Chapter 234: Chapter 168: Senior Brother, You’re Such a Scumbag! Making Me Cook Dinner? Better Steam More Rice! [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_3
The meal consisted of four dishes and a soup—a mix of meat and vegetables—and was quite well-balanced.
Lin Xu saw Qin Wei dish up some food and go to a corner to eat. He was about to join him when Cheng JianShe spoke up,
"Master Lin, the chefs who went to help out at your restaurant all praise your cooking skills. How about you cook dinner tonight? What do you think?"
Me, cook?
Lin Xu had just been wondering what to do with himself that afternoon to pass the time.
Upon hearing this, he immediately replied,
"Sure, no problem. Just make sure you steam plenty of rice so there’s enough for everyone."
Cheng JianShe burst into laughter when he heard this.
"Master Lin is quite confident, eh? But our chefs and servers here have tasted all sorts of fine food; their appetites are pretty consistent. You just focus on preparing the dishes."
"Alright."
Lin Xu sat down and, while eating, thought about what to cook for dinner.
Let’s start with a popular classic: Braised Pork Belly. I saw some high-quality chilled pork belly in the cold storage yesterday, and it would be a real shame not to make Braised Pork Belly with it.
Braised Pork Belly has a sweet and savory flavor, and some people might not like it.
He gave it some thought and decided to prepare Boiled Fish as well.
Yes, I’ve had my eye on those plump Grass Carp in the aquatic section for a while now.
But Boiled Fish isn’t universally popular either, as it’s served in a soupy, oily broth that tends to splatter Red Oil and soup everywhere when eaten.
Then, I’ll also make dry-fried green beans. Adding some minced meat while stir-frying should make them incredibly fragrant. Plus, without any sauce or liquid, it would be a relatively ’clean’ dish to eat.
That made three dishes, all containing some meat. For the last one, he’d go with a simple Boiled Chinese Broccoli to help keep costs down and avoid going over budget for a single meal.
As for the soup? Naturally, it had to be the old standby: Nori Egg Drop Soup.
Not only does it taste good, but it’s also low-cost; there was no reason not to choose it.
After deciding on the four dishes and one soup, Lin Xu continued with his meal.
Cheng JianShe’s fried tofu skin was very well made. It must have been fried in warm oil and then soaked in warm water, making it soft and tender without being mushy. Paired with minced meat, it was truly delicious and went perfectly with rice.
After a few more bites, seeing Qin Wei still eating alone in the corner, Lin Xu put some food in his own bowl and carried it over to chat with him.
「After lunch」
Customers started showing up at the restaurant.
The kitchen was bustling with activity.
But this level of activity was a walk in the park compared to the kitchen at Lin Ji’s Food. For Lin Xu, it felt almost like a vacation; he didn’t even break a sweat before the lunch rush ended.
「After the noon rush had passed」
Lin Xu went to check on Dundun at the front counter and also brought over some steamed beef tenderloin.
His ’son,’ working here at such a young age, naturally deserved some good food.
With a new toy, the relationship between father and son had been restored. When Dundun saw Lin Xu, it even took the initiative to rub its large head against Lin Xu’s hand.
Its crafty little eyes, however, were glued to the steamed beef tenderloin in the disposable plate.
Clearly, the little guy had smelled the meat.
As soon as Lin Xu placed the plate on the counter, Dundun immediately came over, wiggling its chubby little rear, and started gobbling down the food.
"Boss Lin, everyone who ordered today praised your cooking," Shu Yun said. "Since they couldn’t find you for a photo, they took turns posing with Dundun and left satisfied."
Oh, really? Lin Xu raised his hand and rubbed Dundun’s head. This little guy has sacrificed so much for the family, he thought.
But Dundun was solely focused on eating. Such affectionate gestures were merely an unwelcome distraction, so it shook its head dismissively, nudged the plate forward with its snout, and moved aside to continue eating.
Lin Xu was speechless. Can’t you at least pretend to be cooperative in front of others?
After watching Dundun for a while, Lin Xu waited until the little fellow had finished his meat, then noticed Shu Yun secretly eating some snacks nearby.
"Didn’t you just have lunch? Weren’t you full?"
"I’m allergic to shrimp, and I don’t like fried tofu skin, so I only had a little rice with some lettuce," Shu Yun explained.
Lin Xu said with a smile, "Don’t eat too much. This afternoon, I’ll let you taste my cooking."
