From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

The whole family went directly to Feng Zhengming's shop near the hospital in Shanghai.

As soon as I entered, Peng Yan saw me in the kitchen and quickly came out to greet me.

"Master, Senior Uncle, what brings you here?"

Upon seeing Peng Yan, Zhang Minghai immediately beamed with joy.

"Well, it seems you're doing quite well working with your junior uncle now. You're already in charge of cooking in this restaurant, right? Bring a meal for our whole family."

Li Huidong looked Peng Yan up and down, but for a moment he couldn't remember who he was.
Seeing that his senior brother couldn't remember, Zhang Minghai whispered a reminder to him.

After being reminded by his sixth junior brother, Li Huidong suddenly realized.

"Oh, Peng Yan, you studied at Huiquan Tower with Lü Zhengyu before, and later came to Shanghai with Gu Zhicheng and the others to study with your junior uncle."

What? You've been assigned to oversee this store now?

Peng Yan nodded with a smile: "My senior uncle thought I did a decent job, and since a branch store just opened here, they asked me to come and take charge of it."

Li Huidong: "How's business? Is your business doing alright?"

Peng Yan: "I am also learning on the job. There is still a lot to learn when you are actually in charge of the kitchen of a store."

Li Huidong smiled and looked at his sixth junior brother: "Not bad, your disciple has made great progress."

Zhang Minghai: "Isn't that all thanks to the excellent teaching of you senior brothers and junior brothers? I didn't teach them much; it was all based on their own understanding."

Li Huidong: "Sixth brother, are you deliberately flattering us? If you, as their master, don't lay a solid foundation for them, we won't be able to teach them anything."

At this moment, Feng Nuanyou stepped out from behind the two uncles.

"Uncle Peng, we're here to eat. Could you give us a few servings of food, and also make something for Mom and Dad? Mom has just had a baby, so she wants noodles. Please make sure they're cooked until very soft."

After Feng Nuanyou's words, Li Huidong and Zhang Minghai immediately came to their senses.

The two brothers realized that they had brought a group of people to eat and had been too busy talking to Peng Yan.

Li Huidong: "Yes, yes, hurry up and bring us some food. Just the four dishes from the restaurant. Also, bring some dishes for your junior uncle and aunt. Do it according to Youyou's instructions."

Zhang Minghai: "Hurry up, we're also short on time."

Peng Yan quickly agreed, "Okay, Master, Senior Uncle, and everyone else, please sit down first, I'll go prepare right away."

Seeing Peng Yan rush into the kitchen, Li Huidong and Zhang Minghai also quickly found seats and sat down.

The two grandfathers and almost all of Feng Zhengming's relatives were present.

After sitting down, Auntie asked curiously, "How did Youyou know that you were going to make noodles for Mommy? And that you were going to cook the noodles until they were soft and tender?"

Feng Nuanyou smiled and said, "I heard it from my great-aunt and grandparents, and I remembered it in my little head."

Everyone was immediately amused by the little girl's adorable appearance.

Grandpa Situ: "This girl is really too smart."

Feng Zonggu: "That's right. This little girl's personality is like a combination of Zhengming and Luo Qing. She's very lively, and she's also very clever."

Aunt: "She's seen too many people and things with her parents, so she seems to be quite mature for her age."

Second Aunt: "That's right, this girl spends most of the year traveling around with her parents."

Grandma couldn't help but speak up: "It's because we didn't help enough, making Zhengming and the others work so hard taking care of their daughter."

Grandpa agreed: "Yes, it's because we, as grandparents, haven't fulfilled our responsibilities."

Feng Zonggu laughed: "You don't need to say that. Who wouldn't want to take care of their own granddaughter? It's just that Zhengming and his wife have their own plans, which is why you couldn't bring the child."

Mr. Situ: "Zhengming and Luo Qing are raising the child very well, which shows that they are not neglecting the child, but still make time to teach the child properly."

Feng Nuanyou: "My parents taught me so many things."

The little girl's words made everyone laugh immediately.

Smart children are indeed more likely to be liked by their elders.

Especially someone like Feng Nuanyou, who is beautiful, sensible, and intelligent, would naturally be favored by the elders.

Peng Yan hurriedly prepared all the food for their table in the kitchen.

Soon the waiter brought over all their food.

Feng Nuanyou couldn't help but mutter, "Where are Mom and Dad's?"

Hearing the little girl's words, the great-aunt said in a low voice, "Let's eat first. We can ask Mom and Dad to make their noodles later when we're almost finished eating. Otherwise, if they make them first, the noodles will clump together before we've finished eating."

