Chapter 139: Your Guest, Your Call
Although the matter of raising ducks had been decided, the specifics of how to raise them, how many, and where to keep them still needed detailed planning. There was no rush.
Early the next morning, Wen Yao was once again squatting in front of the roasting oven, waiting for her duck to finish roasting.
Meanwhile, Old Madam Luo led her two daughters-in-law to help Wen Yao prepare the land in the back courtyard.
Glancing toward the corner, Old Madam Luo sighed. “That girl is really going all-in with these ducks.”
Lady Li kept working while laughing. “Mother, you didn’t hesitate at all when it came to pulling out money to buy ducks either.” In the end, wasn’t it the old lady who tacitly agreed and indulged her?
But Wen Yao really had skill. The ducks that came out of her oven—how could they be so delicious?
Old Madam Luo shot her a look of mock annoyance but didn’t deny it.
Finally, after Wen Yao roasted two more ducks, the third one came out, and the entire Wen family heard a loud cheer, followed by Wen Yao’s excited voice shouting, “Grandpa, Grandma! I got it! It worked!”
Everyone immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed to the roasting oven. They saw Wen Yao carefully lifting the duck out of the oven.
A rich, mouthwatering aroma wafted over them, making everyone involuntarily swallow their saliva. Even though they had just said yesterday that they were sick of duck, upon smelling that scent again, they couldn’t resist wanting a taste.
“Plate! Plate!” Wen Yao called out. Someone quickly brought over a plate, and the duck was placed on the table. The whole family gathered around.
“Golden brown,” Wen Xiuyi said as he poked the crispy skin with his chopsticks. “Crispy exterior. Yao Yao, you did it. This is the real deal.”
Wen Yao rubbed her hands together. “Dad, try it first.”
Under everyone’s eager gazes, Wen Xiuyi picked up a knife and sliced the duck into thin pieces, placing them on the plate.
“Everyone try it and see how it’s different from yesterday’s,” Wen Yao said, rubbing her hands in anticipation.
The others couldn’t wait. Each took a piece and tasted it. The moment it entered their mouths, the aroma exploded. The crispy skin was fragrant and crisp, and the meat was tender and flavorful—absolutely perfect.
“This is it!” Wen Xiuyi was the first to give Wen Yao a thumbs-up.
Old Man Wen ate two pieces in a row and sighed, “If only we had a little wine right now, this would be perfect.”
“In your dreams.” Old Madam Luo smacked him, then handed the chopsticks to Wen Yao. “You haven’t even had a bite yet after all this work. Try it.”
Wen Yao took a bite and was very pleased.
“Hold on,” she said, then ran off to the kitchen to get flour and began making thin wrappers.
“Grandma, can you shred some scallions?” she asked Old Madam Luo, who had followed her. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any cucumber.
Old Madam Luo, one foot just inside the kitchen, turned back around, went to the old house, fetched some large scallions, cleaned them, and sliced them thin.
The bean paste had been fermented by Old Madam Luo herself. When they moved houses, she brought over two jars for Wen Yao. Wen Yao hadn’t altered the recipe—she simply ground it into a fine paste and used that.
She had noticed that everything Old Madam Luo fermented with her hands, whether it was pickled vegetables or bean paste, tasted great. This paste might even become another stream of income—exclusive to them.
With all the condiments and ingredients ready, Wen Yao brought the wrappers to the table and taught everyone how to eat.
“Like this, then this, and like this,” she said while wrapping one and popping it straight into her mouth, mumbling, “Grandma’s paste is so good. With this roast duck, it’s just perfect.”
The others followed her example and found it tasted even better that way.
Old Madam Luo and her two daughters-in-law exchanged a glance, hearts completely set on raising ducks now. No matter how difficult it would be, they were going for it. Fortune favors the bold, not the timid.
The family, taking turns, quickly devoured the entire duck and the wrappers.
Burp. Old Man Wen let out a belch. “Yao Yao, are you planning to sell this duck at Zui Xian Tower too?”
Wen Yao nodded. “Mm.”
Old Man Wen thought for a moment, then asked, “So if we want to eat it ourselves in the future, do we have to go buy it at Zui Xian Tower?”
Old Madam Luo rolled her eyes without mercy and snapped, “The oven’s in the backyard, and Yao Yao’s right here. Zui Xian Tower this, Zui Xian Tower that. You really think you’re some noble master now? Why don’t you just move into the restaurant!”
Old Man Wen puffed up angrily. “You old woman…” She roasted him every day, hmph. It’s only because he was magnanimous that he didn’t argue.
The others pretended not to hear. After all, they were used to it. That was just how their parents got along. No matter what Old Madam Luo said or how sharp her tongue was, Old Man Wen never held a grudge. Sometimes, when she was sulking, he’d even provoke her on purpose just to coax her out of it.
“I need Sister Qiu and the chef from Zui Xian Tower to try it first,” Wen Yao said.
Lady Li immediately chimed in with praise, “You even need a tasting? Something this good—what was it called? Roast duck, right! Once that hits Zui Xian Tower, people’ll be lining up around the block!”
Just imagining roast duck being a hit at Zui Xian Tower made Lady Li feel like she could already see the day they were raising hundreds of ducks.
Her excitement was definitely real.
“Yao Yao, when will you invite Madam Xie over to try it?” Lady Li urged. She could hardly wait.
Wen Yao looked at the time. Just past noon. It was still early. She wasn’t sure if Sister Qiu was free to leave the house at this hour.
Her eyes turned, and she had an idea.
“I’ll write a note and have Wen Nong bring it to Xie Anyi tomorrow. He can pass it to Sister Qiu. With Doctor Jin and Uncle Qiu there, there’s no need to worry about Master Xie or the old madam refusing to let her out,” Wen Yao said.
The Wen family didn’t have a good impression of Xie Yushan and were a bit worried.
“Yao Yao, what if Master Xie decides to come with her? Wouldn’t he find out about your partnership with Madam Xie?”
Wen Yao wasn’t worried about that at all anymore.
“Don’t worry. I’ll have Wen Nong tell Xie Anyi clearly—we’re only inviting him and his mother. Master Xie won’t come.”
Seeing how confident she was, no one asked further.
That evening, Wen Yao roasted a special duck for the Three Hopes and Wen Jun and Wen Nong, then reminded Wen Nong about delivering the invitation to Xie Anyi and Madam Xie the next day.
Wen Nong patted his chest. “Sister, don’t worry! Xie Anyi is my good buddy now. I’ll definitely tell him.”
Wen Yao chuckled. “What’s this about being good buddies all of a sudden?”
Wen Nong tilted his head. “Didn’t you say we should get along?”
Wen Yao: …That wasn’t quite what she meant. She just didn’t want them to become enemies.
Oh well. Good buddies were better than good enemies.
“Then don’t forget to bring your other good buddy too,” Wen Yao said, poking Wen Nong on the nose.
Wen Nong grinned. “Can I bring the teacher too?”
Dean Wu? Sure. Might as well turn it into a whole roast duck banquet.
“Sure. Your guest, your call.”
