The Game of Life TGOL

Chapter 610: Chapter 608 Qiu Fu

Upon entering the kitchen of Jubao Building for the second time, Jiang Feng saw a completely different kitchen.

A kitchen where the line between idlers and diligent workers was clear as day.

Even if those prone to laziness disguised their loafing well, Jiang Feng, with his rich experience in slacking off, could still detect it.

The layout of Jubao Building’s kitchen was unlike that of the Taifeng Building’s. In Taifeng, the cooking stations were central, with prep and washing areas closely surrounding them, sometimes even intersecting. In Jubao Building, however, each section was clearly divided, resembling a patchwork from afar, with each individual separated by their rank, getting more important towards the center like a deformed pyramid.

When Sun Jikai came in, the employees who had been lazily skiving off immediately started to pretend to work industriously, which initially prevented Sun Jikai from realizing they were loafing. Of course, Sun Jikai wasn’t concerned about whether they were slacking or not; he promptly pulled Jiang Feng and hurried inward.

Jiang Feng grabbed Sun Jikai, slowed down, and whispered, “That guy at the chopping board, the lotus roots are chopped haphazardly, it’s clear he is half-hearted. You can dock his pay.”

“And the one at the washing station, he bent down to fetch something and made two trips without actually taking anything, you can dock his pay as well.”

“The one by the shelves pretending to search for something, his pocket is bulging, he was probably on his phone just now and didn’t stash it properly, definitely dock his pay.”@@novelbin@@

Sun Jikai: …

Sun Jikai glanced at the three individuals Jiang Feng had mentioned, acknowledged the ones he meant with a nod, and proceeded inside.

The three employees who were swept by his gaze gasped inwardly, but they breathed a sigh of relief as Sun Jikai went straight inside without saying a word.

The one by the shelves, feeling guilty, asked, “Did the young boss notice just now?”

The one slacking at the chopping board laughed, “The young boss has just come in; what could he have noticed? Qiu Fu is here every day and he barely catches anyone slacking.”

The person by the shelves then felt relieved.

Sun Jikai led Jiang Feng to the very back, where there was only one person—a middle-aged chef busy with food preparation, who seemed to be in his fifties and had a figure somewhat resembling Jiang Weisheng.

“That’s Qiu Fu, my grandfather’s senior apprentice, the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon from yesterday was prepared by him personally,” Sun Jikai introduced.

Jiang Feng looked back and found it strange that while the other Furnace Chefs were huddled together, Qiu Fu alone occupied a separate area.

A privilege of the head chef?

Seeing Jiang Feng continually observing the other Furnace Chefs, Sun Jikai guessed his puzzlement and explained, “Our place is a bit different from yours…”

“Master Qiu now only works on the signature dishes and does not cook others. Those dishes are his unique expertise, so normally he is…” Sun Jikai trailed off deliberately.

Jiang Feng instantly got it; it was to prevent others from learning the secrets.

Keeping a trick up the sleeve, a proud tradition of Jubao Building.

“Mr. Qiu,” Sun Jikai called out.

Qiu Fu paused his work and turned around. Seeing Sun Jikai and an unfamiliar youngster, he gave a warm smile and asked, “Jikai, is this… a new chef we hired?”

Jiang Feng: ?

Sun Jikai quickly clarified, “He’s my friend, Jiang Feng, the one who helped with thickening the sauce for the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon last night. Taifeng is the place his family runs.”

Qiu Fu’s gaze toward Jiang Feng instantly became much more eager, and his smile grew even warmer. He wanted to step forward and shake Jiang Feng’s hand but stopped when he saw his hands were covered in condiments.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. I had heard from friends about a chef at Taifeng who makes a particularly good Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon. I didn’t expect him to be so young. Although I didn’t have the chance to taste the pigeon last night, I’ve heard from the customers and… ah, never mind, I just got a bit excited, it feels like… let’s just leave it there,” said Qiu Fu, who was more than a little excited. He looked like he wanted to rush up and give Jiang Feng a big hug and then ask him how the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon was thickened.

