Chapter 37: Beef

The next day, Mo Shan went out, and when he returned in the evening, he was carrying a large bundle filled with wild beef.

"I went to see Old Zhao. He still has plenty left. No one is buying this meat, and he can't eat it all himself, so I brought it all back."

Liu Ruhua soaked the meat to remove the blood, then marinated it with pungent and aromatic seasonings.

These seasonings were picked from the mountains and dried by Liu Ruhua herself. She had learned the drying method from a neighborly auntie; it was a common way for rogue cultivator families in Tongxian City to prepare spices, though Liu Ruhua’s versions had a much better fragrance.

The wild beef marinated overnight, and the following day, it was placed into the stove and set to cook. After boiling it for half a day, Liu Ruhua scooped the meat out, discarded the water, and then added fresh water and more pungent seasonings. She first brought it to a boil over high heat, then simmered it slowly over a low flame, continuing this process for another full day and night.

It wasn't until the evening of the third day that she extinguished the stove and lifted the lid.

Steam billowed out, and the aroma of the meat mixed with the fragrance of the spices, permeating the entire house.

Liu Ruhua took a small knife, sliced a piece of meat into thin strips, placed them on a plate on the table, and then beckoned to Mo Hua: "Hua'er, come and taste this."

Mo Hua picked up his chopsticks, placed a piece in his mouth, and chewed a few times. He found it incredibly tender and flavorful, the aroma lingering on his palate. The slight gamey scent was neutralized by the pungent spices, resulting in a unique and exquisite flavor.

"Mother, this is the most delicious meat I have ever eaten!"

Mo Shan also took a bite, his eyes lighting up as he praised his wife

"It's even better than what the chefs in the restaurants make."

With a smile in her eyes, Liu Ruhua also tasted a piece herself. After a moment of thought, she remained somewhat unsatisfied

"The flavor is still a bit lacking. The spices should be lighter, the pungent flavor should be stronger, and the heat needs to be even higher..."

Mo Hua thought it was already delicious. In his ten-odd years of life, he had never eaten meat this good. As for whether he had eaten something similar in his previous life, he couldn't quite remember.

The wild beef tasted excellent, which gave them confidence in opening an eatery. Liu Ruhua sliced some more beef from the pot, packed it into small food boxes, and asked Mo Shan and Mo Hua to distribute some to their neighbors and friends.

Mo Shan took some to the neighbors and his friends in the demon-hunting squad.

Mo Hua, carrying the food boxes, first delivered a portion to Old Mr. Feng at the Xinglin Pavilion to thank him for treating his mother, and then delivered a portion to Master Chen. After all, Master Chen had forged the stove, so they had to let him taste the beef it produced.

Old Mr. Feng specialized in dietary health and practiced intermittent fasting, but upon seeing the beef Mo Hua brought, he couldn't resist tasting a few slices, praising it incessantly.

Master Chen went without saying; he gave half the beef to his disciples like Dazhu and kept the rest for himself to enjoy with wine.

As for the remaining portions, Mo Hua delivered them to Da Hu and his companions' home.

Da Hu and the others all shared the surname Meng and were part of one family, though the three were not biological brothers.

The Meng family had originally been prosperous, with three generations living under one roof. The old patriarch had three sons, and each son had given him a grandson. These three grandsons were Da Hu, Shuang Hu, and Xiao Hu.

However, good times did not last. Shuang Hu's father died while hunting demon beasts, and his mother passed away shortly after from depression and illness.

Xiao Hu's father had run off with another female cultivator while away on business and never returned. When Meng the Eldest sent people to inquire, some said he had changed his name and started a new family, while others said he had been bewitched by a wicked demoness who sucked his essence and refined him into a medicinal pill.

Regardless, the man was never coming back. Feeling disgraced, Xiao Hu's mother had also remarried.

Originally, the Meng patriarch had hoped his descendants would multiply for generations and produce a Foundation Establishment cultivator, making the Meng family a small but respected name in Tongxian City. Unexpectedly, two of his three sons vanished in the blink of an eye. The old man died shortly after from a broken heart and rage.