Feng Nuanyou asked curiously, "Grandma, what does 'putting in a lump' mean?"

The great-aunt quickly explained, "It's clumped together; the noodles have all stuck together and become a clump."

Feng Nuanyou: "Oh, no, that won't do, it won't taste good."

Great-aunt: "So let's eat first, and after we finish eating, we'll have the uncle in the kitchen cook for your parents."

Feng Nuanyou nodded: "Okay, let's eat first."

Next, the great-aunt and great-uncle served the little girl rice and vegetables, while the other put a scarf around her neck and put on her arm protectors.

Grandma watched from the side, feeling completely unable to get involved.

"Oh dear, it's been so long since I've taken care of her, I don't know what to do anymore?"

The great-aunt chuckled and said, "This girl can eat by herself now, so there's really no need to feed her."

Great-aunt: "Yes, she doesn't like being fed by others now."

The old lady asked, somewhat puzzled, "How come you all seem to know so much about how to take care of this girl?"

The great-aunt and great-uncle exchanged a glance, and then couldn't help but laugh.

It was the great-grandfather who spoke up: "Have you forgotten? Zhengming was quite busy out of town before, so it was this great-aunt and great-uncle who took care of her, wasn't it?"

The great-aunt nodded: "This girl is easier to take care of than ours, except for her youngest uncle."

Upon hearing his mother's words, the uncle immediately became displeased.

"Mom, why do you always praise Youyou?"

As a result, Feng Nuanyou picked up her little spoon and directly ordered her uncle: "You are not allowed to talk while eating. You have to eat properly. If you eat properly, your great-aunt will praise you."

When his little niece disciplined him, the uncle actually obediently lowered his head and ate his food.

This scene initially stunned everyone present, but then they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Feng Zonggu smiled as he looked at his daughter, "Suying, your granddaughter is becoming more and more like you."

Feng Suying looked helpless: "Dad, I didn't teach you that."

Feng Guofeng laughed: "You're the one who trained him. He doesn't need to be taught. With you training him, he'll definitely become more and more like you."

Feng Suying looked helplessly at her sister-in-law: "Sister-in-law, look, my brother is so old, but he still likes to nag me, his younger sister. You should do something about it."

Everyone laughed, with Mr. Feng Zonggu and Mr. Situ being the happiest. They were delighted to see the younger generation in the family getting along so well.

The whole family ate at the restaurant.

Originally, most people probably didn't have a very good appetite.

Seeing how much Feng Nuanyou and Lu Jinghao were eating made everyone else have a good appetite too.

After the meal, they asked the restaurant to pack some food for Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing.

Then Uncle Feng Zhengming and Aunt Feng went back first, and the eldest brother, sixth brother, and Xia Hui also went back to the shop to get busy.

We originally wanted the two grandfathers to go back first, but since they had eaten and had nothing else to do, they insisted on coming back to the hospital with us so they could visit their great-grandson.

In the end, the group returned to the hospital together.

Upon entering the ward, I saw Feng Zhengming holding Luo Qing's hand, the young couple still talking.

Feng Nuanyou was immediately delighted and moved closer to the bedside, squeezing into her father's arms.

"Hehe, Mom, I brought you chicken noodle soup. I asked Uncle Peng to cook the noodles until they're soft."

Luo Qing smiled and gently touched her daughter's face after hearing her daughter's words.

"Thank you, Mommy. Did you eat well, Youyou?"

Feng Nuanyou: "It's so delicious! Youyou is full. Youyou even urged her little uncle to eat his fill too."

Upon hearing her daughter's words, Luo Qing immediately recalled her time in the capital.

Every day at mealtimes, it's the same scene: the daughter urging her uncle to eat properly.

“You can’t always force your uncle like that. Let him eat by himself. Watching him will make him uncomfortable.”

Feng Nuanyou: "Mom, I wasn't watching my uncle. I ate with him."

The aunt who came in smiled and said, "Youyou is a good child. With her around, her uncle can eat without any trouble."

Feng Zhengming smiled, patted his daughter's head, and gave her a thumbs-up as encouragement.

"Youyou is great. From now on, Youyou will also take care of your younger brother and sister and make sure they eat properly, okay?"

Upon hearing her father's words, Feng Nuanyou's face lit up with an excited smile, and her bright, sparkling eyes began to shine.

"Okay, okay, I'll make sure my younger brother and sister eat well."

Seeing her daughter's expression, Luo Qing smiled and gently patted her husband.

