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The steamed sea bass was ready.
Su Xiaoxiao returned to the cabin.
The boat owner had chosen the larger fish.
The scales, gills, and innards were all meticulously cleaned.
Yellow wine and ginger slices were used to remove any fishy smell. The broth was lightly seasoned, preserving the natural freshness of the fish to the greatest extent.
Su Xiaoxiao took one bite and was genuinely impressed.
Wei Ting picked out the tenderest part of the fish belly and placed it in her bowl.
At home, she would usually give the fish belly to the three children.
This time, Su Xiaoxiao didn’t refuse his feeding.
She lowered her head and started eating in earnest.
The fish was truly fresh.
Who would’ve thought that this guy actually had refined taste in food?
Before long, the boat owner served up a steaming hot bowl of sour fish-ball soup.
The fish balls had tiny bits of ginger in them, carrying a spicy kick.
These creamy-white fish balls were made with a little fatty meat and starch mixed in, so the texture was unbelievably tender.
The only downside was that they were a little greasy.
However, paired with the spicy ginger bits and the broth seasoned with white vinegar, that greasiness vanished instantly.
This was the kind of fish balls she could eat a whole pot of!
The boat owner had seen plenty of young ladies from wealthy families who only nibbled delicately, never eating much.
This was the first time he’d met one who genuinely came to enjoy the food. Inspired, his culinary enthusiasm flared up.
He didn’t just make steamed fish cake and sliced sashimi, he even set up a grill and roasted a plate of fish.
“Do you have vegetables?” Wei Ting asked.
“Yes, yes!” The boat owner hurriedly stir-fried two vegetable dishes, cut up some fruit, and finally brought out his own secret specialty, fruit wine.
This fruit wine was very hard to make, only two small jars brewed each year. He never sold it.
And he wasn’t selling it today either.
“This is my gift for the two of you.” he said with a smile.
“Why didn’t you give it to me before?” Wei Ting asked.
The boat owner gave an awkward laugh. “Uhm… It's because Madam Wei is here today…”
It was the first time Su Xiaoxiao had ever been called Madam Wei. She froze and stunned for a moment.
“Mn.” Wei Ting gave a vague grunt, but in the end, he didn’t pursue the fact that the boat owner had waited until today to bring out his treasured wine.
The fruit wine was light, sweet, and refreshing, ideal for reducing the greasiness.
By the time Su Xiaoxiao had her third sip, Wei Ting reached over and took her cup.
Su Xiaoxiao frowned, “What are you doing?”
“You can’t drink any more.” Wei Ting said coolly.
“Why not?” Su Xiaoxiao asked, confused.
Wei Ting hesitated, unsure how to phrase it.
But after a moment, he finally said, “You had too much last time.”
Su Xiaoxiao snorted, “So what if I had too much? Did I do anything to you?”
Wei Ting remained silent.
Su Xiaoxiao blinked.
“No way… did I really do something to you?”
She had absolutely no memory of it!
After transmigration, the only time she was drunk was when Su Yuniang tricked her into it…
Wei Ting’s gaze shifted evasively.
Well, that was enough, Su Xiaoxiao now had her answer.
She slumped back against her chair in disappointment.
“What a pity… What a great loss…”
Wei Ting looked utterly baffled.
“What did you lose?”
He was the one who’d been taken advantage of, shouldn’t he be the one at a loss?
Su Xiaoxiao said mournfully, "If you're going to eat meat, you should at least taste whether it's salty or bland. I obviously did something to you, but I can't remember it. Isn’t that a loss?"
Wei Ting paused, then silently pushed her wine cup back toward her.
Su Xiaoxiao: “…”
The fruit wine that the boat owner brewed wasn’t actually a strong liquor.
It was about the same as sweet rice wine. Even after three cups, Su Xiaoxiao was still perfectly sober.
The boat owner came over to ask how the food was. Su Xiaoxiao was extremely satisfied.
Wei Ting, however, said coolly, “The fruit wine isn’t good.”
The boat owner was dumbfounded. What do you mean by not good? Didn’t your wife enjoy it quite happily just now?