Starting from a Bankrupt Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

Zhou Yan had just put down his kitchen knife when he saw Xiao Lei walk into the kitchen, followed by a grinning Zheng Qiang.

"Master, Zheng, what a rare sight," Zhou Yan said with a smile, looking at the two of them.

"Had nothing else on today, so I came to learn a thing or two from Master Zhou," Xiao Lei said with a laugh.

"That’s right, we’re here to learn from Master Zhou," Zheng Qiang added with a wide grin, standing at the kitchen door.

Zhou Yan’s smile vanished. ’Oh, great. So I’m going to have to go through everything Master Zheng suffered before, is that it?’

"Been a few days. Looks like you’ve got all the braised vegetarian dishes ready to go, huh?" Xiao Lei said, looking at the basins filled with prepared food. His gaze fell on a block of dried tofu, sliced halfway through, on a cutting board to the side. "This dried tofu is well made. The outside has absorbed a lot of flavor, and the inside is so tender when you cut it open."

"You’re the expert, Master. Have a taste." Zhou Yan swiftly sliced off two pieces, handing one to Xiao Lei and the other to Zheng Qiang, who was still standing at the door.

Xiao Lei savored it carefully, nodding repeatedly, a look of undisguised amazement in his eyes. "This braised dried tofu is seriously fragrant. The brine goes without saying, and the Fire Control was just right. But this dried tofu itself is incredible. It’s so tender, with a texture like pressed egg tofu. There’s no trace of grittiness. Did you make it yourself?"

Zheng Qiang finished his piece and thought for a moment. "I think so too."

’Master Xiao really knows his stuff, recognizing how special this tofu was in just one bite,’ Zhou Yan thought with a smile. He said aloud, "I don’t know how to make tofu, and it’s not like you ever taught me, Master. I order the dried tofu from a relative who makes it at home. It’s the authentic West Bank Tofu method, they even use the small yellow soybeans from Xiba."

"Sun’s Tofu from Shangshui Village?" Xiao Lei blurted out.

"Huh? Master, you know my great-aunt?" Zhou Yan was genuinely surprised this time. ’Master Xiao is really something else!’

"Mrs. Sun is your great-aunt? Then wouldn’t Gu Liwei be your second cousin?" Xiao Lei sighed. "Last year during the big flood in Suji, the two of them were delivering tofu and got swept away by the water when they were crossing a bridge. I used to buy tofu from him all the time, but I haven’t seen Mrs. Sun out selling this year. Of all the people selling tofu in Suji, theirs was always the best."

"My great-aunt’s legs aren’t what they used to be, so she can’t come out to sell tofu anymore," Zhou Yan said. "But my younger cousin carries the tofu on his back to the Suji Bridgehead to sell every day now. Master, if you want to buy their tofu, head over in the morning. If you see a kid about fifteen or sixteen selling tofu, that’s him."

"He usually sells two slabs of tofu. One is made under my great-aunt’s direct guidance, and the other he makes himself. The slab in the front is the better one, so pick from that one."

Xiao Lei laughed at that. "You’re really spilling all his secrets, aren’t you?"

Zhou Yan said seriously, "He’s family, so I have to be clear. You have such a discerning palate, Master; you’d know if it was good or not after one bite. But even the tofu my cousin makes is still better than what others sell. It’s just lacking a bit of Fire Control."

"Alright, next time I need tofu, I’ll go buy from him. You’re pretty good at drumming up business for your cousin," Xiao Lei nodded, then added, "If I remember correctly, isn’t this cousin of yours deaf and mute? He used to go with his old man to deliver tofu, sitting quietly on the donkey cart. A very well-behaved kid."

Zhou Yan nodded. "Yes. The two of them, grandmother and grandson, are all each other has now. Life isn’t easy for them."

Xiao Lei fell silent, glancing at the tofu skin in an enamel basin nearby. "Did your great-aunt make this tofu skin, too?"

"Have a taste. It’s fantastic," Zhou Yan said with a smile, grabbing a pair of clean chopsticks for him and also picking up a piece for Zheng Qiang.

Xiao Lei tried a piece and praised, "It really is fantastic. The texture is soft yet springy, and it has a meaty fragrance when you chew it. It’s not meat, but it’s better than meat. The tofu skin is made well, and Master Zhou’s braising skills are top-notch."

"Master-Uncle is right, this is delicious!" Zheng Qiang also had a look of amazement as he smiled at Zhou Yan. "If this wasn’t a family recipe, I’d want to learn it from Master Zhou. I could set up a stall selling just these two things and make a fortune every day."

"Oh come on, Master, Zheng, stop messing with me." Zhou Yan looked helpless. When it came to sarcastic banter, this master-uncle and nephew pair were at the top of their game. Steeling himself, he said, "But, since you’re here, you might as well stay. Master, you still weren’t satisfied with your Stir-fried Pork Liver last time, right? Do you still want to practice it?"

"Of course! Stir-fried Pork Liver is exactly what I’m here to learn," Xiao Lei nodded. "Come on, Master Zhou. The two of us will be your prep cooks and assistants for lunch today. Tell us what to do, and we’ll do it."

"Master, you’re the one who said it," Zhou Yan glanced at Zheng Qiang, who was still standing by the kitchen door, and grinned. "Master Zheng, what are you doing just standing there at the entrance?"

Zheng Qiang spread his hands. "If Master Zhou doesn’t invite me in, I wouldn’t dare just waltz into your kitchen. There are rules to learning how to cook. I can’t learn your family recipes, and I can’t learn the secret techniques your master-uncle taught you. I can only come in if you say so."

"We’re fellow apprentices, no need to be such a stranger, right?" Zhou Yan beckoned with a smile. "You want to learn Stir-fried Pork Liver or not? My master’s version is also one of a kind, and I learned the real deal from him. Come on, let’s practice and improve together."

"You got it!" Zheng Qiang beamed and walked in.

"Alright then, see those five cabbages over there? Go ahead and tear them up. We need them for the Lard-fried Cabbage for lunch," Zhou Yan said, pointing to the cabbages on a shelf to the side.

Zheng Qiang: "Huh?"

’Didn’t we agree we were learning Stir-fried Pork Liver? Is he really using us as prep cooks and assistants?’

"Well, I’ll go ahead and prep the pork liver for lunch then. You can go work on your braised vegetarian dishes," Xiao Lei offered.

"Alright, thanks for the hard work, Master and Zheng," Zhou Yan said. He picked up the dried tofu and went out to show Comrade Zhou how it should be cut.

Both Xiao Lei and Zheng Qiang were veteran chefs with years of experience. They had skillful hands, so being used as prep cooks was second nature to them.