Chapter 334 - 184: You Win

Chapter 334: Chapter 184: You Win

The last time Zhou Ming had come back was for Zhou Hao’s wedding. For the wedding banquet, Zhou Yan had made the braised meats under their grandmother’s guidance, but she hadn’t made any braised vegetables.

"This looks the part. It’s got to be good. I haven’t had Grandma’s braised vegetables in ages. I even dreamed about them last week, I was craving them so badly." Zhou Ming picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of beancurd skin into his mouth.

Soft but not mushy. When he bit into it, a rich, meaty aroma filled his mouth. The braising liquid’s fragrance was intense, and the flavor deepened with every chew.

"This is delicious! It’s exactly the same as Grandma’s!" Zhou Ming exclaimed in amazement. He popped a piece of dried tofu into his mouth, nodding as he chewed. "The dried tofu is amazing too! I never had dried tofu this tender on Mount Emei. The braise is so fragrant."

Zhou Ming tried a piece of every single vegetable dish, his praises echoing nonstop.

He quickly shoveled down half a bowl of rice.

"Zhou Yan, your skill with these braised dishes is incredible. You’ve completely mastered Grandma’s techniques," Zhou Ming said, looking at Zhou Yan with genuine approval.

Zhou Yan smiled. "Don’t just eat the braised dishes. Try the stir-fries. You’re injured, so I went easy on the chili. Have some Kneeling Beef and eat more of the braised pork ribs."

"It’s fine. A little scratch like this in the middle of autumn doesn’t require a special diet," Zhou Ming said dismissively. He picked up a piece of pork liver and put it in his mouth, his eyes instantly lighting up.

’This stir-fried pork liver is so tender! Numbing, spicy, savory, and fragrant—the flavor is absolutely perfect!’

After swallowing, he couldn’t resist shoveling a large mouthful of rice into his mouth.

He then picked up a slice of Twice-Cooked Pork, along with a piece of the garlic sprout it was cooked with. The fat was soft and tender, the lean meat springy to the bite. It was rich but not greasy, and paired with the green garlic, the flavor grew more fragrant with every chew.

Next, a piece of braised pork rib. The moment his teeth touched it, the meat fell right off the bone.

The meat was tender, not at all dry, and practically melted in his mouth. Chewing on the cartilage produced a satisfying CRUNCH. ’It’s just too delicious!’

The Kneeling Beef was served to him in its own separate bowl. He picked up the spoon and first tasted the broth.

The beef broth was clear, yet its savory flavor was so surprisingly intense that his eyes lit up again.

Soup pots weren’t uncommon in Zhou Village. Every household knew how to make one, each with its own recipe.

A couple of years ago, when Zhou Village started butchering cattle again, his old man became a butcher, and his mom returned to her old business of selling soup pots. But because her cooking really wasn’t very good, business was terrible.

Just last week, he’d received a letter from his old man saying that his mom had stopped selling soup pots. Now, she just spent her mornings meticulously cleaning the beef offal and sold it directly to Zhou Yan. It was less trouble, less work, and when all was said and done, she was earning more than she had been selling soup.

After all, back then she’d sell half and have to throw the other half away. It was a struggle just to break even, and she had to work all day long.

She wasn’t making any money, but at least she was getting exhausted.

’Zhou Yan’s beef broth is just too good! There’s not a hint of gaminess, only pure, savory fragrance.’

He picked up a slice of pink, tender beef with his chopsticks, dipped it into the accompanying saucer, and coated it with coarse chili powder before putting it in his mouth.

The tender beef, coated in the seasoned chili powder, was the masterstroke. Both the texture and the flavor were absolutely magnificent!

The tripe was crisp and snappy, the intestines were fall-apart tender, and the soft, gelatinous beef tendon, once coated in the chili powder, offered its own distinct and superb flavor. The textures were magnificent.

’This is a real beef soup. So what on earth was my mother making?’

Zhou Ming froze.

’Oh, right. This is Kneeling Beef. His mom was making a generic soup pot.’

’That explained it.’

’This bowl of Kneeling Beef was unrivaled in all of Suji.’

’No wonder customers were lining up to pay sixty cents a bowl. For a taste like this, if he had the money, he’d be a regular too.’

Zhou Ming ate three bowls of rice—not Zhou Momo’s little bowl, but three heaping portions in the same earthenware bowls used for the Kneeling Beef.

"Mingming Guo is so amazing at eating!" Zhou Momo was a little stunned. She pushed her small bowl forward. "Mommy, I want another bowl of rice! I want to eat three bowls too!"