Chapter 43: Cheesecake – Am I a Fool?

This shy demeanor of Yihuan’s fell into Liu Hexiao’s eyes, and to him, it was utterly endearing.

Realizing he had taken her bowl, Liu Hexiao paused briefly before nonchalantly putting it down, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

It was a sweet smile.

Yihuan, regaining her composure, said, “I still feel like this plum wine is missing something…”

“What is it?”

Yihuan continued, “It should be mint leaves. The current combination of tea and plum wine feels a bit heavy. Adding some fresh mint leaves would lift the flavor.”

Saying so, she pulled out a few small mint leaves.

After a quick rinse, she tossed them into the bowl of mixed wine.

Liu Hexiao, puzzled, asked, “That’s it?”

Yihuan nodded. “Yes, care to try again, shizi?”

Liu Hexiao, smiling, replied, “Of course.”

With that, he confidently held up the same bowl, waiting for Yihuan to ladle him some wine.

Yihuan felt a flutter in her heart and a flush on her face, but she maintained her composure and served him another spoonful.

Liu Hexiao accepted it with a smile, taking a small sip.

The wine carried a faint coolness upon entering his mouth, refreshing and fleeting, before transitioning into the sweet and sour mellowness of fruit wine.

The mint was truly the finishing touch!

“Hmm… compared to before, it’s much fresher now, with a slight kick. Excellent!” He glanced at the mint leaves floating in the bowl. “Who would’ve thought a few mint leaves could have such an effect?”

Yihuan explained, “Mint has properties that clear the senses and dissipate heat. It can also boost mood and invigorate the mind.”

Liu Hexiao, chuckling, said, “In that case, it’s perfect for students preparing for exams.”

Hearing this, Yihuan suddenly felt inspired and nodded thoughtfully.

Liu Hexiao asked, “Do you have paper and a brush?”

Yihuan nodded, glancing at her hands, which were still sticky from the wine. “Its in yiran’s room. He’s out playing—you can get it yourself, shizi.”

Liu Hexiao turned and gently pushed open the bedroom door.

The second floor wasn’t a proper floor, just a low attic conversion.

When Liu Hexiao entered the room, he couldn’t even stand up straight for fear of hitting his head.

The cramped and narrow bedroom contained a small bed, with bedding neatly folded beside it—likely for Ah-miao, who stayed to watch over Lin Yiran at night.

Though the room was tiny, it was meticulously clean and cozy under the sunlight streaming in.

In one corner was a makeshift desk—a simple wooden board laid across a rudimentary frame.

On the board were a few sheets of paper.

One sheet bore elegant zanhua xiaokai calligraphy, clearly Yihuan’s work.

The other was filled with messy, childlike scrawls of the same words—undoubtedly the handiwork of the boy practicing his writing. It looked more like chicken scratches than actual characters.

Liu Hexiao chuckled softly.

Yet, the room’s lack of space for even a proper desk made him feel a pang of sympathy.

After a moment of thought, he retrieved the brush and ink and returned to the kitchen.

Yihuan, noticing his delay, called out, “Shizi, did you find it?”

Liu Hexiao answered with a quiet “Mm,” quickly returning to the kitchen.

He spread the paper and brush on the small table, diligently recording the proportions of the ingredients they had just experimented with.

Yihuan, watching his serious expression, was slightly surprised.

Glancing at his writing, she was even more astonished.

With a few strokes, Liu Hexiao’s calligraphy flowed across the page like clouds and water, effortlessly filling half the sheet with elegance and grace.

“I didn’t expect… the shizi’s handwriting to be so beautiful!” Yihuan murmured unconsciously.

Liu Hexiao cast her a light glance. “What, did you think I was a fool?”

Usually stern and handsome, he now seemed unexpectedly lively and approachable.

Suppressing a laugh, Yihuan replied, “Of course not.”

The laughter drifting down from the second floor caught the attention of Cheng Lingwei and Ah-miao downstairs, making them curious.

Cheng Lingwei mused to himself, It seems the young master is always in a good mood when he’s around Miss Yihuan. If he could see her every day, perhaps life for everyone around him would improve.

Ah-miao, having just seen off a group of customers, noticed Cheng Lingwei standing stiffly. She said, “Brother Cheng, why don’t you sit down? I can prepare some snacks for you.”

Cheng Lingwei politely declined, “There’s no need. Thank you, Miss Miao.”

Ah-miao, undeterred, muttered to herself, “But last time, Brother Lingyun finished an entire plate by himself…”

Cheng Lingwei froze, suddenly feeling awkward.

Just then, Liu Hexiao came down the stairs.

Seeing Cheng Lingwei staring blankly at Ah-miao, he remarked casually, “Let’s go! Why are you staring at the young lady?”

Cheng Lingwei, snapping out of his daze, stammered, “I wasn’t—”

Who’s staring at whom, exactly?!

Liu Hexiao left with a chuckle, stopping by Ah-miao to add, “Don’t mind Lingwei. At my residence, there really aren’t any young ladies to look at… If you feel slighted, feel free to smack him.”

With that, he walked off, laughing.

Ah-miao couldn’t help but giggle as well.

After Liu Hexiao left, Yihuan reviewed the notes he had written.

The notes were divided into three recipes, each meticulously written. The descriptions of the ingredients, proportions, and resulting flavors were detailed and precise.