Shu Yun’s eyes immediately lit up. "You’re cooking this afternoon, Boss Lin? Oh, that’s wonderful! I watch your videos every day and have been craving your food for ages. I’m definitely going to eat a lot this afternoon!"
After playing with Dundun for a while, Lin Xu returned to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.
He took several jin of pork belly from the cold storage and began to sear the skin.
After a flurry of preparation, the pork was simmering away in a casserole.
Next, he prepared some knife-cut chilies to use for the Boiled Fish.
「Four thirty in the afternoon」
Dinner in the Fishing Platform’s kitchen began.
As the employees gradually arrived at the small dining area for their meal, they were stunned by the sight of the dishes on the table.
Braised Pork Belly, Boiled Fish, dry-fried green beans, Boiled Chinese Broccoli, and a Nori Egg Drop Soup radiating a rich, savory aroma... Tonight’s staff dinner was unbelievably lavish!
"Let’s eat, let’s eat!"
Everyone grabbed a bowl, dished up a large helping of rice for themselves, and then eagerly sat down to eat.
"Mmm, this Braised Pork Belly is perfect! So fragrant and not at all greasy."
"This Boiled Fish is amazing—so smooth and tender! And the best part? No Sichuan peppercorns! It really hits the spot."
"Wow, these dry-fried green beans! Stir-fried with minced meat, they’re unbelievably fragrant and delicious!"
"This Boiled Chinese Broccoli is so authentic. I think it’s even better than what they serve at Building Number Ten."
"Master Lin’s culinary skills are truly impeccable."
"I dished out a large bowl thinking it’d be enough, but I’m definitely going back for more rice."
"Me too! I’ll need another bowl later. These dishes are just too good with rice!"
"..."
Everyone was eating and chattering excitedly, filled with admiration for Lin Xu’s culinary prowess.
He hadn’t even won a championship yet, but no wonder Lin Ji’s Food was so bustling with customers.
His talent was truly exceptional.
After trying everything, they couldn’t even decide which dish was the best; every single one was incredibly delicious. Even the humble Nori Egg Drop Soup was outstanding.
「While they were eating」
Cheng JianShe, having finished his tasks, came to the small dining room to eat. He glanced casually at the dishes on the table. Wow, Master Lin’s repertoire is certainly extensive! Four dishes, four different cooking methods, featuring fish and meat, a full spread of meat and vegetable options. Impressive, truly impressive!
He marveled inwardly at how formidable the younger generation was. Just as he picked up his bowl to get some rice, he discovered that the large steamer tray, which should have been full of rice, was now completely empty.
What’s going on? Where’s the rice? Where did that whole huge tray of rice disappear to?
「At the restaurant’s front counter」
Shu Yun was enjoying a large bowl of rice, eating with gusto as she paired it with the dishes she had brought for herself.
She picked up a piece of Braised Pork Belly, glistening with rich, thick sauce, and placed it on her rice. Gently mashing it with her chopsticks, she mixed it into the rice and savored a large mouthful of the combined meat and grains.
Oh my goodness! Could this possibly be any more delicious?
Just as she was savoring her meal, a few customers with dinner reservations arrived early.
Shu Yun quickly set down her bowl and chopsticks to greet them.
"Hello, Mr. Jin! Your reserved Table Number Nine is by the window. You can enjoy the summer scenery outside while you dine," she said, preparing to lead the customers to their table.
However, the group didn’t budge. Instead, sniffing the air appreciatively, they asked,
"What smells so incredibly fragrant? Is that Braised Pork Belly?"
As they spoke, their eyes fell upon the dishes on the counter—the glistening, jiggly pieces of pork looked utterly irresistible.
Mr. Jin was a regular. He looked at Shu Yun curiously and asked,
"Manager Shu, are you serving Braised Pork Belly now?"
Shu Yun shook her head. "No, this is our staff meal."
"Whoa! Your staff meals are this extravagant..."
Mr. Jin gazed wistfully at the Braised Pork Belly on the counter, the dishes he had previously ordered suddenly seeming far less appealing.
After a moment’s thought, he asked, "Manager Shu, would it be possible to buy a portion of that Braised Pork Belly?"
Staff meals can’t be sold... Shu Yun mused. Just as she was about to refuse, Mr. Jin declared,
"I’ll pay two thousand for it!"
Shu Yun instantly swallowed the refusal on the tip of her tongue. "Of course, no problem!"