AGN -Chapter 446 Looking for Someone

Because Zhao Cheng’an took leave, Qin Huai leveled up his proficiency even faster on the second day.

How should he put it?
When nobody was chatting beside him, efficiency really went up.

Although Zhao Cheng’an had been in a half-alive, half-crazed state these past few days, no matter how crazy he got, he still had to chat every now and then. The day Zhao Cheng’an focused entirely on making pastries without saying a single word—that would be the day he was truly insane.

Qin Huai happily grinded proficiency for the entire day.

On the third day, Zhao Cheng’an returned from his vacation. Perhaps because he had just rested and was in an especially good mood, he set a new record for earliest arrival at work, showing up at 6:17 in the morning.

“Qin Huai, after not seeing me for a whole day yesterday, did you miss me terribly? Did making pastries feel super boring without someone beside you chatting with you? I’m telling you, I even tried helping you out—I asked if Tan Weian could be transferred over for a day. My master refused and even scolded me. Tan Weian also refused, said he was afraid my master would yell at him to death.”

Zhao Cheng’an wore an expression that clearly said: See? Your bro was thinking about you.

Qin Huai was making pine nut siu mai and replied flatly:

“Not at all.”

“Yesterday, without you around, I leveled proficiency insanely fast. When’s your next vacation?”

Zhao Cheng’an: ?

Brother, my sincerity was wasted.

Qin Huai’s happy proficiency-grinding continued all the way until June 27th.

It wasn’t that grinding proficiency on June 27th suddenly became unpleasant. Nor was it because something had happened to Zhiweiju and Qin Huai no longer had a place to train.

And it definitely wasn’t because Zheng Siyuan alone could no longer satisfy the elderly customers’ demand for pastries at the Cloud Canteen, causing the uncles and aunties to prepare to buy houses in Hangzhou as a group.

It was because Shi Dadan’s two children had finished their final exams.

Yes, although many people had already forgotten, our Taotie-like Shi Dadan also had a happy family this lifetime, complete with two children who had inherited his allergy to studying.

As a good father who had successfully passed down the trait of “being allergic to academics,” Shi Dadan could previously flee under the excuse of “traveling to inspect business opportunities” while the kids were still in school. But now that their studies were temporarily over, he had no choice but to return to Guangdong Province.

Once the children’s grades came out, his wife would scold both the kids and him together.

Shi Dadan booked a flight back on June 28th and didn’t plan to bring luggage. He hadn’t brought much when he came either—most things were bought on-site—so naturally he didn’t intend to carry much back.

After all, bringing too many belongings home would make it look like he had been living quite comfortably during this “business inspection trip,” which would not be beneficial for family harmony.

Since Shi Dadan was leaving on the 28th, Qin Huai deliberately took leave on the 27th to stay home and make pastries specifically for him.

He prepared frozen dough blanks so Shi Dadan could take them back to Guangdong and store them in the freezer. Qin Huai also planned to send some to Cao Guixiang as well.

Recently, Qin Huai had been completely immersed in grinding proficiency and hadn’t video-called Cao Guixiang, only occasionally chatting on WeChat.

Regarding the culinary path Qin Huai had summarized for himself, Cao Guixiang was extremely supportive—far more supportive than Master Zhou.

Perhaps it was because Cao Guixiang herself had once been a peerless genius in the red-case culinary world. Top geniuses always appreciated and understood one another.

The first time Cao Guixiang heard Qin Huai boldly declare that he wanted to become “the textbook among textbooks,” her first reaction was to burst into laughter.

Then she told him that when she first learned cooking, her very first small goal had been to surpass her senior brother, then surpass her master, and finally stomp her master beneath her feet.

Back then, Cao Guixiang’s master had also been recognized as the number one chef in the red-case culinary world.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Before she could even surpass her senior brother, special circumstances forced her to go to the countryside as an educated youth. After leaving Beiping, she never returned.

Now, when she looked back on those youthful ambitions, all she could do was smile and tell Qin Huai that he had been born in a better era, and that one day he truly might become “the textbook among textbooks.”

Qin Huai rarely took time off to make pastries at home. Since only Shi Dadan was leaning against the kitchen doorway—gnawing on an apple while watching Qin Huai cook—the atmosphere was extremely relaxed.

So relaxed, in fact, that Qin Huai felt as though he had returned to the Cloud Canteen.

Since the mood was so perfect, Qin Huai simply dug out the wooden phone stand Zhang Chu had made for him from his suitcase, set it up on the kitchen counter, and video-called Cao Guixiang from afar.

Cao Guixiang was watching television at home, while Zhang Chu sat beside her cracking sunflower seeds.

“Master, have Zhang Zhiyun and Qingqing started vacation yet?” Qin Huai deeply understood the principle of chatting with elders: the first topic should always be the children currently in school.

“Nope. Their finals are on July 6th and 7th, so they won’t officially start vacation until the 8th. There are still ten days left before break, yet Yunyun has already started ordering dishes. One moment he wants braised prawns in oil sauce, the next moment tea tree mushroom duck soup, and he even requested abalone in oyster sauce. Anyone hearing him would think he’s completely confident about getting first place in the grade this time.”

