Xiao Wang comes from Hong Kong, but his ancestral home is Guangdong. In 1980, he won the second place title in his first free fighting competition in Southeast Asia. He later retired due to injury and went to work.
This time, he accompanied President Qian back to China to discuss business and search for relatives. His position as secretary was part time, mainly responsible for his safety and doing some translation work.
In Guangdong and Hangzhou, where Mandarin is relatively widely spoken, his translation skills were quite good.
But since coming to Sichuan…
The Sichuan dialect is absolutely outrageous!
Doesn't the principal speak Mandarin when giving a speech on the school playground?
The students listened with great interest, finding it completely natural!
Upon arriving in Jiazhou, he discovered that the Jiazhou dialect was even more difficult to understand than Sichuan dialect!
He gradually transformed from a lively and cheerful secretary into a taciturn individual.
He couldn't understand Sichuan dialect very well, but the food in Sichuan was delicious!
Especially after moving from Hangzhou to Sichuan, he felt like he had entered a food paradise.
He was initially worried that his buttocks would be in danger after arriving in Sichuan due to the many spicy foods.
But the actual experience was much better than he had expected. Delicious food was everywhere, even the food in the factory canteen was so delicious.
What shocked him most was this small restaurant in the rural town.
The young chef had cooked every dish so deliciously. He buried his head in his rice, eating five whole bowls of rice with the Mapo Tofu.
He had thought that was the pinnacle of deliciousness.
Until Zhou Yan invited his master to make a dish of Linjiang Eel Shreds.
Not only did it make his boss cry again, but even he felt like crying after eating it.
It was so delicious!
In Guangdong, a famous way to cook eel is Sizzling Eel Clay Pot. When he was in Hong Kong, he often went to a small Cantonese restaurant to eat it. The sauce was rich and flavorful, the eel was tender and smooth, and the taste was fresh and not fishy.
This method is completely different from the preparation of the Linjiang Eel Shreds, and each has its own unique flavor.
But he had to admit that the eel shreds were fresh, spicy, and numbing, with each chopstick full of eel meat. He didn't have to spit out the bones, he could slurp them up like noodles, which was really great.
The most amazing thing was the last bowl of ramen, which was poured directly into the remaining eel soup and mixed with the noodles. After the soup was slightly absorbed, each person served it into a bowl.
The ramen, soaked in the broth, was chewy and smooth, with a numbing, spicy, fresh and savory flavor that surpassed any bowl of noodles he had ever eaten before.
And this was just made with leftover dish!
Sichuan people really know how to eat.
Judging from President Qian's reaction after eating the Linjiang Eel Shreds, his search for relatives is likely going well.
Others may not know, but he accompanied him to Hangzhou for the ancestral worship ceremony.
When paying respects to his ancestors in Hangzhou, President Qian acted with the air of a multinational corporation boss, walking with his back straight and his wallet paving the way as he brought his father's memorial tablet into the ancestral hall.
Unlike today, he's cried twice already.
His mother clearly holds a more special place in President Qian's heart.
Although President Qian is amiable, but he always gives people a sense of distance. He generally doesn't get too close to others, let alone dine with a family he doesn't know.
Today, however, he is sitting here, eating with a family from a small restaurant at the eight-person table, toasting and chatting with Lin Zhiqiang, enjoying the meal together. This is quite unexpected.
Qian Siyuan put down his chopsticks, breathed a satisfied sigh, and smiled with a hint of alcohol on his lips: "I've always been disciplined when I eat, and I'm careful to eat until I'm seven-tenths full. I've had two meals where I was stuffed since I came to China, one was now, and the other was at noon. Chef Little Zhou and Master Xiao's cooking skills are so superb that they really whetted my appetite."
Everyone laughed upon hearing this.
Let alone him, who among them wasn't stuffed?
Zhou Yan made noodles at a rate of three liang per person, and they finished off a whole basin of noodles and eel shreds. Several of them must have been stuffed.
"Master Little Zhou, thank you for your help. I will come to thank you in person after I successfully find my relatives." Qian Siyuan stood up and held Zhou Yan's hand tightly.
"You're welcome, it was nothing at all." Zhou Yan said with a smile. "I hope Mr. Qian can succeed in finding your relatives and mother's hometown."
"Thank you." Qian Siyuan nodded, then looked at Xiao Lei and asked, "Master Xiao, where should I pick you up tomorrow morning?"
Xiao Lei said, "I'll be waiting for you at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative at 8:30 tomorrow morning."
