CH 26

Trigger Warning: Do not read this chapter on an empty stomach.

As the saying goes, the enemy of the enemy is a friend. Since Boss Wang and Boss Liu are not on good terms, and Boss Liu seems to have some inextricable relationship with the Cai family, whether objectively or subjectively, Boss Liu is almost in the same camp as himself.

Yu Qingze came up with an idea to deal with Boss Wang. This idea needs to be accepted by Boss Liu. However, now is not a good time, and there is still a lack of opportunity.

After all, he doesn’t even know Boss Liu right now, and the impression that Boss Liu gave him before was very… inexplicable?

This person doesn’t give him the feeling that he’s easy to get along with. He has to figure out Boss Liu’s attitude before making plans.

The next day, Yu Qingze made a special trip to the painting and calligraphy store, and asked someone to write a letter of worship, ready to visit the Cai residence the day after tomorrow. He could have written it by himself, but his calligraphy was really not at a level presentable as a gift, could even make him lose face.

When Mi Ge’er came to buy jelly, he asked Mi Ge’er to take the letter back on his behalf.

In the afternoon, Mi Ge’er came over again and brought a message from the old master Cai, saying that the old man invited the Chang family to also come as guests.

Yu Qingze was a little surprised, but after consulting the two brothers, he agreed.

The date agreed to visit is the day after tomorrow. After going back home in the evening, Chang Hao excitedly told the news to Grandpa Chang.

Grandpa Chang was stunned for a moment. He has rarely seen the magistrate in his entire life. Now, is he going to be a guest at the prefect’s house?

Grandpa Chang said blankly: “Then, what gifts are we going to bring?” When they go to the prefect, will the gifts they bring be too shabby? But they can’t afford to buy anything too expensive.

Grandpa Chang walked around the main room several times, but he didn’t know what to bring anything with him.

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “Grandpa, you don’t have to think about it too much, I’ve already thought about it. The prefect family doesn’t lack anything, so we can just bring some things from the mountains and produce grown by ourselves. I’ll just also cook two more dishes and teach it to Fu Bo. The Cai family knows our situation, so it’s just enough if we express our sincere heart.”

Hearing this, Grandpa Chang stopped and said, “That’s true, you’re still thoughtful.”

Yu Qingze said, “So, Grandpa, don’t worry, just take it as a visit to the prefect’s house.”

“Hey, that’s alright, I’m getting old, I can visit the prefect’s house to open my eyes, hahaha.” Grandpa Chang smiled happily, suddenly remembered something again, and walked to the room, “Oh, then I have to go look for clothes for Xiaohao, and see what clothes to wear the day after tomorrow as a guest.”

Halfway through, Grandpa Chang stopped again and said, “By the way, Aze, Xiaole’s father’s clothes are very old, and you have to go buy new clothes tomorrow. You are different from us, so you have to be more careful. “

Yu Qingze smiled: “What’s different about me, I’m just a chef. But I should also buy two sets of clothes. It’s not good to always wear uncle’s clothes.” After he woke up, he still wore three sets of Chang Le’s father’s clothes. Never bought his own so far.

Grandpa Chang said: “I don’t mean that. Xiaole’s father clothes are ok for you to wear. The Cai family takes fancy to you, and we have to pay attention to it. It’s not good to lose face in front of other people.”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “Okay, I see, we’ll go buy some tomorrow.”

Grandpa Chang said again: “It’s enough to buy one to wear the day after tomorrow. Clothes on the street are expensive, and the other ones are ripped off. Let Xiaole make two spares for you. Xiaole’s craftsmanship is very good.”

Yu Qingze’s heart moved, the clothes that Brother Le made by himself? He wants to wear them. However, “That would be too hard on Brother Le.”

Chang Le waved his hand on the side, indicating that it would not be a problem.

***

The next day, they didn’t set up the stall and went to the clothing store together in the morning to buy clothes.

Yu Qingze chose a set, and when he wanted to buy a set each for the two brothers and Grandpa Chang, he was stopped by Chang Le, saying that they didn’t need new clothes just to go be guests at someone else’s house.

In the end, Yu Qingze still bought a set for Chang Hao. Looking at his clothes they found yesterday, Chang Hao’s clothes were obviously short.

In the end, Yu Qingze decided to just buy fabric for all four of them and make clothes later.

After shopping for clothes, Yu Qingze went to buy some groceries. He was going to make some snacks to bring along tomorrow.

The next day before dawn, Yu Qingze and Chang Le got up and started making snacks.

Siu Mai, Pumpkin Red Bean Cake, Red Date Cake.

Red Date Cake

(credit: k.sina.cn)

Chang Hao was still asleep when he was abruptly woken up by a scent.

He half-squinted his eyes, breathed in the fragrance, and went to the kitchen. He saw that Yu Qingze was frying something, while another pot was steaming something.

