The Heartbeat at the Tip of the Tongue

The details determine everything, Ke Song

She didn’t believe that if she didn’t want to drink the soup, Jiang Qian Fan would be able to force her to drink it. If she were not able to come up with the answer for the rest of her life, would he be able to sit in front of her in silence for a lifetime?

But Jiang Qian Fan’s patience exceeded the imaginations of Lin Ke Song.

An hour passed, the soup was totally cooled, Jiang Qian Fan was like a sculpture, and his figure did not even sway at all.

As for Lin Ke Song, her back felt horrible from sitting, is she going to have a herniated disc.

Another hour passed, and then a waiter actually came up, to help Lin Ke Song change the cooled bowl of soup to a hot one.

Does this mean that the mint cabbage soup is about to become her life’s nightmare? She started to feel that every cell in her body started to get annoyed.

When the waiter asked: “sir, this is the last bowl of mint cabbage soup.”

Lin Ke Song’s happiness shot through the roof…… that’s not right, it’s shot to the big dipper! As long as she forced this bowl of soup down, then say she didn’t know what the answer was, would Jiang Qian Fan be able to continue wasting her time?

“Then prepare again.” Jiang Qian Fan said as if it were the natural course of things.

“Yes, sir.”

The waiter went away, while Lin Ke Song went crazy! Jiang Qian Fan was obviously making things difficult for her! Is this trying to use this damn soup to rhythmically stuff her to death!

When did she make him angry? Which part was it was an eyesore? If he found her an eyesore, why did he agree to be her mentor!

He having his goals doesn’t mean that the whole world had to have the same goals! He having his senses doesn’t meant the whole world would have the same senses as him!

Lin Ke Song suddenly stood up, grabbed the table with both hands, and exploded.

“To me this is only a bowl of soup, to the customers, it is only good to eat or not! Is there any meaning as to whether its apples or oranges inside? It’ll all be pooped into the toilet anyway! So, Mr Jiang, I can’t reach the expectations you have of me! And I have no interest in reaching them! And I don’t even see the need as to why I need to reach them!”

“If apples were added among the cabbage, the fragrance will spoil the natural flavour of the cabbage, distracting from the main ingredient. As for lemons, if it were added to the soup, and due to the high temperature of the soup when it is scooped out, the sourness of the lemon will more astringent and even bitter in that temperature, and spoil the taste of the soup.”

In the face of Lin Ke Song’s anger, Jiang Qian Fan did not waver at all.

It seemed like the whole world was spinning according to him, without offsetting at all.

“In many dishes, for example the quail foie gras you saw today, many top restaurant chefs know how to make them. Ingredients, process, and even the amount of time to bake is all the same, but in the end, there is not a single chef that can come up with the same taste. The details determine everything, Ke Song.”

Lin Ke Song was stunned.

He did not call her “Ms Lin” or “Lin Ke Song”, but “Ke Song”.

And totally unexpectedly, when he spoke her name, she saw the tip of his tongue raise slightly, like it was gliding along her emotions, she suddenly had the illusion her being pampered by him.

Lin Ke Song swallowed her saliva, breathed in, and sat down.

“When tasting food, there needs to be the appropriate mood. Do you remember when you ate candied haw you told me, that it was the taste of having a crush?”

Lin Ke Song was stunned, she did not think that Jiang Qian Fan would remember something she’d said to him on a wimp.

“And this soup, was made to open the hearts of the customers, it is the beginning of them tasting good food. It determines the mood of the customer. When the customer is in a good mood, their sense of taste will be more detailed, and be able to taste every seemingly insignificant but deliberate moment that the maker put into the dish.”

When the Jiang Qian Fan in front of her used the calmest tone of voice to tell her everything, Lin Ke Song was very surprised.

He could have frowned due to her touching him without permission, asked her to comply with the rules that he had set, he never seemed to be bothered by her emotions, but at this moment, he seemed like a gentle elderly, accommodating all her impatience.

“Sorry.”

“Taste again.”

Lin Ke Song took a breath, lifted the spoon, and sent the soup into her mouth, the warm liquid flowed past the tip of her tongue, almonds, cabbage, mint, parsley, and the lastly the fresh sweet and sourness of the mysterious fruit.

Lin Ke Song cocked her head, trying to make the taste stay at the tip of her tongue for a longer time, she desperately tried to hold onto the feeling, but it was like the breeze passing through branches, disappearing in a blink of an eye. So she drank mouth after mouth, chasing after that subtle sweet and sourness in her mind.

“It’s cherries, right?”

Lin Ke Song lifted her eyes to look at the other party’s direction.

After drinking the eighth bowl of soup, it was the first time she was anticipating Jiang Qian Fan’s definite answer.

“Right.”

Lin Ke Song closed her eyes and exhaled.

She was way too amazing! She could actually figure out the flavour of cherries!

This is totally the skills of a god!

“This is my first lesson to you —— taste deconstructing. When you are able to differentiate the ingredients in every dish in detail, and the needed preparation and dealing of the ingredients to achieve a certain taste, will you be able to not only reproduce other chef’s signature dishes, but also be able to make the taste in your mind a reality.”

