The essence of hot pot lay in the final noodles that had absorbed all the various meat and vegetable flavors.

Watching Wei Caiwei fish out the last noodle from the chicken soup hot pot, Wang Daxia’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He was growing and was someone who couldn’t be happy without meat. Eating bland porridge and chicken shreds was like not eating at all – his stomach was full but his eyes and tongue were still craving.

Wei Caiwei placed the noodles in her bowl but didn’t eat them right away. Her chopsticks picked up the noodles again and again. The autumn wind dispersed the steam from the noodles, and after they became cold noodles, she pushed the bowl to Wang Daxia.

Wang Daxia was delighted: “For me?”

Wei Caiwei nodded: “I’m already full. The noodles were made for you. Remember not to eat hot things for the next couple of days, and rinse your mouth frequently. Also, people eat crabs during Mid-Autumn Festival, but don’t touch crabs since they’re inflammatory foods. Don’t touch dipping sauces with scallions, ginger, and vinegar either – those things irritate the membrane in your mouth the most. Take good care of yourself and don’t let it fester.”

Though she wanted to teach him a lesson not to swallow things carelessly, Wei Caiwei couldn’t bear seeing Wang Daxia’s longing expression, so she gave him the best part of the hot pot – the noodles.

Wang Daxia nodded repeatedly, holding the noodle bowl bigger than his head and eating the cold hot pot noodles. The noodles had absorbed all the broth and were even more delicious after cooling – this was the best thing he’d eaten all Mid-Autumn Festival.

After the meal, Wang Daxia stayed as usual to help clean up and wash dishes. Wei Caiwei threw away all the chopped mooncakes he’d hacked up – afraid the filling might contain cleaver fragments. She couldn’t bear to throw away the remaining seven intact mooncakes, but since they couldn’t be bitten, she simply stacked them pyramid-style as offerings before the spirit tablet of “the soul of deceased husband Wang Erlang.”

The words “Flowers Blooming Under the Full Moon” on the cake surfaces had an eerie compatibility with the spirit tablet.

For some reason, seeing the iron-hard mooncakes offered before “Wang Erlang’s” spirit tablet, Wang Daxia felt his teeth ache, as if they were meant for him to eat – which was actually true. Wang Erlang was Wang Daxia.

Wei Caiwei arranged the “offerings” and set up several mousetraps around them to prevent the mooncakes from attracting mice.

Wang Daxia said: “I think you’re being overly cautious. Mice can gnaw through wood, but they definitely can’t gnaw through your mooncakes.”

This was indeed true.

Wei Caiwei put away the mousetraps.

Wang Daxia coughed lightly: “Today is the fifteenth of the eighth month. Do you have any plans?”

Wei Caiwei said: “Cook, eat, take an afternoon nap, then after waking make tonic paste for Lady Li Yiren at the Lu mansion, then cook again – actually, forget it, cooking is too troublesome. I’ll eat out tonight. I got up early this morning and bustled about all morning, but only the chicken soup hot pot was barely edible. I botched the mooncakes and made you eat a mouthful of blood. Seems I have no affinity with the kitchen – better not to torment each other.”

It really was “botched” – even smashing against walls wouldn’t break them.

Wei Caiwei’s culinary challenge failed – from beginner to giving up took only half a day.

Wang Daxia seized the opportunity to extend an invitation: “On such a big holiday, restaurants will also close early for the holiday – everyone needs to celebrate. You might not find a place to eat tonight. How about… coming to our place for dinner?”

Wei Caiwei couldn’t believe it: “What? Go to your house?”

Wang Daxia nodded: “We’re neighbors – distant relatives aren’t as good as close neighbors. It’s a reunion festival anyway. Instead of spending it alone, why not celebrate with us? You know, that stepmother of mine has already been divorced. There are only four of us at home – me, my father, Commander Mu, and my little brother. It’s a simple household without many rules, just sitting together for a meal.”

Autumn had arrived, and the results of the autumn evaluation had come out. Wang Qianhu had unsurprisingly lost his official position due to his former wife Wu Shi’s money-lending activities and his failure in oversight.

