Chapter 371 The Spicy Flavor That Makes the Mushroom House Cough

As night deepened, the two headlights piercing the darkness on the distant mountain road finally stopped outside the Mushroom House.

The car door opened, and a thin but energetic figure jumped out—it was Stephen Chow.

He wore a baseball cap with the brim pulled low, but his signature eyes gleamed with a cunning light.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he started shouting at the top of his lungs.

"I smell something delicious!"

"Is my spicy chicken already in the pot?"

Leslie Cheung came out of the house, holding a palm-leaf fan in his hand, and fanned himself irritably.

"Your nose is sharper than a dog's. Ah Chen's working himself to the bone for you in the kitchen!"

Mei Yanfang also poked her head out and scolded him playfully.

"Ah Xing, you really know how to make things difficult for people."

"Ordering such a terrible dish so late at night."

Stephen Chow chuckled, completely unconcerned. He strode to the kitchen door and peered inside.

In the kitchen, Xiao Chen stood in front of the stove, his figure outlined in a charming silhouette by the dim light and rising steam.

He didn't turn around; his voice came steadily.

"Mr. Stephen Chow, the ingredients haven't been changed yet."

Stephen Chow was taken aback.

"Huh? You didn't change it?"

Xiao Chen turned around with a faint smile on his face. His handsome face, which was impeccable, was not diminished in the slightest by the smoke and dust.

Instead, it gained a more authentic and fatal attraction.

"According to the rules, saplings should be used in exchange."

"It's getting dark; we can't let you plant trees in the dark, can we?"

That's when everyone remembered this. The rules of the Mushroom House dictate that all ingredients must be obtained through labor.

Stephen Chow scratched his head, looking a bit troubled.

Before he could speak, Xiao Chen walked towards the director carrying a camera in the corner of the yard.

"Director, I need to talk to you about something."

When the director saw Xiao Chen's face, his tone softened unconsciously.

Everyone knows that Xiao Chen is not only a core guest on the show, but also the chief planner and investor behind it.

"So, what kind of trouble are you planning to cause today?"

Xiao Chen spoke.

"Is there any balance left in the account?"

"We can't let Stephen Chow go all the way here and go hungry."

"How about we use our remaining sapling quota to trade for half a chicken, plus some side dishes?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an irresistible calmness.

The director thought for a moment and immediately nodded.

"Sure! Of course! I'll arrange it right away!"

The problem was solved so easily.

Zhou Xingchi looked at Xiao Chen, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

This young man is frighteningly composed despite his young age. He handles things with ease, yet he never comes across as domineering.

Dilraba ran into the kitchen carrying a basket of freshly picked chili peppers, her face flushed, whether from running or something else, it was hard to tell.

"Brother Chen, is there enough chili?"

Xiao Chen took the bamboo basket, tossed it around, and the mountain of bright red chili peppers rolled inside.

He picked up a stick, brought it to his nose, and smelled it; the pungent aroma shot straight to the top of his head.

"That's enough. Enough for Stephen Chow to have a good drink."

He picked up a kitchen knife and began to prepare the ingredients.

The chicken was cut into uniform pieces, while the chili peppers were generously chopped into small sections and piled up like a small mountain.

Soon, the large iron pot was heated up, and oil fumes rose into the air.

"Sizzle—"

Xiao Chen threw a large handful of dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns into the pot. Instantly, an overwhelmingly spicy aroma spread explosively from the kitchen throughout the entire Mushroom House.

"Cough cough cough!"

Dilraba, who was closest to the choking ant, was the first to suffer, her eyes watering and she had to back away repeatedly.

"Cough...cough cough cough..."

Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung in the living room were not spared either, their coughs echoing throughout the room.

"My God! What is Ah Chen trying to do?"

"A biological weapon?"

Leslie Cheung waved his hand to dispel the spiciness in the air while shouting exaggeratedly.

Stephen Chow stood at the kitchen doorway, not retreating, but instead taking a deep breath and revealing a look of rapture.

"Yes! That's the taste! It's potent!"

Only Xiao Chen, though at the eye of the storm, seemed completely unaffected.

He was focused, his movements as he tossed the wok were fluid and graceful, and the firelight danced in his deep eyes.

Each piece of chicken is evenly tossed in a sea of ​​chili peppers, getting a tempting color.

The entire mushroom house seemed to be shrouded in a layer of red, spicy mist, the pungent smell mixed with the mouthwatering aroma of meat.

Finally, with Xiao Chen's last skillful finishing move, the legendary "Extra Spicy Chicken Cubes" were ready.

When the plate was served, everyone fell silent.

That's not a dish.

It was a plate of chili peppers.

The bright red chili pepper pieces were piled up like a mountain, and trying to find a few pieces of chicken in them felt like playing a treasure hunt.

Stephen Chow's eyes lit up, and he was the first to pick up his chopsticks.

"Come on, everyone, don't be shy! I ordered this especially, please have a taste!"

As he spoke, he picked up the largest piece of chicken and waved it in front of Leslie Cheung as if to show off.

"Brother, look how tender these diced chicken pieces are! Ah Chen's cooking is absolutely top-notch!"

Leslie Cheung glanced at him, a touch of elegant mockery playing on her lips.

"You ordered it yourself, so enjoy it yourself. We don't have your kind of good fortune."

Anita Mui also chimed in.

"That's right, let's eat something light to soothe our stomachs."

Xiao Chen simply scooped up a bowl of rice and picked up a piece of green vegetable from the side, as if the earth-shattering "weapon" on the table had nothing to do with him.

Seeing this, Stephen Chow's eyes lit up and a plan came to mind.

He deliberately let out a long sigh, speaking in an extremely exaggerated tone of regret.

"Oh, what a pity."

"I always thought only true warriors dared to challenge the limits. I never imagined..."

He looked at Leslie Cheung with a provocative gaze.

"Brother, are you scared?"

"Back in the day, you could film movies without even blinking while suspended by wires, but today you're scared by a plate of chili peppers?"

Provocation tactic.

Although it's a cliché, it's incredibly effective for someone like Leslie Cheung who's inherently proud.

Leslie Cheung's eyebrows indeed rose.

"Ah Xing, don't give me that crap. Do you think I'd be scared off by a dish of food?"

As he spoke, he reached out with his chopsticks, picked up a piece of chicken covered in chili flakes without hesitation, and put it into his mouth with a flourish.

All eyes were on his face.

He chewed a few times, his expression relatively calm, and he even nodded.

"Mmm, it tastes good. It's fragrant and spicy just right."

Stephen Chow smiled.

"See? I knew it!"

After saying that, he also picked up a large piece and put it in his mouth, nodding as he ate to show his agreement.

Xiao Chen lowered his head and ate his rice, but the smile in his eyes was hard to hide.

Dilraba looked at Leslie Cheung with a worried expression. She noticed that there seemed to be a fine layer of sweat on his forehead.

Leslie Cheung put down his chopsticks, picked up his teacup, slowly took a sip of water, and then looked at Stephen Chow.