BXBX NOVEL Chapter 91 - 91: The Feeling of Home
Liao Ning gently caressed Liao Nai’s head and continued watching the video alongside him.
In the footage, a young and dashing Liao Jun appeared, dressed in a striking dark blue military uniform. He looked remarkably different from the frail and slender Liao Jun they knew.
Zhang Shuai’s assessment was accurate. Liao Jun’s talent in piloting mechas was unrivaled. The fluidity and agility with which he controlled the mecha made it seem almost alive, defying its mechanical nature. It didn’t take long for him to effortlessly defeat the formidable Al opponent during training.
As dinnertime approached, Liao Ning turned to Zhou Ling and inquired, “There isn’t a kitchen on the starship, right?”
Zhou Ling was caught off guard. “No, typically warriors consume nutritional supplements.”
“Good thing I brought a portable cooking device. It functions as long as there’s electricity.” Liao Ning retrieved a compact box and pressed a button on top. The box instantly transformed into a miniature cooking apparatus.
“No need to go through all that trouble. We’ll reach the capital planet tomorrow. Let everyone have their nutritional supplements,” Zhou Ling interjected hastily.
“But that won’t do. Besides, I can’t let Nai Nai consume just supplements,” Liao Ning asserted firmly.
Realizing the misunderstanding, Zhou Ling quickly clarified, “That’s not what I meant. I didn’t bring many ingredients this time. I only prepared enough for you and the wolf cub. I’ll consume the nutritional supplements with the others.”
“Don’t worry, with me around, I’ll ensure everyone has a fulfilling meal in the coming days!”
Having said so much, Zhou Ling had no choice but to let her proceed with her plans.
Liao Ning inspected the assortment of ingredients Zhou Ling had prepared and noticed there were quite a few. Perhaps Zhou Ling wasn’t accustomed to cooking and underestimated the quantity needed.
To her delight, she discovered a substantial piece of cooing bird breast meat among the ingredients. Cooing birds were similar to chickens on Earth, offering meat with a texture remarkably similar to chicken. The only distinction was their large size and ability to fly.
Liao Ning skimmed through the selection of vegetables and noticed a new arrival from the farm—a variety of “giant eggplant” that was three times the size of a regular one. With a clear idea of the available ingredients, Liao Ning swiftly formulated her cooking plan for the day.
After washing the necessary ingredients, Liao Ning sliced the cooing bird breast meat and combined it with diced onions, minced garlic, a spoonful of raw soy sauce, a spoonful of oyster sauce, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Finally, she thoroughly mixed in an egg to create an even mixture.
Next, she peeled the “giant eggplant” and cut it into long, thin slices. Liao Ning evenly spread the seasoned cooing bird breast meat onto the slices, rolling them up tightly. She then coated the rolls with the prepared batter before frying them in hot oil. Once the batter turned golden, she removed the rolls from the oil and sprinkled them with sesame seeds for added flavor.
Liao Nai had been engrossed in watching his father’s video in Zhang Shuai’s lounge. However, as the enticing aroma of Liao Ning’s fried eggplant rolls wafted through the air, he became restless and fidgeted like a wriggling nail.
Naturally, Zhang Shuai also caught a whiff of the delightful fragrance.
Intrigued by the source, he consideredately suggested, “You can come and take a look later.”
Upon seeing him, Liao Ning beamed and said, “Nai Nai, you’re here. Just wait a little longer. I’m having dinner with your uncles tonight, so I need to prepare a few more dishes.’
Zhang Shuai trailed a few steps behind the young wolf cub and reached Liao Ning’s cooking station. His eyes were fixated on the eggplant rolls as he couldn’t tear his gaze away. “Sister-in-law, what is this? It smells absolutely amazing! ”
“These are crispy eggplant rolls. I’ll be making a few more dishes later. Let’s enjoy the meal together,” Liao Ning explained.
Upon hearing that there would be a share for him, Zhang Shuai’s eyes sparkled, and he nodded vigorously. Feeling a bit self-conscious about indulging in the food without contributing, he asked Liao Ning, “Sister-in-law, is there anything I can assist you with?”
“Not at the moment. The next dish will be crispy salt and pepper prawns, but Ling has already gone to help me with the preparation,” Liao Ning replied, referring to Zhou Ling, who had just returned with the processed freshwater prawns.
Zhou Ling handed the basin filled with prawns to Liao Ning. “I’ve finished preparing them. Take a look and let me know if they meet your expectations. If not, I can make any necessary adjustments.”
Liao Ning examined the prawns and expressed her satisfaction, saying, “You’ve handled them excellently. It’s even better than my previous attempts!” She was pleasantly surprised to find that Zhou Ling, despite being a novice in handling freshwater creatures, had surpassed her own skills.
Observing the conversation between the two, Zhang Shuai couldn’t help but think of his late parents. He noticed the affection and genuine care reflected in their eyes, just like his elder brother and sister-in-law. In this warm and vibrant atmosphere, he had a faint sense that this must be what it feels like to be at home..