Chapter 69 Braised Beef

Chapter 69 Braised Beef

"Okay, okay..."

Ji Mingcheng snapped out of it. It was so late, and Yu Xin was still in the kitchen—could he be hungry and looking for something to eat?

He thought as much and asked the same question. Yu Xin gave a small smile. "Not really. I don’t usually eat late-night snacks. It’s mainly because of this."

Yu Xin took a step to the side, and only then did Ji Mingcheng notice the braising pot behind him, gently bubbling away with steam.

A rich aroma had been floating in the air all along, but he had been too lost in his own thoughts to notice it until now.

Ji Mingcheng sniffed deeply a few times. "What is it? Why does it smell so good?"

"It’s the braised beef I made," Yu Xin said.

That afternoon, when Yu Xin saw a large piece of fresh beef shank among the newly delivered ingredients, he was on a whim to braise it. Beef braised slowly over low heat tastes best, but it takes a long time. That was why he was in the kitchen at this hour.

Yu Xin lifted the lid of the braising pot to take a look. The beef had almost reached its perfect tenderness. The originally full pot of braising liquid had reduced to a dark brown half-pot, bubbling gently. The beef shank, now braised to a glossy reddish-brown, released a pungent aroma the moment the lid was opened.

The scent in the air instantly intensified several times over—a complex and wonderfully savory meat aroma unlike anything Ji Mingcheng had ever smelled before.

Drawn by the fragrance, he leaned in to take a look inside the clay pot and found himself unable to look away.

"You made this? What’s it called?" Ji Mingcheng recalled Yu Xin’s earlier term. "Braised beef?"

"Yes, braised beef."

Yu Xin nodded in satisfaction and closed the lid.

"It’s almost done. Just needs to simmer a bit longer to reduce the sauce. By the way, do you want some noodles?"

As if performing a magic trick, Yu Xin lifted the copper basin covering the cutting board nearby, revealing a smooth, snow-white dough that had already risen.

The military academy had strict routines, and Ji Mingcheng usually didn’t eat anything after 8 p.m. But this time, as if guided by some unseen force, he nodded.

Yu Xin washed his hands, put on an apron, and began kneading the dough, shaping it with practiced ease.

Ji Mingcheng was completely captivated by his movements, watching with the same focus he reserved for military theory classes. He even asked humbly, "What are you making now?"

"Hand-pulled noodles," Yu Xin replied succinctly, his hands never stopping as he rolled the dough into a thin sheet, folded it repeatedly, and cut it into evenly sized noodles.

When he wasn’t live-streaming, Yu Xin cooked quietly, fully absorbed in his task. Ji Mingcheng didn’t find it boring at all; it was like watching a performance he’d never seen before, as noodles gradually took shape under Yu Xin’s hands.

Those pale, slender fingers looked no different from those of any other young person in the Interstellar Age—untouched by manual labor—yet they possessed many unfamiliar skills. Suddenly, Ji Mingcheng felt intensely curious about Yu Xin.

Where had he learned all this?

"How many noodles do you want? I’ll cook accordingly."

Yu Xin’s voice broke through Ji Mingcheng’s thoughts. After a moment’s consideration, he replied hesitantly, "Hmm... maybe half a bowl? No, better make it a full bowl."

For some reason, he felt unusually hungry today. Eating a little more couldn’t hurt, right? He could always make up for it on the training field tomorrow.

"Alright," Yu Xin said, having estimated the amount. He prepared the noodles, then took a pot from the shelf and ladled several spoonfuls of the braised beef broth into it.

As the noodles began to boil, the beef on the side was also ready. Calmly and methodically, he moved the clay pot of beef off the stove and began preparing it.

Lifting the lid released a burst of steam accompanied by an irresistible meaty aroma. The freshly cooked beef shank was fished out onto the cutting board, and only then did Ji Mingcheng notice that the pot didn’t just contain beef shank—there was also a large piece of beef tendon, now stewed to a semi-translucent texture.

The tendon was also placed on a plate, wobbling delicately. Just looking at it, one could imagine how tender and chewy it would be.

Once the beef shank had cooled enough to handle, Yu Xin picked up a knife and sliced it into evenly thick pieces. Layers of reddish-brown meat fibers and semi-translucent tendons glistened under the light.

No one could resist tasting freshly braised meat, and Yu Xin was no exception. Moreover, he hadn’t forgotten the downcast guy sharing the kitchen with him.

He arranged the sliced beef on a plate, drizzled a few spoonfuls of the braising liquid over it, turned around, and placed it on the kitchen island. "The noodles will take a little longer. Come have some beef first."

Ji Mingcheng had been waiting for this invitation. He knew how long he’d been restraining himself to maintain the dignity befitting the nephew of a general and a scion of an elite family.

He picked up his chopsticks and, trying his best not to seem too eager, placed a slice of braised beef into his mouth.

His eyes, somewhat similar to Ji Yixing’s, widened instantly.

His teeth seemed to chew of their own accord, filling his mouth with the rich, savory flavor. The piece of beef was gone in just a few bites. Only then did Ji Mingcheng speak, his tone full of surprise. "This braised beef is really good!"

