Chapter 09 seeks guidance through the importance of propriety

Disappointment is actually still a long way from despair

I said, are you annoying or not? Don't involve me in this matter. I tell you, it's not going to work!

Today was somewhat unexpected; Fat Fei only teased Taohua with a single remark before rushing in. Upon entering, he stood before Jian Fan, pulled out a bottle of Wuliangye from his waist, and respectfully presented it in front of Jian Fan, looking very serious as he said: "Brother Guo, I have come sincerely seeking your guidance!"

Jian Fan was taken aback, not expecting Fei Shiqing to bring out the goods he had been keeping hidden for this matter. He immediately shoved the MP4 back into Fat Fei's pocket and pushed him out.

"Junk, are you trying to fool a child? This thing was bought when I started university, how many years have you been using it?" Jian Fan said disdainfully, only Fat Fei would like such a thing.

Three people worked for several hours to prepare everything. The three commonly used main ingredients—cabbage, potatoes, and radishes—were placed in large bowls, along with soaked black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, mountain mushrooms, cloud beans, mustard greens, wild ferns, winter melon, and a dozen other vegetables, all neatly arranged on a table in the side room

After the vermicelli is cooked, it needs to be cut in half, neither too long nor too short, just the right length for a pair of chopsticks

The kelp should be washed several times, cleaned, sliced, shredded, and then soaked in water for later use

Fei Shiqing spoke with the familiarity of one recounting treasured family heirlooms, not without a hint of ostentation, enticing Jian Fan.

In elementary school, one envies others for scoring full marks; in middle school, one envies others for achieving excellence; in high school, one envies others for attending prestigious universities; and upon entering college, one envies others for wearing designer brands and driving luxury cars... The more one envies, the more unattainable those things become in life. Compared to what others perceive as a good student, Jian Fan can only be equated with someone like Fatty Fei—playful, fond of food, experiencing early romance, and mischievous. Aside from his father who always treasures his son, and his mother who constantly criticizes him for not living up to expectations, when teachers see him, he is basically regarded as a class enemy even worse than Fei Shiqing.

At noon, the table was filled, but I couldn't tell if it was due to a bad mood or a lack of direction. Jianfan greeted everyone but failed to find a customer to serve! After finishing the lunch shift, I didn't go home and instead rested in the shop for a while. In the afternoon, just as I had finished cutting the evening's side dishes and was preparing to tidy up a basin of small fish, a distinguished guest arrived at the shop

Ah! When have you ever served me? Nonsense! Jianfan was astonished

Speaking with emotion and hearing with a heart stirred, Fei Shiqing wore an expression of being abandoned by his brothers, feeling more wronged than Dou E, while being pushed and shoved by Jian Fan. He forced himself to stand, his thick lips flapping, spitting saliva as he rapidly recounted Jian Fan's embarrassing moments. As Jian Fan listened, her face turned red with embarrassment. Just as she reached out, Fei Shiqing, already on guard, immediately jumped away, positioning himself in the middle of the kitchen, a place where he could both attack and defend. His chubby face was flushed, and his shifty eyes darted around, wanting to run but still harboring a bit of mischief, reluctant to leave.

Once these ingredients are added to the pot, it is only necessary to add broth and seasonings according to the diners' preferences to create a stew. The large pot in the courtyard is filled with well-cooked pork belly, lamb offal, and beef, exuding a rich aroma. With a combination of meat and vegetables, and a vigorous boil after adding the ingredients, it transforms into a flavorful oolong pot stew

The garlic shoots and green beans have been harvested and should be cut diagonally into arrow shapes to maintain their aesthetic appeal and enhance their flavor

Fei Shiqing counted on his fingers, shaking his head with a smug expression as he said: "This is a compilation sample, including Koze Maria, Takagi Maria, Yamamoto Azusa, Sakurazuki Rui, Seto Yui, Ki Mariko, Hoshino Hikaru, Shiraishi Hitomi, Yuki Hitomi, Shiraishi Hiyori, Aida Momo, Asakura Mai, Kobayashi Hitomi, Yuzuki Maiko, Miho Yuki... and so on. After years of relentless effort, I have basically collected them all, covering the essentials of Japanese series; as for the Western ones, there are quite a few as well, do you want them?"

Everything is illusory, the respectable job I once yearned for, a formal position, buying a world-class luxury car, dating a stunning beauty...! ... Go to hell with that, it’s all nonsense! Cooking in a pot, riding a bike to buy groceries, haggling over prices, earning money by selling food—this is my real life, and this is the only thing that is truly authentic

Returning from the street to the store, all unpleasant feelings have dissipated. These matters have been contemplated countless times; worrying about them is futile. It is better not to think at all! Daydreaming is always inferior to practical work and - illustrations - books. What should one do?

The cabbage, as high as half a calf, is not cut but peeled! Jianfan holds it at an angle with one hand while wielding a knife with the other. One can only hear the sound of "swish swish swish..." as the tender white stalks and the tender green leaves fall accurately into the large basin one meter away.

Then it was time to cut. The skill of chopping vegetables is not something that just anyone can learn. Jianfan returned to the shop and saw his father, Sanqiang, and Shuisheng busy at work. He said, "Dad, let me do it!" ... ... ... His father smiled and gave the position to his son

Fei Shiqing wore a pained expression, stubbornly refusing to leave, with both hands clasped in a gesture of supplication: "Please, please... Brother Guo, for the sake of the party and the country, lend a hand to your brother, don’t push him away, it’s not like I’m trying to seduce your wife!"

Upon hearing this, Jian Fan couldn't help but laugh; it was Fat Fei again.

... ...

