Chapter 29 Arrival at Yuecheng
Qiao Junxian asked her: "Why are you asking this?"
"Create topics! In Gangcheng, the ones who can cause the most topics are none other than you rich young masters and young ladies. My dad said that when Fuyun Building was prosperous, the road in front of Fuyun Building was lined with cars. Those rich young men brought popular actresses, stars and dancers to Fuyun Building for dinner, and many of the news about these young men in the newspapers were related to Fuyun Building. I was thinking, if your luxury cars blocked the road in front of Baohua Building, wouldn't that also bring hot topics to Baohua Building?" Yue Ning said.
"Yue Ning, you haven't even gone to Gangcheng yet, but you've already thought of this?" Cui Huiyi said in surprise.
"Is this feasible?" Yue Ning asked.
Qiao Junxian replied: "Yes."
"If we talk about the most talked-about person, we have to look for Cai Zhiyuan, the cousin of Junxian Cai. He runs the largest TV station in Hong Kong and also hosts the Miss Hong Kong pageant. He's a playboy himself, dating this female star today and that female star tomorrow. Recently, he's been having a hot affair with Lu Mingming." Cui Huiyi recommended to Yue Ning. At this time, the fried liver was served. She picked up a spoon, scooped a mouthful and put it in her mouth, and almost spit it out.
Yue Ning looked at her expression and said with a smile, "You're not used to it, are you?"
Cui Huiyi swallowed hard and said, "It has a fishy smell, and the garlic is not stir-fried, it's raw, the grains are big, and there's so much soy sauce. This...can't they learn from our southern small intestine soup and clean the intestines very cleanly?"
Cui Huiyi's words reminded Yue Ning of a story from his previous life. A teenager participated in a chef competition and cooked nine-turn large intestines. He deliberately left feces in it, saying that it was to preserve the original taste of the large intestines. This clip of feeding the judges feces was widely circulated on the Internet. In reality, some people do pursue the original taste of food, but they don't use such extreme methods.
"If you're not used to it, don't force yourself. But the fishy smell you mentioned is not because they didn't clean the intestines properly, but they deliberately kept it. This is the effect they wanted. But when you think about it, it's still a little fragrant. The fishy smell is because of the oil wrapped around the intestines. When the lard is boiled, the lard has a little fishy smell from the internal organs, so it's not pure fishy smell, but a unique flavor. Its garlic aroma is also layered. The garlic is added in several batches, and the maturity of the garlic grains is different, so the taste is also different, and..."
After Yue Ning explained this, Qiao Junxian asked Cui Huiyi: "Sister Huiyi, can I try it?"
Cui Huiyi motioned him to do whatever he wanted, and Qiao Junxian took a spoon and scooped a spoonful from Cui Huiyi's bowl and ate it. After tasting it, he said, "Sister Huiyi, don't waste it. If you don't eat it, I will. I'll exchange it with you for millet porridge."
Cui Huiyi protected the bowl: "Who said I don't want to eat anymore? If you want to eat, go and order it yourself."
Qiao Junxian had already ordered millet porridge, steamed buns, and a serving of fried liver, but he couldn't eat any more, so he had to give up.
Cui Huiyi took another bite and savored the taste carefully. After listening to Yue Ning's analysis, it tasted fishy at first, but after tasting it carefully, it was indeed as Yue Ning said, with a fragrance and rich layers.
Yue Ning said: "If you are not used to it, don't force yourself. Anyway, you can come often in the future and eat a few more times. Once you get used to it, you will like it."
Cui Huiyi said: "I can eat it. It's just like the Hakata Ramen in Japan. When you enter the store, you can smell a stinky smell, salty and fishy. The first time you eat it, you can't stand it. After going there many times, I also fell in love with it."
That’s great, Cui Huiyi also thought of Hakata Ramen, so it will be much easier for them to discuss this business again.
Yue Ning said: "As the saying goes, Beijing cuisine is not delicious, it is only because of poverty that it is exquisite. It means that although Beijing's products are not abundant, the cooking methods are very particular. Take the offal for example, it is unique. Fried liver, stir-fried tripe, lamb shandan, and stewed pork all have their own characteristics. However, as a foreign-related hotel that mainly serves foreign guests, we should consider the guests' acceptance rather than blindly pursuing authenticity. Instead of using the water oil peeled from the pig intestines, using ordinary lard will be more acceptable."
