It’s normal to have skills in Wangwang, right?

Chapter 401 Enduring hardship without complaint, ruthless

With the afternoon sun shining brightly, the three of them nestled in the comfortable living room of Barthes' house, easily finalizing their itinerary for the next two days while referring to maps and travel brochures.

“This afternoon, since it’s getting late, let’s go stroll along the Champs-Élysées!” Allen drew a line on the map with his pen. “Starting from the Tuileries Garden, we’ll cross the Place de la Concorde and then slowly walk along the Champs-Élysées all the way to the Arc de Triomphe. If time permits, we can climb to the top and see Paris under the sunset. We can have dinner on the Champs-Élysées; there are plenty of options.”

Liu Lingyin nodded in agreement: "Strolling along the Champs-Élysées is great. You can enjoy the scenery and do some shopping. It's really nice."

Tristan was about to say that his arm was fine and he could go along, but he was stopped by the disapproving looks from Allen and Liu Lingyin at the same time.

Allen: "What if you accidentally get bumped into by us while you're strolling around at a leisurely pace? Just stay home and rest. We'll take you out and show you the way on our 'perfume-making journey' tomorrow."

Liu Lingyin's bright eyes darted around, and she revealed a sly yet radiant smile:

“The wounded should act like wounded. You’ve done enough exercise today. Rest well at home this afternoon to promote recovery. Of course, if you really want to come with us, that’s fine too. I have some special medicine here. Just apply it once an hour, twice in total, and you’ll be able to move around with us this afternoon.”

Tristan, this romantic Frenchman, had no idea what it meant for medicine to taste bitter or for wounds to feel pain. At this moment, he confidently raised a handsome smile and said, "It's just some ointment, my dear Lingyin, just give it to me!"

Are you sure? Applying this medicine might feel a little uncomfortable!

"It's nothing, a little discomfort is nothing. It's not being able to be with you that makes me feel even worse."

Liu Lingyin shrugged and said, "Alright!"

If someone is deliberately asking for trouble, how can she refuse?

She took a small jar of green ointment out of her backpack and handed it to Allen.

Allen took it and skillfully applied it to Tristan's injured shoulder.

At first, as a cool, herbal scent wafted into his nostrils, Tristan felt a comfortable, refreshing coolness on his shoulders, as if mint was melting on his skin. He even winked at Liu Lingyin with ease.

"Feels nice, cool and refreshing—"

As soon as he finished speaking, the coolness vanished quickly, replaced by a slowly rising warmth. Tristan raised an eyebrow slightly, not yet noticing anything amiss, but then, the temperature seemed to seep into his flesh layer by layer, like an out-of-control fire.

"Wait, wait..." His smile froze. ( ?Д?)ノ

Allen had already applied the medicine, stepped back, and looked as calm as if nothing had happened.

Tristan felt as if his shoulder was on fire—no, the heat was more piercing than fire, as if countless tiny needles were drilling into his muscles with the heat, starting as a dull, throbbing pain, then turning into a sharp, stabbing pain, pulling at his nerves again and again.

"Uh..."ヾ(??﹏?)??

Tristan took a deep breath, and beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead. He tried to maintain his composure, but the sharp pain in his shoulder made him involuntarily tense all his muscles.

His injured arm instinctively tried to curl up, but he forced it down, his fingers clenched into a fist, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"How are you? Can you still hold on?" Liu Lingyin leaned closer and asked with concern, but a sly glint flashed in her eyes.

Tristan opened his mouth, wanting to say something casual like, "It's alright!"

But only a short, sharp gasp escaped his throat.

The pain became increasingly clear, as if it were alive, churning and pounding at the injured area of ​​my shoulder.

He pressed his other hand firmly against the table beside him, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, and his whole body trembled slightly uncontrollably.

"Tristan...are you alright?" Allen asked worriedly, seeing Tristan's obvious pain. The ointment looked incredibly potent.

Tristan was now speechless. He felt as if his entire right shoulder had been repeatedly forged into a piece of iron, with burning and excruciating pain coming in waves.

He gritted his teeth, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and trickling down his temples. His previous confident and dashing demeanor was completely gone, leaving only tightly pressed lips and eyes slightly red from the pain.

Liu Lingyin tilted her head, her bright smile deepening.

"We agreed to apply it once every hour. After two applications, you can be active in the afternoon—provided that you apply it twice."

Liu Lingyin, you're such a devil!

Tristan could only wail inwardly at this moment, finally realizing how easily Liu Lingyin's words, "I feel a little unwell," had been a trap.

This isn't just "a little discomfort," it's downright "a huge amount"! It's even more like torture, like being skinned alive and having your tendons pulled out!!

The thought of having to endure another round of excruciating torture, like being skinned alive, drove the romantic Frenchman to bravely utter a few words through gritted teeth:

“I… this afternoon… at home… resting.”