His sleepy worm ran away at once, staring eagerly at the golden pastry in the pot.

“It smells so good!” Chang Hao sucked in the smell through his nose and asked, “Big Brother Yu, what is this?”

“Pumpkin red bean cake. You can eat breakfast later. You go to wash up and do the morning exercise.” Yu Qingze replied.

“Oh…” He smelled such a delicious pumpkin red bean cake, but he couldn’t eat it. Now he had to go to do the morning exercise. How could he go on…

Chang Hao was still standing still.

It’s so fragrant that his feet didn’t obey and didn’t want to move.

Yu Qingze showed no mercy and said, “Go quickly, you are not allowed to eat until you finish it.”

Can’t eat until it’s done?! It’s going to kill him!

“Go, I’ll go now!” Chang Hao, the foodie, turned his head out of the kitchen step by step, and went to the yard and stood in the horse stance.

Brother Yu is so cruel!

He didn’t understand a foodie’s feelings at all!

Chang Hao sniffed hard while standing in the horse stance, almost wanting to inhale all the fragrance into his stomach. After struggling for half an hour, he immediately washed his hands and feet quickly, and then rushed to the kitchen.

He couldn’t wait just for a moment!

After Yu Qingze prepared the dim sum and set aside the share that he was bringing to Cai’s residence, the four people had a delicious breakfast.

Chang Hao has a shumai in his left hand and a pumpkin red bean cake in his right. His mouth is bulging, and his eyes are still looking at the red date cake!

Ughh, too few hands and too small of a mouth to eat!

The other three all looked at him and smiled. This little glutton!

After breakfast, Yu Qingze and Chang Le first went to take a shower, changed their clothes, and set off with some mountain goods and eels that Grandpa Chang caught in the ditch, and three boxes of snacks.

The Cai Residence is in the south of the city, a very large mansion.

When they arrived, Mi Ge’er was already waiting for them at the door.

Mi Ge’er introduced the residence to them as he walked. In fact, the Cai Mansion is not very grand, but every courtyard in it is elegantly decorated, and at first glance, it looks like a very literate family.

Old master Cai and his husband, Cai furen, greeted them in the main hall, and beside him was a thin and frail-looking boy in white.

Seeing them, Old master Cai said enthusiastically, “Oh, Boss Yu, I’ve been waiting for you.”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “I have seen Old master Cai, Cai furen, and young master Cai.”

Chang Le and the others followed suit.

Old master Cai waved his hand and said, “Don’t be so polite, don’t be restrained, just treat it like you are at your own home.”

Yu Qingze said, “Then don’t call me Boss Yu, call me Xiao Yu.”

“Okay, okay, just call Xiaoyu.” Old master Cai replied happily, then turned to look at the Chang family, and said, “Brother Chang and your family are all welcome.”

Grandpa Chang was a little nervous at first. Seeing that Old master Cai was so easygoing, he relaxed a little and said with a smile, “I’m sorry to disturb you.”

“Don’t bother, it hasn’t been so lively in a long time.”

Over there, Cai furen pulled Chang Le and Chang Hao, and said with a smile, “This is Chang Le and Chang Hao? Look at how handsome these two children are. Come, come, this is the greeting gift from me to you.” Cai furen took out a silver hairpin and a silver bracelet from his arms and stuffed it with the two brothers.

Both of them were a little dumbfounded and didn’t know how to react.

When Grandpa Chang saw it, he was also a little stunned, and said hurriedly, “Cai furen, this is too precious, we can’t take it, we can’t take it.”

Cai furen didn’t put his hand away and said, “Brother, what are you blocking me for? It’s not for you. I saw the two children and liked them in my heart. It’s okay to play with them with a little gadget.”

Grandpa Chang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The two brothers were a little overwhelmed and looked at Grandpa. Grandpa Cai said they would accept the gift, but their own grandpa said they should not accept so they would not accept the gift.

Yu Qingze watched this scene from the side and smiled, “Grandpa, I think it’s alright, please accept it.”

This old man Cai probably listened to Mi Ge’er talking about their affairs, and his means to win over people are very good. He knew it’s not good to give him gifts, so he starts with the people around him, which also hits his weakness.

When Grandpa Chang heard this, he nodded. Only then did Chang Le and Chang Hao accept Cai furen’s gift.

Chang Le made a gesture, Chang Hao’s mouth was sweet, and he thanked him, “Thank you, Cai furen. My brother also said thank you. He likes this hairpin very much.”

After hearing this, Cai furen said with a smile: “you like it, that’s very good. Oh, this kid Xiaohao has a sweet mouth!”

Several people laughed.

After laughing, Cai furen pulled the young man behind him and said, “Xiaoyu, Brother Chang, this is my little grandson, Cai Yunwei. Wei’er, this is your big brother Yu, the food you like is all taught by him to Fu Bo.”