"Okay, then I'll head back to the Jiazhou Hotel first." Qian Siyuan said, taking the wallet from Xiao Wang and handing out two stacks of ten yuan notes to Xiao Lei and Zhou Yan. "I'm sorry to have bothered you so much today. This is a small token of my appreciation as a token of my appreciation for your hard work. Please accept it, two masters."
Xiao Lei raised his hand and pushed it back, shaking his head with a serious expression, saying, "Helping others is a traditional Chinese virtue. We're helping you not for money, but because of your kindness in searching for your relatives across thousands of kilometers.
Human life is fleeting, like the life of grass and trees in autumn. Chinese people believe in returning to one's roots, so your mother always cherishes her hometown.
You were born in the United States, but you have Chinese blood flowing through your veins. It's a good thing to recognize your roots. From now on, no matter where you are, you'll at least know where your hometown is and where your roots are."
"Master is right." Zhou Yan nodded. Master Xiao, having been a head chef, spoke with eloquence.
Moreover, he possessed the romanticism inherent in the Chinese spirit.
Qian Siyuan lowered his hand that was holding the money, bowed to Xiao Lei, and said with some shame, "I was shallow."
"Uncle, this painting is for you!" Zhou Momo slid off the stool, took the painting she had done that afternoon, handed it to Qian Siyuan, and said with a smile, "Don't cry~ Be happy!"
"Okay, thank you." Qian Siyuan smiled as he took the painting, then rummaged in his pockets, finding nothing suitable. Finally, he handed Zhou Momo a stack of ten yuan bills. "In foreign countries, paintings by great artists are usually sold for money. You paint so well, so why don't you just consider this uncle buying your first painting?"
Aunt Zhao raised an eyebrow. Anything can be sold for money now? That thick stack of ten yuan notes must be at least two hundred yuan!
Zhou Momo looked at the stack of money, took a half step back, and waved her hand, saying, "I don't want the money! I'm just a helpful girl~~"
Qian Siyuan smiled as he held a stack of ten yuan notes. This was the first time since he came to China that he had been unable to give away the money he had.
"Okay, next time I come, I'll give you a gift in return." Qian Siyuan nodded with a smile, handed the money and painting to Xiao Wang, and instructed, "Keep it safe, don't fold it."
"Okay, President Qian." Xiao Wang carefully took the money and painting, opened his briefcase, and tucked the painting into a folder.
Lin Zhiqiang saw Qian Siyuan to the door.
The car from the Jiazhou Hotel was already parked at the entrance.
"Director Lin, thank you so much for the introduction today. I feel really bad for taking up half a day of your time with me." Qian Siyuan looked at Lin Zhiqiang and said, "I will seriously consider the cooperation when I get back. Regardless of whether the business goes through in the end, I'm determined to be your friend."
"It's an honor to be friends with Mr. Qian." Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.
"What I said at noon today wasn't a joke. If one day you want to start your own business, you can come and talk to me. As long as the project is suitable, I will definitely invest in you." Qian Siyuan said earnestly. "I think you're a reliable person."
Lin Zhiqiang nodded, "Okay, I'll remember Mr. Qian's words. If I ever need investment, I'll give Mr. Qian my first choice."
Qian Siyuan got into the car and left.
Lin Zhiqiang watched the car drive away.
"Uncle Lin, did the cooperation go through?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile from behind.
"It's hard to say yet, but it looks more promising than before lunch." Lin Zhiqiang turned around, looked at Zhou Yan, and smiled, "I have to thank you and Master Xiao for helping Mr. Qian so much."
"It's nothing. Everyone in Linjiang Town is surnamed Kong. May be she's even related to my grandmaster. We should help when we can." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
Thinking of that stack of ten yuan notes, he felt a pang of heartache.
His money, though not earned by windfall, seemed to have vanished just as easily.
Of course, if it was him, he probably wouldn't have accepted the money either.
"Alright, I'll head back now. I skipped work today to spend time with clients, I need to give the factory manager an explanation." Lin Zhiqiang patted Zhou Yan's arm. "I'll treat you to a meal later."
"Of course I'll treat you to a meal. There's no better place than my restaurant." Zhou Yan laughed. He certainly didn't want to go to someone's house to cook for himself.
"Then I'll go back too." Xiao Lei came out and said to Zhou Yan, "Your noodles are really good, quite chewy and smooth, better than the ones made by machine in a noodle factory."
