1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 344 How about... you become my girlfriend?

Zeng Anrong's arrival made the kitchen staff more and more capable.

After she took care of cooking, plating, and preparing the pork cracklings and cabbage, Ah Wei was able to focus entirely on chopping and plating, which made him much more relaxed.

Sometimes they'll lend a hand by chopping side dishes or something; they're observant and quick-witted, making them a readily available and effective force in the kitchen.

"Sister Zeng, you did such a wonderful job! With this, your old workplace must have treated you like a treasure!" Awei couldn't help but admire Zeng Anrong, who had just finished stir-frying two portions of pork cracklings and cabbage and then immediately moved to the aluminum wok to serve braised beef with dried bamboo shoots.

At Leming Restaurant, this is the young chef that the veteran chefs love the most.

Like her master, a seasoned teacher would have to give her a few pointers.

“A treasure?” Zeng Anrong laughed self-deprecatingly. “They each have their own treasured apprentices. In their eyes, a female chef like me who came halfway through her career is just here to steal their jobs. All that’s missing is to add a lid to their own stove.”

Ah Wei was shocked to hear this: "Is the learning environment for cooking in small places really that bad? It's much better in Leming. As long as you are diligent, the older men are really willing to teach you, and the young chefs don't hold back when exchanging skills with each other."

Zeng Anrong nodded slightly and said, "The reason why the Kong School has become the industry benchmark in the hearts of Jiaozhou chefs is precisely because Master Kong Huaifeng and Master Kong Qingfeng opened training classes and selflessly passed on their culinary skills, cultivating batches of Sichuan cuisine chefs for Jiaozhou."

Besides the disciples of the Confucian school, many other chefs improved their culinary skills during the training, becoming capable chefs who could work independently and go on to excel throughout Sichuan and even the whole country.

I have benefited greatly from this chef training program. I feel I have learned more than I could in three years of trying to figure things out on my own. This is why I decided to resign and come to learn and work under Teacher Zhou.

"The demeanor of Kong-style chefs is admirable and inspiring."

Kong Liwei fell silent, then turned his gaze to Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan scooped the food out of the pot, added a ladle of water, and turned to Zeng Anrong, saying, "Sister Zeng, you haven't become an apprentice yet, have you?"

Zeng Anrong nodded: "Yes, I didn't become an apprentice. I signed a contract with the restaurant before."

Zhou Yan seemed to be deep in thought, then asked, "Do you want to join the Confucian school?"

Zeng Anrong was stunned for a moment, then her eyes lit up: "Become a disciple of the Confucian school?! This... is this something I can even imagine?"

Ah Wei looked at Zhou Yan with some surprise. What was Master Zhou planning?

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Some things require thought before you have a chance to do them. You just need to answer: yes or no."

"Yes!" Zeng Anrong nodded decisively. "I dream about it. During the training course, we will go to the kitchen of Leming Hotel to help learn. The atmosphere of the Kong school is amazing."

Zhou Yan then asked, "If I asked you to become my disciple, would you feel like you're at a disadvantage?"

“Master Zhou’s culinary skills are superb, and his teaching level is even higher. If he would be willing to take me as his apprentice, I would be extremely honored,” Zeng Anrong said, her tone solemn and tinged with joy.
"Master Zhou, you're going to take on a disciple?!" Awei exclaimed in shock. He had originally thought that Zhou Yan was looking for a disciple for his master.

“According to the tradition of the Kong School of Confucianism in accepting disciples, the first priority is character and temperament, and the second is talent. Those with poor character, no matter how talented, will not be accepted as disciples.” Zhou Yan looked at Zeng Anrong and said, “There will be a three-month trial period. If you can pass, I will ask my master and grandmaster to witness and accept you as my disciple.”

"Teacher Zhou, I understand. I will definitely do my best." Zeng Anrong nodded, her expression revealing her excitement.

She has been working as a chef for five years since she switched from being a waitress. She has privately visited many chefs, from famous chefs to those of average skill, but without exception, she was rejected by all of them.

Unexpectedly, on her first day at Zhou Erwa's restaurant, Zhou Yan offered to take her on as his apprentice. This turn of events felt like a dream to her.

