Chapter 2

In Qin Shou's view, his cousin was nothing but a bookworm, always tilting his head to spout classical phrases, weak and frail, unable to withstand a single blow. Moreover, he still owed wages, which was already unreasonable. Although he was technically Qin Shou's employer, he would act like a mouse in front of a cat whenever he saw Qin Shou. Today, however, something was different, and he actually flew into a rage.

Qin Shou was suddenly furious: "Why is the food I cook not fit for human consumption? You are the one who is bad at managing, and now that there are no customers, you blame it all on me. What kind of logic is that?"

Qin Shou's eyes were clear, but he was suppressing his anger. As a gourmet, he had tasted all kinds of delicious food and was a leading figure in the culinary industry. His taste was very refined, and the moment he tasted this food, he was enraged.

Qin Shaoyou smiled, a smile filled with contempt.

He curled his lips and said slowly, "Are you still going to argue? Fine, let's argue it out clearly."

Qin Shou almost laughed. His cousin was a bookworm, and a bookworm was a bookworm. Could something as simple as cooking be debated? Do you think this is an academic discussion?

Qin Shaoyou picked up a piece of 'vegetable' and said with a look of disdain, "This... is it an eggplant... Hey, you used too much water when cooking it, and added some sesame oil, but you added it after cooking, which is a pity. The eggplant is a bit dry, and you used a half coin of salt, which is just right, but you cooked the water out of the eggplant, making the taste stronger. You also added some scallions, but the scallion flavor was covered by the cooked eggplant skin..."

Qin Shou was speechless as Qin Shaoyou spoke fluently.

If Li Erniang, who was watching from the side, was still confused and unsure whether Qin Shaoyou was telling the truth, Qin Shou knew that his method of cooking the eggplant was exactly as Qin Shaoyou described. He used the right amount of salt, which was indeed a half coin, and the water was cooked out, making it a bit burnt and the taste stronger. He also added some sesame oil, but he was stingy and only added a few drops...

Qin Shaoyou continued, "And the heat control. You started with a high flame, but you didn't know that the pot should be preheated with a low flame before adding the ingredients, and then increase the heat to ensure even cooking, so that some parts don't remain half-cooked while others are burnt. You can't even control the heat, and you dare to be a chef?"

Qin Shou was shocked and took a step back. He couldn't bear his cousin's aggressive attitude. This frail body, for some reason, spoke about cooking with such confidence. Most importantly, Qin Shou felt guilty because... his cooking method, even the heat control, was described by Qin Shaoyou with pinpoint accuracy, leaving him without a leg to stand on.

Qin Shaoyou said bluntly, "What's even more infuriating is that you wasted the ingredients. Not knowing how to cook is one thing, but the most painful thing is that your attitude towards cooking is wrong. Yesterday, you cooked fish in that pot, and you didn't even clean it. The leftover fish from last night stuck to the bottom of the pot, and now the eggplant, though it covers the fish smell, still has a fishy taste. Tell me, can your food be eaten?"

This question made Qin Shou wilt.

Last night, he did cook fish, and he was indeed too lazy to clean the pot. The inn was about to go bankrupt, and he thought there was no future here, so he wanted to settle his wages and run away. But...

Qin Shou couldn't resist picking up a piece of burnt eggplant and putting it in his mouth, tasting it carefully. There was no trace of the fish, so how did this guy taste it?

Seeing Qin Shou's surprise, Qin Shaoyou said sternly, "No wonder there are no customers. You are still unrepentant. Go to the kitchen, start the fire, and I'll show you what real eggplant is!"

His demeanor was commanding, and his tone left no room for argument. There was no trace of his former meekness.

Qin Shou, inexplicably, felt a bit of respect for his cousin, but he still wasn't willing to admit defeat. As he moved to the kitchen, he said, "I want to see if you can do any better."

Li Erniang was amazed. The bookworm had suddenly come to his senses. She had tried to mediate, but now she was quite angry with Qin Shaoyou. However, as a woman, seeing the previously muddled little scholar suddenly become so commanding, she found Qin Shaoyou's eyes shining and his entire body exuding a sharp, unstoppable aura. She, too, followed him.

The kitchen of the inn was quite large but was full of grease and dirt, clearly not cleaned for a long time. Qin Shaoyou couldn't help but frown. Cooking was no longer just a means of making food for him; it was an art. Therefore, he believed that the place where he cooked should be clean and tidy. Qin Shou's sloppiness was truly unacceptable.

However, there was no time to waste. He checked the pots and pans. The stove was made of bricks and stones, similar to those in the future, but the pot was different. It was the early Tang Dynasty, and Wu Zetian had not yet ascended the throne, so they couldn't make thin iron pots. This meant that they couldn't stir-fry, only boil.

As for the seasonings, Qin Shaoyou knew them without needing to check. Besides oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, there were also scallions and ginger, nothing special.

"Wash the eggplant, and wash it thoroughly."

Qin Shaoyou gave the order directly.

Qin Shou was a bit resentful but still washed the eggplant obediently.

At this moment, Qin Shaoyou had already picked up the heavy cleaver. This body lacked wrist strength, but it didn't matter; he just couldn't perform some knife skills. Taking the eggplant, Qin Shaoyou's hands moved like a snake, and the chopping board rang with a rhythmic "thud, thud, thud."

