I've been possessed by a culinary genius, and I've turned Shaxian snacks into a rip-off!

Su Su drove her BMW Mini, carrying Li Zhibai and Grandpa Huo, and stopped at the entrance of an alley in the old town that had not yet been demolished.

"Master, Uncle Huo, we can't drive any further ahead. Let's walk."

Li Zhibai nodded coolly, opened the car door, and got out.

This old residential area that hasn't been demolished is like a completely different world from the Financial Street area.

The roads are mostly made of old-fashioned bluestone slabs, the houses are mostly built of red bricks, and the alleys are winding and very narrow.

Li Zhibai and Su Su followed behind Grandpa Huo, turning several corners and almost getting lost, before finally arriving at their destination.

Grandpa Huo's house is an old three-story building with red brick walls, wooden window frames, and dark blue tiles on the roof.

"Come in."

Huo Wang took out the key, unlocked the door, pushed open the wooden door, and went in first, followed by Li Zhibai and Su Su.

Huo Wang lived on the first floor. The house was not big, probably only about 60 or 70 square meters. The layout was an old-fashioned one-bedroom apartment. The living room was right inside the entrance, the kitchen was on the left, and the bedroom was on the right.

The furniture in the room is all from the 1970s and 80s: wooden sofas, old coffee tables... and a sewing machine that looks like an antique.

The most eye-catching thing is a black and white photo hanging on the wall. The photo shows a young couple. The man is wearing a Zhongshan suit, and the woman has two long braids. They are standing side by side, smiling sweetly and happily.

Huo Wang pointed to the woman in the photo and said, "This is my wife when she was young. She has been gone for 11 years."

Looking at the young and beautiful woman in the photo, Su Su couldn't help but say, "Uncle Huo, your wife was really beautiful when she was young."

"Of course," Huo Wang said proudly, "Back then, she was a famous beauty in our area. The line of suitors could stretch from the alleyway to the factory gate, but in the end, it was me, a poor guy, who won her over, hahaha..."

Li Zhibai gave Grandpa Huo a thumbs up, "Amazing!"

Huo Wang walked to the old-fashioned five-drawer chest against the wall, picked up a towel and carefully wiped the portrait on it.

"Amei, I brought two kids over as guests. Please don't mind the noise."

He muttered something to himself, then put down the towel, turned to the two of them, and said, "Sit wherever you like, don't be shy."

The two then sat down on the wooden sand. Li Zhibai took out his phone, opened the notepad, and was ready to take notes at any time.

Huo Wang then poured a glass of water for each of them.

Su Su accepted the cup with both hands and whispered her thanks, "Thank you."

Li Zhibai also expressed his gratitude.

Huo Wang himself took an enamel mug, sat down opposite the two, drank some water, and began to tell his story.

"I was twenty years old that year, and I had just started working as an apprentice in a textile factory. I had nothing, and I couldn't even afford the three major items for my wedding. I simply cooked a meal, invited some relatives to witness the ceremony, and then I married her."

"Back then, she was a substitute teacher at the elementary school next to the textile factory, and the children all liked her very much..."

"I remember the first time she made braised pork was during the Mid-Autumn Festival one year. At that time, the factory issued two meat coupons. I went to the supply and marketing cooperative and queued for two hours to grab a piece of pork belly."

She was very happy and said she would make braised pork for me tonight. Although she rarely made braised pork before, the braised pork she made that time was very successful. The pork was stewed until it was a bright red color, and it was soft and tender in the mouth, not greasy at all.

Especially the gravy; I could eat three big bowls of rice with it.

Huo Wang subconsciously swallowed as he spoke, then chuckled and said, "Look at this old man, it's been so long, but I still drool every time I talk about it."

In fact, it wasn't just him who wanted to drool; Li Zhibai and Su Su couldn't help but swallow hard when they heard his description.

It sounds delicious!

"Grandpa, please continue," Su Su said.

Huo Wang nodded: "That night, we ate five big bowls of rice and finished off the braised pork. I even used the sauce on the plate to mix with the rice and finish it all. When Amei saw how hungry I was, she laughed and said to me, 'Brother Wang, when things get better, I'll stew braised pork for you every day.'"

"Later, braised pork became a must-have dish in our family every week. Even after decades of making it, she would always take a small spoon and taste a little broth every now and then before adjusting the seasoning."

"I'm saying you've been making braised pork for so many years, do you still need to taste it?"

"She said that won't do. How will you know if it tastes right if you don't taste it? What if it's too salty or too sweet today, and you don't like it? It's your own fault for being so picky."

"I am indeed quite picky about food, because I think no one else's braised pork tastes as good as hers."

