Free Web NovelChapter 415: Chapter 415: Another Get-together
The group chatted as they ate.
Ding Aiguo brought up how to get rid of the gamey taste in river snails. freēwebnovel.com
"A kindred spirit!" Li Xu clapped his hands and said cheerfully, "Speaking of chives, I’m reminded of a quote from the epicure, Mr. Wang Zengqi: ’Prose should strive for elegance and clarity, with little embellishment, much like the taste of new chives in early spring or late cabbage in late autumn.’"
"As they say, chives at the start of spring and napa cabbage at the end of autumn are the most delicious. Even Zheng Banqiao himself said, ’Chives fill the spring garden, ready to be cut at any time. To savor early chives while composing poetry and painting—what a delight!’"
Li Xu’s words made Elder Li nod repeatedly in agreement.
"Great minds think alike." Elder Li laughed heartily. "Doctor Li, you’ve read my mind. The next dish is stir-fried chives with river shrimp."
As soon as he finished speaking, the housekeeper brought out a platter of green and white.
The chives were a glossy, tender green, seemingly bursting with the irrepressible colors of spring. Paired with the translucent, snow-white river shrimp from the mountains, the dish was elegant and beautiful, a true appetite-whetter.
Elder Li explained, "Chive leaves are like orchid leaves; they both love to be nourished by moisture. That’s why chives must be grown in fields by clear mountain springs to be truly fresh, tender, and succulent."
"In early spring, around the second lunar month, once the chives have three leaves but no more than five, you can harvest the first crop. Cutting chives isn’t like lopping off a head; after you cut them, you water and fertilize them, cover them with a bit of plant ash, and they’ll quickly sprout anew. So you cut them, they grow, you cut them again, crop after crop. The fields are a continuous stretch of fresh green."
"The appeal of chives is their fresh, fragrant, rich tenderness. You have to flash-fry them with lots of oil over high heat to preserve that freshness. You must wait until the oil in the wok is smoking hot before you toss them in. It’s best if the chives still have some water droplets on them. When the hot oil meets the water—SIZZLE!—it sprays a film of oil over everything. The unique, fragrant aroma of the tender green chives is enough to make your mouth water. If the heat is too low, you cook them for too long, use too little oil, or salt them too early and draw out too much water, the flavor will be greatly diminished."
Everyone marveled as they listened to Elder Li share his experience.
The stir-fried chives with river snails was served next.
The snail meat, with a texture like firm jelly, was first stir-fried with oil and seasonings before the spring chives were added to the wok.
Served on a blue-and-white porcelain plate, the verdant chives were dotted with the nearly black snail meat, like cattle and sheep scattered across a field. It was like admiring a genre painting of a Jiangnan water town.
Li Xu picked up a mouthful with his chopsticks. As he ate, he felt as if he were in the middle of a fresh, pleasant morning, with dewdrops glistening and dancing like a dream as he strolled through a vegetable patch by a small bridge and a flowing stream.
The taste reminded him of his childhood, of squatting down to pinch the stalks of budding chive blossoms. The blooming chives, with their delicate and charming little white flowers held aloft on slender, graceful stems, looked like a pretty, well-behaved little girl tilting her face upward.
Song Sisi couldn’t help but sigh. "When it comes to poems praising chives, the most celebrated is probably Du Mu’s line, ’Cutting spring chives after a night’s rain, while new-cooked millet steams,’ right?"
"Discussing poetry and prose, lamenting the state of the world... The spring rain has just stopped for the night. Lively water droplets still cling to the tips of the grass. Fresh, tender spring chives have just been cut from the garden, and newly harvested millet is already steaming in the pot, hot and fragrant."
Song Sisi described the poem’s imagery, making everyone feel as if they were there. "The fresh lushness of the chives, combined with the sincere friendship of an old friend, offered infinite comfort to a great poet living as a fugitive in turbulent times. That feeling is powerful enough to pierce through a thousand years of history and reach us today."
After a moment of shared reflection, the housekeeper brought out the fourth dish—a translucent, crystalline stone flower ointment.
