Chef Hua
Chapter 587: Episode 313 Thanking the Teacher_2

Chapter 587: Episode 313 Thanking the Teacher_2

In theory, the Daoxiang Garden wasn’t supposed to officially open until tomorrow, and Wang Zhanrui along with Master Tan didn’t need to come today. However, apparently concerned about Zhou Yunyun’s apprenticeship examination today, Wang Zhanrui had arrived early in the morning, leaning on the windowsill while chatting with someone and occasionally lending a hand with passing and picking up items.

Lianshun Escort Agency wouldn’t open until the eighth day, but Meng Yuhuai came to Daoxiang Garden with Hua Xiaomai anyway. Approaching the entrance, they were greeted by a bustling scene.

Inside the restaurant, the windows shone bright and clean, and from the backyard came intermittent sounds of voices and water splashing. Thin rays of sunlight filtered through the branches, casting mottled shadows on the ground.

Hua Xiaomai felt a wave of joy inside her, and the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curl upwards.

Even though Daoxiang Garden had only just reopened, it presented such a vibrant scene that it brightened everyone’s spirits, suggesting an auspicious sign. The new year promised that Daoxiang Garden would reach new heights of success. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

This feeling was so good that even as she stepped into the restaurant’s main hall, her face still wore a smile. As the staff saw the couple, they immediately came over to greet them, chattering nonstop.

"On the way over, I saw that your new house hasn’t started construction yet; it seems to be halfway finished. When exactly can you move in?"

"Xiaomai and I have discussed it with my mother; the house should be finished by February. We’ll let it air out for a while, and plan to move in by April. By then, if all goes well, it will be more convenient for Xiaomai,"

Meng Yuhuai said with a smile.

"You must let us know when the house’s ridgepole is being raised. I’ve already told my family, and we’ll definitely come over to help," Chun Xi urged eagerly.

Meng had to engage in some further conversation with her. Hua Xiaomai let them chat, while she walked aside and peeked into the kitchen, asking Wang Zhanrui, "Is Yunyun busy inside?"

"Hmm," Wang Zhanrui responded, "She got here even earlier than Qing You and the others. She locked herself in the kitchen all this time. I wanted to check on her, but she wouldn’t even let me in. I guess she should be coming out soon."

"Then let’s not bother her for now," Hua Xiaomai smiled, sat down at a table, poured herself a cup of warm water, and sipped slowly. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Gradually, a fragrance wafted out from the kitchen—a mix of various ingredients that was somewhat peculiar but not unpleasant. Roughly an hour later, Zhou Yunyun finally emerged after much anticipation, carefully holding a tray. She took each step with great caution and slowly moved towards Hua Xiaomai, softly saying, "Master, I’ve finished everything..."

Hua Xiaomai smiled at her and didn’t call the others over, just signaled Wang Zhanrui to come together and found a quiet corner to sit down, glancing into the tray.

She had thought that for such a significant event as becoming a master chef, Zhou Yunyun would certainly choose the most precious ingredients to showcase her best work, but unexpectedly, the girl was very down-to-earth, using nothing but ordinary ingredients, with no pretense whatsoever.

The "Blossoming Almond Grove" made with quail meat, fatty pork, and Southern Almond was steamed until the quail, bones and all, were finely minced, fried with the pork dices, and then mixed with fried almond pieces, bringing out a rich, oily fragrance. The quail meat, already fried to dryness, still melted in the mouth, leaving a sweet, savory taste;

"Imperial Beloved’s Infused Lungs" was in fact just a vegetarian snack, with dough mixed with fried pancake crumbs, sesame seeds, pine nuts, walnuts, a little sugar, red rice, then after steaming, it was cut into small lung-shaped pieces and topped with a thick layer of hot oil. It tasted both sweet and spicy, refreshing and brisk;

The soup was Bamboo Mushroom Chicken Waist Soup, which normally tasted bland, but the bamboo mushroom absorbed the rich broth, and a light bite would release the savory sweetness between the teeth; and the most exquisite was the Frozen Trotter Jelly, with cooked pig’s feet mixed in a cup or two of melted rock sugar, then stewed until tender, hung overnight in the cold well, cut into small, one-inch cubes, soft, sticky, and chewy, like jelly, yet still with a meaty aroma.

Hua Xiaomai silently tasted each dish; to be honest, there weren’t any major issues with knife skills, but there was still room for improvement with the control of heat and seasoning. She didn’t mention this to Zhou Yunyun, but glanced at Wang Zhanrui, saw him nodding slightly, then lifted the corners of her mouth in a smile and asked, "Why did you choose to make Bamboo Mushroom Chicken Waist Soup?"

"Is it not good?" Zhou Yunyun was immediately startled, stumbling three steps backwards to steady her heart before asking weakly, "I originally wanted to make a rich soup, but then I thought, during the New Year, every household eats so greasily, and with you being looked after by Auntie at home, I feared it would be even more big fish and meat. This soup is refreshing and cuts through the grease; I thought it might make you feel more comfortable."

"Hmph, I didn’t say you did anything wrong, do you need to be so scared?" Hua Xiaomai half-seriously rolled her eyes at her, "According to you, how well did you do with these dishes?"

Zhou Yunyun thought hard for a while, not answering directly, but sincerely said, "Master, I did my best."

"Being willing to do your best is good enough." Hua Xiaomai smiled at the response, "None of the flavors of the dishes clash, and you developed the natural taste of the food quite well, without it being overpowered by the seasoning, which is very good. However, when you have some time, you should still seek more guidance from Master Wang and Master Tan. As for me, I am your master; you can come to me anytime you have a problem."

As she spoke, she paused, "Today is the fifth day, we open our doors for business tomorrow, and next month, I’ll ask Scholar Wen to remind the Accountant to pay you an extra share of the wages."

Zhou Yunyun didn’t catch on at first, standing still in a daze, until Wang Zhanrui, unable to bear it, knocked on the table, "Are you dumb, not thanking your master? Isn’t this passing the test?"

"I..." Zhou Yunyun froze for a moment before it dawned on her, her knees went weak, "Master, can I... become a chef now?"

"Barely passable." Hua Xiaomai teased her, "When you get your wages next month, you’d better host a thanksgiving feast to treat me, will you do that?" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with a recommendation ticket or a monthly ticket at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)