After a whirlwind of activity, all the food on the table was gone.
Wu Shiren let out a satisfied burp, smacked his lips, and patted his bulging belly.
"Zhao Tian, Wang Qi, what do you two think of this mala tang? Can you tell what seasonings are used to make it?"
Zhao Tian had eaten his fill and had long forgotten the purpose of his trip. When Wu Shiren asked him this, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and try to recall.
"Chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, fennel seeds, bay leaves, and it seems to have a hint of angelica root."
“Not bad.” Wu Shiren nodded. “It’s just some common seasonings, but the numbing flavor is truly unique. Have you ever seen this kind of seasoning in your many years in the kitchen?”
Zhao Tian thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I've never seen a numbing seasoning before."
"Numb?" Wang Qi muttered to himself, then his eyes lit up. "Shopkeeper, castor beans are indeed numb, but they are poisonous and cannot be eaten at all."
"Nonsense, I knew that stuff was poisonous." Wu Shiren rolled his eyes. "Let's not even talk about spicy hot pot, who among you has ever seen these little chilies in pickled radishes?"
Both of them shook their heads at the same time.
"No wonder Ruyilou is so popular. Anyone who gets their hands on these unheard-of and unseen seasonings will have their business boom." Wu Shiren sighed softly. "Let's go. This time we've really lost completely."
After leaving Ruyi Tower, Wu Shiren looked back and saw a job posting on a wooden sign at the entrance: one kitchen helper.
A sinister smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Father, are you alright?" Wu Cuihua asked.
Wu Shiren waved his hand, "I'm fine. Zhao Tian, Wang Qi, I just tasted that bowl of hot and sour noodles. There are crushed peanuts and soybeans in it. We need to experiment with the other seasonings. We can't make those for now, so let's start with the hot and sour noodles."
You've already tasted the flavor; if you can't make it well, don't blame me for disregarding our years of master-servant relationship.
Zhao Tian and Wang Qi nodded in agreement and hurried back to Qingshui Restaurant.
"Cuihua, you go back too. Keep an eye on things at the front desk for now. Dad's going to see a friend."
"Okay, Dad, drive carefully," Wu Cuihua instructed Wu Shiren.
Wu Shih-jen nodded and left; he already had a good idea.
That means finding someone Chen Feng doesn't know to infiltrate the kitchen of Ruyi Restaurant.
He refused to believe he couldn't get the recipe for mala tang (a spicy hot pot dish), and the pickled peppers too...
The next morning.
Chen Feng prepared the hot pot broth, made the pickled radish and pickled chicken feet, and then it was dawn.
Thinking it was getting late, they decided to open the doors to customers.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw a boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old standing outside.
"Big brother, do you hire any handymen here?" the boy asked timidly.
Chen Feng looked him up and down. "How old are you? Being a kitchen helper is tiring and hard work. Can you handle it?"
"Big brother, I'm a country boy. I've done all kinds of work. I'm not afraid of hard work. I can do it."
Seeing his determined expression, Chen Feng continued, "What's your name? Where are you from? Do your parents know you're out here working?"
A look of sadness flashed in the boy's eyes. "My name is Xu Duoduo. I'm from Nianzigou in Dahe Town. My parents died one after the other last winter, leaving me all alone. I had no choice but to come out and find a job. I don't want wages, just a bite to eat."
Seeing how pitiful his background was, Chen Feng couldn't help but recall his own past. Fortunately, he had parents, younger brothers and sisters, and was not alone.
The boy was still pleading, "Big brother, please have mercy and let me stay! I beg you, I can do anything, I'm not afraid of hardship..."
Chen Feng snapped out of his thoughts and nodded gently, "Alright, if you're not afraid of hardship, I'll keep you here. You won't work for nothing. Besides three meals a day, I'll give you two hundred coins a month. Is that okay?"
"Thank you, big brother. I will definitely work hard and won't let you down."
"Okay, come with me!"
Chen Feng led Xu Duo to the kitchen, where many people were already getting up to prepare ingredients for the day.
"Brother Liu, this is Duoduo. She'll be helping out in the kitchen starting today. Please take good care of her."
While cleaning the pork, Liu Dashao said, "Don't worry, Chen Feng, we won't mistreat him."
"This kid is skinny, so let him pick vegetables, wash dishes, and operate the bellows. We won't let him do any heavy work," Wang Guotou said with a smile.
Duo Duo smiled shyly, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you, uncles."
"This kid knows how to talk. It's a waste to keep him in the kitchen. He should be working as a waiter in the front. Wouldn't that be much easier?" Wang Guotou joked.
Duoduo hurriedly waved her hand, "No, no, no, I'm not afraid of hardship, I'll stay in the kitchen."
Liu Dashao laughed, "You little rascal, there are enough people in the front hall. You can't go even if you want to!"
Duoduo scratched his head, saw a pile of green vegetables on the ground, and hurried over to bend down and get to work.
Chen Feng was very satisfied to see that he had good judgment.
******
The restaurant's business was getting worse day by day, which worried Wu Shiren greatly. He sighed all day long, and his hair turned white from worry, but he couldn't come up with a solution.
The head chefs in the kitchen, with nothing to do all day, were also getting anxious and frustrated.
If no one comes to the shop, they won't earn any money. If the shopkeeper doesn't have money to pay the workers, the whole family will go hungry.
Zhao Tian offered a suggestion, "Shopkeeper, how about we have another big discount promotion?"
Wu Shiren shook his head, his fat face contorted with a mournful expression. "It's not like we haven't tried before, but it's like a young woman raising a child—all that effort for nothing. In the end, we don't even recoup our costs. It's like tying a rope to your crotch and doing nothing at all!"
I'm really at my wit's end. You need to think of something quickly, otherwise our shop will have to close down.
"Yes, now everyone is rushing to eat at the restaurant across the street. If we want to get those customers back, we'll have to close Ruyi Restaurant down."
"You make it sound so easy. They're making a fortune these days, how could we let them go bankrupt so easily!"
Wu Shih-jen sat behind the counter, his face full of worry and sighing.
I wonder how that kid is doing with his studies, whether he's found out what his mom's seasonings are, and where the pickled peppers come from.
He had pinned all his hopes on him.
Just then, Butcher Li walked in carrying two pounds of pork. As soon as he entered the room, he plopped down in a chair, looking utterly miserable.
"Brother Wu, we've worked together for years. I've fought for you a lot in the past, and we've agreed to share both joys and sorrows. You'd better leave your brother some food to eat!"
"What makes you say that?" Wu Shiren asked weakly, frowning.
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