Siheyuan: Start with a Truck Driver

Chapter 1188: Silly Pillar Takes Office

In the afternoon, the sun shines warmly on the earth.

With Liu Haizhong and Sha Zhu in his arms, he was waiting outside the steel mill early in the morning.

Sha Zhu was both excited and a little nervous. After all, this was about his future livelihood.

From time to time he stood on tiptoe and looked into the distance, hoping that Xiao Liu would come soon.

After a while, Xiao Liu's figure appeared in sight. He trotted over and nodded to Liu Haizhong and Sha Zhu. Then he said to Sha Zhu, "Master Sha Zhu, let's go. I'll take you there right away."

As he spoke, Xiao Liu led the way, and Sha Zhu quickly followed.

The three of them walked towards an alley not far from Xizhimen.

Along the way, Xiao Liu looked a little serious, and he did not forget to remind Sha Zhu: "Master Sha Zhu, don't ask too many questions when you get there.

Just follow me. The less you know about some things, the better. This is also for your own good."

Although Sha Zhu was quite puzzled, he still nodded and agreed.

After all, this job was hard to come by, and I couldn't make any mistakes.

After walking around the alley for a while, we arrived at a courtyard with a separate entrance.

The courtyard doesn't look big, but it exudes a sense of mystery. The walls are high and the gates are closed.

Xiao Liu walked forward, raised his hand and knocked on the door gently.

After a while, the door creaked open and a middle-aged man who looked quite wealthy poked his head out.

Zhongshan suit with four pockets means he is at least a small leader in the factory.

This person is Huang Renmei, the owner of the private restaurant.

Huang Renmei first looked around vigilantly, and seeing nothing unusual, she then turned her attention to Xiao Liu, Sha Zhu and others.

Xiao Liu quickly introduced with a smile: "Boss Huang, this is the chef I told you about, He Yuzhu, everyone calls him Shazhu.

Master Shazhu's cooking skills are incredible. He is well-known in our steel mill.

Even Director Yang of the steel mill particularly likes the dishes made by Chef Shazhu.

If you invite him, the restaurant's business will surely be good."

Huang Renmei smiled when she heard this.

He looked Sha Zhu up and down and saw that Sha Zhu looked very energetic and had the agility of a chef. He felt more recognized and said with a smile, "Oh, it's Master He. I've heard a lot about you. Please come in, please come in."

Sha Zhu hurriedly responded with a smile and followed Huang Renmei into the yard.

As soon as he entered, Sha Zhu looked around the yard curiously, thinking that this was where he would work in the future.

I don't know what the kitchen inside is like, so I have to show off my skills to secure this job.

After entering the yard, Huang Renmei took Sha Zhu and walked straight to the kitchen.

The kitchen is on the west side of the yard. As soon as you open the door, you can smell a faint smell of smoke.

Although the kitchen is not big, it is fully equipped with pots, pans, stoves and chopping boards, and the ingredients are neatly arranged.

Huang Renmei stood aside, crossed her arms, looked at Sha Zhu and said, “Master He, since Xiao Liu strongly recommended you, I can definitely trust you.

However, the success of this restaurant depends entirely on the cooking skills.

I still want to test you first, so just cook a dish and let me taste your cooking skills."

When Sha Zhu heard this, he smiled confidently and said, "Okay, Boss Huang, just wait and see."

As he said that, he walked to the ingredients, scanned them quickly, and already had an idea in his mind.

He decided to make one of his signature dishes - braised pork.

Sha Zhu skillfully picked up a piece of pork belly with alternating fat and lean meat, placed it on the chopping board, and cut the meat into even-sized cubes with the knife.

Then, he lit the fire, put the pot on the stove, poured a little oil into the pot, and when the oil started to smoke slightly, he added the onion, ginger and garlic to stir-fry.

The fragrance instantly spread throughout the kitchen, making people drool.

Then, Sha Zhu poured the chopped pork belly into the pot and stir-fried it quickly. The meat sizzled in the pot and gradually turned golden.

He then added soy sauce, cooking wine, rock sugar and other seasonings in turn. With each addition of a seasoning, the color and aroma of the pot became richer.

After stir-frying evenly, Sha Zhu added an appropriate amount of water to the pot, covered the pot, and simmered it over low heat.

Time passed by minute by minute, and the kitchen was filled with the rich and mellow aroma of meat.

