Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 391 Think More About What You Do

Sister Zhang paused for a moment, looked at Xiao Wei, and asked, "A wedding? Seventy-five tables?" Turning to Master Zhai, she said, "Those who book tables here for their weddings are all rich people. Seventy-five tables, won't they need to set up several stoves outside?"

Brother Zhai was frying chicken when he said, "Well, these few stoves aren't enough for the seventy-odd tables. We'll have to start steaming things on the outside stoves too."

Sister Zhang asked Xiaowei, "How many dishes are served per table? What's the standard?" Back then, there were three standards for wedding banquets: sixteen main dishes and six cold dishes, eighteen main dishes and six cold dishes, and twenty main dishes and eight cold dishes. Restaurants usually served sixteen or eighteen dishes. Only those who cooked at home would serve twenty dishes, because the plates used at home were smaller than those in restaurants, and there wouldn't be enough food if there weren't enough dishes.

In Northeast China, restaurants typically use plates that are 1.2 feet long, while at home they usually use plates that are 9/10 of an inch long.

In those days, oil was scarce, and people of all ages and genders could eat it, unlike in later years when there was often a large amount of oil left over on the table.

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "Eighteen, of course. We can't fit any more on the table. There's no set standard. Just make it as good as possible. Don't worry about the cost. Make sure the portions are generous. Brother Zhai, try to make it look nice. Use some color and arrange it nicely."

Brother Zhai turned his head and asked, "Who is it?"

Xiao Wei said, "Our Boss Xia has finally won over his wife. They're getting married on Children's Day, June 1st. Comrades, it's time to show our skills!"

Brother Zhai laughed and said, "I knew it! No one else could afford this. Seventy-five tables would cost a fortune, at least six or seven hundred per table, not counting drinks, right, Da Zhang?"

Sister Zhang, holding a cleaver, squinted and mentally estimated, saying, "Let's buy the best of everything we can find here. Six or seven hundred isn't enough, maybe seven hundred more, and if we go for something really good, it'll go up to eight hundred. It's fine, it's just for our family, the cost is only three or four hundred. Oh dear, we're working and giving gifts at the same time, should we have to set up a special table just for ourselves?"

Xiao Wei said, "No need for a gift, just prepare the dishes. We'll have Boss Xia give you red envelopes later."

Sister Zhang laughed and said, "That's great! You get a free good meal and even get paid."

There were figures moving outside. Ding Chunyan came over and said, "Boss, Sister Zhang, the people who booked the table for lunch have arrived."

Xiao Wei checked the time and it was almost eleven o'clock. He said, "That's right, it's almost time. The banquet starts at eleven-thirty. By the way, Chunyan, go to the cake shop in the back and ask Chef Li to come and install the cakes. Take them all to the second floor."

Ding Chunyan hummed in agreement and went out through the back door. The man who had booked the table yesterday came in to get cigarettes for everyone and asked, "Is everything ready? Can we start the meal promptly at 11:30?"

Master Zhai took the cigarette, lit it, and said, "Okay, no problem, I guarantee you'll have a good meal." Outside, someone carrying a case of Wuliangye liquor asked, "Brother, where do we put this liquor?" The man turned around and pointed upstairs, saying, "Second floor. All five tables are upstairs today. Just take it up and put it against the wall."

Immediately afterwards, his wife and daughter came over and stood at the kitchen doorway looking inside. The man said, "Wife, go upstairs and see if we're missing anything. Then greet them at the door. Daughter, call your second uncle and ask if they're on their way."

His daughter said, "I just asked, they'll be here soon."

The man said, "Okay, you can go with your mother to greet them at the door. The kid needs to learn some manners, so he won't always be so clumsy."

Ding Chunyan, Li Wen, Master Li, and Huang Laowu carried the cake in from the back: "Excuse me, excuse me, please don't touch it, the floor is slippery." Master Li, carrying the largest cake from the bottom layer, came in and said to Xiao Wei, "A stemmed glass."

Ding Chunyan said, "It's all washed, boss. It's in that basin in the back room. Could you please get it for me?" Xiao Wei went into the room where the noodle counter used to be, found the washed and dried wine glasses in the plastic basin on the shelf, and took them upstairs. The man followed, looking a little nervous.

After selecting a table for the set, Master Li began assembling it, smiling as he said to the man, "Are you worried I might embarrass you? Don't worry, it's absolutely top-notch; you definitely won't find another one like it here in Northeast China." This set table wasn't for serving food; it was for birthday cakes, fruits, peaches, candies, cigarettes, and the like—it was a gift table.

The man nodded and smiled. Master Li inspected the stemmed glasses, opened the cake packaging to reveal its true form, and began assembling. He had already marked the positions of the stemmed glasses in the shop; now, he simply had to turn them upside down and place them in their positions according to the markings. The bottom layer consisted of four glasses. After placing them in their positions, he carefully opened the second layer and placed them on the upside-down bottom of the glasses. Then, he inserted the stemmed glasses to arrange the third layer. When the last large peach was placed in place, the entire cake was complete.

The man walked around the table, gave a thumbs-up, and nodded, saying, "Good, thank you for your hard work, master. I'm satisfied, absolutely satisfied."

Chef Li placed the plastic cutlery and thin wax from the cake onto the table and said, "When you cut it, you need to take it off the table. Cutting it on top will make it wobble and it might fall apart. Just take it off layer by layer and cut it. The peach-shaped cake is for the birthday person, and the rest can be cut and divided. If there are any leftovers that you want to pack up, ask a waiter to come find me, and I'll come and pack them up for you to take home. Keep an eye on the children and make sure they don't bump into this table."

The man nodded and said, "Understood, waitress. Could you please stay here for a while and wait until my guests arrive before you go back to your work?"

Ding Chunyan looked at Xiaowei, who nodded. Ding Chunyan agreed and quickly started helping to arrange the fruits, pears, peaches, and candies. Someone really needed to watch over it; the stemmed glasses couldn't be fixed between the tiers and were slippery. If they bumped into the table, they could easily tip over. A stand wouldn't have this problem; it had fixed positions that would hold it in place securely.

Xiao Wei, Master Li, Huang Laowu, and Li Wen came downstairs together and came out from the back. Li Wen said, "I can't do this. I still need to practice. Master Li didn't teach me this kind of thing." Xiao Wei said, "It's just cake decorating. How much more can you teach? Master Li designed this himself. Who did he learn from? You just need to think more about what you're doing."

Master Li said, "Yes, it's about decorating. The key is to make sure that the flowers and patterns on the top and bottom have a sense of unity. It's a whole. If you can't do that, it will be terrible. After you assemble it, the top and bottom won't be in harmony, and it will look awkward no matter how you look at it."

Huang Laowu asked, "How much is this?"

Xiao Wei asked, "Four hundred and fifty, is that expensive?"

Old Huang stuck out his tongue, thought for a moment, and said, "It's worth it for the effort alone."

Xiao Wei said, "Alright, you guys go ahead with your work. I'm going back now. I need to go check on the pig farm." He got in the car and drove towards the South Bridge.

The pig farm has been fully renovated and put into use. Old An and his wife have moved here from Fengtian, and their contract with Xiao Wei has been signed. Old An owns 10% of the pig farm, and the couple receives an extra monthly salary. The land for the pig farm belongs to Xiao Wei, but he and Xia Maosheng will split the farm 60/40. Land rent is waived.

(End of this chapter)