1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 78 A Lifeline in Distress! (Important!)

The factory canteen was the most affected by Sun Meili's arrest.

These past few days have been turbulent and chaotic, with no clear leader and widespread anxiety.

However, the workers generally reported that the stir-fried dishes were much tastier than before, suggesting that Chef Xiao might have made a comeback.

Former head chef Huang Fusheng is currently at home awaiting the outcome of his case. There are rumors that he is also implicated in Sun Meili's corruption case, so he is definitely no longer in charge of the head chef position.

The canteen director, Wang Defa, is also under investigation. In addition to the issue of unclear canteen accounts, the investigation also focuses on his improper relationship with Sun Meili.

However, rumors suggest that both individuals vehemently denied all accusations, refusing to admit anything.

The security department and the discipline inspection commission interrogated them for three days, but they still couldn't get them to talk.

But Sun Meili's denial was useless. The factory's finance department worked overtime to reconcile the accounts, and the accounting problems were clarified. The suppliers who delivered goods to the canteen were also being investigated, and the chain of evidence was becoming clearer and clearer.

The amount of money involved left even the security officers handling the case speechless.

If this is completely proven true, he'll be locked up for life.

The canteen kitchen.

The lunch service had already ended, and the apprentices were cleaning the stoves, while the chefs gathered in twos and threes in the corridor, smoking and chatting.

A plump figure trudged over with heavy steps. Upon seeing him, the chefs quickly hid their cigarettes behind their backs and greeted him with smiles: "Director Wang."

Wang Defa looked rather haggard. In just three days, a lot of white hair had grown at his temples, his beard was unkempt, his sunken eyes had heavy dark circles, and his face had become much thinner, making him look like he had aged ten years.

Wang Defa paused, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the chefs, and asked in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Where is Xiao Lei?"

"Master Xiao, he's sharpening his knives over at the water room," a chef replied.

Upon hearing this, Wang Defa walked straight towards the water room.

"Why does Director Wang look so haggard all of a sudden?"

"She's scared. I heard from a friend in the security department that Sun Meili is involved in more than 50,000 yuan. If she gets involved, she might be in big trouble."

"Fifty thousand! Wow—that's a lot!"

"The meat and vegetables we've been buying in the last two years are not even in the same league as those we bought in the previous two years. That's why Master Xiao went on strike."

"So what did he want to see Master Xiao about today?"

The chefs whispered among themselves, their eyes all turning towards the water room, and some even took a few steps in that direction.

Bah! Bah! Bah!
In the washroom, a kitchen knife was being pulled back and forth on a whetstone, and Xiao Lei was bent over, his expression focused and serious.

The kitchen knife was sharpened to a gleaming shine, its blade gleaming with a cold light.

Wang Defa appeared at the doorway, blocking the light and casting a shadow that fell directly onto the whetstone.

Wang Defa said in a deep voice, "Xiao Lei, let's talk."

Xiao Lei scooped up some water and splashed it on the knife. He slowly straightened up, gently scraping the blade with his fingertips before looking up at Wang Defa and smiling, "What do we have to talk about?"

"My transfer notice came down today. I'll be transferred to Linqiong soon. Before I leave, as the canteen director, I've decided to do one last good thing for the workers." Wang Defa grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth, his voice hoarse and deep: "I've submitted a nomination to the deputy factory director, appointing you as the head chef of the factory canteen and the person in charge of the stir-fry area, so that the workers can enjoy delicious and safe stews and stir-fries."

Xiao Lei sneered, "Someone as shameless as you, with your neck hanging and eyebrows twitching, would have good intentions? You're telling me all this because you expect me to thank you?"

"No need for thanks, anyway we won't see each other again." Wang Defa's expression turned somewhat sinister. He clenched his fists and his voice trembled slightly: "You two, master and apprentice, are really my nemesis, forcing me to leave. Zhou Yan is quite capable. He ran that shabby restaurant very well and stole all the business from the cafeteria's stir-fry stall. This whole thing started because of him."

"It doesn't matter, you two are both skilled. Let the master fight him. I want to see whether the workers prefer your cooking or your apprentice's. We'll see who comes out on top!"

"I'm going to Linqiong to see you two fighting like dogs, with a mouthful of fur!"

Wang Defa grinned, a smile that revealed a hint of madness.

“You can’t escape.” Xiao Lei put the kitchen knife he was holding back into the cloth bag on the table next to him, and looked at Wang Defa with a hint of pity: “This morning I handed over all the evidence of corruption in the canteen that I had collected over the past two years to Section Chief Luo of the security department. Wang Qi is the one who has been supplying the canteen with the most pork in the past two years. He is your nephew. A lot of the pork was diseased. You can check the accounts with the security officers after you go in.”

Wang Defa's smile froze, his eyes widened, and his lips trembled slightly. "You...you're talking nonsense!"

Footsteps sounded outside the door. Luo Weidong arrived at the water room door with two officers and said with a serious expression, "Wang Defa, someone has filed a formal complaint against you for illegally purchasing a large amount of diseased pork during your tenure, which is suspected of endangering the lives and health of workers and constitutes a serious violation of laws and regulations."