Sha Zhu would occasionally open the lid of the pot and turn the meat over with a spoon to ensure that every piece of meat was cooked well.

Finally, the braised pork is out of the pot.

Sha Zhu put the meat on a plate. The bright red pieces of meat were tempting in color and dotted with emerald green onions. Just looking at them made people salivate.

Huang Renmei was standing aside, already overwhelmed by the aroma.

He couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of braised pork and put it into his mouth.

As soon as the meat enters your mouth, the soft, sweet taste instantly spreads on your tongue. The fat part melts in your mouth, while the lean meat part is tender and juicy, and the taste is just right.

Huang Renmei's eyes lit up immediately, and she kept praising him, "Good! Good! This cooking skill is amazing! Master He, your cooking skills are beyond reproach!"

Seeing Huang Renmei's reaction, Shazhu felt relieved and a smile appeared on his face.

Knowing that his cooking skills had impressed Huang Renmei, he knew that he would secure the job, and he was extremely happy.

Huang Renmei was savoring the deliciousness of the braised pork, while she was muttering in her heart

A chef with such superb cooking skills should be working steadily in a big hotel or company canteen. How come he doesn't have a formal job?

He couldn't help but frowned, looked at Sha Zhu and asked, "Master He, I'm wondering, you are such a great cook, why don't you have a formal job?"

When Sha Zhu heard this, his heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm. He didn't dare to tell the truth.

If Huang Renmei knew that she was fired for stealing, this job would definitely be ruined.

So, Sha Zhu rolled his eyes and made up an excuse: "Boss Huang, you don't know that I have a straightforward personality. When I was in my previous company, I always couldn't get along with my boss.

That leader always deliberately made things difficult for me and excluded me. I was so angry that I resigned. I couldn’t stand that humiliation. "

Huang Renmei nodded, not quite understanding, and did not ask any more questions.

After all, what he is more concerned about now is whether Sha Zhu's cooking skills can bring business to his restaurant.

Then, the two began to talk about wages. Huang Renmei spoke first and said, "Master He, my small restaurant has just started business, and it's not easy. I'll give you 20 yuan a month, what do you think?"

When Sha Zhu heard this, he immediately sneered and said, "Boss Huang, you are kidding me, twenty yuan is the salary for an apprentice.

You have tasted my cooking skills. This braised pork dish is something that ordinary chefs cannot make. I charge 40 yuan a month, but that is a little less because your restaurant is just starting out."

You know, Sha Zhu used to earn thirty-seven quick five cents at the steel mill.

When Huang Renmei heard that Sha Zhu wanted forty yuan, he quickly waved his hand and said, "Master He, forty yuan is too much. I still have to calculate the cost. I can't afford it for my small business."

Sha Zhu refused to give in and said, "Boss Huang, you can't just think about the cost.

You have to think about how much business my cooking skills can bring you.

If you invite me, I promise to make your restaurant famous. Then you will be too busy to handle the customers. Are you still worried about not making money?"

Huang Renmei thought for a moment and felt that what Shazhu said made some sense.

But these forty dollars were indeed beyond his budget.

So, he gritted his teeth and said, "Master He, how about this, I will raise your salary to 35 yuan a month.

This is the highest price I can offer. If you think it's okay, we'll make it a deal.

If you think it's not possible, then I can't help it."

Sha Zhu calculated in his mind that although thirty-five yuan was a little less than he expected, it was still pretty good. It was much better than carrying heavy bags at the grain station.

So he nodded and said, "Okay, Mr. Huang, it's just thirty-five dollars.

But you have to keep your word and don’t hold back my salary anymore.”

Huang Renmei smiled and said, "Master He, don't worry, I am a very honest person. As long as you work hard, I will not treat you unfairly."

Just like that, Sha Zhu and Huang Renmei agreed on the salary.

Sha Zhu felt very happy, thinking that he finally got a good job again and that the future would be promising.

In the evening, several tables of guests came to the restaurant one after another.

Suddenly, the originally quiet courtyard became lively. Some of the guests were nearby residents, while others came here to try out the new restaurant after hearing about it.

Sha Zhu was not idle. He tied on an apron and went into the kitchen to start showing off his skills.

He skillfully cut vegetables, prepared side dishes and stir-fried them. The fire in the stove was burning brightly and the vegetables in the pot gave off an enticing aroma as he stir-fried them.