Elder Li looked at the large, jade-white basin of stone flower ointment, his eyes full of admiration. "This stone flower ointment is truly authentic. The color is so pure. You can tell at a glance that it’s made from top-grade Stone Flower, and it’s been prepared very cleanly."
The housekeeper used a small scraper to shave the stone flower ointment into thin strips, placed them in small bowls, and then drizzled a spoonful of iced honey water over them before handing them to everyone.
Li Xu was the first to take a spoonful. The cool, smooth texture instantly filled his mouth, carrying a faint, natural fragrance and the sweetness of honey. It felt like a clear spring flowing straight into his heart.
The numbing, spicy, and savory flavors from the snails and chives were perfectly balanced in this moment.
"Mm, so refreshing!" Ding Kaifang exclaimed. "This stone flower ointment is the perfect antidote to the spicy kick of the snails. It’s so cleansing!"
Ding Aiguo also took a bite and nodded repeatedly. "Exactly. The texture, the flavor—it’s not the least bit inferior to what I’ve had in Quanzhou. The coolness is especially precious after all that spice. It’s like having a bowl of chilled grass jelly after a hot pot meal. So satisfying."
Song Sisi was eating with great relish. She had only known Stone Flower as a medicinal ingredient and never imagined it could be made into such a delicious dessert.
She scooped up a large spoonful, savoring the cool sensation as the stone flower ointment slid down her throat, and praised it endlessly. "This stone flower ointment isn’t cloying at all. It’s sweet but not overpowering, and it has this light, fresh aroma. It’s just so delicious."
Seeing everyone enjoying the food so much, Elder Li’s face beamed with a satisfied smile.
"This stone flower ointment is cooling and refreshing. The snails and chives we just had, while delicious, had a bit of heat to them. Eating this now is perfect for neutralizing that, clearing away heat, dispelling summer warmth, and calming the body’s ’fire.’ It’s just right."
He picked up his small bowl, scooped another spoonful of the ointment, and savored it. "This stuff is a perfect treat for beating the summer heat, but it has a unique charm in the spring, too. That pure, natural refreshment really invigorates the body and soul."
The group continued to chat about food as they enjoyed the stone flower ointment.
After the meal, everyone said their goodbyes.
Li Xu and Song Sisi returned to the clinic, which remained busy throughout the afternoon.
Seeing patients, conducting consultations, writing prescriptions, and dispensing medicine—everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Just before closing time, Song Sisi’s phone rang. It was a call from Sun Qing.
Sun Qing had visited the clinic a few times. Being around the same age as Song Sisi and Lin Xiaoyu and having a compatible personality, she had quickly become a close friend with whom they could talk about anything.
"Sisi, are you free tomorrow? Let’s get together for a meal."
Sun Qing said, "It’s been almost a month since we all hung out."
Song Sisi looked at Li Xu and asked, "Boss, Sun Qing is inviting us to dinner tomorrow. Do you want to go?"
Li Xu was organizing the medicine cabinet. Hearing her, he smiled and said, "What would I do at a girls’ get-together? I’ll pass. You go ahead. It’ll be a good chance for you to relax."
Song Sisi nodded. "Okay, I’ll let her know."
「The next day」
Song Sisi went to the appointed place for their meal—the Vegetarian Restaurant Zhai Xiangyuan.
She pushed the door open and saw Sun Qing and Lin Xiaoyu already seated.
"Qingqing, Xiao Yu," Song Sisi said with a smile as she walked over.
Sun Qing was wearing a face mask that completely covered her face, leaving only her eyes visible.
Song Sisi teased, "Hey, Qingqing, why the vegetarian meal this time? Weren’t you the one who loved hot pot the most?"
Sun Qing gave a bitter smile and slowly took off her mask.
Song Sisi and Lin Xiaoyu gasped in shock—Sun Qing was normally a classic beauty with fair skin and delicate features. But now, her entire face was covered in lumpy, red, swollen pimples. Some were even erupting with whiteheads, a truly horrifying sight.
