PCJ – Chapter 505 Good Fortune with Food

“Beggar, take a look at the renovations here. Do you think they’re satisfactory?” Wu Yuan asked.

Zhang Jiaohua nodded. “Not bad.”

He glanced at Wu Yuan, noticing something odd about him. Wu Yuan seemed hesitant, as if he had something to say but didn’t dare to. Zhang Jiaohua shot him a look. “If you’ve got something to say, just spit it out. Don’t beat around the bush.”

Wu Yuan scratched his head. “The renovation costs, plus the expenses for getting all the necessary permits, turned out to be much higher than expected. It was all charged to your card. I didn’t expect it to cost so much, but I figured since we’re aiming to create the best restaurant, we needed the best of everything. So, we went over budget.”

Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t help but laugh. “Seeing you act like this, I almost thought you embezzled money. Honestly, you look just like a corrupt official.”

Wu Yuan scratched his head awkwardly. Despite standing in stances for months, he’d lost a bit of fat but hadn’t shed a single pound overall, remaining as bulky as ever.

“Looking like this wasn’t my choice. But there’s nothing I can do. Even drinking plain water makes me gain weight. Jiaohua, do you have any techniques to help me lose weight faster?” Wu Yuan asked.

Zhang Jiaohua stared at Wu Yuan, making him squirm. After a long pause, Zhang Jiaohua asked, “Are you sure you want me to give you a quicker, more effective method?”

Wu Yuan immediately sensed trouble and waved his hands. “No, no, no! Pretend I didn’t ask.”

As they were talking, an older man in his sixties walked in, followed by a few younger men carrying ingredients.

“Master Zhu, why are you arriving so late? The market’s just nearby,” Wu Yuan asked.

“You won’t find ingredients this good at the market. Since we’ve agreed that Koufu Restaurant will strive for excellence, we naturally need the best ingredients. I went to a nearby village to source these. You can’t get them at the market. That’s why I’m late, but don’t worry; it won’t delay anything.” The speaker was Zhu Songtao, accompanied by his team—mostly his apprentices.

“But, Master Zhu, the restaurant isn’t open yet, so you have time to go to the villages for ingredients. Once we’re open, where will you find the time to source ingredients from the countryside? And we’ll need much larger quantities. I’m worried you won’t be able to keep up with the demand,” Wu Yuan said, concerned.

“Don’t worry about that. I’m familiar with the nearby villages. I’ve already arranged for several of them to grow vegetables that meet our standards. In the future, I’ll assign an apprentice to pick them up. Didn’t you say we’d have a small truck dedicated to procurement once we open?” Zhu Songtao replied.

Wu Yuan glanced at Zhang Jiaohua and scratched his head. “I did say that. But…”

Before Wu Yuan could finish, Zhu Songtao interrupted, “Manager Wu, you can’t back out now. If the ingredients don’t meet my standards, I won’t stay here long-term.”

“Why are you looking at me? This is your decision,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

Relieved, Wu Yuan assured him, “Don’t worry, Master Zhu. I’ll keep my word. But you must ensure the quality. If we’re going to do this, we’ll make Koufu Restaurant the best!”

“I wouldn’t dare promise that yet. Let’s see your seasoning first,” Zhu Songtao replied skeptically.

Wu Yuan was confident. “There’s no issue with that.”

But Zhu Songtao frowned. The saying “a smooth-tongued man does unreliable work” came to mind. He couldn’t help but question Wu Yuan’s reliability. He also noticed that the young man beside Wu Yuan wasn’t as simple as he seemed—Wu Yuan kept looking to him for approval. Was this young man the real boss of Koufu Restaurant?

Worried about his future, Zhu Songtao thought to himself, How could such a young person succeed? But since things are already in motion, I can only hope these two don’t mess things up. With my skills, it’s still possible to make this restaurant work.

Feeling uneasy, Zhu Songtao walked into the kitchen with a stern expression. His apprentices, noticing his mood, worked cautiously. They had followed him through multiple restaurant jobs, always leaving due to conflicts with the management, never because of their skills. They didn’t have high hopes for this job either.

Zhang Jiaohua and Wu Yuan also went into the kitchen, eager to see Zhu Songtao’s culinary skills.

Zhu Songtao and his team worked efficiently, chopping, washing, and prepping ingredients with skill. Zhu Songtao stood silently, his face grim, as his apprentices moved swiftly and quietly.

It was a tasting session, so the dishes prepared were limited. Soon, the ingredients were ready, and Zhu Songtao began cooking, his apprentices stepping aside to watch.

