txolops Chapter 84 Wang Hai is Conquered
Chapter 84 Wang Hai is Conquered
In the living room, Wang Hai was sitting cross-legged on the playmat, holding a red plastic block in his hand, helping Tangtang to put it onto a "windmill" that was almost finished.
"Oh dear, Tangtang, why do the blades on your windmill keep falling off?"
Wang Hai carefully placed the building blocks on top, but with a "thud," the corner he had just built collapsed again.
Tangtang pouted, sighed, and used her little hands to gather the scattered building blocks in front of her.
"Uncle Fatty, you've gone astray."
Daddy said the windmill is very stable; it needs to be supported by square blocks underneath.
The little girl said.
"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. Uncle will find another square one."
Wang Hai chuckled as he rummaged through the building block basket.
In the kitchen, Lin Chen washed his hands and turned to open the refrigerator's crisper compartment door.
He took out a small unicorn melon that he had casually bought at the morning market.
The watermelon was in the refrigerator for more than an hour, and its surface was covered with a layer of cool air, which was refreshing without being too cold to upset the stomach.
Lin Chen placed the watermelon on the cutting board and picked up a clean knife.
"Click."
The knife cut through the watermelon rind, making a crisp cracking sound.
The bright red flesh is juicy and exudes an enticing sweetness.
Lin Chen swiftly cut the watermelon into evenly sized crescent-shaped pieces and neatly arranged them on a clean white porcelain plate.
Considering that Tangtang has a small mouth, Lin Chen specially cut one of the pieces thinner so that his daughter could hold it and eat it more easily.
He carried the fruit platter out of the kitchen, into the living room, and placed the platter on the coffee table.
"Don't build anything yet, have some watermelon to cool off."
Lin Chen said.
Wang Hai turned around at the sound and his eyes lit up when he saw the plate of freshly cut watermelon.
"You've come at the perfect time. I was feeling really parched after walking all this way."
Without any hesitation, Wang Hai reached out and grabbed a large piece, took a bite, and with a "crunch," the cool, sweet watermelon juice instantly quenched his thirst.
"Comfortable!"
Tangtang also put down her building blocks and ran to the coffee table.
"Thank you, Daddy!"
Lin Chen picked up the thinly sliced watermelon and handed it to his daughter.
"Eat slowly, don't drip the juice on your clothes."
Lin Chen pulled out a tissue and placed it under Tangtang's chin, instructing her, "You just finished eating ribs, this is enough to satisfy your craving."
Watermelon is cooling; eating too much will cause a stomachache.
"Okay!"
Tangtang nodded obediently, held the watermelon in both hands, and began to nibble at it like a little hamster.
After settling the two people in the living room, Lin Chen turned around and went back to the kitchen to prepare for the final step of pickling the radishes.
On the kitchen counter, the two bowls of chopped white radish pieces had undergone a noticeable change after being "washed" for more than half an hour.
A lot of water seeped out of the radish accumulated at the bottom of the pot, and the radish pieces themselves shrank in size, their originally firm texture becoming somewhat soft and wrinkled.
Lin Chen put on brand-new disposable gloves, reached into the basin with both hands, grabbed a large handful of radish pieces, and squeezed them hard.
The juice dripped into the sink through the gaps between his fingers.
Lin Chen put the radish chunks, which had been thoroughly squeezed dry, into the stainless steel bucket next to him that contained the sweet and sour sauce.
Repeatedly squeeze in batches.
Only by squeezing out as much water as possible from inside the radish can it, like a sponge, fully absorb the sweet, sour, and crisp marinade during the subsequent pickling process.
After transferring all the radish chunks, weighing over ten kilograms, Lin Chen dumped in the shredded ginger, garlic slices, and bright red chili rings that he had just cut.
He reached his hands into the large bucket and stirred it from the bottom up.
The sourness of white vinegar, the sweetness of white sugar, and the spiciness of millet peppers, ginger, and garlic blend together quickly as you stir.
The originally slightly wrinkled white radish pieces gradually developed a glossy sheen as they were soaked in the sauce.
After confirming that each piece of radish was coated with the sauce, Lin Chen tore off a piece of clean plastic wrap and sealed the opening of the stainless steel bucket tightly.
He opened the refrigerator door, made room, carefully placed the bucket inside, and closed the door.
The radish is cut into very small pieces and has been treated to remove excess water, so it won't take too long to cook.
