The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 490 Oh

Qin Huai stayed at the Yunzhong Cafeteria until 9 o'clock before going home. After chatting with Zhao Rong, he talked to An Youyou for a few minutes and gave her two days off to pack her things.

An Youyou had already terminated her lease on her previous apartment, so moving into Yunzhong Community this time was essentially a relocation. The apartment An Youyou was living in belonged to Chen Huihong, and true to Chen Huihong's habits, every vacant apartment she owned was piled high with all sorts of group-buying items she'd stockpiled. Since An Youyou was considered an insider and not a proper tenant, Chen Huihong probably wouldn't put much effort into cleaning the apartment, theoretically meaning An Youyou should be able to open many surprise blind boxes in her home.

Given An Youyou's personality—she wouldn't even throw away a half-used pack of tissues—the blind boxes Chen Huihong left in the house would keep her happy for quite some time.

Qin Huai also told An Youyou that everything in the room was left behind by the previous tenant, and she could use it if she wanted.

After convincing An Youyou, Qin Huai and Zhao Cheng'an went back together.

"Oh right, Qin Huai, did you tell Zheng Siyuan when you came back this time? I've always heard Tan Weian talk about Zheng Siyuan, but I've never met him. He's quite a legend in our pastry chef circle. Everyone knows that Chef Zheng has a son with an exceptionally talented personality who is eccentric and introverted. He never attends any exchange meetings or works in big restaurants. He just runs a pastry shop at the entrance of an old residential area."

"Back in the day, the only genius who could rival me among the younger generation was Zheng Siyuan." Zhao Cheng'an, only in his early twenties, was already reminiscing about Wang Gensheng's past.

"I told him on WeChat yesterday, but Zheng Siyuan was probably too busy, so he just replied with an 'oh'," Qin Huai said. "He doesn't like to reply to messages; he prefers to call or talk to me in person if he needs something."

“I haven’t talked to him much these past few months, so I don’t know how he’s doing at Yunzhong Canteen. But he’s here to practice making pastries. Yunzhong Canteen has a large and stable customer flow. Zang Liang went back to Huang’s a long time ago, but he hasn’t returned to Suzhou yet, so it must be working well.”

Zhao Cheng'an suddenly realized that Tan Weian hadn't lied to him about this gossip. Zheng Siyuan was also a complete workaholic. He parted ways with Qin Huai at the intersection and went home.

When Qin Huai arrived home, He Cheng was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Anime was playing on the TV, short videos were scrolling through his phone, WeChat was on his tablet, and rock music was blasting from the speakers—he was thoroughly indulging in his vengeful use of electronic devices.

Upon seeing Qin Huai return, He Cheng panicked and, unsure which phone to turn off first, instinctively threw his phone away.

Qin Huai: ...This unlucky kid must have been secretly playing on his phone a lot during class, and he's really good at throwing his phone away.

"You can do your thing and don't worry about me," Qin Huai said gently. He Cheng and Qin Luo had spent the entire summer vacation reporting on and supervising each other, so they must have studied very hard. Now that their tutoring was over, they should naturally have some fun.

"Brother Huai," He Cheng grinned, "what time are you getting up tomorrow to make steamed buns?"

Even though Qin Huai is now a well-known chef, He Cheng's impression of Qin Huai is still that of his cousin who sold steamed buns every morning.

"4:30," Qin Huai said. "If you want to get up early for breakfast, just come to the cafeteria at 6:00 and you'll definitely be among the first to eat."

"Don't worry, Brother Huai, I can definitely get up. I've been getting up at 6 a.m. every day lately to go to the cafeteria for Siyuan's wontons!" He Cheng said loudly.

Qin Huai: ?
Does Zheng Siyuan go to work this early every day? He works so hard, no wonder his WeChat messages are so perfunctory. But why would a pastry chef like Zheng Siyuan start going to work this early himself?
Even if making wontons is relatively quick, the fact that He Cheng can eat wontons at around 6 a.m. every morning means that Zheng Siyuan goes to work at least at 6 a.m. every day, which is much earlier than before.

Qin Huai vaguely remembered that when Zheng Siyuan and he were researching desserts together at the Cloud Cafeteria, they would arrive around 7 o'clock every day, first eat a bowl of chicken soup noodles made by Qin Huai, and then start making wontons.

Qin Huai shook his head in confusion, then washed up and rested.

August 21st is a day that will forever be remembered by both new and old diners at Yunzhong Canteen.

Although the number of days that both new and old diners at Cloud Cafeteria need to remember is a bit long, it doesn't matter.

Qin Huai gets up very early.

His daily routine is always a mix of regularity and irregularity, with his wake-up time fluctuating between 4:00 and 8:00, depending on whether he is a pastry chef or a breakfast chef that day.

Today, Qin Huai is undoubtedly the breakfast chef. It's the first day that Chef Qin has returned to Yunzhong Canteen. If Chef Qin's signature breakfast items are not available in Yunzhong Canteen's breakfast menu, it would be so disappointing.

Qin Huai himself was also a little excited.