Although there is still a three-month probationary period, she never expected such a clear opportunity to be presented to her.

After Zhou Yan finished speaking, he turned back to continue cooking and stir-frying, a smile playing on his lips.

Zeng Anrong's journey to becoming a chef was arduous; she endured much hardship. Yet, through self-study, she has reached her current level, surpassing Awei in knife skills, heat control, and seasoning. Her character and diligence speak for themselves.

Being a chef is a profession that requires diligence; skills are valued through practice, and practice makes perfect.

Zhou Yan plans to train his own team of chefs, which means he needs to pass on his true skills to Zeng Anrong and Kong Liwei.

Ah Wei is a disciple of the Confucian school, so there's no need to elaborate.

If we take Zeng Anrong as our apprentice, we can control her to some extent.

Of course, Zhou Yan didn't mean that once he took on a disciple, he would tie them to his restaurant for life.

If she has better opportunities in the future and wants to leave, her mentor will only offer her his blessings.

Help them get on their horse and see them off for a while.

This is how the Confucian school of thought has always been passed down.

Otherwise, the Leming Hotel wouldn't be able to accommodate the Kong-style chefs.

Anyway, Zhou Yan is quite open-minded. He will offer the best conditions on the market, but the choice of whether to stay or leave is up to the individual.

Ah Wei looked at Zhou Yan and felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He didn't realize it until the business closed at noon.

He hasn't even officially graduated and started cooking yet, but Master Zhou has already begun preparing to take on apprentices. The difference is just too big!
With Master Zhou's current culinary skills, just those dozen or so dishes on the menu, he could easily find a place in any restaurant, and taking on apprentices would be no problem at all.

Once I thought about it that way, everything became clear.

Teacher Zhou is appreciating talent.

That's true. There are many talented chefs, but not many who are truly down-to-earth and hardworking, day in and day out for ten years.

Master Zhou said he would test Sister Zeng for three months, which is considered a rule in the culinary industry.

To be strictly speaking, when a master takes on a disciple, there must be an introducer and a guarantor to conduct a rigorous screening of the disciple's character.

Taking on apprentices is a major matter and cannot be taken lightly.

The Leming Training Class has been running for dozens of sessions, and Grandpa Kong has taken on a total of four apprentices.

His master had more disciples, but only eight.

Those untalented lads in the Kong family don't count; they wouldn't dare say they were Master Kong's apprentices when they went out, for fear of being punished when they got home.

The lunch break wasn't much faster than before, but the kitchen was noticeably more relaxed.

Zhou Yan and Awei felt this most clearly.

"Sister Zeng, you're like my own sister. With you here, I feel like I've found the feeling of being alive again," Awei said, looking at Zeng Anrong with deep emotion.

"It's all my duty, Wei. You and Master Zhou work together so well, you're so efficient. I still have a lot to learn." Zeng Anrong's smile was a little reserved as she put away the knives and picked up a basin full of bowls to wash the dishes.

"Xiao Zeng, you can rest now. The rest is our job," Li Lihua said with a smile, taking the bowl from her hands.

“It’s alright, Aunt Li, I wash dishes pretty well too. I used to do it all the time at the restaurant,” Zeng Anrong said.

“That won’t do. You’re busy enough cooking; you should rest now,” Li Lihua shook her head.

"It's really nothing. I'll just help out Master Zhou right now. I'm not tired," Zeng Anrong said.

Zhou Yan said, "Aunt Li is right. Everyone has a different job and should do their own job. After you finish your work, you can rest and take a nap in your room. We will start preparing the ingredients around four o'clock in the afternoon."

You're a chef at our restaurant; doing your job well is your primary responsibility. To live a carefree and fulfilling life, you need to feel worthy.

"A sense of worthyness?" Zeng Anrong asked, somewhat puzzled.

Zhou Yan took off his apron, looked at her and said, "Those terrible experiences in the past weren't because you were bad, but because of those people. In our restaurant, you don't need to do a lot of work or try to please everyone."

You just need to do your job as a chef well. You are good enough and deserve the salary I pay you.

You didn't get the job because you could work from morning till night; it was because of your excellent knife skills, your superb stir-fried pork with salt and pepper, and your quick and skillful mastery of twice-cooked pork and stir-fried pork liver.

