chsdbacks Chapter 149 Hot Pot and the Sudden Arrival of a Battlefield
Chapter 149 Hot Pot and the Sudden Arrival of a Battlefield
Hanhe New City, City Lord's Mansion Restaurant.
The long table was covered with an elegant linen tablecloth, with a large empty space deliberately left in the center.
The table was a mess, a scene of devastation after a battle.
The two largest empty plates in the center had recently contained squirrel fish and beggar's chicken, which Alicia had specifically requested.
These two dishes have already been devoured and distributed to everyone's bowls in a whirlwind.
Queen Alicia, the elf queen, licked the sauce off her fingertips without any regard for appearances, her green eyes narrowing happily: "Mmm... Prophet Lynn, how did you manage to make this fish crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with such a perfect balance of sweet and sour? And this chicken, the juices are just too good!"
Vera next to her also ate with her cheeks slightly puffed out, nodding repeatedly, her emerald green eyes full of satisfaction.
Elune's eating manners were much more elegant.
Catgirl Amber, on the other hand, lingered on the fishbone, her ears twitching.
Sylvia quietly sipped the tea, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Lynn watched them enjoy the meal with a smile, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.
However, the main event of the night is not over yet.
"Everyone, something even more delicious is coming!" Lynn clapped his hands, and several servants immediately carried in a specially made large copper pot and placed it on the charcoal stove reserved in the center of the table.
On one side of the pot, a bubbling, bright red broth, densely covered with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, bursts forth with an overpowering aroma that blends with the rich flavor of beef tallow, stimulating everyone's nasal passages.
On the other side is a creamy white and fragrant broth.
Then, various ingredients were served in a continuous stream.
Beautifully marbled slices of beef and lamb; tender fish slices and shrimp paste; fresh and juicy vegetables, mushrooms, tofu...
There was also a row of small bowls containing Lynn's specially prepared dipping sauces: sesame oil and minced garlic, sesame paste, seafood soy sauce, and so on.
"What is this...?" Alicia leaned forward curiously.
"This is called hot pot," Lynn explained.
"This red one is called Yucheng Hot Pot, and its specialty is spicy and fragrant."
"Those who prefer a lighter taste can eat the other side."
"The ingredients are briefly cooked in the soup, then dipped in the sauce before eating."
He demonstrated by picking up a slice of mutton, swishing it a few times in the red broth, and the slice quickly curled up and changed color. After taking it out, he rolled it in a bowl of sesame oil and minced garlic, put it in his mouth, and showed an expression of enjoyment on his face.
Vera and Alicia, being professional foodies, learned the fastest.
Vera tentatively dipped a slice of beef in the hot water, carefully dipped it in sesame oil, and put it in her mouth.
Instantly, my eyes widened! First came the intense burst of chili and Sichuan peppercorns, followed by the rich aroma of butter and the tenderness of the meat slices. The sesame oil and minced garlic in the dipping sauce perfectly balanced the spiciness and added flavor.
An unprecedented, stimulating, and addictive taste experience exploded in her mouth.
"So...delicious!" She gasped, her cheeks flushing red, but she couldn't wait to reach for a second slice with her chopsticks.
Alicia was even more direct; she clearly had a good tolerance for spiciness.
She imitated Lynn, devouring the food with gusto, her emerald green eyes sparkling. While hissing and gasping for breath from the spiciness, she couldn't stop eating: "Mmm! This flavor! It's amazing! So numbing, spicy, and fragrant! It warms my whole body! It's so delicious!!"
Even Elune, who is usually aloof, nodded slightly after trying it, and her chopsticks moved noticeably faster.
Amber was so spicy that she stuck out her tongue, but she still stared longingly at the hot pot.
Sylvia cautiously opted for the clear broth hot pot, but she was also caught up in the lively atmosphere of eating around the stove, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Only Leah.
Cute Leah curiously tasted a slice of meat cooked in the red broth, and the next second—
"Ugh—!! It's so spicy! So numb! My tongue hurts! Water! Brother, I want water!"
Lydia's large, gray eyes instantly filled with tears, her face flushed red, and she opened her mouth to fan herself with her hand.
She looked at Lynn pitifully, like a kitten that had been bullied by chili peppers.
Lynn couldn't help but chuckle and quickly handed over the chilled juice that had been prepared beforehand.
He quickly dipped a slice of beef in the broth and put it in Leah's bowl: "Here, eat this, it's not spicy."
Leah sipped her juice with teary eyes, looking rather pitiful as she watched everyone enthusiastically grabbing food from the hot pot.
The atmosphere at the hot pot feast grew increasingly lively, filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.
Alicia completely abandoned her queenly airs, vying with Vera for shrimp paste, and discussing with Elune which mushrooms were best cooked for how long. Her silver hair flew with her movements, and her face was filled with pure joy.
After a satisfying meal, Alicia leaned back in her chair, patting her slightly protruding belly with contentment, her emerald green eyes gazing at Lynn, who was scooping glutinous rice balls from the soup pot for Lia.
She suddenly blinked, and said in a tone that was half joking and half serious:
"Waaah~ The food that Prophet Lynn makes is so delicious! I feel like I've been eating the wrong food all this time..."
"How about you become my husband from now on?"
"That way I can eat this delicious food every day, at every meal!!"
The air in the restaurant fell silent for a moment.
Only the red soup was still bubbling and churning.
