Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 14 Graduation Banquet

The kitchen of Fengzeyuan Restaurant.

The flames licked the bottom of the pot, and the smoke billowed onto our faces.

He Yuzhu's spatula flew across the wok, the fermented soybean paste already releasing red oil, its aroma filling the air. Several chefs at the nearby stoves stopped cooking and looked over.

The eldest disciple, Liu Chun, came in carrying a plate.

The twice-cooked pork is ready to be served on a plate.

Mapo tofu, plated.

Kung Pao Chicken, plated.

Shredded pork with garlic sauce, plated.

One after another.

The kitchen fell silent. Only the sizzling of the oil in the wok and the clanging of the spatula against the iron pot could be heard.

Second Senior Brother Zhang Degui leaned over and lowered his voice: "This kid... seems to have improved since last time."

Liu Chun remained silent.

He saw He Yuzhu's wrist tremble, and the vegetables in the wok flipped and sizzled.

Master Luo's lips twitched.

This skill is already on par with his.

In the main hall, seven or eight elderly men from the Qinxing sect were seated. They had all been invited by Master Luo to attend his apprentice's graduation banquet. Master Luo wanted them to see how outstanding his disciple was.

The dishes were served one by one.

The elderly people picked up a piece of food with their chopsticks, chewed it a couple of times, and nodded.

"Old Luo's apprentice is quite skilled."

"The twice-cooked pork is perfectly cooked, with the 'lamp-shaped' indentations."

"The tofu doesn't fall apart, and the numbing flavor is just right."

The atmosphere became lively.

Master Luo smiled broadly, "Everyone, you're too kind. Wait a little longer. My apprentice still has a special skill to show."

In the kitchen, He Yuzhu started cooking again.

This time it's different.

He poured oil into the pot, then added dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger slices, and garlic cloves. With a sizzle, the spicy and numbing aroma exploded, making Zhang Degui, who was standing nearby, back away.

"What is this thing?"

He Yuzhu ignored him. The crab pieces were put into the wok and stir-fried over high heat. The crab shells turned red and glistened with oil, while the chili pepper pieces tumbled inside.

Spicy crab.

Plate it.

Next, heat the oil in a wok and lift out another wok from the side.

The fish fillets are blanched and arranged, then hot oil is poured over them. Sizzle! The whole kitchen is filled with the spicy and savory aroma. Bean sprouts form the bottom, the fish fillets are placed on top, and a layer of chili oil floats on top.

Boiled fish.

Liu Chun was completely dumbfounded.

He Yuzhu's hands never stopped. He fried the marinated ribs until golden brown and then took them out. He left a little oil in the pan and simmered it with various spices. He placed onions at the bottom, piled the ribs on top, and sprinkled sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top.

Dry-fried pork ribs.

The chicken is poached, arranged on a plate, and drizzled with a special sauce. A drizzle of Sichuan peppercorn oil adds a touch of freshness, with each peppercorn clinging to the meat. The aroma is so enticing, it's almost overwhelming.

Finally, the grilled fish stewed in another pot was ready.

Zhang Degui swallowed.

"This...this is Sichuan cuisine?"

He Yuzhu wiped his hands.

"Modern Sichuan cuisine".

Five dishes were served.

The lobby fell silent for a moment.

then.

The sound of chopsticks clattering filled the air.

"Is this a crab? Crabs can be cooked like this?"

"The fish slices are as tender as tofu, and the spiciness... is amazing!"

"This Sichuan peppercorn flavor is fragrant, spicy, and numbing; I've never had it before."

"This fish was first grilled and then stewed, and the seasoning was absolutely amazing. I couldn't taste any muddy or fishy flavor at all."

An old man with white hair stood up, his chopsticks holding a piece of spicy crab, his hands trembling.

"Old Luo, did your apprentice make this?"

Master Luo smiled and nodded, "How about it? My apprentice's skills are pretty good, aren't they?"

The old man put down his chopsticks and looked around.

"How many years has it been since our Sichuan cuisine restaurant has come up with any new dishes? This kid's dishes today are both authentic and innovative."

He gave a thumbs up.

"A leading figure among the younger generation of Sichuan cuisine. He could have founded his own school of thought."

That's too harsh.

The elderly people at the table all fell silent.

Master Luo's eyes were a little red.

He Yuzhu came out of the kitchen and bowed to the elderly.

Luan Xuetang, the owner of Fengzeyuan, also arrived. He was chubby and squeezed through the crowd, grabbing He Yuzhu's hand.

"Chef He, stay at Fengzeyuan! If you stay, I'll set up a separate Sichuan cuisine kitchen for you!"

He Yuzhu shook his head.

"Manager Luan, that won't do. That would be taking my master's job away from us. I have other plans."

Luan Xuetang was about to speak when He Yuzhu gestured for him to stop.

He walked up to Master Luo and took out a stack of papers from his pocket.

"Master, these are the recipes for today's five new dishes: spicy crab, boiled fish, dry pot pork ribs, Sichuan peppercorn chicken, and grilled fish. The secret recipes and every step are clearly written down. With your master-level skills, you can learn them at a glance."

Master Luo's hand trembled.

"Pillar, you..."

