Chef Hua
Chapter 59: Episode 51, 10 taels

Chapter 59: Episode 51, 10 taels

Zuo Jinxiang was exchanging pleasantries with Sister Hua when she suddenly heard a crisp call and looked up. She saw the slender girl, dressed in pine-green clothes, dash out of the kitchen like a bird and rushed over to her with joy, hugging her arm and giving it a gentle shake.

What was going on? She had only met Hua Xiaomai a few times and, although she quite liked her personality, they weren’t close enough for such enthusiasm. She couldn’t handle this level of warmth!

Looking at Sister Hua, whose face expressed sheer relief, Zuo Jinxiang was even more confused.

Why did both sisters seem to treat her as a savior?

Before she could make sense of it all, Hua Xiaomai had already taken her by the arm into the main room and, looking back, greeted the closely following Da Zhong with a smile, "Zhong Ge, you’re here too?"

Once the three of them were seated in the main room, Hua Xiaomai bustled off to the kitchen to pour tea, just as she brought it over to Zuo Jinxiang, she heard Sister Hua tell Aunt Geng in the courtyard, "Auntie, look, we have guests... This is a big matter, it can’t be decided in just a word or two. How about we discuss this another day at your place?"

Aunt Geng seemed slightly displeased, muttering something under her breath before pestering Sister Hua with a few more words and reluctantly got up to leave.

Who was Zuo Jinxiang? Before she became the cook at Lianshun Escort Agency, she would, in her free time, matchmake for the neighborhood boys and girls, enhancing her cultural life while gaining a bit of fame. Seeing the hesitancy in how Sister Hua and Aunt Geng were speaking, she almost instantly understood what was going on.

Glancing at Sister Hua, who was seeing Aunt Geng out, Zuo Jinxiang lowered her voice and asked Hua Xiaomai, "Xiaomai girl, is your sister arranging a match for you? You seem unhappy; don’t you fancy the boy?"

Hua Xiaomai wasn’t one to be reticent and said frankly, "I haven’t even seen that person; how can I know if I fancy him or not? I just don’t want to marry right now, but my sister..."

"I understand, I understand!" Zuo Jinxiang said knowingly, patting her hand, "Young girls like you don’t get to decide on marriage, but you still have your own standards for the husband you want. I figure..."

She smiled mischievously, her gaze sweeping across Hua Xiaomai’s face, then held back the rest of her words, "Anyway, if you really don’t like him, your sister-in-law here will definitely help you. Just leave it to me to speak a few words with your sister, and I assure you she’ll change her mind!"

Forget about it; you don’t know Sister Hua’s temper. When she gets angry, she’s terrifying!

Hua Xiaomai felt the matter was tricky and let out a noncommittal laugh, "Sisiter-in-law Zuo, let’s talk about the main issue at hand."

"Ah, yes, yes, you’re right, how could I forget!" Zuo Jinxiang smacked her own forehead as if waking from a dream and pointed to Da Zhong sitting beside her, "This time the Escort Agency is hosting the Spring Wine Banquet, and they’ve invited business owners they frequently interact with, so the host values their preferences highly—after all, he needs their business in the future! My main reason for coming today was to discuss the menu with you. Since we’re illiterate, Da Zhong accompanied me to record all the dishes."

Da Zhong heard this and nodded, smiling at Hua Xiaomai, "Before I left, Leader Meng also asked me to check with you. He will be setting off on an escort journey to Shengzhou the day after tomorrow. Do you or Sister Hua have anything to send with him, or any messages to convey? If so, just hand them to me."

Huh? Hua Xiaomai scratched her head; she thought Leader Meng Yuhuai was just saying it casually that day, but he actually took it seriously?

"Oh." She thought for a moment and then shook her head with a smile, "I’ve discussed it with my sister, and we don’t have anything to send back. Zhong Ge, please thank Big Brother Meng of the Meng Family for me."

Da Zhong waved his hand to show it was no big deal, and Hua Xiaomai turned to Zuo Jinxiang, "The guests Uncle Ke has invited for this Spring Wine Banquet are very important, and the dishes should cater to their preferences. Sister-in-law Zuo, since you work in the kitchen at the Escort Agency, you must have seen many of the distinguished guests who frequently interact with Uncle Ke. Do you know if they have any dietary preferences or restrictions?"