But the sound had become distorted with pain.

As Liu Lingyin took back the ointment that Alan had handed her, she nodded with a smile and replied, "Okay, we understand."

Allen: "We've already paid for our hotel room, and it's past the check-out time, so we can't get a refund. We'll just rest at the hotel tonight."

Liu Lingyin made a decision, "After we check out tomorrow, we'll leave our luggage at your place, and then you can take us to the perfume shop. We'll have lunch at the authentic French restaurant you recommended, and for dinner..."

Her eyes darted around, and a mischievous yet radiant smile appeared on her delicate face, making her look incredibly charming and adorable. "How about we have a get-together at home after we buy groceries? I'll show you my skills and make some unique Chinese cuisine, how about that?"

But her charming appearance only made Tristan's heart tremble, because the smile she had just given him felt like he had been subjected to a gruesome torture. _(′?`」 ∠)

The stiffness in my shoulder has mostly disappeared, and my arm feels more flexible; it's almost fully healed.

Although the medicine was very effective, he felt that it wouldn't matter if he recovered a couple of days later.

The effects of the medication had worn off, and although he was covered in a cold sweat, Tristan's face had relaxed again. Looking at the brother and sister who had so thoroughly dealt with him, he helplessly raised his uninjured right hand in surrender:

"Okay, okay, I'll go along with it. To be honest, I've been missing the Chinese food you described for ages! It's a deal then!"

After returning to the hotel for a short rest, Allen and Liu Lingyin began their stroll through Paris; while Tristan stayed at home to recuperate.

The afternoon stroll along the Champs-Élysées was leisurely and pleasant. The brother and sister wandered among the greenery and sculptures of the gardens, felt the grandeur of history at Place de la Concorde, and walked along the world-famous Champs-Élysées, looking from luxury shop windows to unique bookstores. When they got tired, they found a café to sit down and watch the passersby.

As I ascended the Arc de Triomphe, it was dusk, and the golden sunlight bathed the entire city of Paris in warm hues, creating a breathtakingly magnificent scene.

For dinner, they chose a well-reviewed pub and enjoyed authentic confit duck and beef stew in red wine. While the food was delicious, Liu Lingyin couldn't help but mutter to Allen under her breath as she ate:

"Brother, it's delicious, but... I really want to eat braised pork, squirrel fish, and Kung Pao chicken..."

Allen chuckled and ruffled her hair: "You little glutton, you can have your wish fulfilled tomorrow night, right?"

The next morning, after checking out of their hotel, they returned to the Barts' house with their luggage.

Tristan was well prepared, his arm was securely fixed, and he was in good spirits.

The three of them went together to a secluded perfume shop in the Marais district, a place steeped in antiquity. The owner was a lady with impeccably styled silver hair and an extraordinary air, who was also a close friend of Madame Barthes.

Through Tristan's introduction, the lady became very interested in Liu Lingyin, an Eastern girl with considerable insight into the medicinal properties of plants, and made an exception to allow her to go into the workshop under the guidance of a senior perfumer, to create her own perfumes using some rare essential oils and raw materials that are not usually available to the public.

Liu Lingyin was immersed in the wonderful world of different fragrances colliding and blending. Combining her understanding of medicinal properties, she actually blended several compound essential oils that amazed perfumers. These oils had unique aromas and calming or refreshing effects, and she made a great achievement.

Of course, it was also fortunate that Tristan was there that Liu Lingyin was able to purchase a lot of rare essential oils and raw materials and have them sent to Japan.

For lunch, Tristan highly recommended a family-run restaurant. The signature Provençal stew and Nice salad were indeed unique, giving Liu Lingyin's taste buds an authentic taste of southern France. However, her longing for Chinese food only grew stronger.

"So, the dinner shopping plan can be put on the agenda!" In the afternoon, Liu Lingyin rubbed her hands together, her eyes shining.

Tristan, familiar with the place, led them to a large supermarket with many imported Asian goods that suited their current needs.

Liu Lingyin moved like a fish in water, flitting between the shelves, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, aged vinegar, Pixian chili bean paste, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, star anise, cinnamon… all sorts of familiar seasonings were precisely placed into her shopping cart. Next came the fresh ingredients section: marbled pork belly, tender chicken thighs, lively fresh fish, plump shrimp, various vegetables and tofu… As she picked them up, she had already planned her menu in her mind.

When they returned to the Bart family's spacious and bright kitchen, the groceries they had purchased almost completely filled the countertop. Tristan's parents and sister Emily had also received news of the family dinner that evening and had finished work early to rush back, eager to help.

"Just tell us what you need us to do, Chef!" Emily rolled up her sleeves, eager to try.

“Yes, Rin, you can take the lead,” Mrs. Bart said with a smile.

