There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 269 Silent Longing

It's noon.

The three of them went to Li Shuchen's room for a meal.

Gu Ziying glanced at the dishes on the table: "They're all related to flowers. It must have been difficult for Shu Chen."

Li Shuchen waved his hand and said, "It's not difficult at all. Bingli and Uncle Yuan helped me make several dishes."

Ye Bingli: "How many dishes does Shu Chen plan to cook for the banquet?"

Li Shuchen: "Ten dishes and one soup"

Gu Ziying: "These dishes will definitely be a highlight of the banquet. It seems I need to work even harder. Shu Chen is so outstanding, I can't fall behind."

Li Shuchen: "I believe in Ziying"

After lunch, the group went back to their respective tasks.

The current menu includes tulip salad, beef peony, fried rose petals, rainbow flower cakes, flower rolls, and chrysanthemum sea bass.

Four dishes and one soup are still missing.

Li Shuchen wandered among the various flowerbeds, picking lilies and jasmine flowers.

Remembering that I promised to make sweet potatoes for Bingli, I scooped out a few more pieces of tricolor sweet potatoes.

Ye Bingli took it into the kitchen and began peeling lotus seeds.

Li Shuchen: "Bingli wants to eat lotus seeds?"

Ye Bingli: "As the weather gets hotter, it's good to make lotus seed soup to cool down and reduce internal heat."

Li Shuchen nodded: "That makes sense. How about I make some lily bulb and lotus seed soup?"

Ye Bingli: "That's excellent."

Uncle Yuan: "Girl, just say the word if you need my help."

Li Shuchen: "Uncle Yuan, can you help me cook?"

"it is good"

Li Shuchen picked up a sweet pear, washed it, peeled it, and cut it into small pieces for later use.

Wash the lilies and set aside.

"Girl, the pot's ready."

"coming"

Li Shuchen threw lotus seeds, sweet pears, and lilies into the pot, and added a few pieces of rock sugar.

Before long, the lily bulb and lotus seed soup was ready.

"Bingli, have a taste."

Ye Bingli: "A delicate sweetness melts on the tip of the tongue, like a clear mountain spring flowing. Shu Chen, have a taste too."

Li Shuchen also took a sip, and only one thought came to mind: refreshingly sweet and delicious.

Sure enough, everyone else is more learned than her.

"The soup is so sweet, we still need three more dishes."

Uncle Yuan: "Girl, what do you think of this chicken breast?"

Li Shuchen: "It's quite novel."

"Why don't you use it to research recipes, girl?"

Li Shuchen glanced at the chicken breast, then at the flowers in the basket.

Let's also have some jasmine and chicken breast; let's do it as soon as we think of it!

Wash the chicken breast, slice it thinly, and coat it with cornstarch.

Wash the jasmine flowers and scald them with boiling water until softened.

In a bowl, combine salt, pepper, a little wine, rock sugar, and cornstarch. Add spring water and stir well.

Li Shuchen: "Uncle Yuan, heat the oil in the wok and add scallions and ginger."

"It's done."

Li Shuchen poured the chicken breast slices into the pan and stir-fried them until the slices separated. Then he added the cornstarch slurry, stir-fried it evenly, and transferred it to a plate.

Add jasmine flowers, and it's done.

Ye Bingli: "Shu Chen did it so fast!"

Li Shuchen: "I wonder what it tastes like."

Uncle Yuan: "You'll know as soon as you taste it."

Li Shuchen picked up a piece of chicken breast, put it in his mouth, and chewed it: "It smells good, but I feel it's a bit too bland."

Ye Bingli also took a bite and said, "I think it's very good. The chicken is tender and juicy, and the jasmine aroma is rich. It's perfect for this season."

Li Shuchen: "Then stay here. How about I make Bingli a sweet potato?"

Ye Bingli: "Okay"

Li Shuchen first threw a few pieces of sweet potato into the soot at the bottom of the pot, then washed and peeled the remaining tricolor sweet potatoes, cut them into sections, and then...

carved

Ye Bingli: "What flower did Shu Chen carve?"

Li Shuchen: "Sweet potatoes are carved into jasmine flowers, purple sweet potatoes into wind chimes, and red sweet potatoes into carnations."

Ye Bingli: "I'll go pick some flowers for Shu Chen."

"it is good"

Li Shuchen meticulously carved each flower, using three different colors for each, for a total of nine flowers.

