The story of a cook

Chapter 168 Zhang Li After the Rain
Entering June, the weather is getting hotter and summer is here.

Spring gives people hope, and summer is full of vitality.

After working for so many years, I have never really appreciated the changes of the four seasons, but the reincarnation of the four seasons is still alternating according to its law, day after day, year after year.

The weather in Northeast China has four distinct seasons, windy in spring, rainy in summer, deciduous in autumn and snowy in winter.If I like it, I like the snow in winter. When it snows, the world is quiet, the snowflakes fall silently, and my heart is peaceful, as if I am integrated with the world and enjoy the peace.

In fact, the human body is a universe, with the same origin as the heaven and the earth. Otherwise, how could Lao Tzu talk about the unity of man and nature.

We can't achieve the unity of man and nature, we are just ordinary people, living an ordinary life, don't pray for anything vigorous, just be ordinary.

Sometimes the boss will come to the restaurant, and he doesn’t talk much when he comes. He is busy helping with work, doing this, doing that, and if he meets old customers, he will go up to say hello and then go home.In the words of the proprietress, I'm still a little embarrassed to see the old man before, men want face.

The business of the restaurant got better little by little, but there was not enough manpower at the beginning, so I hired a waiter in the front, and later, on my suggestion, I hired a big brother to make the stove. The big brother who made the stove before, Lao Meng, came to help me make the smoke, so brisk Much faster.

I taught Brother Meng how to make smoked vegetables a little bit.The reason for this arrangement is that one day I will leave so that someone will continue to make smoked flavors, and there will be no interruption of the stock.

Now if I leave the kitchen, there is almost nothing to do. There is Sister Li for barbecue and vegetables, Sister Zhang for cold noodles, and Big Brother Meng for Xunwei. I just need to find a chef to replace me.

Summer is a rainy season. The rain falls as soon as it is said, without giving any time to prepare.

It was raining when I was about to get off work at night, and it was raining hard when I got off work.Standing at the door of the hotel and looking out, the sound of the rain beating against the heart, has a trace of coolness and comfort.

When I came out in the morning, the sky was sunny, so I didn't bring an umbrella. When I knew it was raining, I brought an umbrella.

Looking at the rain outside, he sighed, lit a cigarette, and stood at the door to enjoy the rain scene.

The proprietress was picked up by the boss.The proprietress was very happy when the boss came to pick her up with an umbrella. Maybe she didn’t expect the boss to come to pick her up. When the boss came, she immediately packed up and went out of the shop with the boss. They walked slowly into the rain. The two people in the rain cuddled together ,very romantic.

Looking at the rain falling from the sky, looking at the boss and his wife walking away, I thought of Lin Yan. Fortunately, Lin Yan was in the big class today and didn't get off work until noon tomorrow, and the rain would have stopped by noon tomorrow.I thought to myself, if Lin Yan is at work today, and this is the time to leave work, will I pick her up with an umbrella?The answer is that if it is close, I will pick her up, but if it is far away, I will tell her to take a taxi directly, and don't worry about money.

There was a family of three eating barbecue in the lobby, and it was almost finished. The man started to go to the bar to pay the bill, and the woman was packing the rest of the dishes. The little boy came to the door with his toy gun in his arms, and saw it was raining outside. Turning around and shouting to my mother: "Mom, Mom, it's raining, hurry up."

After paying the bill, I walked to the table, took the packed convenience belt from my wife, and then walked to the door with my wife. The wife picked up the child, walked out of the store, and sat directly in the Santana parked at the door. , a family of three drove home by car.

Watching Santana gradually disappearing into the rainy night, I wondered when we could have a trolley?

I don't like cars, I have always disliked them, maybe it has something to do with drinking.But if I want to have a trolley, I don't have to drive it, let Lin Yan drive it.

You need a house and a car, so work hard.

After tidying up the table, Zhang Li came over, looked at the rain outside my king, and asked me: "Master Tan, why are you going home?"

I said: "Wait for a while when the rain is lighter."

Zhang Li asked, "You didn't bring an umbrella, did you?"

I said, "No." Looking at her, I guess she didn't bring it either, so I said, "What, it looks like you did."

Zhang Li smiled smugly, and said, "Don't tell me, I really did."

I looked at her and said, "You're still amazing, you knew it was going to rain in advance."

Zhang Li said: "I checked the weather forecast in the morning and said it would rain today, so I took my umbrella with me when I went to work. I thought it was leucorrhea when it didn't rain all day, but it really rained."

I looked at Yu, who was a little surprised, and went back to the kitchen without saying anything.

In the kitchen, Sister Li and Sister Zhang have already cleaned up, and the eldest brother has also cleaned up the smoked vegetables here, and is heating the old soup pot there, which contains pig's trotters, chicken heads, and chicken feet.Sister Zhang and Sister Li both brought umbrellas. The elder brother's house is in the back community, and it is only a few steps to go home, and they arrived home before getting wet.It seems that I really have to check the weather forecast every day in the future, otherwise I won't be able to go home, and I will have to get wet when I go home.

