Arc 2: Part 10
Xiao Qingwan partially threatened, "Call the Imperial Physician, change maids, do whatever you like. After all, I've been very good to you. Look at other families, elder sisters often treat their younger sisters as servants. I didn't do that to you, did I?”
Tong Su tilted her head, "The maids in our residence all have their own tasks. If I select someone, won't there be a lacking hand somewhere else?"
Xiao Qingwan felt a lump form in her chest due to frustration, hard to swallow or spit out. She replied grudgingly, "Then I'll give you 20 liang (Chinese monetary unit) of silver, go find a broker and buy a maid yourself."
Tong Su smiled softly, "Elder sister is really good to me, but what should I do about their monthly wages, now that I have maids?"
Xiao Qingwan’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, "A maid’s monthly salary is just a small amount. Even if you hire three people, I'll give you ten liang of silver, it should be enough for their half-year wages, isn't it? Go to the kitchen with me now! And see what happens if you mess up again!"
Tong Su finally nodded in satisfaction, using the excuse of changing clothes to dismiss a displeased Xiao Qingwan with a cold smile.
Xiao Qingwan, who had been living good days for so long, the end of said good times might have arrived.
A quarter of an hour later, Tong Su and Xiao Qingwan, having changed into kitchen attire, arrived at the kitchen.
The kitchen was thoroughly cleaned with prepared ingredients lined up on the counter.
Tong Su looked around and began to contemplate. Xiao Lingchen suffered from anorexia, a neurotic eating disorder that leads to insufficient nutrient intake, resulting in physical weakness, susceptibility to illness, or overexhaustion.
Now in the early morning, Xiao Lingchen was about to wake up. Given his eating disorder, he should avoid stimulating food and opt for something light and nutritious.
Tong Su browsed through the recipes she remembered from the "God Chef Card" in her mind. She quickly decided on what she would make for breakfast and got right to work.
She cleaned the yam, peeled it, then sliced it into several alluring, thin, white pieces. She shaped them into cherry blossom petals by carving out a few small portions. Using chopsticks, she made a small hole in the center of each "petal", into which she inserted a Goji berry. She arranged these on a plate, sprinkled them with an appropriate amount of sugar, and then proceeded to steam them.
After the fragrance of the yam slices began to emerge, she took out the plate. She tore the Black Wood Fungus, which she had prepared earlier, into slender strips and arranged them on the plate to resemble tree branches.
Now, the plate displayed a full-bloom sakura flower made from the yam. The petals, now semi-translucent, were shimmering and clear, with the red Goji berries adorning them as stamens. The appealing fragrance wafted through the air, making it hard to resist.
Xiao Qingwan looked on coolly from the sidelines, and Tong Su suddenly asked her for the hawthorn sauce she had just prepared.
"You—" Xiao Qingwan froze, about to retort, "how dare you command me". However, she quickly realized that the person seen cooking by everyone else was regarded as "Xiao Qingwan".
The kitchen attire she had people sew intentionally concealed her identity. The idea initially was to ensure no one could tell the two of them apart. Yet it seemed it was backfiring now!
Although there was nobody in the kitchen at the moment - as she had sent the servants outside - those outside might not see them, but they could hear them. In their eyes, Xiao Qingwan was the one assisting and not the main cook.
"Damn it!"
Xiao Qingwan was irritated inwardly but had no choice but to obey Tong Su's orders. Her discontent was growing by the minute.
The hawthorn sauce Tong Su had prepared while steaming the yam was now spreading a sweet and sour aroma around.
Xiao Qingwan coated the marinated meat slices with flour and lightly fried them. She then fried them again with the hawthorn sauce, raising a fragrant aroma of sweet and sourness. She heard a rumbling noise from her stomach and looked up to see Tong Su adding a little salt before plating the dish.
"Why am I hungry so early today?"
Xiao Qingwan took a deep breath, inhaling the aroma. The hunger feeling in her stomach intensified. Confounded, she thought, "Xiao Bai Zhu has only ever made desserts, never meat before. Why did she break that rule today?"
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