AGN -Chapter 423 Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastry

For the rest of the time, Qin Huai and the others chatted and caught up on each other’s recent situations. There actually wasn’t much to talk about—most of the concern was directed toward Luo Jun and Chen Gong.

Luo Jun’s current situation could be summed up in one sentence: calmly waiting to die.

Luo Jun himself was extremely composed about it. His only complaint was that newly released TV dramas were terrible and updated far too slowly. If he died before the shows finished airing, then by the time he reincarnated in his next life and tried to continue watching them, who knew how long it would take before the series finally ended.

As for Chen Gong, he had far more going on.

The Delicious Taste Company was thriving. Han Guishan had expanded beyond the company’s original soy sauce business and launched several new seasonings.

With the company booming, Chen Gong, as the all-purpose assistant, was naturally overwhelmed with work. Every day from the moment he opened his eyes, it was meetings, revising proposals, arranging the boss’s schedule, coordinating the work of other assistants—worse than 996, practically 007.

Even Chen Gong himself sighed that it was fortunate he had awakened. Though his body was still technically human, he had regained the abilities of a spirit creature, and his physical condition was far superior to that of ordinary people.

A normal person would have already died from overwork.

Because of that topic, Qin Huai curiously asked Chen Huihong, Qu Jing, and Shi Dadan whether regaining their abilities after awakening made them feel like superheroes.

The answer was no.

These three spirit creatures consisted of: a plant spirit that survived by eating parts of itself, a little bird whose ability cured forgetfulness by eating itself, and an auspicious beast with passive buffs but no particularly special abilities. Combined, the three of them still couldn’t withstand a single burst of fire from Bi Fang.

Thinking about it that way, Luo Jun’s former arrogance suddenly seemed understandable. He wasn’t just arrogant toward humans—he was arrogant toward spirit creatures too. Bi Fang simply looked down equally on all living beings.

After the video call ended, Qin Huai first messaged Huang Xi, asking her to do some ideological work on An Youyou. Then he called Su Qi to ask whether Zhiweiju could accept another exchange apprentice.

Su Qi’s response was very… Su Qi.

Not only did he immediately agree, he enthusiastically stated that even if Qin Huai hadn’t brought it up, he had already been considering the matter himself. Zhiweiju and Yunzhong Canteen were extremely friendly cooperative partners. Even though there was currently no actual cooperation between them, who could say there wouldn’t be in the future?

Mutual exchanges were a great foundation for building relationships. Su Qi proudly declared that Zhiweiju had extensive experience managing apprentices. Qin Huai could send not only An Youyou, but also Li Youyou, Wang Youyou, Zhao Youyou, Zhang Youyou—send as many “Youyous” as he wanted. Zhiweiju could handle them all.

Qin Huai hurriedly declined.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to send more people; it was simply that there weren’t many who met the requirements. The two most suitable candidates were already graduates. He couldn’t exactly send them back to their alma mater for a second apprenticeship.

After handling the serious matters, Qin Huai chatted a bit more with Shi Dadan and asked what his plans were after arriving in Hangzhou.

While browsing a restaurant review app, Shi Dadan enthusiastically explained his dining schedule. He had bookmarked countless recommended restaurants and planned to eat his way through them one by one. By the time he finished most of them, Qin Huai’s exchange period would probably also be over, and then they could return to Shanshi together so Shi Dadan could continue eating through all the restaurants he hadn’t yet tried there.

It was basically the perfect leisurely vacation.

The next morning at nine o’clock sharp, Qin Huai arrived at Zhiweiju, ready to begin another hard-working day.

Yes.

Hard-working.

In Qin Huai’s opinion, the “just watching” phase of the past few days had already ended, and Master Zhou’s evaluation of him was clearly complete.

Now that the observing phase was over, it was time for practice.

After a wonderful night’s sleep, the energetic Little Chef Qin was fully prepared to face Master Zhou’s strict yet highly efficient culinary training.

What greeted him instead was a plate of fragrant Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastries—basically flaky pastries shaped like cloud patterns.

