Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Lin Yan felt that the morning classes flew by. Apart from the appreciation of certain Western literary passages in the English class, which he found somewhat interesting (mainly due to the novelty brought by cultural differences), the other course content was almost no challenge for him.

The bell finally rang, signaling the end of the fourth period and the start of a one-hour lunch break. Lin Yan followed the flow of students back to the corridor, opened his locker, put away the textbooks he had used that morning, and then took out the bag containing a multi-layered insulated lunchbox that Wang Yuling had prepared. A barely perceptible wisp of true energy flashed between his fingertips, subtly heating the food inside the lunchbox to a perfect warm temperature—not too hot, not too cold.

He arrived at the school cafeteria with his lunchbox, which was already bustling with activity, filled with the aromas of various foods and the noise of teenagers. Mike was indeed waiting for him at the cafeteria entrance, waving happily as he arrived. The two found a relatively quiet table and sat down.

Mike opened his ordinary tin lunchbox, which contained two somewhat dry-looking ham sandwiches and an apple—a very typical American lunch.

The moment Lin Yan lifted the lid of his exquisite three-layered lunchbox, a domineering aroma instantly wafted out, even briefly overpowering the smell of hamburgers and fries in the cafeteria.

The lunchbox was cleverly designed. The top two layers had four separate compartments, each containing one of four delicious and visually appealing dishes, while the bottom layer contained plump, glistening white rice. Wang Yuling had considered everything carefully, using no spiritual materials, yet the grains and meats produced in the ordinary areas of the space were of far superior quality to even the finest ingredients from the outside world.

The four dishes that caught Mike's eye were:

Braised Pork Belly: The carefully selected pork belly is stewed until it has a bright red color that is very appealing. The fat is almost transparent, while the lean meat is tender and flavorful. The thick sauce coats every piece of meat and releases a rich aroma that is both sweet and salty, making it look incredibly appetizing.

Stir-fried Shrimp: The pinkish-white, translucent shrimp are stir-fried together with bright green peas and orange carrot cubes, creating a fresh and vibrant dish. The shrimp appear plump and springy, cooked to perfection, retaining the original flavor of the ingredients while also imparting a refreshing wok hei (wok aroma).

Poached chicken: The chicken skin is oily yellow, and the meat is white and firm, neatly chopped and arranged. There is also a small compartment next to it containing a dipping sauce made of minced ginger and shredded scallions. It looks simple, but it requires extremely high quality chicken and precise cooking time.

Garlic Broccoli: The bright green broccoli remains crisp after blanching and is topped with golden garlic. This simple cooking method preserves the sweetness of the vegetables to the maximum extent, while also adding a healthy green touch to this hearty lunch.

These four dishes, some rich and savory, others light and sweet, some meat, some vegetables, were perfectly balanced, looking like they came straight from a high-end Chinese restaurant, a stark contrast to the simple sandwich in Mike's hand.

Mike stared at the "luxurious" lunch in Lin Yan's lunchbox, inhaling the enticing aroma in the air. His eyes widened, and he couldn't help but swallow hard. "Lin... this, this is what you called... Chinese food?" His worldview was once again severely shaken.

"No, this is just a very ordinary Chinese home-cooked dish! Real Chinese cuisine is a hundred times better than this!"

Just then, two other classmates came over with their trays—it was Tom Burke, the basketball star who had introduced himself that morning, and Daniel Lee, who wore black-rimmed glasses and had a scholarly air about him.

"Hey Mike, Lin! Mind if we sit here?" Tom greeted him cheerfully, but his eyes were involuntarily drawn to the colorful and fragrant dishes in Lin Yan's lunchbox.

"Of course I don't mind, please have a seat," Lin Yan said with a smile.

Daniel pushed up his glasses shyly and added in a low voice, "This smell...it's so delicious."

Lin Yan looked at Mike, whose eyes were practically glued to his lunchbox, and saw how Mike was desperately trying to eat while trying to restrain himself. It was so funny that Lin Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud. He naturally used the chopsticks he had brought to pick up a trembling piece of meat covered in sauce from the braised pork compartment and placed it steadily into Mike's lunchbox, which only contained sandwiches.

"Try it, it's my head chef's cooking," he said to Mike.

Then, he looked up at Tom and Daniel, who were staring at him expectantly, and generously pointed to his lunchbox: "Don't just look at it. If you want to eat, help yourselves. Just leave some for me." As he spoke, he took out a few small, shiny silver spoons, which were obviously included with the lunchbox, from the cloth bag that came with it, and handed them to them.

Tom and Daniel were almost flattered as they accepted the spoons, swallowing hard as they looked at the four dishes that resembled works of art. Tom was the first to thank them: "That's so cool, Lin! Thank you! I'm Tom, I met you this morning." As he spoke, he carefully scooped some stir-fried shrimp and a few peas onto his plate.

Daniel also said softly, "Thank you... Lin. I'm Daniel." He seemed to prefer the refreshing garlic broccoli and a small piece of poached chicken, and his movements were much more refined than Tom's.

Their act of "sharing" their food, along with the unique and enticing aroma wafting through the air, had already attracted the attention of many people at the surrounding tables. Many students looked over curiously, their eyes filled with surprise and envy as they watched Lin Yan's unusual and abundant lunch, and the expressions on their classmates' faces as if they were savoring some delicacy. This stood in stark contrast to the hamburgers, hot dogs, pizzas, or monotonous sandwiches that were common on their plates.

Mike couldn't wait any longer and stuffed the braised pork into his mouth. Instantly, his eyes widened and he made a muffled "Ugh!" sound. Then he frantically gave Lin Yan a thumbs up. Without even saying a word, he immediately scooped up another spoonful of the rich braised pork sauce and mixed it onto the sandwich he had brought.

After tasting the shrimp, Tom was also shocked: "God, how can these shrimp be so tender and sweet! They're better than any shrimp I've ever had in a restaurant!" He practically wolfed down his portion, then stared longingly at the rest in the lunchbox.

Although Daniel ate quietly, he didn't eat slowly at all. He savored the tender texture of the poached chicken, especially after dipping it in the ginger and scallion sauce. The complex aroma made him nod and whisper in praise, "This chicken... doesn't have too many seasonings, but the taste is very pure and delicious. And this green vegetable (referring to the broccoli) is very refreshing."

For a moment, the dining table transformed into a mini Chinese food tasting event. Mike, Tom, and Daniel ate with great relish, praising the food highly, creating an amusing contrast with Lin Yan's elegant and composed dining demeanor (and secretly glad she had taken a few bites first). This lunch gave the Americans a powerful shock, making them realize that what they had been eating before was like pig swill.