The Sweetest Medicine

Perhaps, due to the rain, the restaurant was surprisingly busy even though it wasn’t dinner time. As soon as Yu Gangan and Fang Zhihan stepped inside, they saw plenty of steaming pots of soup, emitting a fragrant scent that made one drool with gluttony.

The couple quickly found a quiet booth to sit in.

“You’re treating today,” Yu Gangan said as she looked at the menu. She then ordered a half-and-half soup base from the waiter.

But, before the waiter took the order, Fang Zhihan said, “Just the clear soup base, please.”

Yu Gangan put down the menu and looked at Fang Zhihan unhappily, “Why are you ordering the clear soup base only? We can get the half-and-half and you can avoid the spicy side if you don’t want to eat it.”

Fang Zhihan looked at the woman and asked, “Aren’t you a doctor? As a doctor, don’t you know that a newly discharged patient should eat light flavors for a while?”

This serious attitude surprised Yu Gangan a little. Was he worried about her?

She gently pressed her lips together and replied, “Since we’re having hotpot, why should we be concerned about that?”

Fang Zhihan objected coldly, “No.”

Yu Gangan gently furrowed her brows, “But, hotpot’s not nice if it’s not spicy.”

“Then, let’s not eat it,” Fang Zhihan said calmly.

“Fine, let’s just have the clear soup.”

Yu Gangan acted indifferently, but inside, she was thinking, even if the soup wasn’t spicy, she could always put some chilis in her sauce later.

After placing their order, Yu Gangan went to mix her sauce and placed a whole heap of chilis inside.

But, as soon as she placed it on the table, Fang Zhihan immediately took it away.

“Go mix one without chili.” He was even stopping her from placing chilis in her sauce.

“If I can’t have this, then the hotpot won’t have any flavor. I might as well eat boiled vegetables,” Yu Gangan couldn’t accept this as she looked at the man with annoyance.

Fang Zhihan stared straight into her eyes, “You can’t eat spicy food.”

Yu Gangan stared at the man. Seeing that he wasn’t compromising, she revealed a soft and gentle smile, “It’s already been a few days since I left the hospital. I’m already fine. Plus, I’ve been eating very clean food. This is my first time having hotpot.”

Fang Zhihan squinted his eyes and remained firm on his decision.

Yu Gangan fluttered her eyelids and raised a finger, “Just this once.”

Fang Zhihan remained unfazed.

Just as Yu Gangan thought Fang Zhihan wasn’t buckling and was about to argue back, Fang Zhihan suddenly said, “OK.”

Yu Gangan’s eyes lit up and immediately grabbed the sauce bowl.

But, Fang Zhihan brushed her hand away, “Put fewer chilis.”

“OK, OK!” Yu Gangan immediately nodded. As long as she was allowed to have some spice, she was happy.

After the waiter brought the soup base and ingredients, Yu Gangan placed the lamb, beef, tofu skin, fungus, mushroom…straight into the pot. She then asked Fang Zhihan, “What would you like? I’ll help you put it in.”

“You’ve already filled the pot. What’s the point of asking me?” Fang Zhihan scooped a bowl of bone soup and passed it to Yu Gangan, “Have some soup first before you eat.”

“I was just being polite. You’re going to eat whatever I place in the pot anyway. That’s how hotpot is like…”

As Yu Gangan drank the soup, she waited for the ingredients to cook.

And, as soon as she lifted the lid off the pot, she immediately started eating. She picked out a piece of lamb that had been cooked in the bone soup, dipped it in her sauce and placed it in her mouth. It was fragrant and spicy, a flavor worth savoring and enjoying.