Quick Transmigration: The Supporting Female Lead Stays Out of It - Chapter 6: Chef 5

After leaving the capital, Lin Dan and Qi temporarily settled down in a nearby small town. During this time, the old Marquis sent several groups of people to find them, but she politely declined.

This day, after she sent off another group of people, Qi finally couldn’t help but say hesitantly, “Dan’er, in fact, it’s not impossible to go back and live in the Marquis Manor. We are orphans and widows; we always need someone to take care of us. You can’t lose your father’s house and restaurant. With the old Marquis supporting you, we can sue the officials and have your second uncle and third uncle return the things.”

Lin Dan waved her hand, her tone serious: “Mother, you’re thinking too simply. What do we have now besides the hundred and twenty taels of silver? We don’t have any property deeds or land deeds; what can we use to sue the officials? The old Marquis is kind and says we are guests of the Marquis Manor, but don’t you understand our status? We are just a little better than the servants who signed a contract of sale. Now that the young miss is at a critical juncture of being made a concubine, you know how strict the Yongding Marquis Manor’s management is. You know that the maternal uncle is still in jail for injuring someone by riding a horse. The old Marquis won’t care no matter how much the madam cries. How can he care about a lawsuit that is bound to lose? The old Marquis is willing to call us back because he is kind and remembers the old feelings. We can’t go too far and ask for everything, exhausting those old feelings.”

Lin Dan sighed and continued: “Furthermore, as long as we are still in the same area with the Yan family, to appear to be justified, they will definitely try to find ways to smear Father’s reputation. Second uncle and third uncle, in order to prevent us from getting the family property, will also secretly take action. What do we have besides a little silver? Can the Marquis protect us for a while? Can he protect us for a lifetime? Staying in the capital means endless troubles; it’s better to leave and start over. Mother, isn’t that right?”

Qi’s reluctance was all dispelled in her daughter’s persuasion and could only nod with tears in her eyes.

Lin Dan rented a small courtyard to live in temporarily, and whenever she had time, she would go out for a walk, a serious expression always on her tender face. This day, she walked a little further and, without realizing it, she was on the official road, arriving at a post station. The post station had a loud noise, and the neighing of horses, appearing very lively. A shed was set up outside the post station, and an old woman was busy serving dishes.

I don’t know what was in the dishes, but from a long distance, a strong aroma could be smelled. Attracted by the aroma, Lin Dan walked quickly over, and the merchants in the post station also ran out to check.

“Auntie, your tofu balls are so fragrant. How much is a bowl?” A traveling merchant asked loudly.

“Two copper coins a bowl.” The old woman replied with a smile.

“Alright, give me a bowl.” The traveling merchant immediately sat down in the shed, his eyes fixed on the oil pan.

When Lin Dan walked over, the tofu balls had already been fried and were being taken out by the old woman to be placed aside to drain the oil. After the oil was drained, they were poured into another pot, and a ladle of large bone broth was added to continue cooking. The sweetness of the broth combined with the crispy fragrance of the oil, and after boiling, a handful of chopped green onions was sprinkled, and the dish was done. The golden and crispy tofu balls were rolling in the milky white and rich broth, occasionally dotted with green onion leaves, looking very beautiful. The bean aroma, bone aroma, onion aroma, and a little bit of pepper aroma combined, forming a very wonderful taste.

Lin Dan quickly took two steps into the shed and saw that the traveling merchant couldn’t wait any longer. He picked up a hot tofu ball and put it in his mouth, chewing while blowing, and finally gave a thumbs up and said, “Auntie, your skill is simply amazing! I’ve traveled south and north, and I’ve never eaten tofu balls better than this.”

Lin Dan immediately ordered a bowl, let it cool, and tasted it. Her face immediately revealed an expression of surprise. After breaking the crispy outer skin, the tofu inside was very soft and tender, and it also mixed with some minced meat and yam paste, it was simply melted in the mouth and incredibly delicious. What was even more wonderful was that there was an empty cavity in the innermost layer of the balls, filled with thick broth, as if the bone broth had seeped in along the cracks, and as if it was caused by the secretion of minced meat and yam paste after heating. It was only after carefully tasting it on the tip of the tongue that she knew that the broth had the freshness of bone marrow, the saltiness of minced meat, and the sweetness of yam paste. Various flavors were perfectly integrated, making people want to stop.

Lin Dan ate very carefully, and finally drank the broth completely, then she sighed with satisfaction. The traveling merchant had eaten three bowls in a row, and was now calling for a fourth bowl. His companions were also attracted by the aroma and filled the small shed.

Lin Dan didn’t leave after eating the tofu balls. Seeing more and more diners, she took the initiative to help the old woman to burn firewood and draw water, and wash the bowls. The old woman couldn’t refuse and could only let her go. When she finished work at night, she took out twenty copper coins to give to her as wages.

“Auntie, I don’t want your wages,” Lin Dan pushed the copper coins back and said sincerely: “I can come and help you work every day, only asking you to teach me how to make these tofu balls.”

