Chapter 467 - 301: Parting Again

Chapter 467: Chapter 301: Parting Again

The golden garlic sauce sizzled and bubbled on the plump, snow-white oyster meat. Bright red Thai chilies and vibrant green scallions decorated the top, looking exceptionally tempting under the dimming sunset.

A pool of liquid had gradually collected inside the oyster shell, and it was hard to tell whether it was juices from the oyster or oil from the garlic sauce.

Regardless, to Marcia, who had been hungry all day and had only just sat down to rest, it was the most tempting thing in the world.

She stared intently at the huge oysters arranged in a circle by the bonfire, unable to stop herself from swallowing.

Oysters were very common. Many restaurants served them, and there were even high-quality oyster bars that specialized in various oyster dishes, primarily serving them raw.

Given her wealth, she had eaten countless high-end oysters and had tried varieties from all over the world.

The reason she wanted to eat Lin Chen’s garlic grilled oysters was partly because the preparation was very similar to mainstream North American seafood dishes, so she was sure her palate would adapt.

The other reason was that in the video, it had looked so delicious when Erica was eating it, and she wanted to taste it for herself.

She had also read the reviews for the White Whale Restaurant, and the unanimously positive feedback from diners couldn’t possibly be fake.

Soon, amidst the fragrant, sweet aroma of garlic, Lin Chen used branches as tongs to move the oyster shells away from the fire one by one, arranging them in neat rows.

’Even back home, I’ve never had such an extravagant grilled oyster feast. You have to understand, the street-stall oysters you get—the kind where you can buy ten for about ten yuan—have meat the size of a fingernail. The slightly larger ones cost upwards of twenty.’

’Oysters like these, with palm-sized shells and plump meat nearly the length of your hand, would probably sell for ten or even twenty-plus yuan each back home.’

’All of these together would easily be a few hundred yuan gone, just like that.’

While they were cooling, Lin Chen dug into the earth next to the fire pit and pulled out two lobsters that had been wrapped in leaves and were already cooked through. He cut them in half, slathered them with a thick layer of garlic sauce, and propped them by the fire to warm up.

The garlic sauce was freshly made and the lobsters were just grilled. Once combined, they didn’t need much time on the heat; the goal was simply to help the lobster meat absorb the flavor of the garlic sauce more quickly.

As for the green mussels, their shells were too cumbersome, so he had to remove the meat and cook it with the barnacles. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have fit in the small pot.

As soon as the oyster shells were cool enough to handle, Marcia impatiently grabbed the one closest to her. She was even clever enough to place a leaf in her palm as a cushion to avoid being burned.

But when she tried to lift the plump oyster meat to her mouth, she discovered it was much larger than she had imagined. She could only manage to bite off a third of it in one go.

Even after being cooked, the plump oyster meat remained soft, tender, and juicy. Compared to eating it raw, it had gained a bit of firmness and a pleasant chewiness, almost like seafood-flavored silken tofu.

The fresh oyster meat had barely shrunk after grilling. Paired with the delicious garlic sauce, the subtle spice and the aroma of scallions blended together, creating a perfect match for the oyster.

Umami, sweet, salty, spicy, and tender—multiple flavors combined. With every chew, she could feel the oyster bursting with juice.

The oyster’s sweet juices mixed with the oil from the garlic sauce. The rich garlic aroma was a perfect partner for the seafood; it didn’t overpower the oyster’s natural sweetness. Instead, because the garlic had been simmered in oil, its own sweetness was also completely released.

This fusion of two kinds of sweetness, enhanced by the garlic oil, captured her heart almost instantly.

A hint of Thai chili added just the right touch of subtle heat, providing a pleasant kick without being overwhelming.

Additionally, the freshness of the scallions helped cut through the richness of the garlic oil.

After just one bite, Marcia couldn’t help but sway her head in delight.

"Amazing. Absolutely amazing! No wonder the customers at the White Whale give it perfect scores!"

"Compared to Western-style garlic sauces, your Chinese version has a much more complex flavor profile. It’s perfectly balanced between salty and sweet, and it highlights the garlic aroma beautifully. The addition of the Thai chilies and scallions is a masterstroke."

"I agree. Not to brag, but I also think our Great Xia garlic sauce is better. Western-style garlic sauce is ground too finely, turning it into a sludge—oh, no, I should say a paste—that’s clearly made by a machine."

"Garlic that’s been minced that finely loses most of its aroma after being rinsed. Then, when it’s cooked in butter, the buttery flavor also masks some of the garlic."

"Rinsed? Right, I was about to ask. Why do you rinse the garlic after mincing it?"

"That removes the bitterness that can appear after frying. Plus, the rinsed garlic absorbs some water, so it doesn’t burn as easily."

Marcia nodded in understanding. "So that’s why. You’d never figure that out unless you were a chef."

