Chapter 429 - 211: You Have to Invite Me When You Get Married

Chapter 429: Chapter 211: You Have to Invite Me When You Get Married

The combined salaries of all the chefs in the kitchen at Le Ming Restaurant didn’t even add up to that much.

"Alright, I understand. I’ll go back and explain it clearly to the manager," Kong Guodong said with a nod. Now that Zhou Yan had given a definite answer, he could report back to his superiors.

’This isn’t unacceptable, either. If Le Ming Restaurant can’t afford him, then Feiyan Restaurant can’t either.’

"In that case, if Le Ming Restaurant is hosting an important event, could we hire you to cook a few dishes?" Kong Guodong asked Zhou Yan. "As you know, important officials sometimes visit Jiazhou, and Le Ming Restaurant is usually the one to host them. Of course, we wouldn’t expect you to do it for free. We’ll pay you per event."

"Hmm..." Zhou Yan considered for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But you’ll need to coordinate with me on the timing in advance. I won’t always be free."

"Of course, we’ll work around your schedule." Kong Guodong smiled and nodded, settling the matter. He chatted with Zhou Yan for a few more moments, then got on his bike and left to find Xiao Lei.

Zhou Yan watched him ride off into the distance.

’I don’t want a full-time job, not even for a day. But picking up some freelance gigs for quick cash when I have time isn’t a bad idea.’

’After all, the guests are all officials. Maybe I’ll even get to know a few.’

’Even my Master cooked at Feiyan Restaurant back in the day. It’s not uncommon. Usually, only a Grandmaster gets an invitation like that, which proves you have a signature skill.’

’They’re certainly showing me enough respect. Not that I care about that. As long as the money’s good, I’m happy.’

"Here to offer you a job again?" Mrs. Zhao asked as she cleared the table, having overheard parts of the conversation.

"Yep. Le Ming Restaurant offered me their top salary: one hundred fifty a month," Zhou Yan said with a smiling nod.

"One fifty... That’s a generous offer," Mrs. Zhao said with a laugh, lowering her voice. "He just doesn’t know I’m paying you two-forty, or he wouldn’t have had the nerve to say it."

...

In the teachers’ cafeteria of No. 1 Middle School, the faculty carried their lunch boxes, filled them with food, and sat down to eat in groups of two and three.

Zhou Ming and Song Wanqing sat across from each other, two unopened lunch boxes resting on the table between them.

Song Wanqing looked at him in surprise. "Zhou, didn’t you have the morning off? Why didn’t you eat lunch at home before coming in?"

Zhou Ming looked slightly embarrassed. "Something came up at school this morning, so I came in early. I brought you some braised meat my younger brother made. I only got a serving of stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings for myself today."

As he spoke, he opened the two lunch boxes. One was filled with thinly sliced braised pig ears and snout, while the other held glossy, crimson-red braised pig head meat. The moment he opened them, a rich, savory aroma filled the air.

GULP.

Song Wanqing couldn’t help but swallow.

She had supervised the early morning study hall, then stood through three straight literature classes. The soy milk and fried dough sticks she’d had for breakfast had long since been burned off.

For the last half of the final period, she had been running on nothing but sheer willpower and her sense of responsibility to her students.

At this point, the sight of plain white rice would have made her eyes light up. Smelling the aroma of this braised meat was simply unbearable.

’It smells so good!’

’And it looks so tempting!’

"This is so much! It must have cost a fortune, didn’t it?" Song Wanqing asked, swallowing hard as she looked up at Zhou Ming.

Both lunch boxes were filled to the brim; it had to be over a pound of meat in total.

Braised meat was expensive. The last time she’d bought some pig head meat for her father to have with his liquor, it cost two and a half yuan a pound.

And braised pig ears and snout were even more expensive than that.

"Just try some," Zhou Ming said with a smile, ignoring her comment about the cost. "My younger brother learned how to cook from our grandmother. His braised meats are exceptional; he completely captured the essence of her recipe."

The corners of Song Wanqing’s mouth turned up in a slight smile. She picked up her chopsticks and selected a slice of the braised pig ear.

The pig ear was sliced so thin it was translucent, stained a beautiful amber from the marinade and dotted with delicate pieces of cartilage.

The slice, saturated with flavor, was tender yet firm, with a delightful springy crunch from the cartilage.

With the first bite, the savory flavor exploded in her mouth, growing more intense and fragrant with every chew.

"This braised pig ear is amazing!" Song Wanqing couldn’t help but exclaim. "It’s so crisp and fragrant! The flavor of the marinade is so rich and unique." It was completely different from any she had ever tasted.

One slice wasn’t enough to satisfy her, so she couldn’t help but pick up two more and pop them into her mouth.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH.

The soft crunch of the cartilage between her teeth was like a delicious melody that entranced her.

For the first time, she truly understood the appeal of braised pig ear.

She scooped a mouthful of rice from her lunch box, chewing and swallowing it along with the lingering fragrance in her mouth. It soothed her growling stomach and brought an intense feeling of satisfaction.

Once she started, she couldn’t stop.

She tried a piece of the braised pig snout. It had a firmer, springier texture and was just as intensely flavorful. The interplay of salty and savory was simply divine.

Another mouthful of rice followed.

Her gaze shifted to the braised pig head meat.

Compared to the ear and snout, the pig head meat was cut slightly thicker. It was a glossy, radiant red, glistening with oil.

She didn’t actually like pig head meat; she usually found it too fatty. She’d tried a couple of pieces of the meat she’d bought for her father last time, and the greasiness had put her off.

And yet, it was her father’s favorite snack to have with liquor. He wouldn’t even look at the more expensive braised pig ears.

Song Wanqing picked up a slice of the pig head meat. A quivering combination of one part skin, six parts fat, and three parts lean.

After a brief hesitation, she put it in her mouth.

The first bite was rich and unctuous. The marinade and fat mingled on her tongue—decadent but not greasy, tender but not mushy. The slight thickness gave it a satisfying substance, and the flavor as she chewed was incredible!

’Is this really braised pig head meat?’

’Then what was that stuff I ate last time?’

’This isn’t greasy at all!’

She lifted the lunch box right up to her face, abandoning all pretense of her usual ladylike nibbling, and shoveled a large mouthful of rice into her mouth.