Qin Shaoyou was very focused while cutting the eggplant, but Qin Shou and Li Erniang were almost mesmerized. This bookworm, with his wrists moving like lightning, only showed the shadow of the black cleaver and the rapid, rhythmic "thud" sound. The eggplant was quickly sliced into thin, paper-like pieces, all of the same size.

"When did this bookworm get such skills?"

In a short time, the eggplant was sliced, and the pot was already hot, glowing red. Without looking, Qin Shaoyou picked up a half bottle of oil and poured it into the pot. With a "whoosh," the few ounces of oil met the scorching iron pot and immediately sizzled.

"Using so much oil..." Qin Shou couldn't help but feel a bit heartache.

But then, Qin Shaoyou quickly picked up the cleaver and the eggplant, and directly poured it into the pot. The pot immediately bubbled, and the eggplant formed a neat circle, soaking in the oil.

A fragrant aroma rose, and Qin Shaoyou covered the pot with an iron lid. "Meat!"

His command was like that of a confident general. Qin Shou quickly fetched the meat, and Qin Shaoyou, taking it, slammed it on the chopping board and quickly chopped it into a paste. His knife skills, honed over ten years in his previous life, were very skillful. Although the cleaver was not quite right, he quickly adjusted to its characteristics and, in a short moment, turned the small piece of meat into a paste.

He lifted the lid, and the fragrant oil aroma immediately filled the air. Both Li Erniang and Qin Shou felt their stomachs rumble. The aroma was so intense that they never knew ordinary oil and eggplant could produce such a scent.

The meat paste was directly scooped up and thrown into the center of the eggplant. The meat, upon contact with the hot oil, immediately sizzled, releasing a meaty aroma.

Qin Shaoyou's hands didn't stop. He casually picked up a pinch of salt and evenly sprinkled it, without even lifting his eyelids, focusing on the heat. Finally, he picked up a plate and used a spatula to scoop the eggplant out.

Not a single drop of oil was spilled. Qin Shou and Li Erniang's eyes were dazzled as they saw the plate of eggplant land steadily on the plate.

The white meat paste and the green eggplant formed a beautiful contrast. The fragrant oil almost soaked the meat, emitting a rich meaty aroma, making them drool.

Qin Shaoyou placed the plate on the stove, crossed his arms, and said confidently, "Eat!"

Qin Shou was skeptical, and Li Erniang was also doubtful. They looked at each other.

They hardly recognized Qin Shaoyou.

However, the meat and eggplant in the plate still tempted their appetite. Qin Shou cautiously extended his fat hand, picked up a bit of meat, and carefully put it in his mouth, chewing slowly, then stopped moving.

Seeing this, Li Erniang became even more curious and did the same, picking up a bit of eggplant and putting it in her mouth.

Next, Li Erniang's eyes suddenly lit up. The rosy glow from within her cheeks, even covered by rouge, trembled, and she let out a nearly sensual sound, "So delicious."

The eggplant was rich but not greasy, with a meaty flavor that permeated from within, smooth and refreshing to the extreme, making Li Erniang couldn't help but exclaim.

She had eaten at least eighty eggplants, but today's meat and eggplant made her feel as if she were in a dream.

While she was praising, Qin Shou had already buried his head, using his "pork hands" to quickly devour the dish. He not only had no manners but also feared that Li Erniang would take his food, so he deliberately let out a few slurps and quickly finished the meat and eggplant.

Li Erniang was angry and scolded, "You are so unreasonable, you deserve to be poor all your life, working as a helper here, and you will never find a wife, and your lineage will end."

Qin Shou licked the plate and said confidently, "Whether I find a wife or not is none of your business, I have my cousin!"

Just a moment ago, he was commanding, but now this "cousin" made everyone feel soft.

His fat hand reached out to grab Qin Shaoyou's sleeve, but Qin Shaoyou, finding him dirty, quickly stepped back and said, "Let's talk properly. Do you know you were wrong now?"

"I was wrong," Qin Shou was not stupid. His cousin had suddenly come to his senses, and no matter what the reason, his sudden cooking skills gave hope for the inn's revival. Qin Shou had no skills, was lazy, and only stayed because Qin Shaoyou was his relative. If he left the inn, he would have to return to farming. So he showed a typical Qin family smile and said, "Cousin... no, Master, I will definitely be a good chef from now on. Teach me how to cook."

Qin Shaoyou crossed his arms and looked up, "Hmph!"

To forgive him so easily would be to be a bookworm. Qin Shaoyou had his ways to deal with such people.

Li Erniang, seeing this, realized that Qin Shaoyou had suddenly been possessed by something and had come to his senses. She also knew that he wouldn't be interested in the Zhou family's daughter anymore, so she laughed and said, "Qin brother, I really couldn't see your talent. It seems your family can continue to maintain the old business. You are not young, and it's time to get married. I'll find you a good match, I promise you'll be satisfied."

Qin Shaoyou said confidently, "I will choose my own wife, no need for your interference."

Li Erniang was so angry that her teeth ached. She hated this pair of cousins and complained, "You two, neither of you is good. One doesn't even know his own name, and the other... thinking of how Qin Shou ate my meat and eggplant, I'm even more angry. He is a heartless glutton." She stomped her foot and left.

...

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