"You said you wouldn't be biased, but you're already showing favoritism to Youyou. You're making her take care of her younger siblings. How could a little kid like her know how to take care of other kids?"

Feng Zhengming: "No, I just asked my older sister to make sure my younger siblings eat properly."

Aunt smiled and said, "Zhengming is just trying to ease your burden by letting his daughter help you take care of the child."

The second aunt laughed along, "In the past, when there were many children in the family, didn't the older sisters always take care of the younger brothers? I used to take care of your third uncle too. When he was a child, he was disobedient, so I disciplined him."

Auntie San laughed when she heard this: "Jiandong really remembered this matter, and he told me about it."

The second aunt was taken aback: "What? He's still holding a grudge?"

Third Aunt: "She wouldn't hold a grudge, she just told me that her older sister used to beat her badly when she was little."

Second Aunt: "That's because he was too naughty when he was a child."

At this point, the second aunt stepped forward, squatted down, and patted Feng Nuanyou's little head.

"Youyou, you are the older sister. You need to help Mom and Dad discipline your younger brother and sister. If they misbehave in the future, you should use your authority as the older sister and spank them."

Feng Nuanyou smiled and nodded in agreement.

Feng Zhengming and his wife exchanged a glance.

"Oh no, they've been disciplined by their second aunt. I'm afraid the two younger ones will really get spanked by their older sister in the future."

Luo Qing was both amused and exasperated, but she felt that it wasn't so bad to let her eldest daughter take care of her younger siblings.

Before everyone came back, she discussed with her husband that they would treat all three children equally in the future, but now it seems that they may not be able to do so.

After all, Feng Nuanyou had been spoiled by her family for four years, so they were subconsciously biased towards her.

After chatting for a while, Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing finished their meals.

Luo Qing's meal was quite lavish; not only were there noodles cooked in chicken soup, but Peng Yan also specially prepared some meat to add to it, as requested by her second aunt and aunt-in-law.

Feng Zhengming ate his rice for a while, but still couldn't help giving his opinion.

"Peng Yan's skills have improved quite quickly, but his control over the heat is a little inconsistent."

Hearing Feng Zhengming comment on Peng Yan's dishes made Luo Qing laugh.

"Just eat your food and stop criticizing your apprentices' cooking all the time. Xiao Peng is working very hard here, so don't put too much pressure on him."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "I'm just saying this in front of my family, right? His skills are really good. Let him gain more experience in the kitchen of the dry rice shop, and I think he can move into the kitchen of a restaurant."

Hearing Feng Zhengming say this, his family members were all somewhat curious.

My second aunt asked, "Zhengming, are you still planning to open a restaurant?"

Feng Zhengming: "There's no rush. We need to wait for the next batch of chefs who can take charge of the kitchen at the dry rice shop to emerge and replace Peng Yan and the others. Then I'll organize them to open a restaurant."

His mother-in-law asked curiously, "Zhengming, you still want to open a restaurant in Shanghai? Isn't that too expensive?"

Luo Qing said, "Mom, the costs are high here, but the profits are also high. Actually, Zhengming mainly hopes that the chefs he trains will have room for advancement."

My aunt thought for a moment and said, "Is it possible that you're working in the kitchen of a rice shop now? Then you'll be promoted to the kitchen of a restaurant? And maybe even to the kitchen of a large hotel?"

Feng Zhengming: "That's right, Auntie. But it's not easy to get promoted. For example, Peng Yan and the others were originally in the restaurant with my sixth senior brother, so they were promoted faster."

But the apprentices below them still need time to improve; whether they can endure the loneliness depends on themselves.

Second Aunt: "How can you become a master chef without going through trials and tribulations?"

Feng Zhengming: "Auntie, you're right, but that's true. However, learning to cook in the kitchen is very hard. It takes a long time for an apprentice to officially start cooking."

Many chefs may spend their entire lives busy in the kitchen of a small restaurant.

Third Aunt: "Zhengming, it's definitely going to be hard for a chef like you to get out of here. If a chef masters his skills, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to find a job in the kitchen of a restaurant, right?"

Feng Zhengming: "Auntie, it's not easy for you these days. For example, if a chef who graduated from a culinary school comes to my shop, I certainly can't just let him work on the stove. You need to be able to endure loneliness."

But many people may not be able to endure this loneliness.

Some people might feel that they are graduates of a proper culinary school and have formal training, and they might not be able to accept the difference between their current situation and that of working as a kitchen helper all day.

"So in the kitchens of all my stores, apprentices leave almost every day."

Hearing Feng Zhengming's words, his family realized that being a chef was indeed not an easy job. (End of Chapter)