The exquisite cold-dressed tofu skin had already completely conquered everyone’s taste buds.

Next, the nanny brought out the second dish.

A colorful dish that looked like some kind of stir-fry was served on a rustic celadon plate. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

"Huh? What’s this?"

Song Sisi, looking at the dish she had never seen before, couldn’t help but ask curiously.

Without waiting for Elder Li to speak, Ding Aiguo took the initiative to pick up a piece with his chopsticks, brought it to his nose to smell, and smilingly took on the role of "commentator."

"This is Thunder Tofu."

"Thunder Tofu?"

It wasn’t just Song Sisi; Li Xu had never heard of it either.

"Doctor Li, Sisi, you mustn’t underestimate this dish. This ’Thunder Tofu’ is a dish of great skill that requires incredible precision with heat control and ingredients."

He explained, "Its main ingredient is the freshest, smoothest tofu. First, you have to use cheesecloth to squeeze out every last drop of water from the tofu, pressing it to the absolute limit.

Then it’s paired with burdock root, along with fresh shrimp, minced shiitake mushrooms, ground pork, and diced carrots...

Finally, instead of cooking wine, you use a splash of top-quality sake and flash-fry it over a roaring high flame."

"And the reason it’s called ’Thunder Tofu’... is because during the stir-frying process, the chef needs to toss the wok and flip the ingredients with a spatula at lightning speed. The constant, fierce collision of the iron wok and iron spatula under high heat creates a thunderous rumbling sound.

Only by doing this can you cook all the ingredients in the shortest possible time while preserving the tofu’s tenderness and the crisp texture of the other components."

After hearing the explanation, everyone picked up a piece to taste.

The moment the tofu entered their mouths, they were immediately met with an indescribably exquisite texture—light, refreshing, tender, and silky smooth.

The earthy aroma of the tofu, the clean fragrance of the burdock, the fresh sweetness of the shrimp, the woodsy scent of the shiitake, the savory richness of the ground pork... all the flavors, flash-fried in that "thunderous fire," blended together perfectly, yet each remained distinct and clear, without overpowering the others.

Next, several more appetizers were served. They appeared simple, but each was crafted with immense thought and care.

There was a "Japanese-Style Tofu," made with the most tender tofu, topped with paper-thin bonito flakes and perfectly blanched spinach, all drizzled with a bit of special Japanese soy sauce.

Another was an "Egg Tofu," made by steaming a perfect ratio of blended egg and soy milk.

It lacked the heavy, eggy flavor of a typical steamed egg custard but was richer and smoother than regular tofu. It was yet another absolutely stunning delicacy.

These few seemingly simple appetizers were like a virtuoso musician, using the most elegant notes to fully awaken the appetites that the red wine and cheese had opened.

The refreshing flavors swept away the lingering warmth of the wine, leaving everyone feeling invigorated and even more expectant for the main courses to come.

Just as Li Xu and Song Sisi thought the "Battle of the Fish Kings" was next, the first main course the nanny brought out once again took everyone by surprise. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

A massive tureen, so large it looked as if it were carved from white jade.

Inside the tureen was a pool of clear broth that looked just like plain boiling water.

Floating in the broth were just a few neatly trimmed hearts of baby napa cabbage, a mix of pale white and vibrant green.

And nothing else.

"This is..." Li Xu was astonished.

’Is this really the main course?’

’A tureen of... boiled cabbage?’

Elder Li saw his surprised expression and began to laugh heartily, stroking his beard.

"That’s right." He pointed at the tureen and said proudly, "This is a top-tier famous dish from Sichuan cuisine—Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth."

"Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth?"

Song Sisi’s eyes went wide.

Ding Aiguo smiled and once again began to explain to the two of them.

"You absolutely must not be fooled by its simple, unadorned name.

This dish, you could say, is the highest expression of ’the most profound flavors are the most subtle, and the greatest skill appears effortless.’

The so-called ’boiling water’ is just an extremely humble way of putting it.

In reality, this soup, which appears crystal clear, is a top-tier clear stock made with incredibly exquisite ingredients and an extremely complex process. In the culinary world, the technique is called ’clarifying the stock.’"

He picked up his soup spoon, gently ladled a spoonful, brought it to his lips, closed his eyes, and savored a small sip.

An expression of pure bliss spread across his face.

"Mmm... A fine soup. An absolutely fine soup."

He exclaimed in admiration, "In this broth, you have the richness of an old hen, the savory fragrance of a Jinling salted duck, the wild essence of mountain boar ribs, the umami of Jinhua Ham, and a consommé of high-quality lean pork... All the ingredients were slow-simmered over a low flame for at least a full day and night.

Then, minced chicken and pork were used to repeatedly ’sweep the broth,’ absorbing all the impurities and grease.

Only then do you get this top-tier stock, as clear as water and as divine as immortal dew."

Li Xu was completely floored.

To call a broth made with so many top-tier ingredients and so much effort "boiling water" was indeed far too modest.

Elder Li smiled and said, "Younger Brother Ding is right. Yesterday, after I got off the phone with Doctor Li and knew you were coming today, I immediately started preparing. This stock has been simmering on the lowest possible heat from yesterday afternoon until noon today."

Li Xu couldn’t wait any longer. He also ladled a spoonful of soup and brought it to his mouth.

In that instant, he felt as if his very soul had been utterly conquered by this rich, yet clear, umami.

It was a kind of ultimate freshness, an umami that was impossible to describe with words.

It was as if you were standing on an idyllic farm, surrounded by lush mountains and clear waters.

Around you, flocks of chickens, ducks, and geese were leisurely strolling;

In the distance, free-range, fat, and sturdy mountain boars roamed...

The most fundamental, most essential umami of all these ingredients found its most perfect and harmonious union in this single spoonful of clear broth.

Next, he picked up a piece of the baby napa cabbage.

The seemingly ordinary leaf, after being steeped in the top-tier stock, had fully absorbed the essence of all the ingredients.

The moment it entered his mouth, it melted instantly, leaving only a mellow, elegant, and indescribably clean sweetness lingering on his palate.

The meat and the vegetable, in that moment, were perfectly matched, bringing out the best in each other.

Song Sisi, for her part, drank three whole bowls of the clear broth in one go.

She felt a warm current flow from her stomach to every corner of her body.

A fine sheen of sweat even appeared on her smooth forehead.

The slight buzz from the red wine vanished completely. She felt refreshed, invigorated, and warm all over.

While the group was still savoring the aftertaste, the second main course arrived.

It was another famous dish that seemed simple but had a grand story behind it—Liver Paste.

In a small celadon bowl rested a square, pale red, jelly-like paste.

It was drizzled with a light, clear sauce, and its clean fragrance filled the air.

"Here, try this."

Elder Li introduced it, "This was the all-time favorite dish of the master of traditional Chinese painting, Mr. Zhang Daqian."