Cai Yunwei took a step forward and bowed his hands politely: “I’ve seen Big Brother Yu, Grandpa Chang, Big Brother Chang, Little Brother Chang.”

Several people bowed slightly in return.

Yu Qingze looked at Cai Yunwei, and then asked: “Second Young Master, has your appetite been good recently? If you want to eat later, tell me, I will make it for you.”

Cai Yunwei smiled slightly and said, “Brother Yu’s cooking is delicious.”

This is not flattery, but a fact. Growing up, he felt that the things Yu Qingze made and the food he taught Fu Bo were the only ones that make him say that.

Yu Qingze smiled, but he was not modest. Seeing that it was getting late, he asked if he could go to the kitchen and take a look. At noon, he would cook a delicious meal for everyone.

Cai furen asked Fu Bo to take him there, and Chang Le followed him to assist.

In the main hall, old master Cai and his husband, Cai furen, accompany Grandpa Chang to drink tea and chat. They ate the snacks that Yu Qingze and the others brought, and they all greatly appreciated it.

Chang Hao sat for a while and ate a red jujube cake. Seeing that the second young master of the Cai family had eaten a pumpkin red bean cake and stopped eating, he ran over and asked, “Little brother, why don’t you eat it? Isn’t it delicious? “

Cai Yunwei looked at the dark skinned boy in front of him, his eyes were bright and shinning, and he was very envious. He shook his head and said, “It’s delicious, but I can’t eat it anymore, I have a small appetite.”

“Oh…” Chang Hao also knew that he doesn’t eat much, so he changed the subject, took out a straw grasshopper and a straw dragonfly from his pocket and handed them to Cai Yunwei, saying, “This is for you to play with.”

He made these while waiting for big brother Yu and his brother to finish taking a shower and changed their clothes after breakfast. He went to find palm leaves to weave, thinking that he would give it to the second young master of the Cai family.

Cai Yunwei has never been out of the house since he was a child. He has seen dragonflies, but he has never seen this grasshopper, so he asked, “What is this?”

“This is a grasshopper, this is a dragonfly, you haven’t seen it before?” Chang Hao pointed to him and said.

Cai Yunwei shook his head and said, “I’ve never seen this grasshopper. Did you make this yourself? It’s so beautiful.” This is not a lie. Although Cai Yunwei has never seen a grasshopper, the dragonfly is very vivid and very lifelike.

Chang Hao raised his chest and said, “Well, I made these all by myself.”

“How did you make it?”

“Do you want to learn? I can teach you.”

“Okay.” He’s bored at home every day anyways.

“Do you have palm leaves here?”

“I’ll ask someone to find it.”

“…”

Grandpa Cai looked at the two young boys talking vigorously, sighed, and said, “Wei’er hasn’t been so interested in a thing for a long time.”

Grandpa Chang comforted him and said, “In the future, when he is healthy and full of energy, you wouldn’t even want to listen to him at home. A young boy of his age is usually very lively.”

When Cai furen heard this, he laughed and said, “I’m waiting for that day.”

In the kitchen, because he knew that Yu Qingze was visiting today, Fu Bo went to communicate with Yu Qingze in advance that afternoon.

Yu Qingze asked about the palette of the Cai family and made a list of the ingredients to buy for Fu Bo. So, Fu Bo had already prepared all the ingredients he needed.

Because there are so many dishes to prepare, this time, not only Chang Le, but Fu Bo and a few other people in the kitchen also helped Yu Qingze.

However, when they started, they were only washing and cutting vegetables. Other than the work they were used to, they couldn’t keep up with his rhythm.

Regardless, they all looked at Yu Qingze’s actions seriously, and Fu Bo was especially serious. The dish is not ready yet, just smelling the aroma is enough to make people salivate.

When they saw the dishes prepared one after another, they couldn’t help gulping.

Fortunately, Yu Qingze deliberately cooked more of each dish and left some for his peers who helped him.

The ‘peers’ all burst into tears.

Boss Yu is really a good person.

After an hour of busy work, it was finally done, just in time for lunch.

Fu Bo brought all the dishes to the table, filling the entire table.

Steamed pork ribs with glutinous rice, cold wood ear fungus salad, spicy shredded chicken, braised eel, fish-flavored eggplant, sweet and sour pork loin, fried lotus root slices, stir-fried vegetables, seafood porridge, and seaweed bone soup.

When old master Cai and his husband and the second young master of the Cai family came to the table, their eyes lit up when they saw the dishes that they had never seen before.

It smells so good!

It also looks delicious, very appetizing!

The hosts and the guests all took their seats, ready to eat.

At this moment, a hearty voice came from outside the dining room.

“It’s so fragrant! What deliciousness did Fu Bo make?!”