diymy Chapter 2 Chive Boxes
Chapter 2 Chive Boxes
In Boston's North Side, a warehouse right next to a fish market is Levi's "home".
It was less a home and more a huge, musty, and fishy-smelling empty shell. He had rented it for three months from a drunkard who was about to run away, using the last few pennies he had.
By the time Levi and Fiona shoved the box of precious tea into the warehouse and covered it with a few tattered canvases, the sky was already beginning to lighten.
Fiona looked around the place with curiosity. Apart from a "bed" covered with hay in the center, a few cooking utensils, and a broken iron stove for heating, the place was empty.
"You live here?"
"Safe, cheap, and nobody cares."
Li Wei answered succinctly as he squatted by the iron stove, patiently starting a fire with flint and tinder.
Soon, orange flames leaped in the stove, dispelling some of the chill in the warehouse.
Fiona rubbed her cold hands together and went to the fire.
Only then did she realize that her back was soaked with cold sweat. The terrifying scene from tonight truly turned into lingering fear, welling up in her heart.
She looked at Li Wei's profile; he was intently adding firewood to the stove, the firelight casting flickering shadows on his sharply defined face, and his deep eyes revealed no emotion.
This man was frighteningly calm.
"Sir, what do we do next?"
Fiona couldn't help but speak, breaking the silence. She was homeless, and her only hope now lay with this Asian man who had just saved her.
"Live on." Li Wei's answer remained simple.
He stood up, dragged a small burlap sack from the corner, and poured out some coarsely ground, low-quality flour.
He carefully pinched a small pinch of salt from another jar and mixed it into the flour. Then, he scooped some hot water from the stove and began kneading the dough.
Li Wei's movements were not fast, but very steady, so steady that it seemed as if he had repeated them a million times.
Fiona looked at him, somewhat puzzled. What time of day is it? How can this Asian man still be in the mood to cook?
Li Wei ignored her gaze.
He knew that only when people are full can they have the energy to think about tomorrow, to feel fear, or to have hope.
Once the dough was ready, he covered it with a damp cloth and left it to rest by the stove.
Then, he walked up to the box of tea and carefully pried open a crack with a small crowbar.
A rich, mellow tea aroma instantly wafted out, instantly overpowering all the other smells in the warehouse.
It's a powerful aroma unique to Lapsang Souchong, a blend of pine smoke and strong fragrance.
Fiona couldn't help but take a deep breath; the aroma was far superior to any tea she had ever smelled at her host's house.
A satisfied smile finally appeared on Li Wei's face.
He grabbed a handful of tea leaves from the box, put them into a ceramic teapot, and brewed them with boiling water. Soon, a pot of bright red tea was ready.
He poured Fiona a glass, and then poured one for himself.
Fiona mimicked him, blowing on it and carefully taking a sip. A warm current instantly slid from her throat into her stomach, then spread throughout her body, completely dispelling the last trace of chill.
"It's delicious..." she exclaimed sincerely.
"This is good stuff." Li Wei looked at the rich red tea in the cup, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"In my hometown, it's called 'Zhengshan Xiaozhong'. In London, those noblemen call it 'Lapsang Souchong' and then sell it to you colonial fools for ten times the price."
Fiona blushed slightly, but did not refute.
"Now, it belongs to us."
He walked back to the dough that had already risen, and then took out an oil paper package from under a loose floor tile.
Opening the paper package, I found half a piece of salted pork and a few shriveled scallions.
This is his last remaining stock.
Under Fiona's surprised gaze, Levi swiftly chopped the salted pork and shallots into fine pieces.
Then, he grabbed a handful of tea leaves from the tea box, crushed them with his fingers, and mixed them into the minced meat.
"What are you doing?" Fiona couldn't help but ask.
Using such fine tea leaves... for filling?
"Chive dumplings," Li Wei replied without looking up.
"Chive dumplings?" Fiona had never heard of this term before.
"It's a local delicacy from my hometown... well, you could also call it a kind of pie." Li Wei thought for a moment and used a word she could understand.
He knew, of course, that these weren't chives, but in this godforsaken place, finding scallions with a slightly pungent smell was already a blessing from God.
Li Wei didn't know if Boston was within the jurisdiction of the Three Pure Ones and Buddha, so he simply attributed everything to God.
Using tea leaves instead of chives was his impromptu invention; the fragrance of tea leaves could just balance the greasiness of the salted pork.
He divided the dough into small portions, rolled them into thin wrappers, and then, like a magician, wrapped the filling inside and pinched them into a crescent shape.
A simple frying pan was placed on the stove, smeared with a little bit of precious lard.
When the "chive boxes" were placed on the plate, they sizzled, and an enticing aroma immediately filled the air.
Fiona's stomach started growling uncontrollably.
Soon, the "tea-flavored pork pie" was ready, golden brown on both sides and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Li Wei handed the first tea-infused pork pie to Fiona.
Fiona didn't care that it was hot and took a big bite.
The crispy outer layer, mixed with the savory pork, the spiciness of the scallions, and an indescribable unique fragrance, slowly bursts in your mouth.
Fiona swears she's never eaten anything so delicious in her life!
"Is it good?" Li Wei asked with a hint of confidence as he watched her wolf down her food.
Fiona's mouth was full of food, and she could only nod frantically, her blue eyes sparkling with satisfaction.
Her appearance, like a little squirrel that had stolen cheese, added a touch of adorable clumsiness to her already pretty face.
Li Wei smiled and picked one up to eat.
The taste of home, even if it's just a clumsy imitation, is enough to comfort his long-wandering heart.
After a satisfying meal, the awkwardness and tension between the two seemed to dissipate considerably with the warm breakfast.
"Alright, I'm full, time to get back to work." Li Wei wiped his mouth and stood up.
"What are you doing?" Fiona asked.
Li Wei walked to the warehouse door, peeked at the sky through the crack in the door, and then turned back.
"Dividing the spoils."