The boss of the small tavern kept on eagerly asking about the pros and cons of the hotpot. Jin Can commented with each bite. If it weren’t for the small boss treating him to this meal, Jin Can might have impatiently ignored him by now.
While they were eating, a young waiter suddenly brought a plate of food to Jin Can, bent over with a smile, and said, "Mr. Jin, hearing that you were dining at the Fragrant Full Building, our Boss specially made this boiled fish ball dish for you to taste."
To taste it is one thing; to critique it is another, isn’t it?
Among those present, it was unlikely that anyone couldn’t see through this. They exchanged glances, having heard that the Boss of the Fragrant Full Building was very mysterious and never showed his face in public. Then, rumors circulated that the new Boss was a culinary genius, though he never cooked personally. Unexpectedly, today he actually prepared a dish himself to present to Jin Can.
Jin Can is indeed fortunate!
"Mr. Jin, you are known as the ’Golden Tongue’ in Yecheng. Please, try the Fragrant Full Building Boss’ cooking skills," the small boss said, barely able to wait to find out whether the Boss was truly the culinary master the rumors claimed.
The other companions also stared intently at the dish in front of Jin Can. Unlike the small boss’s eagerness, however, they displayed some disdain. The Boss really was stingy. When other taverns knew that the Golden Tongue was coming, which one wouldn’t scramble to showcase their best skills? Yet the Boss of the Fragrant Full Building had prepared only a few fish balls. They had eaten fish balls during the hotpot; what could be so special about these?
Without a word, not even a word of thanks, Jin Can’s eyes were fixed on the dish before him. The plate was small and contained just six fish balls along with some broth that was almost clear of any substance. If anything was striking about it, it would be the delicate green onion and coriander on top of the fish balls.
"The color and aroma are appealing, but I wonder what’s so special about the taste," Jin Can muttered after a moment. He picked up his chopsticks and reached for one of the fish balls.
As his chopsticks barely touched the fish ball, Jin Can’s brows rose involuntarily—a sign that these fish balls were somewhat different from the ones he had earlier. They seemed smoother, bouncier.
He carefully picked up the fish ball with his chopsticks, not taking the time to examine it closely, fearing that any carelessness might cause it to fall to the ground. He quickly took a bite, closed his eyes, and began to chew slowly.
He chewed slowly, deliberately, feeling the tender, springy fish ball move across his lips and teeth. The aroma of the fish ball exploded across his taste buds. He was reluctant to swallow the tiny fragments of fish meat, preferring to savor the taste lingering in his mouth forever.
"Mr. Jin, how is it?" The small boss leaned forward anxiously, almost thrusting his head toward Jin Can.
Reluctantly, Jin Can swallowed the fish ball in his mouth, ignoring the small boss’s question. Instead, he took a spoon and scooped up some of the clear broth from the plate to taste. There was little broth, but it was exquisite in its simplicity. Jin Can’s eyes lit up, and he finally understood why the broth appeared so clear and unseasoned, yet tasted so delicious.