Translated by Serena Love

Edited by Azure

Chapter 19: Stewed Fish with Corn Pancake

"Only these?"

Zhou Meng's face showed a trace of disgust. She had rushed to this small village regardless of wind and rain. She was hungry but had to cook dinner alone, and the program team only provided such things?!

The chopping board only had one bighead carp, a piece of pork, four tomatoes, a few eggs, and a bag of cornmeal. Some green onions, ginger, and garlic were scattered around the board.

Zhou Meng: "Are these things enough for six adults to eat for two days?"

Director: "This is only for tonight. Tomorrow, you have to find the ingredients by yourself."

Sure enough, the usual routine of the program group.

Wei Yiqi suggested, "Let Sister Qiaoqiao do it. She cooks delicious dishes."

"Agreed, I also want to try Tang Qiaoqiao's cooking." Hu Miao followed up. "Oh, Zhou Meng, why are you stepping on me?" Hu Miao had just finished speaking, and his feet suddenly hurt.

Zhou Meng's teeth tickled with anger. Can’t Hu Miao look at the situation? Shouldn’t they be partners? If they give it all to Chef Tang Qiaoqiao, won't all the screentime go to her?

Zhou Meng: "How can you make Tang Qiaoqiao prepare a meal for six people? How tiring would that be? I think it's better to cook it separately. If no one else knows how to cook, Tang Qiaoqiao and I will cook our own dishes. Then we can eat together and save time."

"Okay." Tang Qiaoqiao didn’t care. If Zhou Meng was willing to cook it all, she was also willing to let her.

Tang Qiaoqiao agreed, so Wei Yiqi had no objection.

"I want pork, tomatoes, and eggs." Zhou Meng moved quickly and took the lead in choosing the ingredients she wanted. The bighead carp was not even cleaned off from its scales. It looked fishy, ​​so let Tang Qiaoqiao have it.

"Then I'll have bighead carp and cornmeal."

"Can I use the eastern kitchen? I don't know how to use the earthen stove. Of course, if you mind, we can take turns." Zhou Meng said in a deliberate tone to arrange everything.

The farmer's house borrowed by the program group had two kitchens. One might have been built when the house was first built. It was an old-style kitchen using earthen stoves. The other kitchen used liquefied petroleum gas.

Tang Qiaoqiao: "It doesn't matter."

'That's it? That's it?'

Tang Qiaoqiao was so cooperative. It immediately made Zhou Meng feel like she hit a cotton ball with every punch. She worked hard on her own, but this feeling of weakness was uncomfortable.

【To tell the truth, Zhou Meng expressed her anger on the outside. Why let her choose first?】

【Qiao Qiao is so easy to talk to. She let Zhou Meng go in everything. She is good】

【But Zhou Meng is indeed a kid who grew up in the city. She will not know how to use a clay stove. It is normal. People, be kind. Netizens take care of your own things】

【If you don't know how to use it, go and learn. Why does everyone have to accommodate Miss Zhou when they are recording the show? Is she so noble?】

Tang Qiaoqiao went to the west kitchen with chubby fish and cornmeal. Wei Yiqi felt very wronged. "Sister Qiao Qiao, why don't you fight for it?"

Tang Qiaoqiao glanced at him strangely. "What am I fighting for? I originally wanted the bighead carp."

"At first glance, this bighead carp looks wild, so the meat is very tender. It should weigh six or seven pounds. It is most suitable for making stewed fish with corn pancakes."

"The stewed fish with corn pancakes are the most delicious when it is cooked in a big iron wok. Even if Zhou Meng didn’t tell me, I would use this kitchen."

"It turns out to be like this." Wei Yiqi laughed when he heard this.

"You help me maintain the fire."

Tang Qiaoqiao put on her apron as usual and rolled her hair inside her hat.

She added yeast powder to the cornmeal, used warm water to form a dough, set it aside for a few minutes.

She neatly cleaned the fish by cutting the scales, sliced it open, and chopped it into two pieces. After the fish was cut with a knife, she marinated it with cooking wine, green onion, and ginger.

After heating the oil in the pan, she fried the fish. The big iron wok in the farmhouse was big enough and to turn over such a big fish without being cramped.

