Portable Space: Little Miracle Doctor

Chapter 85 – Fragrant Dragon and Phoenix Soup

The gallbladder of the black-striped snake has medicinal value, and Yan Xiaosi didn’t want Tian Dazhuang to ruin it.

“Xiaosi, this is killing a snake, not a chicken or a duck. You should let Dazhuang do it.”

Yan Shuqin felt goosebumps on her back just looking at the snake flicking its tongue.

“Killing a snake is as easy as killing a chicken or a duck. Big Sister, give me the kitchen knife.”

Seeing that she wasn’t nervous or afraid, Yan Shuqin had no choice but to hand over the kitchen knife, reminding her, “Xiaosi, be careful.”

Yan Xiaosi knew Yan Shuqin was afraid of snakes, so she nodded, picked up the black-striped snake, and went to the side to kill it.

Tian Dazhuang had never killed a snake before, so he didn’t compete with Yan Xiaosi for the task. Seeing her going to the side with the snake, he followed her.

“Xiaosi, do you need help?”

Yan Xiaosi held the snake in one hand and the kitchen knife in the other. She glanced at him and said, “Help me hold the tail of the snake.” The two of them held the snake’s head and tail, pressing the nearly two-meter-long black-striped snake to the ground. Then, Yan Xiaosi chopped off the snake’s head with a single swift cut. The head flew up and fell back down, while the headless snake body continued to twist.

This scene gave Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, Yan Shuyun, and Ms. Wang goosebumps. Even the usually brave Tian Dazhuang felt goosebumps all over.

Yan Xiaosi looked at the twisting snake body emotionlessly, and calmly said to Tian Dazhuang, “Dazhuang, don’t loosen your grip. I’m going to peel the snake skin now.”

“…Okay.”

Tian Dazhuang was extremely impressed with Yan Xiaosi.

This kid was younger than him but had more courage.

With a desire to eat Dragon and Phoenix Soup, Yan Xiaosi made several cuts on the wriggling snake body with the kitchen knife, “Dazhuang, you can let go now.”

Tian Dazhuang let go, and she dropped the knife, picked up the headless black-striped snake, and tore off the entire snake skin along the cuts she had made.

Now, the black-striped snake was completely dead. Yan Xiaosi squatted down, picked up the kitchen knife again, placed the skinless and headless snake on a broken wooden board, cut it open, removed the gallbladder, and discarded the useless internal organs.

Tian Dazhuang, Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, Yan Shuyun, and Ms. Wang were all dumbfounded by her smooth and skillful movements.

The two wild chickens were also cleaned up by Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, and the others.

Yan Xiaosi dried the snake gallbladder and carried the snow-white snake meat over to Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, and Ms. Wang.

“Mother, Aunt Tian, I’ve already killed the snake, so we can make the Dragon and Phoenix Soup now.”

“I’ll start the fire right away,” Ms. Zhong said, taking the cleaned snake meat from Yan Xiaosi.

“Shuqin, let me help you.”

Ms. Wang was more than happy to help in the kitchen.

This was because she could taste the food while working, especially since they were cooking meat for lunch today.

Ms. Zhong cooked, Ms. Wang chopped vegetables, Yan Shuqin started the fire, and Yan Shuxue and Yan Shuyun picked vegetables.

The women were busy in the narrow kitchen.

Yan Xiaosi and Tian Daniu occasionally peeked into the kitchen.

Ms. Wang chopped and cleaned the wild chickens and the snake, then handed them to Ms. Zhong.

After putting the rice into the pot, Ms. Zhong hesitated as she looked at the chopped snake meat and wild chicken meat in the wooden basin.

She knew how to cook, but she didn’t know how to make Dragon and Phoenix Soup. Seeing Yan Xiaosi peeking into the kitchen, she quickly asked, “Xiaosi, how do we make this Dragon and Phoenix Soup?”

