Chapter 198 - Go Home!
Su Ming casually picked up a plastic bag and headed down to the basement. He packed it with some Body-stretching Pills, a bottle of coconut juice, and a few Truth Pills. Then, he made his way to the breeding zone and scattered some feed. He caught a total of five chickens and grabbed a selection of spices for stewing them. In the garage, he chose a car at random, called President Chen to ensure the daily feeding of the breeding zone was taken care of, and then drove straight home.
Arriving back home, Su Ming's spirits were high. After a three-hour drive, he was greeted by the lively atmosphere of the house. The villa he had built for his parents, designed by a professional, was a rare sight in the village and had piqued the curiosity of many.
“Son!” Su Tao's face brightened as he spotted Su Ming at the door. “Why didn't you give me a heads-up about your return?”
Su Tao approached quickly. “Dad, I wanted to surprise you,” Su Ming said, scratching his head with a grin.
“It's great to have you back,” Su Tao replied, then turned and called out loudly.
Lee Sumei, who was chatting with neighbors in the yard, heard her husband and caught sight of Su Ming, her face breaking into a smile. “You're back!”
“Mom, Dad, I've brought you some nice things this time.”
“You and your spending. Do you have a girlfriend yet? We're eager for grandchildren!” Su Tao and Lee Sumei exchanged glances and resumed their daily nudging for marriage.
Su Ming could only sigh at their persistence. These things couldn't be hurried; they were a matter of destiny. He decided to wait a bit longer…
“Your son's home.”
“Su's looking more handsome by the day.”
“Does Su have someone special?”
“My niece just finished university and landed a job at a state-owned company,” the aunties chimed in as they gathered around Su Ming.
Su Ming blinked, then spoke up. “Alright, alright.”
The village chief intervened, “Su's back, and the family surely has plenty to catch up on. Let's not crowd around and give them some space.”
Lee Sumei took mental note of the villagers' comments as they started to disperse. Su Ming drove into the courtyard and closed the gate behind him.
He popped the trunk open.
“What's this?”
The couple peered inside.
But what breed of chicken was this?
They had never laid eyes on it before!
“Dad, Mom, this is a new breed of chicken, and it's delicious,” Su Ming explained cheerfully.
“Son, genetically modified foods aren't good for your health!” Lee Sumei said, her brow furrowed.
Su Ming was at a loss for words.
“Don't worry, Mom,” he reassured her. “This has nothing to do with genetic modification.”
Carrying the cage, Su Ming walked over to the chicken coop his parents had insisted on building.
A chicken coop, a pigsty, and two untouched plots of land were part of the setup.
Though Su Ming's parents were country folks now living in a villa, they couldn't shake the need to grow and raise their own food.
Su Ming settled the chicken into the coop.
“System notification: The Glass Pearl Chicken, when raised outside the breeding zone, will grow at the same rate as regular chickens. The flavor will remain exceptional, and it can be fed with standard feed! However, it cannot reproduce!”
Hearing the system beep, Su Ming breathed a sigh of relief. Truth be told, he had been a bit anxious.
He had been concerned that the Glass Pearl Chicken might only thrive within a breeding zone.
Thankfully, the system's prompt put his mind at ease.
“Mom, Dad, haven't you eaten yet? Let's prepare one of these chickens for dinner!” Su Ming suggested enthusiastically.
“Sure!”
Lee Sumei and Su Tao adored their son.
Back when Su Ming was little, they would always save the tastiest morsels for him whenever they prepared chicken.
Now, even though Su Ming was all grown up, Lee Sumei and Su Tao's affection for him hadn't waned.
The couple expertly boiled a pot of water and dispatched two chickens.
Lee Sumei, holding a basin of boiling water, poured it over the chicken and froze.
She had never encountered this breed before.
The feathers came off with just a quick scald.
Lee Sumei and Su Tao exchanged a glance.
Had chickens become this advanced?
They felt out of step with the times.
Despite their astonishment, Lee Sumei and Su Tao kept their thoughts to themselves. They processed the two chickens and placed them in the pot, ready to cook.
Su Ming pulled out two packets of spices from his pocket.
“Son!”
Lee Sumei rushed to intervene: “Don't just throw in any seasonings. Chicken should be savored in its natural state. Adding spices will alter its flavor.”
“Don't worry, Mom and Dad!”
Su Ming gave a knowing smile. “These aren't ordinary spices; they're Chinese medicinal herbs. They're meant to nourish the body—only good can come from them, no harm.”
Lee Sumei and Su Tao had an epiphany and refrained from stopping Su Ming any further.
Indeed!
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was the perfect justification. Su Ming knew that no other explanation would have convinced Lee Sumei and Su Tao.
Su Ming added the herbs and secured the pot lid.
Once the firewood was lit, a rich aroma soon permeated the air.
Although Lee Sumei and Su Tao's villa was equipped with a gas stove, they knew that the flavor imparted by gas cooking just couldn't compare to that of firewood.
That's why they had the construction crew build a traditional stove in the yard.
On fair weather days, Lee Sumei and Su Tao preferred the outdoor stove, but they'd resort to the indoor gas during inclement weather.
For a dish like chicken soup, a slow simmer over firewood was essential.
That was the secret to coaxing out the chicken's rich essence!
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