novelaction Chapter 198 5-Leaf Reed Root
Chapter 198 5-Leaf Reed Root
Cheng Yuntao smiled at Jiang Yu, her eyes full of tenderness. Then she raised her voice and shouted outside, "Everyone, come to the pavilion and enjoy the cool air and eat some Sushan!"
Shaobing and Cheng Jingzhu were playing in the yard. When they heard the call, their eyes lit up instantly and they ran towards the kitchen with joy. Shaobing shouted as he ran, "There's Sushan to eat, there's Sushan to eat!"
Shen Shulan was tutoring Cheng Yueli in her homework in the house. Upon hearing the sound, he put down the book in his hand and walked out of the house hand in hand. Grandma Zhou Xiufang walked out slowly from the room on the other side, waving a palm-leaf fan in her hand.
Everyone sat around the stone table in the pavilion, and Cheng Yuntao distributed the Sushan to everyone one by one.
Cheng Jingzhu couldn't wait to scoop a big spoonful into his mouth, his eyes narrowed into crescents, and he said vaguely: "It's icy and cool, so comfortable!"
Shaobing also ate with a satisfied look on his face, and gave a thumbs up while eating: "Delicious, really delicious, I have never eaten anything so delicious!"
At this moment, Xu Ranyuan's voice came from outside the door: "I'm back - Miss Yuntao, did you leave some Sushan for me? The weather is so hot!" He was sweating profusely, and he hurried into the yard.
Cheng Yuntao smiled and took out the Sushan that she had reserved for him from the ice cellar. "Of course it's reserved for you. Come and have some."
Xu Ranyuan took Sushan and breathed a sigh of relief, a relieved smile on his face, "Finally I made it. I was so hot."
He hurriedly put down the medicine box, scooped a spoonful of crispy noodles and put it into his mouth. In an instant, the fatigue on his face disappeared, replaced by full satisfaction.
"It's so delicious! After taking a bite, I feel like I'm back to life. This bowl of Sushan is really my savior!" After saying that, he ate several more mouthfuls in a row. The way he wolfed down the food made everyone laugh.
……
After everyone ate the Sushan, the heat disappeared. Cheng Yuntao looked at the sky and saw that it was still early, so she thought of going to the kitchen to study new medicinal food.
She knows very well that medicinal food is different from ordinary dishes, and optimizing the taste is crucial. If it can be made milder and more palatable, more people will accept it and it will have a greater effect.
The medicinal food that Cheng Yuntao plans to sell tomorrow is called Five-Leaf Reed Root Drink. The main ingredients used are loquat leaves, fresh reed roots, winter melon, mint leaves, patchouli leaves, lotus leaves, and magnolia leaves...etc.
Five-leaf reed root drink has the functions of clearing away summer heat, eliminating dampness and strengthening the spleen, promoting fluid production and promoting urination. It is suitable for recuperating in the dog days of summer when the heat and dampness are more severe, and symptoms such as loss of appetite, indigestion, headache, dizziness, dry mouth and bitter taste occur.
Choose fresh, unspoiled, fragrant leaves like patchouli, mint, and lotus, as well as plump, insect-free reed roots and winter melon kernels. Fresh ingredients have a purer aroma and flavor, providing a better base for the drink.
Cheng Yuntao shakes off any impurities that may have stained the leaves, carefully selects those with bright colors and intact leaves, and rinses them in clean water. Larger leaves are appropriately chopped to increase the contact area with water, making it easier for the active ingredients to dissolve.
Then, remove the fresh reed root from the bamboo basket, place it on the chopping board, and use a knife to peel off the outer skin, revealing the white, tender interior. Then, cut it into small, evenly sized pieces. The winter melon, already prepared, is neatly cut into small pieces and placed in a casserole along with the previously cut fresh reed root. Add an appropriate amount of water.
