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Chapter 561: Chapter 363 Jiang Ning, We Want~
"If it were winter, meals at Xue Yuantong’s house typically happened in the kitchen, taking advantage of the lingering warmth from the stove, a cozy family dinner atmosphere.
During the summer, they moved the dining table to the main hall at the doorway, which not only allowed them to appreciate the view of the fields but also to enjoy the cool breeze passing through, making it exceptionally comfortable and pleasant.
Accompanied by mouthwatering dishes, Jiang Ning was fine as he often ate the meals cooked by Xue Yuantong. Though stunning, he still savored each bite methodically.
However, his cousin Jiang Junlong devoured his food ravenously.
Shen Qing’e was no better. Encountering the rare delicacies, a girl’s fighting spirit over food was certainly not inferior to that of boys.
They truly relished their meal to the fullest.
Especially the tomato black fish fillets, the tender slices of fish combined with delicious tomato sauce, were simply unforgettable. Jiang Junlong even ladled some sauce over his rice, mixed it, and then enjoyed it with the fish.
Shen Qing’e, being a bit smarter, noticed that while the fish was good, it paled in comparison to the tomatoes. She had never tasted such irresistibly sweet and tangy tomatoes.
Since Xue Yuantong was a chef, she knew the uniqueness of the tomatoes, so she asked, "Jiang Ning, where did you buy these tomatoes?"
Hearing this, Shen Qing’e also looked over with interest.
These tomatoes were excellent varieties sourced by Shao Shuangshuang as arranged by Jiang Ning, who then cultivated them using spirit fields irrigated by the stream infused with Spiritual Energy.
This was just the first generation. With several more generations of cultivation, the flavor of the tomatoes could significantly improve.
He admitted, "I grew them myself."
Xue Yuantong was the first to disbelieve, poking at her porcelain spoon, "Nonsense, you’re just fooling me!"
He even rents his house from his own family, where would he have space to grow vegetables?
Unable to pry any information from him, Xue Yuantong didn’t press further. Previously, the delicious watermelons and the rice used for cooking were also mysteriously sourced by Jiang Ning.
Unfortunately, the quantity was very limited, allowing only for occasional enjoyment, much to Xue Yuantong’s regret.
Jiang Ning smiled, noting the cultivation was experimental. Most of the precious spirit fields were used for growing alchemic medicinal materials and cultivating spirit wood and spirit bamboo.
Moreover, having limited ingredients had its perks. Even if one had delicacies every day, they would become routine, but an occasional feast made it much more treasurable.
Hearing their conversation, Shen Qing’e didn’t catch any useful information.
Having greatly enjoyed his meal, Jiang Junlong finally set down his chopsticks and gulped down a bowl of sweet green bean soup, openly stating:
"It’s so delicious, much better than my parents’ cooking. Not to boast, but this culinary skill could definitely qualify for a top restaurant chef!"
His family had started with a restaurant. His parents were skilled cooks, yet today’s dishes far surpassed theirs.
Xue Yuantong boasted, "My mother is a head chef at Changqing Liquid."
Hearing this, Shen Qing’e felt secretly envious.
The pay packages at Changqing Liquid Company, as everyone in Yuzhou knew, were excellent. Even a humble chef could easily afford to buy a house in the urban area.
How wonderful it would be if her parents worked at Changqing Liquid?
Shen Qing’e then tried some spicy fried chicken. The surface of the chicken was crispy from frying, yet the meat inside remained extremely tender.
Living at her sister’s, she might not be skilled in cooking, but she had enough exposure to discern professionalism.
Without exaggerating, based on Xue Yuantong’s culinary skills, she could live well in the future even without relying on academia.
As they enjoyed the summer and the foods, they chatted about their observations, ranging from delicious dishes to fishing and then sports competitions.
The conversation shifted, and Jiang Junlong lamented, "Only students from the Qingbei Class could participate in this research trip."
Yu Zhou Second Middle School was distinct in its hierarchy, and although Jiang Junlong was seen as a student of the experimental class, the Qingbei Class was an overbearing presence above him, monopolizing many excellent resources that he couldn’t access.
Listening to this, Xue Yuantong said, "Chuchu went on the research study and she even sent me photos!"
Chuchu sent many pictures of Jiangnan-style architecture and people they met along the way.
Xue Yuantong planned to have Chuchu come over to the river dam next week to share her experiences, as it was Chuchu’s first trip.
"Chuchu, do you know Xue Chuchu?" Jiang Junlong asked.
"Yeah, she often comes over to play with me," Xue Yuantong replied.
After contemplating for a moment, Jiang Junlong realized, "No wonder you both have the surname Xue. She performs really well, ranking top twenty in our school."
"Getting into those two universities might be a stretch, but she could easily pick any other institutions."
The students of Second Middle School had a broad horizon. While other high school freshmen elsewhere might still be in confusion, those at Second Middle School were possibly already gearing up for college entrance exams and various competitions.
Xue Yuantong felt modest about it, noting, "Chuchu’s grades are okay, she’s much more diligent than me."
Suddenly, Shen Qing’e added, "No matter how good her grades are, they can’t compare to yours."
Jiang Junlong had originally thought she was just skilled in cooking, but he now suddenly realized something unbelievable, "You are the Xue Yuantong from Fourth Middle School?"
Xue Yuantong confirmed, "Exactly, that’s me."
...
After finishing their meal, Jiang Junlong and Shen Qing’e played video games in Jiang Ning’s room until past four in the afternoon.
Though he had planned to stay for dinner at his cousin’s, his ###
Replace colons with commas for punctuation in dialogues.
Change all the present tense to past tense, except for words in double quotes.
Use the following tips when translating:
- Literary genre: Contemporary fiction
- Language style: Descriptive, narrative
- Tone: Warm, communal, casual
- Plot keywords: Family meals, cooking skills, camaraderie, seasonal changes, traditional lifestyle
- Replace the Chinese name with the corresponding English name: 姜君龙 => Jiang Junlong
沈青娥 => Shen Qing’e
神识 => Divine Sense
姜宁 => Jiang Ning
薛元桐 => Xue Yuantong
禹州 => Yuzhou
丹药 => Elixir Pills
禹州二中 => Yu Zhou Second Middle School
炼丹 => Alchemy
灵气 => Spiritual Energy
邵双双 => Shao Shuangshuang
四中 => Fourth Middle School
君龙 => Junlong
青娥 => Qing E
长青液 => Evergreen Liquid
青液 => green liquid
薛楚楚 => Xue Chuchu
元桐 => Yuantong
长青液公司 => Changqing Liquid Company
河坝 => river dam
灵田 => spirit field
薛元桐家 => Xue Yuantong’s house
二中 => Second Middle School
楚楚 => Chuchu
清北班 => Qingbei Class
上 => yes
禹州人 => Yu Zhou people
宁 => Ning
清北 => Qingbei
青液公司 => Green Liquid Company
炼丹药材 => Alchemy Medicinal Materials
玉雕 => Jade carving
江南 => Jiangnan
灵竹 => Spirit Bamboo
灵木 => Spirit Wood
楚楚研学 => Chuchu Research
桐 => Tong
市区 => urban area
刻 => second
南 => Nan
平房 => bungalow
双双 => Shuangshuang
田野 => field
