Quick Transmigration: Not My Story

Chapter 9 The Cook Mistress（part 8）

After eating and resting for a short while, everyone felt particularly energetic as they resumed their journey in the afternoon. The three burly men originally planned to overtake the five carriages ahead and return to the capital first. However, as the saying goes, "You owe a favor when you take someone's hand, and you feel obliged when you eat someone's food." Since they had already enjoyed a meal from this group, they decided it wouldn’t hurt to escort them for a while longer and part ways at the next intersection. Thus, they continued trailing behind the convoy.

Shopkeeper Lin still seemed unwell, occasionally coughing, which frequently drew the attention of the handsome man. However, a bamboo curtain blocked his view, preventing him from seeing anything inside the carriage.

After traveling for over an hour, one of his subordinates, named Luo Tietou, hiccupped as he leaned toward the man and whispered, "Boss, when are we stopping for camp? I'm hungry."

The man merely glanced at him indifferently without replying. Another subordinate, Zhao Liu, teased, "You just had lunch not long ago. How are you hungry again?"

"The hiccups smell too good. The more I smell them, the hungrier I get," Luo Tietou grumbled. No sooner had he spoken than he hiccupped again, filling his mouth with the rich aroma of cured meat. It was said that food digested in the stomach would start to rot within fifteen minutes, making burps smell unpleasant. However, the dish Shopkeeper Lin had prepared was different—its strong fragrance lingered even after two hours, clinging to their mouths, stomachs, hair, and clothes, making it impossible to ignore.

In truth, Zhao Liu was also feeling hungry. He couldn’t help but glance at their leader.

"Keep moving. Stop talking nonsense," the man said expressionlessly.

The two subordinates exchanged glances and sighed in unison.

Another hour passed, and as the sun neared the horizon, they rode ahead of the convoy and loudly suggested, "There's a spacious valley here where we can set up camp and rest. If we continue forward, it’ll be dense forest all the way, full of wild beasts—very dangerous."

"We'll rest here for the night, then," said a young servant named Xiaozhu, who wasn’t entirely ungrateful. He quickly ordered the coachmen to stop the carriages.

"What’s for dinner?" Luo Tietou impatiently asked before the carriages even came to a full stop.

"What does it have to do with you?" Xiaozhu puffed out his cheeks in annoyance.

"Well," Zhao Liu chuckled as he stepped out from behind, "we could have ridden ahead, but we escorted you all this way instead. Sharing dinner with you doesn’t seem unreasonable, does it?"

Xiaozhu was about to snap back at them when a hoarse yet gentle voice drifted from the carriage, "Thank you, brothers, for guarding us along the way. Inviting you to dinner is only right—how could it be too much?" With that, Shopkeeper Lin stepped down from the carriage, carefully wrapping her headscarf to keep her long hair from flowing freely.

"Then we humbly accept, Shopkeeper Lin," Zhao Liu and Luo Tietou immediately laughed. This shopkeeper was truly courteous, making people feel at ease in her presence.

The handsome man also cupped his hands respectfully. "Many thanks, Shopkeeper Lin."

"No need to be so formal," Lin Dan replied with a smile. "It's best not to eat too much at dinner, nor should the flavors be too strong, as it could upset the stomach. How about some simple rolled pancakes?"

"That works just fine. Thank you for the trouble," the handsome man agreed without hesitation. His two subordinates, however, looked slightly disappointed. They had been eating steamed buns for days and were thoroughly sick of them. Pancakes and buns were both flour-based, tasting quite similar. They would have much preferred to continue eating cured meat. Still, their leader had already agreed, so they dared not voice any complaints.

Lin Dan gave them a slight nod before taking two young servant girls into the forest to pick wild vegetables. A spring rain had recently fallen, leaving the soil damp, and various wild greens sprouted lushly across the hills. Meanwhile, three other servants stayed behind to fetch water, chop firewood, build stoves, and start fires.

The two burly men initially planned to lie down and rest, playing the role of idle bystanders. However, a single sharp glance from their leader made them scramble to their feet and begrudgingly help with the chores.

A short while later, Lin Dan and the two servant girls returned, each carrying a basket overflowing with fresh greens—bamboo shoots, mustard greens, mushrooms, Chinese toon, and more.

The three servants had set up two stoves, each holding a large pot of boiling water bubbling away. Lin Dan instructed the girls to wash the vegetables while she retrieved a bag of brown cubes from the carriage.

"What are those?" Luo Tietou leaned in curiously.

"This is smoked tofu, a specialty from Bashu. It's made using the same smoking method as cured meat, giving it a rich and savory flavor," Lin Dan explained.

Luo Tietou picked up a small cube and sniffed it. Sure enough, it had a smoky, meaty aroma with a hint of soy, making for a unique and appetizing scent.

"You've been to Bashu?" The usually reserved handsome man unexpectedly spoke up. "The roads there are treacherous."

"‘The roads of Shu are harder to climb than the blue sky itself,’" Lin Dan chuckled. "But once you've braved those rugged paths, you’ll find that Bashu is a land like no other—beautiful mountains, clear waters, kind people, and, most importantly, incredible food."

To her, any place with delicious cuisine was a paradise, making Bashu a true land of plenty.

The handsome man nodded, a rare hint of a smile appearing in his usually cold eyes. "The food in Bashu is indeed remarkable."

"Looks like you're a food lover too," Lin Dan teased as she rolled up her sleeves and began preparing the ingredients. She chopped the blanched bamboo shoots, the parboiled mustard greens, the mushrooms, and the smoked tofu into small pieces, setting them aside. Meanwhile, the two servant girls kneaded the dough, occasionally asking Lin Dan if they had added enough water.

