Master Ma was furious, so much so that his vision started to blur.
He never expected that, while he was trying to find solutions for his apprentice, his apprentice was secretly hindering him from behind. And in a suffocating way, no less.
Was Chen Dong really looking for an old wife?
It’s just that this old man was used to living alone; otherwise, if Chen Dong ever announced he was looking for a partner, every matchmaker in the county would be knocking on his door!
And by the way, does your mother, Ma Dalian, look good or have nimble hands and feet?
She’s a little old lady with bound feet, can’t even recognize a single word, and can’t manage the household chores for her own sons and daughters-in-law. There’s fighting every day at home. Why on earth would she think someone like Chen Dong, a sharp man, would be interested in her?
Master Ma held back his anger and asked, “Do you know what Chen Dong’s family used to do?”
Ma Yongjun was confused. “I heard they were capitalists, but red capitalists.”
Master Ma: “He was the young master of a sugar factory before the founding of the country! The biggest sugar factory in South Shao, including the land and buildings of our restaurant, and even the area you’re living in now, all belong to him! Do you know that both of Chen Dong’s parents were red capitalists? They died for the revolution and were recognized as martyrs. When the country was founded, Chen Dong kept his family’s assets intact, they weren’t destroyed or burned. He even kept some of the newest sugar factory machines. When the government came, he didn’t even flinch before donating all his family’s assets. He just kept a three-room house in the courtyard. He even went to Beijing to meet the leaders!”
Ma Yongjun’s heart was pounding: “Ah… so Master Chen must be very rich?”
His heart, which had been sinking when Master Chen gave him a failing grade earlier, was now about to leap out of his chest.
He had originally thought that his mother’s goal was just Chen Dong’s house, but now, after hearing all this, he realized that Master Chen was quietly wealthy beyond imagination.
He’d struck it big! Ma Yongjun’s palms were sweating, and he was thinking of going back to talk with his mother. He needed to be more proactive, to let Master Chen see how good his mother was.
Men, after all, always wanted a woman to handle everything. Master Chen probably lived alone in the three rooms in the backyard, and his life must have been inconvenient. Ma Yongjun needed to make sure his mother visited often to wash his clothes and clean up.
The reason Master Chen didn’t give him a passing grade today was probably because he was still evaluating his mother. It was fine, he could wait!
Master Ma couldn’t believe his ears: “After everything I’ve said, you still think your mother has a chance?”
He had been crystal clear!
Chen Dong would never, absolutely never, be interested in anyone else. And if he was, it would certainly not be your mother.
How big is the sugar factory in South Shao County? It’s not big enough to employ tens of thousands, but there are definitely a few thousand employees.
Chen Dong, the young master of that sugar factory, had managed such a huge enterprise! In modern terms, he was basically the factory director.
Not only that, but at its peak, Chen Dong’s family business was about half the size of South Shao County. This was just a part of his family’s assets. In the past, they had businesses in places like Tianjin and Guangzhou.
Master Ma couldn’t believe that he had such a foolish apprentice: “With Chen Dong’s background, do you really think he’s been able to survive unscathed all these years because he’s blind and foolish? He never married earlier, why on earth would he suddenly want to dedicate himself to your family when he’s in his fifties or sixties? What makes your mother such a beauty, or your brothers such outstanding men?”
Master Ma shook his head more and more as he spoke. Did Ma Yongjun really think that Master Chen had any business managing the restaurant because of his culinary skills? Only he and Master Su knew the truth.
After donating his family’s business, Chen Dong could have easily settled in Beijing. But he refused, saying he liked to eat and came back to South Shao to work as a chef. He even turned down all interviews and refused any benefits, preferring to start out as an ordinary cook.
Later, from a level three to a level two chef, even the leaders respected him. Who didn’t know that this old man had a strong background?
And now his apprentice dared to calculate Chen Dong.
Calculating Chen Dong.
It was ridiculous to even say it out loud.
Chen Dong was so sharp, and yet this fool thought he could calculate him.
Anyone could see that you were eyeing that old man’s family fortune!
Ma Yongjun lowered his head, still feeling a little unconvinced. Although his mother wasn’t much, what about the men in their family?
Maybe Master Chen didn’t want a woman, but could he not want a son?
He could take care of Master Chen in his old age. If necessary, he could even change his surname to Chen!
Master Ma looked at Ma Yongjun with a disappointed face, wiped his face, and made up his mind.
This apprentice couldn’t be kept.
He was too stupid, it was frightening.
I’ve laid everything out for him, and he’s still living in his own fantasy.
And his cousin, Ma Dalian, at her age, still following her son around to make trouble.
They really thought too highly of themselves, treating everyone else as fools.
Just wait, sooner or later, Chen Dong would deal with them.
Master Ma made up his mind quickly. If this apprentice was useless, then so be it. As for family relationships, if they wanted to maintain them, fine. If not, so be it! He had already arranged for his cousin’s family to work at the restaurant, that was enough.
Master Ma firmly decided. He turned and went back to the kitchen to continue scoring, but this time, he wore a smile on his face, completely different from the scowl he had earlier.
When Chen Dong spoke, Master Ma immediately followed his lead, almost eager to flatter him.
