Chapter 120 - 108: Chief Editor He Gets Bamboozled
Chapter 120: Chapter 108: Chief Editor He Gets Bamboozled
He Zhiyuan and Huang Chen’s party didn’t linger. After finishing the other dishes and getting the sliced pig ear to go, they paid their bill and gave up the table for the customers waiting in line.
By nearly seven o’clock, the customers had gradually finished their meals and left, and the back kitchen finally quieted down completely.
Zhao Tieying came around to the back kitchen and saw Zhou Yan untying his apron. She whispered a warning, "That, uh, Chief Editor is still waiting for you outside. Be careful what you say to him. Those intellectual types are masters of deception, and he’s trying to wheedle the secret recipe for our Kneeling Beef out of us."
"Don’t worry, I’ve got this," Zhou Yan said with a smile. He had thought He Zhiyuan and his group had already left and that he would have to pay them a formal visit. He hadn’t expected them to be waiting right outside the restaurant. Their dedication came as a bit of a surprise.
’When it comes to collaboration, the one who acts more invested is always the more desperate party.’
’First, I can rule out the possibility that he also has a system task to complete. The only other explanation is that He Zhiyuan wants to write an article about the Kneeling Beef and my braised meats.’
’If that’s true, then this plays right into my hands.’
’But the more deferential he acts, the more demanding his requests are likely to be.’
’*Sichuan Cuisine* isn’t just a food magazine; it’s a culinary journal. The chefs featured in its "Technical Exchange" section are the real deal, and they genuinely share their techniques.’
’Zhou Yan was no fool; he saw the situation as clear as day.’
’Top-tier chefs can afford to share a few tricks of the trade. It makes them look professional and magnanimous, boosting their fame without any risk to their standing in the kitchens of major restaurants.’
’He, on the other hand, was just starting out. He only had a few tricks up his sleeve, and he was counting on Kneeling Beef to build his reputation and on the braised meats to earn enough money for his family to build a new house.’
’This recipe... He was determined not to reveal a single detail.’
After straightening his clothes, Zhou Yan walked out with a smile.
He Zhiyuan and Huang Chen were chatting idly on a long stone bench under a tree near the entrance. Li stood by the river, zoning out in the breeze as he watched the crimson sunset.
Seeing Zhou Yan emerge, He Zhiyuan immediately shot to his feet and approached with a grin. "Chef Zhou! All done for the day?"
"Just finished. Sorry to have kept you and Mayor Huang waiting, Chief Editor He," Zhou Yan replied, also smiling.
"Not at all, not at all. We had our meal and have just been enjoying the river breeze, holding a Dragon Gate Formation. It’s been quite pleasant." He Zhiyuan waved his hand, his gaze fixed intensely on Zhou Yan. "That Kneeling Beef soup you make is absolutely delicious. I saw you used the stove as a signboard and wrote a bit about the dish’s origin. It was very well-written!"
"You flatter me, Chief Editor He. I just wrote down the old legends as the elders told them and added a few flourishes of my own. I wouldn’t say it’s anything skillful," Zhou Yan said with a modest smile. "If you’re interested, why don’t we go inside? I can make some tea, and we can chat at our leisure."
"Excellent! I love nothing more than hearing the stories of heritage behind a great dish." He Zhiyuan rubbed his hands together and shouted to Li, who was still by the river. "Li! Get over here with your notebook! It’s story time."
"Huh? Oh!" Li zipped open his backpack as he hurried over, his face a perfect picture of the "joy" of working overtime.
Zhou Yan invited the three of them into the restaurant and sat them at a table near the door. He then rummaged through a cabinet and pulled out a box of Mount Emei green tea from his personal stash to brew for them.
Of course, he couldn’t afford high-end Emei Snow Bud Tea, but this was still an early-spring green tea from Mount Emei. When steeped in hot water, its fragrance filled the air, and its color was a delightful shade of green.