Ye Bingli carried the fresh flowers into the kitchen: "Shu Chen's carving skills are amazing; they're practically indistinguishable from the flowers."

Li Shuchen: "Then I'll steam the sweet potatoes."

Uncle Yuan: "I'll steam it. Girl, continue researching the recipe."

"it is good"

Li Shuchen didn't want to just steam the sweet potatoes; he wanted to pour some braising sauce over them.

So I started a new pot, put a small amount of water in it, added jasmine flowers and boiled for one minute. Then I removed the flowers, added honey, and poured it into a bowl for later use.

The steps are the same for purple wind chimes and red carnations.

After the sweet potatoes are cooked, plate them and drizzle them with the corresponding colored honey floral perfume.

Li Shuchen: "Bingli, this was made for you, you can eat it."

After tasting it, Ye Bingli exclaimed, "I never knew sweet potatoes could be so soft, sweet, and fragrant, like eating a pastry! I love it!"

Li Shuchen smiled and said, "When we get back, I'll dig some up for you to take home and eat."

Ye Bingli smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Okay."

Looking at the two dishes and soup on the table, Li Shuchen was extremely impressed with herself. She had prepared the banquet dishes in just one day; her execution ability was so strong that even she was afraid of herself.

Ye Bingli: "We now have nine dishes and a soup; we're just missing one last dish."

Li Shuchen: "The last dish is crucial; I'll go back and think about it carefully."

It was dusk.

Li Shuchen dug up several kinds of flowers, mud and soil included, wrapped them in cloth, and threw them into the carriage.

"Ziying, Bingli, you two should dig up some flowers to take home and grow."

"Good" *2

After digging up the flowers, Li Shuchen dug up a bunch of sweet potatoes and divided them into three portions.

Pack it up for Bingli first, she loves it.

"Shu Chen, I've finished digging."

Li Shuchen looked up and saw Ye Bingli walking towards her, carrying only a blue hydrangea.

Do you only want the blue hydrangea?

"Yes, that's enough."

Li Shuchen looked at Bingli, who was gently sniffing the blue hydrangea with her head slightly lowered, and felt a pang of sadness in his heart. The blue hydrangea symbolizes happiness and reunion, but also longing for a loved one.

But Bing Li...

The three went their separate ways.

Li Shuchen arrived at the gate of the Li residence, carrying a large bouquet of flowers as he walked home.

"My older sister is back."

Li Lingxiao put down her book and ran quickly towards Li Shuchen.

"Sister, let me help you carry it."

Li Shuchen: "No need, Xiao'er will go find some flower pots."

Li Lingxiao: "Okay"

Li Shuchen carefully planted the flowers in pots, watered them, and placed several pots in each room.

Li Lingxiao went to wash some fruit.

"Sister, come and eat some fresh fruit!"

Li Shuchen washed his hands, sat down on the stool, and started popping grapes into his mouth one by one.

"It's already dark, why haven't Father and Mother returned yet?"

Li Lingxiao, peeling an orange, replied, "They went out very early this morning, I didn't know."

...on a date

Li Shuchen: "Xiao'er, could you ask your teacher for a day off on the sixteenth?"

"it is good"

Li Shuchen smiled and said, "I haven't even said what it is yet."

Li Lingxiao handed the oranges to Li Shuchen: "If my sister is looking for me, I'll definitely be there."

Li Shuchen glanced at the books on the table and said, "Xiao'er doesn't stop reading even during her rest days. She's too diligent. So on the sixteenth, I wanted you to come to the Hundred Flowers Banquet hosted by your elder sister to relax."

Li Lingxiao: "I'm sorry to have worried you, elder sister. I'll ask the teacher for leave to go to the Hundred Flowers Banquet."

Li Shuchen closed the book: "Hmm, reading at night is too hard on the eyes. Xiao'er, why don't you chat with your older sister instead?"

"it is good"

...in the chat

"When did Xiao'er buy the flowers?"

Master Li entered the house

"So it's Chen'er back. I was wondering why Xiao'er, that rascal, would have such refined taste and know how to buy flowers. Chen'er, these flowers must have been expensive."

Li Shuchen truthfully replied, "Raising them is indeed quite expensive."

"So these were raised by Chen'er? Not bad, not bad. Your mother loves these flowers the most. What does Xiao'er, a boy, need flowers for? Father will take them away."

After saying this, Master Li carried away the chrysanthemums and hydrangeas from the house, one pot in each hand.

Li Lingxiao didn't even have time to resist