After a while, delicious dishes were brought out from the kitchen and placed on the guests' table.

The guests tasted the dishes made by Sha Zhu, and their faces showed satisfaction. They kept praising him, "Wow, this dish is really authentic!"

"This chef's cooking skills are amazing. I haven't had such delicious food in a long time."

After hearing these compliments, Sha Zhu felt so proud that he worked even harder and served the guests at these tables very comfortably.

Time passed quickly, and it was almost seven in the evening. Most of the guests in the restaurant had left.

Thinking that he had finished his work for the day, Sha Zhu began to clean up the kitchen.

I was still thinking about the promise I made to Jia Zhang and Qin Huairu in the courtyard to bring back the leftovers.

He seized the opportunity and while Huang Renmei was busy counting the bills in front, he secretly put the leftovers that he had prepared long ago into a canvas bag. When he was about to sneak out the door, he was discovered by Huang Renmei.

Huang Renmei was originally writing and drawing in the account book. When she looked up, she saw Sha Zhu sneaking towards the door. His canvas bag was bulging and looked strange.

He immediately frowned, took a few steps forward, blocked Sha Zhu's way, and said gloomily: "Master He, what are you doing? What's in your pocket?"

Sha Zhu's heart skipped a beat, and an awkward smile appeared on his face. He said with a stiff face, "Boss Huang, these... these are some leftovers. I wanted to take them back home to feed the chickens and ducks. It would be a pity to throw them away."

Huang Renmei was furious when he heard this and shouted angrily: "He Yuzhu, do you think I'm a fool? You're going to take these leftovers back to feed the chickens and ducks?

Who are you fooling!

Our restaurant has just opened, so we have to establish clear rules. If you can take away leftovers today, and other waiters follow suit tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, then can my restaurant still be open?

I invited you here to cook, not to steal things from the store. You are so dirty!"

After being scolded by Huang Renmei, Sha Zhu hurriedly explained: "Boss Huang, you misunderstood me. I really didn't mean anything else. I just thought it would be a waste to throw away the leftovers, so I wanted to take them back. I didn't mean to take advantage of you. Please calm down, calm down."

But Huang Renmei was so angry that she couldn't listen to Sha Zhu's explanation. She still said angrily, "Humph, misunderstanding? I think you did it on purpose.

I don't care what you think, just don't think about taking the leftovers, and don't do this again in the future, or I won't allow you to work here, humph!"

Shazhu stood there, his face flushed red, not knowing whether to move forward or backward. The scene was extremely embarrassing.

He was so conflicted in his heart, thinking that if he just took the leftovers away, Huang Renmei would definitely not let it go, and his job that he had worked so hard to get would be ruined.

But if I put the leftovers back, how can I explain to Jia Zhang and Qin Huairu in the courtyard? I have already promised them.

After hesitating for a long time, Sha Zhu gritted his teeth and finally sighed helplessly.

In order to keep his job, he had to slowly put the canvas bag of leftovers on the table beside him, and said reluctantly: "Boss Huang, I know I was wrong. I will put the leftovers back.

Please calm down, and don't chase me away because of this. I will pay attention to it in the future and never make the same mistake again."

Huang Renmei's expression eased a little when he saw Shazhu put the leftovers back, but he still kept a straight face and said seriously: "Humph, Master He, forget it this time, I won't bother with you, considering that your cooking skills are not bad today.

But I have to be frank with you. If I catch you sneaking in leftovers again,

Then I won't be polite. Every time I find out, I will deduct five dollars from your salary.

You have to think it over carefully, so as not to be confused again when the time comes."

When Sha Zhu heard this, he secretly groaned in his heart, this salary deduction is no joke!

I only earn thirty-five yuan a month. If it is deducted a few times, there won’t be much left.

But at this moment he didn't dare to say anything more, he could only nod and promise: "Boss Huang, don't worry, I promise I will never do this again in the future.

I will definitely abide by the restaurant's rules, and you can just wait and see how I perform."

Huang Renmei nodded slightly and said, "Okay, that's fine. You've been busy all day. Go back and come early tomorrow. The business of this restaurant still depends on you."

Sha Zhu responded, turned around and walked out the door dejectedly, still thinking about how to tell Jia Zhang about this.