Zhou Yan sat down and glanced at Li, who was sitting primly with an open notebook and a Hero-brand fountain pen in his hand. Then he began. "The Kneeling Beef of our Zhou Village has a history stretching back over a century. An Elder TCM Practitioner of the Luo family practiced medicine for the good of the people. He cooked beef offal with traditional Chinese medicine, creating a dish that was not only delicious but also had various medicinal benefits. It was famous in its day, so much so that the shop was always packed. With nowhere to sit, customers would prop their feet up on the crossbars under the tables to eat, which is how it got the name Kneeling Beef..."
"But in the turmoil of the wars that followed, the craft was gradually lost, becoming just a fond memory for the village elders. The people of Zhou Village continued to sell beef soup along the river, but the flavor was never quite right. It lacked the legendary medicinal properties, and the magnificent sight of a full house, with customers propping up their feet just to get a bowl of soup, was seen no more."
"What a pity, what a pity!" He Zhiyuan lamented. He then looked at Zhou Yan. "So how did you manage to recreate this Kneeling Beef?"
Li and Huang Chen stared at Zhou Yan, their faces full of curiosity.
Even Zhou Miao, Zhao Tieying, and Zhao Hong stopped what they were doing to look over at Zhou Yan. They all wanted to hear what kind of story he was about to spin.
Zhou Yan took a sip of tea, his voice deepening slightly. "To explain that, I have to start with my great-grandfather from the Zhou Family. He and the son of Elder TCM Practitioner Luo were sworn brothers. The Luo family left Suji during the chaos of the war, but before they went, they entrusted the secret recipe for Kneeling Beef to my great-grandfather. My great-grandfather hid the recipe in the rafters of our house, telling only my grandfather about it."
"My grandfather later left Sichuan to join the army. He lived a soldier’s life, crossed the Yalu River, and never returned. And so, the secret recipe was forgotten by all."
"Then, last year during the New Year, my grandmother asked me to clean the dust from the rafters. By chance, I discovered the recipe, hidden in a crevice for decades. I felt as if it was destiny, a sign that I was meant to carry on this legacy."
"Unfortunately, a corner of the recipe had been gnawed by rats, and after so many decades, much of the writing had faded. Recreating it was an immense challenge."
"With more than a dozen spices and medicinal herbs, the slightest difference in measurements resulted in a completely different flavor. I spent two years, through summer and winter, experimenting nonstop, until I finally recreated this once-famous Suji delicacy—Kneeling Beef."
The dining room fell silent. Everyone now looked at Zhou Yan with a newfound sense of admiration.
"Comrade Zhou Yan, your unyielding spirit, your dedication to reviving a classic and preserving a culinary legacy... it’s truly moving!" He Zhiyuan praised. "How many young chefs these days have the patience to devote themselves to such a task?"
Li couldn’t help but applaud. He was also in his twenties, but all he did was trail after Director He with a bag slung over his shoulder, writing down whatever he was told. He was a world away from Zhou Yan.
Huang Chen nodded again and again, joining in the applause. ’This young man’s character is remarkably steady,’ he thought. ’With that kind of fortitude and talent, he’s bound for an extraordinary future.’
"Is that story real?" Zhao Tieying whispered, leaning close to Zhou Miao’s ear.
"I... think so?" Zhou Miao wasn’t sure either. Zhou Yan had told it with such convincing detail that it didn’t sound fake.
’It’s just... their old house had been renovated twice, hadn’t it? And he was pretty sure the beams had been replaced once...’
’Did Grandpa really hide a recipe in the rafters?’
"Brother is so cool!"
Zhou Momo couldn’t care less about the details. Hearing the noise, she put down her doll, clapped along, and cheered for her brother.
Her brother was the best in the world!
His cooking was the most delicious in the world!
He Zhiyuan glanced at Li’s notebook and saw that he had recorded everything Zhou Yan just said. A flicker of satisfaction showed in his eyes; Li’s stenography skills were improving.