"That makes sense. So we retain the thick soup of pork bone ramen and remove these special flavors. Such instant noodles can not only enter the Japanese market, but also adapt to other markets." Cui Huiyi said.
"Yeah." Yue Ning nodded, feeling somewhat helpless. For some delicacies, removing these flavors would be like losing one of the three souls and seven spirits.
"Let's not talk about this anymore, let's talk about who we should invite over." Cui Huiyi returned to the original topic.
Qiao Junxian's breakfast was served, and he said as he ate, "I'll invite my cousin to bring two female stars."
"I called Zhao Xiru and asked her to bring Liu Jiayao, the popular young star." Cui Huiyi said.
"The hottest newcomer?"
Yue Ning didn't expect that such a saying existed in this era and showed a surprised expression.
Cui Huiyi thought she didn't understand, so she explained, "It's a male star who has become very popular recently. He's very handsome, has acted in several martial arts films, and is also a good singer. Now when you turn on the TV or radio, his songs are everywhere. Zhao Xiru's family is a clothing agency. She studied fashion design in Milan, and now she has returned to Hong Kong to open a studio and serve as a fashion director for Liu Jiayao."
Thinking of the handsome young men in the entertainment industry in his previous life, Yue Ning became interested: "How handsome are they?"
Cui Huiyi didn't even bother to eat, she was only focused on describing to Yue Ning how handsome the male star was.
Yue Ning listened attentively, thinking about the fierce competition in the entertainment industry in Hong Kong in the 1980s in her previous life. The young and handsome men in the domestic entertainment industry could not compare at all. With this association, she became interested and asked, "Really?"
"You'll know when you meet her." Cui Huiyi felt that she had met her soulmate.
"That's an exaggeration. There's nothing to see." Qiao Junxian interrupted.
Cui Huiyi turned to look at Qiao Junxian: "I know you are pretty, but aren't you the kind that can only be admired from a distance and not touched?"
Yue Ning was sweating when she heard this, thinking, can others just play with it? She quickly corrected Cui Huiyi: "Sister, playing with it is not good. Beautiful people and things are not unique. Of course, the more good-looking and pleasing people, the better. I can appreciate Qiao Junxian's beauty, but it doesn't prevent me from appreciating the beauty of others, right!"
Qiao Junxian put down the spoon and stood up: "I'm full, you guys eat slowly."
Just leave as soon as you say so? Yue Ning looked at the half bowl of yellow rice porridge left in his bowl. Didn't their family have a rule not to waste food?
After breakfast, Yue Ning was worried and took the elevator directly to the floor where Qiao Junxian lived. She had been to Qiao Qiming's room, but she didn't know which room Qiao Junxian lived in. How about asking him when she met him later?
As soon as she turned around, she ran into Qiao Junxian coming from the corridor. When Qiao Junxian saw her, he was slightly stunned: "Are you looking for my grandfather?"
"No, I'm looking for you."
"Looking for me?"
Yue Ning nodded: "Yes! You didn't even finish your breakfast today, are you feeling unwell?"
"Ah... yes, I have a slight migraine and my appetite hasn't recovered yet." Qiao Junxian smiled, and that smile was as dazzling as the sun that broke through the dark clouds.
Yue Ning immediately thought he was a little silly: "You're smiling so happily even though you have a migraine?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore. It's okay."
"Will you feel hungry if you don't eat enough?" Yue Ning asked.
"It's okay, just eat something on the plane later."
Yue Ning was relieved now: "That's good, I'll go downstairs to pack my luggage. I'll be leaving soon."
"Wait." He took out a small white medicine bag from his pocket, "Here you go."
"What is this?" Yue Ning took it.
Qiao Junxian said, "I'm going to get some migraine medicine, and I'm also going to get you two motion sickness pills. When we get to the airport, take them half an hour before boarding the plane."
He was so thoughtful that he even thought of getting medicine for her.
"Thank you." Yue Ning took the medicine and went downstairs.
