Chapter 20
Widened Her Horizons, Stunned.
Downstairs.
After Han Qianye left, Li Xiwu was left alone to entertain the plant experts. She served tea and water and tried to make small talk with the two experts. After that, she found the menu that the innkeeper had used and handed it to the two experts. “Uncle Cheng, Auntie Du, take a look at what you want to eat.”
After introducing herself, Li Xiwu also knew the names of the two plant experts.
Cheng Zhongqing sat at the side. He took the menu and handed it to Du Xu. “Take a look first.”
Du Xu knew in advance that this group of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law didn’t know how to cook, so she thought that handing over the menu was just a process. She casually flipped through it and said, “I’m a little tired from driving here today and don’t have much of an appetite. You can just cook something.”
Li Xiwu looked at Cheng Zhongqing.
Cheng Zhongqing nodded and echoed Du Xu’s words. “Just listen to Auntie Du. Don’t trouble yourself. Just make something light.”
It was probably just a casual meal. There was nothing to eat.
Li Xiwu said, “You don’t have much of an appetite to begin with. If the food is too light, you might have even less of an appetite.”
Du Xu didn’t know what Group Four’s daughter-in-law meant. She wondered if there were other plans for the show.
“Bland could reduce the autumn heat. Just don’t make those complicated dishes,” Du Xu said considerately.
Cheng Zhongqing echoed, “Yes, vegetables cool down the autumn heat.”
Li Xiwu agreed. “Okay.”
The inn’s kitchen was an open structure. When cooking, they could watch everything. Cameras were set up around them, and the staff were at the back. There were only two cameramen taking turns in front.
Li Xiwu put on an apron and went to the kitchen counter to start preparing for the day’s lunch. Seeing that Li Xiwu was about to show off her skills, the cameraman subconsciously moved back a little, afraid that he would not be able to escape if the kitchen burned later.
On the other side, Min Hanrong saw that Li Xiwu was alone, so she said to Tao Jing, “Go to Miss Li’s side and see if she needs help.”
Min Hanrong could not bear to let Tao Jing’s hands touch the kitchen. But it also depended on the situation. Moreover, if she let Tao Jing go over to help at this time, it would reflect her high-spirited side.
Tao Jing agreed and went to Li Xiwu.
[I’m touched. At this critical moment, I still have to rely on Min Hanrong. She can’t even bear to let Tao Jing help her, but she asked Tao Jing to help Group Four at this time.]
[In such a situation, they still know the severity of the situation. The mother-in-law of Group 4 has given up. Only their daughter-in-law doesn’t know anything.]
[I’m dying of laughter. Group Four is miserable.]
[I think the production team assigned the wrong place. Group Four should be at the hotel. Switch Xie Wen’s group over.]
[Li Xiwu: Ask Xie Wen for help ~]
Some netizens were very enthusiastic and asked Xie Wen for help for Li Xiwu. Soon, the comments in Xie Wen’s live-stream became:
[Call Xie Wen! Sister Li needs you!]
[Xie Wen, quickly contact Sister Li online and teach her how to cook. It was so difficult for her today.]
[If Xie Wen had given Li Xiwu a little of her cooking skills, Li Xiwu wouldn’t have been so miserable at noon today. Her mother-in-law has already slack off.]
[Li Xiwu: I’m really stumped!]
[Li Xiwu: Stress!]
[I’m going to die of laughter at the comments. Li Xiwu is still very calm, but everyone is not.]
[Didn’t anyone notice? Li Xiwu is a cold beauty. Even if she’s anxious, no one can tell.]
At this moment, the live comments were very cheerful.
Tao Jing walked over to Li Xiwu and asked eagerly, “What dish are you planning to make? I’ll help you.”
Li Xiwu gave Tao Jing a friendly smile. She threw the broad beans into the pot to boil first.
Tao Jing thought that Li Xiwu only wanted to cook boiled broad beans, but those two were plant experts. Wouldn’t just having boiled broad beans be too shabby? She suggested kindly, “There’s tofu here. Why don’t we make another fried tofu? What do you think?”
Li Xiwu mused for a few seconds. “Tofu will be useful.”
To Tao Jing, this meant that the tofu would be boiled later and served on the table. Tao Jing thought this was too shabby. Fried tofu would be nice. She had seen her mother-in-law cook this dish just now. Although it looked ordinary and tasted ordinary, it was simple!
Just like that, Tao Jing immediately continued to persuade Li Xiwu to make fried tofu.
“Why don’t we study it together?” Tao asked.
Li Xiwu said, “Some of this is taking too much time. I’ll prepare the food first.”
Tao Jing said, “Okay, I’ll help you.”
Although she was helping, Tao Jing could not help much. It was not that she was being sneaky, but Li Xiwu’s smooth cooking movements did not give her a chance to interfere. She cut the tofu in the palm of her hand into slices, and she was fast. Tao Jing was stunned. Even the cameraman’s eyes widened.
Would she really not cut her hand? The point was that she really didn’t seem to be afraid of cutting her hands off. Her fluid movements were fast and uncomplicated, and it gave the illusion that she was a good cook.
After preparing the dishes, Li Xiwu turned to the stunned Tao Jing and said, “The smoke will be heavier later. Stand over here. The smoke won’t smoke you.”
Tao Jing was touched by her thoughtfulness. “Oh, okay.” She didn’t know what Li Xiwu was going to cook next. She wanted to help, but she was afraid of the smoke. While she hesitated, Li Xiwu started the fire.
Tao Jing walked around to the other side of the kitchen counter and asked, “What are you going to cook?”
Li Xiwu looked up at the pottery crystals outside the kitchen counter. “Mapo tofu.”
Tao Jing’s eyes widened. “You…” know? She swallowed the last word. She almost said it. It would be disrespectful to say it out loud. Fortunately, she stopped herself in time.
Tao Jing reminded Li Xiwu tactfully, “I remember that Mapo Tofu needs minced meat, right? But you didn’t prepare minced meat just now.”
Li Xiwu said, “Mincing meat is too much work. I’ll replace it with something else.”
“Something else?”
Tao Jing felt that her horizons were being broadened! What ingredient could actually replace the taste of minced meat? Just as she was wondering, she saw Li Xiwu scoop out the cooked broad beans, skin them, and put them into a pot of oil. There was a splashing sound, the sound of broad beans going into a pan of oil.
Tao Jing immediately moved to the side, afraid that the oil in the pot would splash on her. She looked at Li Xiwu again. She was standing upright in front of the kitchen counter, holding a pot in one hand and a spatula in the other. Her movements were methodical and very skilled.
When Tao Jing saw this scene, she couldn’t help but think in surprise. How was this not knowing how to cook? She was clearly very good at cooking! And her culinary skills were superb! Moreover, Tao Jing also realized that from this angle, Li Xiwu’s gesture looked so familiar.