong said and the twins laugh.
"If everyone can cook, restaurant will go bankrupt. You did well." Bai Yi Yang said as she pop the marinated pork belly for the Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly into the preheated oven and Zhang Yong can only nod helplessly.
Bai Yi Yang proceed with cutting the pork bone into desirable size and boil a pot of water. She will soak this pork bone in pre-boiled water to clean off the blood and impurities first before making the soup.
While waiting for the water to heat up, she skilfully cut the other ingredients like carrot and yam then prepared dried shiitake mushrooms, dried goji berry and dates. As for seasoning, she will just add to taste.
Since there is not that many ingredients Bai Yi Yang is done very quickly, she proceed with cleaning the whole chicken once again then remove the backbone of the chicken and spreading it on the cutting board, forming butterfly shape. Then she seasoned it with salt, five spices, ground white pepper and garlic powder first before coating them with dark soy sauce and Shaoxing wine mixture. She let it rest to the side first after done with the seasoning, let the flavours and spice soaked into the chicken.
Done with that, the water in the pot is already hot and Bai Yi Yang soak the pork bone into it. She let them soak for a while before lifting up the whole pot to remove the water and wash it once. Then, she add cooking water and the other ingredients by one. She just need to wait for it to boil then let it simmer for a long time until the meat soften and the soup is full of flavour. Simple soup like this is very delicious, they have a clean refreshing taste.
"Let me see." Bai Yi Yang come over towards Zhang Yong and check the meat.
"Just mince them for a while more and it should be fine." Bai Yi Yang said and proceed with mincing ginger and scallion before putting them in a mixing bowl, she also add egg, Shaoxing wine, white pepper five spices, light soy sauce, cornstarch, oyster sauce, some water and breadcrumbs.
"It's enough, put them inside." Bai Yi Yang said to Zhang Yong and put the mixing bowl next to him. Zhang Yong nod and put the minced meat in.
"How do you know how much of each ingredient to put?" Zhang Yong ask when Bai Yi Yang start mixing everything. He didn't see Bai Yi Yang measure just now.
"Based on feeling. Cooking is not like baking, it's much more flexible." Bai Yi Yang said and Zhang Yong nod like a good student.
Bai Yi Yang continue mixing about 10 minutes while chatting with them, the texture also changed and Bai Yi Yang add the minced water chestnuts in before mixing again.
"Aren't you tired?" Zhang Yong ask while Bai Yi Yang is continuously mixing.
"Not really." Bai Yi Yang continue.
"Can you help me prepare that pot and oil for frying the meatballs?" Bai Yi Yang said and Zhang Yong start moving like a chef assistant.
Bai Yi Yang shape the meatballs and put them into the hot oils and Zhang Yong will help with scooping out the fried meatballs. They finished their task after making more than 15 huge meatballs. It was very fragrant so Zhang Yong was tempted too.
"Can we eat them now?" He ask.
"En, they are cooked. But we still need to braised them before the dish are done." Bai Yi Yang said and put it aside. For Lion's Head Meatballs, the gravy is also very important.
Since they are already frying stuff, Bai Yi Yang took out the firm tofu from the fridge and cut them into big cubes. She told Zhang Yong to dry them with tissue as she make a dry mix to coat them before frying.
"What are you making with the tofu?" Zhang Yong ask.
"Salt and Pepper Tofu. Do you like them?" Bai Yi Yang ask. She have start coating them one by one.
"I don't know." Zhang Yong never try this so he don't have opinions.
"They are quite good." Bai Yi Yang said and start telling him how it's made. Zhang Yong nod again like a good student as Bai Yi Yang talk.
"Did you really never learn cooking formally?" Zhang Yong ask.
"En. I learn it by cooking at home." Bai Yi Yang said and grin. Zhang Yong can't believe it but Bai Yi Yang really never been to cooking school before. So he just concluded that she is super talented.
Bai Yi Yang and the two was very busy in the kitchen. The two will rest for a while but Bai Yi Yang work like a robot.
'Host, take it easy. It's still early.' TongTong said as it is eating ice cream on the countertop. After coming to a new house, the countertop is still its favourite spot.
'What time is it?' Bai Yi Yang ask since there is no clock in the kitchen. There is only a timer.
'4.30 pm.' TongTong answer.
'Oh, still quite early.' Bai Yi Yang said and quickly finished what she is currently doing. She decided to relax a bit too since almost 50% of the work is done.
"What do you want to drink?" Bai Yi Chen who is near the fridge ask.
"Just sparkling water." Bai Yi Yang said and sat at one of the bar stool. Bai Yi Chen bring her the sparkling water and stand facing her with his drink too.
Zhang Yong has long been sitting there, watching her cook as they chat. He have a light alcohol beverages in hand.
Bai Yi Yang purchased some too because Zhou Zhu Yao like to drink those that have delicious flavours and only have small alcohol content. She drank it like she is drinking soft drinks.
Bai Yi Yang look at Zhang Yong who is casually drinking too without any changes on his face and thought that he must like to drink a lot.
Ah Qi don't really drink, she don't know if he is naturally bad at drinking so he said that he don't like drinking or he really don't like drinking for real. Bai Yi Yang smile just thinking about him pretending not to like drinking because he wanted to hide the fact that he cannot drink.
"What are you laughing at?" Zhang Yong caught her in a daze for a second and smile in the next second.
"Huh? Nothing." Bai Yi Yang only smile. Her eyes meet Bai Yi Chen and Bai Yi Chen have this probing look that disappear in the next moment. Bai Yi Yang only laugh at him too and change the topic.
As the three was resting, Zhou Zhu Yao who have changed into swimming suit with the 3 children peek through the door that they are going now. They are going to the pool again.
There is no other way, the children is obsessed with playing in the water. Bai Yi Chen also have work to do in the kitchen so Zhou Zhu Yao go with the children to play.
Anyway, there is enough helping hand in the kitchen and all the stuff has been sorted out. Better let them go play.