1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 200, this is what you call reputation! (Bonus chapter for monthly votes: 234)

"Snowflake Chicken Noodles?!" Xu Yunliang's voice suddenly rose several decibels, his eyes filled with surprise. "No, Master secretly taught your Master behind our backs?"

Zhou Yan saw shock, confusion, and a hint of heartbreak at being betrayed in his eyes.

He probably already mentally rehearsed a scene of a master favoring his junior brother and passing on his secret recipe.

"No, my master doesn't know either," Zhou Yan quickly interrupted.

“Your master doesn’t know how, and as far as I know, your grandmaster probably doesn’t either. In Jiaozhou, the only one who could make it well was Old Luo back then. Even your grandmaster missed it for many years, feeling it was a pity that the skill was lost. He tried to replicate it for many years, but all his attempts ended in failure.” Xu Yunliang looked at him and asked seriously, “So, how do you know how to make Snowflake Chicken Noodles?”

Zhou Yan looked at him with the same serious expression and said, "Would you believe me if I said I learned it by myself by looking at recipes?"

Xu Yunliang was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I don't believe others, but I believe you."

Zhou Yan's lips twitched, and he almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

Well, that's what you call reputation!

Xu Yunliang then asked, "Has your master tried it? How was it? I've had authentic snowflake chicken soup in Chengdu."

"I just learned this recently, and my master hasn't tried it either. I think it's alright," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "I've never had the authentic version, so I'd appreciate any guidance from my senior master later."

"Your master is really magnanimous." Xu Yunliang was impressed. Today's guests included not only his fellow disciples but also a reporter from the Jiaozhou Daily.

It is both a report on Qian Siyuan's long journey to find his relatives and a joint report on his culinary journey and the Kong School, commemorating their deceased master, Master Kong Huaifeng.

As Kong Huaifeng's eldest disciple, he naturally had to attend. He returned to Jiaozhou last night and had to rush back tonight, so he attached great importance to this event.

However, seeing Zhou Yan's nonchalant demeanor, she couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, maybe your Snowflake Chicken Soup will surprise everyone. If you really manage to make it, that would be a great thing, and it would also fulfill my master's last wish."

"I will do my best," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Good temperament." Xu Yunliang reached out and patted Zhou Yan's arm, lowering his voice slightly, "Are you interested in changing your master? Your master is only level two, but I'm a level one chef now. If you're interested, I can recommend you to work at Rongcheng Restaurant."

Zhou Yan: ...

They are indeed master and disciple.

One was thinking about whether they could change their master, and the other was thinking about whether they could change their apprentice.

“My master has shown me great kindness, so let’s not exchange it,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Hahaha, I was just teasing you." Xu Yunliang laughed loudly, then turned to Xiao Lei beside him and said, "Junior brother, your disciple is really interesting; he even seriously considered it."

Xiao Lei nodded: "That's right, unlike Master Zheng, who is so honest and tells me every day that he wants to become my disciple."

Xu Yunliang immediately stopped laughing.

The smile shifted to Zhou Yan's face; when it comes to being sarcastic and unsettling, it has to be Teacher Xiao.

Xu Yunliang turned his gaze to Zheng Qiang, who was cutting meat beside him, and said with a forced smile, "Master Zheng, is that so?"

Zheng Qiang felt a chill run down his spine, and turned around with a stiff smile: "Master, I was just kidding! You will always be my most beloved master!"

"I bet you've gotten too big for your britches after just three days of not being disciplined, huh?" Xu Yunliang pointed at him and said, "Wait until tonight, I'll deal with you then!"

Zheng Qiang grinned and said, "Master, aren't you going back this afternoon? I have a feast to host tonight, so I won't see you off."

“I…” Xu Yunliang raised his hand.

“Master, look over there, that’s the reporter. He just interviewed me.” Zheng Qiang quickly said, “I’ve said a lot of good things about you. I told you that you’re very good to your disciples, never scold or beat them, and that you teach by example, inheriting the excellent style of your master.”

Xu Yunliang glanced back at the young man standing at the door, wearing a white shirt and a black suit, holding a notebook. He then gently placed his hand on Zheng Qiang's shoulder and whispered, "I'll deal with you when we get back!"

"That might have to wait until the New Year," Zheng Qiang said with a smile.

Xiao Lei, standing to the side, couldn't suppress the uncontrollable grin on his face.

"If you're still laughing, then you've learned to be slick from me." Xu Yunliang shook his head repeatedly, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"What dishes are you planning to cook for lunch, senior brother?" Xiao Lei asked with a smile.