“You want to learn to cook from me? What’s the…” Before the old woman could finish speaking, a young woman walked into the shed and said sarcastically: “Where did this wild girl come from, wanting to take advantage of my family. If I teach you, won’t my mother’s business be done? Get out quickly, or I’ll hit you with a broom!” As she spoke, she opened the cabinet and put all the copper coins the old woman had worked hard to earn into her own purse, her eyes full of greed.

“Aren’t you also here to learn to cook from me? I didn’t say I wouldn’t teach you.” The old woman frowned.

“I’m your daughter-in-law, we’re family, what is she?” The woman crossed her arms and angrily pointed at Lin Dan.

Lin Dan quickly explained: “Auntie, don’t be angry. I’ll come and work for your family every day, and I won’t take money. After I learn this dish, I’ll leave far away and won’t open a shop here. My family only has me and my mother, we are weak. If you see me opening a shop nearby one day, you can do whatever you want, beat me or smash it.”

The woman had already heard that Lin Dan had a foreign accent and thought that she was a free laborer. She also thought of her large family, which had deep roots, and wasn’t afraid of being fooled by a small girl from out of town, so she agreed, but her expression was still not good, as if she was giving charity.

The old woman then went to pull Lin Dan, and after sending her out of the shed, she secretly stuffed her a pouch, and whispered: “Good child, this is today’s wages, you take it secretly, don’t make a sound.”

Lin Dan was about to give the pouch back, but the old woman had already hurried into the shed. Soon, the woman’s scolding was heard, as if she was complaining that the old woman had earned fewer copper coins than yesterday. How could this be learning to cook; it was like being a boss.

Lin Dan shook her head, feeling very uneasy.

…

That night, Lin Dan was still practicing knife skills behind the courtyard. The fingertips, covered with wounds, would feel a sting when touching the ingredients or the knife blade, which made her frown frequently. After cutting a cucumber, she picked up the unevenly thick and thin, coarse and uneven cucumber threads and looked at them, and finally sighed helplessly.

“Dan’er,” Qi, who had been observing from the corner for a long time, slowly walked out and said gently: “Cooking is a happy thing, don’t put a burden on yourself. We won’t cut this dish anymore, let’s rest for a while, okay? It’s not your fault for losing to Yan Langqing; everyone has times when they don’t perform well.”

Lin Dan was slightly stunned, and she understood that Qi must have thought that something was wrong. She thought that she had lost to Yan Langqing and had left a psychological shadow, and from then on, she could no longer hold a knife. But Lin Dan knew that it wasn’t the case. She could still practice this knife skill again, but it would just take time.

“Mother, I’m fine, don’t worry.” She didn’t explain too much, but said firmly, “One day, I will get back everything we have lost. Yan family cuisine can’t be made, then I will learn to make other dishes. The world is so big; there will always be a place for us.”

“En, good, good, it’s good that you can understand. Don’t cut the vegetables, go to sleep quickly.” Qi touched her daughter’s head, her face showing comfort. Her daughter had recently become more and more silent, but also more and more strong and resolute, as if not afraid of wind and rain.

“Okay, you also rest early.” Lin Dan sent Qi back to the room, but she stood under the corridor for a long time without moving. On this desolate night, she couldn’t help but fall into memories, but these memories didn’t belong to her, but came from the “Lin Dan” who had gone who knows where.

The other party left behind an unforgettable regret and unwillingness, but also left a deep affection hidden in her heart. She was originally a delicate and pretty little girl, who loved to play and make a fuss, but she never loved the smoke and fire. Lin Baotian asked her to learn to cook several times, but she cried and shouted and refused. But one day, she accidentally bumped into the young miss of the Marquis Manor and was almost beaten. It was the young Marquis, who happened to pass by, who saved her. The young Marquis’s gentle smile became her obsession from then on.

She asked the young Marquis, what do you like? The young Marquis joked: “I like to eat.” So the next day, she took off her beautiful clothes, put on a gray apron, and walked into the kitchen, and it took seven years to learn. She never loved cooking; she just wanted the young Marquis to look at her more.

Lin Dan couldn’t agree with her method. Putting her life on another person, this was the saddest thing. If that person left or was tired of her, what would be left for her would only be the abyss under her feet.

What Lin Dan had to do now was to find her own path. Even if she fell or got hurt, even if she had to crawl, she would eventually reach the end. The original owner was a cook, so she would continue to be a cook. There were endless delicacies in the world, so she didn’t have to worry about not having a place to learn or not having a master to worship.

…

From this day on, Lin Dan followed the old woman to learn to make tofu balls. The old woman had three sons; the eldest son was idle, the second son died of illness when he was young, and the third son was a late child, who was only seven years old and still needed to be fed. In order to support her two sons, the old woman sold tofu balls early and worked late, which was really hard. Fortunately, she had superb skills, so she didn’t have to worry about a living.

The eldest daughter‑in‑law said she wanted to learn cooking from the old woman, but she always loved to be lazy and slick, so all the dirty and tiring work in the shop fell to Lin Dan. Getting up early to boil beans, peeling bean skin, and making tofu, she did it all, and she also had to carry over a hundred catties of water back and forth, almost breaking her back. But she never complained once, and as long as she could learn something, she wasn’t afraid of how bitter or tired it was.