The bonfire was already lit. Even though it was winter and the day was overcast, Li Nianlong still made a bonfire in the yard. Roasting a whole lamb was a delicacy, and he skewered the entire lamb on a thick wooden stick, roasting it over the fire. The lamb fat sizzled and dripped onto the flames, emitting a tantalizing aroma. Li Nianlong coated the lamb with various seasonings, filling the air with an irresistible fragrance.
Liu Laotaifu, Shao Meiyun, Nalan Ruyue, Xiang Youyou, and Sun Siyu couldn't help but salivate. Sun Siyu's mouth was watering uncontrollably, forgetting all about her noble upbringing.
Wiping their mouths: No, no, I can't lose my composure. I must remain dignified. But this devil actually has such good culinary skills. It seems even devils have their talents. Oh... so delicious! No, this isn't good. My mouth is watering again...
Roasting a whole lamb wasn't a particularly intricate task, but achieving the perfect roast was no simple matter. One had to control the fire just right, ensuring that the meat was cooked through without being burnt. Li Nianlong, being a perfect-tier culinary master, effortlessly mastered this skill. He occasionally made incisions in the lamb to allow the seasoning to penetrate.
When the roasted lamb was crispy on the outside and tender inside, emitting an aroma that could be smelled from hundreds of meters away, Li Nianlong covered the bonfire with wood chips, allowing the heat to continue cooking. He said, "Help yourselves! Cut whatever meat you like."
"I'll do it! I'll do it!" Sun Siyu couldn't wait any longer. Holding a plate and a knife, she rushed over and proclaimed, "The roasted lamb leg is mine!"
You really don't see yourself as an outsider, do you?
Liu Laotaifu held a plate and a knife, chuckling, "Don't just stand there, let's eat together!"
With Liu Laotaifu's words, everyone began to dig in. The roasted lamb was large enough that several people couldn't finish it, so they leisurely enjoyed their meal. But after tasting the lamb, everyone lost their composure.
"This... this lamb..." Sun Siyu was the first to taste the roasted lamb, her eyes widening. "It's... it's so delicious!"
Sun Siyu regretted her lack of education, unable to find elegant words to describe the deliciousness of the roasted lamb. She could only utter phrases like "delicious," "so delicious," and "oh, why is it so delicious?" She ate eagerly, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, how will I survive without such delicious roasted lamb in the future?"
...
The group was left dumbfounded by Sun Shiru's behavior.
"Don't embarrass yourself," Xiang Youyou said while chewing on the lamb, "Although Big Brother's roasted lamb is indeed delicious, eating it every day can get tiresome. The main thing is that Big Brother can cook any dish and innovate on his own. We never have the same meal twice."
"Really?" Xiang Youyou's mouth was full of oil as she gnawed on the lamb leg and looked at Li Nianlong.
"What are you looking at me for?" Li Nianlong cut himself a piece of lamb chop, "I'm not a chef. Cooking is just a way for me to satisfy my own and my family's appetites. I never intended to cook for others."
Li Nianlong's words made Mr. Liu and the others very pleased: "See, we're family."
Sun Shiru was disappointed. She bit into the lamb fiercely, saying, "I don't care anymore. I wish I could eat as much as I want."
"Just eating lamb can get monotonous. At this point, a chef brought over a plate of clean vegetables—cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and sweet bean sauce—perfect for eating raw, complementing the lamb nicely.
After the feast, they moved to the living room. The servants had already prepared a pot of hot tea, along with dessert and various dried fruits. Mr. Liu, being of such seniority, didn't join the young people. Shao Meiyun also felt she was much older than these twenty-something youngsters, so she excused herself and went back to rest.
"Now that there's no one else," Li Nianlong looked at Sun Shiru, "You've been staring at me all this time. If you have something to say, just say it!"
"When did I stare at you? Don't flatter yourself. I don't like your type, pretty boy. I prefer manly men," Sun Shiru said, glaring at Li Nianlong.
Sun Shiru's words made Li Nianlong and Xiang Youyou speechless.
Xiang Youyou raised her hand to her forehead, unable to speak.
Nalan Ruyue also looked puzzled, turning to Xiang Youyou and gesturing with her hands: "Is your sister crazy?"
Xiang Youyou didn't know how to respond. Finally, she managed to say, "She's... in a mood."
"What are you talking about, Youyou?" Sun Shiru couldn't understand sign language and found Xiang Youyou's words strange. She furrowed her brows, "Why do I feel so uncomfortable?"
"It's nothing," Xiang Youyou sighed, "Shiru, don't worry! You and Big Brother are not compatible. You two will never end up together. Don't let Uncle worry about it."
"Although that's true, why does it sound so weird?" Sun Shiru frowned, while Li Nianlong also looked puzzled. He wanted to say, "Brother's really worried about your IQ."
"Now that you've seen and fought, can we consider this trip complete?" Li Nianlong asked.
"More or less," Sun Shiru nodded, then her eyes lit up as saliva spread in her mouth, "But I didn't expect your cooking to be so delicious. This roasted lamb is even better than what those five-star hotel chefs make. After eating it, I feel so energized. How did you do it? Can you teach me?"
"What? You're interested in becoming a chef?" Li Nianlong asked.
"No," Sun Shiru shook her head repeatedly, "I'm a noblewoman. How can I dirty my hands with cooking? I'll have my family's chef learn it when I go back, so I can enjoy delicious roasted lamb every day."
Li Nianlong was speechless, shaking his head. "Forget it! I use the same ingredients as everyone else. It's just that I have finer control over the cooking temperature. That's talent, something not everyone can do."
"Talent? Talent again?" Sun Shiru's face suddenly turned ugly, her emotions running high, "I hate talent the most. Because of you talented people, you hinder those without talent. No matter how hard they try, they can never catch up to your talent! It's despicable! Despicable!"
Sun Shiru's sudden change shocked everyone. Xiang Youyou's eyebrows furrowed slightly, suddenly thinking of something. Her eyes were full of worry and care, "Shiru, you still can't forget about him?"
"Forget? How could I forget?" Sun Shiru's face looked bleak, like that of a dead person. Everyone was alarmed, Li Nianlong couldn't help but ask, "Miss Sun, are you okay?"
"What could be wrong with me?" Sun Shiru laughed, her laughter eerie, like a zombie covered in frost, "I just don't understand why heaven has to give some people 'talent.' Because of you talented people, you hinder those without talent. No matter how hard they try, even two, three, or even five or ten times harder, those without talent will never be as good as those with talent. If everyone had the same talent, how could there be so much unfairness? How could some people not bear such unfairness and end their young lives.