Yunzhong Restaurant is his business. Whether he goes to Huangji or Zhiweiju, Qin Huai is very clear that he is there for exchange and learning, a guest who is staying for a short time. Only at Yunzhong Restaurant is he the master, and this place, like Qiuxian County, is his home.

The diners in Yunzhong Community are much like the old diners in Qiuxian Sanmalu Community. Although the elderly folks didn't grow up watching Qinhuai, their most loyal customers will always be sitting in the canteen at 6 o'clock sharp, chatting and waiting for breakfast to start an ordinary yet hopeful day.

Every time Qin Huai returns from an exchange trip, he feels a sense of returning home in glory.

Each time, his skill stats improved; he either perfected a particular dessert or learned a new signature dish. Being away was for learning, returning home was for showcasing; if he didn't spend the first few days of his triumphant return making a few new signature desserts, he would feel he had wasted his time away.

Chef Qin arrived at his beloved Cloud Canteen at 4:37 a.m.

At this time, Chen An and the helper in charge of the breakfast stall had already arrived at their posts. Qin Huai didn't exchange many pleasantries; he changed into his work clothes and got to work. During the few months he spent at Zhiweiju, Qin Huai spent almost half of his time doing what he used to do as a breakfast stall chef, making steamed buns, mantou, shumai, and rice cakes with great skill.

Grade A rice cakes and Chen Sheng brand yam cakes have already won over the guests at Zhiweiju. It's time to let the guests at Yunzhong Canteen also witness the power of Grade A ordinary breakfasts.

It was quite unusual for Qin Huai to start work by doing something other than kneading dough. Instead, he was making rice flour and steaming yams, processes he rarely performed. While An Youyou rested, Qin Huai casually hired two helpers to assist him and then focused intently on his work without looking up, unaware of Chen An's complicated expression.

As soon as Qin Huai entered the kitchen, Chen An greeted him just as he had done a few months ago.

Chen An wanted to say something to his dear boss, but he didn't know where to begin.

Qin Huai left Yunzhong Canteen for too long this time. Originally, he was going to Huangji for a month of exchange and would come back, but as soon as the exchange at Huangji ended, he went to Zhiweiju and stayed there for several months.

The guests at Yunzhong Canteen waited in Shanshi for a month, but instead of Chef Qin, they got Chef Zheng back.

Zheng Siyuan is a very responsible pastry chef, and because he is so responsible, he can also be a breakfast chef.

They're spouting nonsense. The elderly folks in Yunzhong Community can't compare to Gong Liang, but there's only one Gong Liang, while there are tons of elderly folks in Yunzhong Community. This guy's endless ramblings and that guy's silver tongue, their praises have completely fooled Zheng Siyuan, turning him from a pastry chef into a half-bread chef.

Zheng Siyuan originally planned to come to Yunzhong Cafeteria to improve his proficiency in making a single dessert, but as he kept improving, he ended up making all kinds of desserts, working longer and longer hours, and receiving more and more customer reviews.

After discovering that Zheng Siyuan genuinely enjoyed reading food reviews, the elderly residents of Yunzhong Community stepped up to help. At 60, they were at the perfect age for learning. Led by Xu Tuqiang and Grandpa Qian, the food review team spent a fortune buying the entire "Zhiwei" magazine, watching every single issue. They meticulously studied the writing styles and descriptions of Xu Cheng and other food critics, ensuring that each member produced at least one high-quality food review for Zheng Siyuan every week.

He'd been completely swayed by Zheng Siyuan, spending all his time making pastries from the moment he opened his eyes, barely having time to check WeChat. Chen An had a lot to say to Qin Huai.

He wanted to tell Qin Huai that many elderly people no longer exercise in the morning. Previously, many elderly people exercised every morning and came to Yunzhong Canteen at 6 o'clock to eat in order to follow the trend, to be the first to eat Qin Huai's breakfast, and to show off their status in front of Qin Huai.

Nowadays, Qin Huai is away for several months at a time, and Chen An's breakfast is so ordinary that it's not enough to attract the elderly. Everyone has stopped vying for the 6 o'clock slot and started vying for the 7 o'clock slot instead.

Arrive at 7 o'clock to grab the first batch of wontons made by Zheng Siyuan.

Chen An wanted to tell Qin Huai that the most popular snacks at the Cloud Canteen were not various kinds of steamed buns, but Four Happiness Flower Rolls and Fresh Meat Mooncakes. Zheng Siyuan made a lot of Four Happiness Flower Rolls and Fresh Meat Mooncakes every morning, and many people ate the Fresh Meat Mooncakes as if they were meat buns.

Chen An also wanted to tell Qin Huai that Pei Xing was no longer so stubborn. Before, Pei Xing started work earlier and earlier and became more and more stubborn, gritting his teeth and practicing making shaomai every day, secretly competing with each other, but that was all in the past.

Now Pei Xing has become that pastry chef who works on time again, no longer making shumai, but making pastries every day as usual.

What Chen An most wanted to tell Qin Huai was that you were no longer the most popular pastry chef at the Cloud Canteen; it seemed that Chef Zheng had already taken your place.

