Chapter 58: The Flower's Color Moves People and Delights Them with Words

  Zuo Xirong asked in surprise, and when she was most surprised, something even more surprising came. Lei Dapeng, who was sitting next to her father, seemed to be commenting: "This dish is played with knife work and flower arrangement, the flower rack is set up, but the taste is not enough."

  At this point, Zuo Xiurong smiled again. Talking too much will lead to slips of the tongue. If he said that, then this foodie's foundation was not enough, and he must have never eaten it before. He smiled and looked at his father, as if there was a deep meaning in this smile.

  Zuo Nanxia didn't mind what Lei Dapeng said, and smiled: "Dapeng, not everyone's taste is as good as yours... It's said that this dish was created based on the Empress Dowager Cixi's childhood playground and favorite recipes. Only local ingredients from Luoyang were used, so it can't be found anywhere else except in Luoyang City. This time, the Ritz-Carlton hotel has also put in a lot of effort... Thanks to Xi Rong!"

  Zuo Nanxia smiled and said, his sister Zuo Xiyin also took the opportunity to thank her sister. The old man changed the subject and asked Lei Dapeng, who was already tasting the dish: "Dapeng, can you tell me about this dish, Thirteen Flowers of the Empress?"

  "It's hard to say, this thing is not common... Hmm, this is chrysanthemum and cowpea, this is chicken heart peony flower, this is sesame sauce waist flower, this is yellow flower mixed with cold skin... What's that egg brother?"

  Lei Dapeng pointed to a dish with alternating green and red colors, asking. Shan Yong smiled and said: "Chunye hong can si, and that one is liuxu chui huahua. Each dish has flowers on it, even if there are no edible flower ingredients, the knife work makes up for it."

  It's indeed beautiful, the colorful dishes on the six plates are already eye-catching. But what Xī Huì Yǐng likes most is the two vegetarian dishes that Xiāo Yǒng explained earlier. The green and tender shoots of the Chinese toon tree, the red and moist noodles made from the root of the Chinese angelica plant, the light green willow catkins, and the white flowers of the pagoda tree are all arranged in a visually appealing way. The noodles and the leaves of the Chinese toon tree are shaped like a red flower with green leaves, while the willow catkins and the pagoda tree flowers are piled up to resemble a lotus flower emerging from the water. They look so beautiful that it's almost a shame to disturb their shape by eating them.

  As they spoke, Zuo Xiurong invited everyone to take their chopsticks and specially reminded her sister to serve the dishes. However, unexpectedly, Shan Yong took a step ahead and served his sister first, seemingly knowing something too. He glanced at Shan Yong several times, then smiled inexplicably once again.

  Xie Xie said softly, Zuo Xiying carefully held the fresh green willow catkins, but her father was talking to Si Mu Xian about the origin of wild vegetables and medicine. When he glanced at Shuang Yong again, he was staring straight at him, Zuo Xiying didn't eat anymore, pretending to put down her chopsticks, getting angry. Shuang Yong quickly turned his face to one side, but when he did, he secretly glanced at her again, Zuo Xiying smiled slyly, just pretending.

  Listening to his father say that the rural flavor has become the mainstream of today's gourmet food, Zuo Xiying listened with interest, and took a small bite of the willow catkin. The initial taste was slightly bitter, but after swallowing, it left a fragrant aftertaste. Shan Yong whispered, "If you don't eat three, you won't know the three flavors." He encouraged Zuo Xiying to try another one, and she slowly nodded her head, savoring the fresh and tender willow catkin. At this time, Shan Yong didn't have the heart to appreciate the food anymore, but instead looked at Zuo Xiying's red lips and white teeth as she carefully took a small bite, smiling from time to time. Women who like light and elegant vegetarian food are often gentle in nature, and this dish was particularly suited to Zuo Xiying's personality.

  Not everyone is comfortable with delicious food, at least Lei Ge isn't. He tried a few bites and put down his chopsticks, preferring hearty flavors. He really can't stand this bland dish that's as tasteless as a bird's droppings. Putting down his chopsticks, he smiled and said to Da Peng: "Having a love for good food isn't a bad thing, but you have to avoid the side effects of it. It doesn't necessarily mean that only big fish, meat, tonic or rare things can be called delicious food. Vegetarian dishes make up a considerable part of fine cuisine."

  This should be a reminder for Leida Peng to pay attention to his figure, as he never holds back from eating and the side effects are quite obvious. He chuckled and patted his bulging belly, which was almost touching the edge of the table, and said: "Old man, if you can't enjoy good food yourself, what's the point of calling it delicious?"

