gnovel Chapter 85 Smells good! It smells so good!
Chapter 85 Smells good! It smells so good!
Chapter 85 Smells good! It smells so good!
The plate of fish was steaming in the center of the table.
The dark red broth was still bubbling away, so thick it could cling to a spoon.
Several stalks of green garlic sprouts lay haphazardly on the fish, paired with bright red dried chili pepper segments, which looked quite intimidating.
But the stench that had threatened to blow one's skull away was still lingering in Li Shimin's mind, impossible to shake off.
He looked down at the plate of filth, then looked up at Su Mu, who looked completely indifferent, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down with difficulty.
"You dare not?"
Su Mu pushed the bowl of white rice he had just served in front of Li Shimin with a crisp clang.
He pulled out a long bench and sat down first, then, without any hesitation, picked up his chopsticks and started eating the fish.
The chopsticks encountered slight resistance when they touched the fish skin, but then sank in gently.
With a little force, a large piece of garlic-clove-shaped white meat detached from the fish bone, covered with a glossy red broth.
Su Mu put the piece of meat into his mouth.
chew.
"Um.
1
He let out a long, satisfied sound from his nose, then shoveled down two large mouthfuls of rice, his cheeks bulging, eating with great relish.
Li Shimin could no longer sit still.
This kid is eating so honestly, it doesn't seem like he's faking it at all.
Moreover, at this moment, the smell that rose with the heat and entered the nostrils was no longer just a simple stench, but a mixture of smoky aroma, garlicky aroma, and a rich, indescribable meaty smell.
My stomach is completely rumbling with cravings.
"I, the Emperor, will see what you're really up to."
Li Shimin gritted his teeth, lifted the hem of his dragon robe, and plopped down on the greasy bench.
He picked up his chopsticks, his wrist hovering in mid-air, and even took a deep breath to mentally prepare himself.
The tip of the chopsticks carefully reached the edge of the plate and picked up a small piece of minced meat.
I didn't dare pinch too much, just a tiny bit, about the size of a fingernail.
Before the meat even entered my mouth, that strange smell hit me first.
Li Shimin frowned sharply, instinctively held his breath, and quickly threw the piece of meat into his mouth. He didn't even intend to chew it; he just wanted to swallow it whole.
The moment the tip of your tongue touches the fish.
salty.
Next up is spiciness!
Li Shimin abruptly stopped in his tracks as he was about to swallow.
This texture—isn't right!
Dead fish meat is usually rotten and turns into mud at the slightest touch.
But this piece of meat had an amazing chewiness between my teeth.
It's not the tender smoothness of fresh fish, but a firmness that comes with time, so bouncy it's almost excessive.
He took a bite without thinking.
That one bite, and it's ruined!
The fish fibers, coated in a thick sauce, burst open between your teeth, releasing not a fishy or foul smell, but an extremely aggressive freshness!
That freshness, with a hint of fermented sourness mixed with the smoky aroma of oil, surged through my mouth, instantly shattering any psychological defenses I had about cooking excrement.
It smells awful, but tastes delicious!
Li Shimin's tightly furrowed brows seemed to have been smoothed out by an unseen hand.
Those eyes, which always held a stern and scrutinizing air, were now wide open, their pupils trembling slightly.
"this----"
Before he could speak, a hurried swallowing sound came from deep in his throat.
The chopsticks were extended again.
Li Shimin flicked his wrist, aiming directly at the thickest piece of meat on the fish's back. He picked it up, dipped it in the broth, and put it in his mouth.
Larger pieces of meat are more satisfying to chew.
That unique, pungent yet not-quite-smelling flavor stimulated saliva production to the point of bursting, making the entire mouth feel as if it were ignited by this domineering taste.
Too high!
Li Shimin felt as if every pore on his body had exploded at that moment. The humiliation he had suffered in the court earlier actually drifted out along with this spicy and fragrant aroma, going straight up to the top of his head.
"Food! Where's the food?!"
Li Shimin swallowed the meat in his mouth and picked up the large, rough porcelain bowl in front of him.
A big mouthful of white rice, paired with a bite of stinky mandarin fish with a rich, dark sauce.
The sweetness of the rice grains balances the saltiness and spiciness of the sauce, while the rich aroma of the fish enhances the texture of the rice.
This isn't filth at all! It's practically a divine ingredient to accompany rice!
"Me too! I want seven too!"
Little Sizi, who had been hiding behind the tree, had long forgotten all about his harsh words about boiling excrement.
Her little nose was very sensitive. Seeing her father eating so hard, sweating profusely and slurping loudly, how could she resist?
The little girl rushed over with her short legs, climbed onto the stool using both her hands and feet, and was still holding a small spoon that she had just picked up from somewhere.
"Hey bro, I want this! I want the big one!"
Little Sizi pointed to the fattest, most succulent piece of meat on the fish's belly, his mouth watering so much it was practically dripping onto the table.
Just as Su Mu was about to serve her some, a pair of chopsticks appeared out of nowhere—they were Li Shimin's chopsticks.
"Go away, you little kid, this stuff is spicy, you can't eat it."
With his mouth full of rice, Li Shimin snatched the piece of fish belly meat from the fish and stuffed it into his own mouth.
This meat is the most tender, has no bones, and is full of oily flavor!
Little Sizi was dumbfounded.
She looked at the glistening red oil on her father's lips, then at her own empty little spoon, and her lips trembled as if about to burst.
"Dad's so mean! Dad stole the kids' things!"
At this moment, Li Shimin no longer cared about paternal love and filial piety. This fish was too strange; the more he ate, the more he wanted to eat, and he couldn't stop.
"I'm doing this for your own good! This fish—this fish stinks! Didn't you complain about the smell?"
"It doesn't smell bad at all! Dad ate the spicy food and it smelled delicious, it must be really good!"
Little Sizi got anxious and stood up to reach for the plate, shouting, "Guoguo, give me some! I want Qiyu Baibai!"
Su Mu looked at the two lovable father and daughter and shook his head with amusement.
He scooped a spoonful of fish soup, picked out a few pieces of boneless minced meat, and mixed them into the small bowl of rice he served to Xiao Sizi.
"Eat this, it's very flavorful."
Little Sizi quickly took the bowl, and without caring whether it was hot or not, scooped up a big spoonful and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Ugh—!!!"
The little girl's eyes narrowed into slits instantly, and her two little legs swung rapidly under the stool.
"Wow! You're amazing! This little bit doesn't smell bad at all! It smells delicious! It's even better with rice than a peacock's paw!"
Little Sizi, his mouth glistening with oil, still mumbled with food in his mouth, "Father lied to me! He said this good stuff is rotten!"
Li Shimin blushed, pretended not to hear, and buried himself in his work.
The bowl of rice was empty.
"Another bowl, please!" Li Shimin handed the empty bowl to Su Mu.
Su Mu took the bowl to serve the rice, and glanced at the plate of fish as he did so.
Good heavens, in just a short while, most of the fish is gone. All that's left is a clean fish skeleton and a bright red broth.
Li Shimin took the second bowl of rice, and this time he not only ate the meat, but also the garlic on the plate.
The garlic, stewed until soft and tender in the fish soup, absorbed all the umami flavor and melted in your mouth, even more fragrant than the meat.
In the end, only some soup was left in the plate.
Without saying a word, Li Shimin poured the remaining half bowl of rice directly into the plate.
The rice is soaked in chili oil, and every grain is coated with the savory aroma of fermentation.