The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

I've had his cooking once by chance, and it was quite good—he was the tall, thin guy who was leading the way carrying the dishes just now.

Yang Ping directly pushed Ma Hua forward.

Li Chengde and Factory Director Yang exchanged a glance, both looking hesitant.

"A master's students are never weak; since he is that master's disciple, his skills must be quite impressive."

The elder sitting in the main seat nodded slightly and murmured to himself.

"Yang Ping, are you serious?"

Li Chengde finally couldn't hold back and asked.

He knew MCA's true colors—they hadn't even passed the most basic cook qualification exam, so how good could their private cooking skills be? Using such a person to deal with the important guests from above was far too audacious of Yang Ping.

Factory Director Yang also frowned, his expression grave.

"Director Yang, Director Li, whether what I said is true or false, let Ma Hua try it out and you'll know."

When serving my superiors, I would never dare to be careless in the slightest.

Yang Ping answered calmly.

He certainly understood their concerns.

The only way to break the deadlock right now is to let the MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) demonstrate its capabilities.

"Okay, then let's have MCA give it a try."

If it really works, it wouldn't be a bad idea to arrange for him to cook at the boss's house in the future.

Li Chengde immediately stood up and walked towards the door.

This is undoubtedly a great opportunity to shine.

Even if he has already stepped into the position of deputy factory director, it's never a bad thing for him to show his face in front of the big boss; it will only make his path smoother.

Yang Ping watched Li Chengde's hurried departure, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

He went along with the flow this time, allowing MCA to establish this connection early on. He naturally knew how much convenience it would bring in the future.

The kitchen was bustling with activity, filled with steam and smoke.

Sha Zhu was sweating profusely in front of the stove, and sparks flew as he flipped the spatula.

Ma Hua and the fat man stood by, waiting to take over the rest of the work.

Li Chengde strode in and went straight to the point:

"Ma Hua, you can cook the remaining dishes for the leaders to try."

"Silly Zhu, once this dish is done, hand it over to the MCA."

"Okay, Director, I'll have MCA bring it up as soon as I'm done."

Sha Zhu didn't even turn his head, but gave a loud reply.

"No, I mean the MCA will cook all the remaining dishes."

Li Chengde repeated it again, each word clear and distinct.

Sha Zhu was stunned.

The shovel in his hand was suspended in mid-air, and he forgot to dodge when oil splattered onto the back of his hand.

MCA? Director Li just mentioned MCA?

After a two-second pause, he burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking violently, even the apron around his stomach trembled. "Oh, my dear Director Li!"

He drew out his words, wiping away non-existent tears, "You really know how to make people laugh."

Let that kid cook? Sure, but don't come looking for me if the customers flip the table and start cursing later.

I need to warn you upfront.

It's not that he's heartless.

During the time Ma Hua followed him around, all he did was chop and peel things; he barely even touched a pot handle.

That kid knows exactly what's going on in his head.

Pushing MCA forward at this critical juncture would be nothing short of making a fool of himself. He needs to clear his name completely; mentor and disciple? He can't worry about that now.

Li Chengde did not laugh.

He simply shook his head again, his face expressionless.

Even if things turn out badly, he won't be held primarily responsible; the fire won't ultimately reach his feet.

As for Yang Ping... he lowered his eyelids and didn't think about it anymore.

"Alright!"

Sha Zhu threw the spatula into the empty pot next to him with a clatter.

He didn't even glance at the plate of half-cooked eggplant that had just been sizzled in oil.

He crossed his arms over his chest, stood there, tilted his head, and grinned, looking like he was waiting to see a big show.

The fat man next to him, who was stirring the wok, slowed down his movements, glanced at him sideways, and had a wicked smile on his face, as if he was waiting to see someone fall flat on their face.

MCA didn't look at them.

He walked over, his steps steady.

He took the still-hot pot, and with a flick of his wrist, the eggplant inside obediently rose and fell, glistening with oil and coated in a surprisingly even sauce.

His movements were so fluid that he didn't seem like a novice; he looked more like a seasoned master who had stood by the stove for half his life.

The timing of the heat, the addition of ingredients, and the rhythm of tossing the wok are all perfectly controlled.

Before long, a plate of glistening and fragrant braised eggplant was ready.

He didn't stop, his gaze sweeping over the prepared ingredients—sliced ​​pork belly, green garlic, and fermented black beans—and he immediately knew what to expect.

Twice the meat.

The fire licked back up the bottom of the pot, and with a flick of his wrist, he slid the slices of meat into the hot oil. With a sizzle, a rich aroma burst forth.

Stir-frying, seasoning, and simmering—the movements were fluid and seamless, without the slightest hesitation.

His demeanor was so calm and experienced that those watching from the sidelines forgot to breathe.

The smile on Sha Zhu's face froze at some point.

At first, he found it funny, but the more he looked, the wider his eyes widened.

The layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

The force with which he tosses the wok, the timing of adding the ingredients, the almost instinctive control over the heat… something’s not right, not right at all! This skill, this demeanor, how could he be an apprentice? He’s clearly a master who has been immersed in this craft for many years, and even… there were a few moments when even he himself felt a chill.

The fat man's mouth dropped open, and he forgot to add more firewood, causing the flames to die down.

Looking at Ma Hua's composed demeanor, the pent-up resentment in his heart suddenly surged to the top of his head.

He abruptly turned his head, his eyes red, staring intently at Sha Zhu, his voice distorted:

"Master...Master! When...did you secretly teach him this?!"

The voice was filled with barely suppressed resentment and unwillingness.

"What's the point of teaching? I'd rather spend that time in the workshop talking to girls."

Sha Zhu blurted out this sentence without even thinking.

The fat man's face fell immediately.