"Section Chief Luo..." Wang Defa's face turned pale as he tried to argue.

Two officers stepped forward and restrained him from both sides, neither of them giving Wang Defa a friendly look.

“Oh right, I forgot to tell you, I resigned today.” Xiao Lei slung the cloth bag over his shoulder and looked at Wang Defa with a smile. “A restaurant in Rongcheng invited me to be their head chef, and the salary is higher than what I earned as a head chef at the factory. A friend also asked me to go to Jiaozhou to open a restaurant with him. The shop is all renovated and located near the Leshan Giant Buddha pier. He said I could earn tens of thousands of yuan a year. I’m still considering which one to go.” “You…you…” Wang Defa’s chest heaved violently with anger, and his face turned even uglier.

“Zhou Yan was expelled because of me, you villain. I, as his master, will never forget this grudge.” Xiao Lei looked at him coldly. “You want me to be a lackey, and I don’t care if I just coast along and wait for retirement. But if you want me to harm my apprentice, then I will definitely send you to jail first.”

"I've had enough of this lousy job. I'm a national level two chef. Wherever I go, people will call me master. I won't starve."

After saying that, Xiao Lei nodded to Luo Weidong and went out.

Outside the corridor, a dozen chefs and apprentices stood in a row against the wall, looking at him with great respect.

"Take care, Master Xiao."

"Come back and visit often when you have time."

"Here, take this and smoke it with us." Xiao Lei smiled, took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tossed it to one of the chefs, and waved his hand, "I'm off."

Xiao Lei carried his bag and went out.

Wang Defa was carried out by two officers like a dead pig, his legs weak and his face pale. He seemed to have already seen his end.

"Pooh!"

"Damn fat pig!"

The chefs looked at him with disgust and hurled the most offensive insults at him.

"Master Xiao, please reconsider. The canteen is short of someone who can manage things. If you're willing to stay, you can be the head chef and also be promoted to deputy director of the canteen..." Deputy Factory Director Liu Yusheng stopped Xiao Lei at the canteen entrance and earnestly persuaded him.

"I'm sorry, Director Liu, my mind is made up," Xiao Lei said calmly, pushing his cart toward the factory gate.

"Sigh." Liu Yusheng sighed deeply as he watched Xiao Lei's retreating figure.

……

"What? You want me to organize a large-scale banquet?"

At the restaurant entrance, Zhou Yan looked at Zhou Jie, who was covered in sweat, with a surprised expression.

Zhou Jie took the large bowl handed to him by Aunt Zhao, gulped down the water in two mouthfuls, and said anxiously, "The village cook who was preparing the banquet went back to get spices, but his bicycle was hit by a tractor and he broke his hand. He's lying in Suji Health Center now."

I just came from the hospital. He was screaming in pain and told us to find another cook from the village to cook for him. It happened so suddenly, where are we supposed to find a cook? Tomorrow's an auspicious day, and we asked five or six people, but none of them were available.

You're the only cook in our family. My dad called me here to ask if you can take over; otherwise, we'll have to go to Jiaozhou to find someone else.

"I definitely can't do it. All the dishes I'm good at are hanging on the wall. These dishes can't support a banquet." Zhou Yan shook his head. This situation did happen very suddenly, and people in desperation came to him for help.

A traditional banquet at a public square usually involves nine large bowls of food; he can't possibly make that now.

It's already afternoon, and the village cooks have probably prepared most of the dishes, so he's even less able to take over.

Zhou Hao is now a platoon leader. His family has two plaques for first-class meritorious servicemen, so leaders will definitely come to the wedding banquet.

This banquet must be held in a respectable manner.

Zhou Yan wasn't a fool; he wouldn't dare to take on this responsibility. He was better suited to making braised dishes.

"Then... what should we do?" Zhou Jie was getting anxious.

"Don't panic, the sky won't fall down." The old lady, who hadn't spoken until now, stood up.

Zhou Jie shut his mouth on his own, and everyone looked at the old lady as if they had found their pillar of support.

The old lady looked at Zhou Yan and asked, "Zhou Yan, you've been studying cooking for over two years. Do you know any chefs who can organize outdoor banquets? Someone who can spare two days."

Zhou Yan immediately thought of his master, Xiao Lei, and nodded, saying, "My master, Xiao Lei, is a national second-level chef. He used to be the head chef and could manage the cooking for nearly three thousand people in the textile factory. I can go and ask him if he can spare some time to help."

The old lady nodded: "Go quickly. If Chef Xiao can't find the time, you should hurry to Jiaozhou to find a chef."

"Okay." Zhou Yan took a pack of cigarettes and put it in his pocket, then walked quickly toward the factory gate. Just as he was about to find the security officer to pass on his message, he saw a familiar figure carrying a cloth bag and pushing a bicycle toward the factory gate.

"Master!" Zhou Yan's eyes lit up, and he quickly took two steps forward to greet him: "I need your help urgently! Are you free tomorrow to help organize a banquet?"

……

　Ready to be available tomorrow!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)