Full of Flavor

The commotion outside did not affect Chu Miaomiao in the kitchen.

Lin Mo stood at the doorway behind the counter, his arms crossed.

His gaze fell on Yue Yiqing, who was lost in thought. How much this dessert shop owner could figure out was up to her.

However, even the waitress glanced at Lin Mo with some timidity.

Although she also felt that the boss's desserts were very sweet, this way of speaking that almost trampled people underfoot really gave off an overwhelming sense of oppression.

But Lin Mo acted as if nothing had happened, pointing to the lemon tart in the display cabinet.

"Let's try a lemon tart. If it keeps people buying, this one should be up to standard."

The waitress glanced at her boss, and seeing that she didn't stop her, opened the cabinet and took out a lemon tart with tongs.

Lin Mo looked at the shape of the lemon tart.

At least it looked similar to the one in the dessert book at Chu Miaomiao's house.

After all, Lin Mo now had an eidetic memory and could easily recall related things.

His divine sense scanned the structure of this lemon tart.

It could be seen that it perfectly matched the recipe in the book.

A flat tart shell, layered at the bottom with candied lemon peel, then piped with lemon cream, followed by a biscuit made of hazelnut flour, topped with piped meringue and a dusting of powdered sugar, before going into the oven to bake the surface sugar for two minutes.

Finally, it was topped with lemon curd made from lemons.

Of course, this was a simplified process; in reality, there were many more elements to prepare.

After all, it wasn't a pre-made semi-finished product; everything from the tart shell to the lemon curd had to be made from scratch, which could be said to be quite complex.

Lin Mo took a bite.

Sour... sweet... sour... and sweet again.

There was actually quite a lot of sugar in this lemon tart, but because a lot of lemon was added, the acidity neutralized the sweetness, keeping the texture and flavor well-balanced.

"Hmm, this is indeed not bad. No wonder that Mrs. Lin frequently comes to buy this. It's a good thing the tartness of the lemon neutralizes the sweetness so well, otherwise it would be a waste."

Faced with Lin Mo's slightly provocative words, Yue Yiqing remained silent.

Lin Mo looked at the figure wearing an apron in the kitchen and simply walked in carrying the remaining half of the lemon tart.

"Halftime break, time to replenish some energy."

He held the lemon tart up to Chu Miaomiao's lips.

"Come on, open your mouth."

Chu Miaomiao obediently opened her mouth, and Lin Mo fed the lemon tart into it.

The fresh fragrance of lemon instantly exploded on her taste buds, dispelling some of the anxiety between her brows.

She didn't mind that Lin Mo had already eaten from it. She savored it carefully, her eyes narrowing in comfort like a cat being stroked.

"Do you like it? I know how to make this too," Chu Miaomiao said, her tone carrying a hint of minor boasting that she didn't even notice herself.

"Alright, next time I'll try the lemon tart made by our family's Meow-Meow."

Then Lin Mo stood to the side, silently watching Chu Miaomiao make the cake.

After quite a while, the cake sponge was finally done.

After letting it deflate and cool down, Chu Miaomiao began to meticulously decorate the cake, even starting to make chocolate by hand.

It was completely different from her usual slightly timid demeanor.

When making cakes, Chu Miaomiao possessed an inexplicable confidence, having a well-thought-out plan for every step of her actions.

She was even more confident than when writing novels.

Although she would occasionally glance at the pre-prepared process sheet, she mostly relied on her own abilities.

Finally, at around four in the afternoon, the cake that encapsulated the young girl's entire afternoon of hard work took shape.

The black chocolate glaze was as smooth as a mirror, adorned with a few liqueur-soaked cherries and handmade chocolate curls on top, while the sides revealed layers similar to tiramisu.

Lin Mo couldn't tell what school of pastry this belonged to, but he could understand the light in the young girl's eyes.

Watching Chu Miaomiao carefully place the cake into a box, and then let out a heavy sigh of relief as if she had accomplished something earth-shattering, the corners of Lin Mo's mouth also curled up.

Just then, as if remembering something, Chu Miaomiao turned around and brought out a much smaller cake from the nearby prep counter.

She offered it to Lin Mo with both hands, her eyes filled with anticipation and a trace of imperceptible nervousness.

"This is a little cake I made for you using some leftover ingredients. I hope you don't mind."

Lin Mo wasn't surprised, after all, he had been watching from the side just now.

Chu Miaomiao looked at Lin Mo cautiously.

"That's wonderful."

Lin Mo picked up a clean fork nearby and cut off a small piece. The cake's texture was visibly fluffy, jiggling slightly with her movements.

He put the cake into his mouth.

The cream melted in his mouth, sweet but not cloying, and the cake sponge was moist and soft, carrying a rich egg aroma.

"Mmm... so flavorful," Lin Mo praised sincerely.

As he spoke, he also fed a bite to Chu Miaomiao.

Chu Miaomiao smiled and said, "Delicious."

"Of course it's delicious, you made it." Lin Mo suddenly leaned in, and under Chu Miaomiao's astonished gaze, reached out his thumb and gently wiped away the smear of white cream at the corner of her lips.

Then, he brought his thumb, which was coated with the cream, to his own mouth and licked it.

Chu Miaomiao's face instantly flushed red from her cheeks to the tips of her ears; she was practically steaming.

Seeing her like this, Lin Mo was in a great mood and reached out to ruffle her hair.

"I told you, you could definitely make the best cake."

The young girl was dizzy from the praise, narrowing her eyes in enjoyment as her earlier shyness seemed to fade a little.

Afterwards, Lin Mo walked out of the kitchen holding the remaining half of the cake.

The cut surface of the cake was neat and tidy, clearly showing the fine and dense pore structure inside.

He placed the plate on the counter with a soft clink, and lifted his chin toward the waitress who was wiping the counter nearby.

"Try some?"

The waitress paused her movements, the corner of her eye quickly darting toward a spot not far away.

Her boss was standing there with her arms crossed, like an ice sculpture, her expression far from pleasant.

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation. She pulled out a disposable fork from under the counter and carefully forked up a small piece.

The moment the cake entered her mouth, a pure, perfectly balanced sweetness mixed with a rich egg aroma exploded on her tongue.

What amazed her the most was the texture; even though it looked so firm, it felt as light as a cloud in the mouth.

"Mmm... the taste is actually quite good."

This subconscious murmur of praise wasn't loud, but it acted like a needle, accurately piercing Yue Yiqing's eardrums.

Her ears twitched imperceptibly.

The next second, Yue Yiqing sharply turned her head, her gaze locked dead on the half piece of cake on the counter. She strode over on her long legs in just a few steps.

Her whole body exuded a scrutinizing aura that warned strangers to stay away.

"I'll try it too."

Before she even finished speaking, she had already snatched the fork from the waitress's hand. Without the slightest hesitation, she cut off a piece and put it into her mouth.

She wanted to see just how good something made by a layman like Chu Miaomiao could possibly be.

However, after the cake entered her mouth, Yue Yiqing's expression froze.

The roughness, cloying sweetness, or collapsed structure she had anticipated did not appear at all.

Instead, it was replaced by a contradictory yet perfect texture she had never experienced before.