After hearing Meng Xiaoni telling him to change back for the second time, Guifeng frowned slightly, “Is my human form not good-looking?”
He had very high standards for his own transformed appearance; he always had to be the best among the various races.
In theory, his human form should be very good-looking.
Meng Xiaoni was rather frank, “Very good-looking. But since I was old enough to go to school, I’ve never slept in the same bed with a boy.”
Strictly speaking, Guifeng can no longer be considered a boy.
He had long since passed his formative years and has entered his youth.
Guifeng sighed lightly, and immediately reverted to his parrot form once more.
“Transformation consumes more power than maintaining a form,” Guifeng’s voice was crisp and clear again.
He jumped onto Meng Xiaoni’s bed. “You like humans, and I like humans very much too.”
Meng Xiaoni watched as he took small steps to the side of the pillow and lay down; she then followed suit and also went to lie down in bed.
She turned off the lights.
Meng Xiaoni pulled the quilt over herself as she thought about what Guifeng said just now.
Guifeng had probably been trying hard to eat so much these days just so he could transform into a human being. She was initially happy that Guifeng could become human, yet, she kept asking him to turn back into a parrot.
If she were Guifeng, she would probably be a little sad.
Meng Xiaoni closed her eyes. “Do you have anything you want to eat tomorrow?”
Guifeng’s voice was as crisp as before, “I’ll eat whatever you make.”
Meng Xiaoni didn’t detect any unhappiness, but she was still a little worried that he was upset. “Zhang Xiaoxiao will bring very good ingredients in the coming days.”
Guifeng did not respond.
Meng Xiaoni: “Then, should I make spicy hot pot again? I will add some especially nourishing ingredients in.”
Guifeng grunted in response.
Meng Xiaoni continued to say, “I’ll also make you some delicious bingfen1. It’s a version I’ve had at another restaurant. There are a lot of things in it; it’s refreshing, and can dispel spiciness.”
Indeed, Guifeng hadn’t had bingfen recently; he grunted again.
Upon hearing that Guifeng wasn’t in very high spirits, Meng Xiaoni added with emphasis, “It’s a hot kettle’s worth of milk tea bingfen, a very large amount.”
Guifeng: “Mm.”
Meng Xiaoni opened her eyes and turned her head, “If you like being human, you can take whatever form you prefer in front of me.”
Guifeng paused. “Then, I want to eat tripe, xiahua, beef omasum, duck intestines, spicy rabbit head…”
Before he could finish, Meng Xiaoni interrupted him decisively, “Let’s sleep. Good night.”
——————
The next morning, Meng Xiaoni had just gotten up, and Zhang Xiaoxiao and Lao Lu were already waiting downstairs with a box of food.
Meng Xiaoni hurried downstairs to open the door for the two.
Zhang Xiaoxiao’s mood seemed to be soaring into the skies; when he saw Meng Xiaoni, he said happily, “I went to order some seafood yesterday. Shall we have seafood hot pot tonight?”
Lao Lu chimed in from the side, “They’ve all been processed before being delivered. They just need to go into the pot.”
“It must be spicy.” Zhang Xiaoxiao added tactfully, “Slightly spicy, just slightly spicy.”
Meng Xiaoni nodded in consent.
Just like that, Zhang Xiaoxiao, a young man who had a very artistic sense such that even his hair and beard was aesthetic, lost his rich, talented and artistic persona just for a bite of food. His image completely collapsed into that of a fool who lived for food.
The box of food he brought was filled with a number of local breakfast items that he heard were famous in Fengdu, such as white paoba2 and the simple youbing3. Meng Xiaoni brought out a large bottle of chilli sauce, and the few finished off the breakfast in the box along with the chilli sauce.
Paoba is pure white. It is made with rice that has been beaten into rice milk, and then completed after adding sugar and letting it ferment. Whether steamed or baked, it has an extremely strong aroma, and just like the best steamed buns, there is the fragrance and sweetness of rice when you bite into it.