"This Kneeling Beef recipe is simply too precious. A story as legendary as this only highlights the charm of passing down culinary traditions." He Zhiyuan looked at Zhou Yan, his face full of admiration. "I’ve eaten my way across Sichuan, but this Kneeling Beef is truly unique. It has a distinctive place among methods for cooking beef and is destined to earn its place in the canon of Sichuan Cuisine. I’d like to feature Kneeling Beef in an upcoming issue, in the technical skills column. I was wondering if Comrade Zhou Yan would be willing to share some of his cooking techniques, for culinary enthusiasts and your peers to study?"
Huang Chen silently turned his head away. ’My friend is great in every way, except he’s got way too much nerve. I’m afraid I’ll get beaten up just by going out to eat with him.’
Zhao Tieying’s brows furrowed in anger. ’That guy really is relentless,’ she thought, glancing nervously at Zhou Yan.
Li pursed his lips and pressed one hand on the cloth bag beside him, preparing to make a run for it.
’Going on business trips with Director He meant getting to eat authentic delicacies from all over, but it also meant accumulating a wealth of experience in fleeing the scene.’
Zhou Yan’s smile never faltered. He shook his head slightly. "To be perfectly honest, the most complete sentence left on that recipe is: ’A family craft, not to be shared with outsiders.’ My grandmother has the recipe now, and she’s warned me time and again not to be an unworthy descendant, or else I’ll face the family’s punishment."
"Is that so..." He Zhiyuan looked a bit disappointed, mulling over what to say next.
"However," Zhou Yan’s expression turned serious, "since you’ve made this request, Chief Editor He, and since you want to feature Kneeling Beef in *Sichuan Cuisine* magazine to give this century-old dish the recognition it deserves, I’ve made a decision... to go against my ancestral teachings."
"Please, go on." He Zhiyuan’s eyes lit up, and he sat up straighter.
"Is he really going to tell him?" Zhao Tieying blurted out anxiously, staring at Zhou Yan, hesitating to say more.
Li set his bag down and readied his pen to continue taking notes.
Zhou Yan began. "The essence of Kneeling Beef is, in fact, all in the broth. First, you must select high-quality, fresh beef bones and offal. Add over a dozen spices and medicinal herbs, then simmer over a low fire for eight hours. Once you have a pot of rich, savory stock, the Kneeling Beef is more than halfway there."
"We add beef intestines, tripe, beef tendon, and fresh sirloin to our Kneeling Beef. We cook them with optimal Fire Control, then pour it all into an earthenware bowl. And there you have it—a bowl of Kneeling Beef."
"All the technique is in the execution. Mastering the Fire Control for each ingredient isn’t something that can be explained in a few words. Diners are welcome to come to Zhou Yan Restaurant in Suji to taste it for themselves."
He Zhiyuan was silent for a moment. He looked at Zhou Yan. "That’s... it?"
’Did Zhou Yan say something? Or did he say absolutely nothing at all?’
’And did he just sneak in an advertisement?’
"What did he just say?" Zhao Tieying whispered to Zhou Miao, trying to confirm.
Zhou Miao thought for a second. "The general recipe for Zhou Village soup?"
Zhao Tieying slowly turned away, struggling to control her expression.
"Chief Editor He, what would you say was the most moving part of your Kneeling Beef experience today?" Zhou Yan asked, turning the question back on him.
He Zhiyuan thought for a moment. "It was the feeling of being moved, seeing a delicious, century-old legacy continued. And it was your own indomitable, scholarly spirit."
"Exactly," Zhou Yan nodded. "An article needs a focus. If you’re writing about heritage, you can’t just write about technique. You need to write about the benevolent heart of Elder TCM Practitioner Luo, who practiced medicine for the public good a century ago. You need to write about the arduous journey of a young chef named Zhou Yan, who, a hundred years later, painstakingly recreated Kneeling Beef through sheer perseverance."
"You need to write about what makes Kneeling Beef different from other beef dishes in Sichuan. You need to write about how the dish captivated you—its color, its aroma, its flavor."
"I think it would be a perfect fit for the ’Provincial Highlights’ section."
"I’ve even come up with a headline for you: SHOCKING! A Century-Old Suji Delicacy Has Been Revived—And It’s All Thanks to This One Man!"
"The moment a reader glances at the table of contents, I guarantee that’s the first page they’ll turn to."