Chef Hua
Chapter 365: Episode 206: Worry

Chapter 365: Episode 206: Worry

Everything related to the banquet for celebrities cannot be taken lightly. Hua Xiaomai quickly led the visitor upstairs to a private room and hurriedly sent La Mei to make a good pot of tea, all the while smiling and saying, "It’s just a little village diner, nothing impressive compared to the great restaurants of the County. Please excuse us for the simplicity—we’ve maintained cleanliness, so please make do and rest a bit."

On ordinary days, the patrons who dined at the small diner were mostly traveling merchants or villagers, everyone enjoying the lively atmosphere of the main hall, with no preference for the quiet private rooms upstairs. Even so, Chun Xi and La Mei still cleaned daily, and if Zhou Yunyun ever had spare time, she too would dust the place. Furthermore, before opening, they had especially tidied up the area meticulously, so it indeed offered much more comfort than downstairs.

That was why the man’s expression softened slightly. After accepting the tea bowl from La Mei’s hands, he sipped slowly and said, "My last name is Jiang. I manage affairs for Lord Tao’s residence. My master is incorruptible and although this celebrity banquet is a significant government event, he is reluctant to deploy too many people, hence he dispatched us to run errands for him. Since the preliminary selections began, there hasn’t been a day of peace for me, and these next few days, I shall be compelled to travel tirelessly again—you know, this diner of yours is far too distant from the County. A single trip practically costs a life!"

Is this... a complaint? But what does it have to do with her?

Hua Xiaomai felt like laughing, but she couldn’t show it on her face and had to respond seriously, "Yes, I also realize it’s quite remote here. You have really exhausted yourself. I’ll cook two of my specialty dishes for you later. Please, don’t hold them against me."

It seemed Manager Jiang was indeed hungry, and having sniffed the delicious aroma downstairs, he nodded involuntarily on hearing her offer, "Alright, I won’t be polite then, but let’s first discuss the official matters."

As he spoke, he solemnly took out a list from his pocket and declared, "First, you should know, the five dining establishments that made it to the final selection are Chunfeng Restaurant, Gui Lin Inn, Qianzui Pavilion, Changji Restaurant, and this place of yours—hiss, what kind of diner doesn’t even have a name? Everybody wants their shop to be famous. Even if your food is excellent and people want to praise it after eating, they wouldn’t even know what to call it. Isn’t this just absurd?"

So many opinions!

Hua Xiaomai pursed her lips as if with a slight apology, "It’s only a small diner, the only one in the entire village, so I never put much effort into naming it. The visiting merchants refer to it as ’the shop on the official road by Fire Knife Village’... May I ask, is it really against the rules not to have a name?"

"That’s not necessarily the case..." Manager Jiang muttered, suddenly growing impatient again as he waved his hand, "Enough, enough, it’s none of my concern, I don’t manage it. Here, the date for the final selection is set for April 15th. Although the preliminaries are not yet over, the list is already determined, the next steps are merely a formality, so you should also begin your preparations early to avoid confusion. The final will be held at the same place as the preliminaries, and Lord Tao himself will personally examine the event. You had better know your limits then."

Things indeed developed as Meng Yuhuai had predicted, and knowing this, Hua Xiaomai wasn’t surprised, nodding her head while smiling, "I understand, but may I ask what the theme for the final selection is?"

"Tsk, what’s the rush? I was just about to tell you," Manager Jiang said peevishly, glancing at her, "The final will be similar to the preliminaries. You will need to cook on-site. The ingredients to be used are shad, cow milk, and yam. What dishes you make and how you prepare them is entirely up to you. You’ve heard now. These ingredients are not particularly rare or expensive; readily available, and precisely because they are common, they highlight the culinary skills of the chefs from these five establishments more. Being a woman, you are limited in experience, and I must remind you, the other four venues are not ordinary at all. You need to be spirited."

There it is again, for the second time in just a few days, someone matter-of-factly called her a "woman." Did these people’s brains get pinched by a door? Sure, she was married, but no matter what, this body was only seventeen years old, hardly a woman!

Noticing that Hua Xiaomai was slightly distracted, Manager Jiang coughed unhappily and scowled, "What kind of rudeness is this? I’m speaking to you; at the very least, you should respond. I’ve exhausted myself running here, not to watch you daydream like an idiot!"