Landlord in the Arctic

Chapter 372: Chapter 283: Festival

Jenny moved with the gentle care of a wife eagerly awaiting her husband’s return, her every gesture filled with concern.

She took a soup bowl sealed with plastic wrap from a thermal container and carefully placed it on the tavern table.

Steam was still faintly rising from the soup bowl.

The faint wisps of steam drifted up, hazy in the tavern’s dim yellow light, seeming to add a touch of cozy, domestic warmth to the corner.

Then, Jenny gently peeled the plastic wrap off the bowl.

Instantly, the rich aroma of beef broth filled the air.

The broth was bright and clear.

It glistened enticingly under the light, a mouthwatering sight.

Mmm!

Feng Mountain glanced at it, and one sniff was all it took to know this was a stock made from beef bones—and an authentic Chinese one, at that.

Western-style stocks weren’t like this. They were either pale and pasty or thick and cloudy, and the spices were always the same few: thyme, bay leaves, black pepper, and the like.

Chinese stock, unless specifically required, isn’t simmered until it’s milky and thick.

Furthermore, it aims to bring out the food’s essential flavor, using a variety of ingredients besides just bones and meat.

Ingredients with a rich, savory flavor, like dried scallops and ham, are also often used to elevate the stock’s quality.

At the same time, various Chinese medicinal herbs are added to the broth for their warming and nourishing properties.

In the bowl before him, Feng Mountain could smell the faint medicinal aroma of Goji Berries and dangshen.

Jenny explained, only half-understanding, "Feng, the chef said adding the Goji Berries makes a man ’mega-manly.’ What does ’mega-manly’ mean?"

"Don’t listen to that old geezer’s nonsense," Feng Mountain said, dumbfounded.

’That Old Zhang has such a big mouth. How can he spout such nonsense about everything?’

Immediately after, Jenny took out another box, this one containing cooked ramen noodles.

Perhaps because she’d only just started learning, her noodle-pulling skills weren’t quite there yet. The noodles varied in thickness and length; some were thick, others were as fine as a strand of hair, and they all lay jumbled together in the box at different lengths.

Feng Mountain didn’t mind, though. After all, you can’t learn to pull noodles in a day or two.

’That she could pull them like this at all was already quite impressive.’

Jenny gently tipped the noodles into the bowl of broth. Then, she picked up her chopsticks and carefully teased the strands apart, making sure every single one was soaking in the rich, fragrant soup.

Once that was done, Jenny produced a large, full plate of braised beef from the thermal container. The beef was cut into perfectly-sized slices, each one showing a clear grain and an enticing color.

"Feng, this is the chili oil the chef made. Do you want some?"

Finally, from the thermal container that seemed like a Mary Poppins bag, Jenny pulled out a jar of chili oil.

"Yes. Absolutely."

The chili oil in the jar was a brilliant red, radiating a fiery heat.

Feng Mountain’s eyes lit up. He immediately took the jar and eagerly used his chopsticks to spoon a generous amount of the chili oil into his bowl.

The once-clear broth was instantly covered by a layer of red oil.

The vibrant red bloomed and spread through the soup.

At the same time, a rich chili fragrance wafted out.

It filled the air around the table, the tempting aroma tickling his nostrils and stoking Feng Mountain’s appetite even further.

Even Jeff, who had just claimed he wasn’t hungry, couldn’t help but gulp as he saw the aromatic bowl of beef noodles.

"Feng, I think I’m getting a little hungry too. How about you share some with me?"

"Get lost!" Feng Mountain had no intention of sharing. ’I just want to dig in by myself.’

As he spoke, he picked up the plate of braised beef and swept half of it into his bowl with his chopsticks.

Slices of braised beef tumbled into the noodle bowl, splashing up droplets of red oil and making the dish look even more delectable.

Then, Feng Mountain picked up a few slices of beef with his chopsticks.

He deliberately rolled them around in the chili oil, coating them completely in its fragrant heat, before eagerly popping them into his mouth.

He took a gentle bite, and the rich, mellow flavor of the beef instantly exploded in his mouth.

Mixed with the spicy fragrance of the chili oil, the taste was simply divine.

Feng Mountain’s eyes narrowed in satisfaction, as if all his fatigue was melting away with that single, delicious bite.

Next, he lifted a tangle of noodles with his chopsticks and slurped them down.

The noodles were still a little stiff, lacking that perfectly smooth and chewy texture.

’But here in the Arctic Circle, being able to eat a bowl of authentic beef noodle soup that tasted like home was more than enough. What more could he ask for?’

SLURP!

SLURP!

Warmed up now, Feng Mountain ate with gusto, slurping down mouthful after mouthful of noodles.

The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet tavern, each slurp an audible seal of approval for the noodles.

Nearby, Jeff watched Feng Mountain eat with such relish that he was practically drooling. His eyes were glued to the bowl as he swallowed again and again.

Finally, Jeff could no longer resist the temptation of those slurping sounds.

He steeled himself, snatched the chopsticks from Jenny’s hand, and dove right in, starting an all-out war with Feng Mountain over the noodles.

They went back and forth, one chopstick-ful at a time.

As they fought over the bowl, their chopsticks sent chili oil flying everywhere.

Red chili oil splattered across the table and the floor, leaving marks everywhere. The whole scene was utter chaos.

Even Jenny had to back away, afraid of getting splashed by the flying chili oil and ruining her clothes.

When they were finished...

Forget the soup—even the plate that had held the braised beef was licked as clean as if it had been washed.

And so, the tavern had its first-ever shutdown.

A long-faced waiter and Jenny were left to clean up the mess.

As for Feng Mountain and Jeff, they swiped a few beers from the tavern and trotted off to the hot springs for a soak.

...

「The next day.」

The aftermath of the incident in Noiksoth Village hadn’t affected the Crown Territory.

Feng Mountain got up early to exercise, just like any other day.

After breakfast, he planned to go with Jeff to the fuselage to get the items sent by the Wild Bull Tribe.