28. Wilderness Cooking
Yosen Shuka was closed and the employees of the restaurant had a picnic and a fishing tournament. The prize who caught the biggest fish will be a ladle. Everyone is having a great time and Master Luo is teasing Chouyu that a great chef is a great angler. While Master Luo got another fish, Chouyu got another log. Then, when Chouyu was about to catch a large fish, Master Luo threw a rock at it and announced that he’s drunk again, to everyone’s chagrin. Mei Li thought it was unfair.
Meanwhile, to win, Mao, Shilou and Mei Li went to another part of the lake to catch larger fish. But Shilou tripped and fell, Mao caught him, but they were also dragged down.
Back at the side of the lake, everyone is already eating, when Chouyu was remembering what Lien (the masked chef) had said to him, that the Underground will be targeting him and Mao next.
Mao, Shilou and Mei Li were moving their way towards the crops when they hear sounds. At first they thought it was a bear, but eventually it was Shell. He’s still on his journey and was thinking on going back to Yosen Shuka. Since everyone hasn’t eaten, Shell used his steel stick as a fishing rod. Mei Li noticed that there are more marks on his steel stick, but there is a black star. It was his defeat from Mao and he told Mao to be ready next time because he’s going to change it to a victory mark.
While catching fish, Shell told Mao he heard the news about Mao having a match with the Underworld. Mao affirmed the news, and Shell warned Mao that this will not be the last. Meanwhile, Shilou and Mei Li are arguing, saying that he is very hungry and he wants to go back. Mei Li blamed Shilou about going too far than was ordered. Then, Shilou asked if they could cook the fish that Shell caught. Shell said that it can’t happen because the fish is carp and it will take them half a day just to clean the fish. Shilou said that he can’t wait that long and that he will die in hunger. Shell commented that even Mao can’t do anything about it. Then, little yellow leafs started floating about and Mao had an idea. He asked Shell for flour and ordered Mei Li to gather some rape blossoms (the little yellow leafs). Mao and Shell started cooking. Mei Li came back with the rape blossoms and Mao asked her to put the flowers inside the pot. It was used to erase the smell of carp. Then, Mei Li commented that the fire isn’t enough to boil the carp. But boiling longer will ruin the taste, so Mao put boiled stones inside the pot, and it instantly boiled. The finished product, was the outside cuisine of friendship, the water dumplings!
Shilou, on the other hand, is making a dish of his own. He’s making smoked carps. But he needed more smoke to burn properly, he got something, like a rag, and put it inside the fire. Shell realized what it is. It was the bag where he put all his money inside. All his traveling money is gone!
Back in the restaurant, Shell made Shilou help him in gaining his money back by selling siu mai. Shilou came home very tired, complaining. Mei Li then treated Mao and Shilou to a meal. Shell, now drunk, came home, bringing buns. He went to Yosen Shuka when someone appeared and recognized Shell. The man said that he doesn’t want to stay with him, he wants to see the chef that beat Lien, but he will take away Shell’s steel stick. A fight ensued, and eventually the man got Shell’s steel stick. The man commented that a chef’s cooking utensil is his life and soul, therefore Shell is useless. Shell recognized the tattoo on his hand as the man disappeared again.
Mao, Mei Li and Shilou are already coming back from eating, when they noticed Shell lying outside, thinking he was drunk, until he revealed that he encountered someone from the Underworld that took his steel stick. Shell said that they had spread their way into Guangzhou.