"If you like it, come anytime for breakfast. Noodles are unlimited." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
Xiao Lei looked at him and casually asked, "Who taught you to make ramen? I don't remember ever teaching you how to make noodles, did I?"
Zhou Yan's smile froze for a moment, but he quickly became serious again and said, "I learned how to make Shanxi style hand-pulled noodles from a recipe I bought from a street vendor. It's quite different from the noodles in Sichuan.
Business was slow a while ago, so I practiced making noodles in the restaurant everyday. I used up several bags of flour before I finally mastered this noodle-making skill. It's thanks to these noodles that I've kept the business afloat."
"So that's how you make Shanxi hand-pulled noodles, no wonder." Xiao Lei nodded thoughtfully, then quickly stared at him again, his brows furrowing slightly: "You're a bit strange. I've taught you so many dishes, but you haven't mastered many of them. Yet, since you started working on your own, it seems like you've suddenly figured it out. You can even make dishes that look decent just by flipping through a recipe?"
"Master, you're wrong." Zhou Yan said seriously, "Without the solid foundation I built by learning to cook in the factory canteen for two and a half years, without your patient teaching and painstaking cultivation, I wouldn't have been able to accumulate so much knowledge and skills. All of this is because I have a good master. Having you is my good fortune."
"Aiyo, stop talking, I'm getting goosebumps!" Xiao Lei waved his hands repeatedly, looking disgusted, but he couldn't suppress the urge to smile.
"I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart. Our Kong Sect lineage relies on excellent teachers like you, Master, for its transmission." Zhou Yan said earnestly, "Don't worry, from now on, I definitely won't say anything about you being my master. Even if a reporter interviews me, I'll keep my mouth shut and won't reveal a single word about our sect, so as not to embarrass you."
Xiao Lei stopped laughing and coughed twice, looking slightly embarrassed: "This...that...it's actually okay. Our Kong Sect is a legitimate lineage. Next time you're interviewed, just be open about it.
For example, talk about your experience learning to cook, how you learned from me, and what excellent qualities you learned from me. That would make the character more well-rounded."
"Is that so?" Zhou Yan stroked his chin. "I remember you didn't say that before, Master?"
"The past is the past, and the present is the present." Xiao Lei laughed: "With your cooking skills when you first opened the restaurant, you were simply wasting ingredients. In the entire kitchen, apart from those two cucumbers that deserved to die, all the other dishes were a waste."
Zhou Yan laughed upon hearing this. It really was his master, he knew it all!
"I'm off. I need to go back and cook dinner for my wife." Xiao Lei called out.
"Do you want to get some braised meat to take back for your wife?" Zhou Yan asked him. Comrade Old Zhou was carrying braised meat and braised vegetables to the small table.
Xiao Lei paused, looking at the braised vegetables on the side: "No braised meat, get some braised vegetables instead. My wife likes braised dried bean curd sticks and dried tofu. Also get some lotus root and potatoes. I won't need to cook anything when I get back."
"Okay." Zhou Yan took two oil paper packages, one containing dried bean curd sticks and dried tofu, and the other containing potatoes and lotus root, and handed them to Xiao Lei.
"How much money?" Xiao Lei had already taken out his wallet.
"Consider it an emergency fee for calling you. I'll call you again next time." Zhou Yan said matter of factly.
"Then I'm off." Xiao Lei stuffed his wallet back into his pocket, picked up the braised vegetables, and rode away on his bicycle.
Zhou Yan smiled and turned back to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients. That's the essence of social interaction.
You help me, I help him, only when bonds are formed can relationships grow closer.
Zhou Yan used to be someone who was afraid of troubling others and also afraid of being troubled by others.
He has no family, no close friends, only a few roommates with whom he gets along well, and they occasionally get together. He's mostly focused on making money.
In this life, he had loving and caring parents and grandmother, a lovely younger sister, and a bunch of relatives who were truly devoted to him.
He also had a master who would resign for him, and a harmonious sect.
His mindset underwent a change.
It seemed these things weren't as troublesome as he had imagined.
This is life itself.
When he chose to help others, he began to experience happiness.
Earning money slowly and living life at a leisurely pace is quite comfortable and enjoyable.
"Guo Guo, let me help you~~" Zhou Momo followed him into the kitchen, brought over a small stool, and helped him tear the cabbage.
Holding a large cabbage in her small hands, she tore off a piece of cabbage leaf and tossed it into the wooden basin beside her. She tore off one leaf at a time, and they were all quite uniform in size. She did this job with great skill.