Liu Lingyin didn't stand on ceremony and began assigning tasks: "Mrs. Bart, Sister Emily, you're in charge of cleaning and washing these vegetables and mushrooms. Brother, could you help cut this piece of pork belly into evenly sized cubes? Mr. Bart, could you please peel these shrimp and remove the veins? Tristan, feel free to assist! Oh, and by the way, we need to prepare extra ginger and garlic; I'll handle that."

Everyone readily accepted the task, and the kitchen immediately became lively. Picking vegetables, washing vegetables, cutting meat, peeling shrimp... Although their skills were not as proficient as Liu Lingyin's, they all did it quite well, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

However, when everything was ready and it was time to deal with the live sea bass, which weighed about one kilogram and was still occasionally bouncing in the bag, the once orderly kitchen fell silent instantly.

The Tristan family sat around the counter, staring at the vibrant fish, exchanging bewildered glances with identical, awkward smiles—a mixture of awe and bewilderment. These elegant French gentlemen and ladies had virtually no experience handling live fish.

“Uh… this… how should we handle this?” Mr. Bart cleared his throat, trying to find the right tools.

"We should knock it unconscious first, right? With...with what?" Emily asked softly, a little unable to bear watching.

Tristan rubbed his nose: "I've probably only ever seen something this lively in a restaurant's fish tank..."

Allen scratched his head. Although he could cook, it was all Western-style simple meals. At most, he could cut meat and pick vegetables. He really had no experience in handling live fish.

Just as the five people were staring at each other around the basin of fish, almost about to resort to a search engine for help, Liu Lingyin washed her hands, dried them, and calmly walked over.

“Let me do it.” She said it as casually as if she were saying, “Let me get a cup.”

Under the watchful eyes of five pairs of eyes, Liu Lingyin selected a suitable thick-backed cleaver from the knife rack. Her right hand moved with lightning speed, precisely gripping the fish below its head and steadily lifting the still-throwing bass onto the cutting board. Before the fish could struggle again, she flicked her wrist, the back of the blade drawing a short, powerful arc in the air—

"Paji!"

A crisp, muffled thud.

The fish, which had been jumping around just moments before, suddenly became still and unconscious on the cutting board.

The whole process took less than three seconds.

The kitchen was silent, save for the dripping of the faucet. The entire Bart family, including Allen, stared at Liu Lingyin with slightly agape, their eyes filled with disbelief. That technique, that calm demeanor…it was too professional (or rather, formidable)!

Liu Lingyin seemed oblivious to their shock, straightening the fish and moving on to the next step. What followed captivated them even more, leaving them almost breathless.

Liu Lingyin's hand holding the knife was as steady as a rock, her cuts incredibly precise. Scaling, gill removal, gutting, cleaning, rinsing—her movements were as fluid as if she'd practiced a thousand times, without the slightest hesitation. Both the cutting board and her hands remained remarkably clean. Then, she switched to a thinner, lighter cleaver.

The knife flashed between her fingers, so fast it was almost a blur. She sliced ​​two whole fillets off the fish along the spine, removed the small bones, and then made even, fine cuts deep into the skin. Her eyes were focused, yet a hint of effortless ease played at the corners of her mouth. Her posture, her technique—it didn't seem like cooking in her own kitchen at all! It was clearly a master chef in a top-tier restaurant demonstrating his exceptional skill!

"What...what dish are they preparing?" Emily couldn't help but ask in a low voice, afraid of disturbing this breathtaking "performance."

“I heard Xiaoyin mention it before, something like squirrel fish,” Allen replied in a low voice, his tone tinged with pride. “I also heard it’s a famous Chinese dish.”

“Squirrel? Fish?” Tristan’s father blinked, trying to understand the name.

Just then, Liu Lingyin finished the final cut. Using the tip of her knife and chopsticks, she gently lifted the fish, revealing a three-dimensional, fluffy shape to the sea bass. The skin remained attached, and the flesh curled into countless thin strips, truly resembling a squirrel poised to leap!

"Alright, the fish is ready to be marinated. Next, we'll prepare the batter and fry it." Liu Lingyin put down the knife, her tone relaxed, as if she had just completed a trivial task.

A sigh of relief and a low gasp of surprise then filled the kitchen.

Mrs. Barthes clutched her chest: "My God, Bell, you just... you were creating art!"

“No, he’s a martial artist and artist!” Emily’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “So cool! That knife skill! Did you used to work in a restaurant?”

Liu Lingyin was a little embarrassed by the praise, and said with a smile while washing her hands, "No, it's just that practice makes perfect."

Tristan looked at Liu Lingyin, then at the fish that had been "tamed" and "modified" to an artful degree, and shook his head with a sigh: "Now I'm even more looking forward to dinner."