He Yuzhu stuffed the prescription into his master's hand, "Master, this is a gift from your disciple. It will also give Manager Luan an explanation."

Master Luo took it; the few thin sheets of paper felt as heavy as stones.

He turned and went into the lounge, and when he came out, he was carrying a small wooden box.

turn on.

It is a set of stainless steel knives.

Slicing knife, cleaver, boning knife, scissors, sharpening stick. The blades gleamed coldly, and the handles were brass-plated with two characters engraved on them: Luo Ji.

"This was passed down to me by your master," Master Luo said, his voice a little hoarse. "He said, a good knife deserves good craftsmanship. I've used it for thirty years, and I haven't disgraced it."

He closed the wooden box and handed it to He Yuzhu.

"Now it's yours."

He Yuzhu took it, and his wrist sank.

He knelt down and kowtowed to his master.

Master Luo helped him up; his eyes were red.

"Zhu Zi, you've completed your apprenticeship."

He Yuzhu's throat moved, but he didn't say anything.

The banquet ended.

The elderly people left one by one, and Liu Chun and Zhang Degui cleared away the dishes. Luan Xuetang was very grateful to He Yuzhu and gave him a large red envelope, telling him to come and visit more often when he had time.

He Yuzhu pulled Master Luo to a corner of the backyard.

Before he could speak, Master Luo spoke first.

"Pillar."

He Yuzhu stopped.

Master Luo took out his pipe from his pocket, lit it, and took a puff.

"Master is planning to return to Sichuan."

He Yuzhu was taken aback.

Master Luo exhaled a puff of smoke and said slowly, "Don't refuse to stay at Fengzeyuan just because of me. I'll talk to Manager Luan later and ask him to let you stay. With your skills, you can hold your own at Fengzeyuan."

He Yuzhu became anxious.

"Master, you can't leave!"

Master Luo waved his hand.

"I'm getting old, and I miss home. Sichuan has a nice climate, and I know the people there."

He Yuzhu stared into his master's eyes.

"Master, please listen to me."

He pulled his master to the base of the wall and lowered his voice.

"I'm not staying at Fengzeyuan because of you."

Master Luo frowned.

He Yuzhu said, "I'm going to sell boxed lunches."

Master Luo almost dropped his pipe.

"What?"

"Yes, it's boxed lunches," He Yuzhu said. "Think about it, how many people are there in Beijing now? I sell them at Qianmen Railway Station. More than 10,000 people come every day, and I sell for two hours at noon. One meat and one vegetable dish, 30 cents each. I make 10 cents per box, and if I sell 300 boxes at noon, that's 30 yuan. That's 900 yuan a month."

Master Luo opened his mouth slightly.

He Yuzhu pressed down on his master's hand.

"Master, please let me finish."

He took a breath.

"I sold boxed lunches for three years to save up money, and then I tried to get a job at a company."

"unit?"

"Public-private partnerships are inevitable," He Yuzhu said, looking into his master's eyes. "In the future, worker status will be the most important thing. A secure job is better than anything else. Besides, working in a company is easier than working in a restaurant. You can take on a couple more apprentices, and then you can just relax, drink tea, and give them pointers."

Master Luo stared blankly at He Yuzhu.

The way this child is talking today doesn't sound like someone who's sixteen.

He Yuzhu then said, "Master, think about it. Where is this? Beijing! The capital! No matter how good my hometown in Sichuan is, can it compare to the capital?"

Master Luo remained silent.

He Yuzhu continued, "Think about your son, your daughter. Will your grandchildren grow up in Beijing, or will they return to Sichuan?"

Master Luo's lips twitched.

"It's definitely better for my grandchildren to study in Beijing than in Sichuan."

Master Luo lowered his head.

He Yuzhu looked at his master's face.

"Master, if you really want to go back to Sichuan, you can go back after you retire. It's not possible now."

Master Luo raised his head.

"You little rascal... you're really meddling in other people's business."

He Yuzhu grinned.

"You are my master. If I don't take care of you, who will?"

Master Luo's eyes reddened.

He patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder.

"Okay. I'll do as you say."

He Yuzhu stood up.

"Then you can stay at Fengzeyuan with peace of mind. I'll sell my boxed lunches, and you can cook your dishes. In three years, we'll both be working for a government unit."

Master Luo nodded.

Go ahead. Be careful on the road.

He Yuzhu carried the set of knives and walked towards his bicycle.

Master Luo stood in the backyard, watching his apprentice walk away.

He Yuzhu rode his bike around all afternoon, looking at various packaging options on the market, and finally decided on cardboard boxes with an inner paper box, costing nine cents per set. He spent 900 yuan and ordered 100,000 cardboard lunch boxes.

It was almost dark when we got back to the courtyard house.

He Yuzhu pushed the cart into the house and vaguely heard crying coming from the backyard.

It's Liu Haizhong's house in the backyard.

He closed the door, lit the kerosene lamp, and placed the set of knives on the table.

He sat down and closed his eyes.

In the space.

Liu Guangqi's body is still there.

In the darkness, the crying from Liu Haizhong's family continued.

The wind howled outside the paper window.

He Yuzhu lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), staring at the roof beams.

One sentence kept replaying in my mind.

"A leading figure in Sichuan cuisine among the younger generation."