Chapter 138: Having Dinner with the One You Love

Krystal gave the Chinese kale in the stir-fried beef with Chinese kale dish extremely high praise. After all, going from having no expectations at all to being pleasantly surprised upon tasting it naturally earned the dish a much higher evaluation.

"Well, indeed, this beef doesn't really seem suited for making stir-fried beef with Chinese kale. Had I known, I would have asked old Bai to help me buy some fresh yellow beef. Though, it might also be because frozen meat just isn't the same as fresh beef!"

Hearing Krystal's comments on the beef and the Chinese kale, Chen Zhe couldn't help frowning slightly. He had actually pinned high hopes on the beef, believing that using a fairly decent cut would result in exceptional slices of stir-fried beef.

Yet the outcome fell short of his expectations. The beef slices made from Angus beef tasted thoroughly ordinary, completely lacking the delicious flavor he had envisioned, and fell far short of versions made with fresh yellow beef.

"Next time, I'll get some fresh beef and try making it again. The Chinese kale is delicious, but this beef is just so-so. It's probably because it was frozen meat. Back in my hometown, stir-fried beef with Chinese kale is always made with fresh beef."

After carefully tasting the beef once more, Chen Zhe retraced his cooking steps, recalling the sequence and ingredients used by Bai Fan during his demonstration, as well as how his mother and father made stir-fried beef with Chinese kale back home.

Comparing his own version with theirs, he could only come to one conclusion: there was indeed a significant difference in their choice of ingredients, specifically that he had used frozen beef instead of fresh.

Having concluded that the issue lay with the ingredients rather than his culinary skills, Chen Zhe invited Krystal to taste the dish again once he managed to source some fresh beef.

"That sounds great! I'm really looking forward to seeing how stir-fried beef with Chinese kale tastes when made with fresh beef, and whether it's as delicious as you describe!"

Reaching up to gently sweep a lock of hair from her temple behind her ear, Krystal looked at Chen Zhe—whose brow was still slightly furrowed in a serious and thoughtful expression—and smiled brightly.

"Hot Summer Ah Hot Hot Summer
Hot Summer Ah Hot Hot Hot Summer Ah Hot Hot So very hot
Hot Summer Ah Hot Hot Summer
Hot Summer Ah Hot Hot Hot Summer Ah Hot Hot This is my taste Hot
Hot Hot Hot Summer Hot Hot Hot Hot"

Just as her voice trailed off, the alarm sound set on Chen Zhe's phone rang out. This alarm tone, however, was completely different from the previous one.

It had changed from the Girls' Generation track "The Boys" that Krystal had set earlier to "Hot Summer," the latest album's title track by her own group, f(x). One didn't need to guess who was responsible for that.

"Well, this new alarm tone is quite nice and very refreshing. The corn and pork rib soup is ready now; I'll just finish up the final steps and bring it over!"

Hearing the alarm ring, Krystal instinctively shrank her neck back, but remembering she was now someone's girlfriend, she proudly puffed out her chest again.

Chen Zhe merely praised the new alarm tone as quite good, then reached out to tap the phone on the bar counter to silence the alarm, turning back to finish the final steps of the corn and pork rib soup.

Removing the pressure cooker's pressure valve once more and letting the steam vent for a moment, Chen Zhe reopened the lid and nodded with considerable satisfaction as he looked at the much clearer broth inside.

After verifying that the ingredients in the corn and pork rib soup were thoroughly cooked, Chen Zhe prepared to add the final seasonings. He first added salt to the soup, followed by a light dusting of white pepper.

"Hmm, the flavor seems a bit light; it needs a bit more salt. But since I tend to prefer saltier food myself, my own taste test might not be entirely accurate. Krystal, you give it a try."

Having added the seasonings, Chen Zhe still felt somewhat uneasy. He picked up a ladle, scooped out a small portion of the soup, blew on it until it cooled slightly, and took a small sip.

Although he could taste the rich, savory depth of the broth, Chen Zhe couldn't help frowning because the flavor seemed rather bland to him.

Yet he also knew that his personal palate leaned toward heavier, saltier foods, making his judgment unreliable for a general taste test.

Therefore, he decided to let his most important guest of the night—and his newly minted girlfriend, Krystal—try it out. After all, every dish tonight had been prepared exclusively for her.

"Well, even though it's a bit on the light side, this soup is truly amazing to drink! The rich, meaty flavor of the pork bones combined with the fresh sweetness of the corn and carrots is just right!"

"Of course, if it could be just a tiny bit saltier, then this corn and pork rib soup would be absolute perfection—it could easily become one of the best soups I've ever tasted."

Scooping up another small spoonful and holding it out to Krystal, Chen Zhe watched as she drank the soup, closed her eyes, and put on a look of serious appreciation. A flicker of anticipation lit up his eyes as well.

After a short while, Krystal returned from her reverie of delicious flavors to reality, flashing a satisfied smile at Chen Zhe. She was thoroughly pleased with the corn and pork rib soup he had so carefully crafted.

She gave the soup high praise, though she did point out one minor flaw: the broth was slightly too bland. She remarked that had it been just a fraction saltier, it would rank among the finest soups she had ever tasted.

"Okay, then I'll just add a tiny bit more salt. I also felt the flavor was a bit too light and lacked saltiness!"

Hearing Krystal express the exact same view as his own, Chen Zhe could not help curving his lips into a smile. He was genuinely delighted to find that the person he cared for shared his preference for saltier flavors.

Adding a little more salt to the soup and stirring it evenly, Chen Zhe finally turned off the stove and retrieved a large bowl from the disinfection cabinet.

After rinsing the large bowl, Chen Zhe poured the corn and pork rib soup into it. The bowl he had chosen turned out to be the exact size needed to hold the entire batch of soup. Once pouring was complete, he placed the pressure cooker into the sink and let it soak in water.

Having cleaned up the cookware, Chen Zhe returned to the large bowl of soup, picked up a small dish of finely chopped scallions he had prepared earlier, and sprinkled them evenly over the top of the soup.

Carrying the corn and pork rib soup over to the dining area by the bar counter, placing it alongside the Mapo Tofu and the stir-fried beef with Chinese kale, Chen Zhe turned back to the tableware disinfection cabinet, pulled out a clean spoon, and set it ready for Krystal to use.

"Alright, tonight's dinner is fully prepared, and we can start eating. Once we're done, I'll take you upstairs to show you what kind of surprise I originally prepared for you."

"Even though we don't need to use it now, I still want to show you so you know I put real thought and effort into preparing it—even if plans can never keep up with how fast reality changes!"

Walking over to Krystal's side, pulling out a chair, and sitting down, Chen Zhe turned toward her, gently tapped the tip of her nose, and smiled as he spoke.