Mountain and Sea Canteen - Chapter 13

Yan Li recently discovered a hidden gem of a restaurant! The Red Bean Paste Cake, Paper-Skin Steamed Buns, Pea Shoot Chicken Soup Rice Noodles, and even the seemingly ordinary Rice Porridge were all softer and sweeter than those from other places.

Why were all these breakfast items? Because Yan Li had only had their breakfast.

The restaurant didn’t offer delivery, and Yan Li had the misfortune of working overtime for several days in a row. By the time she got home, it was already late, and she was too exhausted to bother going to the Mountain and Sea Canteen for dinner.

Today, she finally got off work a bit earlier, and Yan Li arranged to meet her roommate at the Mountain and Sea Canteen. While buying breakfast, she noticed that the place also seemed to sell barbecue. Summer nights are made for barbecue!

Even before reaching the entrance, the unmistakable aroma of barbecue wafted through the street.

Yan Li’s friend and roommate, Tang Yingying, waved vigorously from afar, “Over here!”

Navigating through a few tables of customers, before Yan Li could even sit down, Tang Yingying excitedly said, “They have Spicy River Snails today!”

Spicy River Snails!

Yan Li and Tang Yingying are from the same hometown, where Spicy River Snails are an essential snack at the local night markets. The stainless steel basins at the snack stalls are piled high with mountains of Spicy River Snails, kept warm by small coal stoves underneath.

Anyone passing by the Spicy River Snails stall, catching a whiff of that fresh, spicy aroma, couldn’t help but stop and order a portion. The vendor would then scoop up the snails along with the flavorful broth into a disposable container, adding a few toothpicks.

Having grown up eating them, Yan Li and Tang Yingying had mastered the essence of enjoying Spicy River Snails-no need for toothpicks! Eating just the snail meat is no fun. The real pleasure lies in chatting while picking up a snail, gently sucking it to your lips, and letting the juice along with the chewy meat slide into your mouth. Chewing it thoroughly is the ultimate satisfaction!

“I want Spicy River Snails!” Yan Li quickly said.

Tang Yingying laughed, “I knew you would. But you haven’t had dinner yet, so maybe order some barbecue first to fill your stomach.” Spicy River Snails are more of a snack; it’s hard to get full on them.

Yan Li nodded and eagerly started ordering skewers. Tang Yingying added, “I just chatted with the uncle at the next table. He owns the supermarket nearby and knows what skewers are the best here. He said if you like seafood, anything from the seafood section is fresh and worth trying. Unfortunately, they don’t have the Handmade Fish Balls made by the boss today. I heard those are absolutely delicious.”

At the neighboring table, Jia Zhiwen, though he had already tried Grilled Skewers twice and could confidently recommend them to others, was actually visiting the Mountain and Sea Canteen for the first time to have a proper barbecue meal.

The first two times were just samplings. The first time was during Ying Linglong’s grand opening, when she gifted him a handful of skewers, and the taste had lingered in his mind ever since.

The second time was when Golden Crow was offering free samples outside the shop. Unable to resist the enticing aroma of the barbecue, Jia Zhiwen had paced back and forth in front of the Mountain and Sea Canteen. He noticed that the young man grilling the skewers seemed either shy or distracted-he kept his head down, only handing out skewers when someone asked about the free samples. Jia Zhiwen had a sudden idea: his wife didn’t allow him to eat alone, but she never said anything about free samples!

After all, how could sampling be considered eating alone?

The skewers were so delicious that before Jia Zhiwen realized it, he had already walked past the shop twice. After snagging two skewers, he felt a bit guilty and grabbed a handful of lollipops from the candy jar inside the shop to give to the young griller. He didn’t look very old-surely he’d enjoy some candy, right?

Tonight, Jia Zhiwen was finally indulging in the barbecue he’d been craving.

He picked up a skewer of Grilled Beef Fat. The small cubes of beef fat had shrunk significantly after grilling, their rich oils seeping out and coated in fragrant seasoning. Each bite was crispy, chewy, and full of flavor.

Zhou Xiu was enjoying Grilled Meat Skewers-three lean pieces of lamb interspersed with one fatty piece. As the fat sizzled and slowly rendered, it infused the lean meat with moisture, making it tender and juicy. Each piece, about the size of a fingertip, was charred on the edges yet bursting with juices inside. It was astonishing-not only was the marinade perfectly balanced, but the young griller, who didn’t look very experienced, had somehow mastered the heat to perfection.

With seafood on the menu, how could they skip the Garlic Grilled Oysters? The plump, chewy oyster meat was infused with the aroma of garlic, and finishing off the incredibly rich oyster juice in the shell was pure bliss.

Then there was the Grilled Eggplant with Minced Meat. The eggplant skin was wrinkled from the heat, and the soft flesh inside was piled high with minced meat, topped with fiery red chili peppers and vibrant green scallions-a feast for both the eyes and the appetite.

While Jia Zhiwen was savoring every bite, another table quietly kicked off a Spicy River Snails competition.

The tails of the river snails had been clipped, and after being stir-fried, their shells were coated in a thick, glossy, and spicy sauce. Yan Li eagerly picked up a snail, pressed her tongue against it, and with a practiced technique, gave it a gentle suck. The spiciness of the chili, the pungency of the ginger and garlic, and the freshness of the perilla leaves all blended seamlessly with the tender snail meat as it slid into her mouth.