After frying the fish skin until it is slightly curly and golden in color, she removed the fish. Then, she stirred-fried the onion, ginger, garlic, dried chili, star anise, and other condiments with the remaining oil in the pan. Then she added some bean paste, so the taste would be more mellow.

After the aroma came out, she put the fish in the pot, added water, cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, etc., then covered the pot and let it simmer.

Next, Tang Qiaoqiao pulled off a small piece of corn dough, rubbed it gently on her palm, and evenly stretched it outwards into a palm-sized rectangular pancake and pasted it along the edge of the pan.

Once the yellow-orange cornmeal pancakes are pasted around the side of the pan, it looked very beautiful.

Last, just let it simmer for 15 minutes.

At the same time, Zhou Meng was also actively cooking her braised pork. After the show's first episode, she found that the Japanese food she made was not very popular. She went back to learn a few classic Chinese dishes. She did not believe that she was wose than Tang Qiaoqiao.

This time she didn't expect Shen Liang to join the show. Although she and Tang Rou were good friends, she didn’t have much contact with Shen Liang. However, she believed that he would definitely support her because she was his girlfriend's friend. Mao Li is Shen Liang's partner. They had several encounters at awards parties before, so she should not reject her.

Hu Miao had an empty stomach for a long time, and he couldn't cook. He was bored and wanted to come over to check on Zhou Meng. When he walked to the kitchen, he suddenly smelled a strong fragrance.

"It smells so good."

Zhou Meng said with a complacent look. "Are you hungry? My specialty pork belly will be ready soon."

"No, it's the smell of fish," Hu Miao sniffed his nose vigorously. The scent made his saliva was overflowing. "It must be from Tang Qiaoqiao. I'll take a look."

Before Zhou Meng could stop him, he ran out like a whirlwind.

"It's delicious, ha, it's so delicious." Wei Yiqi panted because of the heat, but he couldn't wait to stuff the stewed fish into his mouth.

The stewed fish was extremely soft. It was fresh and tender, without the slightest smell, and had a mellow taste. Half of the corn pancakes are grilled until it was crispy, and half are soaked in the thick fish soup. The two flavors were wonderfully blended together, which is truly amazing.

As soon as Tang Qiaoqiao opened the pot, she couldn't help but taste it with Wei Yiqi. She took a sip of the delicious fish soup and then completely soaked a pancake in the soup.

'Ah, this is heaven!'

All the hard work of the day disappeared without a trace at this moment.

【The fried chicken in my hand suddenly doesn't taste good. I want to eat stewed fish with corn pancakes too! 】

【When I was a child, I ate this stewed fish in my hometown in Northeast China. Suddenly I miss my grandma. Qiaoqiao, are you still lacks assistants? I don't need a salary, just take care of my food】

【Tang Qiaoqiao, do you want a little girl complete with her bags? Just give me the food Qiaoqiao cooks】

"What are you eating?" While Tang Qiaoqiao was eating happily, suddenly a blue skirt appeared in front of her. When she looked up, her gaze met Mao Li's exquisite face.

"I came here after I smelled the scent, don't worry about me." Mao Li still had a cold face, but her scorching eyes looking at the pot were a bit familiar.

It was exactly the same kind of gaze as when she was shaking hands with her.

Tang Qiaoqiao swallowed the pancakes and said, "This is the stewed fish with corn pancakes. It's just finished. Would you like to try it?"

"Okay." Mao Li quickly replied. She and consciously picked up a bowl on the table. She took a large piece of fish from the iron pan, scooped a bowl of fresh soup, and picked up a piece of pancake.

They were eating the same thing. How could she still be so elegant and feminine in fishing for food? Tang Qiaoqiao, who had always wanted to be a beautiful woman, admired her. She wanted to worship her as a teacher.

Mao Li sipped the soup, and her eyes lit up. Then she ate fish and pancakes clean. She ate quickly, with a graceful posture, without any disorder at all.

"It's delicious." Mao Li exclaimed in a severe tone, looking at Tang Qiaoqiao with her eyes sparkling.

Tang Qiaoqiao grinned. "Thank you."