Before Zuo Jinxiang could reply, Da Zhong eagerly pulled out a piece of paper from his chest and offered, "Uncle Ke has prepared for this! The preferences of all the guests are recorded here; I’ll read them to you."

"Uncle Ke has really thought things through." Hua Xiaomai felt a surge of relief.

What delighted her was having an owner like Ke Zhenwu, so meticulous and thoughtful of others. On this trip to Lianshun Escort Agency for the Spring Wine, no matter how much money she could earn, at least she would feel at ease; what relieved her was, now that she had the preferences and taboos of the guests in hand, this task was already more than half completed.

She smiled cheerfully at Dazhong, "Brother Zhong, can you leave that piece of paper with me? You read it just now, but I might not remember it all. When my brother-in-law comes back, I’ll ask him to go over it slowly with me, so I can think it through carefully."

"Sure, what’s the problem with that?" Dazhong thought about it and realized she was right. Without a second word, he immediately handed the piece of paper over to her.

...

Hua Xiaomai and Zuo Jinxiang sat in the main hall, discussing for more than an hour, talking until their mouths were dry and tongues were parched. They finally settled on a preliminary menu to take to the Escort Agency for Ke Zhenwu to review. If there were any issues, they would make adjustments.

Zuo Jinxiang took two big gulps of tea from the cup on the table and smacked her lips, saying, "Mai Xiao, you really have to put a lot of thought into this. This year, Lianshun Escort Agency’s Spring Wine Banquet will have to prepare four tables of feasts. When the time comes, whatever you want me to help with, just tell me. I may not cook as well as you, but washing and chopping are no problem for me. Also, the owner will hire two additional hands to help out on that day — we will surely have to work hard, but earning more makes it all worth it!"

She leaned in a little closer and whispered excitedly, "Let me tell you in advance to make you happy, the owner said as long as the Spring Wine goes well, you’ll get this much!" She flipped her two palms in front of Hua Xiaomai and said with joy dancing in her eyebrows, "Even I will get two strings of cash!"

Ten... ten taels?!

Hua Xiaomai’s eyes widened in disbelief, "This... isn’t this too much? Isn’t Uncle Ke afraid that I’ll mess things up?"

Ah, so much money, it makes my heart flutter with anxiety!

"Come on," Zuo Jinxiang rolled her eyes, still laughing, "Our owner knows exactly how capable you are. You’ve made four strings of cash for just one banquet in your village’s papercraft shop; you took on the role of leading the banquet preparations in the capital and even overshadowed Wei, the head chef of Chunfeng Restaurant! Meng Yuhuai has told our owner all about these matters. Now, who in Lianshun Escort Agency doesn’t know you have great culinary skills?"

Meng Yuhuai? Wasn’t that guy always so tight-lipped? How come she never knew he could be such a "gossip"?

But such a "gossip" was indeed a great benefit!

"Alright, I better head back early. The Spring Wine Banquet is set for the second day of the second month during the Spring Festival, just five or six days away, enough time for us to prepare," said Zuo Jinxiang as she took another sip of tea and stood up, patting her trousers. "If there’s anything else, I’ll have Dazhong run over to tell you, and if you have any changes, make sure to let me know soon!"

With that, she and Dazhong walked out.

Aunt Hua knew they were discussing serious business and had not come into the house to disturb them. Now, hearing that Zuo Jinxiang and Dazhong were leaving, she hurried over to keep them from going. Seeing that she couldn’t persuade them to stay, she joined Hua Xiaomai in seeing them out of the yard.

Zuo Jinxiang turned back and winked at Hua Xiaomai, pulling Aunt Hua to one side and began whispering so quietly that after only two or three sentences, she left with a smile.

It was as if Aunt Hua had an epiphany; she stood there, her expression changing unpredictably. After a while, she turned her head to look at Hua Xiaomai’s retreating figure, nodded her head, and displayed an expression that read, "Hmm, that makes sense."

*********

Thanks to the few friends for their tips and PK tickets. I’m not good at remembering stuff; I meant to thank you the day I received it, but I turned around and forgot~

Today is a double celebration, wishing everyone a sweet Valentine’s Day and a happy Lantern Festival with the whole family! O(∩_∩)O