Chapter 37: Braised Chicken

Closing the door to the small courtyard, shutting out the complex gazes and whispers of the Siheyuan, Li Mingyuan let out a long breath.

"Yuzhu," Li Mingyuan handed a chicken to He Yuzhu, "don't you want to learn Cooking? Today I will teach you how to slaughter a chicken and cook, consider it your first lesson."

He Yuzhu took the chicken, his eyes shining with excitement, "Really? Uncle Li, can you cook too?"

"A little." Li Mingyuan smiled and took a kitchen knife from the kitchen, "First, I'll teach you how to slaughter a chicken."

He Yushui also curiously crowded over, "Uncle, I want to learn too!"

"Fine, you watch too." Li Mingyuan nodded and began to teach earnestly, "To slaughter a chicken, you must first secure it, then quickly sever the main artery in its neck; this way, the chicken won't suffer too much, and the blood can be drained cleanly."

Li Mingyuan demonstrated with skilled movements, while He Yuzhu watched intently, nodding repeatedly.

"Don't pour out the chicken blood; we'll make Chicken Blood Tofu in a moment." Li Mingyuan instructed, "Next is plucking the feathers; after scalding it with boiling water, the feathers are easy to pull out."

Step by step, Li Mingyuan explained every procedure in detail, from slaughtering, plucking, and removing the innards to the final chopping; He Yuzhu studied earnestly the whole time, his eyes full of a thirst for knowledge.

"Today I am teaching you to make Braised Chicken, a famous dish that is excellent in color, aroma, and taste." Li Mingyuan said, taking various seasonings from the cabinet, "The key lies in the heat control and the ratio of seasonings."

"Braised Chicken?" He Yuzhu repeated skeptically, "I've never heard of this dish."

"This is a specialty dish from my hometown," Li Mingyuan explained, "The ingredients are very simple: soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and scallions; the most important thing is the heat control."

Li Mingyuan first placed the chicken pieces into the pot to sear until golden brown, then added the seasonings and a small amount of water, covering the pot to braise. The aroma soon permeated the small courtyard.

"Smell this fragrance; the heat is eighty percent there." Li Mingyuan lifted the lid and gently stirred the chicken pieces, "Finally, add a little sugar to enhance the freshness and remove the gamey smell."

He Yuzhu leaned close to the edge of the pot, took a deep breath, and his eyes brightened astonishingly, "It's so fragrant! This... this taste..."

Li Mingyuan smiled and handed him a spoon, "Have a taste."

He Yuzhu tasted it cautiously, and his eyes widened immediately, "It's delicious! It's fragrant and tender, salty with a hint of sweetness, and there's an indescribable aroma!"

Li Mingyuan nodded, "This is the importance of heat control and seasoning ratios. Cooking is not just a technique; it is an art."

The aroma of the Braised Chicken soon drifted out of the small courtyard and permeated the entire Siheyuan.

The children of the Yan family and the Liu family smelled the fragrance and couldn't help but run outside the hanging flower gate to peek, their mouths almost watering.

"Look, Li Mingyuan is cooking chicken!" Yan Yancheng lowered his voice, sniffing hard, "So fragrant!"

Liu Guangtian swallowed hard, "This aroma is even more fragrant than the restaurant last time!"

Several children crowded at the entrance, watching the busy figures of Li Mingyuan and He Yuzhu with longing, all of them drooling.

Returning to their respective homes, they all clamored to eat meat.

"Dad, I want to eat chicken!" Yan Yancheng shouted as soon as he entered the door.

Yan Bugui frowned, "Eat what chicken? Do you think our family is the national treasury?"

"But Uncle Li Mingyuan is eating chicken, it smells so good!" Yan Yancheng said aggrievedly.

Yan Bugui heard this and rolled his eyes, "Fine, Dad will buy you meat tomorrow, but I'll have to deduct half a year of your pocket money."