Qiao Junxian looked in the direction where she disappeared, shrugged, took out the key and opened the door.
*
Yue Ning packed his luggage and took a flight at 1pm, departing from here at 11pm.
When they arrived at the lobby downstairs, in addition to the Qiao family's grandparents and the two people accompanying Qiao Qiming, Boss Cui and Mrs. Cui were also waiting for the car. Cui Huiyi would leave in two days.
The one who sent Mr. Cui and Mrs. Cui off was Director Liu from the food factory. He saw Yue Ning in the lobby and came over with a small wine jar in his hand: "Xiao Yue, I'm so lucky to be here. Lao Zhang asked me to give you a jar of sauce."
Yue Ning took the jar and said, "Ouch! How embarrassing!"
"He was so happy to be praised by you. Director Xie also praised him, saying that if Hong Kong businessmen decide to invest, his bean paste will contribute to it," said Director Liu.
Yue Ning nodded: "That's right, that's right! Director Liu, thank Master Zhang for me."
"Thank you, Director, for letting me thank you too!"
"It should be. It should be."
Director Liu took the Cui couple into the car, and Yue Ning also waited for the car from the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building.
Qiao Qiming turned to Yue Baohua and said, "Baohua, I have asked someone to send the information to the hotel. When we land, fill out the form for Ningning to go to Gangcheng. I will ask someone to handle the formalities first. Ningning will be able to go to Gangcheng in a few days."
"Boss Qiao, this..."
Although it is not difficult to go to Hong Kong City to live with relatives, there are still procedures to follow, and it will take at least a month.
"What's this? Ningning is your Yue Baohua's granddaughter, and also Weiwen and Baoru's daughter. I'm not just helping you." Qiao Qiming said, "Junxian's uncle and I have placed an order for a 60,000-ton bulk carrier with a domestic shipyard. Foreign ocean-going ships are now 300,000 to 400,000 tons, and it is still difficult to build a 60,000-ton ship domestically. Baoru is the chief designer of these two ships, and Weiwen is a designer of electronic instruments. I do this so that they can work with peace of mind."
"Thank you, Grandpa Qiao!" Yue Ning was not polite. Ordinary people could only wait to do these things, but for someone as capable as Qiao Qiming, it would only take a word for it.
The car arrived at the airport. Yue Ning sat down in the lounge. Just as he was about to get a glass of water and take medicine before boarding the plane, a can of Coke was suddenly placed in front of him: "Here you go."
Yue Ning looked up at Qiao Junxian, who said, "This thing is everywhere in the shops along the streets of Hong Kong City, but only in foreign-related hotels and stores here can it be found."
"Thank you!" Yue Ning was finally able to open the can with his own hands. With a "pop" sound, it felt really good.
Qiao Junxian also opened the Coke and sat down beside her. Yue Ning said to him, "You have a migraine, try not to drink this, it will stimulate and induce a migraine. After returning to Hong Kong City, I will make you a health-preserving soup. But drinking soup is only an aid. In this case, you still have to pay more attention to yourself. Eat less citrus fruits, tea, coffee and the like."
In the high-end catering industry, most customers are wealthy people who pay attention to health preservation. Yue Ning is very clear about the dietary taboos for some common diseases.
Qiao Junxian looked at the Coke in his hand, and he didn't know whether to drink it or not. He finally said, "We can't waste food in our family, so I drank it anyway."
"Okay, drink less next time."
"knew."
"Ningning." Boss Cui also walked over and sat down beside her.
Yue Ning turned his head: "Uncle Cui."
"Huiyi told you, right? I would like to ask you, grandparents and grandchildren, to help improve Cui's sauce." Boss Cui felt that his daughter always had a problem with him, so he asked his daughter to talk to Yue Ning. His daughter must not have conveyed the message well. In this case, he came to ask in person. He thought it was a sure thing, but he didn't expect Yue Ning to refuse.
"Uncle, I grew up in the northwest and haven't even set foot on the land of Hong Kong City. How can I know what tastes are suitable for people in Hong Kong City?"