"Her braised pork wasn't the deep red color of Dongpo pork; it was a light, glossy red, like it was coated with honey."

The flavor isn't as sweet as typical Shanghainese cuisine, and the soy sauce flavor isn't strong, but it's incredibly fragrant...

"Then she got sick; it was cancer."

When Huo Wang said this, his mood became noticeably somber.

"During her time in the hospital, she couldn't eat anything and became so thin she was just skin and bones... I took her to many hospitals until one day she suddenly said to me, 'Brother Wang, I want to go home and cook you a meal.'"

"Then we went home, and she stood in front of the kitchen stove and made one last braised pork dish."

"I ate very well that day, and when she saw me eating so well, she couldn't help but eat several pieces of meat as well. At that time, I thought her condition had improved and she could eat again."

"I was so happy. I thought maybe God was on her side and she was getting better. I even planned to take her out for a trip when she was a little better, to the Northwest where she had always wanted to see the snow-capped mountains."

"But after she fell asleep that night, she never woke up again..."

Hearing this, Su Su couldn't hold back anymore. She covered her mouth with one hand, and tears streamed down her face.

Li Zhibai's face was very aloof, but his eyes gradually reddened.

Honestly, the old man's story sounds quite ordinary.

There wasn't any dramatic life-or-death separation like in the movies; it was just two people living a simple life together, sharing everyday things. One of them loved certain foods, and the other would find creative ways to cook them for him.

Do it for many years, until you can't do it anymore.

But it is this simple emotion hidden in the mundane details of daily life that is the most sincere and the most touching.

Like a bowl of braised pork, the ingredients are ordinary and the cooking method is simple, but once you put emotion into it, there is nothing in the world that tastes better.

"After Ah Mei left, I never ate braised pork that tasted like that again."

"It's been eleven years. I've been to many restaurants and consulted many chefs, but none of them can make the taste I want."

"Some people say it's all in my head, that the taste is just a beautiful illusion created by memory, and that I have that kind of illusion because I miss Ah Mei so much."

I don't deny that I miss her, I miss her terribly.

But I remain convinced that the taste is real. Every night when I close my eyes, I can recall that taste—that soft, chewy texture that melts in your mouth, and the lingering fragrance that's somewhat like flowers...

As Huo Wang spoke, he closed his eyes again, as if reliving the taste that had disappeared 11 years ago.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and looked at Li Zhibai.

"My wife's birthday is in three days."

"Young man, I know you're a good cook. I saw the fried rice you made the other day, and after eating it, I thought, if you can make fried rice like that, maybe you can really recreate her braised pork. So I'll choose to believe you this time."

"I'm seventy-three years old this year. Although I'm still in good health, I don't know how many more years I have left. I just want to eat her braised pork one more time before I go, even if it's just once."

"I also want to take this opportunity of celebrating Ah Mei's birthday to call all the children back. There are some things that should be arranged in advance."

"So young man, let me ask you one question: are you confident you can make this dish on my wife's birthday?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhibai decisively typed a message on his phone and turned the screen around to show Huo Wang.

I can't guarantee anything else, but at least let him finish his meal. If he doesn't want a refund, he can ask me for one.

Huo Wang stared at the words for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahaha......"

"Okay! I believe you!"

"This braised pork is your responsibility."

"Oh, right," Huo Wang suddenly remembered something, stood up from the rattan chair, walked to the dresser, opened the top drawer, took out a yellowed notebook, and handed it to Li Zhibai.

"This is the recipe for braised pork that Ah Mei wrote down before she left. I've tried making it many times according to the recipe, but I've failed every time."

Li Zhibai took the notebook with both hands and opened it to take a look.

Cut the pork belly into large chunks, not too small.

[Caramelize rock sugar, add three tablespoons of soy sauce, and one tablespoon of dark soy sauce]

Two star anise, a small piece of cinnamon, and three bay leaves

【….】

The steps for making this braised pork are the same as those for a typical family braised pork recipe; it doesn't seem difficult.

But sometimes, it's precisely these seemingly simple home-style dishes that are actually more difficult to make.

Because it has no standard answer, it only has "right" and "wrong". If the person eating it thinks it is right, then it is perfect; if they think it is wrong, then it is a failure.

After briefly glancing at the recipe, Li Zhibai took a picture of the braised pork recipe with his phone.

Huo Wang waited until he finished taking the photos before speaking again, "Young man, this dish is really important to me. I hope you won't disappoint me."

Li Zhibai nodded and gave an OK sign, while he had already started thinking about the price of the braised pork.

Since you think it's so important, sir, can I set the price a little bit higher?

You probably don't mind, right?