Jiang Qian Fan’s voice was very calm, like Lin Ke Song being able to figure the taste of cherries was the natural thing.

Lin Ke Song lowered her head to look at the soup in front of her, it was that same old soup, but the world that that she was familiar with was currently going in the opposite of what she knew.

It was a premonition: everything was going to be more detailed and subtle than ever before.

Jiang Qian Fan slowly stood up, and left the dining table, “We can go back now.”

Lin Ke Song looked at the table then she looked at Jiang Qian Fan, did the other party forget something?

She was unlike him, apart from the soup, he also had eaten the appetiser and the main dish!

She only had a stomach full of water!

Jiang Qian Fan had already walked to the doors of the lift, Lin Ke Song desolately followed behind.

As he took a step, he suddenly stopped. Lin Ke Song almost bumped into him. If she had really knocked him over, the consequences would be brutal!

“Next time, don’t lie in front of me.”

It was like him previously calling her “Ke Song” was totally an illusion, and the freezing cold he was now was the reality.

Lin Ke Song shut her eyes with all her might, finished finished, this big ice block will definitely remember this thing for a lifetime!

Jiang Qian Fan got into the car, Lin Ke Song silently sat beside him, and the car started in the direction back.

Mayer was holding the tablet pc, and was reciting some current affairs and some industry news, Jiang Qian Fan was listening quietly.

And the consequences of the eight servings of mint cabbage soup were finally emerging.

Lin Ke Song wanted to use the bathroom.

From wanting to use it a little, to really wanting to use, she did not know how long more till they’d reach Jiang Qian Fan’s villa.

And Mayer had said before, if Jiang Qian Fan had not allowed her to speak, it was best if she did not say anything. Furthermore, it seemed like she had made him unhappy today due to secretly using the search engine.

What to do ah, what to do?

Mr Driver, don’t you wish to use the bathroom or something?

Uncle Mayer, didn’t you drink coffee for today’s breakfast? Isn’t coffee a diuretic? Why do you not have any reaction?

And Jiang Qian Fan, you big ice block! Didn’t you drink a bowl of soup? Did that bowl of soup freeze up in your stomach so that you have no reaction ah!

Lin Ke Song’s enduring was getting increasing uncomfortable!

She suddenly understood, that the eight bowls of soup was Jiang Qian Fan’s trick as her ultimate punishment!

The Jiang Qian Fan who had been quietly listening to Mayer suddenly lifted his hand slightly. After Mayer saw Jiang Qian Fan’s action through the mirror, he put down the tablet and turned around: “Sir, what’s the matter?”

Jiang Qian Fan shifted his face in Lin Ke Song’s direction and said: “what’s with you.”

“I…… I want to use the restroom!” Lin Ke Song saw a ray of hope.

“Endure it.”

Jiang Qian Fan turned back.

Lin Ke Song was stunned for two seconds, and just managed to not lift a fist to hit him in the face.

Endure? You actually said endure? You try enduring! You try it!

Tear were spinning in Lin Ke Song’s eyes.

Mayer looked at Lin Ke Song, and shook his head slightly, the meaning of his look was: what have you done to make Mr Jiang unhappy?

She really did not do anything wicked or wreaked havoc amongst the common people, all she did was secretly search on her phone diligently!

The car continued driving smoothly, Lin Ke Song’s head was slanted to the side, thinking in her heart that at the most, she’d not endure any more, and perish together with Jiang Qian Fan’s luxurious car!

Just at this moment, Jiang Qian Fan turned his head slightly, like he was listening to the sounds outside the window.

Shopping malls with led screens were playing electronic music that was pulsating through the air.

“Stop here for a while.” He opened his mouth to say.

Lin Ke Song inhaled, and looked at Jiang Qian Fan.

“The ladies’ is on the second floor in the southeast corner of the mall.”

It was like Lin Ke Song had gained amnesty, opened the car door, and rushed out without a care for her body. She got on the escalator, to the second floor of the mall, but realised that she did not know where the southeast corner was.

After asking a shop staff, she found the restroom at the very last moment, and found relief.

At this time, her phone received a message, it was from Song Yi Ran.

At that moment, her tears almost fell from her eyes.

Song Yi Ran: Why didn’t you return my call?

Only then did she realise, Song Yi Ran had made more than ten calls last night, but she was filled with too much alcohol by her uncle and his friends, and in the end she even slept in Jiang Qian Fan’s room, so she totally did not hear anything.

Lin Ke Song: I’m still alive.

Song Yi Ran: That means you’re not having a good life?

Lin Ke Song: Your sister! All because you made me participate in some cooking audition! Now that I’ve been chosen, I’m about to join a competition!

Song Yi Ran: …… it can’t be, right? Since when were you going to join a competition? Do you want me to help you accumulate votes?

Lin Ke Song: accumulate your head! I’m currently having reclusive training! The mentor has an icy cold temperament, aloof personality, not at all giving!

Suddenly, Song Yi Ran had an oncoming call, the ringtone scared Lin Ke Song that her phone almost dropped to the ground.