Boss Cui asked his daughter this morning if she had mentioned this to Yue Ning, and his daughter said Yue Ning was not interested. He thought his daughter was angry with him and ignored the overall situation, so he decided to ask in person, but he didn't expect Yue Ning to refuse so straightforwardly.
Yue Baohua didn't understand why his granddaughter was so enthusiastic about Cui Huiyi, but she declined the offer when she came to Boss Cui. But he refused anyway, the sauce recipe was a secret of the chef, and there were not many people who taught it to their apprentices as devotedly as he did, let alone providing it to others for commercial purposes.
Boss Cui thought for a moment and said, "As for the cost, it will be similar to Lide's. If you have other ideas, feel free to bring them up."
"Uncle Cui, making money is not my priority right now. I still want to focus on my studies." Yue Ning refused again.
Boss Cui smiled and said, "It won't take up too much of your time. Just take your time, one step at a time."
"No." Yue Ning refused firmly this time.
Seeing that his granddaughter was unwilling, Yue Baohua said, "Yes! Her father hopes that she can go to college. She has been preparing for several years. She was supposed to take the college entrance examination this year. Now she is following me back to Hong Kong City and has to study again. Her uncle Mo also repeatedly told her to study hard yesterday. Boss Cui, I'm really sorry."
Qiao Qiming chatted with his two subordinates for a few words, then turned around and said, "Study hard. I'll ask Junxian to ask about your study progress and report to his aunt and uncle every month."
Yue Ning smiled and said, "I understand."
Since Qiao Qiming said so, Boss Cui naturally stopped forcing him.
There were still forty minutes before boarding, Yue Ning stood up and walked out of the VIP lounge to go to the bathroom.
When I came out to wash my hands, I saw Cui Ertai in the mirror.
Yue Ning pretended not to see it, washed his hands, and picked up the hand towel on the basin to wipe his hands. Some of the soft configurations of the Capital Airport even surpassed the airport in his previous life.
The second wife in the mirror continued to stare at her, wanting to say something but stopping herself. Yue Ning threw the hand towel into the tray and turned to leave. The second wife called out, "Ningning."
Yue Ning turned around: "Mrs. Cui, is there something wrong?"
"Let's stand aside for a while. I want to talk to you."
"No, I'm airsick. I need to go take some medicine. I'm about to get on the plane."
Yue Ning turned to leave, but Er Tai grabbed her arm and said, "Ning Ning, give me a chance."
Cui Ertai's face showed a hint of sadness: "Ningning, you must be like me. The moment we met, you knew who I was, right?"
Yue Ning looked straight at her, smiled faintly and asked, "Who are you?"
Cui Ertai turned his head away, avoiding her gaze: "I..."
"You are Mrs. Cui Er, the mistress of a Hong Kong businessman." Yue Ning smiled even more, "Right?"
"Ningning, you don't have to mock me like that." She took out a handkerchief and covered her eyes. "I don't want to explain what happened back then. I know I've let you down. When I saw you, I wanted to do my best to make it up to you. I have no other intentions."
"No need." Yue Ning answered firmly and walked out.
But the second wife didn't seem to be willing to give up, and she caught up with him: "Ningning, your grandfather's Baohua Building is not in good condition. Yesterday, Baohua Building was on Hong Kong City's TV news due to hygiene issues. Now Baohua Building is closed. If you encounter any problems, remember, you still have me in Hong Kong City, okay? I will do my best to help you."
Yue Ning sneered: "I haven't asked for your name yet?"
The second wife looked puzzled: "You..."
"Tell me, what's your name?" Yue Ning asked.
She didn't answer, Yue Ning sneered: "Cui Yu Wanmei? What does that have to do with Dong Xiaomei? What's more, what does Dong Xiaomei have to do with me?"
Yue Ning walked forward again.
Yu Wanmei's voice came from behind: "You look down on me? Do you think you are nobler than me? You are just luckier than me. You have the opportunity to come into contact with a top family like the Qiao family and meet an unmarried young man of the same age as Qiao Junxian."
What was this woman thinking about? Yue Ning couldn't help it, turned around, and raised her leg to hook Yu Wanmei's calf. Yu Wanmei, who was wearing high heels and was unprepared, screamed and fell to the ground.
