Chapter 155: Conquered
The sun gradually set in the west, and a hint of orange and red appeared on the horizon.
Guessing that everyone had almost packed their luggage, Zhang Sheng shouted at the top of his voice: "Dear classmates, let's go to the cafeteria for dinner!" The sound attracted the birds on the branches to flap their wings.
"Let me tell you, the food at Qiushi Academy is simply amazing!" Zhang Sheng said as he unconsciously licked his lips, looking like a greedy cat.
Originally, Qiushi Academy did not provide dinner on weekdays, and students went home after school.
But now that these thirty students who have come from far away have moved in, we can’t let them light the fire and cook by themselves, right?
So Gu Jiayue decided that starting from today, the cafeteria would start providing three meals a day, and anyone who was in the school could come and eat before going home.
Aunt Cai stood quietly beside Gu Jiayue. Her face was calm, but she felt helpless inside. The little abacus in her head was working rapidly.
With the current expenses, the money Kangzi sent this month is obviously not enough!
She sighed helplessly. It seemed that she had to write a letter to her son quickly. The speed at which the child earned money could not keep up with the speed at which the young lady spent money. It was really worrying.
Seeing Zhang Sheng's exaggerated expression, the other students didn't take it seriously. It was good enough that the school's big pot meal could fill their stomachs, so how could they expect it to be delicious?
It’s not like they haven’t eaten school food before. Even the food in big academies like Wutong Academy is hard to swallow, let alone what good food can there be in this remote mountain village?
Especially the young men from Kyoto, their noses were almost turned up in the air. Their faces were full of arrogance and disdain, and they sneered at Zhang Sheng's inexperienced appearance.
"When you have a chance, go to Kyoto and try the food at Huaqing Academy. That's what you call real delicacies. Compared to there, the food here is barely edible." One of the Kyoto students raised his head and said in an extremely arrogant tone.
"That's right, what delicious food can be made in this remote place? I think we should be thankful if there is even a little bit of oil." Another student echoed with a sarcastic smile on his face and his eyes were full of contempt for this rural school.
"Brother Zhang, stop embarrassing yourself here. Stop looking so ignorant and stop bringing shame to us scholars." The student from Wutong Academy tugged at Zhang Sheng's sleeve, signaling that there should be a limit to his boasting.
Zhang Sheng listened to these sarcastic remarks, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.
He stopped talking and just rolled his eyes silently in his heart.
Humph, just laugh as much as you want, you will have the time to cry later.
As they talked, they walked towards the cafeteria.
As soon as we arrived at the cafeteria door, a fragrance so strong that it was difficult to describe in words hit us in the face, like an invisible big hand that instantly hooked everyone's nose.
The fragrance drifted freely in the air and lingered for a long time, as if announcing its existence to people.
"What an overwhelming aroma! What kind of food is this? How can it smell so good?" a student couldn't help but exclaim, his eyes wide. His face was filled with surprise and curiosity. His nostrils flared constantly, trying to capture every trace of fragrance in the air.
Zhang Sheng was even more exaggerated. He took a deep breath, as if to absorb all the fragrance into his body, and kept muttering: "Woo woo woo, this is the smell! The smell I have been thinking about day and night!"
"Yes, ever since I returned to Wutong Academy, I have dreamed about this dish every night. The taste is so unforgettable." Another student who had been to Qiushi Academy showed a nostalgic expression on his face.
"Ever since I tasted the food at Qiushi Academy, everything else I eat seems bland and hard to swallow."
Zhang Sheng could no longer contain his excitement and, without paying any attention to the people behind him, he ran towards the cafeteria. Several people who had been to Qiushi Academy before followed closely behind him, fearing that they would miss out on this delicious meal.
At this moment, in the cafeteria, Aunt Cai was busy moving around.
Today, she serves as both the logistics director and the accountant. She has to worry about purchasing various supplies every day, from rice, flour, grain, oil, to firewood, rice, oil, salt, and everything else. She is so busy that she is like a spinning top and has no time to cook.
In desperation, she had to ask a dozen skillful women in the village to help, so that the canteen could operate normally.
"Hello, Madam Cai!" Zhang Sheng was sharp-eyed. He saw that Madam Cai's hurried steps slowed down involuntarily. He bowed respectfully with a sincere smile on his face.
Aunt Cai wasn't one for being stern and formal. Seeing such a polite young man like Zhang Sheng, even though she couldn't remember who he was, she still gave him a polite smile, her eyes gentle. "Hello. Take your tray and go line up over there for your meal. Remember, don't waste food. Take only as much as you eat, okay?" Aunt Cai said, pointing to the window where the food was served.
All the money wasted was the hard-earned money of the young lady, so I have to stay here in person every day and watch everyone get their meals.
The others were still speculating about what kind of food the strong aroma came from, but when they saw Zhang Sheng and the others running in early, they immediately realized what it was.
They were not stupid, and were afraid that if they were a step late, the delicious food would be snatched away by Zhang Sheng and his men, so they hurriedly followed.
Although everyone couldn't wait to know what the thing with the tempting fragrance was, they still lined up obediently one by one under the majestic gaze of Aunt Cai.
Fortunately, it is not time to go home from school yet, and this group of students is the first to come for dinner.
Soon it was Su Yichen and the others' turn.
I saw the aunt in charge of serving food took out a large piece of tempting pork from the steaming pot.
The pork was cooked to perfection in the pot, with a glossy sheen on the skin that made people salivate at the sight.
My aunt placed the pork on a thick chopping board and picked up a sharp kitchen knife.
With skillful movements, he cut the pork into small pieces and placed them neatly on the table.
Next to it was a large bowl of bright red chili sauce, which my aunt quickly poured over the chopped pork. She then added fried peanuts, chopped green onions and cilantro, and quickly stirred it with a spoon.