As Yihuan read them, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Ah-miao came upstairs and saw her mistress smiling in a daze. “Miss… why are you smiling?”

Yihuan quickly put the notes away, saying, “It’s nothing… There’s still much to do today. I just finished brewing the wine, and later I need to visit Manager Luo.”

Ah-miao: “Why are you going to see Manager Luo?”

Yihuan: “Tomorrow, Qingmu Zhai will deliver the ingredients I bought. There’s too much, and we won’t have enough space here. I was thinking… maybe we could ask Manager Luo for some storage space.”

Ah-miao, frowning, replied, “That’s tricky. Manager Luo seems to have gone to the neighboring county for a business meeting. I heard he won’t be back until tomorrow morning.”

Yihuan: “Hmm… in that case, I’ll wait and go tomorrow.”

Turning back, Yihuan glanced at the bowl of fruit wine and smiled knowingly.

The fruit wine for the Flower Queen Night was only missing the huamei. It was already late today, so she’d have to take care of it tomorrow.

Reflecting further, Yihuan realized that since arriving in this world, she hadn’t made anything like cheesecake yet. She decided to give it a try now, both as practice and to teach Ah-miao in advance—just in case they were short on hands when the time came.

Having made up her mind, Yihuan gathered her energy and began preparing the cheesecake.

She recalled her knowledge of cheesecake: the classic cheesecake originated in ancient Greece, spread throughout Europe by the Romans, and was later carried across the globe by immigrants. Authentic cheesecake is smooth, creamy, and melts in the mouth.

When paired with fruit wine, it’s a perfect combination—not just with plum wine, but also with lychee wine. Unfortunately, lychees weren’t available in Shengjing, or she could have tried brewing additional flavors.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Yihuan fetched a round metal pan.

It was a custom-made baking pan she had ordered from the blacksmith next door. Today would be its first use.

First, she lined the pan with parchment paper purchased from Qingmu Zhai. The edges of the paper were uneven, so she carefully pressed them down with her fingers until the paper adhered to the inner wall of the pan. Then, using scissors, she trimmed off the excess edges.

Next, she combined butter and cheese in a large bowl. Since it was summer, melting the butter over a warm water bath worked instantly.

The originally firm cheese softened quickly in the warm water, blending effortlessly with the butter.

Using a spoon, Yihuan mixed the two, creating a smooth and airy texture. The light butter and rich cheese intertwined like a heavenly cloud—soft and incredibly appealing.

Satisfied that the cheese had melted sufficiently, Yihuan removed the bowl from the warm water to prevent overheating.

She whisked the butter and cheese into a batter-like consistency, setting it aside.

Then, she added a generous handful of sugar to the mixture and stirred it in.

The batter, with its creamy richness, seemed to welcome the sugar. Within moments, the sugar granules dissolved completely, becoming one with the smooth blend.

Setting this mixture aside, Yihuan cracked three eggs into another bowl.

After some thought, she added an extra egg yolk for a richer flavor, knowing it would make the cheesecake even more indulgent.

Using chopsticks, she whisked the eggs in steady circles until they were slightly frothy. Then, she began incorporating the egg mixture into the batter gradually.

Adding the eggs all at once wasn’t ideal—they had to be mixed in stages.

Each time she poured in a portion, Yihuan would quickly whisk it into the batter. The golden-yellow egg mixture melded with the pale batter, deepening the color with each addition.

When all the egg mixture was combined, the pale batter had transformed into a warm, buttery yellow. A single swirl of the whisk left no trace, indicating a rich and velvety consistency.

Next, she gradually added cream, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Watching from the side, Ah-miao, her head spinning from the intricate process, asked, “Miss, why do you add the same ingredient so many times?”

Yihuan: “To achieve a smooth, delicate texture in cheesecake, this step is essential.”

Finally, she added some cornstarch to the batter.

The once loose and flowing batter began to thicken slightly with the cornstarch, ensuring the cake would hold its shape after baking.

With all the ingredients combined, the result was a large bowl of pale yellow batter—enticing and fragrant. For the final touch, Yihuan strained the batter through a sieve.

The gentle batter flowed slowly through the sieve, leaving only the finest, most refined mixture below.

Though simple in appearance, this step was crucial—it guaranteed a cheesecake free from impurities, ensuring an ultra-smooth and creamy texture.

Next, Yihuan poured the strained batter into the pan, forming a small, serene lake of pale yellow.

Picking up the pan, she lightly tapped it against the counter, coaxing out mischievous air bubbles.

She meticulously popped any remaining bubbles on the surface before placing the pan into the oven with satisfaction.

After a brief rest, the rich aroma of cheesecake began to waft through the air.

When the timer went off, Yihuan quickly removed the cake from the oven. The hot cheesecake was too warm to touch, so she placed it on the table and instinctively pinched her earlobes to cool down.

The batter had risen beautifully in the oven, forming a fluffy, golden-brown cake.

Peeling back a small section of the browned surface revealed the cake’s tender, pale-yellow interior—soft, smooth, and exuding an irresistible cheesy aroma.

The warm, enticing fragrance seemed to reach out and hook one’s appetite, tugging at the hunger within.

Ah-miao, staring at the cheesecake, gulped audibly and asked, “Miss… can we eat it now?!”

*****

Translators Note:- Cheesecake :