Chapter 58 058 Braised Pork Trotters Rice [Second Update]

After Chen Jiahe and his group returned to the hotel and parked the car, Kong Zhenhua was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

To say that the goal wasn't achieved tonight is clearly not true. Chen Jiahe's behavior made it obvious. Even on the way back to the car, Chen Jiahe was carrying several takeout bags and showed no intention of putting them down. It was clear that the meal exceeded expectations.

Even Assistant Zeng, the Hong Kong man whom Kong Zhenhua and his colleagues always muttered behind his back, saying "this guy seems to look down on everyone," seemed to have broken through his golden armor tonight, revealing a bit of humanity beneath his expensive suit.

But to say it's effective...

Kong Zhenhua licked his lips, thinking to himself, "If this southerner dares to say any more polite words and doesn't give me any benefits, I'll... take all the leftovers!"

Fortunately, although Chen Jiahe's head was a little fuzzy from holding it in, his intelligence was still intact.

He got out of the car and handed the items to Assistant Zeng.

"Anderson, go buy some digestive tablets."

In the past, Chen Jiahe would go to the gym to burn off any extra calories if he ate a little too much, but tonight, he knew he had no choice but to sleep.

After dismissing Assistant Zeng, Chen Jiahe asked a few questions with a smile about the materials Kong Zhenhua had submitted earlier.

Kong Zhenhua's heart skipped a beat, and as he answered, he regretted not bringing the materials with him.

Chen Jiahe already had some impressions, and after Kong Zhenhua mentioned a few points, he remembered them all.

He tilted his head in deep thought, while Kong Zhenhua said with a heavy heart, "Manager Chen, our company has also made many preparations for this project. Please rest assured, if you entrust this work to us, I will definitely complete it well."

Chen Jiahe tapped lightly on the hood of the car with his fingers, making Kong Zhenhua hold his breath.

"Manager Kong, I understand everything you're saying."

"Unfortunately, your company's design for this project is not actually advantageous."

Kong Zhenhua's mind went blank, and beyond that blankness lay an indescribable sense of bewilderment.

Fortunately, Chen Jiahe didn't mean to make things difficult for him, and quickly added, "However, this project isn't suitable, but our company has a new project coming up..."

Kong Zhenhua turned his neck and looked at Chen Jiahe with eyes full of anticipation, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Chen Jiahe first gave a general introduction to the new project. To prove that he wasn't just making things up, he brought up several news articles so that Kong Zhenhua could have a basic understanding of it.

"Your company's project proposal is actually more suitable for this one."

Kong Zhenhua became more and more excited as he looked at the phone, gripping it tightly in both hands.

Chen Jiahe extended his hand: "I can take your proposal back and submit it to headquarters for review."

Kong Zhenhua, a grown man, looked somewhat sloppy with his shirt undone at the back of his pants, but he didn't care about that and kept bowing.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

Chen Jiahe: "No need to thank me, I should be thanking you."

Just as he had told his assistant, sometimes the real answer doesn't need to be explained. For example, Kong Zhenhua's proposal was already part of his expected review. The only difference was that releasing this information ahead of time was enough to earn Kong Zhenhua a substantial reward within the company.

Chen Jiahe bid farewell to Kong Zhenhua, and Assistant Zeng, who had bought digestive tablets, stood beside him.

On their way back to their room, Chen Jiahe kept glancing at the packing bags.

Assistant Zeng assumed he was worried about the items spoiling, so he reminded him, "There's a refrigerator in the room; the housekeeper can take it to heat them up tomorrow."

Chen Jiahe swallowed hard: "I know."

He's just... greedy.

...

"Anderson, have you seen the packed main course?"

"No."

"...I guess it's black truffle fried rice."

"Boss, I can't smell any black truffle."

"Then...maybe it's bibimbap?"

"..."

"Perhaps beef rice would be good too."

"Boss, would you like some?"

Chen Jiahe laughed and patted his assistant on the shoulder: "Don't say that. I'm so full, how could I still eat? I was just joking, don't take it seriously."

The leftovers were put in the refrigerator, and the two slept soundly in their respective rooms that night.

When Chen Jiahe woke up at dawn, the happiest thing was that he found himself feeling a little hungry!

He hurriedly opened the refrigerator, ignoring all the other leftovers from last night because he knew how they tasted, and focused all his attention on the three large portions of rice.

Chen Jiahe was stunned when he opened one of the boxes.

He had guessed everything, but he never expected that the last main dish would be a plate of braised pork trotters with rice.

Even after being left in the refrigerator overnight, the rich, dark sauce of braised pig's trotters still retains a faint aroma of fat and oil.

Chen Jiahe sat on the floor with a complicated expression.

After a while, he picked up the landline and called the housekeeper.

"Could you please come over here?"

Chen Jiahe handed a plate of braised pork trotters rice to the other party and asked them to heat it up as soon as possible.

housekeeper:……

"Yes, sir."

The perverse tastes of the rich: eating pork trotters rice first thing in the morning?

Soon, the braised pork trotter rice was delivered to the room. Chen Jiahe took the white porcelain plate that the hotel had specially replaced. The braised pork trotter rice, which was originally served in a disposable box, looked so cheap. But now that it was in a different container, even the butler who delivered the meal was secretly watching it.

The trembling pig's trotters are piled on the plate, with a generous amount of rice spread out underneath. The tender, fatty skin, tinged with a dark brown sauce, melts in your mouth, releasing a gush of oil. Despite being a southern dish, it has a bold and rich flavor.

Chen Jiahe silently took one bite after another.