Place the clay pot on the stove and light the fire. The blue flames lick the bottom of the pot, making a whirring sound. As the temperature rises, the water in the pot gradually ripples and steam rises. When the water is slightly boiling, add the washed loquat leaves, mint leaves, patchouli leaves, lotus leaves, and perilla leaves to the pot in order and simmer together.
During the cooking process, you need to control the time well. If the time is too short, the flavor of the ingredients may not be fully released. If the time is too long, some ingredients may be destroyed, affecting the taste and efficacy.
After boiling for a while, the soup in the pot gradually becomes rich in color. At this time, add an appropriate amount of white sugar for seasoning, and you're done.
While the medicinal food was cooling down, Cheng Yuntao thought about going out and calling a few more people to help her try the taste, to see if it was sweet enough and whether she needed to add some sugar to season it.
……
The sun's shadow filtered through the forest, casting bits of golden light, which appeared in the gaps between the branches and leaves, creating a mottled scene.
The courtyard was silent, without a sound of human voice, except for the incessant chirping of cicadas in the trees, which made the afternoon even more peaceful and tranquil.
Cheng Yuntao walked around the yard and found that everyone had their doors closed and had tacitly entered their lunch break. Only Jiang Yu's door was wide open, but there was no one inside.
"Where have the people gone?"
She muttered to herself, walked around the corridor and headed towards the other side of the house.
Banana trees, their leaves as large as fans, sway gently in the breeze. Even in the scorching summer heat, the lush greenery is breathtaking, like a refreshing coolness that seeps into the surrounding air and dissipates some of the summer heat.
Jiang Yu was resting on a recliner in the pavilion, holding a palm-leaf fan in his hand. He originally wanted to fan himself to cool down, but later he was so sleepy that he fell asleep while fanning himself. He then covered his face with the fan to block out the glaring light outside.
“So it’s here.”
Cheng Yuntao walked into the pavilion, her footsteps light, then leaned over to Jiang Yu and reached out to remove the palm-leaf fan covering his face. Jiang Yu's face, slightly flushed from the heat, came into view. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he were battling the heat even in his dreams.
Looking at him like this, Cheng Yuntao felt inexplicably silly and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Since he has already gone to bed, let's not disturb his sweet dreams."
Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she suddenly felt a tightness around her waist. Before Cheng Yuntao could react, she fell into Jiang Yu's arms.
She subconsciously exclaimed, "Jiang Yu!"
"You...you let me go!" Cheng Yuntao lowered her voice, not daring to make too much noise, for fear of waking up everyone who was taking a nap in the yard.
She twisted her body, trying to break free from Jiang Yu's embrace, but this action made Jiang Yu's eyes darker, and he said in a muffled voice: "Don't move yet."
Jiang Yu's hands tightened unconsciously, his fingertips digging slightly into the soft flesh of Cheng Yuntao's waist, causing her to cry out again: "Stop teasing me——"
When the two were in a stalemate, a breeze blew quietly by.
The banana trees beside the pavilion swayed in the wind, making rustling sounds. A few strands of hair brushed across Jiang Yu's face like butterfly wings. The slight itch made him tilt his head unconsciously, but he still did not let go.
Not only did he not let go, but he hugged Cheng Yuntao even tighter.
"Don't move... let me hug you..." Jiang Yu's voice was low and hoarse, with a strong sense of sleepiness. Looking at his sleepy appearance, Cheng Yuntao reached out her hand and touched his head.
"Like a puppy." Cheng Yuntao murmured softly, her fingertips sliding gently down from the top of his hair, as if soothing a lazy little animal.
The tiredness after the summer nap gradually faded away. When Jiang Yu looked up again, the sleepiness in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by an unconcealable smile and deep affection.
He raised the corners of his mouth and whispered, "But this 'puppy' of mine can bite people."
After saying that, he lowered his head and kissed that bright red spot.
"Um...you..."
The cicadas' chirping suddenly rose in volume, but it could not suppress their intertwined breaths.