Chapter 42: Sesame Paste sugar Cake

Chapter 42

On Ding Sha's ring finger, there was a beautiful ring, and Xiao Jun said it was an engagement ring.

In the future, there would be wedding rings, five-year anniversary rings, ten-year anniversary rings, and even fifty-year anniversary rings.

What Ding Sha desired was not the ring itself, but rather the anticipation of spending fifty years together with him.

The process of moving was a massive undertaking. Their own car, Da Zhuang's car, and the moving company's trucks were all deployed.

They labored tirelessly, moving for nearly a whole day.

It was their first time going out together in such a grand manner, and Ding Sha was so scared that she hid in his arms.

She clung tightly to Ding Sha's neck with both hands and refused to let go. Whenever Ding Sha put her down, she would start crying.

Ding Sha had no choice but to carry little Ping An around, walking back and forth, soothing him for nearly a whole day.

By dinnertime, Ding Sha's wrist was so sore that she could hardly lift the chopsticks. Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com

Upon hearing the reason, Xiao Jun's face turned gloomy. He first fed Ding Sha her meal before retreating to the bedroom, holding Ping An and talking for a full hour, even though he wasn't sure if Ping An could understand. Only then did he reluctantly stop.

Ping An was already drifting off to sleep from listening.

Accompanying Ping An in experiencing the stress of moving were Little Cat DanHuang and her kittens, who meowed loudly while squeezed inside the cat carrier.

When they arrived at their new home, they were too afraid to come out. They stayed inside, observing for quite a while before timidly sticking out their paws to test the waters.

The interior of the shop was much more refined than their previous one. The furniture made by Uncle Wei was being gradually transported over. The kitchen could accommodate plenty of ingredients and tools, and they even had several private dining rooms. Their living area had expanded significantly as well.

Xiao Jun flipped through the calendar and set an opening day.

The winter jasmine flowers in the courtyard were blooming. Seizing the opportunity while little Ping An took his afternoon nap, Ding Sha picked up a small basket and gathered a basketful of winter jasmine flowers.

The menu for the shop hadn't been made yet, so Ding Sha thought of using the flower paper as the base for it.

Xiao Jun assisted her on the side.

Actually, there was no need for him to assist. Xiao Jun just wanted to be close to Ding Sha.

These past few days had been busy with many people around. Xiao Jun even felt like he hadn't seen Ding Sha in a long time. When everyone finally went off to attend to their own tasks, he would dawdle and run to Ding Sha's side.

Ding Sha held a piece of A4-sized white paper and joked, "In ancient times, people dyed flower paper to express their emotions and convey poetry. I'm doing it to convey food."

As she spoke, her hands kept moving. When the paper finally dried, faint yellow stars appeared sporadically at the edges or in the center, looking extremely beautiful.

Xiao Jun fetched a brush and ink, and Ding Sha first wrote down a few common dishes. Then she put the paper away, saying, "I'll write the rest another day."

Xiao Jun wanted to set off some firecrackers, but considering that they weren't allowed to set them off here, he had to abandon the idea.

On the day of the grand opening, they felt a bit nervous, but business turned out to be much better than they expected.

Many old customers came with smiles on their faces.

The sauce used is Beijing-style sesame paste, which is more fragrant than pure sesame paste.

However, before making it each time, they had to ask the customers if they were allergic to peanuts.

After evenly spreading the thick sauce, sprinkle fine brown sugar on top, and finally roll it up from one side.

Roll it into a roll, wrapping the sesame paste and brown sugar inside.

Cut it into two pieces and seal the edges carefully to prevent the sauce from leaking out.

Finally, flatten the pancake into a thick disc, spread some oil on the griddle, and place the pancake on it.

Cover it and cook for a while, then flip it over until both sides become crispy, slightly charred. The pancake is ready to be served.

Cut it into small pieces, and Wang Wenhao handed a piece to Xiao Jun. "How is it, Master?"

Xiao Jun tasted it and said, "It's good."

Wang Wenhao placed the sugar cake on the serving counter with light footsteps.

When Ding Sha brought the dishes, she saw that the intern was already sitting across from Hu Zhilin.

The girl was very beautiful, and her attire exuded a sense of tastefulness.

"Wow! Sesame sugar cake! And my favorite sweet and sour pork! Brother Hu, I truly adore you!"

As Ding Sha left, she couldn't help but notice the girl's unabashed happiness.

She furrowed her brow, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Since she was Hu's student and loved one, why was she speaking to him with such an intimate and casual tone?

The two quickly finished the food on the table. Hu Zhilin settled the bill as usual and then waited for Xiao Jun's interview.

"How was the food just now?" Xiao Jun helped Ding Sha to sit down.

"It was delicious! Especially the sugar cake! It was crispy and fragrant, with a delightful sweetness!" the girl exclaimed eagerly.

Hu Zhilin had a gentle expression. "Indeed, I feel that this time the dishes were even more delicious than the last time I came."

"However, I still didn't get to taste the dishes made by the boss herself. It's a bit of a pity."

The interview proceeded quickly and pleasantly. When Ding Sha saw them off, she noticed that the girl was holding onto Hu Zhilin's sleeve, and Hu Zhilin instinctively protected her in his mannerisms.

Xiao Jun went back to talk to Wang Wenhao, while Ding Sha stood at the doorway and saw Hu Zhilin leaning down to fasten the seatbelt for the girl sitting in the passenger seat of a car not far away.

Ding Sha crossed her arms, and all her goodwill toward Hu Zhilin vanished.

"I wonder if Hu knows about his lover's knowledge..."

"She should know."

A voice from beside her sounded unfamiliar.