In the low-temperature environment of the refrigerator, refrigerating for one or two hours is enough to let the flavors infuse, and the texture will become cool and crisp.
After finishing all this, Lin Chen washed his hands and went back to the living room.
Wang Hai had already finished three slices of watermelon and was wiping his hands with a tissue.
Tangtang finished her piece, obediently ran to the bathroom to wash her little hands with soap, and then ran back to the playmat to continue playing with her building blocks.
"Brother Chen, are you done with things in the kitchen?"
Wang Hai saw Lin Chen sit down on the single sofa and casually asked.
"Yes, the radish salad is ready and in the fridge."
Lin Chen picked up his water glass and took a sip.
"It's really getting hot today."
Wang Hai leaned back on the sofa and rubbed his stomach. "But Brother Chen, everyone will definitely be happy that you've prepared these free side dishes."
Our fried rice has a lot of repeat customers now. If we serve this side dish, business will definitely be booming tomorrow.
"Let business be good or bad, it will take its natural course."
Lin Chen said, "After doing business for a long time, what matters is that people feel your products are of good quality and that they can eat comfortably."
In summer, appetites are often poor, so a light and refreshing side dish can make eating more enjoyable, which is the best long-term solution.
"That's true."
Wang Haishen nodded, "You have to pay attention to these details when you're in the restaurant business."
The two chatted casually in the living room, their conversation ranging from the amount of goods to prepare for tomorrow to the prices of ingredients at the morning market next week.
Tangtang quietly built her blocks on the side, occasionally holding up a completed shape to show Lin Chen and Wang Hai.
Time slipped away quietly during our casual conversation, and before we knew it, more than an hour had passed.
The clock on the wall pointed to 3:30 p.m.
Lin Chen glanced at the time and thought it was about time.
By this time, the radish in the refrigerator should have absorbed the sauce and reached its optimal temperature.
He stood up and strode into the kitchen.
Lin Chen opened the refrigerator door and took out the stainless steel bucket sealed with plastic wrap, placing it on the stove.
The moment you tear off the plastic wrap.
A sweet, sour, and spicy aroma, mixed with cool, moist air, wafted out without any obstruction.
Compared to an hour ago, the aroma now has less of the pungent smell of white vinegar and more of a mellow and appetizing fragrance.
The radish chunks in the bucket have absorbed the juice and regained their plump and firm state. Their surface is crystal clear, and paired with bright red millet peppers and emerald green ginger shreds, they look very refreshing.
Lin Chen took a clean white porcelain bowl, used a slotted spoon to scoop out a dozen or so pickled radishes from the bucket, and finally poured a small spoonful of the juice from the bottom onto it.
He took two clean toothpicks, stuck them on the radish, and walked out of the kitchen with the small bowl in his hand.
"Hai Zi".
Lin Chen walked to the coffee table and placed the bowl of pickled radish, which was still slightly cool, on the coffee table in front of Wang Hai.
"It's flavorful enough, try it and see how it tastes."
The moment Wang Hai smelled the aroma, he immediately sat up straight on the sofa.
His eyes brightened slightly at that moment.
"This smells really appetizing."
Wang Hai swallowed hard and reached for a toothpick.
He picked up a piece of radish covered in red chili rings and put it directly into his mouth.
"Snap!"
The crisp sound of chewing suddenly rang out in the quiet living room.
Wang Hai's eyes widened slightly in an instant.
The first sensation is the cool touch of something chilled, which is very refreshing in the heat.
Immediately afterwards, the sweet taste of white sugar and the slight sourness of rice vinegar spread in the mouth.
What surprised Wang Hai the most was its taste.
Because it was blanched beforehand, the radish not only didn't taste raw or soft at all, but was incredibly crisp.
As you chew, the subtle spiciness of the millet chili and ginger emerges, refreshing and cleansing the palate.
After Wang Hai finished chewing one piece and swallowed it without saying a word, he immediately stuck out his toothpick and poked two or three more pieces into his mouth.
"Uncle Fatty, isn't Daddy's giant radish delicious?"
Tangtang put down the building blocks and came over.
"Delicious! Especially crispy!"
Wang Hai nodded in response as he chewed.
After eating four or five pieces, Wang Hai stopped.
He savored the lingering taste in his mouth and felt his previously groggy head clear up considerably.
He wiped his mouth, suddenly looked up at Lin Chen, and shouted excitedly, "Brother Chen!"
"If you put this on the fried rice tomorrow, those office workers will absolutely love it!"