Thus, the eldest son became the sole pillar of the Meng family. He never complained, raising his brothers' children as his own. They ate together, went hungry together, and if the children made mistakes, they were disciplined together.

But as the three children grew, so did their appetites. The already impoverished family became even more strained than others.

When Mo Hua arrived with the beef, the Meng family was having dinner.

Da Hu, Shuang Hu, and Xiao Hu were gnawing on mantou and eating pickles. When they heard Mo Hua had brought beef, their eyes widened. As Mo Hua opened the food box and the aroma wafted out, the three of them began to salivate.

Auntie Meng glared at the three children. "Thank him before you eat someone else's food!"

Shuang Hu was the first to thump his chest. "Mo Hua! Between brothers, there's no need for formalities. From now on, if anyone bullies you, I'll beat them up for you!"

Da Hu and Xiao Hu chimed in unison, "Me too! Me too!"

Auntie Meng picked up her chopsticks and gave each of the three little tigers a light tap on the head, saying irritably, "You three never learn anything good, all you know is fighting. If the three of you combined were even half as sensible as Mo Hua, I'd be thanking the heavens!"

Seeing the three children looking pitifully at the meat, Auntie Meng's heart softened slightly. She said, "Eat, eat. Just remember to help your Uncle Mo and Auntie Liu with things in the future. Don't just spend your days eating for free."

The three little tigers nodded vigorously, then each scooped a piece of meat into the bowls of Uncle Meng and Auntie Meng before digging into the rest.

The moment the beef hit his tongue, Xiao Hu's eyes widened. "This meat is too delicious!"

Da Hu and Shuang Hu, their mouths full of meat, nodded incessantly.

Mo Hua was very happy to see his mother's cooking receive such praise.

Uncle and Auntie Meng also tasted the meat and nodded repeatedly, before passing the remaining pieces to the three boys.

Auntie Meng said to Mo Hua with envy, "Your mother's cooking is truly excellent!"

Mo Hua also complimented, "Auntie Meng's cooking is very good too!"

Auntie Meng laughed and took Mo Hua's small hand. "I really don't know how such a well-behaved and sensible child was born."

Uncle Meng took a bite of the beef and asked curiously, "Is this wild beef? It doesn't taste quite like it."

"It is wild beef; it was simmered for a very long time."

"No wonder," Uncle Meng nodded, then said to Mo Hua, "I heard your family is opening an eatery. If there's anything we can help with, just tell your uncle and auntie. We will definitely help."

"Thank you, Uncle Meng!"

After a few more pleasantries, Mo Hua took his leave. Auntie Meng gave him some freshly steamed mantou and some wild fruits to take home.

"We don't have much good stuff here, just take these mantou and fruits back to eat."

Mo Hua did not refuse. He packed the mantou into the food box and walked home while snacking on the wild fruits.

Anyone who had tasted beef simmered in a stove for such a long time said it was wonderful.

Liu Ruhua further enhanced the seasoning and adjusted the simmering heat. She even made a few bowls of beef noodles for Mo Hua to try; the broth was rich, the noodles were chewy, and the beef was savory and fragrant. Mo Hua's eyes crinkled with joy.

In addition, Liu Ruhua added various alcoholic drinks and snacks to the eatery's menu.

Alcohol was a necessity, but since rogue cultivators were poor, the grains used for brewing were of lower quality, so the taste wasn't particularly good. However, the fermented rice wine Liu Ruhua prepared herself was entirely different.

She added flowers, herbs, and fresh fruits to the brew. It had a low alcohol content, and combined with the rich fragrance of the various fruits and flowers, it was slightly intoxicating, sweet, and left a pleasant aftertaste. Mo Hua especially loved it.

In addition to the beef, the menu included pastries, fruits, pine nuts, and beef noodles.

Later, with the help of their neighbors and friends, all preparations were completed, and the eatery opened on the first day of the month.

Originally, following the local custom of naming establishments after the family name, it was to be called the "Mo Family Eatery." However, at Mo Hua's suggestion and with Mo Shan's agreement, it was ultimately renamed the "Liu Family Eatery."

Unable to argue with the father and son, Liu Ruhua could only agree.

(End of Chapter)