Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month in 1928, the Little New Year arrived, and the city of Beiping was more lively than usual.

The sound of firecrackers occasionally echoed through the alley; a sweet smell filled the air—the 23rd, the sticky candy.

That's because every household worships the Kitchen God, preparing to seal his mouth with sugar melons so that he will "speak good words in heaven and bring peace to the world."

At Li Ji Restaurant, before noon, the door curtain was constantly being lifted, the heavy cotton curtain bringing in gusts of cold wind, which was completely dispelled by the sizzling aroma of braised dishes and the caramelized smell of braised pork inside.

"Da Hu, refill the tea for the three tables!" Yun Niang's clear voice rang out loudly in the noisy shop.

"Alright! Here comes the tea, be careful it's hot!" Xiao Wu had a towel draped over his shoulder, and the teapot in his hand danced like a dragon. Boiling water poured into the bowl, and the tea leaves swirled. After so many days of practice, Xiao Wu was getting better and better at his job as a waiter.

In the kitchen, Li Chunsheng was busy and sweating profusely.

Since it's the Little New Year, he should treat his team of employees who have been working hard for him for half a month, as well as his customers who have worked hard all year, to a hearty meal.

Name: Li Chunsheng

【Skill】:

Broth preparation (intermediate): 999/10000

Wonton Making (Intermediate): 888/10000

Knife skills (intermediate): 2567/10000

Cooking temperature (intermediate): 3579/10000

Seasoning (Intermediate): 3657/10000

Chili oil (intermediate): 321/10000

Stir-fry over high heat (intermediate): 512/0000

Paste coating (intermediate): 532/10000

Pig offal cleaning technique (intermediate): 978/10000

Secret Broth Braising Sauce Recipe (Intermediate): 789/10000

Flaming and branding technique (intermediate): 800/10000

[Dishes]:

Wonton (Intermediate): 800/10000

Chicken noodle soup (intermediate): 656/10000

Braised pork and baked wheat cake (intermediate): 532/10000

Stir-fried liver tips (intermediate): 135/10000

Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes (Intermediate): 431/10000

Twice-cooked pork (intermediate): 111/10000

Braised Pork Belly (Intermediate): 99/100

[Reputation Points: 3000]

All the dishes and skills have reached the intermediate level, but I still don't know what the reputation points are for.

Li Chunsheng glanced at the system panel, feeling relieved. His spatula didn't stop; with the roar of the stove, a large pot of glistening red braised pork was bubbling away in the thick broth.

Just then, Old Wu strode to the kitchen door and said, "Manager, Mr. Zhou is here." This was something Li Chunsheng had specifically instructed him to do when Zhou Zhengnan arrived.

Li Chunsheng put down the spatula, smiled, and went out: "Mr. Zhou is here, please have a seat."

Zhou Zhengnan was still wearing a dark blue woolen overcoat today, but there was a hint of solemnity between his brows. He sat in his usual spot, his briefcase still placed on his lap.

"Boss Li, Happy Lunar New Year's Eve." Zhou Zhengnan nodded slightly when he saw Li Chunsheng come out. "I heard you finished work early today. If I hadn't come, I'm afraid I would have had to wait until after the New Year for this braised pork I've been craving."

"Sir, you're too kind. Even if we had finished work today, I would still have to start the fire again for you." Li Chunsheng laughed heartily. "Da Hu, get Mr. Zhou a pot of good wine, and I'll serve the braised pork!"

A short while later, a bowl of Mao-style braised pork was served. Zhou Zhengnan picked up his chopsticks, but did not take a bite immediately.

He looked at Old Wu, who was checking accounts behind the counter, and tapped his finger three times on the table as if by accident.

Old Wu's fingers, which were manipulating the abacus, paused slightly; this was their current secret signal for one-way communication.

"Mr. Wu, I heard that you are not only good at accounting, but also have some knowledge of calligraphy and painting?" Zhou Zhengnan suddenly spoke up, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the people in the shop to hear.

Old Wu adjusted his glasses, stepped out from behind the counter, and put on a simple, honest smile: "Mr. Zhou, you flatter me. I've just seen a lot of odds and ends in the pawnshop and know a little bit about them, but I can't say I'm an expert."

"I happen to have a newly compiled 'Elementary Literacy List' here, which I intend to use to teach my unruly younger siblings. However, some of the characters are blurry. I wonder if Mr. Wu would be willing to help proofread them?" Zhou Zhengnan said, pulling out a neatly folded red paper from his briefcase.

Red paper is a paper-cutting template that can be seen everywhere on the street, printed with a festive image of the Kitchen God.

Old Wu stepped forward, took the red paper, and their eyes met in the air. Zhou Zhengnan's gaze inadvertently shifted to the right.

"Alright, it's my honor to serve Mr. Zhou." Old Wu chuckled, tucked the red paper into his sleeve, and returned to the counter.

Li Chunsheng stood behind the curtain in the backyard, watching this scene, and sighed.

Having run a restaurant in his past life and seen countless people, he had a general idea of ​​what was going on between Lao Wu and Xiao Wu over the past two weeks, even though he hadn't exposed their secret. These two were no ordinary uncle and nephew fleeing from disaster. If he wasn't mistaken, they were probably from the Red Party.

After finishing the meal, Zhou Zhengnan put down a silver dollar and insisted on not accepting change.

"Boss Li, please accept this money as a New Year's gift for these employees." Zhou Zhengnan stood up, wrapped his coat tighter around himself, and said, "Business will definitely be even more prosperous after the New Year."

"Sir, please wait." Li Chunsheng pulled Zhou Zhengnan back, placed the silver coins on the table, and then winked at Yunniang.

Yunniang quickly led Yaya over.

"Mr. Zhou, I apologize for bothering you, but there is something I would like to ask of you."

Zhou Zhengnan was taken aback, then nodded. "Please speak, Boss Li."

"Ya Ya has been with me for a while now," Li Chunsheng sighed. "In this day and age, although there are public primary schools, there are too many boys, and the teachers can't manage them all. Ya Ya has a timid personality, and I'm afraid she'll be bullied if she goes there."

Zhou Zhengnan listened quietly, a hint of approval in his eyes. In Beiping in 1928, there weren't many small restaurant owners who had the awareness to send their daughters to school.

"What does Boss Li mean?"

"I was thinking, sir, you are a senior professor at a normal university, and you must be very knowledgeable." Li Chunsheng leaned forward. "I wonder if there are any reliable private girls' schools in Beiping? It doesn't matter if they are a bit expensive, as long as I can learn something, whether it's literacy, accounting, or how to be a person, it's better than spending my whole life working in this restaurant."

"I admire Mr. Li's foresight," Zhou Zhengnan said slowly. "There are indeed a few good church-run girls' schools or private schools in Beiping, such as the junior high school affiliated with the Women's Normal University on Shifuma Street. However, the admission requirements there are quite high, and it would be difficult to get in without a guarantor."

"Sir, this is why I'm asking you for help." Li Chunsheng stood up and bowed solemnly. "As long as the child can attend a good school, tuition and miscellaneous fees are not a problem."

Zhou Zhengnan quickly helped Li Chunsheng up: "Boss Li, since you trust me, I'll agree to this. After the Lantern Festival, take your child to Jingwen Girls' School outside Xuanwu Gate and find Principal Liu. Just say that I, Zhou Zhengnan, recommended him. They teach both traditional Chinese literature and Western arithmetic there, which is suitable for your child's early education."

"Oh! Thank you so much, Mr. Zhou! You've really helped me a lot!"