Chapter 140: New Dish—Roast Duck
Originally, Wen Yao had only planned to invite Qiu Rongrong and Chef Chen to taste her roast duck and discuss a potential partnership. But because Wen Nong insisted on inviting his teacher too, the simple tasting turned into a full-blown roast duck banquet.
In addition to the roast duck, they had to prepare other dishes and wine. Luckily, Wen Yao was already well-practiced in hosting, and the new house had a large enough dining room to accommodate guests.
By evening, three carriages stopped at the gate of Wen Xiuyi’s home.
It was dinner time, and the villagers returning from their work in the fields paused in the distance. Seeing the three carriages outside the Wen household, they didn’t dare approach to gawk, but they whispered and speculated from afar.
No matter what the villagers thought, the Wen household was lively and bustling.
When Wen Nong had invited Dean Wu, the dean had originally planned to decline. But since Manager Qiu had come to pick up the children and suggested they go together, Dean Wu followed along.
Seeing the Wen family home, Dean Wu stroked his beard and nodded in approval. It seemed the family was quite well off—after all, not just anyone could afford to send three children to school at once.
Qiu Rongrong arrived with Xie Anyi in one carriage. In the following carriage, Chef Chen and Manager Lu stepped down.
All of them were men, with only Qiu Rongrong as the sole woman present.
But Qiu Rongrong showed no signs of discomfort. She greeted Doctor Jin and Manager Qiu politely and, upon learning that Dean Wu was her son’s teacher, greeted him with equal composure, showing no trace of awkwardness.
Manager Qiu smiled. “Boss Qiu, no need to be so formal. You and Yao Yao are like sisters, and I’m one of Yao Yao’s elders. If you don’t mind, you may call me Uncle like she does.”
He had addressed her as “Boss Qiu,” not “Madam Xie”—a title that nearly brought tears to Qiu Rongrong’s eyes. She managed to maintain her composure and curtsied with a smile. “Then I’ll thicken my skin and call you Uncle.”
Dean Wu also smiled as he stroked his beard. “I had only heard that Zui Xian Tower has been launching new dishes frequently, all of them exquisite. I didn’t expect the owner behind the scenes to be so young. Boss Qiu, you truly live up to the saying: ‘Women are no less capable than men.’”
Qiu Rongrong curtsied again. She was beginning to really like the title “Boss Qiu.” That “Madam Xie” business—let it go to the devil.
“You flatter me, sir. Truthfully, I should’ve invited you to dine at Zui Xian Tower myself, but Yao Yao beat me to it. Let’s enjoy her meal today, and I’ll host another time at the restaurant and bring out some of our best aged wine for everyone to enjoy.” Qiu Rongrong laughed heartily.
The others raised their brows. “Oh? Then we’re truly getting a bargain tonight. We won’t be polite, Boss Qiu.”
They all knew full well that if they treated Qiu Rongrong like some ordinary back-courtyard housewife, it would only make things awkward. It was better to speak and act straightforwardly—it made everyone feel more comfortable.
Manager Lu and Chef Chen had come to see the new dish. As soon as they arrived, Wen Yao led them to the backyard to inspect the roasting oven. Since this dish was for Zui Xian Tower, there was no need to hide anything from them.
After the pleasantries were finished, Old Madam Luo and her two daughters-in-law began setting the tables. Even Qiao Yan, who came with Qiu Rongrong, was sent to help.
When the food was served, the roast duck came out last. Chef Chen took a knife and carefully sliced the duck into thin, delicate pieces. His movements were slow but precise, worthy of a true chef. Wen Yao had only demonstrated once, but he had memorized it immediately.
Once the duck was sliced, Wen Yao personally demonstrated how to wrap and eat it.
Although unsure at first, Doctor Jin, Manager Qiu, Qiu Rongrong, and Dean Wu followed Wen Yao’s example and used the wrappers to make their own.
As soon as they took their first bites, their eyes lit up with surprise and delight.
The duck skin was a glistening reddish-golden hue, crispy yet lightly slicked with duck fat for an added smooth texture. Wrapped in a freshly made thin wrapper with scallion slivers and house-fermented bean paste, the whole thing came together in a burst of flavor. It was, simply put, a delight to the senses.
Compared to the composed adults, the children’s table was already in disarray.
“It’s so good! Sister Qiao Yan, make me another one!” Xie Anyi instinctively blurted out an order. But the moment the words left his mouth, he caught glances from both Jin Xiuyi and Wen Nong—glances that almost made him choke on the roast duck in his mouth.
Without a word, Xie Anyi immediately understood. He quickly waved Qiao Yan away, took the wrapper himself, and said, “Sister Qiao Yan, you should eat too. I’ll make my own.”
Wen Nong and Jin Xiuyi nodded with satisfaction. Seeing him struggle a bit, they even helped him out.
Qiu Rongrong watched this scene, her eyes growing slightly red, but she composed herself quickly.
She looked at the roast duck on the table. As much as she wanted to eat another, she held back, feeling it improper to indulge too much in front of so many elders. Swallowing her craving, she turned to Wen Yao.
“Yao Yao, what’s this dish called?”
Wen Yao stood upright and smiled. “This is called roast duck. After cleaning and preparing the duck, it’s marinated in a honey-based sauce, then roasted in the oven until the skin is crisp and the meat is tender. Before serving, it’s sliced into thin pieces and wrapped with our bean paste, scallions, cucumber slivers, and other garnishes. The bean paste is my grandmother’s secret recipe—one of a kind. Paired with our roast duck, it’s a match made in heaven. Like a weight and its counterbalance, they can’t be separated.”
The beginning was fine, but the ending had everyone laughing.
Old Madam Luo blinked, momentarily stunned by Wen Yao’s sudden mention of her. But then she realized the girl was cleverly promoting her bean paste.
This child… always thinking of ways to help the family earn money.
Qiu Rongrong played along perfectly, turning to Old Madam Luo with surprise. “So this paste was made by Grandma Wen? I thought Yao Yao had bought it somewhere. It’s even better than the one we use at the restaurant.”
Chef Chen dipped his chopsticks into the bean paste and tasted it. To him, it didn’t seem particularly different from their restaurant’s, but since the boss said so, he played along.
Old Madam Luo blushed. “I’m glad you enjoy it. It’s just country folk’s handiwork. If you’re used to the taste, that’s good enough for me.”
Doctor Jin smiled. “Sister-in-law, you’re being modest. This bean paste paired with the roast duck really is something special. Just as Yao Yao said—they complement each other perfectly.”
Dean Wu didn’t care one bit about appearances and ate four or five wraps before finally setting his chopsticks down. “Is this dish going to be Zui Xian Tower’s next featured item? If so, I’ll have to beg Boss Qiu for a favor. I’m afraid once it’s out, we won’t even be able to buy it.”
Wen Yao glanced at Dean Wu from the corner of her eye. Looks like he was a foodie too.
Qiu Rongrong covered her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled softly. “If the Dean wants to eat, just tell Anyi. I’ll have the kitchen make it specially for you. No need to fight the crowd.”
Dean Wu burst into hearty laughter. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony, Boss Qiu!”
At the children’s table, the Three Hopes, Jin Xiuyi, and Xie Anyi were all wide-eyed in disbelief. Was this really the strict, rule-wielding dean who always whacked palms with a rod at the academy?