When Meng Xiaoni passed through the food market in her childhood, she always found it overwhelmingly fragrant, but eating now, she felt that it didn’t have the same aroma as before.
Zhang Xiaoxiao tasted the large spread of breakfast items, and thought in the end that the tastiest was still the chilli sauce, and secretly added a little bit more to his paoba.
Lao Lu upheld his persona as a middle-aged person from the Slightly Bald Society; he casually ate his fill and continued to work.
They were going to have a feast for dinner, so Meng Xiaoni casually fried some noodles for everyone at noon. She signed for the seafood delivery placed by Zhang Xiaoxiao, checked the recipe, and started her preparations for the spicy hot pot and milk tea bingfen.
Bingfen is extremely simple to make.
She first added bingfen powder to a bowl of powder, stirred it evenly and put it in the freezer. Then, she found some good tea leaves they had at home, soaked them in hot water of 70 to 80 degrees, then added milk and sugar, stirred it well, and let it stand at room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator.
Next, she started processing the ingredients for the spicy hot pot.
Zhang Xiaoxiao had ordered abalone, sea cucumbers that were as thick as two of her fingers, and two types of fish she didn’t even recognize.
Meng Xiaoni cuts them into slices and pieces as needed, placed them in the freezer, and marinated those that needed marinating to get rid of the fishy smell.
After that, she went out secretly to buy some small items.
What she did was simple in description, but for a kitchen novice, most steps took longer than it would’ve taken a veteran chef, so Meng Xiaoni ended up spending a lot of time with the prep work for dinner.
Guifeng did not follow Meng Xiaoni today.
He was watching Zhang Xiaoxiao paint the underworld.
Zhang Xiaoxiao painted the blue sky and yellow-greenish brown soil according to the keywords of “bright”, “reincarnation” and “the underworld”. After embellishing it with a lot of similar paints, he was stuck.
At this moment, the youth was covered in paints that had accidentally gotten on him; he frowned, wanting to continue, yet somewhat hesitating.
Lao Lu looked at the draft nearby, “You originally wanted to paint the River Styx, right?”
Zhang Xiaoxiao replied, “Mm, but I somehow feel that I should add some white or something. Then red… I’m considering whether to leave some space to paint some red spider lilies. But that seems too crass and common, I don’t want to paint them.”
Lao Lu understood, “Your painting style is atmospheric, it’s not appropriate to embellish it with red spider lilies.”
When Zhang Xiaoxiao heard this, he immediately decided to abandon the idea of red spider lilies.
Lao Lu suggested, “You could draw some boats? Or a hundred ghosts entering the underworld?”
Guifeng looked at the painting in front of him that only had only sky and ground. “When the underworld was first built, the volcano erupted, and magma broke through the bottom layer and flowed out of many channels. The magma flowed into the Styx, and the two converged and abated each other. Later, the eruption was quelled, the magma cooled and turned into a dark reef, and the Styx followed these tracts, forming new branches in the underworld.”
Both Zhang Xiaoxiao and Lao Lu looked at Guifeng.
This was not what an ordinary parrot could say, unless it was imitating someone.
Guifeng raised his chin slightly, “I made it up. It’s just that I prefer the natural landscape of volcanic eruptions.”
Zhang Xiaoxiao was silent, then ran off to mix some paint, and started painting directly on the wall.
When inspiration struck, it couldn’t be stopped.
Lao Lu stared at Guifeng and pondered for a moment. “Guifeng, do you want to consider learning art? A parrot that can paint, sounds like a good gimmick.”
Guifeng refused without thinking, “When the hot pot restaurant reopens, I will become a human being and work in the hot pot restaurant.”
Old Lu choked, and after a moment, said admiringly, “Good ambition.”
The ambition of a parrot to become human, then work in a hot pot restaurant.
It’s something that was unmatched in this world.
Amazing.
