Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle
Chapter 69 - 59: Choosing the Bitter Taste Between Sweet and Salty_2

Chapter 69: Chapter 59: Choosing the Bitter Taste Between Sweet and Salty_2

Qin Huai didn’t hesitate at all and said, "I’d like to ask for your help in taste-testing the cold tea from my shop."

"I’ve brought over various kinds of cold tea: Five Flower Tea, three flavors of Dried Tangerine Peel Tea, Monk Fruit Tea, Liver Refreshing and Eye Brightening Tea, and Hand-Tossed Lemon Tea, all right here." As he spoke, Qin Huai placed several cups of cold tea orderly on the table.

Qu Jing cooperatively moved the medical kit to the side to avoid blocking the view of the tea.

Luo Jun looked at the seven cups of cold tea on the table, showing a somewhat bewildered expression for the first time. He glanced up at Qin Huai, then down at the tea before turning to Qu Jing and asking, "Can I drink it now?"

Qu Jing nodded, "I’ve finished the check. If your current reason for not wanting to go out isn’t just because you don’t want to but has something to do with leg issues, I suggest you have a check-up at our hospital. The rehab department has excellent therapists and masseurs; it’d be worth your money to get some treatment."

"I know my body well enough; I’m very healthy."

Qu Jing didn’t press further, "Then just focus on regular care and meals. Your detailed report will be available in three days. As for the cold tea, it’s fine to drink. I remember Sister Chen telling me last time that given your current condition, drinking more Seven-Spice Dampness Removing Tea would be beneficial."

At that comment, a few people quietly observing from the studio doorway gasped.

"I thought Master Qin had already done a good job venting our frustration; turns out Dr. Qu is the true master here," Xiao Qian said, whose drafts aren’t even worth 20 bucks.

"Don’t you think Master Qin is cunning? A taste test, hinting there’s more than one occasion for drinking it!" Xiao Luo felt it was time to speak up for his idol, Qin Huai.

"No, I just can’t figure it out; Old Luo has been nice to Dr. Qu and Sister Hong for quite a while, but why do I feel like he’s nicer to Qin Huai than to them? Is it because he’s good at making snacks that he can do whatever he wants?" Ouyang was puzzled.

Xiao Luo, Xiao Qian, and the babysitter all gave Ouyang an "Of course" look.

Ouyang was at a loss.

Luo Jun, seeing that Qu Jing said it was okay to drink the tea, picked up the Five Flower Tea in front of him and took a big sip, maintaining a straight face as he commented, "Mediocre."

Monk Fruit Tea.

"It’s okay."

Liver Refreshing and Eye Brightening Tea.

"So-so."

Dried Tangerine Peel Tea flavor 1.

"Just the same."

Dried Tangerine Peel Tea flavor 2.

"What’s the difference from the last one?"

Dried Tangerine Peel Tea flavor 3.

"Awful."

Hand-Tossed Lemon Tea.

"And you call this cold tea?!"

After taking a sip from each cup, Luo Jun concluded, "Your cold tea isn’t good. It’s not even as good as your lousy steamed buns."

Qin Huai said nothing.

Whenever Luo Jun took a sip of Dried Tangerine Peel Tea, Qin Huai had to focus to see if any game sound prompt went off, but of course, there wasn’t any.

Evidently, these three Dried Tangerine Peel Teas didn’t suit Luo Jun’s taste.

To be honest, he wasn’t surprised.

Dried Tangerine Peel Tea is generally straightforward and can accommodate a variety of ingredients, sometimes not even needing to be boiled—just steep it in hot water.

If Luo Jun had a preference for a specific flavor, it wouldn’t be surprising if Qin Huai couldn’t make it right away.

Qin Huai decided to ask directly.

He realized that Uncle Luo appreciates straightforwardness.

If you try to beat around the bush with him, he’ll definitely get annoyed and scold you, but if you’re upfront and sincere, even if he doesn’t understand, he won’t question your motives.

"Grandpa Luo, do you think there’s room for improvement with my cold teas? Especially the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea," asked Qin Huai.

Luo Jun had already started eating the flaky pastry, and despite his age, he had strong teeth, making a crisp sound with each bite. No one knew if they were real dentures.

"Room for improvement? There’s certainly no room for decline with your cold teas." Luo Jun took a sip of the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea to smooth things over, "Did you add sugar when you made the cold tea?"

Qin Huai boldly guessed, "Do you not like them with sugar?"

Qin Huai knew that many people believe cold teas shouldn’t be brewed with sugar—the more bitter, the more effective. For example, Zhao Rong, despite having a palate, insists on drinking bitter cold teas without sugar, deeming those with sugar as heretical.

Except for Seven Spice Dampness Removing Tea, because without sugar, it tastes way too awful, almost like herbal medicine.

