Chapter 200: Ingredients

"Yu Jia?" Jiang Hai's mind immediately conjured an image of the enormous figure sitting quietly at their class reunion when he heard Fu Yuan mention the word "goddess." That moment had solidified everyone's impression that Fu Yuan had… unique tastes.

"Yeah, she just asked me what I was up to and where I was. Looks like the goddess still cares about me!" Fu Yuan's eyes started to wander dreamily as he glanced at Jiang Hai. If he weren't in the United States right now, he might've already floated away in pursuit of his goddess.

"Oh? So, which will it be: dinner or the goddess?" Jiang Hai teased, watching Fu Yuan's daydreaming expression.

"Food," Fu Yuan replied instantly, snapping back to reality with a serious look.

"Why not choose the goddess this time?" Jiang Hai chuckled, heading downstairs.

"They say, 'When you're full, you can afford to think about romance.' But I'm still starving—how could I possibly have the energy to focus on anything else? Anyway, what's for dinner tonight?" Fu Yuan asked casually as he followed Jiang Hai downstairs.

"Whatever you feel like eating, I've got it," Jiang Hai said mysteriously as they approached the cold storage.

"Yeah, right," Fu Yuan scoffed. "I want abalone."

"Sure thing. The best double-headed abalone," Jiang Hai said casually as he opened the door and gestured toward a nearby tank. When Fu Yuan looked inside, he audibly gasped.

In the tank, dozens of fist-sized abalones were crawling around, their smooth shells glistening in the water. Nearby, sea cucumbers moved slowly, their wriggling forms adding to the surreal scene.

"Gulp… I want lobster too," Fu Yuan said, now completely serious.

"Fine. How about this big one?" Jiang Hai grabbed a massive lobster from the tank with practiced ease. The creature was at least three times the size of the lobster they'd eaten at the class reunion. Fu Yuan's jaw dropped as he whipped out his phone to take pictures.

"Wow! Look at this lobster! These claws! This length! Damn, it's the king of prawns!" Fu Yuan couldn't stop his commentary as he snapped picture after picture.

"Prawn king? Please. There are much bigger ones in the ocean. The ones we ate yesterday were larger than this," Jiang Hai said dismissively, tossing the lobster into a basket to clean later.

"Wait, you eat this kind of thing every day?!" Fu Yuan looked utterly flabbergasted.

"Not every day. But when I feel like it, I just head out to the sea and catch a few. It only takes a few minutes," Jiang Hai replied casually.

"Unbelievable. You're living the life of a capitalist villain. You should be publicly criticized with a signboard around your neck. But fine—since I'm here, I want this lobster, these abalones, and these sea cucumbers!" Fu Yuan declared, half-jokingly.

"Deal. These were prepared for you anyway. But the main course tonight is still beef," Jiang Hai said with a chuckle, leading Fu Yuan to another section of the cold storage. He opened the door to reveal rows of neatly hung beef, each cut perfectly marbled.

"This... this is all premium A-grade beef?" Fu Yuan asked, his mouth watering as he stared at the sight.

"Yep. It's practically piling up at this point. The people at the manor don't eat much of it because it's too expensive, and I can't eat it all myself. So here it is," Jiang Hai explained.

"Unbelievable..." Fu Yuan murmured, running his hands over the vacuum-sealed packages of meat. His family had gone through their stash of this beef in one meal, and now, seeing it stockpiled like this, he couldn't help but feel a mix of envy and awe.

"This time, when I go back home, you have to give me more beef, no matter what," Fu Yuan demanded, his voice trembling slightly.

"No problem. Take as much as you can carry," Jiang Hai said with a smile.

As Fu Yuan moved on, his eyes fell on a small frozen bird in the corner of the cold storage. "Hey, is this... a chicken? It's tiny."

"Chicken? No way. This is a flying dragon," Jiang Hai replied, picking up the frozen bird with a hint of regret. It was a turkey he'd hunted before Christmas, but not knowing how to cook it properly, he'd frozen it for later.

"A flying dragon? Wild and firm?!" Fu Yuan exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't seen one of these in years, not since he was a child growing up near the mountains where they lived. Back then, flying dragons were a rare treat, and he'd only tasted them once, prepared by a chef who made a soup so unforgettable it was like tasting heaven.

Now, staring at the bird, he saw an opportunity. "You know, I actually know how to cook these. Do you want me to show you?" Fu Yuan offered, his excitement palpable.

Jiang Hai's eyes lit up. "Really? Let's do it! Teach me your ways."

They quickly gathered their ingredients—five pounds of the best beef eye meat, the lobster, ten abalones, a few sea cucumbers, and, of course, the flying dragon. As they left the cold storage, Fu Yuan turned to Jiang Hai. "There are three ways to cook a flying dragon: soup, roasted meat, or stewed. Which one do you want?"

"Meat," Jiang Hai said firmly. "I don't care much for soup unless it's thick and hearty."

"Do you have ginseng? Mushrooms?" Fu Yuan asked.

"American ginseng, ten centimeters long. Pick one. And I've got the best hazel and pine mushrooms too," Jiang Hai replied.

"Damn, you're really prepared everything. I'm more and more envious of your life, man," Fu Yuan said, shaking his head as they began preparing for a feast.