Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 904 - 446: The Feeling of Being the Boss (Part 2)

Qin Huai tossed a basin of filling to Tan Wei'an: "Since you're so free, help me cook the filling for the Five Fillings Bun, and cut back on the novels."

After saying this, Qin Huai clapped his hands and walked away.

Tan Wei'an, surprised by the sudden task, stared at the large basin of filling in confusion, staring at it for a good five or six seconds before asking Zhao Cheng'an, "Doesn't Qin Huai usually just make those large, filling snacks? Why is he making Five Fillings Bun now?"

Zhao Cheng'an: "... Shouldn't you be asking where Qin Huai went?"

"So, where did Qin Huai go?"

"I don't know, maybe he went to the bathroom."

"Then why is he making Five Fillings Bun?"

"I have even less idea, he's been making these since I arrived."

Tan Wei'an: ...

Of course, Qin Huai clapped his hands not to go to the bathroom but to go to the changing room to get his phone, then to recognize apprentices one by one from the messages and photos Tan Wei'an sent him at An Youyou's side.

The apprentices' workstations were mainly in the corners, gathering in threes and fives, one group on the east, another on the west. According to Tan Wei'an, there was a deep meaning to these workstation arrangements: one was to prevent the apprentices from forming cliques and bullying or isolating others; the other was to make it easier for the master chefs to recognize the apprentices.

There were many apprentices at Zhiwei Restaurant, all packed together, so it's really difficult for a face-blind master chef to recognize anyone.

When Qin Huai wandered over to An Youyou's side, she was learning to make tea from her Brother Wang at the time.

"Youyou, see, the temperature is crucial when making tea. Always remember to rinse the teaware with hot water first. Master Qin enjoys black tea, so you can use a bit more tea for black tea, but not as much for green tea. Black tea needs to be brewed with water above 90 degrees, while green tea only needs over 80 degrees, and you must pour from high to low during the brew — this is a vital skill you must learn."

"If you make tea well, aren't you the one who prepares Master Qin's tea every morning? How could you let that kid Chen Yang get ahead of you? You need to learn how to make tea well so the master chefs will remember you."

"But you don't have to worry about this, as Master Qin brought you in himself. Precisely because Master Qin brought you in, you need to make the tea better. When Master Qin leaves one day, you'll be the one preparing his tea!"

"I know, Brother Wang, I'll definitely work hard to learn how to make tea!" An Youyou nodded solemnly.

Qin Huai: ...

What have you apprentices been studying lately day after day? Zhiwei's products, tea-making at its finest; even if An Youyou is here as an exchange apprentice, she must first learn this skill, right?

"Youyou." Qin Huai couldn't help but speak up.

"Master Qin! Do you need me to help cut something, or..." An Youyou's eyes lit up when she saw the boss inspecting the work.

"I'm just here for a stroll, and to look at the snacks you've made." Qin Huai glanced around the culinary counters, the apprentices sharing each set, and it was hard to tell which dough ball was kneaded by An Youyou, as they all seemed poorly done.

"Which one is yours..."

"This one!" An Youyou pointed to a dough ball destined to be made into pancakes.

Qin Huai scrutinized it carefully, pointing out the most apparent issues that might not be easy to correct immediately, then looked at Brother Wang: "And yours?"

Brother Wang: !!!

Qin Huai offered a few pointers like he did when instructing apprentices at Yunzhong Restaurant, then consulted the list and asked the next person: "Where's yours?"

...

Half an hour later, Qin Huai left satisfied, leaving behind some ecstatic Zhiwei Restaurant apprentices.

Qin Huai's guidance has always been very meticulous, with specific techniques and ways to improve, and for these ordinary Zhiwei Restaurant apprentices, this level of instruction is akin to what a master chef would teach a new direct disciple.

From the fact that the dough kneaded by An Youyou was only good enough to make pancakes, it's clear that the apprentices in the same area as her have little talent and are destined to be eliminated.

These apprentices at the bottom tier of Zhiwei Restaurant are the most competitive yet the least hopeful. They wouldn't normally even receive a master chef's guidance; getting a tip or two from an ordinary apprentice or direct disciple would be considered lucky. Because they have little hope, they are forced to compete, and because they lack talent, their efforts often go in the wrong direction.

It's because clear-sighted people can see that their direction is off that no one values this batch of mediocre apprentices.