“Xiao Qin, you haven’t had breakfast yet, right? Making these Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastries this morning took a bit of extra time, so I didn’t make anything else. Eat a few as you like. I just checked around earlier—Old Wang’s shrimp dumplings should be ready soon, Old Zhao made soup dumplings, and Old Liu prepared pan-fried buns. If you’re tired of those, Hua’s hand-pulled noodle skills are decent too. Today’s pork rib soup turned out well; having him make you a bowl of rib soup noodles to fill your stomach wouldn’t be bad either.”

Master Zhou’s gentle voice, warm smile, and the delicious aroma of the pastries made Qin Huai suspect yesterday’s egg tarts had all been nothing but a dream.

His body was extremely honest as he accepted an Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastry and took a bite first.

Mm.

It tasted exactly like a very normal flaky pastry.

The buttery fragrance had been maximally released through baking. Flavor-wise, it was simply a standard sweet-and-savory pastry. Texture-wise, it was the usual flaky, crumbly crispness. It was the simplest kind of flaky pastry, only with a cloud-pattern design. The pattern itself didn’t alter the flavor in any way.

And yet this simplest pastry was still superior to 100% of the flaky pastries sold on the market.

Qin Huai had originally intended to take just one bite.

But once he started eating, he simply couldn’t stop.

He was hungry in the early morning, and his instincts made it difficult to resist this kind of sugary, buttery baked pastry.

After eating three or four of them in one go, Qin Huai respectfully asked:

“Master Zhou, what pastry should I make today? Continue making egg tarts like yesterday? Or should I make these Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastries?”

“No rush. Today you’ll continue like before—just watch. I’ve got some matters to deal with today too. That brat Su Qian’s brain must’ve either been kicked by a donkey or filled with cement. He hasn’t been listening to a word these past few days, so I need to use harsher methods on him.”

“The low-temperature section is pretty cold, so Xiao Qin, don’t go in there. Staying inside too long makes it easy to catch a cold. These Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastries don’t necessarily have to be made there anyway. I’ll have Old Third find a cooler spot and you can just watch him make them.”

“Huh? I’m not making them? I’m watching Zhao Cheng’an do it?” Qin Huai asked in surprise.

“That’s right. Watch Old Third first. His pastry-making style is a bit too rigid and craftsman-like, and he lacks his own personal style, but he’s barely good enough to serve as a textbook example.”

“I thought about it carefully yesterday. Since I’m teaching you, I can’t only teach what I personally want to teach. Xiao Qin, besides practicing finger techniques, the main reason you came to Zhiweiju is to learn cloud patterns, so naturally your own goals should take priority.”

“We’ll spend some time focusing on cloud patterns first. It’ll also help strengthen your finger techniques. Your skill level is already there—the problem is your awareness can’t keep up yet. These Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastries are considered the simplest cloud-pattern pastries.”

“Start with this pastry. It lets you practice both cloud patterns and laminated pastry techniques. Later, when you learn laminated pastries with me, it’ll be easier for you to pick up.”

Qin Huai: ?

He had come to Zhiweiju to learn cloud patterns and train finger techniques.

Now he also had to practice laminated pastries.

At this rate, when would he ever finish learning and return to Yunzhong Canteen? Would Luo Jun even survive long enough to see him come back?

Of course, that terrifying thought remained in Qin Huai’s head for only two seconds before he forcefully drove it out and replaced it with the determined spirit of Little Chef Qin.

“Understood, Master Zhou. I’ll carefully observe Zhao Cheng’an making pastries and learn as much as possible from him.”

Master Zhou smiled kindly, turned around, immediately withdrew the smile, switched to a stern expression, and strode aggressively toward the low-temperature section.

“Tsk tsk tsk. Su Qian’s finished today. Poor guy. Without comparison, there’s no harm. Originally he was just in a simple slump. Everyone has off days; adjust for a couple of days and things pass.”

“But then yesterday you suddenly made such beautiful egg tarts the moment you touched the dough. He’s probably been having nightmares about egg tarts every night since.”

