Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle

Chapter 1262 605: Sneaking a Bite

Because Qin Huai and Shi Dadan brought four oversized suitcases filled with raw dough, Shi Dadan specially arranged for airport pickup and sent someone to take the suitcases to Cao Guixiang's house. Qin Huai and Shi Dadan took a taxi there.

The suitcases arrived at Cao Guixiang's house before Qin Huai and Shi Dadan did.

It was obvious that not only had Qin Huai prepared well (with four suitcases of raw dough), but Cao Guixiang's side had also made ample preparations—everyone in the family was present.

Cao Guixiang's son's family and daughter's family were all at home waiting. When Qin Huai arrived downstairs at Cao Guixiang's home, the entire stairwell was filled with the rich aroma of broth, savory and complex.

Savory is the most straightforward, clear, and simple affirmation of Cao Guixiang's culinary skills, while complex is a compliment to the variety of dishes she prepared today.

Qin Huai took a deep breath in the stairwell.

Hmm, I can only smell that there's a good chance they've made braised shark fin. As for the other dishes, it's hard to tell from the smell, maybe those dishes are still in the final stages before being served.

Tan Family Cuisine emphasizes tasting the chicken flavor when eating chicken, savoring the fresh fish flavor when eating fish, without using other foreign smells to interfere with the dish's original taste. When braising dishes, you must use the original juice, without adding more broth or mixing, so even if many dishes use the same kind of broth, you can smell a noticeable difference in fragrance.

As a former professional chef, Cao Guixiang can precisely control the time and heat for the dishes to be served, able to use just a simple home kitchen, two stoves, and have all the complex broth dishes freshly served within five minutes.

Shi Dadan also took a deep breath, expertly judging: "Braised shark fin, shrimp sea cucumber, shredded ... why are there two shark fin dishes, shredded shark fin, chicken puree bird's nest."

"The broth must be old duck soup, it's exactly the taste of the old duck soup that Guixiang stews."

Qin Huai looked at Shi Dadan with some shock, his eyes filled with the thought of how much good food Old Shi must have eaten at Cao Guixiang's house over the years to be able to tell so many dishes just by a simple sniff.

Shi Dadan gave a simple and honest smile: "Haven't eaten much over the years, after all, Guixiang is no longer a chef, and I can only go out to sea from time to time to get some good ingredients and have Guixiang make them for me."

"Back when I was running a restaurant in Qiu County, I ate every day."

Qin Huai: ...Alright, stop talking, if you continue, the male lead of our system novel will really be jealous of you auspicious beasts.

How are you all doing so well among auspicious beasts, making the Three-legged Golden Toad seem particularly miserable, poor and destitute is one thing, but never having eaten anything good, all the recipes they come up with are of low level.

The aroma has already drifted from the house to the stairwell, even reaching the first floor. Qin Huai felt he couldn't dawdle any longer, grabbed Shi Dadan and quickly headed upstairs.

Then they heard noise coming from upstairs.

The voices sounded somewhat familiar, seemingly the voices of Zhang Chiyuan (Cao Guixiang's son) and Zhang Siyu (Cao Guixiang's daughter), faintly sounding like a quarrel.

Qin Huai hastened his steps to hear more clearly.

"Brother, that fridge of yours, honestly, is so old, I doubt it can still cool. My fridge was bought during New Year's, large capacity, the freezer can hold so much, it definitely should go to my place to be frozen!"

"What's wrong with my fridge being used for many years? Used for many years means good quality, won't break! Last month I found frozen meat from the year before in my fridge, frozen perfectly still looks edible, besides, my home is close to mom and dad's, taking it back is just a ten-minute round trip, definitely put it in my place."

"Chi Yuan, Si Yu, both of you stop arguing, just put it at our place, our fridge is also newly replaced. Moreover, all these years when your fridge wasn't enough, things were always stored at our place, why the fuss now?"

"No way, last time the Four Happiness glutinous rice balls left at your place were eaten secretly!" Zhang Chiyuan and Zhang Siyu said in unison, standing united against outsiders.

When Qin Huai and Shi Dadan reached the corner of the stairs, this was the scene they saw.