Guifeng glanced at Lao Lu, then turned away from the foolish human.
A painting that resembled the real underworld was actually taking shape on the wall of Meng Xiaoni’s hot pot restaurant.
The people present were all completely unaware.
Only Guifeng was in the know, but he was wholly preoccupied with the thought of tonight’s spicy hot pot and milk tea bingfen.
At about five o’clock, Meng Xiaoni cleared a table and began to bring food out.
First, she carried the spicy hot pot base, grunting with effort, and lit up the pot on the spot.
Then, she placed the prepped seafood on ice trays and brought them out one by one. Ice cubes could maintain the freshness of the seafood as much as possible, reducing the possibility of food spoilage in the heat.
Guifeng flew to Meng Xiaoni’s head and followed as she busied about.
Zhang Xiaoxiao and Lao Lv Ma Liu surreptitiously occupied two seats, waiting patiently for the hot pot to begin.
Meng Xiaoni carried this and that, and then brought out a tray. On the tray were a porcelain jar and many dishes of small items.
Finally, Meng Xiaoni brought out a thermos.
Zhang Xiaoxiao looked at the thermos, “Is this for topping up the soup?”
Meng Xiaoni placed the thermos on the table, “This is milk tea. The thermos provides insulation.”
Zhang Xiaoxiao’s face was full of question marks. Was the insulation for maintaining heat or cold?
Understanding dawned upon Lao Lu. He began giving Zhang Xiaoxiao a demonstration, “It’s milk tea bingfen! I know this. I’ll do it.”
He opened the lid of the porcelain jar and threw in the dishes of small items on the side. “Pearls, taro balls, adzuki, sago, coconut, barley, honey stars, chocolate rings, sweet-scented osmanthus syrup…”
After adding everything in, Lao Lu opened the thermos and poured the milk tea directly into the porcelain jar.
After all the milk tea was emptied in, Lao Lu took a spoon and kept stirring, then scooped out a bowl for Zhang Xiaoxiao. “Eat this with the hot pot, it helps reduce the spiciness.”
At this time, the spicy hot pot had just begun to boil.
The heat, wrapped in the aroma of chilli, filled the entire room.
Guifeng jumped to the table. “Add things in.”
Meng Xiaoni sat down, and hurriedly added in some items for Guifeng, then scooped a large bowl of milk tea bingfen for him.
Seeing Meng Xiaoni being so attentive, Lao Lu said jokingly to Guifeng, “This parrot has already become a spirit. Do you know what you need to do when you become human in the future?”
Guifeng tilted his head and looked at Lao Lu.
Lao Lu said in a very teasing tone, “Do you know about Liao Zhai? In those stories, the foxes, ghosts, and so on, all repay kindness by pledging themselves to their benefactors.”
Guifeng retracted his gaze. “I will work for her.”
This was a literal “pledging of self”.
Gratified, Meng Xiaoni rubbed Guifeng’s head, “Good.”
Guifeng turned his head and pecked Meng Xiaoni’s hand, then pulled his bowl to the side and started eating.
Meng Xiaoni also picked up her chopsticks and started eating.
Compared to pork tripe hot pot or beef hot pot, seafood hot pot had a freshness and umami that’s unique to the sea. Unfortunately, Fengdu was still a bit far from the sea. If the seafood was freshly caught and processed immediately before adding it to the pot, then there would hardly be any fishiness at all.
The quality of the seafood Zhang Xiaoxiao brought wasn’t bad either.
The meat was fresh and tender.
Meng Xiaoni had to use the strainer ladle when the fish was added into the pot, because once it was cooked, chopsticks were unable to pick up the tender fish that could melt in one’s mouth. After being cooked for a period of time, the texture of sea cucumbers became like chewy gummies in the mouth.
When one chewed on a mouthful of sea cucumber, soup would ooze out a little into one’s mouth, bringing with it a fresh seafood taste and spicy flavour. After chewing it twice, the flavour of seafood gradually becomes stronger, while the spiciness fades slightly. After chewing three times, Meng Xiaoni felt that she was in heaven.
