C21 The Charm of the Hotpot
Yang Zhiming was well aware that now was not the time for nitpicking.
Confronted with an array of hotpot broth in the kitchen, he decided to tidy them up first and then consider his next move.
After the recent commotion, he glanced at the clock and realized it was still early. Maybe it felt like an eternity because being a dice was such a tormenting experience.
He swiftly organized all the hotpot seasonings, pondering what he could create with them.
Luckily, the robust flavor of the hotpot broth was so overpowering that it could infuse anything with its taste.
Currently, Yang Zhiming's business was focused on selling roast chicken. He believed that relying solely on roast chicken would make it tough to expand his business later on, so he boldly decided to experiment.
Yang Zhiming had impressive knife skills. He started by deboning a whole chicken, then chopped the thighs into generous chunks. He heated the pan, poured in some cold oil, and began stir-frying the chicken pieces.
Next, he added a packet of hotpot broth to the mix, followed by the chicken, and brought it to a boil with cold water.
His movements were seamless, as though he had practiced them countless times.
Once he had completed the process, Yang Zhiming was somewhat astonished; he had never made chicken hotpot before.
He mused to himself, could this be an unexpected perk of some 'golden touch'? It was indeed a delightful surprise.
The aroma of the chicken hotpot slowly filled the kitchen.
Engrossed in his work, Yang Zhiming hadn't noticed the scent spreading. He was wholeheartedly dedicated to his craft.
Gold Tooth and his crew were the first to make their way to the kitchen.
Having finished their dinner and with no mischief to get into, they were restless and looking for ways to stave off boredom in their room.
They played a hand of cards for a while but still found it unsatisfying.
Suddenly, one of Gold Tooth's underlings remarked, "Boss, do you smell that? It's incredibly fragrant. I've never encountered such an aroma before."
Gold Tooth sniffed the air and confirmed, "There's definitely a delicious scent, like that of food. This game's dull anyway, so let's go check it out."
The subordinates naturally sided with their leader. Without bothering to tidy up first, they opened the door and began to track down the tantalizing aroma.
Eventually, they found themselves standing at the kitchen door, the source of the enticing scent. One of them wondered aloud, "Could Mr. Yang be in there developing something new?"
Another was skeptical, "I doubt it. Bai Lang just came to our room looking for Mr. Yang, right? She said she didn't find him in the kitchen."
Gold Tooth chimed in, "What's with all the dithering? Just open the door and take a look. Besides, Bai Lang's update was an hour ago. Mr. Yang might have returned to the kitchen by now."
Impulsive by nature, one of the subordinates pushed the door open and ushered Gold Tooth inside.
Inside, Gold Tooth saw Yang Zhiming busy cooking something in an unusual pot. He recognized the chicken meat typically used for roasting but couldn't identify the dish. Curious, he inquired, "Mr. Yang, what new culinary creation are you working on now? You've got all of us drooling in anticipation."
The others chimed in with agreement, "Absolutely, we could smell the deliciousness all the way to our room. We've lost all interest in gaming and just had to come to find the source of that aroma."
Yang Zhiming wasn't upset by the sudden intrusion. The chicken hotpot he had just finished was, in fact, ready for taste testers.
He slid the freshly made chicken hotpot towards Gold Tooth and offered, "You must be hungry after dinner. Why not try my latest creation, the chicken hotpot? It's a delicacy from Earth."
Initially hesitant to ask Mr. Yang, Gold Tooth's interest was piqued upon hearing it was an Earth dish. He eagerly grabbed some chopsticks, picked up a piece of chicken, and took a bite. His face contorted after two chews, but just as Yang Zhiming feared a negative reaction, Gold Tooth's eyes sparkled. After a couple more chews, he swallowed the chicken with apparent satisfaction.
Gold Tooth's sidekick was even more eager than Yang Zhiming himself, and upon seeing Gold Tooth gulp down the food, he quickly inquired, "Big brother, how's this dish? How does it compare to the roast chicken?"
Without a moment to spare for questions, Gold Tooth grabbed a few more pieces of chicken and stuffed them into his mouth. After finishing, he licked his lips and exclaimed, "This chicken's got a kick to it, but it's not like capsaicine. It's the kind of spicy that keeps you coming back for more. It's addictive. You all should try it right away."
Realizing that now was not the time for modesty, Gold Tooth's sidekick eagerly picked up his chopsticks and began sampling the dish.
After eating, they all shared Gold Tooth's sentiment; a spicy flavor lingered in their mouths, yet the spicier it got, the more they craved it.
While enjoying the meal, Gold Tooth turned to Yang Zhiming and asked, "Mr. Yang, you mentioned this is a delicacy from Earth, what's it called? And why is it so spicy yet so tasty?"
Observing their reactions, Yang Zhiming was confident that the chicken hotpot was a success.
He picked up a piece of chicken and posed a question to Gold Tooth, "Do you notice anything unique about this chicken?"
Gold Tooth scrutinized the chicken intently but couldn't spot any flaws. To him, it seemed identical to the chicken used for roasting, leaving him puzzled by Yang Zhiming's inquiry.
Yang Zhiming wasn't one for unnecessary secrecy. He returned the chicken to the hotpot and revealed, "Well, I can tell you that this is indeed the same chicken used for roasting. The secret to this dish's deliciousness lies in the hotpot broth."
Upon hearing this, Gold Tooth was about to ladle some broth to taste, but Yang Zhiming quickly intervened, "Gold Tooth, I wouldn't advise that. You've already experienced the chicken's spiciness. If you were to drink the broth straight, you might end up with a stomachache tonight, and that discomfort could keep you awake. Instead, why not dip the chicken into the broth and savor the flavor that way?"
After hearing what had been said, Gold Tooth was shaken with a sense of relief. He had just had a taste of the fiery spice in the chicken hotpot. Had Yang Zhiming not intervened, a single bite more might have meant a sleepless night for him.
He quickly cast an appreciative glance at Yang Zhiming, then set aside his spoon. Carefully, he picked up a tiny piece of chicken and dipped it into the hotpot broth. Even though he only skimmed a bit of the broth, the heat of the capsaicine was a mix of pleasure and pain.
As he ate, Gold Tooth mused to himself, "Mr. Yang really does have an array of exquisite dishes. Without tagging along with him, I'd miss out on Earth's culinary delights."
Gold Tooth's associate piped up, "Mr. Yang, this chicken is incredibly tasty. Does it have a special story behind it?"