Zhong Muyu didn't expect that in just a few days, Zhang Mama and Zaochun would actually find her two cooks.
Seeing the two burly young men in front of her, Zhong Muyu blinked and asked Zaochun, "Where did you find these two? Are they reliable?"
"Don't worry, Madam. These two used to be cooks in wealthy households. We've tasted their skills, and they're beyond reproach."
Both Zaochun and Granny Zhang have tasted delicacies and have been trained in Zhong Muyu's culinary skills. If they say the skill level is good, then it must be pretty good.
Zhong Muyu nodded: "That's good. What are your names?"
The rather thin young man said, "My name is Wu Zhong, and his name is Fang Dazhuang. We both worked as cooks at Master Li's house. We can cook all kinds of stir-fries, porridge, and soups!"
Seeing that Wu Zhong was eloquent, Zhong Muyu asked, "Since you are so capable, why did you leave Master Li's house?"
"Madam, you don't know, but the wife of that Master Li is notoriously stingy and meddlesome. She often deducts the wages of her servants, so apart from the lowly servants in his household, no one else can stay for long."
Zhong Muyu then looked at Fang Dazhuang, who was much more taciturn than Wu Zhong.
"That's a good point, but I need to evaluate it. In early spring, have them go to the kitchen and prepare two dishes, and I'll personally taste and critique them."
Early Spring agreed and led the two to the kitchen. It wasn't mealtime, so Zhong Muyu had a rare moment of leisure.
After a while, the two men came out, each carrying a plate of food.
They were all made with fresh, seasonal vegetables, allowing them to be creative in early spring. Zhong Muyu glanced at them; they looked quite appealing and smelled delicious.
Zhong Muyu tasted everything, her expression unchanged, while the two men secretly watched her, their expressions somewhat anxious.
The salary offered by Zhong Muyu was very attractive to them, and they didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Zhong Muyu gently put down her chopsticks: "The taste is not bad, keep it. In the next few days, you should learn from Zaochun and Granny Zhang. This place is not like other restaurants and inns, there are many things you will have to learn."
After she finished speaking, she asked Zaochun to take out two thin "rules and regulations" and handed them to them respectively.
Seeing the two people looking surprised, Zhong Muyu asked, "Can't you read?"
The two shook their heads in shame.
Wu Zhong said, "Madam, we were both born into poor families. We did learn a few characters while we were in the Li family, but this book..."
Zhong Muyu sighed. In this era, illiteracy was common among the poor, and she had actually forgotten about it.
"In early spring, when Mr. Chi arrives, let him teach them to read. They don't need to learn too much; just enough to recognize the recipes and signs here."
Zaochun replied, "Yes, then this servant will take them down first."
...
The restaurant operated as usual. The new chef was indeed very diligent, which made Zhong Muyu much more relaxed. As a result, she had time to go back to Qingshui Village to take care of her farmland.
Just then, Lu Ziyuan arrived.
He hadn't wanted to bother Zhong Muyu because the restaurant was crowded recently, but now that it was less crowded, he couldn't wait to come.
The fact that Chi Xuanzhu wasn't here made Lu Ziyuan feel a little more at ease. For some reason, the thought of Zhong Muyu smiling at that person made him feel uncomfortable.
I chose a seat downstairs by the window, and soon the food was served.
Lu Ziyuan took a bite and felt something was wrong, so he called out to Liu Ping, who was delivering the food: "Waiter, what's wrong with this dish?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Ping felt uneasy. Could there be something wrong with the ingredients?
"Sir, is there something wrong with your food? If there's a problem, we'll get you a replacement right away!"
"It's not that there's something wrong with the food, but have you changed your chef?"
Liu Ping breathed a sigh of relief: "Sir, you are very thoughtful. To be honest, the food at the restaurant used to be prepared by our boss, but recently she had to go back to her hometown to take care of other things, so she hired two chefs to help out."
"I see, your boss is very capable."
"If there's nothing else, sir, I'll be going to get back to work now."
Lu Ziyuan waved his hand, and after Liu Ping left, he stared at the food in a daze.
Unexpectedly, she returned to Qingshui Village.
Lu Ziyuan felt a mix of disappointment and relief.
Just then, a clear chime pulled him back to reality.
Looking in the direction of the bell, there was a complex machine on a high platform at the top of the restaurant. It looked like a timekeeping device, and it was this machine that had made the sound.
Lu Ziyuan stopped Liu Ping, who was weaving through the crowd.
What is that?
Liu Ping said, "That's a timepiece installed by our boss, called a mechanical clock. It chimes every half hour, and each hour chimes with the corresponding hour's sound. Thank goodness you reminded me, sir, I forgot to wind it up today!"
Liu Ping slapped his forehead, as if he had just thought of something, and then quickly disappeared.
Things that light up, transparent windows, machines that tell time... Zhong Muyu, what else can you do?
Lu Ziyuan stared at the rhythmically rotating gears, his expression suddenly tightening.
Could it really be her?
...
Zhong Muyu was completely unaware of Lu Ziyuan's visit. After returning from Qingshui Village, she brought back a lot of fresh vegetables and mutton, intending to treat everyone.
Wu Zhong and Fang Dazhuang stared wide-eyed, especially Fang Dazhuang, who looked utterly incredulous: "This...is this really for us to eat?"
Liu Ping patted him on the shoulder: "Really, our master treats us very well, unlike anyone else. You'll see in time."
Liu Xiaoya came over with a smile and pulled Liu Ping away: "Alright, brother, the master wants you to go chop wood in the backyard, go quickly!"
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