When Director Chai left the Protocol Department, he glanced in the direction of Jiang Ci and saw her writing something with a pen. He didn't say anything and left the Protocol Department.
When he returned, he summoned Hobbens.
Hobbens arrived quickly, opening the door and saying, "Director, you called me?"
Director Chai gestured for him to sit down and said, "I remember you recommended Jiang Ci before she came to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Are you two very familiar with each other?"
Upon hearing Jiang Ci's name, Hobens subconsciously sensed something was amiss and said, "She's alright, she has a very good relationship with my grandfather's old friend."
"Director, what happened to her?"
Hobbens' words revealed a hint of worry.
"Your grandfather's old friend? Cheng...?"
Hobbens immediately nodded, "Yes, I heard from my aunt that Jiang Ci took care of Mr. Cheng for a period of time when she lived in the countryside."
Hobbs's aunt is Tao Susu, who met with him when she returned to Beijing some time ago.
Director Chai's expression relaxed upon hearing this.
Jiang Ci might have offended Guo Zhen because of the Cheng family.
With the Cheng family as her backer, what does she have to fear?
Seeing the director's changing expression, Hobbens was puzzled. "Director, what's wrong with Jiang Ci? She's a very good woman, very capable, and also very smart, and speaks English very well..."
"Alright, alright, I know she's outstanding!" Director Chai interrupted Hobens, giving him a suspicious look. "Why are you so concerned about that woman?"
Hobbens became embarrassed. "Who...who said I cared about her? I was just saying a few words."
and……
A hint of sadness crept into Hobbens' eyes.
Comrade Jiang is already married and has two children.
What else could he do?
Director Chai told him to leave and then made a phone call to a relative, asking them to help investigate the feud between Jiang Ci and Guo Zhen.
...
"Lao Mo!"
The logistics director came to the kitchen and called out to Chef Mo, who was preparing lunch.
Chef Mo turned his head and asked, "What's up?"
Today I made braised noodles. The broth was made with hot lamb bones that had been simmering overnight. On this gloomy day with snow on the horizon, a bowl of this was truly comforting.
Zhou Mingli was taking out the braised noodles he had prepared in advance when he heard the logistics director say, "A military leader will be coming over in a little while. Make ten... no, fifteen extra lunches. The extra portions will be paid for by the public!"
Chef Mo readily agreed, "Sure, but we're having braised noodles today. The boss is coming, so should I prepare a few more dishes?"
The logistics director thought for a moment and said, "Prepare a few more dishes."
Chef Mo nodded. "Okay."
After the logistics director left, Chef Mo thought for a moment and looked at Zhou Mingli, "What do you think we should make?"
Zhou Mingli lowered his eyes. "Cooking Shandong cuisine? Our local ingredients are suitable, and they should be more to the liking of the military leaders."
"We still have the lamb chops we bought earlier, let's make another braised lamb chops."
With a pressure cooker, lamb chops can be cooked quickly.
Cantonese and Huaiyang cuisines are certainly more refined and beautiful, but they take too much time to prepare.
Chef Mo pondered for a moment and said to another kitchen helper, "I remember there are still several carp. Kill one and then process the pig intestines."
The kitchen helper immediately nodded and hurried off to get busy.
Chef Mo then said to Zhou Mingli, "You stir-fry some crispy fried fish and spicy chicken, and fry the fish after you've cleaned it. I want to make sweet and sour carp."
There were quite a few leaders present, so it was already quite good that Chef Mo was able to get Zhou Mingli to cook two dishes.
He readily agreed, assigned tasks, and everyone got to work.
He looked at Zhou Mingli, who nodded and prepared some more flour to make braised noodles.
Zhou Mingli had no idea who the military leader who came to his unit today was.
When the canteen opened for lunch, Zhou Mingli busied himself for a while, helping to bring over the mutton stew noodles that had been prepared in advance and hand them to the cadres outside.
The leaders arrived after all the cadres had finished eating.
Zhou Mingli quickly prepared braised noodles for the leaders and had all the cooked dishes brought over.
Even though he was a leader, he still had to come over and line up to get his bowl of noodles.
Zhou Mingli was busy when he heard someone making strange noises.
“sipusi!”
Zhou Mingli looked up and saw clearly who was standing outside.
"Brother Er Gou?" Zhou Mingli exclaimed in surprise.
The people behind Zhou Gou couldn't help but laugh.
Zhou Gou immediately turned his head and glared at him, "What are you laughing at!"
He coughed several times and said awkwardly to Zhou Mingli, "The leaders are all here, can you call me Brother Zhou?"
Although it's fine for Zhou Mingli to call him "Brother Er Gou" in private back in his hometown, the leaders are all here!
Zhou Mingli smiled and handed him the bowl of noodles. "Is this enough?"
"That'll be enough! When are you going to finish?"
“Almost.”
"Okay, I'll be waiting for you."
Zhou Gou took his bowl to the empty seat next to him to eat.
There weren't many leaders, so after Zhou Mingli finished his work, he and Chef Mo each brought out a bowl of braised noodles.
Zhou Gou saw him and immediately waved.
There were several people sitting around him, but they had left a seat for him, so Zhou Mingli naturally sat down there.
"Battalion Commander Zhou, I just heard this young comrade call you Brother Er Gou, are you related?"
A battalion commander of the same rank as Zhou Gou made a joke on purpose.
The atmosphere at the long table was already lively, and when these words were spoken, the leaders all looked over.
As the chief secretary, Cheng Wenyun naturally had to stay by the side of the top leaders and follow their gaze.
Zhou Gou kicked the other man and introduced him to the leaders with a smile, "Yes, leaders, this is my brother, Zhou Mingli!"
Logically speaking, Zhou Mingli was just a lowly kitchen helper. If it weren't for Zhou Gou, he wouldn't have been able to sit at this table at all. Right now, facing these big leaders, he should be so nervous that he can't even hold his chopsticks properly.
But when everyone present looked at Zhou Mingli, they saw that he was calm and composed. Not only was he not nervous, but he also calmly allowed the leaders present to look him over.
"Hello, leaders, I am Zhou Mingli."
"Battalion Commander Zhou, I've never heard of you having a younger brother working as a cook here before. Look at this, it's like the flood washed away the Dragon King's temple, and the family doesn't recognize each other anymore!" someone said with a laugh.
Zhou Gou chuckled, looking rather simple and honest. "He's good at cooking, which is why we chose him to be our kitchen helper, isn't it?"
"He's the best cook in the whole area!"
Cheng Wenyun glanced at him, seemingly curious, and asked, "Really? Chef Mo, Zhou Mingli has been here for quite some time now. Did he cook any of the dishes on this table?"
Chef Mo is a chef who cooks for state banquets. Zhou Mingli is going to visit him the day after tomorrow to become his apprentice. Of course, Chef Mo has the idea of mentoring his apprentice. He said with a smile, "I asked him to make two dishes. He made the spicy chicken and fried double crisp that the leaders ate, and he also made the broth for this mutton stew noodles."
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