Chang’an Small Restaurant Chapter 52 (Part 2)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 52.2 Spur of Spinach
Deputy Magistrate Lin, an elusive mountain-high flower, was naturally not one of manners a'mean. Moreover, there were already bamboos in his house, so he naturally appreciated 'eating bamboo shoots.'
At the thought of the bamboo forest in his residence, Shen Shaoguang felt a touch of melancholy. Forget it...
With no new guests arriving at the moment, Shen Shaoguang stepped into the kitchen to lend a hand. Noticing that A’Yuan had already fileted the fish but there were still vegetables to be chopped, she suggested A’Yuan handle the vegetables while she wielded the knife to scrape the fish paste.
Scraping fish paste was a delicate task. One had to secure one side and use a sharp knife to meticulously scrape from the fixed side to the other, depositing the scraped paste onto the knife and then into the bowl—layer by layer, bit by bit. Patience was crucial in this process. Hasty scraping could result in fish balls that weren't as soft and tender, potentially requiring the addition of cornstarch to prevent ending up with a pot of fish porridge.
A’Yuan had a strong aversion to tedious, time consuming work; she found solace in simpler tasks such as chopping vegetables. Seeing that their Miss was willing to take charge, A’Yuan smiled and gladly handed over the task, proceeding to chop the vegetables herself.
After Shen Shaoguang completed scraping the fish paste, she added a pinch of salt, pepper, and a small amount of water to the bowl. Employing a pair of chopsticks, she meticulously mixed the ingredients in one direction until the fish paste was deemed ready.
Subsequently, she mashed the blanched spinach, put it in a gauze net, and squeezed out the juice. Splitting the fish paste in half, she incorporated the spinach juice into one portion and stirred it thoroughly. With a spoon, she shaped the fish paste into balls and carefully placed them into the boiling water. The white ones were cooked first to avoid color contamination. Once done, they transformed into delectably fresh and tender two-color fish balls.
As she was pounding the spinach, a new customer arrived. Shen Shaoguang entrusted the semi-finished product to A’Yuan and went out to welcome the newcomers.
The customers were a duo—one young and one old. Given the rarity of elderly and child pairs visiting her establishment, Shen Shaoguang immediately recognized them. They were the grandmother and grandchild diners who had previously savored glutinous rice balls at her tavern during the Lantern Festival.
Shen Shaoguang politely ushered them to their seats. The elderly woman requested meatballs, Sharpened Mutton Jade, and spinach egg drop soup, showing a preference for less vegetable dishes.
As Shen Shaoguang served them hawthorn beverages, she smiled and assured, "It will be ready shortly. Granny and Little Sir, please be patient for a moment."
Not too long later, the dishes for Sir Lin and Sir Pei were ready, and the soup for the grandmother and grandson was also served.
As other guests arrived one after another, Shen Shaoguang was in the midst of welcoming them when she caught the sound of a child crying from one of the tables.
Shen Shaoguang quickly made her way over.
The elderly woman was frowning while the little boy was pursing his lips, appearing on the verge of tears.
"What's the matter? Is the Sharpened Mutton Jade not to your liking, Little Sir?" Shen Shaoguang inquired with a friendly smile.
The elderly woman gazed apologetically at Shen Shaoguang. "He loves his steamed buns but isn't a fan of vegetables."
Understandingly, Shen Shaoguang nodded. "I wonder if Little Sir has ever heard of a man named Popeye?"
"Once upon a time, there was a sailor who was typically quite thin. However, after eating spinach, he became strong and powerful," Shen Shaoguang explained, patting her biceps and demonstrating with an upper body flex. "His muscles would bulge, creating quite a spectacle!"
"Similar to a knight-errant?"
Fair enough, it’s now a Chinese and Western fusion story. Shen Shaoguang nodded. "Yes, much like a knight-errant, dispensing justice, upholding chivalry, and fighting for what's right—he was a true hero."
The child frowned and glanced at the bowl of spinach egg drop soup. "Alright, I'll drink it!"
"That's right, well done!" Shen Shaoguang praised with a smile.
The elderly woman also smiled and said to her grandchild, "You should remember what Miss said," before expressing her gratitude to Shen Shaoguang.
Shen Shaoguang returned, glancing up to see Sir Pei wearing a teasing expression, thoroughly entertained by the scene. In contrast, Deputy Magistrate Lin lowered his eyes, sipping his fish ball soup with an air of tranquility.
Are the two friends in the midst of a silent feud? Despite Deputy Magistrate Lin's reserved nature, Shen Shaoguang couldn't shake the feeling that Sir Pei was the one being subtly suppressed. Since neither of them was prone to crying or causing a disturbance, she simply brushed it aside and walked straight back behind the counter.
As the night advanced, Shen Shaoguang stood at the door to bid farewell to her generous clients. "Take care, good sirs."
Pei Fei reciprocated the gesture with a wide grin, while Lin Yan offered a subtle smile and nod.
The moon hung round and bright in the sky. Lin and Pei strolled leisurely back to Lin Residence bathed in the soft moonlight.
Pei Fei tilted his head to gaze at Lin Yan before bursting into a hearty laughter.
Lin Yan continued walking, choosing to ignore him.
"You also have one of those days..."
Understanding what Pei Fei was alluding to, Lin Yan felt he was making a fuss over something trivial. Accustomed to socializing with people in luxurious attire, everything Pei Fei saw seemed to spark interest. Lin Yan pursed his lips and eventually said, "Don't read too much into it."
"I wasn't dwelling on it; I was merely curious why you consumed spinach, something you don't usually eat..."
"I've come to appreciate that spinach; having it occasionally is alright," Lin Yan replied calmly.
Occasionally... most likely this 'occasionally' is specifically reserved for the times he dines at Shen Indelible. Pei Fei nodded. "Such is also wonderful. Maybe one day An Ran will 'silver-saddle-matched the white steed, running at a shooting-star speed[1].'"
Lin Yan gave him a sidelong glance and remarked, "You're truly intoxicated!" With that, he proceeded towards Lin Residence ahead of Pei Fei.
Pei Fei followed behind, swaying with his hands behind his back, humming a small tune, "Drums marking the night watches echo and people start in lull. The fragrant flowers emit their pheromones beneath the frozen moon. In a place where love exists, most just let it fade, alas..."
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Footnote:
[1] silver-saddle-matched the white steed, running at a shooting-star speed - Good ol’Li Bai’s poem titled ‘A Song to the Knight from State Zhao(侠客行)’. You can read the full poem here- https://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_3f4024480102ycix.html