Yue Ning glanced at her coldly, walked out, returned to the VIP room and said, "Uncle Cui, the second wife accidentally fell down, please go and take a look."
Yue Ning took Cui Jiachang over. At this time, Yu Wanmei had been helped up and was limping forward. Yue Ning's face was gloomy and he blocked Cui Jiachang's way. Cui Jiachang was stunned.
Yue Ning whispered, "Uncle, my grandfather is old, and it's pitiful enough that he has to die before his own son. I don't want him to know that the person who caused him to lose his son is living well under his nose. I am a protective person, and I can't bear to see him sad again."
This sentence was said without any reason. Cui Jiachang followed Yue Ning's contemptuous gaze and looked at Yu Wanmei.
Yu Wanmei looked at Yue Ning pitifully: "Ningning..."
"I have already made it clear last night, and I don't want to repeat it again." Yue Ning interrupted her and looked at Cui Jiachang, "Uncle, take good care of your mistress and let her do her duty."
As Cui Jiachang, a self-made boss, looked into her eyes, he had to admit that this little girl had a strong aura. If she hadn't been raised by Mo Weiwen, he might not have given her face. But who were the people behind Mo Weiwen and Zhuang Baoru? It was not something that a self-made man like him could afford to offend.
"I see."
"Okay!" Yue Ning smiled, "Uncle, I'm leaving first. You guys can chat slowly."
Yue Ning adjusted his mood and turned to leave. Cui Jiachang and Yu Wanmei were of the same kind. They had their own trade-offs between interests and feelings, not to mention that Cui Jiachang had more than one woman, Yu Wanmei.
Yu Wanmei limped towards Cui Jiachang, who gritted his teeth and said, "The cook's daughter? Your family favors boys over girls? You were forced to marry and gave birth to a daughter, and your mother-in-law drowned her, so you had no choice but to run away? Which one of these is true? Even your name is fake?"
"Jiachang...I..."
"I have known Yue Baohua for more than 20 years. His wife died a long time ago, so where did his mother-in-law come from? I don't know what kind of person he is. Yue Baohua's cooking skills can be ranked among the top five chefs in Gangcheng. Yue Ning can cook a bowl of chicken rice and mix a sauce at will without being bound by formalities. How old is she? How capable must Yue Zhirong be to teach such a daughter?" Cui Jiachang sneered, "You always eat from the bowl and look at the pot, and you are greedy and want to swallow an elephant."
Cui Jiachang turned around and walked forward, no longer paying attention to Yu Wanmei who was following behind him. After walking for a while, when he was about to reach the VIP room, he stopped to wait for Yu Wanmei. Yu Wanmei walked to his side, and Cui Jiachang said, "Don't cause me any more trouble. I don't want to cause any trouble because of you."
"Jiachang, I want to help you, she is..."
"She has nothing to do with you. Don't tell me what your name was before. I don't want to know."
The two walked to the door of the VIP lounge. At this time, they had already picked up their carry-on luggage. Yue Ning waved and shouted with a bright face: "Uncle, Madam, we are boarding."
Cui Jiachang responded with a smile: "Okay, I'll be right there!"
When they got on the plane, Cui Jiachang and his wife sat in the same row with them at first. After sitting for about ten minutes, Cui Jiachang asked the flight attendant to change seats with his second wife and move them to the back.
The plane from Beijing to Yuecheng landed in Shanghai and took off again two hours later. After the plane landed, Cui Jiachang said he wanted to take his second wife to the hospital to see her feet, and everyone said goodbye at the airport.
It was almost nine o'clock in the evening when the car arrived at the hotel. When we walked into the lobby, we saw Luo Guoqiang and his son sitting there. When they saw the group of people coming in, the father and son immediately stood up.
Luo Guoqiang trotted over excitedly: "Ningning, after I came back, I used the method you taught me to make fish soup these two days. Not only is it easier to operate, but the customers also said that the aroma is richer than before."
"Guoqiang, all you know is cooking. You even forgot to say hello to your grandpa Yue."
Luo Guoqiang called out somewhat embarrassedly: "Grandpa Yue."
Both father and son have round faces and look quite similar, but their temperaments are very different. Luo Guoqiang's round face gives people a sturdy feeling, while his father Luo Shichang's round face reveals sophistication and smoothness.
