Chapter 59
After placing the dishes on the table, Ji Xingguo deliberately pondered and said, "Meimei, tell Dad honestly, did you secretly sign up for some kind of cooking class this summer? How come your skills have improved so quickly?"
These two dishes are classic Sichuan specialties, and my daughter said that she only ate them once at a restaurant and then knew how to make them when she got home.
Ji Wanmei smiled: "Dad, you haven't even tasted it yet, and you're already praising it. Be careful, or I'll get arrogant!"
Ji Xingguo smiled and picked up his chopsticks to take a bite of boiled pork slices.
The freshly cooked meat slices were fragrant and tender. Although they weren't made with the best cut of tenderloin, the meat was very smooth because Ji Wanmei kneaded the starch for a slightly longer time and the meat fully absorbed the moisture.
"Not bad, not bad, very skillful."
Ji Xingguo had certainly eaten Sichuan cuisine before. Every day, people outside the factory would try to invite him to dinner through various connections. He was annoyed by the constant rejections of these invitations. But he never expected to be able to eat his daughter's homemade meal when he got home.
It really warmed my heart.
Pingquan County is located near the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in the south, and further east are the coastal cities of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Therefore, the local cuisine is somewhere between that of Hubei and Hunan. People who can eat spicy food can eat very spicy food, while those who cannot eat spicy food prefer milder flavors.
Because the factory workers came from all over the country, the local people in Pingquan County gradually became more accepting of spicy food and started to eat it.
Ji Xingguo loves spicy food, but because Ji Wanmei can't eat spicy food, he usually doesn't put chili peppers in his cooking.
I never expected that my daughter would cook a whole table of Sichuan dishes for him today.
"By the way, how did it go when you went to see the store today?" Ji Xingguo asked.
Ji Wanmei was about to tell her father about this.
"Everything went smoothly. The storefront that Uncle Xu helped me find used to be a noodle shop. I went to check it out, and the location was pretty good, and the size was just right. I managed to negotiate the price down to what the noodle shop owner asked for, so the transfer was completed that same day, with Uncle Xu acting as a witness. I've also signed a contract with the landlord and paid a quarter's rent upfront, which is fifty yuan per month."
As Ji Xingguo ate his food, he listened to his daughter's Uncle Xu and nodded slightly.
Aside from asking an old friend for help, he didn't show his face once in this matter. He never expected that his daughter would do such a good job on her first independent task.
Ji Xingguo was greatly gratified.
"Fifty yuan is still a reasonable price. I remember Old Xu's watch shop, which he rented several years ago, and it cost forty yuan a month back then."
Ji Wanmei said, "Yes, so I signed a five-year contract with the landlady."
"Five years?" Ji Xingguo asked in surprise. "You plan to do this for that long?"
Ji Wanmei smiled and said, "Dad, don't worry. Rent and property prices will only rise as everyone's living standards improve. They will never fall. That's why I signed a five-year lease to ensure that the rent won't change arbitrarily during those five years. Even if I graduate and decide to do other work, I can still hire someone to look after this shop. If all else fails, I can transfer it to Chunyan so she can continue running it."
Ji Xingguo said, "Okay, as long as you've thought it through."
Ji Xingguo mentally estimated how much money his daughter had left and said, "If you don't have enough money, just tell Dad. Since I support you in doing this, I will definitely support you to the end, but you need to learn to spend the money wisely."
Ji Wanmei said, "I have enough money on hand for now. When I signed the contract with my landlady, she introduced me to a friend who knows someone in the building materials market who can help me with the renovation. She said she would charge me based on cost, but I don't know how much it will cost. After deducting these, there are basically no major expenses. The rest is for purchasing materials."
"If it's really not enough then, I'll ask you for help, Dad."
Ji Xingguo listened but didn't ask who the renovation workers introduced by the so-called landlady were. Since Lao Xu was there to keep an eye on things, he figured it couldn't be wrong.
Moreover, the local residents of Pingquan County are generally honest and simple. Those who know Ji Xingguo will usually give him face and won't bully his daughter.
Ji Xingguo originally intended to train his daughter's independence. He let her try many harmless things on her own.
At least she's still under his care, so even if something goes wrong, he can cover for her in time.
But once she goes to the provincial capital, Ji Xingguo will be too far away to help.
The thought of parting from my daughter brought back a wave of sadness.
After finishing the meal, Ji Xingguo was all smiles and wouldn't let Ji Wanmei wash the dishes.
"Let Dad do it. I haven't had the energy to cook in the kitchen for days. If you don't let me in, I'll be rusty."
Ji Wanmei had no choice but to watch as her father cleared the dishes from the table and took them into the kitchen to wash.
Tonight's shredded pork with garlic sauce was almost completely devoured.
There was still some left over from that pot of boiled sliced pork because there were quite a lot of side dishes at the bottom.
We haven't finished the cucumber salad yet; we can use it to make porridge for tomorrow morning.
Ji Wanmei covered the lettuce with a bowl and put it in the refrigerator.
A green refrigerator shell from the 1980s and 90s, with two layers.
Besides the top layer for preservation, the bottom layer was filled with cured meat made by my father, as well as sausages, cured trotters, and other delicacies.
Ji Wanmei carried two rattan chairs to the courtyard to cool off.
After washing the dishes, Ji Xingguo also came out to the yard to cool off.
He changed into a pair of casual shorts and sandals, holding a palm-leaf fan in his hand. After changing out of his suit, he looked just like any other kind and gentle father.
The courtyard at night wasn't as hot as during the day, but if the lights were on, many small mosquitoes would fly around under them, so Ji Wanmei didn't turn them on.
Looking at the stars and the crescent moon at night, the atmosphere was very peaceful.
Ji Wanmei felt that this was a good time to bring up that matter.
She leaned closer to her father and said, "Dad, I'm going to study in the provincial capital next month, and I probably won't be able to come back until winter or summer vacation. It's quite lonely for you to be home alone, and I don't have anyone to talk to. How about... how about you find someone to keep you company?"
Before her father could react, Ji Wanmei quickly said, "Look at me, I'm already so old. In a few more years, I'll be old enough to get married. It's not appropriate for you to still be single."
"After I go to study in the provincial capital, if someone suitable introduces you to someone, you should at least take a look, right? Whether it's suitable or not, you can only know after getting to know them."
Ji Xingguo glared at him, his face stern: "You silly girl, is this what a daughter should say to her father? Just take good care of yourself and don't worry your father. I know what's going on with my affairs."
Ji Wanmei's mother has been gone for almost ten years. He has survived ten years, so why is he afraid of the days ahead when he is alone?
"But Dad, I'll worry about you if you do this," Ji Wanmei said softly.
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