CH 20

Zheng Baozhu had returned to the hotel in the afternoon, but at that time, the hotel kitchen staff hadn't finished their shifts, so she didn't dare to barge into the kitchen at that time. It was only after dinner was over and the chefs had gone off duty that Zheng Baozhu could finally take over the kitchen.

At this time of day, she could only prepare some late-night snacks for everyone. Although her room had a kitchen, it definitely wasn't as spacious and well-equipped as the hotel kitchen, nor did it have the same variety of ingredients. So, she preferred to showcase her culinary skills in the hotel's large kitchen.

When Qu Zhi entered, Zheng Baozhu was waiting for the crispy pork belly to be ready. The aroma of the roasting was already very enticing; the smell alone was mouthwatering.

Zheng Baozhu heard someone coming in and turned her head to take a look. Both of them stood, locking eyes in silence.

The atmosphere felt a bit awkward, so Zheng Baozhu tugged at the corner of her mouth and asked, "Why are you here? Did the aroma of my roast waft into your room?"

Qu Zhi cleared his throat and stood there, saying, "When I came back, the front desk told me that you made a lot of late-night snacks and asked me to help eat them so that they won't go to waste."

Zheng Baozhu: "..."

Why did he make mooching for food sound so fresh and popular!

The front desk staff too, why didn't they send anyone else to mooch off her food? Why only Qu Zhi? Huh, it's obvious that they're doing it just for the CP!

She couldn't understand why people ship couples that have no chemistry or logical basis. Are they really so indiscriminate about it?

After mentally venting her frustration, Zheng Baozhu got up from her stool. She had indeed made a bit too much tonight, and if it went to waste, it would be a pity.

"Consider yourself lucky; I'm in a good mood today," Zheng Baozhu walked to a large pot and scooped a bowl of lean pork congee for Qu Zhi, "This is my stewed century egg and lean pork congee. I made a bit too much."

The congee had been kept warm in the pot, so it was still hot. Qu Zhi took the bowl and thanked Zheng Baozhu.

"I also grilled a lot of barbecue over there; take a look and see what you'd like to eat," Zheng Baozhu said as she estimated that the crispy pork belly was almost done. She quickly put on gloves and took out the pork belly.

The two pieces of crispy pork belly were roasted to perfection, with crispy golden skin and sizzling oil on top. As soon as they were taken out, the aroma became even more alluring, tempting anyone who smelled it.

Qu Zhi's stomach growled.

The sound wasn't loud, but Zheng Baozhu heard it. She turned to look at Qu Zhi and burst into laughter, "Was that your stomach just now? My crispy pork belly is so tempting, hahaha!"

"..."

Qu Zhi pursed his lips, trying to maintain his composure, "I haven't had dinner tonight."

Zheng Baozhu continued to laugh, "You've been working overtime until now? That's really tough, hahaha."

Qu Zhi: "..."

After Zheng Baozhu finished laughing, she finally started cutting the crispy pork belly. Because it was roasted to be crispy, the knife made a crackling sound as she cut through it. Once the pork belly was cut, Zheng Baozhu arranged it on a plate and also placed the dipping sauce she had prepared earlier on the side.

"Give it a try," She motioned toward Qu Zhi.

Qu Zhi used chopsticks to pick up a piece of the crispy pork belly, dipped it into the sauce, and took a bite.

Crunch.

The pork belly made a crispy sound, and Qu Zhi's eyes brightened.

Zheng Baozhu asked him, "How does it taste?"

Qu Zhi swallowed the piece of crispy pork belly and slightly pursed his lips, "It's delicious."

Although Qu Zhi and Zheng Baozhu had many differences, their tastes were exceptionally compatible, both enjoying spicy and numbing flavors. Hearing his praise, Zheng Baozhu proudly harrumphed, "Of course, who made it."

She also tried a piece herself and indeed, the taste was absolutely fantastic. No wonder!

Qu Zhi then tasted the congee, which had a perfect balance of saltiness and lightness, very flavorful. Honestly, he didn't expect Zheng Baozhu's culinary skills to be this good, "I didn't know you can cook."

"I learned it," Zheng Baozhu started to boast, "Back then, I almost mastered all eight major Chinese cuisines."

"Oh," Qu Zhi lowered his head to eat more congee, "Because the head chef of the restaurant left?"

Zheng Baozhu looked at him in surprise, "How did you know?"

Qu Zhi said, "I saw the video of your interview."

"Really?" Zheng Baozhu's eyes widened with delight, "I've been so busy lately that I forgot about it!"

She would check it out later in her room.

"Did I look good in the interview?" Zheng Baozhu asked.

"...Uh," Qu Zhi was speechless for a moment and made a vague "hmm" sound, "I saw you mention in the interview that the chef opened his own restaurant and then it closed down?"

"Yes," Zheng Baozhu nodded, "Opening a restaurant is not easy. Do you know how many restaurants go bankrupt in the country every year? Master Liao's restaurant was one of them."

Qu Zhi: "..."

He silently ate a piece of crispy pork belly and curiously asked, "What happened to Master Liao after that?"