To say that this dish isn't greasy at all would be a lie. Perhaps considering that they would take it back to eat, the restaurant didn't even put in the green vegetables that should be there, and it seems that there were no pickled vegetables or salted vegetables that should be there either.

On such a morning, the completely meaty meal reminded Chen Jiahe of some past events.

He hasn't been back to his hometown for fifteen years.

Fifteen years ago, he had just graduated and earned his first million dollars with his intelligence.

Once people have accumulated basic survival resources, they become much bolder.

So he took his one million and started his business without hesitation.

The hardships of starting a business are beyond the comprehension of outsiders. He ate plate after plate of braised pork trotters, but in the end, he lost everything...

Then came the criticism from parents, the cold stares from others, and the embarrassment of not being able to find a job.

He ate so much braised pork trotters rice that he eventually threw up.

When Chen Jiahe decided to take a desperate gamble and follow an old friend to Hong Kong Island to try his luck, he ordered braised pork knuckle rice one last time.

The braised pork trotter rice at that restaurant wasn't very good. The trotters weren't braised enough, the lean meat was dry, and the rice was overcooked. The owner was also stingy and only gave a little bit of broth.

Chen Jiahe got angry while eating.

His expression was fierce, as if he were devouring his enemy—poverty.

He forced down the unpalatable pig's trotters, completely disregarding the mushy rice. It was less of an eating and more of a dumping.

The owner of the pork trotter rice stall later found his legs cramping so badly that he would stand behind the counter and secretly observe him.

After finishing the unpalatable plate of braised pork trotters rice, Chen Jiahe had only one thought in his mind as he left the money.

I never want to eat pork trotter rice again.

Later, he did indeed realize his idea. He ate goose barnacles that cost thousands of yuan per kilogram, and also enjoyed freshly cut bluefin tuna, blue lobster, black abalone, and wild yellow croaker at Japanese restaurants...

Having acquired money again, Chen Jiahe no longer coveted houses and cars, but instead used it all to satisfy his appetite. Aside from food, he saved all his money. Even though he could easily buy a nice house on Hong Kong Island now, he still lives in hotels.

Being able to eat delicious food is Chen Jiahe's motivation.

However, rather than being motivated by anything else, Chen Jiahe knew perfectly well that it was a fear of pork trotters rice, a fear of poverty. Because of this fear, he only dared to indulge in his appetite, and he became increasingly restrained and unwilling to take risks.

But today...

Chen Jiahe was in a daze.

This bowl of braised pork trotter rice was so delicious that he started to feel dizzy while eating it.

Was there ever such a braised pork trotter rice dish?

Otherwise, why would he feel that the food tasted familiar?

After silently devouring a large plate of braised pork trotters with rice, Chen Jiahe, bombarded with greasy carbs early in the morning, habitually kicked off his shoes, stretched out his arms wide, and lay back comfortably.

as……

Just like fifteen years ago.

Chen Jiahe suddenly woke up.

Fifteen years of wandering the martial world, like a fleeting dream, have finally allowed him to rediscover the youthful spirit he once possessed, a spirit that, in the long river of time, has returned to its former self.

The impoverished years he avoided like the plague were not a stagnant pool, but a deep swamp.

He struggled to break free, his sweat and tears nourishing his former courage.

Chen Jiahe chuckled, gazing out the window at the rows of tall buildings. This place felt like both his hometown and the place where he later rose to prominence.

But anywhere is fine.

He wanted to go home and visit his family.

Look back at your past poverty.

"Anderson, could you please book me a plane ticket?"

****

After a busy Saturday, Wen Fan announced a strike on Sunday.

However, before the strike, Wen Fan checked the twenty jin of shredded beef that had been prepared.

Each shredded beef glistened with a crystal-clear light, resembling amber in the sunlight.

Wang Zihao's mother asked the driver to pick it up, and Wen Fan suddenly slapped his forehead.

"Oh, right, and this too."

She took out a box of individually wrapped flower cakes.

Speaking of which, Wen Fan remembered the longevity peaches that Luo Tiantian's family had brought when they visited. He felt that it would be a bit unreasonable not to give a gift for a child's birthday, so he made a separate package of flower cakes.

She made the flower cake, but getting her to say "Happy Birthday" was difficult. Wen Fan hesitated for a moment, but what came out was the word "gift."

Fortunately, Wang Zihao's mother was sensible and considerate. After receiving the gifts, she even called Wen's mother to express her gratitude.

"It's good that you delivered it at the right time; Wang Zihao had been asking for it yesterday."

After climbing the mountain that day, Wang Zihao boasted to kindergarten on Monday that he had eaten very, very delicious shredded beef.

The kindergarten caregiver covered her mouth and laughed. Everyone had seen the child barking like a dog on the mountain, begging for food. Not only the caregiver, but almost everyone in the kindergarten had seen the video.

Wang Zihao was still unaware that he was standing with his hands on his hips, telling his new friends in a childish voice how delicious the shredded beef was.

One child asked a thought-provoking question: "Then let me try it. How am I supposed to know if it's good or not if I don't try it?"

Prince Hao choked on the shell, wanting someone to try it? He ate it all!

So he had no choice but to go home and make a scene at his parents' house, which gave Wang Zihao's mother a headache. She just said that she had already ordered 20 jin (10 kg) and told them to stop making a fuss and that the food would be delivered right away.

Wang Zihao had been eagerly anticipating this day for a whole week, and it finally arrived.

Wang Zihao's mother sounded cheerful on the phone: "I'll order another cake tomorrow and send it over, that'll be fine."