Sister Li and Sister Zhang left, and the eldest brother left last, and he was responsible for locking the store door.

When I came to the front, the two waiters also packed up and left, and Zhang Li was the only one left. I asked her why she didn't leave, and she smiled and said she was waiting for you.

What she meant was to tell me to drive her home by bike first, and then I would go home with her umbrella, so that I wouldn't have to be watered.

I asked, "Where is your home near?"

She said, "The big market."

I said, "Let's go, your house is very lively."

Zhang Li was holding an umbrella. I came out of the store with two convenience bags. She lifted the umbrella over my head. I first put a convenience bag on the bicycle seat, and then put a convenience bag on the back seat. One leg straddled the car for support, and said to her, "Come on."

She sat sideways on the back seat, holding the umbrella in one hand and grabbing my clothes in the other. I rode my bike towards the big market.

Don't dare to ride too fast, the wheels will carry the rainwater.

Zhang Li asked me from behind: "Master Tan, what is your wife's shift today?"

I said: "The big class."

Zhang Li said, "Okay, then you are free."

I said: "There is no freedom here, she will be back at noon tomorrow."

After riding for a while, the rain started to lighten up.

Zhang Li said: "I have to lean on you, the umbrella is too small, it's pouring water on me."

As she spoke, she leaned against me and could feel the heat on her back.I tensed up, a little unnaturally.She felt the changes in my body, and giggled from behind: "Master Tan, why are you nervous, I can't do anything to you."

I said: "Can you not be nervous, being hugged by a big beautiful woman, it's not normal not to be nervous."

She said: "I didn't expect you to be nervous too, I thought you wouldn't be nervous."

I said, "I'm normal too."

Turn a corner and come to the street of the big market.

The street of the big market is very lively. There are snack bars on both sides of the street. Some sell Malatang, some sell Chang Xiao Chao, some sell cold noodles and mixed vegetables, and there are small hot pots.In summer, there are the most skewers, and every family builds a big shed outside the front door, with tables inside, and a skewer stove next to the shed, which is used as a barbecue stall.In the evening, many young people and night owls come here to enjoy skewers, and the business usually does not end until two or three o'clock in the morning.

It was still raining lightly, and I watched the smoke from the barbecue from afar, and the smell of cumin chili noodles wafted in the rain, which smelled nice mixed in with the rain.

I asked Zhang Li: "The big market is here, where do you live?"

Zhang Li said, "It's the building opposite the market."

I said, "Well, I see."

I started to prepare to ride there.

She said from behind: "Master Tan, you are alone at home, it's boring, let's have some barbecue."

I said: "Don't eat, I'm tired, go back to sleep."

"I invite you," she said.

I said, "Go home and sleep, don't worry about your sister waiting for you at home."

She said: "She went to bed early. Sometimes when I am bored after get off work, I go downstairs to eat some skewers. It is raining today and I can't sleep when I go back. Let's cook some skewers and drink a bottle of wine before going back."

I said, "My wife is very strict and doesn't tell me to drink with beautiful women."

She said: "Pull it down, your daughter-in-law is not at home today, does she know who you drank with?"

As she spoke, she jumped out of the car, scaring me.

She said: "Let's go, just go to Lao Ba's in front, I always go, his skewers are delicious."

To be honest, I started to lose my will when I heard about drinking, and I just followed suit when I said I would not drink.

When I arrived at Lao Ba's BBQ, there were still a few tables outside eating skewers. Zhang Li said that it was raining and it was a bit cold so she went inside to eat.

In the room, there was a young couple sitting there eating skewers. The two of them were sitting on one side of the table, eating skewers while making love to each other. When they saw our bodies sticking together, the girl was still blushing.

Zhang Li said to others, "I'm sorry to bother you."

The boy said shyly, "It's all right, don't bother me."

Zhang Li and I sat down, and the skewer owner came over and said to Zhang Li, "Come here, old girl."

Zhang Li said: "Well, it's raining, let's go to your house to eat some skewers."

The boss complained about the weather: "This day, let's go down as soon as we say." Then he asked Zhang Li: "How are you doing today?"

Zhang Li said: "Today is okay, not bad."

After finishing talking, I ordered some meat skewers, one serving of Mala Tang, and then looked at me and said, "Master Tan, may I order you a lamb kidney to make up for it?"

I laughed and said, "I don't need to make up, it's not time to make up."

Zhang Li just laughed and asked, "When is it time to make up?"

I didn't answer, I ordered a bottle of white wine, and said to the boss: "The skewer is old, sprinkle more chili noodles, I like spicy food, and I will have roasted leeks."

The boss finished ordering and went to work.