As soon as Master Zhou left, Zhao Cheng’an moved next to Qin Huai to share the latest gossip. Qin Huai glanced at him and noticed his hands were completely empty and spotless.

Seeing Qin Huai staring at his hands, Zhao Cheng’an explained directly:

“The moment I arrived today, Master told me to guide you in practicing Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastries. This pastry’s too simple—I haven’t made it since I was seventeen. Master was afraid I’d mess up, so he personally demonstrated it in front of me. I was helping him the whole time and didn’t even knead the dough myself.”

“Then where are we going to practice now?” Qin Huai asked.

“Next to Gu Li’s station. There’s an empty workstation over there, and the temperature is relatively lower. Master specifically told me to go there.”

“Why?” Qin Huai asked knowingly.

“So Gu Li can watch too. His pastry-making style is pretty similar to mine—strictly textbook and by-the-book. The problem is his talent’s too poor. Even when copying directly, he still can’t copy properly. He’s practiced cloud patterns for years and is still only at that level. His theoretical knowledge is rich, but the moment he gets to actual hands-on work, problems appear.”

“Master likes Gu Li quite a lot, so he’s taking this opportunity to let me secretly tutor him a bit without anyone criticizing it.”

“Oh right, Qin Huai, what are you planning to eat for breakfast today? That bone broth is seriously good. If Master Hua hand-pulls you a bowl of thin noodles, cooks them in the bone broth, adds a poached egg, blanches a couple slices of greens and a handful of bean sprouts into it—the flavor…”

Qin Huai immediately expressed his agreement.

“I also think pork rib noodles sound perfect for breakfast. Brother Cheng’an, you head over to Gu Li’s side first. I’ll go ask Master Hua if he has time.”

Zhao Cheng’an left in complete satisfaction.

Naturally, Master Hua had time.

Even if he didn’t, he suddenly did.

The moment he heard that Master Zhou had recommended Qin Huai come ask him, an expression even appeared on Master Hua’s face that seemed to say:

So what if your surname is Zhou and you’re the number one master of white-dough cuisine? When it comes to hand-pulled noodles, you’re still inferior to me.

Then, while pulling noodles, he kept track of Qin Huai’s exchange progress—the progress that every master chef in Zhiweiju already knew about—and used wording that attempted to sound tactful but was actually no different from bluntly stating his dissatisfaction with Master Zhou’s teaching methods.

He proudly declared himself a practical, hands-on teacher who would never let an exchange apprentice merely stand there watching without touching anything.

As long as Qin Huai was willing, he would march straight into the low-temperature section right now and argue with Master Zhou, ensuring Qin Huai could spend the entire day hand-pulling noodles.

By the time Qin Huai left carrying three bowls of pork rib noodles, he felt that unless something unexpected happened, Master Hua would probably pick another fight with Master Zhou during the morning meeting.

The two of them had already argued several times.

According to insider Zhao Cheng’an, Master Hua had even tried to challenge Master Zhou to a real fight by the lake, but Master Zhou refused.

As for why Qin Huai was carrying three bowls of noodles…

While ranting and insulting Master Zhou, Master Hua had lost control of the quantity and pulled enough noodles for ten bowls at once. Qin Huai figured Tan Wei’an’s workstation was right next to Gu Li’s, so Tan Wei’an might want a bowl too, which was why he brought three bowls over.

By the time Qin Huai arrived near the workstations with the noodles, Tan Wei’an had already started chatting with Zhao Cheng’an.

Zhao Cheng’an was kneading dough.

Tan Wei’an was slacking off.

The contents of their conversation contained absolutely no academic exchange—only a burning thirst for gossip.

Once the noodles arrived, the gossip paused.

First, they ate noodles.

Unfortunately, the noodles failed to shut Tan Wei’an up.

While slurping noodles, he sighed emotionally:

“Master Zhou’s teaching style really hasn’t changed at all. I remember when Zhao Cheng’an first became his disciple, Master Zhou taught him the same way—he wouldn’t let him touch anything, only watch. I was insanely jealous back then.”

