Chapter 633: Stinky Tofu (5)

Although the expression in Third Young Madam’s eyes was a little strange, Wenlan didn’t think too much of it.

She paused for an instant before flipping open the cloth covering the basket.

The refreshing spring wind blew past, helpfully spreading the sour smell from the contents of the basket.

Wenlan immediately pinched her nose with her free hand and held the basket as far away from herself as she could. Aggrieved, her voice came out nasally as she asked Chu Lian, “Third Young Madam, what’s this! Why is it so stinky? Has it gone bad on the way here?”

Chu Lian giggled and took the basket from Wenlan’s hand. “It’s not spoiled; it was like this from the start.”

“Ah?” Wenlan didn’t dare to stop pinching her nose. She stared at Chu Lian with wide, shocked eyes, unable to imagine how something so smelly could be food.

“Are you sure this is still edible? It’s all black and it smells terrible...” The smell alone was enough to drive anyone a thousand miles away in fear, let alone put it in their mouths.

Chu Lian let out a mysterious smile. “Don’t judge things by their covers. Once you have a taste of this, you’ll be hooked immediately!”

Although Wenlan didn’t reply, still in disdain over the stinky tofu in the basket, the blatant curiosity in her eyes betrayed her.

Wenlan watched as Third Young Madam earnestly washed her hands, as if she was really about to cook the stinky tofu. At the sight, Wenlan couldn’t help but say, “Third Young Madam, perhaps you should save this dish for another time? We’ve already prepared enough food for the meal today.”

Wouldn’t Old Duke Zheng faint if they served such a foul-smelling dish to him?

Considering that the stinky tofu’s smell really wasn’t for everyone, Chu Lian thought for a bit before saying, “Alright, I’ll just cook enough for myself then. Don’t serve it to the tent.”

Wenqing and Wenlan hurriedly agreed.

They had brought a specially made furnace with them. The furnace was fuelled by charcoal, and there was a custom-made steel wok on top of it.

Chu Lian poured the oil she had prepared into the wok and heated it up. Now it was time to fry the stinky tofu.

The stinky tofu had been chopped into blocks around the size of half her palm. She used a pair of chopsticks to place them carefully into the pool of oil.

When the black tofu entered the golden oil, bubbles formed around the blocks. Soon, the tofu spread out and expanded. Once the outer layer was fried to a golden crisp, it was time to scoop it out.

Since this was purely to satisfy her own cravings, Chu Lian only made a small dish of them, four pieces in total.

She carefully placed the four black and gold pieces of stinky tofu onto a clean, white porcelain dish. Finally, she poured the sweet and spicy chilli paste she had prepared earlier over the tofu.

Other than being a little stinky, the tofu actually looked rather delicious.

The black mixed with red was visually appealing, and there was a certain fried fragrance to it as well.

Wenlan stared with her mouth slightly agape at Chu Lian’s familiar actions.

She had thought that Chu Lian had just been kidding. Who could have expected that Third Young Madam would really use that disgusting stinky tofu as a dish? Somehow, it even looked good after plating...

For some reason, the strange smell billowing towards her gave her the urge to have a taste...

Chu Lian didn’t have any spare time to care about what Wenlan was thinking. She took up a clean pair of chopsticks and hurriedly picked up a piece of tofu. Then, she blew on it to cool it down before placing it into her mouth.

The unique fragrance of stinky tofu spread across her taste buds. The moment she bit into it, the combination of the gentle taste of the tofu, the crispy exterior, the saltiness of the seasoning, the oil, as well as the spiciness of the chilli paste, brought a whole new kind of experience to her. That kind of taste could make anyone hooked by the first bite and leave them wanting for more.

Chu Lian chewed happily with her cheeks slightly puffed like a hamster. The satisfaction of finally tasting her long-awaited craving made her eyes narrow with pleasure.

Sometimes, it was clear whether someone enjoyed eating something just from their expressions alone.

Chu Lian’s expression right now showed exactly how much she was enjoying and savouring her food.

Since she was already used to the modern world’s standard of food, Chu Lian had always maintained a calm and normal expression while teaching the maidservants how to cook.

Although the maidservants always exclaimed that the new dishes that Chu Lian had introduced to them were peerless, Chu Lian had never shown any particular reaction while tasting them.

It made them feel as if Chu Lian had grown up eating such exquisite dishes all day.

The handmaids serving Chu Lian always had a minor sense of defeat upon seeing their madam’s calm.

Thus, it was rare for them to see Third Young Madam’s expression full of satisfaction and nostalgia while eating.

Sometimes, the familiar taste of a certain dish could indeed evoke the joyful memories of the past.

Stinky tofu was one such dish for Chu Lian.

Once a single piece of stinky tofu had vanished down her gut, Chu Lian let out a small sigh of satisfaction.

Wenlan couldn’t help gulping down her drool while watching Chu Lian eat.

She thought she must have been possessed. She hadn’t even liked the smell of that black tofu earlier, so why did she suddenly have the urge to taste it?

“Third... Third Young Madam, what does it taste like?”

Chu Lian gestured towards the stove next to her with a curve of her lips. “Won’t you know if you taste it yourself?”