Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 625 - 327: Su Qian

"Of course, if any of you are particularly good at making breakfast items like buns, steamed buns, dumplings, or noodles, you might consider coming a bit earlier, say around 6 AM."

"I usually arrive at the restaurant around 7 to 7:15 to make crab yellow sauce noodles. Mornings aren’t very busy, so if you’re willing to come at 6 to make breakfast or your specialty snacks, I’ll have time to taste and give some feedback."

"I’m less available around noon or in the afternoon. Tan Wei’an should have mentioned that I usually practice and study snacks in the afternoon. Plus, I’ve been practicing knife skills recently, so it’s easier for me to help in the morning if you need me to check anything."

Qin Huai’s suggestions were genuinely sincere.

He knew exactly why this group from Zhiwei Restaurant had come from afar to work for free. They traveled so far, bringing their own food, with such a good attitude, and even volunteered to start work at 3 AM. They even brought out their work schedules. Naturally, as Master Qin, he had to show his stance and let them know he could give them what they wanted.

Hearing this, Su Qian’s ordinary face lit up with competitive brilliance. After a few seconds of thought, he spoke directly, "I understand, Master Qin. I will go find out more about the types of breakfast Yunzhong Restaurant usually sells and adjust the work schedule accordingly."

"Everyone’s a bit tired from the journey by high-speed train and plane, so we might not be able to start immediately. Could you spare some time this afternoon? I’d like everyone to make their best snacks for you to taste, so you’re familiar with our skill level and it’ll be easier for you to assign tasks later."

Qin Huai thought this made sense. At his current level, he could tell the skill level of an average Zhiwei Restaurant apprentice just by tasting one snack, which was indeed convenient.

"Alright, after making the snacks, you can rest early. It has been a tiring journey."

Su Qian nodded and began instructing the Zhiwei Restaurant members to make their specialty snacks. When they heard that Qin Huai was available to taste everyone’s snacks, all the apprentices were excited. To them, having the master taste their snacks was already a great honor, and getting feedback? They wouldn’t be able to sleep from excitement.

Almost instantly, everyone rushed to the locker room to change into their work clothes and switch to work mode.

Out of Qin Huai’s sight, Pei Xing wore a nearly despairing expression.

"Is it just me, or has the world gone mad? Isn’t Su Qian already confirmed to be Master Zhou’s direct disciple? Why is he leading the team?"

"This guy is unbelievable. He joined Zhiwei Restaurant three years later than I did, but surpassed me in less than a year. Every morning when I start in the kitchen, he almost has a batch of snacks steamed. When I’m about to leave for the day, he’s still at the culinary station kneading dough."

"With just one look from Master Zhou, he knows what tea Master Zhou wants to drink; with one frown, he knows what’s wrong with his snack. He can even guess what Master Zhou is about to say with just a glance at a particular place."

"Fine, let Tan Wei’an come. He spends as much time at Zhiwei Restaurant as I do. But why Su Qian?"

"Even his tea brewing skills are better than mine!"

Li Hua quietly observed the despairing Pei Xing and asked, "Did you used to leave work so early every day?"

Pei Xing: "? Is that really the point?"

Li Hua ignored him: "No wonder you’re a relative of Master Pei, yet weren’t taken on as his disciple."

Pei Xing: ...

At that moment, Pei Xing just wanted to spit blood on Li Hua’s face and scream at him for saying such piercing words at such a moment.

If he weren’t so exhausted from competing, he wouldn’t have run away from Zhiwei Restaurant so early as a half-connected insider.

"I think you’re worrying too much," Pei Xing said. "Even if Su Qian is leading the team, he’s a named disciple of Master Zhou and won’t stay here long. He’ll eventually go back."

"We’re the official employees, the ones Master Qin pays. What are you worried about?"

Pei Xing suddenly realized this, swallowing back the metaphorical blood rising in his throat.

"So, what do we do now?" Pei Xing completely forgot about the competition he had tried to evade with Li Hua yesterday, only to have Li Hua almost beat him at it.

"Didn’t you catch the keyword?" Li Hua asked. "They’re responsible for breakfast."

"We’re responsible too. There are plenty of snack masters in the store. I’ll apply to Master Qin to start work at 5 AM every morning."