In his previous life, Yan Xiaosi had eaten Dragon and Phoenix Soup a few times in the army canteen when he was a military doctor. He roughly knew that the method of making Dragon and Phoenix Soup was similar to stewing pork bones.

“Mother, first boil a pot of water. When the water is boiling, put the wild chicken meat and snake meat from the basin into the boiling water to remove the blood and smell. Then take them out, stir-fry them in oil, and then stew them with water.”

Ms. Zhong listened carefully and followed her instructions.

Yan Xiaosi leaned against the door, watching Ms. Zhong working for a while. When she saw her putting the snake and wild chicken meat into the pot, she turned to Ms. Wang.

“Aunt Tian, do you have ginger and green onions at home? Adding some ginger and green onions to the Dragon and Phoenix Soup will make it taste even better.”

Ginger, green onions, and garlic were precious vegetables for farming families. The Tian family had some planted in their fields, but Ms. Wang was usually reluctant to pick them. She only used a few when stir-frying meat.

She was about to tell Yan Xiaosi that they didn’t have any, but before she could say the word “no,” Tian Dazhuang suddenly appeared behind Yan Xiaosi.

“Xiaosi, do you need ginger and green onions? We have some planted in our field.”

Ms. Wang glared at him and silently cursed Tian Dazhuang in her heart.

A squanderer, such a squanderer!

Yan Xiaosi turned around happily and said to Tian Dazhuang, “Big Brother Dazhuang, it’s great that you have ginger and green onions at home. Hurry up and pick some, and we’ll add them to the Dragon and Phoenix Soup later.”

For today’s lunch, the Yan family’s third house provided the firewood, rice, oil, and salt. Even though Ms. Wang was reluctant to use her ginger and green onions, she couldn’t stop Tian Dazhuang and had to watch helplessly as he left the broken straw temple.

By the time Tian Dazhuang returned with the ginger and green onions, the Dragon and Phoenix Soup in the old iron pot was bubbling vigorously.

A rich aroma wafted out from the gap between the pot and its lid, filling the entire kitchen with a mouthwatering smell.

Ms. Wang couldn’t help but salivate when she smelled the meaty aroma.

Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuyun, and Yan Shuxue were also drooling with temptation as they smelled the aroma.

As Yan Shuqin added firewood to the stove, she said to Yan Xiaosi, who was standing by the door, “Xiaosi, this Dragon and Phoenix Soup smells so good.”

The snake soup Ms. Zhong was cooking at the moment wasn’t as rich and delicious as what Yan Xiaosi had in his previous life.

Yan Xiaosi smiled and answered Yan Shuqin, “Big Sister, when Big Brother Dazhuang brings the ginger and green onions, and we add them to the pot, it’ll taste even better.”

“Why does it smell so good?”

Speaking of the devil, Tian Dazhuang appeared behind Yan Xiaosi, holding a handful of muddy ginger and green onions.

Seeing the ginger and green onions in his hand, Yan Xiaosi’s eyes curved into crescents, and his smile brightened.

“Big Brother Dazhuang, you’re so generous to pick so many ginger and green onions.”

Hearing Yan Xiaosi’s words, Ms. Wang looked towards the door and saw her son holding a large handful of ginger and green onions, which made her heart ache.

A squanderer, a real squanderer!

Seeing Ms. Wang’s heartbroken expression with her mouth twitching, Yan Xiaosi felt satisfied and quickly said to Yan Shuxue and Yan Shuyun, “Second Sister, Third Sister, bring a basin of water to wash the ginger and green onions.”

Yan Shuxue and Yan Shuyun carried a basin of clean water outside, while Yan Xiaosi and Tian Dazhuang helped them wash the ginger and green onions quickly. Then, they handed them to Ms. Zhong.

As the snake soup continued to simmer, the aroma grew even richer. Ms. Zhong guessed that the snake meat and pheasant meat in the pot should be cooked by now, so she lifted the wooden lid, ready to add the finely chopped ginger and green onions to the pot. As the lid was lifted, the meaty aroma burst out from the pot, smelling even better than before.