Zeng Anrong froze, staring blankly at Zhou Yan, as if struck by lightning.

Ah Wei opened his mouth, but then swallowed his words back.

Master Zhou is truly exceptional; his words are so insightful, he definitely deserves to take on disciples.

"A chef not only needs to have confidence in the knife and spoon in his hand, but also absolute self-confidence in himself. Only in this way can he perfectly control the heat and seasoning." Zhou Yan looked at her and said, "Sister Zeng, as long as you persevere, you will become an excellent chef."

Zeng Anrong's tears welled up instantly. She bit her lip, trying to control her expression, but the tears just wouldn't stop.

For five years, the words she heard most often in the kitchen were: "You're no good! You can't be a chef! You're only fit to be a chopping block or a kitchen helper!"

She tried to please everyone, including the auntie who cleaned the kitchen.

She was always timid and submissive in the kitchen, and anyone could ask her to do something.

Even so, he received far more ridicule than praise.

Zhou Yan's words were a wake-up call, striking right at the heart.

She always felt that she wasn't good enough or good enough, which was why people laughed at her and didn't want to teach her.

But Zhou Yan told her that it wasn't that she wasn't good enough.

Her knife skills and cooking abilities are worthy of this job and this salary.

The phrase "a sense of deservingness" deeply shocked and prompted her to reflect.

"Sister Zeng, as the champion of the knife skills competition for young chefs at Leming Hotel, I acknowledge your knife skills. If you were to participate, you would be my biggest threat," Awei said earnestly.

Aunt Zhao said, "Putting everything else aside, the stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings and the spicy stir-fried pork liver that Xiao Zeng made for lunch today tasted pretty good, especially the cabbage with pork cracklings; the customers were quite satisfied with it."

"Sister Anrong, you're amazing! You're the first female chef I've ever met! You're so incredible!" Zhou Momo ran over, looking up at her with her little face full of admiration.

"Thank you, thank you everyone." Zeng Anrong raised her hand to wipe away her tears, feeling warm inside from all the care and love she received.

Corresponding to Zhou Yan's previous words, she seemed to understand what "a sense of worthyness" meant.

"Alright, have some water and go take a nap. You left early this morning too." Aunt Zhao brought over a glass of warm water and handed it to Zeng Anrong.

"Okay, sure." Zeng Anrong nodded. "I'm going to take a nap too. I've been so tired lately that I've developed a habit of taking afternoon naps." Awei put the water tank on the counter next to him and went upstairs.

Zhou Yan took the book and went out.

"Give me two more books, I've finished these two." Old Zhou brought over his Romance of the Three Kingdoms and put it in the cloth bag of the bicycle basket. "I don't want foreign books, give me the Romance of the Three Kingdoms if you have one."

"Okay." Zhou Yan replied, picked up three ounces of braised beef and three ounces of braised pig's head, got on his bike and rode away.

When we arrived at the town library, Grandpa Wang was leaning back in his recliner, listening to a storytelling performance on a tape recorder with his eyes half-closed, while a covered bowl beside him emitted wisps of steam.

Grandpa Wang opened his eyes and said, "What a rare guest, Boss Zhou."

"Please don't tease me, old man. I've been quite busy lately and haven't had time to return or borrow books." Zhou Yan parked the car, took out the wine and two boxes of braised meat that he had just picked up on the way, and placed them on the small table next to Grandpa Wang.

"With you here, I'm in for a treat." Grandpa Wang sat up with a smile, reached into his lunchbox, picked up a piece of braised beef, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and nodded with a satisfied look: "Delicious! If we're talking about braised meat, you make the best in Jiaozhou right now."

"What books are you planning to borrow today?" Grandpa Wang asked, holding up a small cup.

Zhou Yan uncorked the wine and poured him a glass. "Borrowing the book isn't urgent. I have something I'd like to ask you about, sir."

The old man picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and looked up at him: "About relationships?"

“I have a friend who’s been having some troubles lately. He met a really nice girl, but she’s about to finish her internship and go back to her school in Chongqing. After graduating next year, she’ll be working in Hong Kong.” Zhou Yan sat down on a small stool in front of the old man and looked at him seriously, asking, “Do you think my friend should confess his feelings at this crucial moment? Should he confirm their relationship now, or would it be more appropriate to wait until their careers are more stable and they can face the distance more comfortably before confessing?”

