Chapter 459

“Master Qian, this is good enough. Thank you.” Yuan Zhou stopped Qian Jintian from pulling out another radish.

“Well, ok. I just wanted to check how it is growing.” Qian Jintian took another look at the radish that he had intended to touch just now.

“Okay.” Yuan Zhou nodded his head and said no more.

“Just give them to me. Thank you so much.” Master Cheng moved forward with a basket and picked up the radishes.

“Put it in the basket.” Yuan Zhou took out a piece of cloth and handed it to Master Cheng.

Of course, the baskets had already been prepared by Master Qian, one for each person. Yuan Zhou’s basket was naturally being held by Master Cheng, but he had prepared his own cloth. Now that he wasn’t holding the basket, he gave the cloth to Master Cheng.

“Thank you, Master Yuan.” Master Cheng received the cloth happily and used it to protect his hand.

The hands of chefs and tailors are very precious and required careful protection.

Therefore, the most good-looking part on Yuan Zhou’s body was his pair of hands, which was even better-looking than his face.

“Go ahead.” Yuan Zhou nodded.

“What an enjoyment it is to have a disciple!” Ling Hong said at the side.

“He’s not my disciple.” Yuan Zhou corrected him earnestly.

“Oh, yeah, you are right. He’s not your disciple. Let’s go to pick some other vegetables.” Ling Hong shrugged and corrected his words easily.

“Good.” Yuan Zhou nodded.

From the side, Master Cheng heard Yuan Zhou saying that he was not Yuan Zhou’s disciple, but he didn’t say anything, merely clearing away the radishes carefully.

Only Qian Jintian looked at Master Cheng, then at Ling Hong and last at Yuan Zhou in puzzlement.

“It seems that only you are experienced and steady.” Qian Jintian said earnestly.

Of course, Qian Jintian said this because Yuan Zhou appeared to be quite mature. Besides, he couldn’t quite understand why Master Cheng called Yuan Zhou teacher since he was apparently older than him.

However, he now learned that city folks were just strange. How could they manage to eat a hotpot without any side ingredients?

“Well, I am usually very steady.” Yuan Zhou nodded and answered shamelessly.

“Boss Yuan, a man must be honest. It’s a fact that you have wonderful culinary skills, but what does it have anything to do with steadiness?” Ling Hong couldn’t help ridiculing.

“It’s all the same.” Yuan Zhou believed that anything complimentary to himself was correct.

“Pfft.” When Ling Hong remembered that he had to rely on Yuan Zhou to select the vegetables, he refrained from saying anything and just snorted coldly.

That’s right. Ling Hong’s idea was to let Yuan Zhou select the vegetables. Though he was a senior foodie, he really didn’t know how to distinguish between the wheat and Chinese chives.

Nonetheless, Yuan Zhou was different. The Precious Ingredient Contest held last time was definitely an eye-opener for Ling Hong. Before that, he had never eaten, or even heard of those various ingredients.

While walking, Ling Hong started to ask Yuan Zhou about the vegetables in the field, “What’s this vegetable? Is it still growing in such weather?”

“Lactuca sativa. It’s growing very well.” Yuan Zhou answered naturally.

“Master Qian, please pick some lactuca sativa for me. I heard it tastes good when blanched in the hotpot.” Ling Hong didn’t know how the vegetables looked in the field, but he knew their names.

“No problem.” After a nod, Qian Jintian picked some fresh ones off and put them in the basket.

“This one also looks nice. Boss Yuan, I have never seen this vegetable in your restaurant.” Ling Hong pointed at a vegetable and asked Yuan Zhou again before they walked out of the area.

“Asparagus lettuce. There is none in the restaurant.” Yuan Zhou nodded his head and replied affirmatively.

“Is this the so-called Cos Lettuce?” Ling Hong asked, suddenly recalled.

“Yeah, this is what townspeople like you usually call it, the Cos Lettuce.” It was Qian Jintian who answered him this time.

Just as before, Ling Hong naturally ordered some.

After that, Yuan Zhou immediately realized Ling Hong intentions.