Master Su:…
Although it’s often said that your opponents know you best, I don’t quite get you either.
Chen Dong, as usual, was cheerful, eating and commenting on the dishes.
Wang Ying, who had been listening to the whole conversation outside:…
Her feelings were quite complex.
She had been interacting with Chen Dong for so long, but she never realized he had such a past.
Usually, he just seemed like a sharp, food-loving person.
As for his family background… she hadn’t noticed it was so wealthy. When they were selling mountain goods, he had even haggled over a few cents. When he was angry, he’d sworn never to sell to certain people again.
Wang Ying had a complicated expression, and when Chen Dong saw her, he thought she was just hungry and wanted to try the food.
Chen Dong cheerfully set aside some dishes for Wang Ying to taste.
Master Su turned his face away, pretending he didn’t see. Master Ma, however, eagerly poured a glass of water for Wang Ying.
Wang Ying:…
Forget it, I’ll just eat the food.
The second person to participate in the assessment was also a level three chef, a young man with a bald head. He was holding a towel and looking very nervous.
Chen Dong took a bite of the stir-fried shredded carrots. It was decent, and the carrots were evenly cut. The knife skills seemed stable. Then, there was a dish of stir-fried lamb with scallions and another of shredded pork in garlic sauce.
The stir-fried lamb was difficult to cook properly, as it needed to be tender but not stuck in your teeth, requiring precise control of the heat.
Surprisingly, the bald man cooked the lamb very well, and the heat was spot on.
Without hesitation, Chen Dong gave him a pass, and the other two judges agreed. The young man jumped up in joy.
When the third contestant came in, it was an older woman, appearing to be in her forties, but she had no signs of aging and was full of energy.
She made three dishes: pickled tofu strips, Mapo tofu, and her self-prepared dish, which she called “Stir-fried Tofu Eggs.”
The older woman explained with confidence: “My family used to run a tofu workshop, and I’m best at making tofu. This stir-fried tofu egg is my own creation. I take fried tofu cubes, scoop out the filling, then break an egg into it and fry it again to shape it. Finally, I make a sauce with chili, wood ear mushrooms, and the filling, stir-fry for a bit, then add the tofu eggs and thicken the sauce.”
Master Su: “The name you gave is a bit too hasty.”
The older sister waved her hand: “What’s wrong with that? As long as it tastes good, right? I’ve been making this dish for years. I now work in a cafeteria, and during the holidays, I occasionally make it. The young folks always lick the bowls clean.”
Wang Ying took a bite. The golden tofu wrapped the tender chicken egg, and the outer layer of sauce was just right. The soft gaps in the tofu absorbed the sauce, and with one bite, it was full of juice.
It was savory with a slight spiciness. If there was a bowl of rice here, one could eat a whole pot with just the rice.
Normally, dishes that used overly simple ingredients wouldn’t pass.
Master Su: “What made you think about taking the exam? Usually, you don’t need certificates for cafeteria work, right?”
The older sister replied, “Who said you don’t need one? In our cafeteria, the old Tang who has a certificate is walking with his head held high. Why does he get to control the kitchen? Isn’t it because he has the certificate? I’ve got to take the exam and prove him wrong!”
Chen Dong smiled: “I think the older sister’s dish is really good, she should pass.”
Although the ingredients were simple, having a self-created dish is a requirement for a level-one certification.
Chen Dong felt it wouldn’t be unreasonable to pass her for a level-three certificate.
Master Ma, who was struggling to get Chen Dong on his side, hurriedly agreed: “I think it’s fine!”
Both of them agreed, so Master Su had no choice but to agree too.
Besides, that tofu egg dish was really delicious, and the difficulty wasn’t small—it was a self-created dish. Giving it a pass was acceptable.
After the three level-three candidates, only two level-two candidates remained.
Xu Shuang and another young man stood by the stove. Master Su had them draw lots, and once they finished, they started cooking together.
Level-three candidates had fewer requirements, with only three dishes, so they could be done one by one. However, level-two candidates needed to prepare four dishes, each with different requirements, so they started together to save time.
Wang Ying looked at Xu Shuang with sparkling eyes. Xu Shuang had been practicing cooking diligently at home these past few days, but curiously, he wasn’t focusing on one dish. Every time, he made something different.
So Wang Ying had no idea what dish Xu Shuang had drawn or what he was preparing. She saw Xu Shuang multitasking, marinating meat on one side while working on yam and cutting chicken on the other.
The other young man was also quite skilled, moving quickly on both sides.
Xu’s grandmother waited outside for a while. When it was Xu Shuang’s turn, she came in to watch. It wasn’t just them; a group of waiters had gathered at the back door of the kitchen.
“Wow, these two boys are really good. In previous years, it was hard to find even one person taking the level-two exam, and now there are two.”
“Key point is, they’re both talented. That Chen Dong’s apprentice is really handsome.”
“Don’t look, he’s already married, and his wife often brings things to Chen Dong.”
“I saw Yao Shunjian talking to that young wife last time. Oh? Shunjian didn’t come today?”
“Shunjian took a leave, said there was something at home.”
“I knew it, she’s the one who’s most into appearances. If she were here, she’d be right up front.”
“Wow, they both move so fast!”
