Getting Both Fish and Bear's Paw
According to ISO 8601, Monday is the first day of the week. Therefore the first chapter of the week will be posted on Mondays instead of Sundays. Thanks.
TL: Hedonist
"As today is the first day, instead of eating out, I shall make some good food for you all," Guo Huai said with a smile when it was just past eleven in the morning. He then made a phone call to Zhou Tianyang. As he heard that there were good ingredients, Zhou Tianyang arrived at the Clinic of No Treatment within five minutes.
"If there's anyone of you that could cook, please go with Uncle Zhou and give him a hand," Guo Huai said to the party of students. It was obvious that these students had yet to regain their senses from the extravagance of the Clinic of No Treatment, and not many of they were willing to help Zhou Tianyang. Li Yu was an exception. It immediately ran towards the faucet to wash its hands, and then went to the kitchen. But what surprised Guo Huai was that He Mo too entered the kitchen.
"Guo Huai, do you still have those bear paws that we ate the other day? Gimme a few of it." Zhou Tianyang asked loudly.
"Ahem ahem, Uncle Zhou, do you think of bear paws as cabbages? There aren't any bear paws but here's some meat. You could try to prepare them with the same method used for Siberian roe deer, and let everyone taste it. I will be in charge of this shark fin. I've steeped it for a day!" as Guo Huai spoke, he lifts open a huge basin, and revealed a shark fin about half a meter in length.
Zhou Tianyang couldn't help but pluck off a small piece of it and put it into his mouth. His expression suddenly changed.
"Let me prepare this shark fin. You do the others," Zhou Tianyang said with a smile. Guo Huai did not say much but straightforwardly passed it to Zhou Tianyang. The kitchen was really big and spacious, more than enough to fit just four people in there. Li Yu began to pluck veggies. Guo Huai gave a glance at He Mo and called her to come before him. A spare rib of unidentifiable meat was thrown in front of He Mo.
"Try using this knife and see if you could get used to it. Cut the spare ribs into pieces," as he spoke, a kitchen knife emerged on Guo Huai's hand out of thin air. During the split second it emerged, Zhou Tianyang, who was tearing the shark fin apart, felt as though something dangerous was present, and shuddered. His gaze landed on the kitchen knife which Guo Huai handed over to He Mo.
"Girl, hold it well, it's a good knife. It's not only good for cutting veggies and meat, but also pretty good for murdering. Hehe," Zhou Tianyang said with a smile, and continued with his shark fin.
"Thank you, master." He Mo held the kitchen knife, and rapidly chopped at the spare ribs. Within just three or four minutes, the big spare ribs was evenly cut into small pieces.
"Hey girl, your knife work is pretty good!" Zhou Tianyang said with a smile.
"It was the knife. Just now, when I touched these bones with my hand, it felt like cow bones but it was much thicker, and ten times harder than any ordinary cow bones. This knife is really wonderful," He Mo replied gently.
"Keep it if you like it. But remember, you must absolutely not use it to harm anyone. Otherwise, with your current strength, there's no way you could control it," Guo Huai said with a smile. The kitchen knife was found in Laozi's gourd. Its previous owner, Yun Duan the Leisure Immortal, had no clue of what was inside the gourd. However, Guo Huai knew about the history of this kitchen knife because it was engraved with a very tiny word, "Pao". Back then, this was the knife that Pao Ding used to cut cows apart. Everyone knew that Pao Ding was a cook, but the earthlings would never know, Pao Ding too levitated heavenwards. This cow-cutting knife had met with ghosts and demons, and killed whatever in its path. How mighty it was!
"Guo Huai, do you have anymore of those knife? Would you gift me one to play with?" Zhou Tianyang asked with a smile. He had just completed the big dish of shark fin.
"When I have time, I'll make something similar for you. That knife is one of a kind, and I'm reckon there's only one of that in the world," Guo Huai said with a smile. "Mencius said that one cannot get both fish and bear's paw. But how about if I supply Uncle Zhou with a bear's paw, and see how well you could mix it together with those shark fins?"
"I knew it! You still have that kind of bear's paw. Quickly pass it to me. I had previously read about cooking bear's paw with shark fin in an ancient book. If you want to eat something good today, give it to me immediately!" Zhou Tianyang yelled. Guo Huai wasn't polite with him either. He threw a huge bear paw to Zhou Tianyang.
