As the sun shifted westward, Luo Shou and the other two arrived at the small courtyard where Xu Xie was temporarily staying.
Luo Shou wanted to grab the job of stoking the fire but didn't succeed. Although it was sweltering in the cramped kitchen on this hot day, being close to the source offered advantages. For instance, if Young Master Xie needed to taste the braised pork halfway through cooking, Luo Shou could readily offer his mouth.
The task of stoking the fire fell to Dongzi, as he had helped Young Master Xie with it at noon and knew the precise heat required for each step.
Before Xie Jiang's braised pork was even out of the pot, Lu Baohong and many others from the west village, drawn by the aroma, had already come seeking. This time, it wasn't just the nearby Lu Baohong and the west villagers; many from the east village, seeing the commotion, also gathered out of curiosity, especially after Luo Shou and the others had boasted so extravagantly that afternoon. Who wouldn't want to taste the braised pork made by that divine chef and see if it was truly so delicious it could make even the gods in heaven restless?
When everyone arrived outside the low wall and smelled the rich aroma of the meat up close, they felt that Luo Shou and the others hadn't exaggerated. If Luo Shou and Xiao Hu hadn't blocked the courtyard entrance, and with Xu Hengyan holding court inside, everyone would have rushed to the kitchen door to peek. How could meat cooked with firewood smell so captivating that it made people's mouths water uncontrollably?
Luo Shou and Xiao Hu couldn't let these people in. They watched as the crowd, swallowing their saliva like starving ghosts, might go mad with craving and snatch the braised pork right out of the pot. The meat being cooked was brought by them, and their own families hadn't even tasted it yet!
What truly deterred the onlookers from acting rashly was Xu Hengyan, who sat there without uttering a word. Xu Hengyan sat with his back to the low wall, idly feeding two small rabbits with a handful of greens. A palpable barrier seemed to surround him, shutting out all the noise from outside the wall.
The people from the east village were willing to show Luo Shou some respect and were more familiar and cordial with him, so they crowded at the courtyard gate, asking questions one after another. They inquired about the chef's background and where he had worked before. They asked how the braised pork was made and why it smelled so good. Was it the wild boar meat from the mountains they had eaten?
Time ticked by. Drawn by the activity or the aroma, more and more people gathered outside the low wall. The clamor frightened the little rabbits so much that they dared not nibble on the greens anymore; the two small creatures shivered in their cage, trembling with unease.
Xu Hengyan frowned, glanced towards the kitchen, then lowered his head again. She had deliberately made the braised pork and braised pig trotters so fragrant. Now the entire village knew that Lu Baohong had brought a divine chef. Was she planning to be the chef at Luo Zhongtong's birthday banquet?
Just then, a voice finally came from the kitchen, "It's ready. Luo Shou, Xiao Hu, quickly come and take the meat."
Luo Shou and Xiao Hu cheered and dashed towards the kitchen. Xie Jiang had only intended to make braised pork, but all three had been so impressed by the pig trotters at noon that they had brought the portions of pig trotters allocated to their families. Xie Jiang stared at the three for a long moment, making them prickle with unease and prepare to discreetly put the pig trotters away. However, Xie Jiang eventually relented.
Luo Shou even suggested, "You could cook the pig trotters with the meat, no need to be so particular. Anyway, anything you make, Young Master Xie, tastes delicious." Since Xie Jiang had decided to showcase her skills, how could she possibly skimp on their request? The two dishes were cooked and packaged separately.
"Clean up the kitchen before you leave. I still need to make dinner later," Xie Jiang instructed Dongzi and then emerged from the kitchen. The noise outside the low wall suddenly ceased completely. Someone exclaimed in surprise, and the crowd seemed to break free, their chatter and exclamations becoming even louder than before. They were all discussing the divine chef's appearance. How could someone who looked like that endure the heat and flames of the kitchen? Weren't those who worked in kitchens usually sallow-faced women?
Xu Hengyan disliked being stared at and commented upon, whether the words were pleasant or not. Xu Hengyan pulled her into the house. Xie Jiang turned back, saw him closing the door, and called out, "It's hot." Xu Hengyan looked at her, noticing the sweat on her brow. After a moment's thought, he said, "Wait a moment," and then went out. Xie Jiang tugged at her collar and picked up a fan from the table, fanning herself.
~
Luo Shou and the other two each took their baskets and placed the portioned braised pork and pig trotters inside. Xiao Hu initially wanted to cover them with a plate. Luo Shou leaned in and whispered, "Why cover it? Young Master Xie told us to spread the word..." Xiao Hu nodded, put the plate back, but couldn't help but worry, "With so many people surrounding us, won't they try to snatch ours?" Luo Shou replied, "Just cover them with your hands and run faster." A partial reveal was more enticing.
After Dongzi had thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, the three carried their baskets and went out. The onlookers craned their necks, peering into their baskets. "Make way, make way, don't block the path..." The three held their baskets close, shielding them with one hand as they squeezed out. The east and west villages had a long-standing feud. Some opportunistic and greedy individuals from the west village reached out to grab at the baskets. The east villagers, salivating with desire and having initially wanted to beg for a taste, stepped forward to protect them when they saw the west villagers attempting to snatch the food. The people from the two villages confronted each other, exchanging curses. The east villagers spontaneously shielded Luo Shou and the other two as they left.
Xu Hengyan, who had just re-entered the house and then come back out, frowned at the vulgar curses. He could choose to ignore them, but Xie Jiang was inside. Xu Hengyan stood in the small courtyard, his gaze sharp and cold, fixed on the crowd outside the low wall. The noisy, cursing crowd abruptly fell silent.
Luo Shou and the other two had achieved their objective and, like nimble rabbits, ran faster than anyone. Xie Jiang had given all the braised pork and braised pig trotters away to Luo Shou and the other two. The aroma of meat in the small courtyard gradually dissipated. Under Xu Hengyan's gaze, the onlookers felt as if they had thorns on their backs, and one by one, they pulled each other away and retreated.
Lu Baohong finally approached from a distance. He disliked crowding with the sweaty villagers and had moved away when the crowd grew too large. Now that the crowd had dispersed, he returned and addressed Xu Hengyan, who was scooping water, "Young Master Xu." Xu Hengyan, without looking up, said, "If you have something to say, speak."
Lu Baohong said, "Ask Xie Jiang to make a couple of dishes for me too. I'll provide the ingredients." Xu Hengyan put down the water ladle, "She is not your cook." Lu Baohong replied, "Didn't she cook for Luo Shou and the others? Why can't she cook for me? I don't need her to make anything too complicated, just a couple of her specialties, it won't be much trouble." Xu Hengyan said, "Cooking for Luo Shou and the others was to exchange for some daily necessities. We need to eat." Lu Baohong was still persistent, "I can also..." Xu Hengyan looked at him, his gaze indifferent, "She is tired."