This work wasn't done for free, Zhou Yan paid her five cents for each cabbage leaf she tore.
She could earn a ten or twenty cents a day.
The piece rate wage wasn't low, but she was too small, so tearing them was a bit strenuous, she usually got tired after tearing just one.
"This foreign boss is really something else, he casually pulled out several hundred yuan to express his gratitude." Aunt Zhao came into the kitchen, looked at Zhou Momo with a smile and said, "Youngest daughter, you still have backbone. He offered you so much money but you didn't want it. You're here tearing cabbage leaves and earning five cents at a time."
"Guo Guo said that we have money at home, and we don't want money given to us by others. We want to create wealth with our own hands." Zhou Momo said in a childish voice, but her expression was quite serious.
"Yes, your Guo Guo is right." Aunt Zhao moved a small stool over and sat down next to her to work, her eyes full of smiles.
Zhou Yan smiled, these were words he had told her before, and he hadn't expected the little one to actually remember them.
Girls should be raised with abundance, not just financially, but also spiritually strong and rich.
That way, when she grows up, no one will be able to trick her away with a pittance.
Putting everything else aside, at least those people can't be worse off than her brother, right?
When he has more money in his pocket, Zhou Yan plans to buy a Jialing 70 so he can take her out for drives more often.
In those days, a new motorcycle was a symbol of wealth.
Cars weren't yet allowed for private ownership.
She could ride around in a Jialing 70 in the 1980s, so she wouldn't even look at those flashy, blond-haired guys who used to cause trouble on the streets.
"Do you think he can find his relatives?" Aunt Zhao asked, looking up at Zhou Yan.
"I think the chances are pretty high. If she really is from Linjiang, many of the older generation are still alive, with names and surnames, they'll definitely be able to find his relatives." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"That makes sense." Aunt Zhao nodded, a hint of emotion in her voice. "Judging from his expression, this must be very important to him. I hope he can get his wish, searching for relatives across thousands of kilometers is no easy feat."
…
"Tsk, you go and make Linjiang Eel Shreds yourself, while I'm left at home eating some braised vegetables. Shitou, Shitou, you've got some nerve, huh?" Ma Dongmei stood with her hands on her hips at the kitchen doorway, looking at Xiao Lei in the kitchen and clicking her tongue.
"Tell me, isn't this braised vegetable dish delicious?" Xiao Lei, his spatula still busy, turned around with a smile and said, "Besides, didn't I also stir-fry some pork cracklings with cabbage for you? It's got meat and vegetables, flavorful and satisfying, isn't that enough?"
"Is this really braised by Zhou Yan?" Ma Dongmei stuffed another piece of dried tofu into her mouth. "This vegetarian dish is so fragrant! The dried tofu is even more tender than dried egg, the dried bean curd sricks is even more fragrant than meat, and the lotus root is crisp and fragrant. I love thick cut lotus root, and the potatoes are delicious too."
Xiao Lei laughed and said, "Zhou Yan's family recipe was learned from his grandmother. You may not know Zhang Ji Braised Food from back then, but my master said it was good and has been thinking about it for many years."
"That's great. This kid's career is finally on the right track. Before, I was worried that his restaurant would lose money and he would be left with a mountain of debt. Now that I see his restaurant thriving and he's even been featured in a magazine, I'm so happy." Ma Dongmei's smile was tinged with emotion.
"He's sensible, and he's motivated by shame. He's been much more diligent lately than he was in the cafeteria, which is how he honed his skills." Xiao Lei nodded.
"So you're taking that American to Linjiang tomorrow?" Ma Dongmei laughed. "Master Xiao, you're so honest and straightforward, you just turned down a few hundred yuan like that."
"I was just going to help Zhou Yan, there's no reason for me to take money. Besides, his mother's surname is Kong, she's from Linjiang, and her ancestors were chefs. Who knows what kind of relationship she might have with my master? If I take money, where will I put my face then?" Xiao Lei shook his head.
"That's right. We should definitely help if we can. Taking money would just make us look like a petty person." Ma Dongmei nodded with a smile.
Xiao Lei scooped the stir-fried pork cracklings with cabbage from the wok and carried it out of the kitchen. "Here you go, have some rice."
Besides the two plates of braised vegetable dishes, there were also two cups of liquor on the table.
"Want a drink? Nothing much to do today, let's go to bed early tonight." Ma Dongmei asked him with a smile.