Coming from a privileged background, he had tasted all kinds of delicacies. He hadn’t expected much from Yu Xin’s late-night snack, but after trying it, he realized he’d been wrong.

Well, well—so this was what his uncle had been enjoying behind his back all this time!

The tendon part of the beef was so tender it seemed to melt at the slightest pressure, while the meat was firm and pleasantly chewy. The two textures intertwined, distinct yet perfectly complementary. The spices from the stew blended seamlessly with the meat’s natural flavor, enhanced by the braising liquid poured over the beef earlier. Wonderful, truly wonderful.

Ji Mingcheng didn’t bother sharing his thoughts—his chopsticks moved faster and faster toward the beef. In no time, nearly half the plate of sliced beef was gone.

His training at the military academy was intense, and his appetite was sizable to match the exertion. This amount of beef was little more than an appetizer for him.

Still, Ji Mingcheng forced himself to restrain his hands and set down his chopsticks. After all, Yu Xin had only taken a few bites before stopping. Meanwhile, he, the guest, was nearly finished with the meat Yu Xin had prepared.

This was far too undignified!

As he chided himself, Ji Mingcheng couldn’t help but be even more eager for the beef noodles that were coming.

On the other side, the noodles were ready. Yu Xin washed a few fresh, green lettuce leaves and added them to the broth just before ladling out the noodles.

"Do you eat scallions and cilantro?" Yu Xin asked, stirring the noodles as he glanced at Ji Mingcheng. Receiving an affirmative answer, he grabbed a handful of chopped scallions and cilantro and tossed them into the pot just before turning off the heat.

The steaming noodles, along with the broth, were ladled into bowls. Yu Xin placed most of the noodles into one bowl and reserved just a few strands for himself.

Though Yu Xin didn’t speak much, he was more perceptive than most and hadn’t missed Ji Mingcheng’s repeated glances toward the braised beef.

In his kitchen, no one who ate his food would ever leave unsatisfied. If you liked it, you could eat your fill.

Ji Mingcheng looked at the bowl placed before him—snow-white noodles soaking in the brown broth, interspersed with vibrant green lettuce, topped with a heaping layer of meat, and accompanied by a halved braised egg that Yu Xin had added to the pot while braising the beef.

"By the way, can you handle spicy food?"

Yu Xin produced a jar of chili oil from somewhere—homemade, with sesame seeds mixed in.

Ji Mingcheng could handle spice, so he opened the jar and added a few spoonfuls to his noodles.

Now, the bright red chili oil floated on the surface of the broth, making the entire bowl even more appetizing.

Unable to wait any longer, Ji Mingcheng picked up a mouthful of noodles and, ignoring the heat, slurped them down.

The hand-pulled noodles were much chewier than ordinary noodles, filled with a wheaty flavor. Following the noodles with a bite of the tendon he hadn’t tried earlier, it was indeed as soft and gelatinous as he had imagined. Paired with the fresh, crisp, and slightly sweet lettuce, there was no more perfect combination.

Ji Mingcheng ate with his head down, fully immersed in the bowl before him. Thankfully, his table manners weren’t too bad.

At this moment, all the things that had been troubling his emotions—military school, positions, compromises over family interests—he tossed aside.

He felt a relief like never before; at least since he had learned this news, he had never felt so at ease.

He'd never imagined that a bowl of steaming hot noodles late at night could work such wonders. No matter what the future holds, at least in this moment, he was happy.

Adult happiness doesn't have a price tag. Rather than agonizing over an uncertain future, why not simply follow one's heart and enjoy the present?

After finishing a large bowl of noodles and meat, and drinking a few sips of the broth packed with the stew's rich flavor, Ji Mingcheng ate his fill. Rubbing his full, round stomach, it still left him wanting more.

He let out a long sigh, feeling as though the weight on his heart lifted with that breath.

"Yu Xin, thanks for having me," Ji Mingcheng turned and, for the first time, looked seriously at the dark-haired young man before him. "It was a delicious bowl of noodles."

Yu Xin had long finished his few bites of noodles and had been silently lost in thought for a while. He pursed his lips and finally spoke up, "I don't know if you've heard this saying."

"Hmm?"

"There's an old saying back on Earth: 'the boat will straighten itself out when it reaches the bridgehead.'" Yu Xin's voice was still calm. "You're still young, and you've got your whole future ahead of you. The things that trouble you now may seem insignificant when you look back later."

"Since the future you will be able to handle them, why let them affect the present you?"

This was precisely the insight he had gained after experiencing many things.

"I understand," Ji Mingcheng's gaze softened. He was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected Yu Xin to say such things to him. He had originally thought the young man would be as indifferent to everything as he appeared on the surface.

It felt like when some aloof cat that usually ignores you suddenly runs over to rub against you when you're feeling down—surprising, and even a bit flattering, because you're the one receiving this special treatment.

Ji Mingcheng thought to himself, he seemed to understand why his uncle insisted on keeping Yu Xin by his side.

Yu Xin might appear cold, but getting along with him was just like this bowl of noodles—full of rich flavors, way more complex and wonderful than you'd expect.