"It's clear that your friend has been troubled by happiness lately." The old man put down his wine glass and looked at him with a smile. "Looking at it this way, if you... they're going to confirm their relationship, they might be facing a long-distance relationship for a year or even longer. In love, distance doesn't necessarily make things beautiful; on the contrary, it can breed a lot of troubles and suspicions."

"So, we should slow down?" Zhou Yan frowned.

Grandpa Wang shook his head: "It depends on both parties. If you have enough trust in each other, then distance will bring your hearts closer."

Always look forward to the next meeting, always firmly believe that the other person's love will not be hindered by mountains and seas, and when the distance is broken, it will also be a beautiful memory.

Even if you're together all the time, the fleeting, passionate love will eventually be worn down by the mundane realities of daily life. What endures is the continuous, passionate energy that emanates from each other.

A light gradually appeared in Zhou Yan's eyes; it was as if he had grasped something.

Grandpa Wang said slowly, "Hong Kong is very far away. A letter sent from Jiaozhou will take half a month to reach her. What you received was what she shared with you half a month ago, along with her feelings."

But what does it matter? It takes more than a week to travel by boat from Jiaozhou to Guangzhou, and the journey by carriage is so slow.

We only need to focus on the emotions this letter evokes in you, and then give her a warm and sincere response; she will feel it.

Zhou Yan nodded thoughtfully, then asked curiously, "How many letters do you send to Mrs. Qiu each month?"

“Sometimes I write a letter every two days, sometimes every three days. If something interesting happens, I might write another one the next day.” Grandpa Wang smiled. “Like today, I’ll write one to her later, to talk about your friend. It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered something so interesting.”

Zhou Yan: "..."

It's unnecessary to ask that question!
“Confessing your feelings is a formal way to establish a relationship, but the love won’t change because of it.” Wang Yu looked at Zhou Yan with a deep gaze: “Instead of worrying about when to confess, your friend should ask himself if he truly loves this girl, has he considered their future, and has the ability to overcome the distance between them.”

"Life is short and can't afford to be delayed. If you haven't figured things out, don't delay others. It takes half a month to receive a letter, and a person might wait a lifetime."

Zhou Yan sat up straight immediately, thought about it seriously in silence for a while, and nodded, saying, "Grandpa, I understand a little."

The uncle is right.

Confessing your feelings is simply a formality to stamp an already established relationship.

True love is hidden in the way you spend time together.

If he believes he is capable of handling this relationship, then he can confess his feelings to solidify it.

The school in Chongqing, the home in Hangzhou, and the job in Hong Kong—in this era, each one seems increasingly distant.

But he knew very well that what was limited was the money in his pocket.

There is a flight route from Chengdu to Hangzhou, but the ticket price can be as high as several hundred yuan, equivalent to a worker's annual salary.

Zhou Yan's restaurant earns 10,000 yuan a month. He is confident that he can earn even more when he moves the restaurant to Jiaozhou next year and expands the scale.

Distance is not a problem, at least it won't be a problem for him.

Money may not be everything, but it can certainly solve most of the problems in life.

Zhou Yan is a materialistic man who loves money. His simplest wish is to earn more money so that he and his family can live a better life.

It seems the motivation to make money has increased again.

Grandpa Wang picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said, "The book you want is on the innermost shelf, at the very bottom of the second bookshelf."

"Oh? Do you have any more book recommendations?" Zhou Yan was a little surprised. She took the book from the bicycle basket and walked into the library.

First, I put the books I had borrowed back in their original places. Then, following the directions given by Grandpa Wang, I walked to the last row of bookshelves. My eyes swept across the rows of bookshelves and I found the second bookshelf. My gaze moved down and I saw a figure sitting on a small stool next to the bookshelf.

Xia Yao wore a gray coat, her hair tied up, revealing her smooth forehead and cheeks. She held a book in her hands, and sunlight refracted through the glass onto her face, making her look serene and beautiful.

Hearing footsteps, Xia Yao looked up at him.

"Xia Yao?"

