In the capital, the entrance to Ruyi Home-Style Restaurant remains bustling, with diners lining up in small queues, their laughter and the aroma of food wafting through the streets.
Meanwhile, the "Ke Zai Lai" restaurant, which had just opened two months ago across the street, was deserted with only two or three tables of customers.
In the kitchen, next to the greasy stove, the boss Zhao Youcai and the hired chef Liu Pangzi sat facing each other, with several aluminum lunch boxes spread out on the table between them.
The lunchbox contained several signature dishes from Ruyi Home-Style Restaurant across the street: braised pork, shredded pork with garlic sauce, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a small bowl of steaming chicken soup.
With a gloomy expression, Zhao Youcai picked up a piece of bright red braised pork, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it a few times.
This smells... fucking delicious!
But because it was so delicious, his brows furrowed tightly, and he gulped down a mouthful of baijiu, spitting out:
"Damn it! This is weird! It's the same pork, the same soy sauce and sugar, but how come their meat is so fragrant and tender without being greasy? Old Liu, you're a master chef, tell me, what exactly did she put in it?"
Fatty Liu's chef's hat was askew, and his forehead was covered in sweat. He also picked up a piece of shredded pork with garlic sauce, tasted it carefully, smacked his lips, and looked confused and unconvinced.
"Boss, this flavor... is authentic! The shredded pork is tender and smooth, and the sweet, sour, and spicy sauce is just right! The heat is also high, and the wok hei (wok aroma) is perfect! But... but the ingredients used are just the same as always: pork, wood ear mushrooms, shredded carrots, Pixian chili bean paste, sugar, vinegar... that's how we make it too!"
He scooped up another spoonful of the thin, watery chicken soup, smacked his lips, and his brow furrowed even deeper:
"That's strange! This chicken soup looks clear, but how come it tastes so delicious? The chicken soup in our shop is made with plenty of chicken bones, but it never tastes like this. It's just like water!"
Zhao Youcai irritably poked at the food in his lunchbox with his chopsticks, his eyes reddening with jealousy and anxiety.
"There's definitely something fishy going on! Guan Wenru is a very shrewd woman! Maybe she got her hands on some special seasonings, or some secret recipe! Lao Liu, taste it again carefully! Is there MSG? Or some kind of spice we don't know about?"
Fatty Liu tasted each dish again, even carefully examining them, but ultimately shook his head in frustration.
"MSG is definitely in it. These days, which restaurant of any size doesn't use MSG to enhance the flavor? But this taste doesn't seem like something you could get from MSG alone... The caramelization of the braised pork is also beautiful, glossy and shiny, not at all dark or bitter... Boss, this... this seems to be a difference in skill..."
"Bullshit!" Zhao Youcai slammed his hand on the table, making the bowls and chopsticks shake. "What kind of lousy skill is this! Isn't running a restaurant all about this? More oil, more fire, and a stronger flame—that's how you get the flavor! There must be another reason!"
He lowered his voice and leaned forward, "Old Liu, think of something. Try asking around among the shop assistants? Or... see if they get any special items when they get their daily stock? Price isn't an issue! As long as we can get her secrets, our shop can be revived!"
Fatty Liu looked troubled. "Boss, this... asking about a competitor's secret recipe isn't against the rules, is it? Besides, I heard that their management is quite strict, they pay high wages, and their employees are very tight-lipped..."
"Rules? Rules are rigid, but people are flexible!" Zhao Youcai gritted his teeth. "We're watching our neighbors making a fortune every day, while we're losing money every day. And you're still talking to me about rules? If this continues, we'll both starve! We have to find a way! I refuse to believe we can't break her relationship!"
Filled with resentment and calculation, he stared at the food on the table, and couldn't help but spit out, "If we just sit here and taste it like this, we won't figure anything out even by tomorrow! I heard that woman surnamed Guan is very ambitious and is planning to open another new store in the west of the city. The staff shortage must be huge."
Fatty Liu raised his eyelids, somewhat puzzled, "Boss, what do you mean?"
Zhao Youcai narrowed his eyes. "Didn't you bring a few apprentices with you? Their skills are decent, and they're quite clever. Let them... apply for jobs! Go to Guan Wenru's new shop and apply for kitchen helper positions!"
Upon hearing this, Fatty Liu's face immediately showed a troubled expression. "This...this might not be a good idea, right? Sending my apprentice to work for someone else is like poaching our own talent, it's like sending him to be a..."
He was too embarrassed to say the word "spy".
"What do you mean by poaching? This is called learning! Seeking knowledge!" Zhao Youcai interrupted him, his tone firm. "We're doing this to keep the shop afloat! Think about it, your apprentices are just doing odd jobs here. How much real skill can they learn? If they go to her and actually learn something, won't we be the ones who benefit when they come back?"
We don't need to do anything big, just let them in and keep their eyes peeled! Find out what brand of soy sauce and what kind of vinegar they use in their kitchen!
Look at what secret ingredients they add when they stew meat and make soup—besides scallions, ginger, garlic, and star anise! Do they really have some special seasonings they use?
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his knuckles tapping the table. "No matter what! I have to find out what's going on with their ingredients! How come she can make the same food taste this good, but we can't?!"
Fatty Liu frowned, head down, a cigarette dangling from his hand, and remained silent for a long time.
He knew this practice was unethical, violated industry norms, and would make him a target of gossip if word got out.
But looking up at the deserted shop, thinking about the dwindling income, and comparing it to the thriving scene across the street, a strong sense of jealousy and resentment welled up inside.
Seeing his hesitation, Zhao Youcai added fuel to the fire, "Old Liu, we're in this together now! If the shop goes out of business, all the work we've done these past few months will be for nothing, and we'll even lose our savings!"
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