"Here's how you wash vegetables," Qin Feng said, demonstrating. "Break off the leaves one by one and rinse them in the basin."
After washing a leaf, he turned to Qian Renxue with careful instructions.
Qian Renxue nodded earnestly. So this is washing vegetables. It looks easy—no big deal, just needs hands.
"Once they're washed, chop them up and put them in this basket," Qin Feng continued, placing a basket beside her.
He then turned to rinse rice. The ground wheat flour was for making bread later. After rinsing, he poured the rice into a soul-tool pot to steam. In the meantime, he began preparing the fish and took some meat out of the soul-tool refrigerator to chop.
Glancing at the fish—a flatfish perfect for braising—Qin Feng noted the pork in the fridge was five-spice pork belly. Pork belly could be made into two dishes: steamed pork with taro or preserved vegetables, or braised pork. Since he didn't have preserved vegetables, taro steamed pork and braised pork it was.
Suddenly, his peripheral vision caught sight of an old hen in the fridge. Perfect for a nourishing soup, he thought, and the broth can be used for boiled cabbage.
This reminded him of Qian Renxue's cabbage. Its core, infused with the essence of sun and moon, was ideal for boiled cabbage. He hurried over to her, catching her just as she reached the cabbage core, washing it slowly—her mind had grasped the task, but her hands hadn't.
"Let me take that core for now," Qin Feng said, taking it from her. "I'll need it later and will wash it myself. Go start the fire."
"Tonight's menu is braised fish, braised eggplant, braised pork, taro steamed pork…" he listed.
These were all homestyle dishes, but Qian Renxue, accustomed to exotic delicacies and gourmet meals, had never heard of them. Her delicate brows furrowed. Are these even edible? Are they sure it's not pig slop? She'd never heard of such dishes.
But, being raised by a tiger, she couldn't afford to be picky. Not having to eat raw meat is already a win, she reasoned.
An hour later, Qin Feng finished cooking and plated the dishes on crystal plates, arranging them on a crystal table. To support Qian Renxue's growth, every dish was high-protein, except for the taro steamed pork and braised pork.
Qian Renxue stared at the spread: papaya stir-fried with beef, steamed fish, pan-fried fish, braised fish—all high-protein dishes rumored to promote development. Glancing down at her barely budding chest, she blushed.
"Eat up! Big fish, big meat—simple and hearty, all good for your growth," Qin Feng said, noticing her hesitation and her glance at her chest. "Picky kids don't grow tall."
Qian Renxue tentatively picked up her chopsticks, reaching for the braised fish. She took a small bite, expecting the worst. What kind of cooking can a tiger do? Probably tastes like pig food.
But the moment the fish touched her tongue, her taste buds exploded with flavor, and her eyes lit up. Not bad—actually, it's amazing! It rivaled the dishes of the imperial chefs back home. If she hadn't watched Qin Feng cook, she'd have suspected he hired a human chef.
Her gaze toward Qin Feng shifted. Hard to believe a tiger has such culinary skills—better than most human chefs!
If the braised fish was this good, the rest couldn't be far behind. Curious, she tried the other dishes.
Qin Feng's cooking didn't disappoint. Even a simple papaya was stir-fried to taste meaty. Qian Renxue, who usually ate lightly, devoured the spread meant for two or three people, leaving her with a round, bloated belly.
Slumped in her chair, she let out a few burps, rubbing her pregnant-looking stomach. Ugh, I'm so full.
While Qian Renxue wolfed down her food, Qin Feng ate elegantly, taking just a few bites to satisfy his cravings. Seeing her bloated belly, he set down his chopsticks, stood, and poured her a glass of orange juice.
"Have some juice to help digest," he said.
Qian Renxue, content and full, didn't think much of it until she glanced at her swollen stomach. Like a bolt of lightning, embarrassment struck. My ladylike image is ruined! I'm just a little glutton now!
She tried to sit up straight to salvage her delicate persona, but her round belly made it impossible. This position is just too comfortable.
Qin Feng nearly laughed at her attempt to maintain her ladylike facade despite her obvious gluttony. Still, he was pleased with her appetite. A chef's greatest achievement is a guest with a full belly. It was worth devouring those human chefs to inherit their culinary skills.
Handing her the orange juice, Qian Renxue took it and sipped lightly. She was too full to drink much, but the juice was sweet—unbelievably so. She'd never tasted anything like it. A mysterious energy in the juice soothed her stomach, easing the bloated feeling.
Puzzled, she looked at Qin Feng. How does he do it? Simple cooking, yet it tastes like a state banquet.
Meeting her curious gaze, Qin Feng explained elegantly, "The food's delicious not just because of my cooking, but because of the ingredients. Grown in the Peach Blossom Haven, they absorb the essence of sun and moon. Their quality is top-tier. Even a novice cook could make them taste amazing."