Xie Baomin wasn’t busy today, so he came to visit his Junior Brother’s shop.
He liked the atmosphere here; the staff and customers were all extremely close-knit, just like a family.
After washing his hands, he began to teach Lin Xu a simple method for making poached eggs.
He started by boiling a kettle of water. Once it boiled, he poured it into a basin, then placed a few eggs inside to soak.
"If you crack the eggs directly into the pot, they tend to spread," Xie Baomin explained. "So first, soak the eggs in hot water to let the egg white closest to the shell solidify. That way, when you crack them into the pot, the eggs won’t spread."
It indeed sounded pretty simple.
After the eggs soaked, Xie Baomin placed a pot on the stove and brought half a pot of water to a boil.
By the time the water boiled, the eggs had soaked for nearly a minute.
He first used a slotted spoon to lift the eggs out.
Then he turned off the stove, allowing the boiling water in the pot to settle.
Next, he cracked the eggs one by one into the pot.
Since they had been soaked in hot water for a minute beforehand, the eggs didn’t scatter when cracked into the pot but remained intact.
Once all the eggs were in the pot, Xie Baomin covered it with a lid and turned to Lin Xu, saying, "Just cover the pot and let them sit for two or three minutes, and the poached eggs will be done—each one intact, with a runny yolk. If you don’t like them runny, you can simmer them on low heat for another two minutes, and the yolks will be fully cooked."
Damn, this is so easy, anyone could do it!
First, soak them in boiled water for a minute, then crack them into boiled water with the heat off and let them sit for two minutes.
This is really too simple.
"Sometimes, when we have to prepare poached eggs for breakfast in the back kitchen, we often use this method to handle the rush. It’s very effective, and these poached eggs can be quickly pan-fried to become fried eggs, which look much better than those fried directly."
Just got another cooking tip!
Lin Xu quickly took note.
This was all essential knowledge to master.
"Junior Brother, are these poached eggs also for the sweet and sour dish?"
"Probably not, Senior Brother. Could we make them into a sweet soup instead?"
Yesterday evening, Shen Jiayue kept saying how bitter life felt, so I should prepare some more sweet treats today.
"Why not? It’s super easy."
Xie Baomin agreed and began to prepare.
He took another pot, added water, and heated it. Then he put in two pieces of brown sugar, a splash of ginger juice, and a piece of aged tangerine peel. Once the water boiled, it became the most common type of sweet soup found in the Lingnan Region.
After turning off the heat, he added the poached eggs to the sweet soup one by one.
The poached eggs in sweet soup were ready.
Lin Xu packed two for Shen Jiayue, along with the sweet and sour poached eggs made earlier. Today’s meal would definitely send cholesterol levels sky-high.
"As long as you don’t eat regularly, having a meal once in a while is fine. Besides, you’re so young, your metabolism is fast; you really don’t need to worry about this stuff."
While the two were chatting, Chen Yan walked into the shop, carrying two tripods and slinging two camera bags, one over each shoulder.
Lin Xu was somewhat surprised. The agreement was to start shooting at three in the afternoon.
Why has she come at this hour?
"Brother-in-law, I haven’t interrupted your lunch, have I?"
So, her insistence on not taking money yesterday was just so she could scrounge a meal today? This sister-in-law really doesn’t see herself as an outsider.
Pointing to the pot of poached eggs in sweet soup, he said, "My Senior Brother just made these. I’ve packed two for Little Yueyue. Would you like to try some?"
Shoving his relationship in my face the moment he sees me. Does he think I’m Pavlov’s dog?
Chen Yan grumbled internally, but that didn’t stop her from cheerfully scooping three poached eggs from the pot into a bowl, along with a generous amount of the sweet soup.
Well, even if I have to endure their lovey-dovey stuff, at least I should get a full stomach out of it!
She happily carried her bowl to the counter, eating and teasing Dundun, "Dundun, quickly call me ’Big Auntie’! If you do, I’ll give you a red envelope—a really, really big one!"
Dundun shot her a sidelong glance, his expression clearly saying, My mom told me not to play with idiots.
At 11:20, Shen Jiayue, who had been waiting restlessly in her office, finally received her lunch.
Inside was a large serving of rice, five chicken feet, the sweet and sour poached eggs she had been craving for so long, and a bowl of poached eggs in sweet soup.
Aww, Xu Bao understands me so well! He knew I was feeling down, so he prepared all these sweet things. Today is another day I love Xu Bao even more! But that silly guy still hasn’t confessed to me. He has no sense of occasion at all! Other people’s romances are so full of grand gestures, while mine is filled with oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar...
After a moment of reflection, Little Yueyue picked up a piece of the sweet and sour poached egg and placed it on top of her rice.
The aroma was delightful, and the sprinkled red chili rings looked very tempting.
She took a gentle bite. The outside was coated in a sauce that was sour, sweet, and slightly spicy—perfectly complementing the rice.
The surface of the egg was lightly crisped, offering a satisfying texture with each bite.
The egg white inside was tender and delicious; combined with the savory outer sauce, it was exceptionally tasty.
She took a mouthful of rice and then another bite of the egg. This time, she reached the yolk. Its slightly runny center added a creamy texture to the dish, making it even more delectable.
A few bites of the sweet and sour poached eggs, followed by a sip of the sweet soup, finally soothed the damage done by the millet porridge and mixed-grain flatbreads.
As she was happily enjoying her lunch, Tan Yajun, the chief auditor of Tianpeng Audit Firm, was sitting in an Audi sedan driven by his assistant Yuan Fei, heading to the Audit Bureau at the North Fourth Ring.
On behalf of the Audit Bureau, Tan Yajun was scheduled to provide professional training to three hundred auditors from across the country tomorrow. He had come today to check the venue and coordinate matters.
"Well, it’s almost 11:30. Let’s find a place to eat first," Tan Yajun glanced at his watch and said to Yuan Fei, who was driving.
Yuan Fei responded, "What would you like to eat, Chief Tan?"
The question actually stumped Tan Yajun. He asked, "I’m not too familiar with this area. Do you have any recommendations?"
Yuan Fei replied, "Actually, there is one. Shen Jiayue, the new intern at our Audit Bureau—her husband opened a restaurant nearby. We’ve tried it. The food is genuinely good, but you usually have to queue."
Shen Jiayue’s husband?
Tan Yajun was taken aback and asked incredulously, "Are you sure it’s Shen Jiayue’s husband? You’re not joking, are you?"
Didn’t my niece just graduate from college? The last time I saw Old Shen, he was still thinking of finding someone to arrange a match for her. How could she be married after just a few days?
"She said so herself. Besides, her husband sends her meals via a delivery service every day, and the aroma of those dishes has made us drool for ages."
Hearing this, Tan Yajun said, "Then let’s go to that restaurant."
He understood now. His grandniece must be dating someone and was calling him her ’husband’. But with her excellent family background, why would his grandniece be dating someone who runs a mere restaurant? Could she have been tricked by some young punk?
Tan Yajun and Shen Guofu had grown up together in the same large courtyard complex; their friendship spanned decades. At this moment, he couldn’t care less about lunch; he only wanted to check things out for Old Shen. And also to see if his grandniece was being deceived.
Soon, the car turned onto Yingchun Street.
After finding an empty parking spot, Yuan Fei led Tan Yajun to Lin Ji’s Food. There was already a line at the entrance, though it wasn’t very long.
A few minutes later, it was their turn to enter the restaurant.
After ordering, they moved to the dining area.
While Yuan Fei went to find empty seats, Tan Yajun glanced towards the kitchen.
When he saw Lin Xu, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him.
This young man... I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before!