Chapter 16: Medicinal Cuisine
Gan Jing saw Ling Xiao come down from upstairs, her face calm, and said as if she had expected it, "Is she asleep?"
"Mm!" Ling Xiao nodded lightly, glancing at the main hall. It was already lunchtime, and there were no outsiders in the Pharmacy. Ling Xiao sighed and said, "After one massage, she's already fast asleep. This girl truly has it tough!"
"Then what about last night's incident?" Gan Jing frowned slightly, a hint of worry in her eyes.
"It's nothing." Ling Xiao walked to Gan Jing's side, pressed her brow, and whispered, "So many people were involved last night, someone is bound to leak the news. The Gang won't come looking for trouble because of this. Beckett is here today for something else."
"What is it?" Gan Jing asked subconsciously, but she quickly realized and softly asked, "Is it about her mother?"
Aside from Cultivation, Ling Xiao rarely kept things from Gan Jing. Although they hadn't formally become a couple yet, their feelings for each other were very deep, only lacking the formality of marriage.
"Mm!" Ling Xiao nodded slightly and whispered, "Beckett found out that the people who killed her mother were very likely from the Nisshin-kai."
"Japanese?" Gan Jing frowned, but she still nodded and said, "That incident back then really did seem like the work of Japanese people. Americans don't act so cleanly and efficiently; almost all relevant individuals were killed. The method is very similar."
Ling Xiao shrugged and said, "Beckett asked me to help investigate who among the Nisshin-kai uses such a killing method."
"Then I wish you good luck." Gan Jing smiled bitterly and shook her head, looking at Ling Xiao and saying, "Given the Nisshin-kai's methods, for a killer involved in such an incident, they've either already been killed or sent back to their Homeland in Japan. If you can find any useful clues, that would be a miracle."
"Mm!" Hearing Gan Jing say this, Ling Xiao couldn't help but frown. This possibility was very high, and the greatest possibility was that the person had already been killed. Even if Ling Xiao could find relevant archival clues, it would probably be a dead end.
"No matter what, I have to go ask Qin Ming and them about this." Ling Xiao couldn't help but sigh. To be honest, he didn't hold much hope himself. He glanced at Gan Jing and softly said, "You watch the front; I'll go prepare lunch and make some medicinal cuisine for Beckett."
Ling Xiao gave Gan Jing a few more instructions before returning to the second floor to prepare Beckett's medicinal cuisine.
The medicinal cuisine Ling Xiao made was called "Soybean Pear Pork Hock Soup." He took one pear, 50 grams of soybeans, and half a pork hock from the refrigerator, and also sliced three pieces of ginger. First, he blanched the pork hock to remove any odor and cut it into small pieces; then he added the cored and diced pear, soybeans, and a piece of ginger, adding enough clear water to bring it to a boil. After maintaining a high heat for 15 minutes, he reduced it to a low simmer for another hour, then seasoned with salt to taste. A simple medicinal soup was ready.
Ling Xiao's cooking skills were average, but due to his background as a Cultivator, his knife skills were good, and with his precise control over heat and flavor, this medicinal cuisine was quite good, even if its appearance wasn't particularly appealing.
While simmering the Soybean Pear Pork Hock Soup, Ling Xiao also made Mapo Tofu and Braised Eggplant, and also prepared a cucumber salad. With a pot of rice, by the time the soup was ready, lunch was fully prepared.
When Ling Xiao came out of the kitchen, he saw Kate Beckett, who had woken up at some point, sitting there chatting with Gan Jing. After her youth-preserving treatment, Kate Beckett looked much better after an hour's sleep, her skin smoother and firmer; she looked completely refreshed.
Ling Xiao quickly took a few steps into the Pharmacy, forced a smile, and asked, "What are you two chatting about?"
Seeing Ling Xiao walk nervously behind Gan Jing, Beckett's eyes dimmed, but she quickly suppressed this emotion deep down.
Showing no abnormality on her face, Kate Beckett smiled at Ling Xiao and said, "What, are you afraid I'll bully your Gan Jing, or are you afraid I'll trick her into saying something she shouldn't?"
When it comes to interrogation skills, how could our Gan Jing be your match? Ling Xiao pouted slightly, looking at Gan Jing with some nervousness.
Gan Jing smiled gently, feeling Ling Xiao's concern, and her heart warmed. She patted Ling Xiao's hand on her shoulder and whispered, "It's nothing, Sister Katherine was just talking to me about things like clothes and shoes. You're overthinking it a bit."
Sister? You're half a year older than her, you know! Ling Xiao couldn't help but roll his eyes internally, but outwardly, Beckett indeed looked a bit more mature than Gan Jing.
Looking at the unresponsive Beckett, Ling Xiao sighed inwardly, 'Poor girl, she has no idea about these scheming Eastern ways.' Ling Xiao smiled gently, with a hint of dissatisfaction, and said, "I didn't say anything, how do you know I'm overthinking it? Alright, it's ready to eat. Gan Jing, please help me put the food on the dining table. Come on, Katherine, don't just sit here. It's usually empty at this time."
The dining table certainly couldn't be placed in the Pharmacy on the first floor. Americans are very strict about these details. If people saw them dining in the Pharmacy, government departments would fine them, not to mention that if a lawsuit ever arose, such an incident would immediately become leverage for the opposing party.
Even if you only did it once, in a lawyer's mouth, it would become something you did every day.
Ling Xiao walked to the door, closed it, and flipped the "Open" sign hanging on the door to "Closed."
Returning to the second floor, Ling Xiao looked into the living room. There, Kate Beckett was already seated, holding a fork and spoon, looking at the dishes on the table, unsure which one to eat.
Ling Xiao took a bowl of Soybean Pear Pork Hock Soup that Gan Jing brought from the kitchen and handed it to Beckett, smiling and saying to her, "This soup is called Soybean Pear Pork Hock Soup. In Chinese medicine, pears have been known as the 'king of fruits' since ancient times. Drinking pear soup regularly is very beneficial for women. Using snow pear to make soup can also relieve coughs, moisten the lungs, calm the heart, and beautify the skin. Drinking this Snow Pear Soybean Pork Hock Soup has a significant effect on smoothing skin, relieving hoarseness, and dry mouth, and can also reduce internal heat and lower blood pressure. Kate, you've been too busy with work recently and haven't had enough sleep. If you continue like this without proper nourishment, you might age prematurely."
As a female police officer, Kate Beckett certainly knew what Ling Xiao was talking about. She was much better now; two years ago, she was almost constantly patrolling the streets, exposed to wind and sun. At that time, she didn't look anything like the Los Angeles Police Department's 'Number One Police Flower.'
Almost all women care deeply about beauty. For advice from a beauty expert, even if Beckett was under immense pressure and her work was incredibly busy, she still had time to eat a bowl of rice.
So, as soon as Ling Xiao finished speaking, Kate Beckett picked up her spoon and began to heartily drink the Snow Pear Soybean Pork Hock Soup.
Ling Xiao smiled and said to Beckett, "You don't need to rush. I've prepared a few medicinal cuisine recipes for you here. You can try making them yourself when you have time. As long as you stick with it, I guarantee that when you're forty, you'll still look like you're twenty."
"Really?!" Although Ling Xiao's words were appealing, Beckett still harbored a trace of doubt about his last statement. However, she didn't directly accept the medicinal cuisine recipes Ling Xiao offered, but rather said with some embarrassment, "I'm afraid I don't have that much time."
As a homicide detective, working overtime until late at night was completely normal, and Katherine also had her own matters to attend to.
However, lack of time was only one reason; the bigger problem was that poor Katherine simply couldn't cook.
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