Zheng Baozhu said, "He came back to work at our hotel as one of the chefs."

"Uh..." Qu Zhi almost choked on the spiciness in the dish. He coughed lightly a couple of times and found it somewhat unbelievable, "He came back to find you again?"

"Yes."

"...And then you agreed?"

Zheng Baozhu laughed and glanced at Qu Zhi, "Do you think it's awkward for Master Liao, or is it awkward for me? If he hadn't reached a dead-end, he wouldn't have come back to find me."

Qu Zhi looked on without saying a word. Zheng Baozhu picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of crispy pork belly for herself. She said, "Master Liao is very skilled. When he first came to the restaurant, he didn't cause any trouble, and we had a pleasant cooperation. As the restaurant gained some popularity, one of his relatives instigated him to open his own restaurant. Master Liao believed in his relative's words, borrowed money from friends and family in his hometown, and opened a restaurant. However, in less than a year, it closed down due to poor management. The relative who instigated him saw that things weren't going well and left, but Master Liao couldn't escape the situation. His two children were studying in the city, and his family depended on him. The people from his hometown were urging him to repay the debts. If it wasn't because he was at his wit's end, he wouldn't have had the audacity to come back and find me."

Qu Zhi's eyes flickered. He didn't expect Zheng Baozhu to think this way, but at the same time, it didn't surprise him.

Zheng Baozhu continued, "After Master Liao left, I also had a hard time. At that time, the kitchen only had one apprentice, and I couldn't find a suitable replacement right away. I had to take some dishes off the menu and help the apprentice in the kitchen every day. That's how I honed my culinary skills. When both the apprentice and I were about to give up, Chef Zhao suddenly appeared as if sent by the heavens!"

Qu Zhi: "..."

Zheng Baozhu seemed to recall the past with relish, "Chef Zhao's skills were outstanding too, no less than Master Liao's! When he came, our kitchen's momentum soared! The restaurant's customer flow was already significant, and Chef Zhao's signature dishes helped save the day!"

"... Are you sure you want to be an actor and not a comedian?" Qu Zhi couldn't help but ask.

Zheng Baozhu: "..."

"Don't eat anymore, give me the chopsticks," Zheng Baozhu said, reaching out to collect Qu Zhi's utensils, but Qu Zhi protected his food and retreated slightly.

"And then? Did your restaurant revive from that point on?" Qu Zhi asked seriously.

Zheng Baozhu snorted and replied, "Of course! The restaurant is still being led by Chef Zhao now, and the former apprentice has grown into a capable chef!"

"Oh, so you arranged for Master Liao to work at the hotel?"

"Well, it was also Master Liao's good luck. I was preparing to open the hotel back then. Master Liao was also a grateful person. When the hotel was being established, he brought his whole family to help, doing everything he could. Over the years, he has been working diligently here and repaid all the debts he owed from his hometown."

Qu Zhi lowered his gaze slightly and said, "Giving someone roses leaves a lingering fragrance on your hand1."

"Wow!" Zheng Baozhu looked at him in surprise, "Are you praising me?"

"..." Qu Zhi cleared his throat, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. He raised his hand and loosened the top button of his collar, feeling that his breathing wasn't smooth.

Outside, Xiao Yu, who smelled the aroma of the roasted pork, wanted to get some pork belly, but she saw Qu Zhi unbuttoning his shirt at the kitchen door!

She quietly retreated, thinking it's better to leave them alone; after all, what's more important than enjoying the food is discussing their CP relationship! Just as she was about to leave, Zheng Baozhu noticed her and said, "Xiao Yu."

With a helpless expression, Xiao Yu turned back, "Miss Baozhu."

Zheng Baozhu smiled and said, "Are you here to get the crispy pork belly?" She pushed a plate of freshly cut pork belly towards her, "I've already prepared it. Take this plate to enjoy."

"Thank you, Miss Baozhu!" Xiao Yu happily took the plate of pork belly and left. Qu Zhi stood up and said to Zheng Baozhu, "I'll take some back to my room to eat."

"Okay," Zheng Baozhu replied and started to tidy up the kitchen. If the chefs come to work the next day and see the messy kitchen, they would probably want to have a heart-to-heart talk with her again.

Qu Zhi took a plate and put the porridge and some snacks in it. He carried the plate and headed outside. When he reached the doorway, he turned around and glanced at Zheng Baozhu, who was tidying up.

Sensing his gaze, Zheng Baozhu looked in his direction. Qu Zhi quickly averted his eyes, hurriedly leaving the area.

"..."

Zheng Baozhu felt that Qu Zhi had been acting strangely lately.

That night, Xiao Yu ate well and returned to her room after work, feeling satisfied, and went to sleep. She slept until nearly noon before waking up lazily, holding her phone to browse.

Suddenly, her second-hand trading app beeped, and Xiao Yu received a new message on her account.

Recently, she had just listed the necklace and scarf for Liang Huihui in the app, and there were occasional inquiries, but due to the relatively high prices of these items, she hadn't sold them yet.

Today, when the app beeped, Xiao Yu thought it was another inquiry about the price. However, when she opened the private chat, she was astonished by what she saw.