Although I knew Sha Zhu would answer like that, hearing those words actually come out of his mouth still felt like a dull knife scraping my heart, a dull ache.

Seeing this, Li Chengde, who had been hanging in suspense for so long, finally felt relieved.

Ma Hua, that kid, is actually quite capable; at least he didn't mess things up in front of the big leaders.

"Serve the food!"

Ma Hua slammed the freshly cooked twice-cooked pork onto a plate and shouted loudly.

"They're here!"

The fat man practically rushed to answer.

The moment Sha Zhu uttered those words, he almost felt that this path was completely cut off, but seeing Ma Hua reveal this skill, the flame in his heart quietly reignited.

But before he could take a step, he was met with Sha Zhu's cold and hard gaze, which stung him like an ice pick, making him stop in his tracks and not dare to move.

"I'll do it."

Li Chengde rolled up his sleeves and took two steps forward.

He had seen everything that had just happened, and at this critical juncture, he absolutely could not allow Sha Zhu or Fatty to tamper with the food.

"Director, let me do it!"

Sha Zhu's expression changed, and he hurriedly went over—there's no reason to let your boss personally serve you food.

"No need."

Li Chengde's tone was very calm, but his hands didn't stop. He steadily carried the two plates of dishes and walked towards the reception room.

"How is it?"

When Director Yang saw him enter, he immediately came up to him and asked in a low voice.

"The dishes are all ready: braised eggplant and twice-cooked pork—the twice-cooked pork was cooked by Ma Hua."

Li Chengde presented the food while explaining its contents.

Factory Director Yang let out a long sigh of relief.

The high-ranking leader at the table had already picked up his chopsticks and first put a slice of twice-cooked pork into his mouth.

"Hmm, not bad."

He chewed it carefully for a couple of bites, a smile appearing in his eyes. "The taste is almost as good as his master's."

"Very good!"

Factory Director Yang beamed with joy, nodding repeatedly as he said:

"I never expected that our factory had such a talented cook."

If Xiao Yang hadn't mentioned it, I'd probably still be completely in the dark.

"Factory manager, you flatter me. I just happened to hear that the leaders had a taste for this, so I went along with it and recommended it."

Yang Ping replied calmly, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

He was well aware of MCA's capabilities; others might not know the details of their special skills, but he was fully aware of them.

Li Chengde, who was standing to the side, also laughed. Seeing his leader happy, he naturally felt proud as well.

"Speaking of which, wasn't this plate of braised eggplant on the table made by Chef Ma?"

The high-ranking leader picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, then suddenly looked up and asked.

"Well... not entirely."

Li Chengde paused, his tone hesitant, as if unsure where to begin, and finally gave only a vague reply.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

The high-ranking leader put down his chopsticks and looked questioning.

"Actually, this is what happened."

Seeing this, Li Chengde recounted the whole story of He Yuzhu's temporary act of setting up a stall.

"Isn't Ho Yu Chu MCA's mentor?"

After hearing this, the senior leader frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing across his face.

If you abandon your responsibilities when things happen, how can you be a role model for students?

"You may not know this, but He Yuzhu has always kept his skills a closely guarded secret and has never properly taught his two apprentices."

MCA learned these skills from a highly skilled mentor.

Yang Ping quietly added, explaining the reasons in detail.

As the senior leader listened, his expression gradually darkened.

He has always detested this kind of secretive behavior.

If everyone hides their skills and refuses to pass them on to future generations, where will talent come from? And who will drive national development?

That's why he valued Yang Ping so much.

This young man not only passed the level 7 fitter qualification himself, but also trained two equally outstanding level 7 fitters.

Such talent is indeed worth cherishing.

"Dongpo Pork Knuckle is here!"

As they were talking, Ma Hua carried in the last dish, lifting the curtain to enter. The steaming porcelain plate landed steadily in the center of the table.

"Boss, this is MCA."

Yang Ping then introduced himself to everyone present.

The senior leader looked at the young Ma Hua in front of him and his eyes showed approval: "Comrade Ma Hua, you are young, but your skills are already so solid. It is really rare."

If there are any banquets or receptions in the future, feel free to come and help in the kitchen.

He turned his gaze to Yang Ping beside him, his smile deepening.

Seeing such talented young people emerge one after another and devote themselves to national construction is exactly what he wants to see.

Ma** was both surprised and delighted, and quickly replied, "Yes, sir!"

"Come on, fill a glass for MCA."

The top leader gave the order.

Lee Cheng-teh immediately stood up and poured a glass of wine for MCA.

Ma Hua held his wine glass, his palms slightly sweaty.

This was the first time he had ever experienced such a scene.

"Do not be nervous."

The senior leader spoke in a magnanimous tone, saying, "Young people should have courage and not be intimidated by any situation."

After saying that, he drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.

Ma Hua glanced at Yang Ping subconsciously, and seeing that the other party nodded slightly with a calm expression, he also calmed himself down and downed the wine in his glass.

"Okay, it stabilized quickly."

The senior leader nodded in satisfaction, then turned to the people at the table, "Let's continue eating. I want to savor the taste of this Dongpo pork knuckle."

Director Yang and others laughed and echoed his sentiments, and the atmosphere at the table became lively again.

Seeing this, Ma Hua quietly retreated back to the kitchen.

……

After the banquet, Li Chengde and Director Yang had a brief discussion and decided to promote Ma Hua's rank.

Factory Director Yang naturally had no objections.

Li Chengde then turned and walked towards the kitchen.

At that moment, in the kitchen, the fat man was blocking Ma Hua's way, glaring at him and demanding:

"MCA, explain yourself! By what right do you betray your teachers and ancestors, and show such ingratitude?"

Silly Zhu stood there, his eyes wide open, staring intently at MCA.