Lynn's hand, which was reaching for the meatballs, froze in mid-air, her expression slightly stiff.
Isn't the Elf Queen's thinking a bit too unpredictable?
Before Lynn could even organize his thoughts in response, Vera beside him jumped to her feet, her emerald green eyes flashing with obvious anxiety and a hint of... jealousy?
"Auntie! You can't!" Vera's voice was a little louder than usual.
"Huh? Why?" Alicia tilted her head, looking at her niece with an innocent and puzzled expression.
"Lynn the Prophet is a very good person, his strength is also quite good, he is a child of nature, and I admire his philosophy. Most importantly, his cooking is so delicious!"
"Wouldn't it be wonderful to marry a husband like that?"
"I...I..." Vera was speechless for a moment when asked the question, her face turning red.
Her eyes darted nervously toward Lynn, then toward Elune, who had quieted down beside her.
In desperation, she grabbed Elune's arm and blurted out, "Because...because Auntie has already signed a natural contract with Lynn! So, so Prophet Lynn is...Auntie's person now!"
"Huh? Is that so?" Alicia looked at Elune, who was blushing slightly, and then at Lynn in surprise.
Far from being disappointed, her eyes shone even brighter.
"Isn't that perfect?"
"Elune and I are best friends!"
"We have such a good relationship! This way, we won't have to separate, right?"
"Being able to be with Elune and eating delicious food made by Prophet Lynn every day! Perfect!"
Alicia counted on her fingers, and the more she talked, the more sense it made.
She added, "And actually, I'm quite traditional. As long as we both approve of each other, I don't mind if my husband has multiple wives or concubines."
"Beautiful things and feelings should be shared, right? Elune, do you even care?"
Alicia looked at her best friend with her beautiful eyes.
The pressure was instantly put on Elune.
All eyes were on the aloof elven chieftain.
Elune's cheeks flushed slightly in an instant.
She first looked at Lynn, then at her niece Vera who was glaring at her with a huff, and finally her gaze fell on Leah, who was eating dumplings.
Elune gently bit her lower lip, her long silver eyelashes trembling. Her voice was low, carrying a resigned shyness:
"I...I don't really care."
"Aunt! How could you do this!?" Vera could hardly believe her ears. She released Elune's arm, stomped her foot in anger, and her emerald green eyes were full of accusations against the traitor.
Seeing that the situation was about to develop in a strange direction, Lynn finally put down his chopsticks and cleared his throat.
"Ahem, Your Majesty Alicia." He carefully chose his words, trying not to offend the Queen too much, but also to steer the conversation back on track.
"I am truly flattered by your kindness."
"It is my honor to be friends and allies with such noble and beautiful elves as His Majesty and Chief Elune."
"Sharing food is a joyful thing, and it doesn't necessarily need to be tied to such a serious relationship."
"Moreover, with the current situation unclear and the shadow of war looming, it is too early to discuss these personal matters."
"Shouldn't we focus more on strengthening our alliances and addressing the challenges?"
His words were perfectly tactful, thanking Alicia for her appreciation while subtly steer the conversation back to the main topic, and also implying that now was not the right time to discuss marriage.
Alicia blinked after hearing this: "Okay, okay, Prophet Lynn's words sound so official! It feels like he's just being perfunctory. Actually, I'm serious, but Prophet Lynn's mind isn't on this, so let's discuss it later."
Vera breathed a slight sigh of relief when she saw that Lynn had politely declined her aunt's marriage proposal.
But seeing her aunt's still predatory gaze despite her temporary retreat, and her other aunt's tacit approval...
A nameless anger mixed with resentment welled up in my heart.
She went straight to Lynn's side and grabbed his arm before he could react.
With a loud thud, it took a bite!
"Ouch!" Lynn cried out in pain, gasping for breath.
Vera didn't really use any force; she just left a clear teeth mark before letting go.
She raised her head, her emerald eyes shimmering with tears, glared at Lynn, and said in a low, angry voice:
"You scoundrel! You womanizing bastard! You big jerk! Even my aunt... Do you have to add every little fairy around me to your harem before you're satisfied?!"
Without waiting for Lynn's reply, she turned around, both angry and embarrassed, and grabbed Sylvia's wrist, who was trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible:
"Sylvia! Let's go!"
"Stay away from this bad guy! Don't let his face and the food he cooks fool you!"
"Let me tell you, he's incredibly wicked! He's full of bad intentions! All he does is bully people!"
Sylvia was pulled so hard she stumbled and dropped her chopsticks.
She looked up and met Lynn's slightly helpless gaze.
I recalled that night at the restaurant, and the incident with hand, foot, and mouth disease...
Two blushes involuntarily rose on her cheeks.
"Hmm...oh..." she mumbled in response, her voice weak.
And that's how Vera led him away from the restaurant.
But Sylvia's mind kept replaying the scenes from that night.
Alicia watched her niece's flustered figure disappear into the distance and burst into laughter: "Vera, that child, is still so adorable!"
Elune sighed and gave Lynn an apologetic look.
Leah glanced at Alicia, then at the dumplings in her own bowl, sighed, and thought to herself with a touch of frustration, "If Leah weren't unable to satisfy her brother on her own, she wouldn't be sharing him with so many people."
In this farce.
Only Amber remained completely unaffected, still happily swishing her chopsticks through the fish slices, saying, "Meow! This hot pot with fish slices is so delicious."