Xu Yunliang replied, "I'll just make a whole braised rock carp. Our Kong school is good at cooking fish, and my master's signature dishes are mostly fish, so I'll make a more representative one."

“Okay, your braised rock carp is always pretty good.” Xiao Lei nodded.

While the masters were catching up, Zhou Yan couldn't just sit idly by. He told Old Zhou to go watch the Sichuan opera face-changing performance with Aunt Zhao and the others. Apparently, the troupe had been invited from Jiaozhou, and a large group of villagers were already watching.

In an era of extreme scarcity of entertainment, Sichuan opera performances in rural areas were a rare and incredibly appealing event.

Zhou Yan took a bag from the basket, which contained a kitchen knife and spices, and walked towards the cutting board.

"Junior Brother Zhou, don't try to squeeze in. There are only four cutting boards, it's not our turn," Kong Liwei said with a smile, pulling him back.

Zhou Yan looked at the seven or eight fourth-generation disciples standing in front of the four chopping boards and stopped with a smile. Today, they would all take turns being the chopping board cutters.

"I bought your magazine, it's so prestigious! It has a cover, an interview, and photos." Kong Liwei looked at him with envy: "When will I be as good as you and get to be interviewed?"

“With your talent, Senior Brother, it’s only a matter of time,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Really? You think so too?" Kong Liwei's eyes lit up immediately, and he grabbed Zhou Yan's hand, saying, "A kindred spirit is hard to find! I've finally met someone who understands me! Last time I said this to my master, he laughed at me for three days. Tell me, is that how a master should act?"

“That’s right, I believe you.” Zhou Yan nodded solemnly, trying hard to suppress a smile.

"From now on, you'll be my good brother!" Kong Liwei said, holding his hand tightly.

Kong Liwei is Kong Guodong's apprentice and nephew, a direct descendant of the Kong school.

This young man is quite interesting.

There's a kind of inexplicable optimism about him.

Zhou Yan didn't get a number for the training, but he ended up chatting with his fellow apprentices who were also free.

Everyone went home right after the last movie screening, without having a detailed chat.

Two weeks have passed, and everyone has read the magazine and gained a deeper understanding of Zhou Yan.

This kid can recreate a dish by studying an incomplete recipe, and even make adjustments to make it taste even better.

Such talent and ability are truly astonishing.

The more insiders you are in the industry, the more you understand how difficult it is to do this.

His inclusion in the "Sichuan Cuisine" magazine is well-deserved. It would be a lie to say I'm not envious; I'm more envious of Xiao Lei for having such a good apprentice.

"Thank you for your hard work, masters. Those who aren't working can go inside, sit, have some tea, and watch the show. We've reserved seats for you." Qian Siyuan, dressed in a blue Tang suit today, came out with a smile, handing out cigarettes to everyone as he spoke.

The crowd accepted the cigarettes and offered their congratulations, their gazes toward Qian Siyuan all quite friendly.

Grandpa Kong's nephew returned from the United States, thousands of miles away, to search for his relatives. This bond transcends nationality.

"Master Zhou is here." Qian Siyuan's eyes lit up when he saw Zhou Yan, and he looked around. "Where's little Zhou Momo? Is she here?"

"I'm here. My mom took me to the theater to get candy," Zhou Yan replied with a smile.

"It's good that you're here." Qian Siyuan nodded, and seeing that Zhou Yan was free, he said, "Since you don't have any work right now, why don't you go inside and take a look? Your advisor's old house, you probably haven't been here before, have you?"

“I’ve never been here before. I’ll go with you for a look around.” Zhou Yan nodded and followed Qian Siyuan into the courtyard.

The Kong family's old residence covers a large area, with a semi-open courtyard. The stage is set up directly in the courtyard, and the courtyard and surrounding area are full of people watching the show. At this moment, a face-changing performance is being performed. Amidst the dense drumbeats, the face-changing master raises his hand, and the blue face instantly changes into a red face. The audience cheers continuously, and their faces are all smiling. The atmosphere is quite lively.

Zhou Yan spotted Zhou Momo sitting on Old Zhou's shoulders in the crowd. The little girl's eyes were wide open, she was completely mesmerized, and her little hands were clapping until they were red.

"She does enjoy watching plays," Qian Siyuan said with a smile as he also noticed Zhou Momo.

"Watching a play doesn't necessarily mean you'll like it, but no child can resist face-changing," Zhou Yan said with a smile. Even he couldn't resist watching a wonderful Sichuan opera face-changing performance.

Qian Siyuan took Zhou Yan on a tour, including a visit to the room where his mother had lived when she was a child.

