Chapter Nine: The Mischievous Children in the Classroom

Cough, cough..." Li Yi coughed twice, discreetly glancing at the young maid, and said: "I have been living alone before, so I am already accustomed to these matters"

Before even stepping into the house, a cacophony of noise reached his ears, interspersed with the laughter of unruly children. The moment Li Yi entered, the atmosphere abruptly shifted, and a hush fell over the surroundings

The noodles are chewy, the meat is tender, and the flavor of the broth is also excellent. In fact, when Liu Ruyi first laid eyes on the dinner, she felt a bit puzzled; tonight's dinner did not seem to be made by Xiao Huan.

This son-in-law seems to be quite different from the scholar she had imagined

A scream suddenly erupted from the kitchen

Mushroom chicken noodles have the effect of nourishing deficiency and strengthening the spleen, providing significant benefits to the human body. Li Yi chose this type of noodle, of course... it was simply because he could not find any other ingredients besides mushrooms and flour.

Li Yi cast a glance at Xiao Huan, and the mischievous young maid stuck out her tongue playfully, quickly lowering her head and daring not to look at him

... ...

A girl of fifteen or sixteen years old is at the age of innocence and exuberance. It seems she has discovered that her family's son-in-law is different from those men outside, and the young maidservant is gradually able to relax a bit more in his presence

Liu Ruyi sat opposite Li Yi, a hint of unusual color appearing on her stunning face

Before Li Yi could speak, a voice filled with youthful discontent came from the side

... ...

What he is about to make now is mushroom stewed chicken noodles

Do not let me catch you, or I will break your legs!

It is not that he does not want to make something better to eat, but rather that the ingredients in this kitchen are truly pitifully scarce. Aside from a small bag of flour, the only things Li Yi can find are a few dried mushrooms tucked away in the corner

"Mountain chicken, picked up on the road..."

Oh no...

Flour also differs significantly from what is seen in later generations; it is far from being that refined and contains a lot of bran, resulting in a poor texture when consumed. This point was already experienced by Li Yi during breakfast.

Dealing with a few mischievous children, Li Yi had no psychological burden at all. After waking up from a deep sleep, before he even had the chance to eat breakfast, Xiao Huan came to inform him that it was time to go to the school...

After a long while, Liu Ruyi finally nodded and softly said: "My husband is a scholar; these coarse matters should be left to Xiaohuan to handle in the future"

Not only is the aroma rich, but the bowl is also not just a simple solid color as it used to be; it contains red and green, which greatly enhances one's appetite. What strikes her as even more peculiar is that, despite it not being a festive occasion, there is surprisingly a hint of meatiness in the bowl.

Li Yi was flipping through a book titled "The Complete Guide to Noodles" in his mind, beginning to prepare the ingredients following the recipe for mushroom stewed chicken noodles

The noodles must have the right texture to be delicious, and first, one must select good flour, of course... This point can be temporarily overlooked

It is a rare dinner time, and one must not neglect the exquisite food. Li Yi does not wish to eat while listening to that shrew cursing in the street

Soak the chicken legs in water for 1 hour to thoroughly remove any residual blood, then take them out, debone, and cut into small pieces; soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water to rehydrate, remove the stems, and cut into small pieces

However, from a nutritional perspective, consuming such coarse grains is indeed highly beneficial for the body. Of course, more importantly, he simply cannot find a better flour to substitute it.

Are you the husband of Sister Ruyi

Where is my noodles!

As for other technical aspects, there is fundamentally no difficulty; everything he has seen is firmly etched in his mind, and his subordinates seem to be divinely assisted. Outside the kitchen, a young maid stands on a stool, peering through the window to witness her husband’s skillful dough kneading technique, her beautiful big eyes involuntarily widening in amazement.

Beside Li Yi, the silently observant Liu Ruyi occasionally cast a glance at him with the eyes of one who has discovered a new continent, and from time to time, she would unconsciously lick her lips, as if savoring something...

Which scoundrel stole my chicken

Li Yi still believes that institutions of learning should not exist in a bandit stronghold. He was led by Xiao Huan through most of the village before finally stopping in front of a house that appeared to be slightly more spacious than the others.

Only after speaking did I remember that I had agreed with my son-in-law not to tell the young lady about this matter. My face slightly changed, and when I looked up, I indeed saw an expression of extreme surprise appearing on the young lady's face

After a few seconds of silence

Xiao Huan had long been driven out of the kitchen. After tasting the noodles she made for lunch, Li Yi decided that in the future, he would not allow her to interfere in anything other than cooking porridge.

... ...

When kneading the dough, the amount of water added, the quality of salt, as well as the strength and technique of kneading, all significantly affect the texture of the noodles. ... In terms of salt, Li Yi did not impose any requirements either; if the flour is like this, how can one expect there to be good salt in this world

A book that only Li Yi could see floated before his eyes. After tearing off two chicken legs and following the steps outlined in the book, he diced the mushrooms before he began kneading the dough

Li Yi nodded upon hearing this, but did not take it to heart. After all, they were just a group of mischievous children. Tomorrow, he would casually find a few books to teach them to recite a few lines, and then let them shake their heads and recite. If they couldn't memorize it, they wouldn't be allowed to go home for dinner. The ancient school system was probably like this, right

On the faces, which were all dirty, curious eyes filled with clarity scrutinized him from top to bottom, many gazes seemingly carrying a sense of examination

... ...

As it was his first time, Li Yi was concerned about wasting food, so he only prepared a single serving. He washed his hands at the water tank and was just about to savor that long-lost flavor. However, when he turned around, he saw the empty stove, and Li Yi was momentarily stunned, his expression changing dramatically.

The young maid was completely absorbed in the best noodles she had ever eaten in her life when she suddenly raised her head and said: "No, it is the young master..."

After tasting a small bite, Liu Ruyi's beautiful eyes brightened slightly as she looked at the young maid and asked, "Xiao Huan, did you make today's dinner?"

Liu Ruyi's face still bore an unusual hue, clearly indicating that she had not yet processed the matter. Her gaze shifted to the pieces of meat in the bowl, "This meat ... ... "

"By the way, the school in the village will reopen tomorrow, and my husband needs to make some preparations in advance." After dinner, when Xiaohuan went to wash the dishes, Liu Ruyi seemed to have thought of something and spoke up.

Kneading dough is, in fact, a skilled task

As night fell, Aunt Er called out affectionately for the only hen in the house that laid eggs, but before long, her tender calls turned into vicious curses

Although the ingredients were limited, Li Yi was still very satisfied with his work

Li Yi stood at the door, seeing a woman standing in front with her hands on her hips, cursing loudly because she had lost her chicken. He recalled the strange loss of his own bowl of noodles, shook his head, and a deeply sympathetic expression appeared on his face as he closed the door and walked back into the house

The method for making mushroom stewed chicken noodles is truly simple. Right in front of the kitchen is a small vegetable garden, where Li Yi found some lettuce. After serving, a handful of chopped green onions is sprinkled on top, and a rich aroma wafts through the air

The provincial library, which had been as useless as a chicken rib in his mind, finally played a role, as Li Yi easily found a book titled "Comprehensive Guide to Noodles" in the recipe section