Chapter 46 - 046 What’s Going On
“Oh dear, my dear brother-in-law, 1 know you are fond of me and want to stand up for me, but this ruckus seems a bit too much…”
What a mess!
Zhang Yongchang furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at Chang Yuanda, “Alright, enough babbling. You should get back to your own business.”
Ignoring his dumbfounded gaze, Zhang Yongchang grabbed the bamboo basket and the tofu and walked towards the kitchen. Then he stopped after a few steps and said, “Oh yes, from now on, you don’t need to deliver tofu to Fushun Tower anymore.”
What?
Chang Yuanda’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
Hadn’t Zhang Yongchang just defended him because the business of his tofu shop was affected, even flipping a tofu stall over? Now he said that he doesn’t need his tofu anymore?
What was going on?
Chang Yuanda was completely baffled and couldn’t figure out why.
Sun Xing at the side was equally astonished, his eyes widened.
“Hurry up, hurry up.” Zhang Yongchang entered the kitchen and set the bamboo basket aside, “Quickly, find someone to call Qin Hongbao for me.”
The apprentice cutting vegetables hurriedly wiped his hands and was about to go out to carry out the order, but then hesitated and stopped, “Master, when 1 go to find Manager Qin, what should 1 tell him?”
After all, he was the shop manager, and he was just a small apprentice. Although he respected his master very much, on the outside, his master was just a cook in the kitchen. There should be a reason to call him over.
“Just say I want him to come over and taste our braised tofu.” Zhang Yongchang didn’t lift his head and focused on taking a large piece of tofu out of the bamboo basket, placing it on the chopping board, and cutting it into proper sizes.
“Alright then.” The apprentice left the kitchen at once.
Although he was puzzled on the way.
Braised tofu has been a signature dish of Fushun Tower for many years, and Qin Hongbao has eaten there for years. He is already very familiar with this dish. Why did they suddenly ask him to taste it again?
Anyway, since his master had ordered it, he had to do it as an apprentice. It’s not his place to worry about other matters.
The apprentice didn’t think too much and just went to find Qin Hongbao.
Qin Hongbao was busy in his shop. When he heard what the apprentice said, he frowned, “Chef Zhang wants me to taste the food? To taste the braised tofu?”
“Yes, that’s what Master said.” The apprentice answered truthfully.
“But this dish…”
What could be worth tasting?
However, since Chef Zhang had specifically asked an apprentice to find him, could it be…
Qin Hongbao’s eyes lit up immediately. He put down the account book in his hand, told the apprentice to look after the shop, and hurriedly followed the apprentice to Fushun Tower.
“You’ve come right on time. Want to have a taste?”
Over here, Zhang Yongchang had already prepared a dish of braised tofu. When Qin Hongbao arrived, he handed him the chopsticks, “You have a try. Does it taste the same as what you ate the other day?”
“Okay, let me try.” Qin Hongbao had been in a hurry to come over because he was wondering if Zhang Yongchang had managed to recreate the wonderful braised tofu dish he had tasted the other day. He quickly took the chopsticks and tasted it.
The familiar and wonderful taste gradually spread in his mouth. After swallowing a piece of tofu, Qin Hongbao immediately picked up another piece.
“Is it the same taste?” Seeing his reaction, Zhang Yongchang had a general idea.
“Yes, exactly. This is the taste! The taste I had that day. Good job, Chef Zhang! Your cooking is impeccable, and the taste is very delicious.” As Qin Hongbao ate and praised Zhang Yongchang, he also called to an apprentice, “Since I was too busy to eat this morning, get me some hot pancakes, and I’ll eat them.”
“Sure, 1’11 make you some scallion pancakes.” Zhang Yongchang was in a good mood and decided to make the pancake for Qin Hongbao himself.
Zhang Yongchang was a chef who usually only made main dishes. Normally, snacks like scallion pancakes and potstickers were made by the minor apprentices, so he didn’t usually make them himself.
Qin Hongbao felt like he has got a huge bargain and his mouth was almost grinning to his ears.
The sun was going down, and it was evening.
Because of the extra steamed rice at noon, Zhuang Qingning made a delicious fried rice with leftover rice, eggs, and garlic sprouts in the evening, accompanied by pickles bought from the town, and made a vegetable soup.
After eating, Zhuang Qingning cleaned up the dishes, while Zhuang Qingsui grabbed the water scoop to water the vegetables.
While watering, she stopped.
“Sister, how many days have we been planting these vegetables?”
Zhuang Qingning was about to answer when she saw the lush green fields in the courtyard and realized she had made a mistake.
She had poured the growth liquid on the seeds and newly sprouted vegetables twice as the system suggested, hoping the vegetables would grow quickly and vigorously. Now they were growing vigorously, with several leaves already, looking like they had been planted for half a month. How could she explain this unusual phenomenon to Zhuang Qingsui?
“Um…” Zhuang Qingning shook off the water droplets from her hand, “Oh, these seedlings are growing so well. It seems Auntie gave us good seeds. Look, they are all so green.”
“Yes indeed.” Zhuang Qingsui tilted her head, “Sister, don’t you think these seedlings are growing a bit too fast?”
“Fast? It’s okay.” Zhuang Qingning laughed, “The seeds have been planted for several days now. Growing fast means the seeds are good, um… and the land is fertile.”
“Even if the land is fertile, it’s different, but look at the hardworking Zhuang family, whose vegetable plots are well cultivated. The crops in the fields are also thriving. 1 suspect that this used to be Butcher Hua’s house. They slaughtered pigs and sheep all the time. The pig and sheep dung, pig and sheep blood, are all soaked into the plot. The soil is naturally nourishing for the crops, which is why the vegetables grow so well.”
Zhuang Qingning turned her face away.
Lying to a child does feel a bit guilty.
“That makes sense.” Zhuang Qingsui nodded approvingly and then laughed, “It’s good that the vegetables are growing well. Once they grow quickly, we can eat fresh vegetables sooner and save some money for buying vegetables.”
“That’s true.” Zhuang Qingning sighed in relief.
“Miss Ning, Miss Sui.” A4rs. He entered the courtyard.
Seeing someone interrupted their conversation, Zhuang Qingning felt relieved. She quickly went to greet her, “Auntie is here. Come, have a seat.”
“No need to sit, I’ve finished making the shoes. 1 brought them over for you two.” Mrs. He handed over the shoes wrapped in cloth, “And here’s the leftover piece of cloth. You keep it for now, you can use it later.”
“Thank you, Auntie.” Zhuang Qingning accepted with a smile. She went into the kitchen to get a piece of tofu and handed it to Mrs. He, “This is homemade tofu. Take it back to make a dish.”
Since she didn’t charge for the labor for making the clothes, it seems right to give a piece of tofu back..