How nice it is to have money.
Meng Xiaoni was very moved as she took another piece of sea cucumber for herself. She really hadn’t eaten such a large piece of sea cucumber in spicy hot pot before.
As she was feeling moved, she also took another piece for Guifeng. Guifeng still wanted to work for her in the future, and even told others about it consciously.
Phoenixes wouldn’t go back on their word, right?
Guifeng ate two mouthfuls of seafood, then pecked two mouthfuls of bingfen. The spiciness in his mouth rose and faded, then rose, and faded once more. Once the taste in one’s mouth fades a little, when one continued eating hot pot, one would always be surprised to find that the hot pot is still very tasty.
One wouldn’t grow numb to its flavour at all.
Not to mention that the hot pot is hot, and the bingfen is cold; hot one moment and cold the next, it was extremely satisfying.
The three people and one bird actually ate hot pot until Father Meng and Mother Meng came home.
It was already somewhat late when her parents returned.
Before they arrived, the pair had called Meng Xiaoni.
Meng Xiaoni specially picked them up at the entrance of the store, took them inside, and introduced Zhang Xiaoxiao, who was having dinner together.
Zhang Xiaoxiao greeted them politely, and asked the two elders if they would like to eat together.
Father Meng and Mother Meng had already eaten, so they hurriedly waved and declined, then went upstairs to tidy up and turn in early.
The two had gone out to play for three days and two nights, and looked to be in pretty good spirits. They exuded the energy that retirees should have.
Lao Lu received a call from his family to urge him home; he hung up, and prepared to leave.
Naturally, Zhang Xiaoxiao also wanted to leave.
Meng Xiaoni sent the two off, then returned to her store to clean up the mess from dinner.
Guifeng had eaten and drank his fill. He was pacing patiently on the table, walking from one end to the other, and then back again.
Mother Meng packed away her luggage, went downstairs, and saw Meng Xiaoni busying about.
She went over to give a hand and asked Meng Xiaoni, “Xiao Nizi, is that Zhang Xiaoxiao still a student?”
Meng Xiaoni nodded, “Mm.”
Mother Meng’s next sentence continued to have some kind of hidden meaning. “Then, he’s younger than you?”
Meng Xiaoni belatedly realised that there was something wrong with where this conversation was going. She looked at Mother Meng a little blankly, “Huh? Yes.”
This time, Mother Meng became a little serious, “Then, it’s doesn’t seem like a good idea to have a relationship. Of course, it’s the most important that you like him.”
Meng Xiaoni: “?”
While helping to clean up, Mother Meng carried on sagely, “When looking for a partner, you must find someone that you can mutually take care of. One-sided care is no good.”
The more she said, the more ridiculous it got.
Guifeng couldn’t bear listening to it anymore, “Why talk about love when she’s still so young.”
Mother Meng was amused by Guifeng’s words, “Xiao Nizi is already in her twenties. What would you, a little parrot, know?”
At this, Guifeng replied, “My age is in the ten thousands.”
Mother Meng burst out laughing, “Then, little parrot, you are quite old.”
Meng Xiaoni saw Guifeng stiffen abruptly and tittered.
————————————————————————————————————————————
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Footnotes:
1 bingfen: 冰粉; Bingfen, also called ice jelly, is a Chinese dessert native to Southwest China, and served as a bowl of iced transparent jelly. It comes with a variety of toppings. These can include dried fruits, diced watermelon, mung beans, fermented rice porridge, mini sticky rice balls, and rose jam.
2 paoba: 泡粑; a type of small, soft, sweet cake made with rice, and a popular breakfast item.
3 youbing: 油饼; similar to youtiao (fried dough sticks), but instead of forming long strips, the flaky dough is formed into flat pancake like shapes. They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, oily but not greasy. Often paired with soy milk for breakfast.