"And what good would understanding it do? As if you even have time to cook for yourself," Erica muttered, unable to resist a snide remark.

Marcia just smiled and didn’t argue. She popped the rest of the oyster into her mouth and was already reaching for a second one before she’d even finished swallowing.

By now, the lobsters were ready. He took them off the heat to cool, followed by the seafood soup, which was already boiling.

It didn’t need much seasoning—just a little sea salt for the base flavor, a dash of white pepper to enhance it, and a sprinkle of scallions on top.

They all ate until they were stuffed. It wasn’t just the two women; even Lin Chen felt like he was about to burst.

The seafood in this wilderness was ridiculously large. Between the lobster and the green mussels, there was nearly three pounds of pure meat, not to mention the small pot of delicious seafood soup.

After a meal like that, they wouldn’t feel hungry until at least noon the next day. Protein is the most satiating natural food, bar none.

All three of them were exhausted from the day’s work. Although Lin Chen and Erica had much more stamina and endurance than Marcia, they had also done a lot more work. In the end, they were all completely wiped out.

Not long after they finished eating, the blood rushed to their stomachs, leaving their brains with less oxygen. They grew groggy, and their eyelids became heavy.

No one said a word, but with an unspoken understanding, they all crawled into the grass hut and lay down.

Lin Chen slept in the middle. This arrangement fulfilled Marcia’s wish to sleep in the same space as her daughter while also satisfying Erica’s aversion to being too close to her.

He had thought it might be uncomfortable sleeping sandwiched between the two of them, but as soon as his head touched the soft floor of pine needles, a tide of exhaustion washed over him.

In moments, the whole world fell silent.

Since the shelter was already complete, they spent the next two days showing Marcia some basic wilderness survival techniques in the nearby area.

They found rabbit, lemming, and crab holes, and used smoke to force out the creatures hiding inside.

They also used the terrain and vegetation to set traps, foraged for edible wild mushrooms, and even taught her how to weave a hat from weeds, which they decorated with a few colorful flowers around the brim.

When Marcia got into her car, she was still wearing the lopsided straw hat.

Far from thinking it was ugly, she seemed rather fond of it.

"Lin, thank you for your company these past three days. I love this hat. And Erica, thank you for the oysters. They were the most delicious oysters I’ve ever had in my life!"

"That’s just because you were hungry. Anything tastes delicious when you’re tired and starving."

Erica turned her head away, muttering stubbornly.

Marcia replied, "It’s all the same. To me, while the process is important, the result is just as important."

"Boss, we need to leave. You have a remote meeting in two hours."

The driver in the front seat turned and reminded her quietly.

"I know."

Marcia nodded, sighed, and looked back apprehensively toward Erica, who was standing a short distance from the car.

"Just go already. If you’re late and lose tens or hundreds of millions, I’m not taking the blame for it."

With that, she turned and walked away impatiently.

"Well... I’ll be going then. I hope we can see each other again."

Marcia nodded at Lin Chen, who quickly waved back. "Okay, drive safe~"

Just as the car window was about to close, it stopped, then lowered again slightly.

Marcia called out, a hint of worry in her voice, "That girl, Erica, is used to running wild. It’s all my fault. If she does anything too out of line, please don’t take it to heart. Try to be patient with her. As a reward, I’ll send someone over in a couple of days to invest in your business. Of course, the amount won’t be too large. I still hope you get to experience the process of starting from scratch. That’s the only way to build a successful business."

"Huh???"

Lin Chen was stunned. He instinctively waved his hands in refusal. "No, no, you’re too kind, I..."

With a roar of its engine, the black car sped away, drowning his words in a cloud of dust.

’An investment?’

Lin Chen swallowed hard.

’How much is "not too large"? A few hundred thousand?’

’Or a million?’

’While he said he didn’t need it, he desperately wanted it.’

’He’d spent nearly four months roughing it in the wild, enduring hunger and hardship, just to earn four million US Dollars, and he still had to pay nearly half of that in taxes.’

’Meanwhile, this rich woman gave her daughter an allowance of several million a year.’

’Surely she wouldn’t be too stingy, if only for the sake of improving Erica’s work and living environment, right?’

’His expectations weren’t high. He would be eternally grateful for a million. At least that would be enough to hire more workers and get the road built quickly.’

’Until that road was finished, there was almost nothing he could do to further develop the area.’

’Plus, the local workers were slacking off so much that he was even considering going to Victoria to find a Great Xia construction crew to take over.’

’It was far, but at least Da Xia People were efficient when it came to infrastructure, and their quality was guaranteed.’

"She’s gone?"

When he caught up to Erica, she tossed the question over her shoulder without turning her head.

"Stop pretending. You didn’t want her to leave, did you?"

"Bullshit! Why would I not want her to leave? She’s been gone for almost twenty years. I’m used to it, okay!"