Yue Ning also called out, "Hello, Uncle Luo."
"In the blink of an eye, Ningning is taller than me." Luo Shichang looked at Yue Ning lovingly.
In those days when supplies were scarce and everyone was generally malnourished, a man over 1.7 meters tall was considered tall, let alone a girl like Yue Ning.
Luo Guoqiang was thinking about cooking: "Ningning, I told my dad that I must ask you to cook a few dishes with me. I have also drawn up a menu..."
Luo Shichang helplessly held back his reckless son: "It's secondary that you ask your grandfather-in-law and Ningning for cooking advice. The main thing is that our family should apologize to your grandfather-in-law and Ningning. You just want Ningning to teach you how to cook. Why did you mention the menu? You just want Ningning to cook with you, and you don't even let her eat?"
"Oh!" Luo Guoqiang closed his mouth in grievance.
"Yue Ning, go get the key." Qiao Junxian reminded.
Yue Ning went to the front desk and got the key. Yue Baohua didn't want to talk noisily in the lobby, so he said, "Shichang, Guoqiang, let's go to the room and talk."
The father and son followed them into the elevator. This time they lived on the same floor as the Qiao family father and son, and Qiao Junxian's room was next to Yue Ning's room. Qiao Junxian raised a stack of papers in his hand and said, "When you're done here, come to me to fill out the form. I'll take it back tomorrow."
"Thank you!" Yue Ning said to Qiao Qiming who opened the door and entered the room, "Grandpa Qiao, good night!"
"Good night!" Qiao Qiming responded to her.
Yue Baohua brought the father and son into the room. After putting down his luggage, Yue Ning immediately went to his grandfather's room.
She picked up the thermos and poured tea for the father and son: "Uncle Luo, Brother Guoqiang, have some tea."
She sat down next to Yue Baohua. Luo Shichang sighed slightly, "Last time, Uncle Baohua came back and heard that Zhirong was gone, and he was very sad. Later, Guoqiang and his mother went to the northwest. Guoqiang came back very excited and said that he learned a new way to make fish soup from Ningning. There were two famous restaurants in Yuecheng back then. Lujia cuisine went north and became official cuisine, while Fuyunlou took root in the local area and was known as the number one Cantonese cuisine. Over the past few years, my father passed away, Zhirong is gone, and I have limited talent, so Fuyunlou has lost a lot of skills."
Hearing this, Yue Baohua was inevitably sad, but Yue Ning took his words to heart and asked, "Is Fuyunlou short of a chef now?"
"We are not short of chefs, but there are a few traditional dishes that no one can cook anymore." Luo Shichang sighed, "Especially the signature dish of Fuyunlou, Qiankun Roast Goose. I have tried many times now, but I can't make it the way my father did. Crispy glutinous rice chicken, no one has the skill to make it either."
Qiankun roast goose, in simple terms, is to put ingredients similar to Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in the stomach of a roast goose, but the temperature of the roast goose must be exactly the same as the temperature of the "Qiankun" in the stomach, which is really difficult to control. Crispy glutinous rice chicken is a dish from the Republic of China period, which also fills the chicken's stomach with ingredients. The ingredients are common, but the difficulty lies in removing all the bones in the chicken's cavity, and the chicken skin cannot be damaged at all. After filling with glutinous rice and other ingredients, the appearance must remain the same as a whole chicken.
"Among the brothers, Zhirong is the most outstanding. If Zhirong were still alive, these two dishes would not have been lost." Luo Shichang sighed quietly and looked at Luo Guoqiang. "I don't have much talent. Guoqiang is the most talented among the brothers. He is also willing to learn. But I can't teach him more with my skills."
Baohualou is currently in need of an excellent chef, and the grandparents are optimistic about Luo Guoqiang, but this does not mean that they have no grudges against the Luo couple's desire for Luo Guoqiang to marry Yue Ning. Now that Luo Shichang mentioned this again, Yue Baohua was already a little unhappy.
Luo Shichang took a step back and knelt down in front of Yue Baohua. Yue Baohua quickly stood up and said, "Shichang, what are you doing?"
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