—
"Wu Gang, that bear's paw in honey is delicious, isn't it?" Chang'e asked Wu Gang with a smile. Wu Gang was eating heartily in the Moon Palace.
"Tasty, delicious! Compared to those in the Grand Feast of Peaches, this one tastes so much better! Big sister, I really didn't expect that you are so good at this. Should had told me earlier! I'm going to the Demonic Realm and get a bear later."
"Haha. You know, what if Yang Jian saw your appearance now? How do you think he's gonna react? Must be interesting," Chang'e said laughingly. "The majestic Wu Gang, one of the three great generals of the imperial court, actually crouched on a small stool to eat bear's paw. And even thumb sucking! Haha! I'll be laughing to my death!"
"What's up with Yang Jian? If Yang Jian were eating something this good, he wouldn't be more cultured than I am now," Wu Gang said with a smile."For the last few ten thousand years, this is the best meal I have had. Ahh. Alright, gotta go chop down some trees," Wu Gang said as he lifted his huge axe, ready to depart.
"There's something even more delicious, but this will be rather dangerous as you need to hunt for a demonic whale from the Demonic Realm," Chang'e said giggly. "But I won't let you do that. Get Yang Jian to look for me, his Eye of Reincarnation seems to be just right to be used against demonic whale."
"Big sister, you must not be prejudiced. I'll look for Yang Jian to get a demonic whale, and when it's done, I'll return to the Moon Palace with him. Is there anything else that you need? We can fetch them along the way," Wu Gang said as he played with his giant axe.
"Get me a demonic bear," Chang'e said with a smile. "However, I did some calculation just now on you two's excursion, and the risk is quite high. Therefore, if you met with the Demon King, immediately run back to safety. Otherwise, if the imperial court suddenly loses two great generals, Hong Jun that old fart is going to shout abuses in the street again."
"Why must Fairy slander behind my back? Such conducts is unbefitting for a fairy," a deep and low voice sounded in the Moon Palace.
"Hong Jun, since you have heard it, then this doesn't count as slandering behind your back! Why are you peeping my Moon Palace? Could it be that you also intend to watch me bath as well? Haha!" as she speaks, Chang'e flung her flowing sleeves. Hong Jun who was playing chess ten thousand meters away suddenly shuddered, causing him to place the chess piece in his hand on a wrong spot.
"Mad women. Truly a mad woman!" Hong Jun said loudly and caused Taishang Laojun who was playing chess with him to be at a loss. Chang'e had a belly laugh at her Moon Palace, while Wu Gang's head was full of cold sweat. Just then, when Chang'e flung her flowing sleeves, it actually contained a tremendous amount of energy. Wu Gang ran out of the Moon Palace like he was fleeing, and heads towards Yang Jian's imperial palace.
—
It was 12:30pm. Everyone sat around an enormous roundtable. Chen Jiadi carefully observed the table before him. That giant table was unexpectedly made of one single block of wood, instead of being pieced together. This made him felt even more admiring of the clinic owner who was a few years younger than him.
"I'm going to bring you guys along to purchase some chinese medicines in the afternoon, so no alcohol in the noon for y'all. Alright, let's eat. Have a taste of dishes Uncle Zhou and I made," as he speaks, small bows appeared before each and every one of them. Soon after, four bows of White Jade Soups were served. A heavy fragrance of fresh fish hit on their noses.
"This is shark fin, but why does it taste like that? This is absolutely delicious!" one of the students expressed in a low voice after taking a small sip.
"Uncle Zhuo, what meat is inside this? Oh my, I have heard of Tian Yang Restaurant in Wucheng University, but never went there. Just how much good food did I miss?!" Cao Qiankun said loudly.
"Thank you very much Uncle Zhou, you had worked really hard. Since you don't have much to do in the afternoon, have a drink," Guo Huai filled up a cup of wine for Zhuo Tianyang. Zhou Tianyang laughed out loud when he saw the bunch of kiddos was dumbstruck by what they ate.
"The meat inside the shark fin soup is bear's paw. Someone said that one shall not have both fish and bear's paw at the same time. Well, Old Zhou here insists on bringing them together!" Zhou Tianyang said loudly.