I see that the small shop is not big, only [-] square meters including the kitchen, if it is not raining, there should be a lot of customers eating skewers, and it is very profitable.I've heard of "Old Eight Grilled Skewers" before, saying that his family's skewers are well grilled, and the boss is very particular.It doesn't matter if there is a number or not, and it's not here to fight.Since everyone says that his skewers are delicious, let’s try them out today.

After a while, the skewers and malatang came up.Zhang Li also drank baijiu, so she started drinking and chatting with her.The grilled meat skewers are delicious, the heat is in place, the meat is marinated with a taste, and the spicy soup is also very authentic, spicy and refreshing.

Zhang Li said: "Master Tan, do you still remember the day when you brought the smoked chicken head and chicken feet to the elder sister?"

I said, "Remember, what's the matter?"

Zhang Li said: "When we tasted the food you just smoked that day, the elder sister said she wanted to take it for lunch, but you said it was okay at that time, eat this first, and then smoke the ready-made one for her at noon, and asked her to take it home for the children to eat. Do you know what I thought after hearing that?"

I took a sip of wine and said, "I don't know, who knows what you think."

She said: "I was always moved at the time, and I thought that Master Tan is such a kind person, and it was the first time I met such a kind-hearted person as you in these years."

I said: "You can pull it down, don't fool me." Then I said: "Everyone knows that the elder sister's family is difficult, and she took care of the child herself. If she can say that, the child must have told her that she wants to eat smoked chicken head. Claws or something, the eldest sister is not willing to buy it for the children. Seeing that I said you can try it, she wants to take her share home and give it to the children. People? Anybody can give it to her just like me, unless it’s not a person.”

After listening to me, Zhang Li looked at me for a long time, then raised her wine glass to touch me, and said seriously: "Master Tan, I respect you."

After finishing speaking, I drank all the remaining wine in the glass, there was a full two or two, and I was taken aback.But seeing her do it, I did too.

She said: "Master Tan, you are a man, I started to admire you from admiring you."

I said, "Can we stop joking?"

She said: "I'm not joking, to be honest." After she finished speaking, she ate a few mouthfuls of Malatang, and then said to me: "You know, Master Tan, the elder sister shed tears that day, saying that you are a kind person and a good-hearted person. What the eldest sister said made my eyes red."

To be honest, I didn't expect this to happen, and I didn't care at all.

I said, "You women are soft-hearted and love to cry."

She said: "It's not that we women are soft-hearted and willing to shed tears, it's because you do things so that people's hearts are warm. Even my sister-in-law was moved and said you are a good person."

I said, "Really, I'm a good person?" What she said didn't even believe me, so she said, "Let's get over this matter now, don't talk about this, talk about something else."

She asked: "Why don't you talk about this? What are you talking about if you don't talk about this?"

I said, "You can talk about anything, whatever you want."

She laughed and said, "I don't know what else to chat with, but I want to chat with you now. I found that you have a lot of things to chat about." Then she pointed at me and said, "Now I know that Jinhua's sister Why do you want Jinhua to have a date with you, so you are a good person, if I want to have a date with you too."

I said, "Didn't drink too much, did you? Start talking about wine."

She waved her hands and said, "As soon as I tell you to be serious, you can cover yourself in another place. Don't be afraid, I don't want you. If I want you, I won't be like this, ha ha."

I said, "I'm the person my grandma doesn't like and my uncle doesn't love. I'm relatively relieved that no one is looking at me."

She said: "There are people who have their eyes on you, but they dare not tell you."

I looked at her and said, "Look at your resentment, you are older than me, and you should understand better than me. If you can be a friend, don't touch that thread, or you won't even be a friend, how embarrassing."

The rain that day was moderate and sticky, and it kept falling.

Zhang Li's drink was okay, not much.For some reason, it got to her. She directly opened her heart and told about her.

After quitting the Sitakin sisters, she went to a hotel to apply for a manager.When I was working as a manager in that hotel, I met a man who was the military representative my second child mentioned.The man belonged to BJ, was assigned to the aircraft factory as a military representative, and was a married man.But she has a military temperament, is handsome, and can speak well, so she captured her heart and stayed with this man.The man treats her very well, but after all, he is a man with a family and a business, so he can't give her anything but money.The two got along for nearly two years, and finally the man was transferred back to BJ, and they lost contact since then.

After the man left, she was sad and miserable, hated that he had never heard from him since then, and didn't care about any feelings at all.

After listening to her, I thought of Yanhua, almost the same life experience.

A woman gave her first love to a man who could not entrust her life to him, leaving a lot of pain.

Sometimes I think, what about that man?Isn't he guilty?Will not be condemned by conscience?

Men can watch and protect flowers, but don't play with flowers. Women have resentment. When women's resentment explodes, most people can't bear it.

After drinking that day, the rain was still pattering, so I took Zhang Li home, and then went back to my little den, lying on the bed, listening to the sound of the rain outside, thinking of Lin Yan, and feeling that I was still very happy.

(End of this chapter)