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Chapter 19: Deliciousness
Lu Qing blinked, then paused to search through his memories.
It took a moment, but gradually, the image of the Big Market came back to him.
In short, the Big Market was an informal trading fair spontaneously formed by several nearby villages.
Since the town was far away, and entering required paying a city gate fee, most villagers and mountain folk avoided the trip unless absolutely necessary.
No one knew exactly when or who had organized it—maybe it started years ago, or even decades—just that over time, it had become a regular fixture.
Every five days, people from surrounding villages would gather at the market to trade goods.
The original owner had once gone with his parents when he was young, but ever since Xiao Yan was born, he’d been responsible for watching over her, and hadn’t set foot in the Big Market since.
His memories of it had faded with time—until Wang Da An brought it up now.
Wang Da An said, “People from all over come to the Big Market. Even some mountain folk sometimes come down to buy things. If you’ve caught such a big fish, you could easily sell it there—just don’t price it too high, and someone’ll definitely take it.”
From Wang Da An’s point of view, Lu Qing had more fish than he could eat.
Why keep it? Better to sell it cheap and bring back some coins.
Lu Qing thought for a moment, then nodded.
“If I catch another big fish next time, I’ll try selling it at the market.”
“Absolutely will sell,” Wang Da An said cheerfully. “I’ve seen fish sellers at the market before, but none of their fish are as big as what you caught today.”
Lu Qing smiled. “Big fish don’t come every time.”
“Still, if you ever want to go to the market, come tell me. There are a few rules you should know.”
“Got it,” Lu Qing replied. “If I decide to go, I’ll definitely let you know.”
“Just remember that,” Wang Da An said, then turned to leave.
Once Wang Da An was gone, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.
The Big Market—something he’d almost forgotten.
Maybe he could start gathering information about the city right here.
“Brother, when can I eat the fish? Xiao Yan’s hungry,” Xiao Yan called from beside him.
“Oh, it’ll be ready soon,” Lu Qing said, snapping back to attention. “Just let me finish cutting up the meat.”
He immediately resumed his work.
He chopped a few more pieces of fish, setting them aside for Zhang Da Ye.
The old man had cared for Xiao Yan during the time Lu Qing had been unconscious—this debt of kindness couldn’t be forgotten.
After portioning out the fish, Lu Qing selected the finest piece.
He carefully removed every bone and sinew, then sliced the meat into thin, delicate flakes.
Then he lit the stove, brought water to a boil, and began making congee.
The leftover fish he threaded onto bamboo skewers and hung from the eaves to dry—turning it into fish jerky.
Looking at the long row of fish drying in the sun, Lu Qing silently resolved:
I must get a proper iron pot soon.
And then there was seasoning—without it, his cooking skills were wasted.
He couldn’t bear to see such good ingredients go to waste.
When he finished, the congee in the clay pot had thickened and simmered into a rich, creamy consistency.
He added a pinch of salt, stirred it gently until it dissolved, then carefully dropped in the fish slices.
As soon as they turned white, he turned off the heat.
Finally, he added a small spoonful of lard—just enough to give it richness and depth.
Lu Qing served Xiao Yan first.
He fanned the bowl gently with a fan, waiting until it cooled slightly before placing it in front of her.
“Xiao Yan, wait a little—it’s still hot,” he said.
“Okay, Xiao Yan knows!” she replied, though her eyes never left the bowl.
Even though she was practically drooling, she waited patiently—her gaze locked on the steaming congee.
Seeing her, Lu Qing smiled and served himself a bowl.
With his thick skin and tough constitution, he scooped up a spoonful of fish congee, blew a few times, and took a bite.
The moment the fish touched his tongue, a wave of savory freshness surged through his mouth.
His face lit up in surprise.
The flesh was tender, fragrant, with a delicate, buttery aroma—far better than he’d expected.
Indeed, the finest ingredients require the simplest cooking.
He’d only added salt and a little lard—no scallions, no herbs—yet the taste was extraordinary.
No wonder this was a High-Rank Fish that could emit a bright white glow.
One spoonful was enough to fill him with deep satisfaction.
“Brother, can I eat now?” Xiao Yan asked, eyes wide with longing, watching him eat.
Lu Qing reached out and touched the bowl. It was cool enough.
“Go ahead. Just be careful—don’t burn your tongue.”
“Okay! Xiao Yan will be careful!” she said, beaming.
She scooped up a spoonful, blew gently on it, then took a cautious bite.
As soon as the first spoonful touched her mouth, her eyes widened in delight.
“Brother, brother! This fish congee is amazing! Better than the shrimp congee this morning!”
She clapped her hands, jumping slightly in excitement.
“Of course it is,” Lu Qing said proudly. “You know how hard I worked to catch this big fish, right? Of course it’s delicious.”
“Brother is the best!” Xiao Yan beamed, unreservedly praising him.
“Since you like it, eat more,” he said. “Chen Ye Ye said your hair will grow beautiful if you eat well.”
“Yeah! Xiao Yan will eat lots and lots—she wants pretty, long hair!” she declared, nodding seriously.
Lu Qing felt a pang in his chest.
Two days ago, when she’d played outside, some village children had mocked her hair, saying it looked ugly.
When she came back, she’d looked downcast and asked him, “How can I grow nice hair?”
He knew full well the reason—her hair was thin and weak because of malnutrition.
So he told her, “Just eat well, take care of your body, and your hair will grow strong and beautiful soon.”
Ever since, Xiao Yan had eaten every bite with care, never wasting a single morsel.
They’d never had the luxury of waste before.
After finishing their meal, the two sat back in their chairs, thoroughly satisfied.
Even Lu Qing hadn’t expected the Green Armor Fish to be this tender and delicious—truly a delightful surprise.
He found himself wondering:
If even the Green Armor Fish tastes this good… what must the Red Moon Carp be like?
The legendary “Extremely Fresh” delicacy, as described by Abilities.
But sadly, the Red Moon Carp was meant as a gift for Chen Laodaifu—so it couldn’t be eaten.
After resting for a while, Lu Qing stood up and walked back into the kitchen.
There was still one thing left to do.
The Fish Stone from the Green Armor Fish still needed to be processed.
(End of Chapter)
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