Cao Guixiang chuckled warmly, her tone filled with pride over her grandson’s good academic performance.

“Qingqing’s about the same. She wants braised shark fin and Wanfu pork. I seriously suspect those two coordinated in advance—the dishes they ordered don’t overlap at all.”

Faced with topics involving children’s studies, Shi Dadan didn’t dare say a word.

But if he didn’t speak, Cao Guixiang would naturally drag him into the conversation herself.

Shi Dadan was leaning against the kitchen doorway, perfectly visible from the phone camera angle. Cao Guixiang stared at the screen and smilingly asked:

“Old Shi, you’ve been away for two or three months now, haven’t you?”

“First Shanshi, then Gusu, and now Hangzhou. Still not coming back? I think you’ve even gained weight. Last week, when my Old Zhang went grocery shopping, he ran into your wife at the market. Your wife told him she had no idea what kind of business project you’d been inspecting for so long and suspected you’d been scammed.”

Shi Dadan could only give an honest, simple smile.

“I’m going back tomorrow. My kids attend a private school, so their vacation starts earlier. They finished exams today.”

“My flight is tomorrow morning. By the time the plane lands, their grades should probably be out too. Guixiang, I need to ask you for a favor. If I still haven’t sent you a message before 5 PM tomorrow evening, please call me and say you prepared a big table of delicious dishes and invited me over for dinner.”

Cao Guixiang: “…Is it really that serious?”

Shi Dadan let out a deep sigh and revealed an expression that clearly said you just don’t understand.

“Your Yunyun and Qingqing have always ranked first or second since childhood. But my two little brats have always ranked either from the bottom or second from the bottom.”

“You know my educational level. I only recognize a few characters; seeing too many words gives me a headache. We hired tutors for the kids, but even sitting beside them, I couldn’t understand a thing. Ever since they were little, their studies were entirely managed by my wife, so it’s understandable that she has a bad temper.”

“There’s just one problem.”

“She likes taking her anger out on me too.”

Qin Huai almost burst out laughing. How had he never realized before that Shi Dadan was this funny?

“So Old Shi, after you go back this time, are you still planning to visit Little Qin’s place again?” Cao Guixiang asked. “I know you love staple foods, and you definitely love Little Qin’s pastries, but you really should eat less. At your age, you need to watch out for high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol.”

Shi Dadan simply smiled again.

“That won’t happen.”

And it truly wouldn’t.

Now that Shi Dadan had successfully passed his tribulation, in a sense he had become an existence beyond ordinary humans. His body was extraordinarily healthy.

As for how healthy?

Just look at the ninety-two-year-old Bi Fang still causing trouble in hospitals, and you’d understand.

“Whether I can come back this time depends on the situation. I haven’t gone deep-sea fishing in a long while either, so I should go catch some good stuff. Before the New Year, I already promised my two little brats that I’d take them abroad during summer vacation. After I go back this time… I probably won’t be able to come back to Little Qin’s place to eat until the end of August.”

“Originally, when Little Qin mentioned going to Beiping in mid-July for that exchange conference or whatever, I really wanted to tag along. But yesterday I calculated the timing and realized I can’t make it.”

When Shi Dadan mentioned Beiping, Cao Guixiang paused slightly.

“There are still exchange conferences in Beiping?” she asked softly.

Hearing the faint trace of melancholy in her voice, Qin Huai glanced up at the phone and asked:

“Master Cao, this time when I go to Beiping, besides attending the exchange conference, I’ll also stay an extra day. I remember you told me before that your two senior brothers both emigrated overseas. Do you want me to help ask at Yongheju whether they still have contact information for the two masters?”

Cao Guixiang shook her head.

“It’s already been so many years. Forget it.”

Zhang Chu leaned into the frame and added: “Guixiang’s two senior brothers left the country too early. Back then people only communicated by letters. At first we still had addresses, but later something must’ve happened because the letters we sent stopped getting replies, and contact gradually broke off.”

“Actually, more than ten years ago, I asked some friends to help inquire at Yongheju. That’s when I learned that when Guixiang’s senior brothers emigrated, they took most of their disciples abroad with them. The disciples who remained in China had already retired too.”

“The chefs and owners at Yongheju didn’t even know who Guixiang and I were. We’re just ordinary common folk without any influence, so naturally they weren’t willing to help with something like this. Plus communication wasn’t as developed back then as it is now. After hitting a wall once, we just let it go.”

“Exactly.” Cao Guixiang nodded. “And now even more years have passed. Sometimes I search online for information about my senior brother and can’t find anything. He’s already old and retired, and over the years he’s never returned to China.”

“Maybe even Yongheju can’t contact him anymore. Little Qin, there’s no need for you to trouble yourself over this. When was it that I was sent to the countryside as an educated youth? It’s been nearly half a century already. Some things don’t need to be forced.”

“Like Old Shi. I remember after the restaurant closed down, he said he wanted to travel around and look for someone while also exploring business opportunities. He ran all over the country and all over the world, but in the end he still didn’t find them.”

