Chapter 218 - 144: Gossip Can’t Wait
Zhou Yan ate the small fried fish with a grin. They were fried perfectly—even the heads were crispy. The batter was light and fluffy with a hint of egg, and you didn’t have to worry about bones. They were well-seasoned and wonderfully fragrant.
Grandma picked up one of the larger fish and took a bite. She savored it, pursing her lips to spit out the tiny bones one by one. Looking at Zhou Yan, she said, "Mhm, this larger fish you cooked is perfectly numbing, spicy, and savory. The meat is so tender, and there isn’t a hint of fishiness. It’s sour and spicy, and the pickled vegetable flavor is wonderful. After we’re done, tell me the recipe. I want to try making fish this way next time."
Zhou Yan smiled. "Grandma, just take some of my pickled greens and peppers home with you later. I guarantee your fish will turn out sour, spicy, and full of flavor."
"Sounds good," Grandma nodded.
Mrs. Zhao picked up one of the larger fish. She ran her chopsticks along its belly, and a piece of flesh came right off. She dipped it in the sauce before putting it in her mouth.
The sour and spicy taste made the fish’s freshness stand out. The meat was so tender it practically melted in her mouth.
It was just that there were a lot of small bones. With a flick of her tongue, she separated them all and remarked casually, "The flavor is really good. It’s a bit different from that braised carp you made last time, but these little fish have so many bones. It’s a little inconvenient to eat."
Zhou Yan, who was also eating one of the larger fish, had noticed the same problem.
The meat was exceptionally tender, but with so many small bones, it wasn’t quite as enjoyable to eat. He chuckled, "Looks like this recipe is better suited for bigger fish with fewer bones."
Grandma spoke up. "Next time, you should fry the fish before you stew it. That way, the small bones will get crispy. When you stew it afterward, you can just crunch them up. It won’t be as tender, but it’ll still be fragrant."
Zhou Yan nodded, mentally filing away the advice to try next time.
Mrs. Zhao smiled. "Just eat slowly to deal with the bones. The flavor is wonderful, and it’s perfect with rice. I bet this sauce would be heavenly poured over a bowl of rice."
"Exactly. Zhou Yan really has a knack for cooking fish. That Huo Xiang Carp from last time was absolutely perfect," Zhou Weiguo chimed in, already scooping himself a second bowl of rice.
The family talked and laughed as they polished off all four pounds of fish, even mixing the last of the sauce with their rice until nothing was left.
"Grandma, do you remember Wang Yu and his fiancée, Miss Qiu?" After dinner, Grandma sat on a bamboo chair by the door. Zhou Yan brought a small stool over, sat down beside her, and asked with a smile.
"Miss Qiu..." Grandma thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "I remember now. Miss Qiu was so beautiful. She wore a black qipao and had such a lovely figure. I saw her once in Suji. Later, when I went to Jiazhou to deliver braised meat to Huang Silang, I happened to be there for her wedding. She married that... that..."
"The young master of the Duan Family," Zhou Yan finished with a smile.
"That’s right." Grandma clapped her hands, a nostalgic look on her face. "Getting married back then, in a convertible car... Half of Jiazhou City came out to watch. Imagine how grand that was!"
Suddenly, as if realizing something, she turned to Zhou Yan. "The Qiu Qi and Duan Xingbang you asked me about the other day—that wasn’t Miss Qiu and Young Master Duan, was it?"
"That’s right." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. "And that poor Fourth Young Master Wang you mentioned, Wang Yu? He goes by Wang Ran now. He’s retired and works as a librarian at the Suji Town library. He’s still in good health. He said that when he has a free day, he wants to come to Zhou Village to see you and thank you and Grandpa for saving his life back then."
"Oh, what is there to thank me for? He was defending his country. All I did was a small thing to make sure a hero wasn’t wronged and left disheartened. It was the right thing to do." Grandma waved her hand dismissively, then leaned forward slightly, her face alight with curiosity. She lowered her voice. "So, the Mrs. Qiu who’s been waiting... she’s been waiting for Wang Yu? How are they now? Have they reconnected? Are they rekindling their old flame?"
The thanks were unnecessary.
But the gossip couldn’t wait.