Era: Rise from the Wilderness

"Old Li,"

Fu Chao's address unconsciously became more intimate and reverent. He leaned forward, rested his arms on the kang table, and looked intently at Li Yunjing, saying, "You're quick-witted and your plans are thorough. You even thought of the car and the printing."

"Just tell me straight, what's the next step?"

"Where to begin?"

"Where was this first shot fired?"

"We'll do whatever you say!"

Just as the three were engrossed in their conversation, their spirits high, and they had finalized their initial cooperation agreement and begun to work out the specific details, they heard heavy footsteps approaching from outside the door, followed by Old Ma's loud, apologetic, and cheerful shout: "Make way, be careful not to burn yourself! The food's here!"

Before the words were finished, the heavy blue curtain in the inner room was suddenly flung open from the outside by a rough, strong hand, bringing in an even stronger aroma of cooking oil.

Old Ma walked in steadily, carrying a large, unpainted wooden tray with many chips and dents along the edges.

Two plates of freshly cooked, still steaming hot, were placed steadily on the tray.

One dish features bright red and oily diced pork, garnished with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and boasting an irresistible aroma; the other dish is a refreshing salad of bright green cucumber strips and pale yellow enoki mushrooms, drizzled with glistening sesame oil and minced garlic.

"Are you starving, lads?"

"Here are two to start, to tide you over. The mixed fish and stir-fried pork with green peppers are in the pan, they'll be ready soon!"

As he spoke, Old Ma deftly placed two heavy plates of food in the center of the kang table.

The rough porcelain plate made a dull "thud" when it came into contact with the wooden kang table.

Li Yunjing quickly moved off the kang (a heated brick bed) and moved to the edge of the kang to reach for the hottest plate of spicy diced meat.

The plate was slightly hot to the touch and felt heavy. The rich aroma of meat, mixed with the complex spiciness of fermented bean paste, chili, and Sichuan peppercorns released by the hot oil, hit the nose like a tangible aroma, instantly arousing the most primal appetite and making one's throat bob and fingers itch.

"Uncle Ma, thank you for your hard work. Shall I go down and help you carry it?"

"You've been busy all day."

Li Yunjing said politely.

"No, no!"

"Sit still, don't get down!"

Old Ma waved his hands repeatedly, a simple smile on his face, the wrinkles on his forehead smoothing out. "It's just a few steps from the stove to the door, why should you young guests do it?"

"Just wait to eat what's served!"

"You guys chat, there's plenty of food!"

As he spoke, he turned and went out again, and immediately a louder "sizzle" of stir-frying and the sound of spatulas flying came from the kitchen.

Less than two minutes later, Old Ma returned, this time bringing a pot of mixed fish stew with a rich, milky broth, golden oil floating on the surface, and tofu, vermicelli, cabbage, and several large pieces of fish. The aroma was irresistible, and the steam was rising. There was also a plate of stir-fried pork with green peppers, glistening with oil, the bright green peppers and dark brown meat slices complementing each other perfectly, and the wok hei (wok aroma) was strong.

Finally, he brought out three bowls of rice, piled high like small hills, almost overflowing. The grains were distinct, white and translucent, exuding the clean and warm fragrance unique to new rice.

"Everything's ready! Enjoy your meal, and feel free to ask for more rice if you're still hungry! There's plenty more in the pot!"

Old Ma wiped his hands with his worn-out apron, chuckled, and said with a kind look, "The soup will be brought to you later, eat first!"

Then, he considerately closed the door to the inner room, and the heavy curtain fell, temporarily isolating them from the noise outside and the smoke from the kitchen, leaving them with a private space filled with warmth, the aroma of food, and the ambition of youth.

As soon as the door closed, the small inner room was instantly filled with the rich aroma of four main dishes, a mixture of spiciness, fragrance, freshness, and saltiness, almost solidifying into a tangible fragrance.

After a tense and intensive discussion about the future, the three of them relaxed, and hunger surged like a tidal wave, their stomachs already rumbling loudly.

At this moment, there was no time to go into details. All those plans about capital, location, and childcare were temporarily pushed to the back of their minds by the delicious food in front of them.

"Come on, let's eat and talk!"

"Don't be shy, everyone, start eating!"

As the host and the initiator of the plan, Li Yunjing took the lead in picking up his chopsticks, taking a bite of spicy meat diced with bright red chili oil and a few crispy Sichuan peppercorns.

As he bit down, the slightly charred exterior of the diced meat contrasted sharply with its tender interior. The spiciness of the chili peppers, the numbing sensation of the Sichuan peppercorns, the salty aroma of the fermented black beans, and the rich, oily fragrance of the pork exploded in his mouth, stimulating his taste buds to produce saliva. He couldn't help but quickly shovel a large mouthful of white rice into his mouth.

The coarse rice perfectly balances the greasiness and spiciness, bringing unparalleled satisfaction.

Fu Chao and Ding Dong were also starving, and seeing this, they couldn't resist any longer and started eating with lightning speed.

Fu Chao spotted the mixed fish dish, stretched out his chopsticks, and precisely picked up a large piece of plump fish meat with the skin still attached and soaked in milky white broth. He gently drained the excess broth from the side of the plate before putting it in his mouth.

The tenderness of the fish, the richness of the broth, the smoothness of the tofu, and the chewy texture of the glass noodles instantly blended on his tongue. The delicious taste made him squint his eyes in satisfaction and let out a long "Mmm..."

Ding Dong was particularly fond of the stir-fried pork with green peppers. The pork slices were cut into even slices, coated with starch, and stir-fried until they were exceptionally tender. The green peppers retained most of their crisp texture, with only slightly wrinkled edges, and were fully infused with the savory and salty sauce and a perfect touch of spiciness.

He ate the rice with the dish in large mouthfuls, and soon a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Three people, four generously portioned main dishes, and three overflowing bowls of rice.

For a moment, the only sounds in the inner room were the crisp clinking of chopsticks against bowls and plates, the satisfied sighs of chewing food, and the occasional hissing sounds of inhaling the spiciness.

The wind whips up the remaining clouds, a truly exhilarating experience.

Old Ma's culinary skills are indeed well-deserved. His home-style dishes are full of "wok hei" (the smoky aroma imparted by a wok), with precise seasoning, perfect cooking time, and generous portions. They greatly soothe and satisfy the empty stomachs and hearts of the young men who have been tormented by ambition and anxiety.

In less than ten minutes, all four dishes were gone. The spicy diced pork was reduced to just chili oil and scraps, the mixed fish soup was almost finished, the stir-fried pork with green peppers had only a few lonely pepper pieces left, and the cucumber and enoki mushrooms were completely gone. The three bowls of rice were also eaten clean, the bottoms of the bowls so shiny they could reflect light.

"Ugh... I'm so full!"

Ding Dong let out a long, satisfied burp, the sound of which was particularly loud in the quiet inner room.

He rubbed his noticeably bulging belly, leaned back comfortably on the warm edge of the kang (heated brick bed), and exclaimed with a lazy and contented expression, "Uncle Ma's cooking is absolutely superb!"

"He's just as good as the head chef at a state-run restaurant!"

"When we really make a lot of money, I'm going to eat here every day! And order meat with every meal!"

Fu Chao also lit a cigarette after the meal, slowly smoking it. Looking at the messy cups and plates on the table, his eyes gleamed with anticipation for the "career" that was about to begin, as well as the satisfaction of the sense of security brought by the full meal.