An almost imperceptible look of disappointment flashed across Megan York's face, but she quickly forced herself to perk up, putting on a cute and playful expression as she coquettishly said, “Brother-in-law~, you’re so annoying. Next time, you’re not allowed to pat my head again. I’m not a puppy, you know. If you keep patting my head, I’ll get dumber. Besides, I was just casually giving some suggestions—it’s up to you whether you take them or not!”

After being teased by Megan York like this, James Bolton’s gloomy mood from his failed marriage lifted once again. He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, ignored Megan York’s playful protest, and after giving her soft, beautiful hair another vigorous rub, he said loudly, “Alright, enough nonsense with you. It’s getting late, and I’m starving. Don’t rush off—let me cook you something delicious! After we eat, I’ll drive you back.

You’re still living on campus, right? Call your dorm first so your roommates don’t worry.” As he spoke, James Bolton stretched, stood up, and headed into the kitchen to get busy.

Before the divorce, both James Bolton and Helen York had busy jobs—one was a doctor with irregular hours, the other worked in marketing at a multinational company and was always working overtime. Aside from the occasional instant noodles or dumplings at night, they hardly ever cooked at home and usually ate out. So, despite visiting often, Megan York had never seen James Bolton cook before. In fact, his cooking skills used to be nothing to brag about, but today was different. Now possessed by the game, James Bolton was eager to show off his master chef skills.

Chapter 006: Legendary Dishes of Wuxia

Even though he’d never actually practiced before, a master is a master. As soon as James Bolton entered the kitchen, he moved like someone who’d been a chef for decades. Whether it was the kitchen knife or the spatula, he handled them with ease—his movements were not only quick but also graceful and natural, as if he were dancing. Megan York stared, wide-eyed, almost unable to keep up with everything he was doing.

She watched as James Bolton skillfully killed, gutted, and scaled a two-pound grass carp in just a few moves. After the initial prep, he put the fish in the steamer without adding any seasoning. Curious, Megan York asked, “Brother-in-law, when you steam fish, you’re supposed to use cooking wine or something to get rid of the fishy smell. Otherwise, it won’t taste clean.” Megan York had learned a bit of cooking from her mom and offered her opinion.

At this point, Megan York just assumed James Bolton was good with a knife but not necessarily skilled in other aspects of cooking.

James Bolton paid no attention to Megan York’s suggestion. He put the prepared fish into the steamer, covered it, and turned on the heat. Then, as he started working on the fresh pork kidney he’d just bought, he said, “I’m not planning to make plain steamed grass carp. For steaming, it’s better to use perch, crucian carp, or mandarin fish.”

Watching James Bolton’s thick kitchen knife dance nimbly over the pork kidney, Megan York persisted, “Not steaming? Then how are you going to make it?”

“Song Sao Fish, also known as West Lake Vinegar Fish!”

“That’s even more wrong. My mom taught me how to make West Lake Vinegar Fish, and you don’t steam it—you’re supposed to poach it in clear water first, then… Oh, never mind, let me do it. I’ve learned this dish.” As she spoke, Megan York tried to push James Bolton away from the stove, planning to turn off the steamer and take over.

James Bolton quickly pushed the little troublemaker aside and smiled, “Have you ever read Gu Long’s ‘Seven Weapons’?”

Pushed away from the stove, Megan York protested, “You still have time to talk about novels? I’m telling you, if you keep this up, once the fish is half-cooked, it’ll be too late to fix it!” She tried to squeeze back in.

After pushing Megan York away again, James Bolton kept smiling and asked, “Don’t worry about it—just tell me, have you read it or not?”

“No, I’ve only heard of it. That’s such an old book—who even reads it nowadays?” Megan York pouted impatiently, eyes fixed on what she thought was the wrongly used steamer.

James Bolton’s knife never stopped moving as he chatted, “That’s a shame—it’s a great book!”

Seeing that James Bolton had no intention of letting her take over, Megan York gave up on cooking herself and grumbled, “So why are you bringing up ‘Seven Weapons’?”

“‘Seven Weapons’ is a series of seven books, each telling a different story. In one of them, called ‘Jade Knife,’ the protagonist Duan Yu leaves home with the jade knife to visit his fiancée in Jiangnan, whom he’s never met. Along the way, he hears this: ‘If you pass through Hangzhou and don’t visit West Lake, you’ve wasted your life. And if you go to West Lake and don’t try the Song Sao Fish at Sanya Garden, that’s a real pity.’

And the Song Sao Fish at Sanya Garden is all about ‘the fish must be killed live and steamed to perfection. After it’s steamed, the sauce is poured on and served immediately, so it’s still steaming hot when it reaches the table. It just melts in your mouth—so fresh and tender.’”

At this point, James Bolton paused, then continued, “What I’m making is Sanya Garden’s ‘Song Sao Fish,’ not the regular ‘West Lake Vinegar Fish’ most people eat. So it’s normal if it’s different from what you’ve had before. But I can guarantee—it’ll be delicious.”