In the 1970s, it started with contracting out communal dining.

Flames instantly leaped up from the bottom of the pot, moving with Chen Wei's thoughts, and with the added heat, quickly licked the bottom of the iron pot.

"Heat the pot to about 70% of its maximum temperature..."

This is what it says on the menu.

As Chen Wei muttered this to himself, a semi-transparent display panel appeared beside the stove, with a small progress bar on it gradually heating up as the stove fire licked at it.

When the number jumped to 70%, Chen Wei casually scooped a spoonful of vegetable oil with a large ladle and accurately slid it into the pot.

Then a new progress bar appeared.

When the oil temperature shows 80% hot, add the Sichuan peppercorns!

"Sizzle—"

The aroma of numbing spiciness instantly wafted from the vegetable oil bubbling at the bottom of the pot.

It's now!

With a flick of his wrist, Chen Wei poured the shredded vegetables of three colors directly into the pot.

The large ladle flipped rapidly inside the iron wok, quickly stir-frying the shredded vegetables of three colors at the bottom of the wok.

Soon, a unique aroma, the blend of vegetables and vegetable oil, wafted out.

The hot and sour sauce was also prepared in advance by Chen Wei.

The proportions of all the seasonings are derived from the system menu, accurate to the gram. No electronic scale is needed at all; just passing the seasoning through Chenwei's hands will accurately show whether the seasonings have been added correctly.

The moment the hot and sour sauce was added to the pot, the dish underwent a wonderful transformation.

The aroma of caramelized meat mixed with a hint of numbing fragrance wafts through the air.

Chen Wei did not relax at all; his legs were tense and his arms were strained.

"Flip the wok!"

The shredded vegetables of three colors in the wok drew perfect arcs in the air, instantly and evenly coated with the sauce.

After tossing the food three times, the heat is just right!

"Perfect!"

Chen Wei couldn't help but exclaim, and with the system's notification sound, he accurately tossed the food into a wok and plated it.

Delicious!

A plate of hot and sour shredded vegetables was served on an enamel plate.

The golden potatoes, red carrots, and green seaweed, coated with the numbing aroma of vegetable oil, seemed to hook into your nostrils.

Chen Wei finally smiled, picked up the chopsticks next to him, took a bite, and put it in his mouth.

This taste... amazing!

The shredded potatoes were just cooked through, yet still retained a crisp texture.

The soft, slightly chewy carrot shreds perfectly complement the crisp, crunchy potato shreds.

The chewy texture of the kelp strips adds to the wonderful taste.

The four flavors of sour, spicy, crisp, and tender in the sauce explode perfectly on the tongue, yet form a wonderful fusion.

Although it is a hot dish, taking a bite in the hot summer brings a refreshing feeling to the whole body, making it irresistible!

"Products from the system are truly extraordinary!"

Chen Wei couldn't help but burst into laughter; it seemed this electric fan was definitely his!

-

When Chen Wei returned to the dormitory, it was already dark.

The staff dormitory building of Tianjin No. 1 Steel Plant was a row of three-story red brick buildings, with work clothes hanging haphazardly in the corridors.

Chen Wei lived in the first room on the first floor, a small room of 15 square meters. With the afternoon sun, a wave of heat hit him as soon as he entered the room, which pushed Chen Wei out.

"When will we get the electric fan?!"

As Chen Wei was talking to himself, the wooden door next door suddenly opened, and a dark-faced young man poked his head out, saying something sarcastic.

"Hey! Isn't this Chen Qiecai? What, you just got back? And you're already spouting nonsense as soon as you get back? An electric fan, huh? With our meager monthly salary of 20 yuan, saving up for an electric fan would take us half a year without eating or drinking!"

A 200-yuan electric fan might not be enough for half a year without food or water.

Chen Wei thought to himself.

However, he simply rolled his eyes at Lin Jun's words and completely ignored them.

From the moment I entered the factory, this kid saw me as a competitor.

They wish everything could be prioritized over their own.

Little did he know what Wang Defa was plotting. No matter how hard Lin Jun fawned over him, Wang Defa would never teach him his secret skills.

Too lazy to argue with an idiot, Chen Wei shrugged and went into his dormitory.

I quickly washed a cold towel and spread it on my face, greedily absorbing the coolness from it.

Just hang in there for two more days.

Thinking about the electric fan his uncle was about to get, Chen Wei was in a great mood and soon fell asleep.

Lin Jun listened to the even snoring coming from inside the room, and his thick eyebrows furrowed together.

I don't know what Chef Wang meant by what he said today. What does it mean that among so many apprentices in the kitchen, only Chen Wei is calm and has the potential to become a future master chef?

Chef Wang broke his leg, but this kid didn't even glance at him. It's as if he doesn't understand anything about human relationships!

Unlike me, I took leave early in the morning to go there, serving water and meals, spending the whole day doing whatever I needed.

If Chen Wei didn't have an uncle who was the head of the administrative department, Chef Wang would never have noticed this kid!

Lin Jun stared at the small window in the dormitory and couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of saliva.

Just you wait! I'll definitely be the first one to start cooking among these dozen or so apprentices!

"Hey, Jun'er! Being all sentimental again?"

As they were talking, a head with a buzz cut peeked out from the dormitory next door; it was Wu Xiaochun.

Although both were kitchen helpers, he was neither like Chen Wei, who had an administrative section chief as his guarantor, nor like Lin Jun, who was a rooster with a sharp mind, eager to climb the ladder.

Wu Xiaochun, a temporary worker who hadn't even been promoted to a permanent position, naturally didn't get involved in the disputes between the apprentices.

He simply couldn't stand Lin Jun's jealousy and said with a half-smile.

"You don't know yet, do you? Chen Wei is going to start cooking tomorrow morning! He said he's going to take over as the head chef and be the master chef for our factory!"

"What?!!!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Jun's eyes widened instantly.

He never expected that the position of head chef would fall into the hands of Chen Wei, such an inconspicuous chopping board worker.

"Then what does it mean that I've been serving Chef Wang hand and foot all day?"

"You must be bored out of your mind!"

Wu Xiaochun laughed heartily, then turned and went back to his dormitory.

By the time Lin Jun stormed up and kicked the door in a fit of rage, Wu Xiaochun was already laughing under the covers.

Chen Wei was naturally unaware of everything that was happening outside the door, and he slept very well.

The next morning, around 6 a.m., Chen Wei was already in the cafeteria.

In 1978, the factory canteen still provided three meals a day.

Anyone who works at the factory can eat in the canteen.

Breakfast is usually simple cornbread or steamed buns, or some cold dishes, pickled vegetables, porridge, etc.

Workers who are willing to eat meat will buy a maximum of two eggs.

Some workers bring their own eggs and hand them to the stove, where they are either steamed or fried, for a processing fee of just one cent.

Overall, the prices in the cafeteria are quite reasonable.

The canteen was staffed by a middle-aged woman surnamed Wang who was in charge of preparing dry rations and cooking porridge. The head chef only needed to cook the dishes.

So Chen Wei arrived a little early today, intending to prepare a serving of hot and sour shredded vegetables for twenty people.

This was to test the workers' limits and see how well everyone would accept it.