"Master Qin loves a hot breakfast. I’ve been gaining some insights into frying doughnuts lately."

Pei Xing: ???

Seriously? Aren’t we official employees? Why do we have to compete too?

Starting at 6 AM is early enough, isn’t it? Are we really competing to start at 5 AM?

Noticing Pei Xing’s reluctance to compete, Li Hua gently reminded him, "Ordinary apprentices at Zhiwei Restaurant, if they don’t become disciples of the master, will eventually leave."

"Do you think if they exchange experiences and submit resumes to Master Qin, he’d take them?"

Pei Xing: !!!!

SOS!!!

"I’ll submit my application to Master Qin later as well!"

"Just like you, I’ll start work at 5 AM tomorrow! To be honest, I know a bit about breakfast—I make an incredibly delicious shao mai!"

.

Elsewhere, Tan Wei’an wasn’t involved in making snacks with everyone from Zhiwei Restaurant. After all, what Tan was good at was quite clear to Qin Huai.

Qin Huai directly enlisted Tan Wei’an to study Crab Yellow Sauce together, starting with tasting crab yellow sauce noodles one by one.

This afternoon, Zheng Siyuan made five types of Crab Yellow Sauce that both he and Qin Huai found acceptable. Each sauce was mixed with a portion of noodles for Tan Wei’an to try. If he couldn’t finish, he’d take a bite of each; if he could, he’d pick his favorite to finish off the plate.

Tan Wei’an exceeded expectations and finished three full plates.

He devoured them ravenously, slurping them down, with Crab Yellow Sauce smeared across his face, struggling to be cleaned with napkins that required wet wipes. People who knew he came with others from Zhiwei Restaurant for an exchange would understand, but those who didn’t might think he snuck in for noodles.

"Burp."

After consuming three bowls of crab yellow sauce noodles, Tan Wei’an let out a loud burp.

"How did you know I love crab yellow sauce noodles? Let me tell you, crab yellow sauce doesn’t just taste great with noodles, it’s amazing with rice too. You should try it with rice next time, it’s really delicious. When I was a kid, I could eat a whole big bowl of rice with crab yellow sauce."

"When my grandpa was around, he’d make a lot of crab yellow sauce every November. He made two kinds: one that could only be stored for two to three months, which we’d finish by the New Year."

"The other could last until August the next year, but we’d usually run out around April."

Tan Wei’an, well-versed in Crab Yellow Sauce noodles and rice, said.

Then Tan Wei’an saw Qin Huai and Zheng Siyuan looking at him intently.

Having worked with these two on the Four Happiness Glutinous Rice recipe, Tan Wei’an could tell what was on their minds. He rummaged through his mental trove for several seconds.

"I remember the recipe, though not very clearly. I’ll check my phone notes later tonight and send it to you."

Qin Huai and Zheng Siyuan nodded in unison, "Okay."

Not to mention, Tan Wei’an did have a bunch of recipes in his treasure bag. If he ever falls into poverty, he could make a living off selling them, though he’d likely be cursed as a super profligate, even more so than Huang An Yao.

Smacking his lips, savoring the tasty crab yellow sauce noodles, Tan Wei’an was still in a carbohydrate daze, confusedly asking, "Weren’t you supposed to study Double Crab Bun? Why are you making crab yellow sauce noodles?"

Qin Huai recited to Tan Wei’an the same illogical reasoning he’d shared with Zheng Siyuan.

Tan Wei’an: ?

Tan Wei’an looked at Zheng Siyuan in shock, his face full of disbelief: "Dude, aren’t you supposed to be trained like me? Can you really accept such logic? Is this right? Is this reasonable? Is this normal?"

Zheng Siyuan, what’s wrong with you?!

Zheng Siyuan looked at Tan Wei’an, "Think about the Four Happiness Glutinous Rice."

"Oh right, you haven’t tasted the Four Happiness Glutinous Rice Qin Huai makes now, and you’re likely too full."

"Try a bowl tomorrow morning, and you’ll see this idea isn’t so bad."

"I’ve made some considerable progress these past few days. How’s your Four Happiness Glutinous Rice coming along?"

Tan Wei’an: ...

Stop, stop. Please don’t rub it in anymore.