Zhu Songtao’s skill was impressive, a testament to why he was still in demand despite frequently changing jobs. He was proficient in both northern and southern Chinese cuisines. He started with Dongpo Pork, a signature dish from the Zhejiang cuisine he excelled at.

As the dish neared completion, Zhu Songtao frowned and said to Wu Yuan, “If you want to add seasoning, now’s the time. But in my opinion, this dish would still taste great without it.”

Wu Yuan smiled. “Master Zhu, it seems you still don’t trust our seasoning. But today’s goal is to show you its quality, so adding it is a must.”

Wu Yuan pulled a small porcelain bottle out of his pocket. The bottle itself was eye-catching and exquisite, though in truth, it was a high-quality counterfeit he’d bought by mistake. Repurposing it as a seasoning container was a good way to make use of it.

“How much should I add?” Zhu Songtao asked, taking the bottle.

Wu Yuan had no idea and glanced back at Zhang Jiaohua.

“Just add however much you want. A bit more or less won’t make much difference. You can figure it out as you go,” Zhang Jiaohua replied nonchalantly.

Zhu Songtao frowned again but patiently opened the bottle and held it under his nose for a sniff.

“Hmm?” As a top-tier chef with experience in state-owned restaurants, Zhu Songtao’s sense of smell and taste was unparalleled. He could usually identify the components of a seasoning with a single whiff. But this time, he couldn’t discern any familiar ingredients. The aroma was complex and perfectly blended, making it impossible to pinpoint its components.

Although he couldn’t identify the ingredients, Zhu Songtao could tell why Wu Yuan was so confident. This seasoning was undoubtedly high-quality.

Initially skeptical, Zhu Songtao now felt eager to see how the seasoning would enhance the dish.

He lightly tapped the porcelain bottle over the pot, sprinkling some powder into the dish. To his surprise, the aroma intensified as soon as the seasoning hit the pot.

“Ah, I added too much,” Zhu Songtao muttered, realizing how precious the seasoning was. Such a rare ingredient should be used sparingly.

He completed the final step of cooking, just as the seasoning’s fragrance blended seamlessly with the aroma of the Dongpo Pork. Unlike other spices, it didn’t mask the meat’s natural scent but amplified it, creating an irresistible aroma without any of the usual greasiness.

“Master Zhu, how’s the seasoning?” Wu Yuan asked, already noticing the change in Zhu Songtao’s attitude.

“It smells quite good. Whether it affects the taste, though, remains to be seen,” Zhu Songtao replied, trying to remain composed.

Wu Yuan exchanged a knowing look with Zhang Jiaohua and chuckled. “Well then, give it a try!”

“You try it first,” Zhu Songtao said hesitantly.

Wu Yuan laughed. “Master Zhu, our opinions don’t matter. It’s your judgment that counts. If you say it’s good, we’ll keep using it. If not, we won’t.”

“That won’t do. This seasoning smells promising. Let’s give it a proper shot,” Zhu Songtao said, slightly embarrassed.

Zhang Jiaohua didn’t care whether the seasoning was used or not. To him, the restaurant’s operations were Wu Yuan’s responsibility, and the business’s success or failure didn’t matter much.

But deep down, Zhu Songtao was eager to taste the Dongpo Pork with the seasoning. One of his apprentices quickly handed him a pair of chopsticks, sensing his unspoken desire.

Taking the chopsticks, Zhu Songtao picked up a piece of Dongpo Pork and placed it in his mouth. As he bit down, the rich aroma of the meat exploded on his palate. His eyes widened as waves of astonishment surged through him.

Wu Yuan, already expecting this reaction, grinned. “Master Zhu, how is it? Does the seasoning pass the test?”

Zhu Songtao glared at him and exclaimed, “Pass the test? This is extraordinary! With this seasoning, I dare say no one on earth could make a better Dongpo Pork than I just did.”

“Master Zhu, this seasoning isn’t just for Dongpo Pork. It enhances the flavor of any dish it’s added to. This isn’t just a seasoning; it’s a game-changer,” Wu Yuan said with a sly smile.

Excited, Zhu Songtao exclaimed, “Let me try it with another dish!”

His enthusiasm was contagious, and his apprentices, eyeing the plate of Dongpo Pork, were clearly tempted to have a taste themselves.

Wu Yuan laughed. “Everyone, don’t hold back. Go ahead and try it. The future of Koufu Restaurant’s kitchen rests in your hands!”