Before you were gone, the elderly folks would sit in the Cloud Canteen chatting and reminiscing, their eyes filled with a faint sadness and longing for Chef Qin as they gazed out the window. Now, they're all vying to submit their food reviews, hoping to find a chance to talk to Chef Zheng a bit more and try to persuade him to make the snacks they want.

The topic of conversation among office workers in nearby office buildings in their group-buying chats has changed from when Chef Qin will return to when Chef Zheng's mooncakes will be ready.

Yunzhong Canteen hasn't displayed dishes like tangerine peel tea, three-ingredient buns, five-ingredient buns, and four-happiness glutinous rice balls on its menu for a long time; those once signature dishes have almost been forgotten by customers.

Chen An desperately wanted to grab Qin Huai by the collar and shout: "Master Qin, you can't keep doing this! You can't just keep burying your head in making pastries! Don't you know that the wind has changed, the world outside has changed, and your position in the Cloud Cafeteria is about to be replaced by Master Zheng!"
And I, Chen An, your most loyal breakfast chef, have always been devoted to you!

I know that although you may have become a pastry chef, you have always been a breakfast chef at heart, and you will always be the pride of us breakfast chefs!

Chen An hesitated, his face showing difficulty, solemnity, and tension. His expression contained three parts worry, two parts self-blame, and five parts uncertainty about whether he should say this or not.

Qin Huai noticed Chen An's strange behavior. After instructing the apprentices to steam the yam cakes, he turned to look at Chen An and said, "Are you feeling unwell? Should you take a day off and go to the hospital? An upset stomach is not a minor matter. If it turns out to be gastroenteritis, the problem will become serious if left untreated."

The sudden bout of gastroenteritis that Huang Anyao suffered in Beiping last time left a deep impression on Qin Huai, and now Qin Huai feels that gastrointestinal problems should not be ignored.

Chen An was deeply moved. He felt that as a loyal employee of Qin Huai, he had to say something at this moment, so he opened his mouth.

Just then, Zheng Siyuan entered the kitchen.

Wearing the Cloud Cafeteria uniform, Zheng Siyuan, expressionless and radiating a faint sense of death, vanished the moment he entered the kitchen and saw Qin Huai. He quickly walked to Qin Huai's side, first glancing at the kitchen counter in front of Qin Huai to see what he was doing, before speaking:
"You're finally back."

"Didn't I send you a message in advance telling you I was coming back yesterday?" Qin Huai said.

Zheng Siyuan breathed a sigh of relief and said to himself, "It's good that you're back. I heard from Tan Weian that you were working at Zhiweiju every morning at 4 a.m. to make breakfast, and you were also planning to open a branch of Yunzhong Canteen in a nearby neighborhood. An Youyou will take over the canteen here."

"I thought you brought Zhao Cheng'an back this time so that he could stay here and help you stabilize the business of Yunzhong Canteen. You were only here for two days before going to Hangzhou to take care of the new store."

Qin Huai: ...

No, how come he can still hear Tan Weian spreading rumors even after he's back at the Cloud Cafeteria?

Tan Weian, do you have so much free time? It's not enough to spread gossip in Zhiweiju, you also have to tell Zheng Siyuan on WeChat.

"But judging from the current situation, it's probably just Tan Weian's wild guess."

"Of course it's just a wild guess!" Qin Huai raised his voice. "Even if I were to open a branch, I wouldn't open it right across from Zhiweiju. To compete with Zhiweiju for dim sum business, am I crazy?"

“I won’t be leaving again for a while after I come back this time. But Zheng Siyuan, you’re going to work very early now. It’s only 6:02 and you’re already at the cafeteria.” Qin Huai glanced at his phone.

A faint sense of death flashed across Zheng Siyuan's face again. He said numbly, "I don't want to either, but Grandpa Xu and the others are getting old. Eating breakfast after 8 a.m. every morning is really bad for their stomachs, so we have to come earlier."

Qin Huai didn't know what to say, he just wanted to pat Zheng Siyuan on the shoulder and say, "You've really suffered, Master Zheng."

Thank you for staying at the Cloud Cafeteria and helping to relieve some of the pressure and divert attention, which prevented the elderly from rushing to buy houses across from Zhiweiju like before.

The houses opposite Zhiweiju are much more expensive than the houses opposite Huangji.

"Have you had breakfast yet? I'm just about to knead the dough. The first batch of rice cakes and yam cakes are already steaming and will be ready soon."

"Did Tan Weian tell you that my cooking skills have improved by leaps and bounds in the past few months?"

“He said so,” Zheng Siyuan said calmly. “He said you’re about to break through from the Nascent Soul stage to the Mahayana stage.”

Qin Huai: ...Tan Weian's ranking system is really incomprehensible.

Qin Huai said with a serious face: "He didn't lie to you. I'm incredibly good at making breakfast now."

"You'll know once you try it; it's absolutely amazing."

A-grade basic breakfast items are excellent no matter where they're placed, and they wouldn't be embarrassing to put them in a premium gift box for Xia Murui.

Zheng Siyuan: ...

Qin Huai stayed at Zhiweiju for a few months, how did he end up like Tan Weian, having developed the habit of talking nonsense?

"Oh," Zheng Siyuan said expressionlessly.

(End of this chapter)