Divorced woman with child travels through time

Having made up her mind, Chen Wenfang started cooking. Shi Tou brought the kids into the kitchen as well. Fortunately, the kitchen was quite large and had a special small stove, so they all came in handy.

Chef Wang, as expected of a master chef, certainly has some skills. His worktable was piled high with chopped vegetables and sliced ​​meats, neatly arranged in bowls. The kitchen was filled with enticing aromas—the fragrance of various meats combined with the spiciness of chili peppers. Even with the windows open, the aromas continued to waft out. Chef Wang, dressed in a pristine white chef's uniform with a black overcoat underneath, bustled about. The uniform was specially made by Chen Wenfang; fearing that wearing all white would be mistaken for mourning clothes, she had even altered the hat to be black.

Seeing the broth hanging in the pot, Chen Wenfang grabbed a grass carp and prepared to slice it. Chef Wang quickly said, "Let me do it!"

Chen Wenfang let him slice the fish, after all, he was a professional. Chef Wang was indeed skilled, slicing the fish into long, white, uniform pieces of the same size and thickness. While watching Chen Wenfang cook, he would also take the time to help out.

Chen Wenfang didn't hide anything from him, and while cooking, she also explained, "Chef Wang, these are all my personal recipes, some of my favorite dishes. If you'd like, you can take a look, and we'll have a few more dishes in our restaurant later."

"Of course I'm willing, thank you so much, boss." Chef Wang replied hastily. This Madam Chen is such a kind person, she doesn't hold back at all. Which chef wouldn't kick someone out if they were cooking? She's teaching openly and honestly.

"The key to this boiled fish is to make sure the fish fillets are thoroughly cleaned. After removing the blood, squeeze out all the water from the fish meat, then marinate it with salt and pepper, and finally thicken it with cornstarch. This way, the fish fillets won't taste fishy." Chen Wenfang taught as she demonstrated, explaining carefully without any worries, after all, Chef Wang had signed a five-year contract.

Soon, a delicious and visually appealing dish of boiled fish fillets, with its bright red color and jade-white flesh, was ready. Chen Wenfang then poured hot oil over it, and a fragrant and spicy aroma instantly filled the kitchen. The children nearby swallowed hard. Chen Wenfang tasted the fish and found it to be delicate and chewy, with a delicious broth. She thought it was well done. Chen Wenfang then asked Chef Wang to make a portion for the children to try as a sample, which would be served to the guests later.

Boiled fish fillets are the quickest dish to make, as the side dishes are all readily available. Once Chen Wenfang finished cooking, she had Uncle Liu Hai carry it through the lobby to the upstairs. People around looked at the red oil and white meat, which looked very appealing, and asked, "Madam Chen, what kind of dish is this?"

As Chen Wenfang walked, she smiled and said, "This is a private dish, boiled fish fillets, for Young Master Ouyang. It's a bit spicy and a little pricey, but it's very delicious. Would Mr. Li like a bowl?"

"How much is a bowl? It looks a bit spicy!" said the portly Mr. Li, his eyes glued to the dish.

"This costs 188 coins per serving," Chen Wenfang said with a smile. "If Mr. Li would like to eat it, he can order it and have the kitchen make it for him."

"One hundred and eighty-eight coins? That's too expensive. I'll take one." Li Langjun said magnanimously.

"Alright, Camellia, tell the person behind you that you thank Mr. Li. Mr. Li is such a generous person. Please enjoy your meal." Chen Wenfang said with a smile, gracefully going upstairs.

Li Langjun watched Chen Wenfang's back from behind, never expecting that this Chen lady was also a beauty.

Wang Erniu watched from the side, secretly rolling his eyes at Li Langjun. "This is my wife. You'll all know in a few days." Thinking of the wedding, he couldn't help but suppress the upward corners of his mouth, giving Chen Wenfang, who had turned around, a deep look before turning back to continue his work.

Chen Wenfang knocked on the door. Inside, they were having a lively conversation that could be heard outside. It turned out that several people had opened the window and were huddled together listening to the storyteller downstairs recounting the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The main reason they were telling the story was because Chen Wenfang liked it.

As Chen Wenfang entered, she smiled and said, "Young Master Ouyang, please try this boiled fish fillet I made for you!"

“Okay, bring it up. I’ve been wanting to eat Chen Niangzi’s cooking. The stir-fried pork with chili peppers you made last time was especially delicious.” Ouyang Jin said with a smile, and then said to his friends next to him, “Eat up, the food is sure to be good.”

As soon as Uncle Liu Hai placed the basin on the table, the bright red chilies floating on top stunned the group of friends. One of them, a handsome and refined young man, asked, "Brother Jin, are you sure this is edible?"

Another child, slightly shorter and with a chubby face like a little white bun, boldly pointed with his chopsticks and said, "This white thing looks like fish meat. It should be edible, right?"

Ouyang Jin laughed and said, "We can definitely eat it, but don't eat the chili peppers. Let's eat the fish instead."

The little boy quickly put a piece of fish in his bowl, took a bite, and said, "Not bad, not very spicy, delicious, but there are bones!" He then spat out a fish bone.

Ouyang Jin grinned, showing his bright white teeth, and said, "I told you it would be delicious!"

Another young man, wearing a jade crown and dressed in rather noble clothes, said, "Then you guys eat, I can't eat this." After saying that, he picked up a golden bean and put it in his mouth, took a sip of tea and said, "I still think this tea suits my taste. Take two catties with me when you leave."

"I want two jin too! This tea is clean, there are no dregs when you drink it, I like it!" Little Baozi said.

"Then I'll bring two jin for my old man to try," the refined young man said slowly and deliberately.

"Thank you, gentlemen. I'll pack it up for you later." Chen Wenfang thought to himself, thankfully, the day after the tea was roasted, everyone agreed that it tasted good. He even asked Chu Yi to order another 500 catties of fresh tea. It seems that tea can become a selling point for Chen's Tea House in the future.

Chen Wenfang wanted to make the guests feel at home. She figured the young master probably couldn't eat spicy food, so she went downstairs and made him some garlic ribs. Well, when she passed by the lobby, Li Langjun saw it and ordered another serving.

When Li Langjun's dishes were served, everyone who saw them thought they looked delicious and ordered an extra portion. Soon, everyone who saw the dishes ordered some, and the kitchen had enough food. Uncle Liu Hai asked Chunlan to tell Wang Erniu to take over temporarily on the first day of the lunar new year, and he went out to order more meat and vegetables to be delivered.

Unexpectedly, business was booming today. Chen Wenfang felt that this was no longer a teahouse and should be renamed Chen's Restaurant. Chen Wenfang didn't have time to take care of the children, so she asked Aunt Liu to steam a pot of buns. Chef Wang took some time to cook a few dishes for the children. Aunt Liu also took some time to cook a few dishes for Uncle Di and the others who were working in the back.

After dinner, Shi Tou and Shi Wu obediently watched the fire by the stove. Chen Wenfang, worried that they would be bored, found a basket of chestnuts and sweet potatoes for them to help roast. The two of them diligently tended the fire, but Xiao Ahao and Chen Xuanyu couldn't sit still and slipped out to play again. They played in the backyard, just as they had in the morning. Business was so booming that no one paid much attention.