Chapter 5: The Yan family's Beginning
It was two in the afternoon, and the restaurant's business had quieted down, giving everyone time to sit and rest.
Wu Bangming walked over to Sha Zhu and said with a smile, "How is it? Are you tired?"
Sha Zhu shook his head; with the Lingquan Water's assistance, he didn't feel tired at all: "Master, I'm fine."
Wu Bangming sat beside Sha Zhu, a smile on his face: "Don't push yourself. I've been watching; you haven't slacked off at all today, nor have you argued with anyone. Your work is much better than usual."
For some reason, a sense of gratitude welled up in Sha Zhu's heart, possibly influenced by the original soul. In those memories, Wu Bangming had never spoken so gently.
Perhaps the original body was just a ruffian, not very likable in his actions!
Sha Zhu shook his head, shaking off the emotion that was affecting his rationality: "Master, I'm sorry for making you worry."
Wu Bangming said with relief, "I know you've been learning cooking from your father since you were young, and your skill is higher than that of other apprentices. But what I want to tell you is that whether you're a person or doing things, you must be down-to-earth.
Your skill might be higher than these new apprentices, but that's not a reason for your arrogance."
Sha Zhu nodded seriously: "Master, I will remember all your teachings in my heart."
Wu Bangming turned to glance at the other apprentices and quietly asked, "Tell me, how have you been learning from your father? Can you handle the stove?"
Sha Zhu's way of dealing with people was poor, but his cooking skills were undeniable. After being misled by Yi Zhonghai and breaking ties with his master, he honed his culinary skills through his own efforts. Later, when he opened a restaurant and had ample opportunities to practice, his cooking improved even further.
Coupled with Xu Damao inviting He Daqing back from Baoding, Sha Zhu also learned He Daqing's techniques, so his skill level was genuinely not bad.
But Sha Zhu couldn't say that, after all, Wu Bangming hadn't formally taught him those Sichuan cuisine dishes yet.
"I've basically learned all the Lu Cuisine my father knows; it's just that I haven't personally cooked many of the dishes, so I don't know what my skill level truly is."
Wu Bangming looked at him with some surprise: "Did He Daqing explain it to you?"
Sha Zhu shook his head: "No. When he cooked, I assisted him and secretly memorized it. He said it wasn't time for me to learn yet."
Wu Bangming became interested and asked Sha Zhu to describe the dishes he made at noon.
The Lingquan Water in the space has a very powerful function, which is to improve memory.
Sha Zhu secretly drank it several times that morning and remembered everything that happened in the back kitchen. He described Wu Bangming's cooking sequence, the types and order of seasonings, and even where Wu Bangming made mistakes.
"I only remember the general idea; as for the heat and such, I can't remember those."
Wu Bangming's mouth hung open, and it took him a while to recover: "With such a good memory, why were your grades so poor when you were in school?"
Sha Zhu couldn't very well say that he didn't have Lingquan Water assistance then: "When I see a book, I want to sleep. But when I look at a recipe, I feel especially energetic."
Wu Bangming couldn't explain this phenomenon, so he just said, "It seems you were born to be a chef."
Sha Zhu didn't want to say too much, afraid of revealing something, so he just smiled.
Wu Bangming didn't mind: "Since your foundation is so good, starting tomorrow, stay by my side, observe carefully, and learn diligently."
Sha Zhu nodded seriously, and seeing the other apprentices starting to work, he stood up and said, "Master, I'm going to work."
Wu Bangming nodded.
Clearing bowls and chopsticks, washing vegetables, chopping vegetables—the afternoon passed quickly. During this time, when Wu Bangming was processing ingredients, he called Sha Zhu over to assist him, which was also a form of teaching.
Sha Zhu compared it with his memory and found that he didn't have this technique. Wu Bangming's technique was slightly better than the unconventional processing methods in his memory. Although it wasn't obvious and most people wouldn't notice, true gourmets and master chefs would definitely be able to distinguish it.
It seemed everyone had their unique strengths. Sha Zhu studied even more diligently afterward, learning many unique skills from Wu Bangming.