In an instant, an even stronger fragrance spread and penetrated everyone's nostrils. Everyone was almost fainted by the fragrance.
"Auntie, what kind of meat is this? Why does it smell so good?" Chen Shuyan couldn't contain his curiosity. He swallowed, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked.
When the others heard his question, they also pricked up their ears and stared at their aunt, afraid of missing a single word.
My aunt was no longer surprised by this. She had been asked this question at least a hundred times since the dish was cooked. So she had no pressure to answer it.
She continued to work briskly, smiling as she said, "This is braised meat. We've carefully selected 749 kinds of precious medicinal herbs and prepared them into a marinade. We then added fresh pork, chicken, and other ingredients, and simmered them over low heat for four hours. This way, the flavors are fully absorbed and every fiber is fragrant."
Everyone was amazed when they heard it. It sounded so complicated and sophisticated, no wonder the taste was so unique and irresistible.
Everyone couldn't wait to taste this delicious braised meat.
However, this dish is different from other dishes. To ensure that everyone can enjoy it, the supply is limited. Each person can only get a small bowl at most.
Su Yichen was completely captivated by the aroma of the braised meat and didn't even want to order other dishes.
He found a seat nearby and sat down, and couldn't wait to pick up a piece of braised meat and put it into his mouth.
The moment he took a bite of the braised pork, the rich flavors instantly exploded on his taste buds. The tender and juicy pork was filled with aroma, the flavors of the spices perfectly permeated every inch of the meat, and the added stimulation of the chili water made his mouth feel like it was going on a carnival.
Su Yichen's eyes widened. The food was so delicious that he almost couldn't hold back his tears.
Zhang Sheng, who was standing by, couldn't help laughing in his heart when he saw Su Yichen's expression. He said that those who looked down on the food here at first would definitely be slapped in the face after tasting it.
As expected, everyone is now conquered by the deliciousness of this braised meat.
"I've never eaten such delicious pork. I don't know how the school's chef made it. His cooking skills are simply amazing!" A student said incoherently while wolfing down the food.
"Yes, I always thought pork had a strong smell, so I seldom ate it. But after trying this braised pork today, I found that pork can be so delicious. Not only does it not have a strong smell, but it also melts in your mouth. It is simply a delicacy!" Another student also sighed.
The students were discussing enthusiastically while eating, and they praised the braised meat highly.
Soon, the braised meat in their bowls was completely devoured. But everyone was still hungry, their eyes fixed on the nearby food window. There was still a lot of golden, shiny braised meat there, emitting an enticing aroma, as if beckoning them, "Come on, come on, eat me!"
Su Yichen was the first to get restless. He stood up with a jerk, strode to the window, and slapped a tael of silver on the window stand. "Give me another bowl of this meat!"
In his opinion, it was just some ordinary pork. He had plenty of money, so why would he be afraid of not being able to eat this delicious braised meat?
Seeing this, others followed suit, quickly took out their own silver coins, and said in a flurry that they also wanted another bowl.
The aunt who was in charge of preparing the braised meat was stunned by the scene.
She had lived for more than thirty years and had never imagined that one day she would be "attacked" with money by so many people.
Looking at the pile of silver in front of her, her heartbeat suddenly quickened, and her hand holding the kitchen knife tightened involuntarily.
She subconsciously stretched her head to look outside and found that Aunt Cai was not nearby. She looked at the people in the next window and saw that everyone was busy with their own work and no one noticed what was happening here.
If I give these students some more meat, no one should notice, right?
"Auntie, please. This is our first day here and we have never eaten such delicious meat. Can you please be kind and give us a little more, please?" In order to eat more braised meat, a student actually used cute tricks.
Lin Yuxiao blinked his big eyes and looked at his aunt pitifully. After all, he was the youngest child in the family, and he had been doing things like acting cute since he was a child. He was already familiar with it and had no problem with it.
My aunt gritted her teeth. "No! I said one bowl per person, so that's it, not a single piece more. Go away, don't block the way here."
She really wanted to accept the money. After all, who would resist money?
But her reason told her that she absolutely could not do that.
The cafeteria has a fixed amount of food to prepare every day. If we give these students extra meat, there won’t be enough for others when they come to get their meals.
Moreover, she knew in her heart that it was not easy for Jiayue to allow the children in the village to go to school for free and to buy so much meat every day out of her own pocket to improve the children's lives.
Although she is short of money and loves money, she knows better than to harm the interests of others for her own selfish gain.
Since it was stipulated that each person could only get a small bowl of braised meat, she had to abide by this rule. If she broke the rule today for a few taels of silver, not only would the villagers stab her in the back, but she herself would also feel uneasy when she slept at night.
But she felt really heartbroken to refuse this huge amount of money.
The aunt could only lower her head and continue cutting the meat, not looking at the students or the silver on the table. No one knew that she was crying silently in her heart.
All of this was seen by Aunt Cai who was hiding nearby.
Aunt Cai is in charge of the young lady's purse, so she is very concerned about the canteen, which is the biggest expense.
This money was earned by the young lady and her son with great effort, and every penny was filled with their hard work. She had to keep a close eye on it and strictly control every expenditure.
From sourcing precious medicinal herbs to selecting fresh pork and meticulously cooking it, every step in the process is expensive. That's why the rule states that each person can only eat one bowl.
Aunt Cai didn't hide here to eavesdrop on purpose, she just happened to pass by and heard the noise here.
She didn't say anything, but stood quietly by, wanting to see what choices these villagers would make when faced with the temptation of money.
If this person dared to accept the money, she would tell the young lady without hesitation, letting her know that these people were not worth her efforts at all.
Fortunately, the aunt finally held on to her bottom line and did not accept the money. It seems that she still has some conscience.
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