It was truly obvious and easy to guess. Everytime Ling Hong asked about the vegetables, he would let Master Qian pick some for him as long as it was suitable for the hotpot.

And Yuan Zhou just answered him cooperatively everytime he asked until the basket was filled full.

Ling Hong was also quite satisfied. When Ling Hong prepared to pick some persimmons and meat, Yuan Zhou started talking.

“If the vegetables are blanched in the Spicy Hotpot, they will absorb the spiciness.” Yuan Zhou said affirmatively. He had no idea that Ling Hong didn’t really eat spicy dishes.

“Never mind. Young man, you just blanch them in the Clear Soup Hotpot.” Master Qian suggested kindly.

“What if there’s no Clear Soup Hotpot?” Ling Hong was stunned for a while before he could react.

“Yes. The boss hasn’t provided the Clear Soup Hotpot yet.” Yuan Zhou nodded.

“It doesn’t matter if you can eat spicy things. This broccoli is extraordinarily tasty when it’s cooked spicy.” Though Qian Jintian wasn’t young, he was quick-minded.

“It can be eaten raw as well,” In Ling Hong’s opinion, misjudging the situation was alright. Just don’t admit it.

“Yeah, right. It’s totally not a problem to eat it raw.” Qian Jintian said loudly with great confidence.

“Okay. Whatever you like.” Yuan Zhou nodded without much expression.

He didn’t wait to say it on purpose. The vegetables here were really not bad and it was good for Ling Hong to buy some more.

It was merely about 2 hours before they ended their trip, including picking the vegetable, selecting the vegetables and processing the meat.

“Master Yuan, are we going back to the restaurant directly?” Once Master Cheng got on his SUV, he asked Yuan Zhou.

He didn’t intend to ask Ling Hong’s opinion.

“Yes, back to the restaurant.” Yuan Zhou nodded.

“Boss Yuan, can you keep the Spicy Hotpot for me today?” Looking at the well-wrapped vegetables in the trunk, Ling Hong said excitedly.

“Just follow the rules, please.” Yuan Zhou said indifferently.

“When exactly can you make an exception for once?” Ling Hong was speechless for some time before he shouted.

“It won’t happen, ever.” On this aspect, Yuan Zhou was sure.

“By the way, if you want to take them to the restaurant to eat, you need to wash them cleanly and pack them well.” Yuan Zhou suddenly remembered that and reminded him.

“Got it, got it. How stubborn!” Ling Hong replied, exasperated.

While Ling Hong was speechless due to Yuan Zhou and Master Cheng, someone else also had the same situation on the other side.

The situation seemed to be a little complicated.

“Master, shall we eat dinner together in a while?” A young man, dressed in a Yves Saint Laurent gray leisure suit and holding the latest Apple phone, was making a call.

“Humph. You still remember that you have a teacher?” An aged voice could be heard from the other end of the phone.

“Of course I do. Let’s just meet at Taoxi Road. The dishes served there are said to be very delicious. I remember that you like eating delicious food, don’t you?” The young man turned around and said in a composed manner.

After he turned around, a pair of glasses with golden frame could be seen on his face. He had a cultured and good-looking appearance, and he spoke leisurely.

“I haven’t seen you for almost a year after you left. I thought you died outside.” The aged voice carried obvious anger.

“Then you can come around tonight and see me personally.” In the young man’s voice was a hint of a smile.

“Humph.” The elderly voice only snorted lightly this time without answering him.

“Do you need me to pick you up? The place is at No. 14 of Taoxi Road.” The young man replied teasingly, as if he was quite sure that the old man would come.

“I’m not qualified to bother you. It won’t even take me 20 minutes to walk there.” Judging from the answer, the aged man was obviously dissatisfied with the attitude of the young man. He replied indignantly.

“Okay. I will wait for you in the Master Chef Restaurant.” The young man had already expected this outcome.

“This bastard disciple.” Was the last sentence from the old man before hanging up.

Nonetheless, the young man seemed to have been used to the old man’s attitude. He walked towards Yuan Zhou’s restaurant leisurely.

…