This is a later story, so let's not dwell on it for now.
When it was time to leave work, Wu Bangming handed Sha Zhu a lunchbox: "Take this back for your younger sister to try."
Sha Zhu was stunned, standing there motionless.
In his memory, the first time he received a lunchbox from Wu Bangming was after He Daqing left. Before that, he had never given one to Sha Zhu.
Firstly, there was no such rule, and secondly, He Daqing himself was a cook and worked at the Rolling Mill, so he could bring lunchboxes, and the He family didn't need them.
And the first lunchbox Sha Zhu brought back, neither he nor his sister got to eat; it was intercepted by Deaf Old Lady.
After that lunchbox, Deaf Old Lady's mouth changed from calling him her big grandson to her obedient grandson.
"What, do you dislike your master's lunchbox?"
Sha Zhu came to his senses, reached out to take the lunchbox, and said, "I'm just a little overwhelmed."
"You are my apprentice, and as your master, giving you some food is nothing. All right, you should hurry back. There are many thieves in the city now. If you encounter any, don't get involved," Wu Bangming instructed.
Sha Zhu nodded seriously, carrying the lunchbox back to the Siheyuan (Courtyard). On the way, he heard a few gunshots in the distance, which scared him and made him quicken his pace.
Upon returning to the Siheyuan (Courtyard), as soon as he entered the gate, he saw the first threshold of the Courtyard, Yan Bugui. He was watering flowers and had no intention of blocking the gate.
At this time, there was no Guanshi Danye in the Courtyard yet, let alone three old men controlling the Siheyuan (Courtyard). The few households in the Siheyuan (Courtyard) at present were not to be trifled with.
Yan Bugui also didn't dare to block the entrance and ask for things.
"Teacher Yan, watering flowers?"
Yan Bugui's nose twitched slightly, sniffing the scent of the lunchbox: "Sha Zhu, why did you bring a lunchbox today?"
Seeing Yan Bugui's nose twitching more intensely, Sha Zhu didn't dare to linger here: "My master saw me working diligently and told me to bring it back to fill my stomach. I won't talk to you anymore; if I go back late, my father will beat me again."
Without giving Yan Bugui a chance to speak, Sha Zhu carried the lunchbox and entered the Middle Courtyard in a few steps.
Third Aunt, with her big belly, walked out of the house: "Old man, who were you talking to just now?"
The child in her belly was later the Yan family's third child, Yan Jiekang. This guy was almost a year older than Dao Sheng.
"Who else but Sha Zhu. But I always feel that Sha Zhu is a bit different from usual. When he saw me, he actually called me Teacher Yan. You know, usually he doesn't even bother with me."
Third Aunt pouted: "Isn't it good that he calls you Teacher Yan? Do you prefer him to call you 'Old Scrooge'?"
Yan Bugui hadn't learned the skill of blocking the gate yet, but his stinginess had already awakened. The young people in the Courtyard secretly called Yan Bugui 'Old Scrooge'.
As for the moniker 'Yan Laoxi', one dared not call him that casually. If he were mistaken for that 'Yan Laoxi', it would be troublesome.
Entering the Middle Courtyard, the houses on both the east and west sides were lit up.
Sha Zhu hadn't seen the beasts from these two families today. But he wasn't in a hurry; if he didn't see them today, he would definitely see them tomorrow.
Beasts could only be late, but they would never be absent.
Looking at his own home, it was also lit, and He Yushui's chirping voice came from inside, occasionally hearing the word 'brother'.
Walking to the doorstep, he listened even more carefully: "Dad, why isn't brother back yet? I'm starving. Did he go back on his word and not bring me anything good to eat?"
His little padded jacket was leaking air. He had originally planned to secretly give her a piece of chocolate, but now it seemed he should just give it to her.
He Daqing said, "It's okay, when he comes back, Dad will teach him a lesson for you."
He Yushui shook her head and said, "Don't hit brother, I don't want anything good to eat anymore."
It seemed the chocolate couldn't be saved after all.