They were a brother and sister who bore a resemblance to Cui Mingyue. The brother had thick black eyebrows, big eyes, and a high nose, making him quite memorable. The sister was more delicate, with pretty features and eyes full of curiosity.
The two stared at Xu Milu curiously, and together with Cui Mingyue, they called out to her:
"Greetings, Junior Sister-in-Law."
"Greetings, Junior Sister-in-Law."
"Greetings, Master, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I've arrived."
Xu Milu obediently recognizes people.
This was actually the first time she had met Ning Haiqiao in person. They had always communicated via WeChat before. But seeing him up close today, she felt that he looked more like the head of student affairs at school.
Ninghai Bridge, now middle-aged, has inevitably gained some weight. He always wears a meticulously tailored Zhongshan suit, and his smile carries a hint of "loving kindness" that could frighten a child.
"Xiao Ba is back? How's the vegetarian menu I prepared for you a while ago? If you don't understand the tutorial, ask me more questions. I heard you're going to participate in the 'Harvest Cup'? I'll be staying in Ningcheng for a while to take care of some business, so I can also help you with the competition menu."
The tone of these words was exactly like a homeroom teacher showing concern for the students' academic progress and indicating that extra lessons would be provided.
Xu Milu felt slightly embarrassed and quickly nodded:
“It’s useful. Senior Brother’s vegetarian recipes really helped me a lot, and the video tutorials are very detailed. I can watch them a few more times without any problem. No need to trouble Senior Brother.”
Choi Seung-guk chimed in:
“Dami, although you are very talented, you should also pay attention to getting proper rest. I heard from Li Ning that you haven’t had any rest time lately, which is not good. Young people should be more energetic. Qingli and Qingyuan are here these two days, let them take you out to have some fun and relax. Haiqiao, don’t always have such a serious face. You and your fellow disciples should have a good chat today.”
Ning Haiqiao listened to Cui Shengguo the most, and he forced a smile onto his face as he said affectionately to the two younger men:
"Qingli, Qingyuan, you two really need to learn from your junior aunt this time. Don't underestimate her just because she's young; she's more knowledgeable than you are. I heard from your father that you two have been a bit lax lately, which won't do. The worst thing for a cook is to work hard for three days and then rest for two..."
Sitting on the sofa, Cui Qingli and Cui Qingyuan didn't dare to move. They looked at each other and frantically tried to signal to Li Ning with their eyes.
Help me, help me, help me.
Following this procedure, the next step for the senior master should be to test their knowledge!
They just wanted to come over for a free meal, they don't need to take an exam on the spot, do they?
Li Ning also looked helpless.
He was too busy dodging to dare approach.
Fortunately, Xu Milu came to the rescue in time, subtly changing the subject:
"Senior Brother, I just brought some fresh vegetables with me today. They were all picked from the field and are very fresh. I'm not very good at cooking them, so could you help me take a look?"
Ning Haiqiao has sharp eyes and immediately saw through Xu Milu's claim that she couldn't cook; she was just trying to cover for the younger ones.
"Alright, let's go take a look. As for the three of you, I'll test you next time. Li Ning, don't think you can relax just because you won an award."
Ning Haiqiao pointed to a few smaller ones, and all three of them had expressions of relief, as if Xu Milu was radiating holy light.
What a kind person!
What a ruthless person who would steal work from his master!
Is this the source of a top student's confidence?
...
...
A handful of fresh, juicy toon shoots were neatly tied together with rope and piled in a styrofoam box. When the box was opened, there was a wisp of steam, and milky white sap slowly seeped out from the broken parts.
"Oh, these are fresh toon sprouts? That's quite rare this time of year."
Cui Mingjue leaned over for a look and found a bag of small fruits that looked like wild grapes. Without washing them, he threw them into his mouth. As you can imagine, they were so sour that his eyes were almost invisible.
Xu Milu: "..."
This is truly a master-disciple relationship; even the procedures are exactly the same.
Ninghai Bridge, who deals with vegetarian dishes year-round, could spot the difference at a glance. He plucked a small toon sprout, smelled it, and then chewed it:
"This is not a Chinese toon seedling. Chinese toon seedlings taste more bitter and astringent, and although the leaves are similar, Chinese toon seedlings are redder."
He looked at Xu Milu: "Is this the new variety you mentioned? I remember you seem to have collaborated with the Honghe Research Institute, right? Is this also one of their new varieties?"
Xu Milu nodded:
"These are the tender shoots and seeds of the Chinese toon tree. I tried them out, and the shoots taste a bit like spinach when eaten raw. The seeds are a bit sour, but they might be good for making vinegar. I heard that my senior brother is cooking today, so I shamelessly brought the ingredients over. I hope my senior brother isn't angry?"
"Why are you angry?"
Ning Haiqiao picked up the handful of small toon seeds again and examined them carefully. With a keen sense of inquiry, he pinched one and tasted it on his tongue. Only after experiencing the sour and astringent taste did he nod.
"It tastes good and is fresh enough. I'll make a cold salad with minced garlic later, and then stir-fry some eggs to try. As for the seeds, we can pickle them to make fruit vinegar or brew wine. Most of the vinegar on the market now is corn vinegar. I know someone who owns a vinegar factory. I'll give you his phone number later. Contact him in a couple of days and see if he has the capability to make edible vinegar."
"Really? Thank you, Senior Brother."
Xu Milu laughed and sighed, "It's always easier to get things done if you have connections in the court." Ning Haiqiao wasn't even a local of Ningcheng, yet he knew the owner of the vinegar factory.
...
...
With Ning Haiqiao and Cui Mingjue there that evening, Xu Milu didn't have to lift a finger; she could just sit and wait for dinner.
It is said that "the master leads you through the door, but the practice depends on yourself." Ning Haiqiao and Cui Mingjue are Cui Shengguo's eldest and second disciples, respectively. After completing his apprenticeship, the former specialized in vegetarian cuisine, while the latter preferred Sichuan cuisine.
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