Chapter 229: Mom’s Taste
The slight annoyance Chen Mo had felt from his mom "meddling" instantly vanished into thin air.
The corners of his mouth turned up unconsciously. He gave a resigned shrug, walked over to the dining table, and sat down like a child waiting for his meal, his gaze never leaving the two women in the kitchen who meant the most to him.
The kitchen quickly became Chen Xi’s domain.
She tied on an apron, her movements as swift and sure as a seasoned head chef’s.
The refrigerator door opened, and ingredients were quickly retrieved: fresh eggs, milk, bread flour, a small block of butter, the red beans she had texted Chen Mo to soak the night before, and a few seasonal fruits.
It seemed that even when Chen Xi did the cooking herself, she was still in the habit of directing Chen Mo to do some of the prep work in advance.
Thinking back, his mother had rarely cooked. This was mainly because his father, Chen Miao, was also a skilled cook, leaving his mom with no opportunity to show off at home.
At his grandparents’ home, his grandmother was the one who cooked, so there was nothing for her to do there either.
The only opportunities she had were when she was home alone, taking care of Chen Mo.
But she had used even those opportunities to teach Chen Mo to be independent, which was why, in his memory, his mom had hardly ever cooked.
"Breakfast should be both nutritious and beautiful," Chen Xi said as she began to work her magic.
First, she poured the red beans into a small pot, added rock sugar and water, and set it on the stove to simmer over low heat. A sweet-smelling steam soon began to rise. "This is my secret recipe for red bean paste," she explained. "It’s for the filling."
Next, she started on the dough.
Flour, milk, eggs, and melted butter were quickly mixed, kneaded, and worked in her hands.
Her movements were as fluid as flowing water, carrying a confident sort of beauty. The dough in her palms seemed to take on a life of its own, becoming round and springy before quickly turning smooth and supple.
"The key to fluffy pancakes is kneading the dough well," she explained, gently instructing the awestruck Su Yuqing who was watching from the side.
She couldn’t help but fall into her habit of teaching her children.
While the dough was resting, Chen Xi took out a flat-bottomed pan.
She melted some butter in the pan, and the rich aroma instantly filled the air.
With a deft flick of her wrist, she poured in a ladleful of batter, which quickly set in the hot pan, forming a perfect circle.
Chen Xi watched the heat with intense focus. A few seconds later, with another flick of her wrist, the golden pancake flipped beautifully in the air and landed perfectly back in the pan, its other side also cooked just right, its edges a tempting, crispy brown.
"Wow..." Su Yuqing couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp of amazement, her eyes sparkling as she watched Chen Xi’s fluid movements, admiring and learning from them.
She had never seen someone cook with such elegance and power.
Chen Xi smiled, stacking the cooked pancakes on a pre-warmed plate.
She picked up a small spoon, scooped up the thick, sweet red bean paste, and spread it evenly between the layers of pancakes. Then, she took some whipped cream from the refrigerator, used a piping bag to create a beautiful rosette on top of the pancake stack, and finally garnished it with sliced strawberries.
In another small pan, she had also fried a perfect soft-yolked egg—the edges were crispy, and the yolk was perfectly wobbly.
When Chen Xi walked out of the kitchen carrying the plate—a work of art featuring the red bean pancake stack and the soft-yolked egg—Chen Mo’s nose immediately began to twitch like a puppy’s.
The pancakes were layered high, golden and tempting. The deep red of the bean paste, the snow-white cream, and the bright red strawberries mingled together, giving off a rich fragrance of dairy, fruit, and sweet beans.
The soft-yolked egg beside it was fried to perfection.
"Here, give it a try. The Chen Clan’s Secret-Recipe Red Bean Pancake Stack with a Soft-Yolked Sun Egg—an exclusive recipe, available in limited quantities!" Chen Xi placed the plate on the dining table, grinning proudly at her eager son and the adoring Su Yuqing. "Come on, let’s all dig in."
"What about Uncle? Shouldn’t we wait for him?" Su Yuqing, ever the thoughtful one, asked. Even though Chen Miao wasn’t there, she had still thought of him.
"His hotel provides breakfast. It would be a waste not to eat it, so we don’t need to wait for him."
Hearing this, Su Yuqing nodded and turned her attention to the food before her.
She carefully cut off a small piece of the pancake stack and brought it to her lips.
The outside of the pancake was perfectly crisp, while the inside was incredibly fluffy. The red bean paste was rich and sweet but not cloying, mixing with the lightness of the cream and the freshness of the fruit. The complex layers of flavor made her eyes widen in astonishment.
"This is so delicious! Auntie, you’re amazing!" she praised from the heart. There wasn’t a trace of flattery in her voice, only undisguised admiration and contentment on her face.
Chen Mo took a bite as well. That familiar, long-missed flavor—his mother’s cooking—instantly flooded his senses, even more perfect than the handful of times he remembered her cooking before.
He looked at the slightly smug, vibrant smile on his mother’s face, then at Su Yuqing’s completely relaxed expression, which was full of happiness and trust. That little pang of bitterness he’d felt over ’his spot being stolen’ was completely washed away by a great wave of warmth.
"So, you little punk, are you impressed?" Chen Xi asked, raising an eyebrow at her son.
Chen Mo swallowed the delicious bite and looked at the two most important women in his life. An unprecedented feeling of contentment filled him.
He smiled and nodded emphatically. His voice was filled with sincere admiration and a barely concealed touch of emotion. "With skills like this, you should cook more often. Otherwise, all my food memories will just be of Dad’s cooking."
"In your dreams. I only did this for Qingqing’s sake. Don’t think you can have this every day." Chen Xi had her own particular brand of pride.
But hearing her son’s praise and seeing the look of pure satisfaction on her future daughter-in-law’s face as she ate, she found the idea of cooking delicious meals for the two of them more often had become a much more appealing prospect.
The atmosphere at the table was warm and harmonious.
Chen Xi enthusiastically served Su Yuqing more of the pancake stack, asking her what she thought. Su Yuqing answered in a low voice, occasionally glancing at Chen Mo with a shy, happy smile. As for Chen Mo, while he devoured the long-missed delicacy that surpassed even his memories, he watched the two of them interact so intimately. He felt that this bright, sunny morning, along with this breakfast made with such incredible care, had become one of the most precious scenes in his life.
The previous night’s heart-to-heart talk and warm embrace had long since melted away all the distance and anxiety in Su Yuqing’s heart.
Here, under this small roof, a new, tight-knit bond—one that felt as strong as blood—was quietly growing and weaving itself amidst the aroma of food and the sound of cheerful laughter.
Su Yuqing’s wandering, anchorless heart had finally found a safe, warm harbor—one full of the bustle of a real home and genuine affection—in which to drop anchor.