“Oh? How so?” Qin Huai asked.

“I always thought I’d be taught the same way in the future. Back then my grandpa taught me hand-in-hand, and I was actually unhappy about it. I wanted him to teach me like Master Zhou taught Zhao Cheng’an—just let me watch without practicing.”

“But Zhao Cheng’an watched for a while and then just learned it naturally. I watched for a while and forgot everything. I wasted two whole months of progress, and afterward the extra practice nearly killed me from exhaustion.”

Zhao Cheng’an held his bowl with an extremely speechless expression. Using the advantage of being half a head taller, he looked down at Tan Wei’an from above.

“How could that possibly be the same? As my master says, every disciple requires a different teaching method. Someone like me who can learn just by watching doesn’t need practice. Someone like you deserves to have someone standing behind you with a whip.”

Tan Wei’an: (-)

“But Brother Cheng’an, this Auspicious Cloud Pattern Pastry involves both cloud patterns and laminated pastry techniques. Is it really okay for me to only watch without practicing?” Qin Huai asked worriedly.

“It’s not like anyone said you’ll only watch forever. Just observe for now. You already know my pastry-making skills, don’t you? Completely textbook-level. Just watch carefully.”

“Boss Su even wanted to use recordings of my pastry-making as demonstration material at culinary exchange conferences before. But Master thought my skills still weren’t polished enough and that I hadn’t fully graduated yet, so he was worried I’d embarrass him and refused.”

“Right, Gu Li? You should know about that.”

Gu Li, who had been honestly making pastries in the background like a human prop, nodded, then lowered his head and continued working. He didn’t even spare Zhao Cheng’an an extra glance, completely failing to notice Master Zhou’s painstaking intention in specifically arranging for Zhao Cheng’an to work here.

Qin Huai silently sighed inwardly.

Very few people could be as stubbornly single-minded as Gu Li.

After finishing the pork rib noodles, Zhao Cheng’an officially began teaching.

Since it was a lesson, Zhao Cheng’an intentionally slowed down while making pastries in an extremely standard manner. He looked even more mechanical than a robot.

Qin Huai simply stood beside him and watched.

The two of them maintained this quiet routine—one making pastries, the other watching—for over forty minutes before Zhao Cheng’an finally couldn’t hold back anymore.

Previously, whenever they made pastries together, Zhou Yan was always the first to start a topic. Usually it was about her husband or children—small everyday matters. Wang Jiayi would chime in, Zhao Cheng’an would occasionally interrupt, and gradually the conversation would drift into other topics.

Among Master Zhou’s three disciples, Zhao Cheng’an appeared to be the biggest gossip lover, but the person who always actively initiated conversations was Zhou Yan.

Now that Zhou Yan wasn’t here and nobody started a topic, Zhao Cheng’an felt uncomfortable even making pastries.

“Qin Huai, why don’t you just say something random? It’s way too quiet. If I wasn’t worried Tan Wei’an would use chatting as an excuse to slack off, I’d already have called him over to talk.”

Qin Huai had been waiting for exactly this sentence.

As long as Zhao Cheng’an was the one who initiated conversation first, then no matter how outrageous a topic Qin Huai threw out afterward, it would still feel natural.

“Brother Cheng’an, do you usually dream?”

“Like… do you ever have dreams so real that they feel like things that happened in a previous life? Or moments where you suddenly feel that you aren’t really yourself—that you have another life, or fragments of memories flashing back?”

Zhao Cheng’an: ?

Were Qin Huai’s casual conversation topics always this philosophical?

Why did he suddenly feel like Qin Huai’s next sentence would be something like: Freud once said that humans possess the id, ego, and superego…

Zhao Cheng’an froze for a moment. But his intense desire to gossip made him seriously think about this somewhat eerie topic before finally nodding firmly.

“I think I’ve had something like that before. Sometimes I dream that I’m traveling around the world while working as a chef.”

“But considering I really do travel around the world, it’s probably just because I want to go on trips too much. Sigh… I even asked Master before whether I could travel twice a year, and he practically cursed me to death for it.”