"Add a little more water. The dough is too thick; if we cook it like this, the pancakes won't be thin or delicate enough, affecting the texture." Lin Dan instructed the two young maids as they kneaded the dough. Then she took out a sealed jar of lard that had been stored through the winter to stir-fry the diced vegetables.

As the lard melted in the pan, it sizzled and crackled, releasing a rich aroma that made everyone swallow their saliva involuntarily.

"Damn, why does this lard smell so good?" Luo Tietou sniffed the air and asked.

Lin Dan stirred the melting lard with a spatula and said warmly, "When refined properly, lard naturally smells fragrant. I add water when rendering lard to prevent the fat from scorching and becoming bitter. It also makes the lard whiter and thicker. When storing it in a jar, I mix in a spoonful of sugar and a few Sichuan peppercorns per pound of lard to prevent it from going rancid. This way, it can last for four to five months without a problem."

While she spoke, the oil had already heated up. Lin Dan successively added diced bamboo shoots, dried tofu, mushrooms, and mustard greens, stirring them evenly with her spatula before sprinkling in sesame seeds and salt.

"We had heavy flavors for lunch, so we’ll keep it light for dinner." She said slowly, "There are three types of 'Three Fresh' dishes—land three fresh, water three fresh, and tree three fresh. The dish we're making now is the 'Spring Three Fresh.' Bamboo shoots, mustard greens, and mushrooms are all top-tier fresh ingredients. Just a quick stir-fry with lard and salt is enough to make them delicious. Do you know what flavors define each season?" She turned to look at the two young maids, Peony and Azalea.

Peony and Azalea scratched their heads and grinned sheepishly. They were too busy drooling to think about anything else.

Lin Dan continued stirring the diced vegetables and said gently, "Spring is all about 'freshness.' It's the season of renewal, where everything is new and fresh. Even the air, filled with the scent of blooming flowers, smells fresh, doesn't it?"

"Fresh!" The two maids beamed and nodded, then asked, "What about summer?"

"Summer is about 'coolness.' The hotter the weather, the more refreshing the food should be to keep the stomach comfortable. A sweet bowl of mung bean porridge with a few slices of mint jelly in the morning; at noon, a cool bowl of noodles dressed with spicy red chili oil, crisp cucumber shreds, and scallions; in the evening, a sip of chilled wine with a few cold appetizers, followed by a bowl of sour plum soup at night. A whole day passes by refreshingly and pleasantly. Isn't that delightful?"

The two girls licked their lips and eagerly asked, "What about autumn?"

Lin Dan transferred the cooked vegetables into a clay bowl and continued, "Autumn is about 'nourishment.' In the morning, a bowl of peanut and barley porridge to replenish blood and energy; at noon, a slow-cooked pot of old hen stew with dried chestnuts—the nutty sweetness of the chestnuts blending with the savory chicken makes the flavor linger long after eating; in the evening, slices of ripe pumpkin steamed with fermented black beans, a sweetness that can seep into your dreams. Autumn is the time to eat richly and replenish the energy lost from summer’s labor, preparing for the cold winter ahead."

"Oh! So that's what 'storing up for winter' means!" The two maids suddenly understood. Then they asked, "What about winter?"

"Winter is about 'warmth.'" Lin Dan placed five small flat-bottomed pans over the fire, rubbed the bottoms with a piece of fatty pork, and carefully poured in the batter. With a flick of her wrist, a thin pancake formed in just a couple of breaths. Then, she flipped the pan over a clean clay bowl, and the delicate, white pancake slid out effortlessly, stacking neatly on top of the others.

Her hands moved skillfully, rotating through the five pans, wiping them with fat, pouring batter, and flipping pancakes in a seamless rhythm. In just a short time, dozens of pancakes were ready, all uniform in size and thickness.

As she worked, she continued, "Winter is bitterly cold, so the food we eat must be warm and comforting. During the New Year, families gather around to make dumplings together, chatting and laughing. When the freshly boiled dumplings are scooped from the bubbling water, eating one while it's still hot warms not just the stomach but also the heart. Fried meatballs, braised pork trotters, and steamed shad fish—each dish steaming with heat, filling the room with mouthwatering aromas…."

Thinking of such scenes, Lin Dan couldn't help but smile.

By now, the two young maids had already run off, covering their mouths to prevent their drool from dripping into the food.

Three strong men had unknowingly gathered around, listening to Lin Dan talk while watching her cook. Not only was she an incredible cook, but the way she spoke about food was mesmerizing. Every word painted a picture of flavors and aromas, making them feel as though they had already feasted, leaving them strangely satisfied—though, of course, even hungrier.

The tall, handsome man watched Lin Dan for a long time, his gaze flickering with complex emotions. But when Lin Dan looked back at him, he quickly lowered his head, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Before long, the pancakes were ready. Lin Dan washed and chopped some wild scallions, then brought out several small dishes filled with homemade sauces—sweet chili sauce, garlic sauce, spicy bean paste—and called out, "Alright, time to eat!"

A cheer erupted as everyone scrambled to grab food. The soft, palm-sized pancakes wrapped around the vegetable filling, and as soon as they bit into them, a burst of rich flavors filled their mouths. The bamboo shoots were crisp, the dried tofu was soft and savory, and the juices from the mustard greens and mushrooms soaked into the slightly sweet pancake skin, creating a perfectly balanced taste. For those who wanted extra flavor, they could add wild scallions and a dab of sauce—salty, umami, sweet, spicy—each bite unfolding a medley of flavors, as if the whole essence of spring was wrapped inside.

The three strong men froze after taking a bite, then quickly stuffed the rest into their mouths and reached for another. And another. The ladle scooping the vegetable filling never stopped moving as they devoured the food like a storm sweeping through the land.