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

Upon hearing this, everyone looked up and saw two people standing at the main entrance of the cafeteria.

The man walking in front was a middle-aged man in his fifties. He was tall and strong, with a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes. He had an upright and honest appearance and exuded the heroic spirit unique to soldiers.

The man's blue short-sleeved Lenin suit made him look even more serious, and a fountain pen was neatly clipped to his breast pocket.

This man was Zhao Hongfei, the factory director of Tianjin No. 1 Steel Plant.

Half a step behind Zhao Hongfei was Chen Jianguo.

As soon as Zhao Hongfei entered, he looked around the cafeteria and nodded in satisfaction when he saw that it was bright and clean and well-maintained by several kitchen helpers.

"Old Chen! Your cafeteria is quite clean!"

"Not at all! Factory director, you flatter me! Our canteen is for our comrades to eat. Maintaining hygiene is essential for their health and energy for their work. It's what we should do!"

Chen Jianguo was a seasoned veteran in the factory, and his official mannerisms were quite artful.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to become the head of the administrative department.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongfei nodded in satisfaction and burst into laughter.

"You old Chen, you're getting better and better at talking! Stop giving me that bureaucratic airs. I'm here specifically to see your nephew! You better hurry up and call that kid out here. I want to see what kind of rising star can make all the comrades in our factory sing his praises!"

With that, Zhao Hongfei strode towards the kitchen.

Just as I lifted the curtain of the kitchen, I saw Chen Wei carrying a large bowl of garlic-flavored pork belly toward the small window outside where they were selling vegetables.

Even without getting close, the moment Chen Wei approached from afar, Zhao Hongfei immediately smelled a strong, sour, and spicy aroma mixed with garlic, which went straight into his nose.

Even someone as experienced as him couldn't help but swallow hard.

"It smells so good! This is the smell! This is the smell I smelled when I came in! Old Chen, come and see!"

Seeing that Zhao Hongfei was somewhat excited, Chen Jianguo quickly smiled and offered his leader a way out.

"Factory Manager, we really owe this delicious garlic pork belly today to you! If it weren't for you leading our factory to secure such a huge order, none of us would have had the chance to enjoy this delicacy!"

"Hey!" Zhao Hongfei waved his hand and laughed, "Old Chen, don't give me that official talk! I'm here today specifically to see your nephew's skills. If you want to flatter me, we can talk about it all when we get back to the office!"

"Hahaha, I overlooked that, it turns out our leader is hungry!" Chen Jianguo laughed heartily, smoothly adding, "Look at my memory, I deserve a beating! Chen Wei, is lunch ready yet? Get me and the factory manager a serving each!"

As he said this, Chen Jianguo took out two large meat dishes vouchers, totaling 1 yuan, and put them directly into the money box.

The bright red 1-yuan food coupon was thrown into the money box, forming a stark contrast with the yellowish-green 3-mao food coupons inside.

Upon seeing this, Chen Wei immediately understood what was going on.

He quickly grabbed two enamel basins and scooped out two large spoonfuls from the garlic-infused pork belly he had just prepared, filling both basins to the brim.

He then took another enamel basin, filled it with white steamed buns and mung bean soup, and personally served it to Zhao Hongfei on the table.

The atmosphere in the kitchen was tense because of Zhao Hongfei's arrival. The kitchen helpers didn't dare to breathe too loudly, afraid of saying something wrong and angering the visiting leader.

However, Chen Wei and Zhao Hongfei were in a relaxed atmosphere.

Zhao Hongfei looked Chen Wei up and down and couldn't help but nod.

"Hmm! Not bad! This young man is quite capable at such a young age, and he's also good-looking. Keep up the good work, he'll definitely have a bright future!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Factory Director! My nephew isn't very educated, so he can only do some logistical work in the factory's kitchen, taking care of everyone's stomachs!" Chen Jianguo said modestly.

Zhao Hongfei on the other end waved his hand.

"Old Chen, you're wrong! There's no such thing as a high or low job. In my opinion, Xiao Chen's cooking is excellent! Look at all that red color and glossy oil; it looks so appetizing! It's just as good as what I ate at the state-run restaurant before! Xiao Chen, did you learn cooking from a Sichuan chef?"

Zhao Hongfei suddenly asked.

Chen Wei scratched his head, determined to continue playing the role of someone who knew nothing.

So he simply said, "I haven't really studied it properly; I just read a few books and figured it out on my own."

"Wow! That's impressive! To figure it out on your own is quite remarkable!"

Upon hearing Chen Wei's words, Zhao Hongfei couldn't help but sigh.

On the other end, the beads of sweat on Chen Jianguo's forehead visibly became finer.

He knew perfectly well that the brat hadn't told him the truth about Chen Wei's cooking skills.

So this topic has gone too far and isn't really good for Chenwei.

So Chen Jianguo quickly took over the conversation and personally picked up a piece of meat and put it into Zhao Hongfei's bowl.

"Boss, stop talking and try this dish!"

"Hey, you old rascal! You're worried I'll mistreat your nephew, huh?! Hahahaha—"

While joking, Zhao Hongfei lowered his head and picked up the slice of garlic-flavored pork belly from his bowl.

Right now, the meat slices are perfectly marinated.

Furthermore, having just been doused with boiling oil, the slices of meat still had a layer of glistening oil film on them, making them look incredibly tempting.

When Zhao Hongfei picked it up, he couldn't help but secretly praise it in his heart.

The slices of meat were as thin as cicada wings. Through the bright red sauce, you could see layers of pinkish-white lean meat and glistening fat. The texture of the pork belly resembled a piece of fine jade, trembling slightly in the amber sauce.

The slices of meat were still covered with a few cloves of garlic, scattered here and there, curled slightly by the hot oil, and were now emitting a rich aroma.

"Plop—"

For some reason, even someone like Zhao Hongfei, who was used to seeing big scenes, couldn't help but swallow his saliva, drawn by the aroma.

He took a deep breath, carefully put the slice of meat into his mouth, and bit down. Zhao Hongfei's eyes widened instantly.

This taste! Absolutely amazing!

How to put it? It was a tactile sensation that was hard to describe.

The slices of meat, as thin as cicada wings, almost melt in your mouth. The softness of the fat and the tenderness of the lean meat blend perfectly, creating a smooth and jade-like texture.

In addition, the spiciness of the minced garlic, the rich aroma of the sauce, the tangy sourness of the vinegar, and the sweetness of the sugar make the taste of this dish bloom layer by layer on the tip of the tongue.

Finally, there's a subtle tingling sensation that travels from the tip of the tongue to the back, connecting all the flavors together and perfectly complementing the pork's natural savory aroma.

When the tongue and teeth collide, the tenderness and chewiness of the pork blend together perfectly, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

"Excellent craftsmanship!"

Zhao Hongfei couldn't help but shout.