But Lu Bing had spoken with the Five Cities Military Commission, wanting Wang Qianhu’s trusted subordinate Captain Mu to take over as Commander of the North City Military Commission. Commander Mu had worked his way up from common soldier in the North City Military Commission, steadily advancing step by step. His promotion to commander was what everyone expected and could convince the masses. With Lu Bing’s behind-the-scenes support, he was promoted one rank to become the new commander. The benefits stayed within the family.

Commander Mu still lived in the Wang mansion and remained very respectful toward Wang Qianhu.

Wei Caiwei said: “Your family has four men celebrating the holiday – what business does a widow like me have joining in? Besides, you’re not the master of Wang mansion – your father is. Without him sending an invitation, it wouldn’t be proper for me to go to your house for a feast as an uninvited guest.”

You’re only fourteen and already so eager to introduce me to your parents?

Did I agree? Did your parents agree?

Wang Daxia had always been casual and carelessly pampered, never thinking about such etiquette details. Hearing this, he slapped his forehead: “You’re right. But it’s fine – I’ll go back and have my father write an invitation. He’ll definitely agree.”

Since Wang Daxia’s triple promotion to Captain while Wang Qianhu lost his position, their career trajectories had reversed. Wang Daxia had become increasingly arrogant at home. He was confident that with coaxing and pestering his father, how could he fail to produce an invitation?

Forced melons aren’t sweet. Wei Caiwei still refused: “I’m quite content celebrating the holiday quietly by myself. If the restaurants outside are closed, I can reheat the leftovers from lunch.”

Just as Wang Daxia was about to persuade her further, knocking sounded from outside.

Since the Zhou Xiaoqi midnight kidnapping incident, Wei Caiwei wouldn’t open the door easily. She asked: “Who is it?”

“Your neighbor, Wang Qianhu.”

Speak of the devil and he appears. Wang Daxia quickly ran to open the door: “Father? How did you come here?”

Sure enough, his son was here. On such a big holiday, instead of staying home, he had to run to the neighbor widow’s house.

However, Wang Qianhu had given up any unrealistic fantasies about his son. He simply couldn’t control his son, so let him be.

Wang Qianhu said: “I’m naturally here to find Dr. Wei.”

Wang Daxia still blocked the doorway: “What business does father have with Dr. Wei?”

He worried his father couldn’t control him and would come to trouble Wei Caiwei, throwing her some banknotes, a few acres of farmland, a big house or something, demanding she leave “my son,” stop “pestering him,” and telling her “you and he have no future” and such things.

Aren’t all story books written this way?

In front of Wei Caiwei, Wang Qianhu couldn’t lose his temper with his son, especially on such a big holiday.

Wei Caiwei came over: “Wang Qianhu, please come in and sit, have some tea.”

“No need, I’ve come to deliver an invitation.” Wang Qianhu took out a large red invitation: “We’ve been neighbors for four months, looking out for each other harmoniously and amicably. Today being the Mid-Autumn Festival, thinking of Dr. Wei spending it alone, I’ve prepared some simple wine and food, and specially invite Dr. Wei to come for dinner tonight. Would you honor us with your presence?”

Wang Daxia was stunned. Had the sun risen from the west today? How had his father, through some lucky coincidence, hit right at his heart? How did he know I wanted to invite Caiwei to celebrate the holiday together?

After his initial surprise, Wang Daxia smiled approvingly at his father. For once showing familial affection between father and son, he laughed: “For things like delivering invitations, I could have done it when I got home. Father made a special trip.”

Wang Qianhu paused and said: “I wrote the invitation last night, originally planning to have you deliver it this morning. But you disappeared somewhere early this morning. I waited for you all morning at home, then waited until noon. I couldn’t keep waiting – afraid Dr. Wei might have other afternoon arrangements, so I came to deliver the invitation and invite Dr. Wei in person. After all, I’m now free from official duties and just idle at home anyway. Dr. Wei, I wonder if you—”

Wei Caiwei accepted the invitation: “Since I’m honored with such an invitation, how dare I not comply.” She agreed to attend the Mid-Autumn banquet at Wang mansion tonight.

Wang Qianhu wouldn’t invite her to a banquet for no reason – he must have something to say to her.

Wang Qianhu said: “Excellent, does Dr. Wei have any dietary restrictions? I’ll go back and instruct the kitchen.”