The two brothers' expressions changed drastically upon hearing this, and they shook their heads quickly, "Never mind, we won't eat it."

On the Liu family's side, the situation was worse.

As soon as Liu Guangtian suggested wanting to eat meat, he was slapped on the back of the head by Liu Haizhong.

"Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating!" Liu Haizhong lost his temper, "Do you think our family is as rich as Li Mingyuan? A mere worker at the Rolling Mill, what airs is he putting on!"

Liu Guangtian covered his head, not daring to make another sound.

The more Liu Haizhong thought about it, the angrier he became, kicking the table hard, "What kind of world is this, why can he, Li Mingyuan, eat meat every day?"

At dinnertime, the Braised Chicken was already done, and the aroma was overflowing.

He Yuzhu excitedly set the bowls and chopsticks, and He Yushui helped serve the dishes and pour water, her face beaming with a happy smile.

"Don't be in such a rush to eat," Li Mingyuan said with a smile, "I also stir-fried some green vegetables; a balance of meat and vegetables is healthy."

Just then, a knock came from outside.

He Yuzhu opened the door to see that it was Yi Zhonghai.

"Uncle Zhonghai," He Yuzhu was somewhat surprised, "Is something the matter?"

Yi Zhonghai smiled, sniffing hard, "Oh my, this aroma, I could smell it from far away. Just came to see how you siblings are living."

Li Mingyuan walked out of the kitchen, glanced at Yi Zhonghai, and understood everything in his heart.

Yi Zhonghai rubbed his hands together, looking around the courtyard while pretending to ask with concern,

"Chief Engineer Li, have these two children caused you any trouble?"

"No, they are very sensible." Li Mingyuan answered briefly.

Yi Zhonghai walked to the table, looking at the plate of steaming Braised Chicken, his eyes fixed, "Oh my, this dish is cooked so beautifully, it smells so good!"

Li Mingyuan smiled, "It's Braised Chicken, just finished; I was just about to teach He Yuzhu how to cook."

"Oh my, it's so fragrant!" Yi Zhonghai exclaimed, then changed the subject, "The old lady hasn't had much of an appetite today; if she smells this aroma, maybe she'll be able to eat a bit more. How about..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was obvious. Li Mingyuan looked at the He siblings; the two children lowered their heads, their expressions somewhat disappointed.

"Master Yi," Li Mingyuan interrupted directly, his tone calm, "This meal is prepared for the He siblings; they haven't had meat in a long time."

Yi Zhonghai's expression stiffened, but he quickly put on an understanding smile, "Of course, of course, I was just saying."

He turned to Long Laotai and raised his voice, "Old lady, let's go back!"

Long Laotai pretended not to hear and continued to herself, "This chicken meat is the most suitable for the elderly to eat, soft and tender..."

Yi Zhonghai took the opportunity to chime in, "That's right, the old lady is getting on in years, and eating is always a difficulty. Chief Engineer Li, look..."

Li Mingyuan saw through Yi Zhonghai's intentions and felt disdain in his heart, but remained calm on the surface,

"Long Laotai is indeed getting on in years, she really should have more nourishment."

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up, thinking Li Mingyuan was going to agree to share, but he didn't expect Li Mingyuan to change the subject.

"However, I put a lot of ginger and chili in this Braised Chicken, I'm afraid the old lady won't be able to eat it."

Yi Zhonghai's smile froze on his face, and Long Laotai also frowned.

"Chief Engineer Li," Yi Zhonghai's tone became somewhat serious, "respecting the old and cherishing the young is our traditional virtue. The old lady is of high moral standing and prestige, and is the most respected elder in the Siheyuan. You acting like this..."

"Master Yi," Li Mingyuan interrupted him, his gaze sharp, "you are right, respecting the old is indeed a virtue. However, respecting the old must come from a sincere heart, not just for show."

Yi Zhonghai was taken aback, "Chief Engineer Li, what do you mean?"