【Fuck, why is it suddenly smell like orange?】

[T/N: The term "smell of orange" refers to a Yuri manga called "Citrus" and is used to describe two girls being intimate together.]

【This is the first time I’ve seen Movie Queen Mao's exaggerated expression. It was very serious and cute hahaha】

【Mao Li looked at Tang Qiaoqiao as if she was looking at delicious food. She is no doubt a foodie】

"Okay, you guys are stealing food."

When Hu Miao ran to the kitchen, he saw Tang Qiaoqiao and others holding a bowl, eating happily. He yelled dissatisfied, "I want it too."

Seeing another person had come, Mao Li said, "I want another bowl."

The iron wok couldn't be carried away, so the four of them simply stood in the kitchen and feasted.

The director was puzzled. Is it so delicious that they can't wait to eat?

Wei Yiqi ate and ate, but then he suddenly remembered. "Would you like to call Zhou Meng and Shen Liang?"

"No need to call. They are going to come here anyway." Hu Miao waved his hand. He would be a fool if he couldn't tell that Zhou Meng didn’t like Tang Qiaoqiao.

It would be better if they didn't come. It would save two people who would take his share of the fish.

Over there, Zhou Meng and Shen Liang sat face to face, facing a large pot of braised pork and tomato and egg soup. She never expected that Hu Miao and Mao Li would turn to Tang Qiaoqiao.

Shen Liang felt like he was chewing wax. He felt really overwhelmed to participate in this show. What was even more frightening was that he also smelled that tempting fish scent. The braised pork in front of him did not attract his interest at all, but he would not go to eat Tang Qiaoqiao's meal even if he was killed.

He is not that cheap.

Zhou Mengming tried to enliven the atmosphere. "How does it taste?"

Shen Liang twitched his lips. "It's not bad."

"Then eat more." Zhou Meng pushed the braised pork to his side.

Shen Liang didn't make a sound. His chopsticks gently pulled some rice.

In the live broadcast chat room:

【God, it's the first time I saw such an embarrassing scene in a variety show】

【Shen Liang just looks like he can't eat anymore】

【Shen Liang, brother, if you don't want to eat, don't eat it. Eat fish. They are eating so happily】

【Zhou Meng and Shen Liang don't want to see Tang Qiaoqiao. How can they eat her food?】

【This show is so real. It's better than those shows where the celebrities pretend to have a good relationship in front of the camera】

【Zhou Meng clearly judged people by their status; who she hangs out with depends on the other’s popularity. She treated Tang Qiaoqiao and Wei Yiqi so poorly】

...

After eating, everyone washed and prepared to go to bed afterward.

Tang Qiaoqiao was lying on the bed by the window. She looked at the bright moon in the sky, strangely thinking of the arrogant cat at home, wondering if he had dinner on time. She turned on the phone, turned to Shen Yue's WeChat, and typed to send. "Are you asleep?"

---

In the villa.

When the message arrived, Shen Yue was also in his dark bedroom, looking at the moon outside the window. He looked at the message, his eyes gloomy. "Nonsense. If I’m asleep, you think this message was sent by a ghost?"

The familiar tone caused Tang Qiaoqiao to pursue the corners of her mouth slightly. She continued to ask, "Have you eaten today? The vegetables I grow have to be eaten every day. It is good for your legs."

Shen Yue: "Are you my mom?"

Aunt Wang cooked it, but he didn't take a few bites.

Tang Qiaoqiao: "Did you watch my show?"

Shen Yue: "Do I seem that free?" Of course, he refused to disclose that it was because he watched the show that he became too angry to finish dinner. How could that bastard Shen Liang also be on it?

Tang Qiaoqiao: "I made stewed fish with corn pancakes. They are delicious, but unfortunately, you’re not lucky enough to be able to try it."

Shen Yue: "Did you message me to irritate me?"

Tang Qiaoqiao: "appropriate amount of qi will help promote blood circulation."

[T/N: our mc is playing on words, irritate and qi use the same chinese character 气 ]

Shen Yue: "It seems that I’ve given you too much face."

Tang Qiaoqiao: "Tongue out.gif. There is still a task tomorrow. I'm sleeping now, good night."

Shen Yue looked at the words "good night" on the phone, and his eyes softened subconsciously.

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