Chapter 60: Eating at a Restaurant

Facing Zhang Dapang’s praise, Lin Xiangnan proudly said, “Well, you should see who taught him.”

After preparing the restaurant for work, during their break, Lin Xiangxi stared at his math test papers for a while, scratching his head.

Seeing Zhang Dapang and Lin Xiangnan go to the backyard to prepare lunch, he quickly followed them.

“Uncle Pang, you stand, I’ll handle the shrimp.”

“That’s great.”

Zhang Dapang immediately gave up his position, only using his mouth and not his hands. He not only taught Lin Xiangxi how to handle the shrimp, but also let him kill the fish.

Although he was eating with Lin Xiangnan, she was like a toad, only moving when poked. If you didn’t give her a task, she would sit there and eat melon seeds and watch the fun. If you asked her to do something, she could do it very well, she was smart, but lazy.

Lin Xiangxi was different. He was proactive, enthusiastic, and would find things to do on his own.

Zhang Dapang liked that, because he was also lazy.

“Crack the eggs in, stir them clockwise, then add warm water. Enough, enough, don’t add too much…”

“Don’t put too much starch on the shrimp balls, shake off the excess…”

Zhang Dapang was an experienced master chef, having taught apprentices for years. While cooking, he also explained things to Lin Xiangnan and her brother.

He wasn’t teaching any secret recipes, just everyday methods. He hoped that Lin Xiangnan would listen more and gain some common sense. When he wanted to use low heat, Lin Xiangnan shouldn’t use high heat. When he wanted onion threads, Lin Xiangnan shouldn’t slice the onions.

For a master like Zhang Dapang, he could ask his apprentice, Zhang Yong, to do many small things. Zhang Yong could learn something while helping.

Zhang Dapang was very dedicated when teaching Zhang Yong in the restaurant kitchen, but the restaurant’s daily dishes were too simple. Zhang Yong had been learning for so many years, but he only learned the basics. He couldn’t master any major dishes.

There was no way, the ingredients were limited, and there wasn’t enough chicken, duck, fish, and meat for Zhang Yong to practice with.

Lin Xiangnan, on the other hand, had a wild way of getting good ingredients.

But Zhang Dapang was also embarrassed to ask Zhang Yong to help. He couldn’t let him work hard and then not give him any food when it was time to eat. That would create a lot of resentment.

Even if he was a bit slow, he couldn’t do that.

So, he could only ask Lin Xiangnan and her brother to help.

When the ingredients were ready, Zhang Dapang rolled up his sleeves and started pouring oil into the wok to stir-fry the dishes.

“So much oil?” Lin Xiangxi was amazed.

“It’s just to fry them briefly. We can use the rest.” Zhang Dapang also felt it was a waste, but he was more greedy and didn’t want to save on this, as it would affect the taste of the food.

Lin Xiangxi lit the stove, Zhang Dapang stir-fried the dishes, and Lin Xiangnan stood beside him with a large fan, fanning the flames. She smelled the aroma and asked, “Uncle Pang, what day are you off? Let’s have beef tallow hotpot.”

Zhang Dapang laughed, “Oh, that requires a lot of things. I’ll make you a list. If you can get them, I’ll make it for you.”

“I’m off tomorrow, and you’re off the day after.” Lin Xiangnan hinted.

“The day after tomorrow won’t work. I have an old friend who’s hosting his in-laws, and he asked me to make Dragon and Phoenix Soup. Have you ever had it? I’ll bring you a bowl back.”

Craftsmen like Zhang Dapang were not easy to starve. They could always get a meal wherever they went.

Lin Xiangnan shook her head, “I don’t drink that.”

Lin Xiangxi had never eaten snake meat, and he wanted to try what the soup tasted like, but he was too embarrassed to say it. He was just there to mooch off his sister, it was good enough to have something to eat, how could he make demands?

He had no other skills, but he did have some self-awareness.