On the other end was Li Yifan!

Xiao Yu suddenly sat up from the bed, looking at the successive messages from Li Yifan.

Xiao Yu immediately sat up from the bed, looking at Li Yifan's messages that kept coming in one after another.

"Huihui, I'm Li Yifan. Is this your account?

"Why did you delete my contact information? I need to talk to you. Can you add me back?"

"I know I was wrong in that matter. I have reflected on it. Can you forgive me?"

This infuriated Xiao Yu. How could this scumbag think of getting back together with Huihui? Disgusting!

Xiao Yu: Forgive you? Dream on! Add you back? Not in a million years!

Xiao Yu: Not only won't I add you back, but I'm also going to block your account! Get lost!

After venting her anger, Xiao Yu immediately blocked Li Yifan's account.

Feeling refreshed, Xiao Yu decided to keep this matter to herself and bury it deep in her heart.

At the same time, Zheng Baozhu was chatting with Cen Tingting online.

Cen Tingting: [Chat history]

Cen Tingting: Take a look at this, take a look! Last time, it was Qu Zhi getting too close to you on the sofa, and now he's unbuttoning his shirt!

Zheng Baozhu: "..."

It must be Xiao Yu spreading rumors in the group chat!

She clicked into the chat history and found that it was indeed Xiao Yu, adding fuel to the fire in the group chat, describing everything vividly as if she was writing a fictional novel!

Zheng Baozhu finally understood. Fans who ship CP rely on their imagination!

Cen Tingting: Baozhu, I'm disappointed in you. 

Cen Tingting: Reflect on why you and Qu Zhi have reached this point. 

Zheng Baozhu: "..."

Cen Tingting: I hope you understand one thing, eating keyboards will lead to death.

Zheng Baozhu: "..."

After she finished chatting with Cen Tingting, Zheng Baozhu got busy with the delivery robot business. She had promised to buy delivery robots from Qi Sheng, and he had already prepared the robots and contracts, waiting for the payment.

The robots needed to be connected to the hotel's network and some data had to be configured. Qi Sheng personally brought the robots to the hotel. Since they were mainly used for delivering takeout to guests, he also taught the front desk staff how to use the robots.

Zheng Baozhu gathered all the front desk staff and learned the usage from Qi Sheng.

"Our delivery robots are very simple to use. Just press the open button to unlock the compartment. Put the food inside, enter the room number, and then press the close button. It will automatically go to the room to deliver the food."

As he explained, the colleagues from the food and beverage department were all standing around, observing him. Especially Liang Huihui, whose gaze was particularly penetrating. She had just gone through a bad breakup with a scumbag and had barely recovered. Today, she encouraged herself, saying to herself that if Miss Baozhu could be so outstanding and still study for exams, then she should also focus on her work!

But then, Qi Sheng showed up in the afternoon with these gadgets.

She looked at the two round and silly-looking delivery robots and asked, "They have no hands or feet. How do they use the elevators?"

Other colleagues from the food and beverage department joined in with a chorus of agreement.

Qi Sheng wiped the sweat off his forehead and explained, "Because they are connected to the hotel's network, the elevators will automatically open the doors and select the floor when they enter."

Liang Huihui then asked, "How do they notify the guests when the food is being delivered?"

Qi Sheng replied, "When they reach the door of the room, they will call the room. Once the guest answers the call, they can open the door and collect the food."

Liang Huihui shrugged, "But guests may not know how to use them."

"Our robots are very user-friendly, and they have voice systems that will guide the guests step by step," Qi Sheng added. Then he turned to the front desk staff and added, "In addition to delivering takeout, you can also use them to deliver other items that guests might need. This will reduce a lot of your workload."

Liang Huihui whispered, "If our workload is reduced, we might lose our jobs."

Qi Sheng: "..."

He had mentioned before that machines gradually replacing some human positions was an inevitable trend. Of course, it was not an easy concept for humans to accept.

"Don't worry, Huihui. These robots are not meant to replace the restaurant's delivery staff, so you won't lose your job," Zheng Baozhu reassured Liang Huihui. She knew that everyone worked hard and nobody wanted to be unemployed.

However, Zheng Baozhu was personally interested in these delivery robots. Since the product had not been widely adopted yet, hotel guests might find them intriguing, which could be a selling point to attract customers. And, she had to admit, the cost of using robots was indeed lower than human labor.

Before the robots could officially start working, Qi Sheng had to conduct another round of testing and some final adjustments. So, for the time being, the robots remained in a dormant state. After explaining to the front desk staff, Qi Sheng had the robots stored away. Liang Huihui was still standing there, eyeing him like he was her arch-nemesis.

He walked up to her and smiled, "I'm just an ordinary researcher. Besides me, there are many others working on these types of robots."

Liang Huihui retorted, "But they aren't coming to our hotel to sell it."

"..."

Qi Sheng smiled, "As a token of appreciation for Miss Baozhu taking care of my business, I'm you all to dinner tonight. Will you come too?"

Liang Huihui snorted, "Humph, the virtuous do not accept gifts from others."

Qi Sheng: "..."