It's a sad vicious circle, but also the best form of natural selection.

When An Youyou first came to Zhiwei Restaurant, many apprentices thought that because she was brought in by Qin Huai, she was somewhat of a connected insider and were optimistic about her, wanting to establish a good relationship with her in hopes of gaining Qin Huai's or other master chefs' favor.

Initially, Qin Huai certainly did give special attention to An Youyou, and Tan Wei'an would occasionally check on her progress.

When An Youyou first arrived, her workstation wasn't here.

Later, as Qin Huai started crazily increasing his skill level, even Tan Wei'an couldn't see Qin Huai during working hours, let alone An Youyou. Plus, since Tan Wei'an naturally had a laid-back character and Qin Huai didn't remind him to check on An Youyou's snacks, Tan Wei'an certainly wouldn't take the initiative to look. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

So, An Youyou quickly became an ordinary apprentice at Zhiwei Restaurant, the kind whose progress wasn't great.

She ended up at the workstation meant for ordinary apprentices, not that others intentionally excluded her, but that An Youyou was more suited to this workstation. The others progressed too quickly for An Youyou to keep up, and it's not like everyone else can have their own snacks to make while she stays there kneading dough and doing miscellaneous work, only to make pancakes out of it.

Even apprentices have different roles.

Different roles can't be performed in the same place.

This period saw An Youyou getting along quite well with her coworkers, as she is young and the colleagues generally act as older brothers and sisters to her.

Until now.

"Youyou!" Brother Wang held An Youyou's hand, so emotional that he was almost in tears, "I've lived for so many years, and I finally get to experience the feeling of 'one person rising, all around prosper'. I knew it, you insiders never let us common folks down!"

An Youyou: ?

"Brother Wang, what do you mean by common folks? If you want to be the common folk, don't drag me in, I'd rather be the henchman."

"Yeah, exactly."

"I finally understand how ecstatic those who went to exchange at Yunzhong Restaurant felt; I wondered why they all came back like they've eaten some magical elixir. Being taught by Master Qin like that every day, I'm down for it too!"

"Master Qin is so nice; no master chef has ever guided us so thoroughly."

"Youyou, you're so kind, to actually ask Master Qin to specifically come and instruct us!"

"Youyou, say no more, your odd jobs are on me, Brother Xiao Li, from now on!"

An Youyou: ... Huh, did I ask for this?

An Youyou didn't understand, nor did she know how to explain, she just innocently thought... Wow, is this what it feels like to be the boss?

How awesome!

.

On the other side, Qin Huai returned to his workstation, finding that Tan Wei'an hadn't left yet.

Tan Wei'an had long finished cooking the filling for the Five Fillings Bun and was now being held by Zhao Cheng'an as a helper, possibly because yesterday's shared hardships let Zhao Cheng'an discover that despite Tan Wei'an's laziness, he's quite proficient when assisting, making him a good helper.

Seeing Qin Huai return, Tan Wei'an immediately asked curiously, "Qin Huai, where have you been? Have you been eating too much meat and got constipated? I have here..."

"Stop." Qin Huai raised his hand to signal Tan Wei'an to hush, "I just took a tour around An Youyou's area, boosting her to be the boss."

"Huh?" Tan Wei'an didn't quite get it, but it didn't matter, he could digest this answer later — he had other questions to ask.

"Why are you making so many Five Fillings Bun today?"

"Old Shi requested them. After waking up today, he received insider info that his son and daughter achieved two last places and refreshed the lowest scores. Old Shi felt that yesterday's snacks were not enough to calm his wife's anger and asked me to make a higher-class batch."

"Zhao Cheng'an, if you have time today, you can make some too; Old Shi will buy them at twice the Zhiwei Restaurant market price."

"The cold chain truck will be at the back door to pick up the goods at 9 PM."

"I've also asked Master Zhou, Master Hua, and Master Zhao to help make some snacks."

After Qin Huai finished speaking, he realized that Tan Wei'an was looking at him expectantly.

Qin Huai thought for a moment, "…Tan Wei'an, if you have time today, please help us out as a hand."

"Since Old Shi rented the cold chain truck, it wouldn't be right to send only a small amount of snacks."

Tan Wei'an: (༎ຶ-༎ຶ) Discriminating against me!