Just as Wei Caiwei was about to say she had no restrictions and would eat anything, Wang Daxia interjected: “I know Dr. Wei’s taboos and preferences. I’ll go tell the kitchen.”

Wang Qianhu and Wei Caiwei both glanced at Wang Daxia, their gazes colliding on him before separating.

Wang Qianhu thought: Dr. Wei looks at my son so strangely! Why does it seem a bit like how my late wife used to look at young Wang Daxia when he misbehaved and broke vases – that kind of indulgent helplessness?

Their relationship… doesn’t seem to be what the marketplace rumors say.

Wang Daxia cheerfully followed his father home and headed straight for the kitchen, directing the cook to make foods Wei Caiwei loved: “…She doesn’t like dismantling crabs – gets fishy smell under her fingernails that affects her handling of medicinal materials. Steam the crabs, then pick out all the crab meat, roe, and paste. Season and marinate with Sichuan peppercorns, minced scallions, ginger, and garlic, then coat with flour and deep-fry until crispy outside and tender inside. Stuff it back into the empty crab shells to borrow some freshness, then make a dipping sauce with sesame oil, soy sauce, and vinegar to dip when eating. Oh, that’s delicious.”

This was a dish Ding Wu often made when he was around. Wei Caiwei loved this feeling of eating crab meat in big mouthfuls without fiddling with a bunch of crab-dismantling tools – eating cleanly and refreshingly.

Wang Daxia had benefited by association and eaten it several times. He greatly admired Ding Wu’s culinary skills.

The cook said: “This method is interesting. I’ll try making a dish right now for Second Young Master to taste, see if it’s the right flavor.”

Though Wang Daxia wasn’t the master of Wang mansion now, he had been promoted three ranks and had the backing of Lu Bing, a powerful patron. Meanwhile, the household head Wang Qianhu was already “yesterday’s news.” Wang family’s future belonged to Wang Daxia, so even the servants watched his mood and tried to curry favor with him.

Since Wang Daxia rarely came to give kitchen guidance, the cook naturally served him well, satisfying whatever he requested.

Wang Daxia said: “For soup, let’s have pigeon soup, remember to stew it until tender.”

“Yes, Second Young Master.”

Wang Daxia ordered: “…vinegar-braised cabbage, red-wine braised shad, yellow-braised yam chicken, cook some chesnut porridge, for cold dishes make cucumber with Liaodong golden shrimp, and make some rose goose-oil scalded flour steamed cakes.”

All were dishes Ding Wu had made, and Ding Wu only made dishes Wei Caiwei liked, so following Ding Wu’s recipes couldn’t go wrong.

“Good, all noted down. What about drinks?”

Wang Daxia replied: “Dr. Wei rarely drinks alcohol. Just prepare some fruit wine that can be drunk casually without getting drunk no matter how much you drink.”

Wang Daxia tested dishes in the kitchen – that crispy fried crab took three tries to pass: “…This flavor is very similar now. Make it like this.”

Commander Mu told Wang Qianhu about Wang Daxia’s afternoon activities, naturally reporting good news while hiding bad: “After Second Young Master’s promotion to Captain, he’s become careful and considerate – completely different from the troublemaker who caused chaos in North City four months ago. His future prospects are unlimited.”

Commander Mu was genuinely happy for Wang Daxia.

Wang Qianhu remained frowning: “I’m his biological father, yet he’s never served me like this. It’s just one meal, but he tested dishes three times – even preparing to receive the emperor wouldn’t require this much. Tell me, what kind of relationship does he have with Dr. Wei? Why does he care more about her than about me, his own father?”

Author’s Note: All the dishes in this chapter, including the crispy fried crab, are from Jin Ping Mei.

Also, regarding the hardness of Caiwei’s mooncakes in the previous chapter – she only had flour and water. French bread uses yeast when kneading, and the yeast makes the interior full of gas, fluffy, and somewhat crispy. But Caiwei didn’t even let the dough rise – it was dead dough baked directly. Even French bread with yeast is hard enough, so Caiwei’s mooncakes could only be harder than French bread.

In terms of hardness: Russian black bread < Wang Xiaoxia < French bread < Caiwei’s five-nut mooncakes.