“One New Year, he got drunk during dinner at our house and hugged my Old Zhang while bawling his eyes out. Back then he hadn’t even started dating his wife yet. Old Zhang got so scared he thought some girl had scammed him out of money. He spent the whole night comforting him until his lips went dry.”

Zhang Chu nodded frantically.

“Yeah! I thought something huge had happened. Turns out he just couldn’t find the business he wanted to do.”

“After crying that time, he stopped wandering around so much and started a breeding farm instead, which became the business he runs now.”

Shi Dadan: “…Hey, Little Qin, what pastry are you making now? Mantou?”

The topic change was so awkward and obvious that it made Cao Guixiang and Zhang Chu burst into laughter.

“Yep,” Qin Huai answered seriously. “Old Shi, don’t you love plain white-flour mantou the most? I’m making extra for you.”

“Um… could you maybe make more Four Happiness tangyuan too? My wife likes sweets. If I can carry back a hundred jin of Four Happiness tangyuan, maybe I’ll get scolded a little less.”

Qin Huai: “…Sure. I’ll call Tan Weian right now and have him bring over more ingredients. But Four Happiness tangyuan can’t stay frozen in the freezer for too long. One hundred jin…”

“You’ll have to eat them quickly.”

Twenty minutes later, Tan Weian arrived with four apprentices carrying the ingredients Qin Huai requested. The moment he entered the door he started shouting: “Qin Huai, aren’t you supposed to be on vacation today? Why do you need so many ingredients? Are you still grinding even at home? I’m seriously starting to suspect you’re planning to start your own business and open a community cafeteria in the neighborhood to compete against our Zhiweiju.”

When Tan Weian saw the prepared dough blanks Qin Huai had already made, he cried out dramatically: “Holy crap, how is your workload bigger when you’re off work than when you’re actually working?!”

“Old Shi is leaving tomorrow, so of course I need to make him more pastries to take back and eat slowly,” Qin Huai replied without even raising his head.

Tan Weian instantly turned jealous.

“When I went back home last time, why didn’t you think about making extra pastries for me to take home?”

Qin Huai: ?

Brother, did you forget what your actual profession is?

Qin Huai counted the ingredients Tan Weian had brought over, confirmed nothing was missing, and mentally calculated the amount of pastries he still needed to make today.

“Have you finished today’s KPI?” Qin Huai asked.

Tan Weian answered blankly, “What KPI? I don’t have a KPI.”

Qin Huai was delighted.

“Perfect. I’m short-handed right now. Wait a sec, I’ll call Boss Su and see if he can temporarily lend you to me so you can help make pastries.”

Tan Weian: ???

Qin Huai immediately called Boss Su and explained the situation. Boss Su was extremely generous and said there was no problem. Anyway, Tan Weian usually slacked off at Zhiweiju, so he might as well do more work at Qin Huai’s house.

Then Boss Su casually asked whether one Tan Weian would even be enough.

And just like that, Zhao Cheng’an was also assigned by Boss Su to help make pastries at Qin Huai’s house.

Zhao Cheng’an: ???

Tan Weian and Zhao Cheng’an worked at Qin Huai’s house nonstop until eight in the evening. They made so many pastries that Qin Huai’s two refrigerators couldn’t hold them all. Several groups of apprentices had to transport batches midway to Zhiweiju’s freezer storage for freezing.

By the time work ended, both Zhao Cheng’an and Tan Weian were practically seeing stars. Deep in their hearts, they sincerely felt that Qin Huai not taking vacations before had actually been the correct choice.

This guy absolutely could not be allowed to take leave. His vacations were terrifying!

“No, seriously, Qin Huai,” Zhao Cheng’an asked in disbelief, “can Old Shi even take all these pastries back with him? Even first-class airline luggage only allows what, thirty or forty kilograms?”

Shi Dadan answered honestly: “I’m not checking them onto the plane. I rented a refrigerated truck. Early tomorrow morning it’ll transport everything directly to my house.”

Zhao Cheng’an: ……

Is this even a human method of bringing home souvenirs?

After Zhao Cheng’an and Tan Weian got off work and went home, Qin Huai cleaned the kitchen. While he was cleaning, Shi Dadan leaned against the kitchen doorway watching him.

“Old Shi,” Qin Huai suddenly asked, “when Master Cao and the others were talking earlier… they mentioned that when you were young, you traveled all over the country and all over the world looking for someone. Who were you searching for?”

Shi Dadan hadn’t expected Qin Huai to care about that question. He froze for a moment, hesitated, and then said: “I was looking for Xu Nuo.”

“When I met Xu Nuo, he was already in his intermediate reincarnation life. I was afraid that in his next reincarnation he would completely forget that he was a spirit creature. I was afraid his chances of successfully passing the tribulation would be too low.”

“So I kept searching for him.”

“But the Earth is too big. Finding someone is really hard.”

“And I’m too stupid. I can’t recognize spirit creatures in their intermediate reincarnation lives at all.”