Chapter 546: Chapter 544: First Ocean Fishing Experience

Wang Fan didn’t have grand ideals or lofty ambitions; he just wanted those who liked his culinary creations to find authentic food when they came to him.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but want to curse.

When he was a child, the melamine-laden formula without real milk wanted to take the lives of his generation, but because his family was too poor to afford that brand, he dodged that bullet.

In junior high school, SARS came for their lives, but due to his routine life, he also managed to avoid it.

Later, COVID-19 came hunting, but he luckily escaped that too.

Now with all kinds of toxic clothing, poisonous cosmetics, contaminated health products, unsafe meat, and unsightly kitchen hygiene, he just wants to know what his generation has done to bring such wrath upon themselves, making it seem like the entire world wants them dead?

He needs to hold the line, to become the last pure ground.

In the future, if there’s a chance, he has to also remind those who love food that if they want cleanliness, it’s best to go to places with open kitchens—even night market stalls might be cleaner than many takeout shops.

His thoughts went far, and when he brought them back, he realized the second dish had already been served—a plate of pickled blood clams.

A large plate was filled with blood clams, along with peeled garlic, cilantro, and a few bits of chili, at least reaching Xiamen’s medium-spicy level.

Beside it, there was something like a nail clipper, probably for opening the clam shells.

"Look, Wang, this is how you use this thing."

Shen Teng picked up a blood clam and then the nail clipper, aimed at the shell’s connection point, gave it a squeeze, and with a twist, the meat covered in sauce was revealed.

Then he sucked it into his mouth, showing a satisfying expression.

Wang Fan followed suit, trying one. The sauce used was the usual pickling brine, but paired with the fresh blood clams’ sweet taste and its crunchy texture, it elevated the dish’s deliciousness by several levels.

Though Wang Fan respected the dish, he kept his distance, only eating one. Even though he found it tasty, his thoroughly northern palate worried that his stomach wouldn’t handle this raw marinade, and transforming into a "fountain warrior" would indeed spoil things.

The third dish was oyster omelette, still prioritizing freshness. The following dishes were also noteworthy. Wang Fan even felt that solely in terms of taste, this small shop was far superior to the fancy restaurants he previously visited. So far, it was the most enjoyable meal he’d had.

Finally, the proprietress served a pot of bamboo mushroom and loofah egg stew. The vibrant green loofah was topped with some golden shrimp and crispy fried shallots. The rich broth looked incredibly flavorful.

To have such quality in a regular-priced restaurant, Wang Fan was quite surprised.

He picked up a piece of loofah and tasted it; the fresh and sweet flavor, soft and tender texture, clearly indicated it was very fresh loofah.

Bamboo mushroom is bamboo mushroom. Wang Fan had previously made a similar soup. After tasting it, he gently stirred the bottom of the clay pot with his chopsticks and, sure enough, uncovered an egg, which brought a knowing smile to his face.

Even though the bamboo mushroom and loofah came before the fried egg in the name, the dish’s soul was precisely the fried egg.

You must first fry the egg before adding boiling water and other ingredients to create that distinct delicious flavor, which also makes the broth richer and whiter.

Most importantly, he noticed that Shen Teng, a rich second-generation, was indeed very thoughtful and attentive to details.

In Xiamen, one tends to drink the soup first, then eat the dish, but in the north, it’s almost always the opposite. If the soup is served before the dishes, in the north, it usually means they’re rushing you out.

Even when casually dining out, Shen Teng pays attention to such details, making Wang Fan have to admit that Shen’s father’s education was indeed very successful.

After finishing the meal and leaving the restaurant, Wang Fan initially thought the day’s plans were nearly complete. Unexpectedly, Shen Teng chuckled and said, "Where do you think we’re at? After eating, shouldn’t we exercise to digest a bit? Since you’re in Xiamen, shouldn’t you experience the joy of sea fishing?"

Talking about fishing, Wang Fan thought about his future father-in-law. Back then, the old man had used fishing as an excuse to try burying him in sand. Realizing he hadn’t checked in with his father-in-law and mother-in-law for a while, he decided to do so in the next couple of days.

This was precisely Kong Weide’s third secret technique—regularly appearing to show presence!

Wang Fan wasn’t very interested in fishing, but he couldn’t resist Shen Teng’s trump card—cooking freshly caught fish directly in the cabin for the freshest, most perfect dining experience.

Fishing’s lure Wang Fan could refuse, but such fresh ingredients, he couldn’t.

Many wild deep-sea fish die the moment they are brought on board; the immense pressure difference causes them to expel their intestines. Even if there’s ice aboard, it’s iced fish, not the freshest state.

"Alright, we’ll go with your plan then."

Normally, chartering a boat for fishing means setting out early in the morning, as even if one sets out late, the captain wouldn’t charge any less.

However, Shen Teng didn’t care about that, and as for the captain, he didn’t mind either. After all, earning half a day’s pay for fewer hours was just as good, if not better.

Shen Teng probably went sea fishing quite a bit, given his complete range of gear, both electric and manual rods, clearly quite expensive.

The boat Shen Teng rented was also very luxurious, the main feature being a well-equipped kitchen, specifically chosen for Wang Fan with care.

However, what he didn’t expect was that Shen Teng, to ensure a fun time, instructed the captain to venture over a hundred miles offshore, into the deep South Sea, reaching their destination when it was already completely dark.

But Shen Teng’s eyes were bright: "Let me tell you, Brother Wang, at night here you can catch big yellowfin tuna; break even with one, reap huge gains with two. If luck is on our side and we hook a bluefin tuna, selling one at tens of thousands isn’t just a dream."

Wang Fan replied, "I think you might be overthinking this; the odds must be like winning the lottery, right?"

Shen Teng laughed, "Brother Wang, you’re in your newbie protection period now; beginners get really generous starter packs—it might just happen instantly. Even if you’re not interested in the money, we can try the first-hand bluefin tuna sashimi."

Wang Fan rubbed his forehead, "Although I haven’t prepared it myself, I know that letting the tuna drain blood and stabilize takes at least two to three days to reach optimal edible state. We might as well target mackerel, yellow croaker, and large squid instead."