"Drink up." Xiao Lei smiled as he sat down, glanced at the cup of medicinal liquor in front of him with half a cup of goji berries floating in it, and sighed softly.
It looks like another sleepless night.
...
The next morning, Zhou Yan was preoccupied with this matter.
The task progress bar remained completely still, it seemed there was no prior notice, only the final result.
Just before the restaurant closed for noon, a car slowly pulled up in front of the restaurant.
Qian Siyuan and Xiao Lei got out and walked into the restaurant.
"Well? Did you find it?" Aunt Zhao couldn't help but ask when she saw the two of them.
"Found it! It's Linjiang! My mother is from Linjiang!" Qian Siyuan nodded, his expression filled with undisguised excitement.
"That's wonderful!" Aunt Zhao's eyes lit up.
In the kitchen, Zhou Yan scooped out two portions of spicy stir-fried pork liver from the wok, hurriedly carried the two dishes out, served the food to the guests, and went up to the two men, saying, "Mr. Qian, did you really find it?"
Qian Siyuan nodded and said, "Yes! Master Xiao took me to ask many old people. One of them knew my mother and even found one of my mother's childhood playmates, which confirmed this."
"That's great!" Zhou Yan couldn't help but clench his fist, then turned to Xiao Lei. "Master, what's going on?"
Xiao Lei smiled and said, "If I'm not mistaken, his mother might be your grandmaster's older sister. We plan to have lunch here, then go to Jiazhou to find your grandmaster uncle and have him confirm this.
Now that he's the head of the Kong family, he'll have to decide this matter. Your grandmaster's children probably haven't even met this old aunt. After we've eaten, would you like to come with us to Jiazhou to witness this?"
"I'll go! I'll definitely go!" Zhou Yan nodded decisively.
Such a big commotion, who wouldn't want to go and see?
His words made him realize how farsighted his master was.
If she really was his grandmaster's older sister, and they accepted that money yesterday, they'd never be able to hold their heads high in the Kong Sect again.
Even Aunt Zhao, who was standing to the side, lit up when she heard this, clearly her gossip spirit was also ignited.
"Then you can order your food. Once you've finished eating, we'll be closing soon." Zhou Yan said, then turned and went back to the kitchen to continue cooking.
"I'd like to order a serving of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork and a bowl of Cross-legged Beef." Qian Siyuan said as he sat down. "Master Xiao, just order whatever you'd like."
"Then let's order some Mapo Tofu and Minced Beef." Xiao Lei said, looking at Xiao Wang sitting next to him: "Xiao Wang, why don't you order two dishes too?"
"Yes." Qian Siyuan nodded slightly.
Xiao Wang looked at the menu and thought carefully for a while, then said, "Then I'll order a serving of cold chicken dish and braised pig's head meat."
The three of them sat and waited for their food.
It was clear that Qian Siyuan was in a very good mood today, a smile constantly on his face.
This morning, when he heard the white-haired old man nod and say, "Kong Simin? I know her! Huaifeng's sister!" his mind went blank.
For decades, his mother's long-cherished hometown had finally resonated with him.
His emotions were beyond words.
This land seemed to suddenly become exceptionally familiar to him.
Qian Siyuan calmed down and looked at Xiao Lei with a smile, "Master Xiao, Little Zhou's cooking is so delicious, as his master, your culinary skills must be even more experienced and skillful, and your dishes must be even more delicious, right?"
Xiao Lei remained calm and said, "There is an old Chinese saying: 'A disciple is not necessarily inferior to his master, and a master is not necessarily more capable than his disciple.' Although I have been cooking for more than 20 years longer than Zhou Yan, but some of his dishes are already better than mine. This shows that he has good talent. For example, this Mapo Tofu, I have never even taught him. He probably learned it himself from cookbooks or magazines."
"I see, then Master Little Zhou is truly skilled! I had this Mapo Tofu yesterday, and it was very appetizing." Qian Siyuan nodded thoughtfully and exclaimed in admiration.
"Yes, it's especially delicious." Xiao Wang couldn't help but chime in, agreeing.
Just then, Zhou Yan came out carrying Mapo Tofu and Yu Xiang Shredded Pork.
Looking at the Mapo Tofu on the table, Xiao Lei leaned forward slightly and nodded. Then he looked up at Zhou Yan with a playful smile and said, "This Mapo Tofu looks authentic. It seems I'll have to ask Master Zhou how to make it later."