“I just don’t know… I don’t know why Master Jiang has come this time…”

“There was a senior outside who rarely visits. Last night, after he tasted the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, he wanted to have it again, so I asked Jiang Feng to help thicken the sauce for another portion,” Sun Jikai said, “I just don’t know if Mr. Qiu has any Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon left?”

“We do, we do,” Qiu Fu nodded repeatedly. “Just steam it in the pot, and it will be ready quickly. Little Kai, you and… Master Jiang, please wait inside, I’ll put it in to steam.”

“Thank you,” Sun Jikai nodded.

Then, Jiang Feng was led into the small kitchen at the very back, which he had visited the previous night, truly the kitchen’s kitchen.

Last night, Jiang Feng had wanted to ask Sun Jikai why there was such a small kitchen set up separately within the main kitchen of Jubao Building, but got distracted by the thickening work and some idle chat, and ended up forgetting to ask.

Now approaching the small kitchen again, Jiang Feng directly asked, “Sun Jikai, why is there an even smaller kitchen inside your kitchen?”

Sun Jikai closed the door and explained, “This place was originally set up for me to practice cooking.”

“Ah?”

“When I was a kid, I learned cooking with Grandpa here at Jubao Building. The reason for having this separate space within the kitchen is because the kitchen can be dangerous. I was very small back then, and Grandpa was worried I would run around and hurt myself, so he confined me to this small room to learn by myself. Normally, during business hours, Grandpa would be outside, and if I got bored inside, I would sneak out to the lobby to wander around, then dart back just in time.”

Sun Jikai said with a laugh, his tone filled with nostalgia.

“Ever got caught?”

“Grandpa knew about it and couldn’t be bothered to chase after me.”

Qiu Fu brought in the prepared Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon and, on his way out, didn’t forget to close the door, leaving Jiang Feng with a sudden feeling of being locked in a tiny dark room by a ruthless boss, not allowed to eat until the work was done.

“Lately, I’ve gained a lot of insight while teaching apprentices, and my skills in teaching cooking have improved tremendously. Since I’m free this afternoon anyway, why don’t we stay here and practice thickening the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon?” Jiang Feng suggested.

“Sounds good,” Sun Jikai agreed with a smile.

There was still some time before the pigeon was ready, so they could continue their chat.

“By the way, Sun Jikai, I think Sun Maochai really seems to want to return to Jubao Building. Just now, at the dining table, I heard him talking to my granduncle, and I felt… he is a bit like my granduncle when he was young,” Jiang Feng began advocating for Sun Maochai.

“You know what your granduncle was like when he was young?”

“How do you know I don’t?” Jiang Feng thought again of the smile Sun Maochai gave him and Sun Jikai at the end.

“My granduncle and Granduncle Weiming have held Taifeng Building dearer than their own lives all these years. They didn’t go to Beiping before because they didn’t dare to return. Taifeng Building is like their hometown, and people always long to return to their roots in glory. Without capital and confidence, they naturally didn’t dare to go back,” Jiang Feng sighed, “At the dining table just now, Sun Maochai told granduncle that Jubao Building is his home.”

Sun Jikai was taken aback, “Really?”

“Really.”

Sun Jikai sighed and confided the truth to Jiang Feng, “Actually, before Grandpa left, he asked me to call and plead with him to come back.”

“At first, I didn’t want to beg anyone, but later, when I faced reality, I regretted it. Now I’m just hesitating on how to broach the subject.”

“What’s there to hesitate about opening your mouth?” Jiang Feng found it somewhat unbelievable, “Ling Guangzhao could ask when he poached staff, and yet you can’t ask for something so reasonable.”

Sun Jikai: …

“Maybe in a while,” Sun Jikai said, “Jubao Building is in such chaos now, I need to get it sorted out and make it a proper restaurant before I can ask him to come back.”

“I don’t want him to see Jubao Building in this messy, decayed state.”