"How can you drink cold tea without sugar? It wouldn’t be any different from drinking herbal medicine," said Luo Jun, sitting up straight, "It’s because you can’t brew it right."

"Could you teach me then?" Qin Huai asked humbly.

Luo Jun paused, then slowly said, "Adding rock sugar won’t make good Dried Tangerine Peel Tea."

"You need to add brown sugar and salt."

Qin Huai: ...???

What on earth????

Say that again?

Brown sugar and salt?!

Who on earth puts brown sugar and salt in Dried Tangerine Peel Tea!

This isn’t cooking where you’d add salt for flavor.

Don’t you know, according to our Qin Family tradition, making Dried Tangerine Peel Tea you can only add rock sugar?

At this moment, Qin Huai suddenly had the feeling of hearing someone argue over whether tofu pudding should be sweet or savory, and then another person suddenly declaring they’re all wrong—the pudding should be bitter!

Come on, Grandpa.

I respect you as a 92-year-old grandpa.

But you can’t be this unorthodox.

Dried Tangerine Peel Tea with brown sugar and salt—saying that out loud, the whole Qin Family Village wouldn’t agree!

As soon as he said this, even Qu Jing couldn’t help but step in, "This is just nonsensical, adding salt to tea."

"That’s how it should be brewed, and only that way will the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea be good," Luo Jun stubbornly insisted, "You young folks just don’t get it; it’s a secret recipe."

Qin Huai quietly observed Luo Jun.

Luo Jun also firmly looked back at Qin Huai.

"All right," Qin Huai said, "If you insist that Dried Tangerine Peel Tea needs brown sugar and salt, I’ll brew you a batch with it tomorrow afternoon and bring it over for you to try."

After all, it’s Luo Jun’s own side quest; if he’s made up his mind, Qin Huai feels there’s nothing much left to say.

Just wish him success.

"I’ll drink it, I’ll drink it! Don’t bring it here, I’ll go to your canteen to drink!" Luo Jun proclaimed loudly.

The babysitter, hearing this, dashed out, "Mr. Luo, you’re going out tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow won’t do," Luo Jun said, finishing the flaky pastry and starting on Dingsheng Cake, "I haven’t finished watching my TV show; I need to watch it tomorrow."

"The day after, the day after tomorrow, I’ll come to your canteen and drink it in front of you."

"I want to show you through my actions, that Dried Tangerine Peel Tea must be brewed with brown sugar and salt!"

As soon as Luo Jun’s forceful words fell, Chen Huihong came out from the kitchen with her phone, saying, "I’ve sorted it out—the fridge is full of pork, beef, seafood, and mutton, and half a chicken. There’s no fruit, only a small handful of green vegetables."

"Grandpa Luo, you need to eat more green vegetables. Eating rich meats every day isn’t good for your gut," said Qu Jing.

Luo Jun glared angrily at Chen Huihong, "When did you go to look in the fridge?"

"I eat at the canteen now. Everything in the fridge is Xiao Zhang’s soup ingredients."

"But you don’t eat vegetables at the canteen either," Chen Huihong mercilessly remarked, "I’ve bumped into Xiao Zhang there, and every time he takes away three portions of meat and not a single veggie, plus a seaweed and pork rib soup."

"Eat more vegetables," Qu Jing advised, "Today’s check-up is over, and if you’re going out to the canteen the day after tomorrow, I’ll specially take some time off to witness your first outing in 1 year, 8 months, and 13 days."

Chen Huihong nodded, "That calls for a celebration."

"Quite a few people in our community are betting on whether you’ll go out this year, and whether you can keep breaking our community’s longest no-going-out record."

Luo Jun:...

An angry Luo Jun got up, hugging his snacks as he returned to his room, shouting, "Xiao Zhang, show them out!"

Qin Huai:...

"Is this how you all usually interact?"

Luo Jun is already 92, surely they aren’t worried about giving the old man a fit.

"Some emotional fluctuation is good for blood circulation. Mr. Luo is too much of a homebody; his daily WeChat step count never breaks a hundred. He’s either sitting or lying down, and he likes ordering takeout home. This is all in the interest of his health," Qu Jing explained, "I’m usually busy, and the hospital is a bit far from here, so I can’t come over easily. Instead, I rely on Sister Hong to visit and chat with Mr. Luo to stir up his emotions."

"Having more people around livens things up. Master Qin, I see that Mr. Luo seems to like you quite a bit. If you have the time, you could also drop by often to chat with him, exchange thoughts on... cold tea?"

Speaking of which, Qu Jing seemed curious, "Does one really add salt when making Dried Tangerine Peel Tea?"

Qin Huai:...

Qin Huai solemnly responded, "No, absolutely not!"

"You can make Dried Tangerine Peel Tea without adding sugar, but definitely not salt!"

"And the sugar must be rock sugar, never brown sugar!!"

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