  "Hmm? That makes sense. Xianan's eyes lit up, and he was unexpectedly convinced by Lei Dapeng. He smiled and nodded: "That's right. The saying 'the best tea is the one that suits your taste' also applies to fine cuisine."

  As they spoke, he glanced at Shanyong with great interest, only to find that Shanyong had also put down his chopsticks. Zuo Nanxia asked again: "What's wrong, Shanyong? Doesn't it meet your expectations either?"

  "Left Lao, this is just an appetizer, the good stuff is yet to come, I have to save my stomach," Shan Yong said with a smile. Upon hearing this, Zuo Xiurong seemed to be interested as well and casually asked: "Shan Yong, I've heard from my dad and little sister that you're quite connoisseur when it comes to food... how's the Thirteen Flowers dish?"

  "Of course, ordinary restaurants don't have such craftsmanship and material selection. The willow catkins and Toona leaves are not in season, and it's not easy to preserve them so well, not just anyone can do this." Shuang Yu said. The so-called willow catkins used as an ingredient refer to the flower buds of the willow tree when it regains its green color, which cannot be eaten after they turn white. To preserve them until now is something that only some large hotels with advanced preservation equipment can accomplish. With a hint of flattery in his words, Zuo Xiurong smiled and asked: "Six flowers have bloomed, but the remaining flowers may not all be about craftsmanship."

  It seems that Zuo Nanxia was also infected by his father, a foodie. When Zuo Xirong asked him, he smiled and said: "You can ask others about other things, but if you want to know the specialties of Ranzhou, I should be the one to tell you."

  "There are also Empress Bean Flower Chicken, Lotus Steamed Soft-shelled Turtle, Pearl-braised Pork Ribs with Chrysanthemum, Snowflake Braised Sea Cucumber, Pumpkin and Lily Bulb again, plus a dish of Winter Melon Stewed with Cauliflower... All the ingredients used are local to Lanzhou. Each dish has flowers in it, and each flower has its own story..." Zhan Yong explained in detail, Xi Huiying listened intently, and chimed in with a question: "It seems like something is still missing."

  Yes, it's different. The last one is Ziyuan Flower, and the left one is Xianan Flower. Xianan smiled and left the explanation to Shanyong. Shanyong said: "The last one is Ziyuan Flower Decoction, which has become a legendary recipe. Originally, there was a special ginseng called Ziyuan Ginseng produced in Lushan area, but it's now extinct. Not only Ziyuan Ginseng is extinct, but also the flower is hard to find."

  "What is dihua?" Zuo Xiying asked, very curious.

  "It's a type of fungi that grows in damp places after rain, we locals call it 'di er' or 'di hua', usually dark brown in color, but the specialty of Lanzhou is blue-green in color, very rare. It only appears during the first spring rain every year." said Danyong.

  The two daughters of the Zuo family were astonished by this secret, a simple dish that could be talked about so much. Not only that, but Zuo Nanxia smiled as if to commend, adding: "This has many names, such as di ruan, di mu er, di pi cai, di qian, yan yi, etc., but the most pleasant one is called tian xian cai. In 'Ben Cao Gang Mu', it's called di ta hu, in 'Yang Sheng Lu' it's called di ta cai, and in 'Ye Cai Bo Lu' there's a poetic name, ge xian mi. It's widely distributed around the world, but what's special about Lushan is that it presents a blue-green color, so it's rare. It was included in the thirteen flowers of the Empress Dowager, becoming the final dish, unfortunately, the zi tuan shen has also become extinct, and this dish will probably become a thing of the past."

  This remark, with a hint of regret that an old gourmet couldn't taste the delicious food, made the two daughters smile. Zuo Xiurong smiled and pointed at Shan Yong, saying to her sister: "See, Xiying, Dad has finally found someone who shares his tastes."

  Everyone at the table laughed, and after three cups of wine, the hot dishes were served. I heard that it's so mysterious, Lei Dapeng also paid attention to it, but when it came up again, even the six flowers mentioned by Shang Yong, each one was not elegant, stewed chicken, turtle, lotus root, sea cucumber and his disliked pumpkin chrysanthemum, winter melon chrysanthemum, took a piece of braised pork knuckle and tasted it, sighing: "Egg brother, it's not as mysterious as you said? It's just like this. A bit better than other places, but not as delicious as our roasted sparrows."

  "That's not necessarily true, Da Peng. There are sparrows in here." Zuo Nan was excited and teased Da Peng, who glanced at the bean flower chicken and said, "Sparrows this big?"

