Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity
Chapter 120 - 45: Sweeping Away Like the Wind

Chapter 120: Chapter 45: Sweeping Away Like the Wind

Gu Chengyu and Mr. Gu followed the staff to the kitchen, finding that there were already two people handling the ingredients.

Mr. Gu looked at the stove, which was about half the height of an adult, and was a bit dumbfounded. Mr. Gu definitely couldn’t cook; he could manage lighting a fire. In his previous life, he had learned a bit about cooking and personally thought his flavors were decent, but with his current small frame, he couldn’t even reach the stove! What should he do?

Mr. Gu followed Gu Chengyu into the kitchen and remembered that neither of them could cook. What should they do? Xiao Bao’s recipe couldn’t be revealed before it was sold! He couldn’t cook, and Mr. Gu glanced at the stove anxiously.

"Brother, could you find me a stool?" Gu Chengyu looked at the two staff members who had been curiously staring at them ever since they entered.

"What are you trying to do?" One of the staff members, about fourteen or fifteen years old, looked at Gu Chengyu and the others with vigilance.

"Liang Shan! Manager Liang let them in, and Manager Liang instructed that if they need anything, just help them out." Erhouzi, noticing Liang Shan’s endless questioning, replied moodily. This Liang Shan, taking advantage of being related to Manager Liang, often threw his weight around in the restaurant, annoying everyone.

Gu Chengyu almost wanted to ask when he heard his name was Liang Shan, "Brother, did you travel through time too?"

"Thank you, Brother Erhouzi! Brother Liang, could you please get a stool for me?" Gu Chengyu knew Manager Liang hadn’t instructed this before leaving, and regardless of Erhouzi’s motives for helping them, it was beneficial for him. His time was tight, and he didn’t have the luxury to play mind games with them.

"Xiao Bao! Are you going up to cook? That won’t do, what if you get scalded? Let me do it! You just guide me from the side!" Mr. Gu was definitely not letting Xiao Bao do it when he heard Xiao Bao wanted to go up in person.

Gu Chengyu thought for a moment; the restaurant’s wok is very large, and it wouldn’t be convenient for him. "Alright! Dad! You cook! But we need Brother Liang to start the fire for us!" Liang Shan was somewhat reluctant, as he usually didn’t have to do the task of lighting the fire. But with Manager Liang’s order, he had no choice but to help.

Gu Chengyu walked around the kitchen and decided to make Fish-fragrant Shredded Pork, Cold Dressed Wood Ear Fungus, and Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables.

Gu Chengyu asked Mr. Gu to first clean the pork belly, as it needed to be boiled in the pot soon. Then he grabbed scallions, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and other items as preparation. Meanwhile, he soaked the wood ear fungus and preserved vegetables in hot water, which could be left alone for now. He had to prepare three dishes in an hour, which was quite hectic, especially since none of the side dishes were pre-prepared, and there were two novice hands involved.

Finding the loin part of the pork in the kitchen, he cut the tenderloin into strips of meat. Of course, he couldn’t achieve this alone at the moment, so he relied on another enthusiastic staff member’s help.

Gu Chengyu managed to find some bamboo shoots in the kitchen and cut them into strips for later use. He then marinated the meat strips with salt, sugar, and wine.

Once the water in the pot was hot, Gu Chengyu asked Mr. Gu to put the pork belly in to cook for a while. When the pork belly was nearly done, he took it out and sliced it into long pieces.

After about half an hour, Gu Chengyu and the others finally only had the Cold Dressed Wood Ear Fungus left, as the Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables had been steamed in the morning.

The Fish-fragrant Shredded Pork was already done, and Gu Chengyu picked up chopsticks to taste it. He realized the meat strips lacked the tenderizer powder that would soften them, making the meat texture less tender. Still, when thickening the sauce, he used a bit of flour instead. He found that his cooperation with Mr. Gu led to a dish that looked and tasted pretty good, at least appealing and delicious! But it had to be eaten hot; otherwise, it wouldn’t look as nice when cold! He placed the dish on a plate and covered it.

The kitchen of the restaurant had a bellows for the stove, making the fire very strong. Gu Chengyu didn’t have time to wait slowly, so the Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables wasn’t simmered on low heat, possibly affecting the taste. At this moment, he couldn’t bother with that.

He sliced the wood ear fungus into strips and mixed it with the marinade. After waiting a while longer, the Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables was ready.

When Gu Chengyu and the others finished cooking and asked Erhouzi to fetch Manager Liang, half an hour had already passed.

Manager Liang and Manager Zhou were already in the kitchen when an unusual fragrance wafted over. Manager Liang quickly stepped to the stove and was amazed by the sight of three well-presented dishes, watering his mouth.

Dayan Dynasty’s cuisine mainly consisted of stews and soups, but these three dishes were not stewed.

Manager Liang picked up chopsticks to take some from the plate, but suddenly remembered something. He pulled out a cloth bag from his pocket and unfolded it, revealing a silver needle.

"Brother Gu, let’s be cautious! We haven’t tested whether this wood ear fungus can be eaten. For the safety of the diners, I can only use the silver needle to test it. I hope Brother Gu understands." Manager Liang apologized to Mr. Gu.

"Of course! Manager Liang, please go ahead and test!" Mr. Gu looked at the three dishes he had made with disbelief. Did he just cook such good-looking dishes?

Manager Liang took the silver needle and tested each of the three dishes individually. After a while, seeing no reaction from the needle, he picked up chopsticks to taste the first bite.

"Manager Liang, my father and I don’t cook often, might not bring out the true deliciousness of the ingredients! I hope both Manager Liang and Manager Zhou can accept them." Gu Chengyu thought it wise to explain to the two first. If they found the food unsatisfactory, it wasn’t the ingredients’ fault, but their cooking skills.

"You little rascal, aren’t you cunning!" Manager Zhou smiled at Gu Chengyu and then picked up a pair of chopsticks to taste as well.

"Hmm! This Cold Dressed Wood Ear Fungus is quite good; refreshing and appetizing. Eating it when it’s hot should somehow whet the appetite." Manager Zhou ate a bite of the wood ear fungus, finding the taste somewhat special, and took two more bites.

Turning to look beside him, supposedly at the Fish-fragrant Shredded Pork. Surprisingly, the Fish-fragrant Shredded Pork had already been reduced to half a plate. Manager Liang, ignoring any conversation, had already moved on to the Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables.

"You rascal, leave some for me!" Manager Zhou urged anxiously.

Alright! The three dishes were devoured by the two in a flash, leaving only a bit of residue from the Cold Dressed Wood Ear Fungus. They still wanted more.

"Brother Gu! I didn’t expect you had this talent? Especially the Fish-fragrant Shredded Pork and Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables, they’re truly irresistible! The wood ear fungus is also excellent, but we’re too full!" Manager Zhou patted his belly, seemingly savoring the taste.

"These are all our Gu Family’s ancestral recipes. Especially after adding the wood ear fungus, the Fish-fragrant Shredded Pork is even better! As long as you two are satisfied!" Mr. Gu chuckled. Irresistible was good! That way, they’d buy his family’s recipe!