Cheng Xiaofan returned to the villa, saving one pig's trotter for lunch and storing the rest in the refrigerator.
In previous years, when the family was poor, they would eat new glutinous rice with year-old pickled chicken, served with corn and pumpkin. Those who were better off would add cured meats.
He placed these ingredients with the soaked glutinous rice and steamed them until the aroma filled the air. Lifting the lid, he served the steamed glutinous rice into a large basin.
Then, a large basin of fragrant glutinous rice was placed before the statues of Shennong and the Earth God. Incense was lit, and the entire family knelt down, bowed three times, and kowtowed three times.
After the ritual to the two great deities, the family finally gathered around the table to eat the new glutinous rice.
In Zhuxi Village, people typically carried their rice bowls and visited neighbors when eating. However, for the new glutinous rice meal, it was like New Year's Eve, with the family eating together at their own table.
One would only go to someone else's house to eat if specifically invited.
Only Cheng Xiaofan was an exception.
When he was a child, every time it was time to eat new glutinous rice, he would eat a small bowl of rice at home and, as Miao Xiuhua had said, he would dart out the door like a cat and disappear.
Cheng Xiaofan had possessed an exceptional sense of smell since he was young.
A mere sniff around someone's doorway would tell him if they had added pickled pork ribs to their steamed glutinous rice, or if someone else's rice had chunks of goose meat or salted pork mixed in.
He could even accurately determine if red sugar and pickled duck eggs had been added to someone's glutinous rice.
By the time he had circled the entire village, Cheng Xiaofan's plastic bag would be filled with delicious dishes from a hundred households.
For this, Miao Xiuhua had often chased Cheng Xiaofan around the village with willow branches.
His father, Cheng Fugui, however, would beam with joy whenever he saw the delicious food his son brought back. It was enough to keep him happily drinking for three days.
*Bang, bang, bang...* Cheng Xiaofan washed the pig's trotter clean, chopped it into pieces, and placed it in a large basin.
He then added ingredients like mushrooms, ginger slices, scallions, and cooking wine.
Afterward, he moved it into his special space.
He then rinsed glutinous rice again, adding pickled pork ribs, lobster meat, cowpeas, red beans, barley, and diced carrots.
This was also moved into the space.
Next, he prepared dishes like steamed immortal fish, tomato-braised beef slices, stir-fried cabbage with tofu, shredded dried green peppers, and braised lion's head.
Once all the dishes were prepared, they were all moved into the space.
Subsequently, Cheng Xiaofan scratched his head and with a leap, like a monkey from Flower-Fruit Mountain, he entered his space.
He immediately sat cross-legged on the ground, preparing to use the power of his space to create culinary masterpieces.
The greatest benefit of creating food in this "shortcut" manner was that the dishes would be infused with ample spiritual energy, not only making them incredibly delicious but also highly beneficial for health.
He believed that such exquisite dishes were likely unmatched by anyone else in the world.
This was Cheng Xiaofan's third time using the power of his space to prepare food.
The first time was for Long Xingyun and his girlfriend Jiang Xueyan, and the second time he made space cuisine was for Ye Shisan to taste.
However, using this method to create food consumed a significant amount of spiritual energy, even more so than refining precious elixirs.
The variety of dishes this time was greater, and it also required a substantial amount of spiritual energy.
Still, to allow his family to taste the delicacies prepared from his space, Cheng Xiaofan felt that expending any amount of spiritual energy was worthwhile.
After all, he didn't cook with his space every day; making it a couple of times occasionally wouldn't hurt.
Not long after Cheng Xiaofan sat down, a massive vortex formed around him within the space, beginning to spin.
The ingredients for the rice and dishes placed before him were immediately absorbed into the space.
In an instant, within Cheng Xiaofan's consciousness, the visual, aromatic, flavorful, and fresh essence of each dish began to take shape.
The power of the space could only help Cheng Xiaofan create dishes full of spiritual energy; the control over the precise doneness of each dish still required his personal input.
About an hour later.
*Ding, ding, ding...*
More than ten dishes were sequentially moved from the vortex to appear before Cheng Xiaofan.
A large basin of freshly steamed glutinous rice also materialized.
Gazing at the dazzling array of dishes before him, Cheng Xiaofan couldn't help but smile slightly. They truly were dishes created with the power of his space.
Each dish was infused with vibrant spiritual energy, shimmering like arcs of electricity.
However, this spiritual energy, imbued in every dish, was visible only to Cheng Xiaofan and imperceptible to the naked eye of others.
When he emerged from his space, it was almost noon.
Just at this time, Miao Xiuhua, Cheng Fugui, and Miao Dachun arrived.
Shortly after they arrived, Bai Yiling also appeared, accompanied by Shen Ruobing, Mei Xueyun, Han Jie, and Teresa.
"Oh, my God, it smells so good!" Teresa exclaimed as soon as she entered the house, captivated by the abundant spread of dishes on the table.
Let alone Teresa, even Miao Lihua and Bai Yiling were amazed by the full table of food.
What particularly astonished them was the layered aroma emanating from the dishes, filling the room.
The pig's trotter soup, steamed immortal fish, tomato-braised beef slices, stir-fried cabbage with tofu, shredded dried green peppers, braised lion's head – the aroma of each dish was distinct and layered.
"Xiaofan, your cooking skills are incredible! You could open a world-class hotel!" Han Jie exclaimed, wiping a drop of saliva from the corner of his mouth.
Cheng Xiaofan chuckled and replied, "Brother-in-law, let's not talk about opening a hotel. It's more than enough if we can often make a couple of small dishes and gather together as a family!"
Miao Xiuhua smiled and said, "Xiaofan put a lot of effort into today's meal. I believe Shennong and the Earth God will be very happy after tasting it!"
At this moment, Cheng Fugui quickly placed the likenesses of Shennong and the Earth God he had brought on the seat of honor at the table and laid out the prepared apples.
Finally, he said to Cheng Xiaofan and Bai Yiling, "Xiaofan, Yiling, this is not the old house. You are the masters of this house, so you two will lead the worship this time!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Miao Xiuhua walked over and handed two lit sticks of incense to Cheng Xiaofan and Bai Yiling.
Cheng Xiaofan took the incense and his gaze fell directly on the portrait of Shennong. He thought to himself, "Why doesn't this portrait of Shennong look anything like me?"
"It doesn't look like the Shennong I saw in my space the first time either."
"Since we are worshipping Shennong, he should at least look presentable!"
"Oh well!"
"Let's not be so particular about it."
"This is just going through the motions, a formality!"
"Lord Shennong, please accept three bows from your humble servants, Cheng Xiaofan and my fiancée, Bai Yiling!" Cheng Xiaofan, pulling Bai Yiling forward, immediately bent down and bowed.
"Ah!"
Just as Cheng Xiaofan and Bai Yiling bowed towards the portrait of Shennong, in a Taoist temple located over ten places down the lower street of Jinbao Town, a emaciated old man lying in bed let out a scream, spat a mouthful of blood, and rolled off the bed onto the floor.