When they had lunch and ate Zhang Dapang’s dishes, Lin Xiangxi was amazed, “Damn, it’s so delicious.”

Zhang Dapang proudly said modestly, “It’s just okay. I didn’t do particularly well today.”

Lin Xiangxi was shocked, “You call this not doing well?”

Lin Xiangnan held her bowl and snickered. Her little brother was still too naive. He didn’t know what Versailles was.

A simple home-cooked meal had a profound impact on Lin Xiangxi’s soul. After the meal, he was incredibly attentive to Zhang Dapang, almost treating him like a second Lin Xiangnan.

He didn’t even need Zhang Dapang to ask him to wash the dishes and sweep the floor. He went and did it himself.

When Lin Xiangnan started working, he was still muttering, “So fragrant. If only I could cook such delicious food.”

“Stop it, go write your test papers. I just glanced at them, and you’ve only done a few questions this morning.” Lin Xiangnan urged, “Hurry up. Finish your homework and then go play. Don’t get in my way.”

Lin Xiangxi agreed readily, but after doing two questions, he saw Hu Taohua and her blind date come to eat, and he went over to join in the fun.

“Sister Taohua, come sit here, I’ve saved you a seat.”

Lin Xiangnan was about to give him a wink, telling him to go play on the side and not be a third wheel. As she walked over, she saw Lin Xiangxi using a small piece of magnet hanging from a string around his waist, and it was attracted to the gold ring Hu Taohua was wearing.

The scene was quite awkward.

Hu Taohua was shocked, but her blind date was calm and said calmly, “The gold ring can’t be fake. So, the magnet must be fake.”

“The magnet is fake?” Hu Taohua sneered, “Yes, the magnet is fake, but my grandma’s gift to me is real, more real than real gold.”

Gold and silver were too expensive, and Hu Taohua didn’t dare to accept them at first. But the man insisted that it was a family heirloom from his grandmother, and he spoke so sincerely that Hu Taohua could only accept it politely. She planned to take it off and put it away later.

But, haha…

These mischievous kids, their daily entertainment was to pick up scrap wire and nails and sell them for money. Magnets were their treasures, and they used them every day. How could they be fake?

Knowing that the ring wasn’t Hu Taohua’s, but a gift from the man, Lin Xiangxi immediately calmed down. He didn’t say anything and took out the key from his pocket.

‘Swoosh’, the key in his hand was attracted to the magnet.

Now, the facts spoke for themselves.

Hu Taohua took off the ring and put it back in the man’s hand, “Your family’s gift is too precious. I can’t accept it. We won’t eat here today. Let’s go our separate ways.”

When she accepted the gold ring, Hu Taohua really thought this family was good, they cared enough about her, and she could consider marrying them.

But the gold ring hadn’t even warmed up before it was discovered to be fake.

After the man left, Lin Xiangnan patted Hu Taohua’s shoulder sympathetically, “You’ve been through a lot of blind dates lately.”

“It’s not easy. My mom wasn’t in a hurry before, but now she’s urging me. My schedule is busier than yours before you graduated.” Hu Taohua couldn’t help but sigh.

Lin Xiangnan patted her shoulder reassuringly, “Okay, okay, don’t talk about those upsetting things. Sit down and eat. I’m treating you today.”

“Okay…” Hu Taohua was about to sit down, but then she saw a familiar face and immediately stood up again, “Forget it, forget it, I’m not hungry now. I’ll just eat something at home.”

Then she ran away quickly.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Xiangnan was confused.

Lin Xiangxi looked around, “There’s a guy at the table by the window. He looks a bit like Taohua’s first love, the one she dated for two years.”

“No wonder she ran so fast.” Lin Xiangnan glanced at the magnet in Lin Xiangxi’s hand, “It’s all because of your broken magnet. The scene just now was so awkward. Her ex-boyfriend even saw it. I’m embarrassed for her.”