  Everyone burst out laughing, and even Simu Xian was not quite clear about the mystery behind it. Shan Yong swallowed a mouthful of vegetable flower and pointed at the bean flower chicken: "Don't you guys notice that there's no bean flower in the bean flower chicken?"

  "Ah, yes! This is too much, big restaurants love to cheat people." Le Dapeng realized.

  Zuo Xirong now saw clearly that these few brothers could eat and would eat separately, smiling with his eyes cast towards Shan Yong, among the three, this was a genuine foodie.

  "Just listen, Shan Yong laughed and said: 'The wonder is inside, if there's no trick, it wouldn't be called the Empress Dowager's Thirteen Flowers'."

  Inside! ？When Zuo Xiying arrived, the chopsticks were lightly pulled out, and with a flip, his eyes suddenly lit up. Lei Dapeng also came over to take a look and exclaimed in surprise: "Wow? The pigeon is well done!"

  There is a small pigeon in the belly of the chicken, this skill is difficult.

  "Go further in." Zhanyong said with a smile.

  Further inside, there were indeed two small sparrows in the pigeon's belly, still maintaining their original shape after being braised. Li Xueying's eyes sparkled with surprise as she exclaimed: "Wow, there really are sparrows!"

  "Hmm, interesting... Egg Brother's level is much higher than yours." Lei Dapeng praised without hesitation, and Simu Xian also became interested, asking aloud: "What about Dou Hua?"

  "Go further in." Yu Rong smiled but didn't speak.

  Zuo Xiying's interest was even higher, carefully picking up the chopsticks to open the sparrow, suddenly it was bright and clear, only in the belly of the sparrow was the bean flower, wrapped layer by layer with braised sauce, the bean flower absorbed the flavors of several birds, but I don't know what delicious shape it would become. Smiling, she scooped half a spoonful into a bowl and handed it to her father across the table: "Dad, you try it first, this flavor must be very good."

  "Of course, everyone try some, this is the essence of bean flower chicken. In the past, it was a dish made by imperial chefs." Zuo Nanxia smiled and each person at the table took a small scoop, originally not much, just enough to taste, but the flavor was really good, the richness of the sauce, the fragrance of the poultry meat, the mixed flavor, was a flavor that made the taster feel lost in thought.

  Why? This fragrance is no more, just this small mouthful.

  Lei Dapeng also tasted this flavor, originally the bean flower was hard to enter the taste, but it's even harder to eat out the stewed chicken, pigeon and sparrow's flavor, unfortunately, there were too few, not enough to fill the gaps between teeth, fortunately, Zinan took care of this greedy one and gave a whole big pigeon for Dapeng to taste.

  This meal is getting better and better, slowly opening up the conversation, Zuo Xiurong's words are also increasing, listening to Father's delicious stories, occasionally one of the three brothers inserts a joke, always making everyone laugh, and when they heard about the process of getting acquainted, Lei Dapeng suddenly revealed that we met you earlier than Shanyou, at that time, I was hiding in the bushes watching you steal fish, this made Professor Zuo very surprised, even Zuo Xiuying, who didn't talk much, smiled with joy.

  "Huh? Just then, Shanyong's nose twitched, his whole body shook, and he sat up straight, his expression stern. With this look, it was clear that Egg Brother's sensitive nose had caught a scent that interested him. Lei Dapeng and Simu Xian quickly looked towards the door, where another dish was coming in. Just now, it seemed like they said that Zi Tuan Shen and Di Hua were hard to find. Looking at Zuo Nanxia again, Old Man Zuo smiled and said: "Hard to find doesn't mean can't be found."

  This is indeed a difficult task for ordinary people, but with the status of the Left Family, it's not hard to gather some rare ingredients. With a flicker, the soup bowl was placed on the table, and it was a clear light purple soup color, slightly different from before, there were blue-green, several clusters of intact shapes, resembling flower-like... Shuang Yong's eyes widened in surprise, subconsciously saying:

  "Flowers without roots, flowers without leaves... earth flowers."

  Startled at the same time, saw the two flavors that had been extinct, and Zhanyou Zhen was a little surprised.

  "Savor it, this is the best of the earth's treasures... Only clusters of blue-green earth ears can be called earth flowers. Hehe, don't be surprised, but now the purple ginseng might be hard to find. However, coincidentally, when I returned to my hometown in the 70s, I bought one for only 30 yuan... Hehe, when I took it out, all the big chefs here were stunned. Perhaps after we've tasted this Purple Ginseng and Earth Flower Soup, it will become a lost dish forever."