Cao Guixiang's home is a standard old apartment, an old community, six stories high, without an elevator, the staircase is relatively narrow, the corridor lights have been broken for years, and the poor lighting from the windows makes it appear somewhat dim.

Now this narrow and dim corridor was completely blocked by two families.

Of the four suitcases Qin Huai and Shi Dadan brought, one suitcase was left in the corridor, and three suitcases were placed at the entrance of Cao Guixiang's house. The door to Cao Guixiang's home was open, and you could see the three suitcases inside had been opened, with the raw dough categorized and taken out.

No wonder the smell in the stairwell was so strong, turns out the door was open.

Judging by the situation, it seems Qin Huai brought back so much raw dough this time that even with a new big fridge, Cao Guixiang's house couldn't store it all. Everyone had a different opinion on where to store the extra dough, knowing well that no matter whose house it went to, someone would sneak a bite at night.

It's just that with the previous lesson of the unfortunate neighbor's grandson who ended up in the hospital from overeating at night, people are now more cautious when sneaking food, trying not to get hospitalized.

Seeing Qin Huai had arrived, Cao Guixiang lightly tapped her son and daughter, "Alright, Xiao Qin and Old Shi are here, and you're still arguing here."

"Just follow what I said earlier, put the steamed buns, dumplings, and rice balls next door, the rest goes to Chi Yuan's place. Chi Yuan, hurry up, keep it within a 20-minute round trip, you'll be back just in time for the meal, won't delay anything."

"Why are you still standing at the doorway? Not letting Xiao Qin and Old Shi in?"

Zhang Chiyuan's face immediately lit up with a smile, and he moved the raw dough with his wife, while Zhang Siyu, although a bit reluctant, also helped out. When passing Qin Huai, she smiled at him.

Cao Guixiang quickly invited Qin Huai and Shi Dadan inside, first giving Qin Huai a cheerful inspection, saying, "You haven't slimmed down."

Then she glanced at Shi Dadan, shaking her head with some helplessness, "Old Shi, you're at this age, you need to control a bit, how much weight have you gained this year, you've gotten rounder."

"People who know you think you're expanding into new markets in Shan City, those who don't might think you're just freeloading off Xiao Qin, unwilling to go home."

Shi Dadan could only give a simple and honest smile.

"The two of you sit for a while, I need to get busy in the kitchen. Xiao Qin, the guest room has been tidied up for you, with fresh sheets and bedding, you've been away so long, stay for a couple of days. Today we're having a big meal, from tomorrow we'll eat home-style dishes."

"Oh right, I specially made two shark fin dishes today, braised shark fin and shredded shark fin. Enjoy the braised shark fin with rice, and eat the shredded shark fin normally. Old Shi, I also made Wanfu Meat and braised chicken wings specially for you. Initially thinking you'd eat more, seeing your belly... you should eat less today." Saying this, Cao Guixiang headed back into the kitchen to continue cooking.

Qin Huai wanted to follow her in: "Master, let me help you."

At the kitchen door, Cao Guixiang stopped Qin Huai: "Help with what? This kitchen is so small, full of pots and pans, it's all in the finishing stages, if you come in I'll be fine as long as you don't add to the chaos."

"You've come from afar, consider yourself a guest today, sit on the sofa and watch TV."

Qin Huai was sent to the sofa, sitting together with Zhang Zhiyun and Chang Qingqing.

Shi Dadan, on the other hand, went to chat with Zhang Chu.

Qin Huai sat on the adjacent sofa with two kids still in school, and they exchanged looks.

Qin Huai was contemplating whether to become an annoying adult who asks kids the questions they hate most during New Year's, like how's your academic performance this year? What did you score on your final exams?

But Zhang Zhiyun and Chang Qingqing probably wouldn't mind being asked, as both kids' grades are quite good.

Finally, it was Zhang Zhiyun who couldn't hold back and spoke first, "Brother Qin Huai, of all the snacks you brought back this time, which one is the tastiest?"

"I don't have room for these snacks tonight, but I'll have digested by midnight and can get up to sneak some!"

Qin Huai: ?

You're Cao Guixiang's grandson, and yet you still have to sneak snacks at midnight?