The living room was in chaos, filled with the cries of Fatty, the threats from Lu Meimei, and the carefree laughter of Lü Liang.
In the kitchen, Lin's expression was indifferent, as if he couldn't hear the commotion outside. He was solely focused on "massaging" the piece of meat in his hands.
Using the Bone-Softening Palm technique, Lin's fingers twisted into various strange positions, tenderizing the meat with his skillful hands.
First, he loosened the meat, then soaked it in starch. This process would make the meat even softer and enhance its texture when eaten.
The first batch of meat had already been soaked in starch. Without turning his head, Lin shouted loudly, "Wei, is the sauce for soaking ready?"
Beside him, Qin Wei had a tense expression, her face flushed and beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She moved around like a perpetual motion machine.
"Master, it will be ready soon!"
Qin Wei quickly set aside the vegetable pieces she was handling and turned to prepare the sauce.
"Hurry up! Too slow!"
Under Lin's urging, Qin Wei hurriedly handed the sauce to Lin Mian. Lin turned his head, dipped his finger into it, and then tasted it.
"The flavor is off; you should add three more pinches of salt! Remember, the recipe I gave you is the perfect golden formula; it must not be altered even slightly!"
Like a strict teacher, Lin showed no leniency just because Qin Wei was soft-spoken. When it came to cooking, he was uncompromising and meticulous.
"Yes! Master!"
Qin Wei quickly turned to re-make the sauce. Although she was exhausted, she had no complaints and diligently carried out her tasks.
It was truly a case of Zhou Yu hitting Zhou Yu—one willing to strike and one willing to take it.
Lin felt that Qin Wei had a talent for cooking and was moldable; otherwise, he would have kicked someone with a wooden personality out of the kitchen long ago.
Qin Wei also loved cooking and admired Lin's culinary skills immensely. Just his knife skills alone had left her in awe.
She regarded Lin as a mentor in culinary arts, even referring to him as "Master," which was a term of respect.
Art Knows No Age, Skill Takes Precedence.
Outside, it was still chaotic, the three of them resembling mischievous monkeys in a palace. Yet inside the kitchen, everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. In this strange atmosphere, time passed slowly.
……
The sun had set behind Hilltop, and night fell, enveloping the sky with a blanket of stars that sparkled like diamonds scattered across a black curtain.
In the backyard, a tall Sophora Tree stood upright, its twisted shadows stretching out to cover half the courtyard.
A breeze blew through, rustling the leaves as they swayed gently. Beneath the tree, a campfire blazed as Fatty and his friends laughed while setting up a barbecue grill.
Two white square tables were filled with skewers, and the silver grill shimmered under the moonlight, resting above a pile of charcoal.
The flames danced, casting light on Fatty and his friends' smiling faces, creating an incredibly joyful atmosphere.
"Bro! Are you done yet?"
Fatty shouted towards the house. He could smell the delicious aroma of meat wafting from the table and could hardly contain himself, eager to start eating.
If it weren't for Fatty knowing that Lin wouldn't let them touch those ingredients casually, he would have probably grabbed some skewers and started grilling by now!
"Sorry to keep you waiting! We're here!"
The usually shy Qin Wei excitedly ran out from the house, beads of sweat on her forehead indicating she had been working hard. She was holding a bowl of sauce in her hands.
However, this did not dampen Qin Wei's spirits at all; in fact, she felt even happier because she had contributed half of what everyone was about to eat. Just thinking about it made her feel delighted.
Behind her was Lin, who walked leisurely into the yard without any rush.
"Wei, come here and hand that over to me. You've worked hard."
Lu Liang was quite attentive; he immediately ran up to take the sauce bowl from Qin Wei's hands and wiped her sweat with his shirt, showing great care.
The scene was enough to make everyone feel like they were being fed dog food, and a chorus of boos erupted. Even Lindu pouted and muttered, "The world is going downhill..."
But before the words could finish, Fatty pulled Lin over to the barbecue grill, urging him to get to work quickly. Fatty shouted, "Come on, bro, hurry up! There are a bunch of hungry folks here! No more complaining!"
"Alright, I'll start now."
Finally, under the eager gazes of everyone, Lin began grilling the skewers.
As the flames rose, Lin focused intently at the grill, holding a skewer in his left hand while brushing sauce over it with a brush in his right.
The aroma of grilled meat began to waft through the air, carrying a hint of sweetness that was more enticing than ordinary barbecue, stirring everyone's appetite.
Fatty and Lü Liang squatted beside the grill, their eyes fixed on the skewers in Lin's hand, following every movement.
"Gulpp," Fatty swallowed audibly, prompting Lü Liang to grimace. "Hey! Fat Black Man, can you stop swallowing your saliva!"
"Mind your own business! Is it wrong for me to be hungry?"
"I'm hungry too!"
The two began a playful banter back and forth. This lively exchange not only lightened the mood but also distracted them from their discomfort.
Even Lu Meimei, who usually loved to shout, kept quiet and waited for Lin to finish grilling.
Fortunately, Qin Wei was there, always attentive and ready to help. Whenever Lin needed something, she would pass it to him without him having to ask.
As time passed, the scent of grilled meat grew stronger in the night air—a tantalizing aroma that drew passersby to stop and take notice.
"Alright! The first batch of secret-recipe skewers is ready!"
Lin called out loudly as he sprinkled the last bit of sauce over the skewers. The sizzling sound of grilling filled the air as flames suddenly flared up.
At the same time, Lin raised his hand; with a swing of his arm, the aroma intensified like invisible hands pulling everyone closer together.
"Mm! Delicious!"
Lu Liang leaned in so close to the skewers that his face almost touched them.
"Make way, make way! The Lin Family's secret grilled skewers are here!"
Fatty shouted, as if he were back at the Noodle Shop, grabbing the skewers and running towards the table!
Beside him, Lu Meimei was also calling out, "You greedy Fatty, leave one for me!"
Another round of playful chasing ensued, with laughter echoing in the night sky, carried away by the night breeze.
This joyful noise seemed to envelop the entire Earthen Slope Street, making the summer feel less hot.
A breeze blew through, rustling the leaves with a soft sound, stirring the campfire, swaying it freely, lifting Lin's bangs and dispersing the beads of sweat on his forehead.
"This night is quite cool!"
Pausing from his work, Lin looked up and felt the caress of the night wind; his heart floated along with it, drifting to the coolest place.
It turned out that cooking was not just about glory; it also included the joy from friends that could touch Lin's heart...
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