  On the left, Nan Xia said with a smile, and his childlike excitement infected the whole scene. The waiter who wanted to scoop the soup was refused, and everyone scooped their own soup, carefully distinguishing the color of the soup in their bowls. It was indeed the legendary green with purple. Upon closer inspection, the purple seemed to be naturally formed; taking a deep sniff, the fragrance was so rich that it went straight into the lungs, almost making one want to open up all the pores on their body. The clear purple broth floated with blue-green lotus flowers, like some kind of mysterious hint, and the whole scene fell silent, everyone savoring this final dish in rapt attention.

  Lei Dapeng swallowed a small bowl, and his eyes lit up, his neck straightened, and the hot soup seemed to be more refreshing than a large piece of milk tofu. He savored it for a few mouthfuls, then scooped another bowl. Simu Xian tasted it with a spoon, and in an instant, her face turned solemn. The flavor was so good that it overshadowed all the other dishes on the table, including the bean flower chicken. The purple ginseng soup was smooth and delicious, with a hint of sweetness and fragrance that lingered in the mouth. It was so comfortable that it made one want to sigh with satisfaction.

  Shan Yong didn't make a sound, carefully sipping the soup and chewing on the land flower, couldn't help but think of the taste of their first kiss, that inexplicable beauty. He glanced at Zuo Shi Jie beside him, who was also sipping her soup with relish, her moist red lips glistening with an enticing glow in the lamplight. Shan Yong suddenly felt a wave of melancholy wash over his heart, as if it was that irretrievable feeling again.

  Everything that has reached its peak will have a hint of regret, it's been a long time since we last spoke, and perhaps our hearts still hold the irretrievable regrets.

  Until the purple soup gradually became shallow, and the last bit was scooped away by Lei Dapeng. Zuo Nanxia and her eldest daughter had already put down their bowls and chopsticks early on, smiling as they watched everyone else, seemingly enjoying the joy and shock that this delicious dish brought to everyone. At least that self-proclaimed non-vegetarian drank the most, and was left speechless.

  "How is it, Dapeng? Is vegetarian food not as good as non-vegetarian food?" Zuo Nanxia asked with interest, looking at Lei Dapeng who had just put down his bowl. Lei Dapeng nodded repeatedly: "Hmm, delicious, really makes one's heart itch. But what to do if we can't drink it again in the future?"

  This unusual praise made people laugh and ask: "Shan Yong, how about it? Can you catch up with the golden hall we asked for?"

  "No way to compare, this is a grand feast, what we had was just our own makeshift dishes." Danyong felt a bit embarrassed, in the face of absolute culinary skills and craftsmanship, his own three-legged cat's tricks were not worthy of being on the same stage. At least the knife work was several streets apart. But unexpectedly, Zuonan encouraged him, saying: "It's okay, if I had to evaluate, the two are evenly matched. The Kayla Hotel excels in its exquisite craftsmanship, while your method is rough but effective. The stone pot stewed turtle and the piled fire roasted fish, that nostalgic charm is unbeatable! Xirong, when you have time, I'll take you to try it at Huanma Village."

  Zuo Xirong smiled and replied, "This meal is almost over." The eldest daughter advised her father not to drink too much. When they got up from their seats, Old Zuo was in high spirits, having drunk a bit more. His poetic inspiration was stirred, and he just said, "Throughout history, all heroes have been lonely." Lei Dapeng quickly responded with, "Only foodies leave their names behind." Then, he chuckled foolishly and said to Zuo Nanxia, "Old man, we really are kindred spirits! When we got drunk at Xiangmazi Village, we shouted the same thing."

  The two daughters were amused, laughing so hard that they were shaking all over. Without any reserve, they leaned on Lei Dapeng and Shan Yong's shoulders, jokingly offering to send them back. The three of them couldn't resist, and after persuading them for a while, they first sent Old Zuo back to his room. They helped Old Zuo into the house and made sure he was asleep. The two sisters then escorted the three men downstairs, calling out for a car to take the guests away. Shan Yong tried to flirt with them several times, but unexpectedly, the two sisters were very close together, and even at the hotel entrance, he couldn't find an opportunity. As they got into the car, they looked back reluctantly, seeing that their teacher's sister was still smiling so elegantly and refreshingly, waving goodbye.

  This time, brother, how melancholy it is. There's no chance to strike up a conversation alone. Getting on the bus and seeing Teacher Sister's fleeting figure, let Dan Yong have many more thoughts.