"Zhou Yan!"

Both of them spoke at the same time, their faces showing surprise.

"You're here to look up information?"

"You've come to borrow a book?"

After saying that, they both laughed.

Xia Yao nodded: "Yes, I came here to check information. Grandpa Wang has a very complete collection of books, including many local ancient books, which he collected himself. You might not even be able to find them in the city library."

"I've finished reading the books I borrowed before, so I'm coming over today to exchange two more," Zhou Yan said. He thought to himself, "That old man Wang is really something, he didn't even tell me beforehand."

I wonder if Xia Yao heard their previous conversation.

"What books did Grandpa Wang recommend to you?" Xia Yao asked, looking at him.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "He only said that it's on the very bottom shelf of this bookcase, maybe you can recommend one to me."

"The last row..." Xia Yao put down the book she was holding, glanced at the books in the last row, hesitated for a moment, then pulled out a book and handed it to Zhou Yan: "This one?"

Zhou Yan's gaze fell on the book cover: "On Love" by Vasilyev.

He was certain that Grandpa Wang was referring to this book.

This is probably what romance is all about for scholars.

The book is very new; it probably hasn't been borrowed much yet.

Xia Yao held up the book, her face gradually turning red. She suddenly regretted it a little, wondering why she had pulled the book out of her head. She looked away and said somewhat flusteredly, "If it doesn't work, I'll choose another one."

"That's good. It looks like a new book. I'll study it." Zhou Yan took the book from him.

Xia Yao pursed her lips and said... "Study, study?"
Isn't this book a bit too avant-garde?
"You have a performance tomorrow, have you finished rehearsing your act?" Zhou Yan asked.

Xia Yao nodded: "We rehearsed once yesterday. It's a solo, so as long as you're confident, it'll be fine. They're performing a group program, and they've been rehearsing every night recently."

Has the end date of your internship been set?

"It's scheduled for next Friday. My aunt will take me to Chengdu to catch the train, which will make it easier for me to go back."

“Okay, I’ll see you off then.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Hearing this, Xia Yao looked up at him with a bright smile: "Okay, then I'll come to your shop for a bowl of braised pork rib noodles before I leave. Once I go back to Shancheng, I won't be able to eat such delicious braised pork ribs anymore."

Looking at her bright smile, brimming with youthful sweetness, Zhou Yan felt a surge of emotion. He swallowed hard, his voice slightly hoarse: "Comrade Xia Yao, how about... you become my girlfriend? I'll make you braised pork ribs from now on."

Xia Yao's face flushed instantly, a hint of panic appearing in her eyes. Her slender fingers gripped the book tightly: "Do I have to be your girlfriend to eat braised pork ribs?"

Zhou Yan looked down at her and couldn't help but laugh when he saw Xia Yao, who was usually so poised and elegant, looking so nervous. He bent down and said with a smile, "Braised pork ribs are very expensive. If you agree, they'll be free from now on. You can have two servings without paying extra."

Xia Yao sensed Zhou Yan approaching and subconsciously looked up, meeting his captivating eyes, which had a mesmerizing quality in the light reflected off the glass.

"Braised pork ribs, really free?" she asked in a low voice.

"Mm." Zhou Yan nodded.

Xia Yao felt dizzy and subconsciously wanted to nod, but she swallowed the words back: "Then... can I think about it more seriously?"

“Of course.” Zhou Yan straightened up with a smile. “You can tell me anytime you’ve thought it through.”

Zhou Yan turned around and took two steps, looking at the other bookshelves. He could hear his own heart pounding as he tried to search for the novel that Old Zhou had specifically asked for, but his 5.2 vision suddenly seemed to be presbyopic, and he couldn't focus no matter what he did.

"Comrade Zhou Yan." Xia Yao's voice sounded behind him.

Zhou Yan turned around.

Xia Yao, holding her book, stood in the light and smiled at him: "I want... to always be able to eat your braised pork ribs."

　No extra chapter today, but I think I can ask for monthly votes~~
　　I'll try to update more during the day tomorrow, but I dare not stay up late tonight; I really can't stay up late after turning thirty.

　　That's all!

　　We still need Grandpa Wang

　　
　
(End of this chapter)