CH 8

The plate of “Green Plum Pork Ribs” was placed on the table.

On top of the braised pork, which had been marinated with green plums, was a thick, amber-colored sauce. Sprinkled on top were scattered white sesame seeds. Against the backdrop of a pure white porcelain plate, from a distance, the sight of it alone was enough to whet one’s appetite with its vibrant colors, enticing aroma, and tempting flavor.

After the plate of “Green Plum Pork Ribs” was put down, a smell that was different from ordinary braised pork meat rushed to their face, and the aroma went straight to their nose.

It seemed that this dish was not only outstanding in the word “color”, but even the aroma was overbearing. The table where the two were sitting was close to the entrance of the restaurant, and passers-by could easily smell the aroma of the dishes on their table. As soon as the box of vegetables was put down, two passers-by stopped and looked in.

“How does this pork smell so delicious? What kind of dish is it?”

Without waiting for Ding Caimai to speak, Zhang Caimai said, “I am eating it myself, I am not selling it.”

The passers-by were immediately disappointed, and muttered a few words, “Why aren’t you selling such delicious dishes?” shook their heads and left in disappointment.

Ding Caimai, who had only had time to take the chopsticks out of the chopstick holder, glanced at Zhang Caimai: “Old Zhang, why are you so narrow-minded? You are taking revenge on me for what happened just now!”

At the door of his business, Zhang Caimai said this. What’s the difference between talking like this and chasing off customers?

But Zhang Caimai gave him a sideways look, and said, “Miss Wen is going to be arranged to be a public cook, but she won’t stay in this small restaurant of yours to be your chef.”

After entering this small restaurant by the roadside, she can do a good job as a chef. However, whatever money the restaurant earns, will end up in the hand of the owner, Ding Caimai. When will it be her turn to get some of this profit? It was not Miss Wen’s own restaurant!

Furthermore, for a young lady like Miss Wen who has not yet come of age, it was more secure for her to go with the backing of the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty. She won’t be easily tripped up by anyone in secret, and when it came to monthly expenses, dealing with the strict deductions of the imperial kitchen would be more reliable. It will also save her from having to interact with various people from different backgrounds in the streets and alleys.

Because Zhang Caimai loved Zhao Sishan, he loved whoever she loves. So he treated Wen Mingtang as a niece and wanted to make sure that she didn’t suffer from Ding Caimai.

Looking at Zhang Caimai’s defense, Ding Caimai shook his head, but he was not angry. His small restaurant was just a side business, and he would not offend Zhang Caimai, a colleague, for such a simple reason.

Dispelling the idea of ​​borrowing Wen Mingtang’s dish to attract customers, Ding Caimai picked up a chopstick of pork meat and ate it.

As soon as he took a bite, Ding Caimai regretted it a bit: “Oh, it’s delicious! The pork meat is stewed very well! As soon as I bite into it, the meat is separated from the bone. Such easy separation means it’s not dry at all, and yet it’s not overcooked either. It’s just right! The taste is mainly sweet, supplemented by sour. The taste in the mouth is reduced to only three points, and the most amazing thing is that there is a fruity aroma of green plums when chewed carefully… In this way, the remaining three points of the greasy taste are completely eliminated… Oh! Delicious! It would be great if you could stay and be my cooking chef…”

There were different types of diners, some were dull-headed and just set an example by action, while some were like Ding Caimai who liked to talk while eating.

As Ding Caimai ate and savored the dish, his tongue seemed to be doing double duty, both enjoying the flavors and analyzing them. Meanwhile, Zhang Caimai, who had a piece of pork in his mouth, couldn’t help but wonder how Ding Caimai’s tongue managed to achieve such discernment.

After savoring the dish, Ding Cai Mai suddenly stood up and ran into the back kitchen. In a short while, he came out carrying two large bowls of rice, and he quickly handed one to Zhang Caimai. They both started eating their rice while enjoying the plate of green plum spare ribs in front of them.

It was really a rare sweet and sour meat dish that you won’t get tired of eating in summer. It was a must for lunch.

The two of them took a bite, and in the end, they simply poured the soup into the rice, mixed it together, and ate it all.

Looking at the big white porcelain bowl with not a single grain of rice left in front of him, Ding Caimai licked his lips, hiccupped, and subconsciously looked at the sun outside. It was actually still early, and when he came he was not hungry. When he was eating, he was planning to evaluate it with just two mouthfuls of food, but who would have known that…it is not time for lunch yet, and he was already full of burps.

Zhang Caimai on the opposite side was not much better than him. Compared with his open mouth, Zhang Caimai was obviously lacking in speech, so he just raised his chin, pointed to the empty plate and rice bowl, and asked him: “How about this?” The complacency in the tone was beyond words.

“I said that Yuerou is not the kind of person who brags! She is modest by nature, so if she praises something by five points, it must have at least an eighty percent skill level. So for Miss Wen to have her praise, it as a perfect ten, the culinary skill must be exceptionally impressive.” This plate of pork ribs with green plums completely reassured Zhang Caimai.

With this skill, who can pick out the thorns?

Zhang Caimai felt that the position of the chef of the Guozijian1 public kitchen was most likely secure.

Not only Zhang Caimai felt this way, even Ding Caimai also felt the same way. He nodded and said, “I’ll tell Old Jiang when I go back. I’m afraid even Yu Jijiu2, who has thorns all over his body, can’t find fault with this kind of craftsmanship!”

Wen Mingtang couldn’t help but smile after speaking.

Ding Caimai was even more satisfied when he saw that the girl was quick in doing things and didn’t talk too much nonsense. Before leaving, he couldn’t help asking her again: “The monthly salary of the chef in charge of the kitchen in my small restaurant is also good…”

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Caimai interrupted: “Come on! Old Ding! There are drunken diners making trouble in this small restaurant day and night, and Miss Wen is so pretty and lively, mingling among the drunken diners, Do you think it’s feasible?”

One sentence made Ding Caimai speechless, and he couldn’t help but resentfully said: “That’s… eh! Forget it, Zhang Caimai, come with me to see Old Jiang!”

Zhang Caimai nodded and followed Ding. After taking two steps, he turned around and asked Wen Mingtang: “Where is Miss Wen staying now? I will look for you after I finish my work here! If you hurry, I can settle it today!”

Wen Mingtang said: “I am currently living in Zhao Shi’s brother’s restaurant.”

Zhang Caimai immediately sneered and said, “That restaurant belongs to Zhao Dalang? It’s clearly Yuerou’s!”

After saying that, without waiting for Wen Mingtang to respond, Ding Cai Mai simply gave her a brief instruction to “be careful on the way” and followed Ding Cai Mai, leaving together.

…

With most of the “future” set, Wen Mingtang also heaved a sigh of relief, went out and found a casual restaurant, ate a few mouthfuls of lunch, and then returned to Zhao Ji Restaurant.

When she returned to Zhao Ji Restaurant, it was lunchtime. Compared with the scattered customers last night, the business of Zhao Ji Restaurant was a little better today. There were about half of the tables in the lobby. There were diners.

Before Wen Mingtang could examine the situation closely, she saw Liu Shi lift the curtain and rush out from behind it. Then, in front of all the diners, she started howling, “I kindly took in this orphan with no parents, but I never expected to end up harboring a thief! What sin have I committed?!”