CHAPTER 80: CHAPTER 29 HUNDRED BIRDS PAYING HOMAGE TO THE PHOENIX_2

However, in the Star Era, Du Xixi hadn’t seen any trace of medicinal herbs yet, and the ingredients weren’t very abundant either, so Du Xixi decided to make a home-style, modified version of Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.

Although the taste was slightly inferior, Du Xixi had already made the home-style Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, so not making a home-style Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix seemed a bit biased.

The tender mother chickens, with their heads and tails removed, were all put into a pot to simmer for soup. Meanwhile, Du Xixi took out some flour and let the idle Ke Lian show off his skills at kneading dough, making the dough skin very chewy.

Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix requires a circle of dumplings to be simmered, and they need to be made into bird shapes; only then can it be considered the hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix.

Du Xixi knew that Ke Lian’s only culinary talent was in dough-making. So after Ke Lian minced the meat and seasoned it by hand, he very diligently started making the bird-shaped dumplings.

Seeing Ke Lian busy, with a little sweat on his face, and the melancholy expression from being upset about Bai Zhan nowhere to be seen, Du Xixi nodded with satisfaction.

Du Xixi: Sure enough, when you’re busy, you don’t have time to be sad. I’m such a little genius!

Ke Lian: ...I just found an excuse to come in and stick close to you, but you wholeheartedly want me to help you with work! ╥﹏╥

Almost an hour later, the semi-finished chicken soup Du Xixi needed was cooked. Du Xixi fished out a few tender mother chickens, using chopsticks to gently tap their bodies, separating the well-stewed soft chicken meat from the bones.

The chicken bones were easily removed by Du Xixi, and none of the chicken meat was wasted. She cut it into mince with a kitchen knife and poured it back into the chicken soup. After boiling, it seemed like yellow flowers blossoming in the soup, without appearing too thick, which would reduce appetite.

This could also be considered a way to enhance umami... Without using chicken essence, Du Xixi smiled and helped Ke Lian make the bird-shaped dumplings.

Ke Lian, who rarely shows finesse when making pastries, still ended up with not-so-great handmade skills. The bird-shaped dumplings looked okay, but there were pathetically few of them.

Du Xixi, while making dumplings, couldn’t help but tease Ke Lian, who was still pinching the bird heads with his fingers: "I’ve almost finished cooking the chicken soup, and we’ve only made this little bit of dumplings."

Ke Lian, knowing he was at fault, chuckled and said to Du Xixi in a somewhat ingratiating tone: "Xixi, you know I’m clumsy with my hands!"

Du Xixi couldn’t help but shiver. She thought Ke Lian must be doing it on purpose, knowing she couldn’t resist his cutesy behavior, so he always used this odd tone and expression to act cute with her!

Du Xixi, who prided herself on not being soft-hearted, rolled her eyes helplessly at Ke Lian: "Alright, alright, you take your time, we’re not in a hurry."

Ke Lian succeeded again, unable to hide his smug little expression, but Du Xixi, with her head down, saw nothing and even thought Ke Lian was a bit aggrieved, so she continued to comfort him: "Don’t be upset, once the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix is done, I’ll definitely give you the most delicious ’Phoenix Head’ to eat."

Ke Lian’s expression was already gentle, and now he was extremely tender. Despite still holding a half-made bird-shaped dumpling in his hand, he directly reached out and hugged Du Xixi, warmly saying: "I won’t eat it; all the good stuff is left for you."

The Du Xixi in his embrace remained silent for a long time. Ke Lian looked down puzzled, only to see Du Xixi coldly looking back at him and spitting out a sentence: "You’re still holding a dumpling, with flour all over you..."

Ke Lian: "...Hmm?"

Du Xixi (smiling face): "My! Clothes!"

Ke Lian, who wanted some alone time, was chased out of the kitchen by Du Xixi, leaving 2569 crouching at the door and staring into the air. Unexpectedly, he heard a very familiar plea from inside the kitchen through his mechanical ears.

"Xixi... Xixi... I’m sorry!"

"Ha! Ha!"

"Ah!"

2569: ...Humans are so weird! ⊙∀⊙!

When Ke Lian, covering his ears, was chased out of the kitchen by Du Xixi, he happened to meet eyes with 2569. Yes, those electronic eyes on 2569’s display screen.

"Marshal, were you chased out?" 2569 asked in a short-circuited manner.

Ke Lian didn’t answer, just gave it a roll of his eyes.

refused to let go, not sparing Ke Lian: "Oh, how pitiful, this is already the eighth time this month..."

Ke Lian... still didn’t answer but gave 2569 a violent punch.

The kitchen was well soundproofed, but when Du Xixi put a whole mother chicken with wings tied and a few chicken heads into the soup, she vaguely heard something peculiar happening outside.