After the divorce, he took care of his child and sold fried rice; his ex-wife was filled with regret

With the moment the lotus leaf was lifted.

It was as if someone had pressed the mute button on the private room.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the dusty purple clay jar.

A burst of white mist erupted.

An extremely rich and savory aroma, like a tangible ocean tide, instantly gushed out from the mouth of the jar, directly hitting the nasal cavity of everyone present!

This aroma is so complex and so rich.

It's not just a fishy seafood smell, nor is it simply a meat broth flavor.

That's the unique rich seafood flavor of top-grade dried abalone after a long soaking process, the mellow aroma of Jinhua ham after years of aging, and the rich, fatty aroma of old hen and duck stewed until the bone marrow is completely melted!

The flavors of dozens of seafood and land delicacies permeate and blend within the enclosed space of the purple clay jar. The moment the lotus leaf is lifted, a mellow and fragrant storm is released, striking straight to the soul.

This fragrance is not only powerful, but also has a captivating and harmonious quality, as if every scent is telling a story of the passage of time.

Zhou Zhengye's body stiffened abruptly.

He had his arms crossed, ready to scrutinize this "inferior half-finished product" with the most critical eye, but at that moment, his nostrils twitched uncontrollably twice.

This taste...

Zhou Zhengye's pupils dilated slightly, and a look of disbelief and astonishment flashed in his eyes.

It has absolutely no artificial, artificial umami flavor reminiscent of industrial MSG and concentrated soup stock.

It also lacks the lingering preservative smell of semi-finished seafood, and it doesn't have the "raw taste of fresh lotus leaves" or "rotten taste of hemp rope" that he just asserted!

On the contrary, the extremely faint fragrance brought out by the fresh lotus leaves under high temperature cleverly lingers on the rich meaty aroma, just like adding a touch of fresh and refined blank space to this richly colored oil painting!

Use the pure to suppress the impure!

He actually did it?!

This rich and mellow aroma, this harmonious and full-bodied flavor, can only be achieved by using the finest ingredients, simmering over a low flame, and relentlessly working with time!

But how is that possible?!

A storm raged in Zhou Zhengye's heart.

The dinner was only arranged the day before yesterday afternoon, less than forty-eight hours in total! How did he conjure up the skills to last for several days and nights out of thin air?!

Could it be... that he knew I was coming and started preparing a few days in advance?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Qin Donghai only decided to bring me here yesterday!

Zhou Zhengye didn't speak. He unconsciously lowered his arms from his chest, leaned forward slightly, and sat back down in his chair.

His gaze was fixed on the earthen-gray purple clay jar. The contempt and mockery in his eyes had vanished, replaced by an undisguised shock and a strong desire to investigate.

When Qin Donghai and Qin Lang saw Zhou Zhengye sit down again, they exchanged a glance and both breathed a long sigh of relief.

Although the crisis has not been completely resolved, at least Zhou Zhengye did not walk away, and there is still a chance for things to turn around!

Qin Lang quickly took the small white porcelain bowl from the table, scalded it with boiling water, and then respectfully placed it in front of Zhou Zhengye.

"Uncle Zhou, would you...would you like to try some?" Qin Lang asked tentatively, his voice still trembling with lingering fear.

Zhou Zhengye ignored Qin Lang and kept his eyes fixed on Lin Fan, who was standing by the table.

"How exactly did you manage to make this stuff in that jar within forty-eight hours?"

"Abalone that has been caught for ten years cannot have its collagen extracted without soaking in alternating hot and cold water for more than five days. Your broth, although it smells rich and mellow, could never have such a harmonious flavor without sufficient time to settle."

"What methods did you use?"

Faced with Zhou Zhengye's probing questions, Lin Fan remained calm:

"As I just said, if the ingredients are good and the cooking time is right, it will naturally turn out well."

"As for the time..."

Lin Fan glanced at Zhou Zhengye indifferently. "Some things can't be built up over time. The same ingredients, cooked by different people, will taste completely different. Since Mr. Zhou knows how to eat, why don't you taste it first before judging my cooking?"

"Fine! I'll see if your so-called 'feel' can really make up for a lack of time!"

Zhou Zhengye snorted and picked up the long-handled silver spoon on the table.

He didn't let Qin Lang or Lin Fan do it for him, but stood up himself and dipped the silver spoon into the purple clay pot.

The moment the spoon dipped into the soup noodles, Zhou Zhengye's hand paused slightly.

He felt a distinct viscous resistance!

This resistance is not the fake thickening created by adding a lot of starch or edible gum, but an extremely natural, smooth, and gelatinous texture, like liquid silk!

Zhou Zhengye's heart skipped a beat.

As the silver spoon was slowly lifted.

Under the bright lights of the private room, the soup in the spoon had a pure, translucent golden color!

The broth was so thick it resembled liquid gold, drawing out glistening, gelatinous threads from the edge of a spoon, radiating an irresistible sheen.

"The color of this soup..."

Zhou Zhengye muttered to himself, a hint of undisguised amazement flashing in his eyes.

He carefully ladled a spoonful of golden broth, along with a top-quality abalone shaped like a gold ingot and a piece of soft, glutinous deep-sea fish maw, into the small white porcelain bowl in front of him.

Sitting back down in his chair, Zhou Zhengye looked at the bowl of golden, gelatinous soup in front of him, and his Adam's apple bobbed violently.

He picked up the small spoon, but instead of eating the abalone and fish maw inside, he scooped up a spoonful of the golden broth, blew on it gently, and then put it in his mouth.

"Slurp..."

The instant the broth touches the tip of your tongue.

Zhou Zhengye suddenly closed his eyes!

The rich and savory flavor of dried abalone, the tender and chewy texture of sea cucumber, the salty and savory aroma of ham, and the savory richness of old hen broth...

The essence of dozens of top-quality ingredients, like layers upon layers of waves, assaulted his taste buds one after another in his mouth!

Not a trace of off-flavor! Not a trace of fishy smell!

Only the purest and most intensely flavorful taste!

The concentrated collagen gives the soup a strong clinging sensation in the mouth. After swallowing, the mouth is filled with fragrance, leaving only pure sweetness on the lips and teeth, without any sourness or dryness.

The most terrifying thing is that this soup actually exudes a sense of composure that comes with the passage of time!

That's the taste of ingredients that have been simmered over a low flame for a very, very long time, allowing their very essence to blend together completely!

This is something that cannot be faked by quick-made products!

Zhou Zhengye's hand holding the spoon trembled slightly.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with disbelief and shock.

He stared intently at Lin Fan, his breathing rapid, and asked:

"This...this broth...you really only simmered it for less than forty-eight hours?!"

Zhou Zhengye stared intently at Lin Fan, his breathing becoming heavy.