  Lei Dapeng is going home, and he sends him off first. Turning back, Si Muxian and Shan Yong are returning to school instead. As they get off the bus near their school, Shan Yong lets out a sigh of frustration. Si Muxian seems to have guessed what's on his mind and asks with a smile: "Old big brother, maybe Zuo Xiying doesn't necessarily have that kind of intention towards you, don't get yourself trapped in your own thoughts."

  "It seems like you guessed it. Cut." Shanyong was unhappy, hummed his nose, turned around and walked away, kicking his legs boredly. The empty university road, the time was already late, there were not many pedestrians, Simu Xian followed behind, and carefully asked Shanyong: "Boss, don't blame me for speaking too much, some things you shouldn't think too beautifully about it, I think Old Zuo invited us, maybe with a bit of 'wine meets old friends, food meets soulmates' meaning, but not to the extent that he would give his daughter to you just because of a meal? I reckon, perhaps he accidentally saw the video of us playing the suona at the wedding and suddenly had the idea, otherwise, he wouldn't have thought of inviting us..."

  Without saying a word, he walked a few more steps before Simu Xian lowered his voice and asked, "Tell me again, does our branch secretary really have a thing for you? You've all been hiding in the haystack, can't just abandon him as soon as Miss comes along?"

  One stop, Shan Yong was staring at Si Mu Xian with a slanted gaze, thinking that the boss was about to blow up, but unexpectedly Shan Yong burst out laughing and put his arm around his younger brother's shoulder, walking and saying: "Actually, two people are the same, for me, one is the moon in the mirror, and the other is the flower in the water."

  "It can't be, yet you're still infatuated like this. Don't think I don't see it," said Si Mu Xian.

  "I'm infatuated with many women, more than the number of dishes at a banquet. These women are like different flavors... Ah, that's why men have the universal disease of being lustful. Haven't you noticed? For example, Wang Huating and Zuo Xiyun are two completely different types. One is strong and one is gentle; one is virtuous and one is flirtatious; one is as tender as water and one is as passionate as fire... It's like putting the Purple Ginseng and Golden Money Soup together with the Red Braised Abalone, they're equally tempting to people's appetite." said Shan Yongdao, evaluating very seriously.

  Si Mu Xian chuckled and scolded, "Stop spouting that nonsense about beautiful women and delicious food! Lei Ge's ambition was always simple: to eat his way around the world. Since you started brainwashing him, he added four more words to his ambition: to conquer the globe daily."

  Shan Yong burst out laughing and said that Lei Da Peng didn't make a fool of himself today, and his performance was quite good. The conversation started again, and the two of them evaluated the delicious food they had tasted today, of course, the most exquisite one was still that bowl of Zi Shen Di Hua Tang. Shan Yong sighed, "Good food is hard to come by, beautiful women are even harder to meet," and naturally, he put beautiful women and good food together again. Si Mu Xian smiled and pulled back the conversation, asking: "Boss, you just said it yourself, one is a moon in the mirror, the other is a flower in the water, what else do you have to worry about?"

  "This isn't hard to understand, is it? For example, this big dish, before you taste it, you must first hear its name, observe its color, appreciate its shape, and smell its aroma. Compared to the few seconds of tasting it, which one do you think intoxicates you more?" asked Dan Yong.

  "Hmm, this is indeed a somewhat philosophical thing. Simu Xian thought for a moment and said: "It should be the process, yes, it's the process. Compared to this intoxicating process, the result doesn't matter anymore. Once you swallow it, the feeling passes, and everything becomes the same."

  "Right, the process is more important than the result. Actually, I'm clearer-headed than you think, and I clearly know that neither of them should be my type, but I still can't help liking them, just like being enchanted by that legendary delicious dish. Even if I couldn't taste it, thinking about it isn't a bad thing, is it?" Shanyong said, turning his head to look at Simu Xian, whose face showed a different intention. This didn't affect Shanyong, who emphasized: "Xian-di, don't measure me with moral standards. As Lei would say, our lives are already bitter enough. If we even lose the desire for imagination, wouldn't that be too tragic?"

  As he spoke, he took a step forward. At this moment, Simu Xian was moved, perhaps still not fully understanding the old man in the same room. He was a down-to-earth idealist who neither denied the cruelty of reality nor refused to imagine something beautiful. Perhaps that too was a kind of anesthesia, an anesthesia for the unknowable future.

  Laughed and shook his head, following the old man's footsteps, but never mentioned this topic again. When they arrived at the school gate, reality stopped these two who were wandering in their imagination... The door was locked. However, high walls can't stop the wings of imagination. These two brothers circled around, put their shoulders together and climbed over the back wall into the campus.

  Returned to the campus after two months of absence...

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