Apart from the large courtyard, the old Kong family residence is quite simple. It has many rooms, and there should still be descendants of the Kong family living there.

He also greeted the elders of the Kong family who were sitting in the main room.

Kong Qingfeng sat at the head of the table. As the current head of the Kong faction, he was also the head of the Kong family. Seeing Zhou Yan, he greeted him with a smile, "Little Zhou, you've arrived. Would you like to sit down for a while?"

"Grandmaster Uncle, I won't sit down. It's almost eleven o'clock, and I still have to cook later," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“Okay, then go and make your preparations.” Kong Qingfeng nodded with a friendly smile, and then introduced Zhou Yan to the others: “This is Zhou Yan, the disciple of Brother Huaifeng’s youngest disciple. He was on the cover of a magazine and in an interview at the age of twenty. He is quite accomplished at a young age.”

"It was also with Master Zhou's help that I was able to find my mother's hometown and my relatives," Qian Siyuan added.

The way everyone looked at Zhou Yan suddenly changed.

"By the way, what dishes are you planning to cook for lunch today?" Kong Qingfeng asked casually.

“I plan to make snowflake chicken soup,” Zhou Yan replied.

"Snowflake..." Kong Qingfeng suddenly stood up from his chair, looking at him with some surprise: "You mean Snowflake Chicken Noodles?"

Zhou Yan nodded: "Yes, Snowflake Chicken Noodles."

"How do you know how to make snowflake chicken soup? My senior brother really made it? Xiao Lei also learned it? And even taught you?" Kong Qingfeng looked equally incredulous.

Zhou Yan explained, "I learned it from a recipe."

"Recipe..." Kong Qingfeng remained silent for a long time before quietly saying, "Then you're really something."

Yes, he had no doubts.

It even seems somewhat reasonable.

That's what you call word-of-mouth!
It's not just one person who believes it; everyone believes it.

"Grandmaster Uncle, I'll go prepare now." Zhou Yan smiled and took his leave, turning to walk out.

Before the banquet begins, the three generations of chefs from the Confucian school prepare a table of dishes to showcase the style of their school.

This has a performative element.

The general menu was discussed and agreed upon yesterday.

It avoids repetition and can form a decent meal.

Kong Qingfeng isn't cooking today, so Xu Yunliang's braised rock carp is the grand finale dish.

Xiao Lei is the head chef for the outdoor banquet today, but he's too busy to cook.

Zhou Yan stepped in for his master and is the only fourth-generation disciple to be cooking today.

He's been on the cover of a magazine. Although he's a fourth-generation disciple, it's still quite convincing to have him represent the Confucian school in cooking a dish.

Zhong Yong's beef was already stewing in the pot. Today he was making his signature dish, braised beef brisket. Because the cooking time was relatively long, he definitely had to start cooking early.

The dishes had to be served promptly at 11:30, and the other chefs also began to work.

As the opera music in the courtyard gradually subsided, many guests gathered around to watch the cooking process.

The Kong-style chefs are renowned, but few people have actually seen them cook, and many want to learn a few tricks on the spot.

The reporter scribbled notes as he interviewed each chef in turn, trying to understand the origins of the dish and the reasons why the chefs chose it.

Zhou Yan called over Old Zhou to help him kill the young chicken he had brought.

He would just stand by and lend a hand, handing over a bowl or something.

A group of senior students surrounded him, all eager to see what Zhou Yan would do today.

Then I was impressed by Comrade Lao Zhou's superb knife skills and chicken-killing techniques.

"Is your father also a chef?" Kong Liwei couldn't help but ask curiously.

"He's not a cook, he's a butcher, the best butcher in our Zhoucun village," Zhou Yan said proudly.

Kong Liwei asked in confusion, "Then you can't even kill a chicken?"

Zhou Yan: ...

No wonder his master didn't love him!
A tender chicken was quickly killed, taking no more than five minutes. It was still steaming on the cutting board, but not a single feather was left.

Zhou Yan took two kitchen knives out of his bag, washed and dried them, and with a few swift cuts, removed two pieces of chicken breast. He then placed them on the cutting board to remove the skin and tendons.
Next, flip the knife over and use the back of the knife to pound the chicken into a paste.

Tap tap! Tap! Tap tap! Tap!
The rhythmic sound of horses' hooves immediately attracted the attention of the chefs.

Luo Han had just finished cutting the meat when he heard the sound and turned around. He saw Zhou Yan holding two knives and using the backs of the knives to pound two pieces of chicken breast on the cutting board. His eyes widened suddenly.

　I'm adding an extra chapter and asking for your monthly votes!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)