The three young men across from her were far clumsier, clearly not accustomed to eating Spicy River Snails. They awkwardly poked at the meat with toothpicks. Yan Li glanced up and met the astonished gaze of one of them.

She could practically read his thoughts written all over his face: “How can someone eat Spicy River Snails so smoothly and effortlessly?!”

Yan Li had a plate of Spicy River Snails all to herself, while the three people across from her shared a plate. The remaining snails in their plate looked about the same. Yan Li flashed a slightly challenging smile, and a silent Spicy River Snail eating contest began.

The snail meat was plump and perfectly cooked. If it had been overcooked, the meat would have stuck to the shell, making it impossible to suck out. To make Spicy River Snails, they are first stir-fried over high heat and then simmered in broth. Ying Linglong used pork bone broth, which made the snails even more flavorful.

This plate of Spicy River Snails was easily the most satisfying Yan Li had ever eaten-delicious and easy to enjoy. Every few seconds, you could hear the sound of her sucking in air, followed by the rustle of snail shells being tossed into the growing pile.

Huang Baihao had come to the Mountain and Sea Canteen with his friends Qi Jun and Ding Ling.

Qi Jun, needless to say, was the most food-savvy among their group. He was the one who usually introduced everyone to new places. After discovering the hidden gem that was the Mountain and Sea Canteen, Qi Jun had been visiting almost every day.

Ding Ling, in Huang Baihao’s opinion, was a bit fussy when it came to food. He had a lot of quirks-he avoided barbecue because it was too oily, skipped street snacks for being unhygienic, and wouldn’t eat anything that required too much effort because it was “too much trouble.”

Well, guess what? The Mountain and Sea Canteen had cured him of all those hang-ups!

Right now, the three of them were attacking their Spicy River Snails with the same intensity as if they were racing against the clock in an exam. Could it be that the three of them together couldn’t outpace one girl across the table?

Qi Jun put down his toothpick and said seriously, “I looked it up. The best way to eat Spicy River Snails is to suck them straight from the shell-that’s where the real flavor is.” He puffed out his cheeks and brought his mouth close to the snail’s opening.

His face turned slightly red from the effort, but after a while, a piece of snail meat finally popped into his mouth.

Huang Baihao teased him, “In the time it took you to suck that one out, I’ve already picked out three. Dipping the meat in the broth tastes just as good.”

Qi Jun disagreed, “The soul of Spicy River Snails is in the sucking!”

Ding Ling stayed silent, speeding up his pace while the others were talking.

Yan Li tossed the last snail shell into the pile and stretched contentedly. “That was amazing!”

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Huang Baihao and his friends still had a dozen or so snails left in their plate. Yan Li mentally gave herself a victory sign-total domination!

Tang Yingying was also nearly done eating. Yan Li suggested, “How about we get another order to go? We can eat them while watching a show later.”

Though the snail meat itself is small, what you’re really savoring isn’t just the meat-it’s the joy of hanging out with friends, binge-watching shows, and chatting about everything under the sun.

“Let’s go, let’s get it to go!” Tang Yingying chimed in enthusiastically.

Huang Baihao had unfortunately lost the Spicy River Snails competition, and he was far from pleased. Determined to improve his snail-sucking skills, he wondered if there would even be Spicy River Snails available tomorrow.

Just as he finished paying, he noticed Ying Linglong sitting in a corner. Curious, he walked over. On the table in front of her was a tray holding a small bottle of thick, honey-like red liquid, a bright red fruit that looked incredibly appetizing, and two bunches of grass.

Huang Baihao was puzzled. Was she working on a new dish? Before he could ask, he watched in disbelief as Ying Linglong, with a serious expression, took a bite of the grass.

Huh?

His first thought wasn’t “Why is she eating grass?” but rather… “Does it taste good?”

He kind of wanted to try it.

Ying Linglong carefully savored the Xun grass, starting with the tender tip of the leaf before moving on to the thicker stem. The Xun grass resembled orchid leaves but had a unique flavor. It lacked the bitterness typically found in grass juices. The leaves tasted like a mix of citrus and cranberries, while the square-shaped stem was sweeter, reminiscent of apple-flavored sugarcane.

Weird. She took another bite.

As she stuffed more Xun grass into her mouth, she looked up and saw Huang Baihao staring at her eagerly.

“Little Junior, do you need something?”

Huang Baihao protested, “Sis, I’ve told you not to call me that!”

He momentarily forgot why he had approached her and grinned sheepishly. “Is that grass edible? Can I try some too?”

Ying Linglong glanced at the four ingredients on the tray: Xun grass, which was said to enhance one’s complexion, making the skin smooth and fair; Xun grass (a different variety), which could alleviate worries and sorrows; Danmu fruit, which could satiate hunger; and Chinese spurge sap, which could relieve fatigue.

None of these were for him.

She shook her head. “No.”

“Oh, right,” Huang Baihao finally remembered why he’d come over. “Will there be Spicy River Snails tomorrow?”

Ying Linglong replied, “From now on, they’ll only be available on weekends.”

The river snails had been purchased from Yousang Yan, a shop that sold hairy crabs. The store didn’t offer tail-clipping services, so Ying Linglong and her team had spent hours snipping the tails off two large basins of snails.

Huang Baihao sighed regretfully. “So many customers love them. It’d be great if you could sell them every day.”

Ying Linglong thought for a moment. “I’ll consider it.”

Later, every time Huang Baihao squatted in the kitchen, snipping tails off a mountain of river snails in a giant basin, he wanted to strangle the version of himself who had so carelessly made that suggestion.