Jianfan, looking at the machine, turned it off, fearing that his father might hear or see. After a moment of thought, his gaze wandered uncertainly, and he pointed at Fei Shiqing: "Bring me the external hard drive, I will choose for myself"

Bring it here!" Jianfan pulled it over and placed it at his feet, teasingly asking, "Still asking for guidance? Then this bottle doesn't count; you need to offer something else!"

Then I heard a strange voice in the shop shouting: "Sister Peach Blossom, do you want to forget me or not!"

Jian Fan resolutely refused, suggesting that this fool go pursue Jiang Dajia, which would truly be an affront to beautiful women. Originally, the plan was to trick Fei Shiqing into delivering wine for nothing, but who would have thought this guy actually took it to heart. Even if we take a step back, Jian Fan really did not want to see Fei Shiqing suffer too much from this matter! This guy has never known the limits of the world.

... ...

One can dream at night, but during the day, one must live more realistically

What else can I do besides cooking

Jianfan felt a tickle in her heart from the teasing, unable to focus on her work. She wiped her hands and looked on with a beaming smile, but soon expressed her dissatisfaction, saying: "Hey, old waste, this is only 2G, there's nothing to see here?"

However, my father has always been very kind to Fei Shiqing, smiling and asking, "Little chubby, are you feeling peckish? Go to the kitchen and find Xiaofan! If you want to eat something, let him make it for you..."

No problem ... ... Hahaha, Fei Shiqing's cunning plan has succeeded, and he is laughing heartily while holding his belly

Jianfan suddenly smiled and exclaimed, "Hey, wait a minute, why are you sending both wine and the best goods... What is the scheme here? I've never seen you so generous and honest before!"

Of course, Jianfan likes it too

Jianfan smiled while cutting, looking at his father. At that moment, his father could sit down, light a cigarette, and brew a bowl of inferior large-leaf tea with the teapot, enjoying a sip with great satisfaction

A potato the size of a fist, the sound of the knife chopping continuously, and before long, the bowl is empty. One portion is cut into nearly equal-sized cubes, while another is sliced into uniformly thick pieces. The cubed pieces are to be placed in a slow-cooking pot, while the sliced pieces are to be quickly cooked over high heat. Only in this way can one ensure that the food is neither undercooked nor mushy

Jianfan has always been puzzled; how can Dad enjoy himself so much with cigarettes that cost five yuan a pack and large-leaf tea that costs ten yuan a pound! However, it is evident that Dad enjoys helping out in the kitchen! He likes to be busy in the kitchen alongside his son, and during moments of rest from their labor, his eyes are filled with happiness!

"I knew you were going to take advantage of me. Just take a look, this new item will definitely satisfy you!" Fei Shiqing was relentless, and he finally took off the bag from around his neck. Jian Fan looked and saw that it was an MP4!

It's very simple, can you help me get that fairy girl

As mealtime approached, they rolled up their sleeves and tied on their aprons, and the two of them got busy...

When saying this, the peach blossom will surely roll its eyes in disdain

Is that so? Not at all! Fei Shiqing smiled ambiguously, elongating her voice and raising her tone

Ah! Quickly, go to wherever it is cool!

The simple process is not easy; making soup is the slowest and the ingredients are the most challenging. However, if one were to say what is the most exhausting, it is undoubtedly chopping vegetables. Not only is the quantity large, but there are also many intricacies involved. Every day, just chopping vegetables leaves several people drenched in sweat. Sanqiang and Shuisheng have been following their father for three years, and it is said that they have not yet mastered the art of chopping vegetables. In contrast, Jianfan, who has been in the kitchen since childhood, has knife skills that surpass those of several others.

Fei looked shocked, his expression instantly turning somber as he gazed at Jian Fan and said: "Brother Guo, one must have a conscience! Since elementary school, I have been stealing money from home, but I always shared a portion with you. In high school, while you were romantically involved with Xiang Xiang, I had to come up with lies to appease your mother; while you two were hiding in the dormitory kissing and fooling around, I was out front keeping watch for you. I have not treated you poorly, have I? In college, you were juggling multiple relationships, pursuing the beauty from the English department and the senior from the International Trade department, and I never mentioned a word to Xiang Xiang. When you needed me, I was unhesitatingly your wingman; it cannot be that when I need you, you treat me like a punching bag."

Jianfan's face alternated between pale and flushed, seemingly struck at the heart by Fatty Fei's words

However, Fei Shiqing seemed resolute as if he had made up his mind: "Could you show some pity for your brother? Given that I have served you for so many years, can you not help me with this small favor?"

The radish must be grated using a special grater to create slices, and then blanched in hot water to remove the bitterness before being added to the pot, otherwise it will overpower the flavors of other dishes

The most tedious aspect of stewing is not the stewing itself, but rather the selection and preparation of the ingredients. Every day at five in the morning, my father gets up on time, drives that old Liuzhou Wuling from a few years ago to the Wulong Bridge, and purchases a truckload of fresh vegetables from the farmers bringing their produce to the city. If that is not enough, he supplements the supply from the vegetable market. Once back at the shop, just washing and picking the vegetables takes four to five people over an hour of hard work. Every day at five in the morning, my father gets up on time, drives that old Liuzhou Wuling from a few years ago to the Wulong Bridge, and purchases a truckload of fresh vegetables from the farmers bringing their produce to the city. If that is not enough, he supplements the supply from the vegetable market. Once back at the shop, just washing and picking the vegetables takes four to five people over an hour of hard work

The shop is connected to the kitchen, the kitchen is connected to the backyard, and there is also a side room in the backyard. The kitchen is used for cooking, the yard has a stew pot, and the side room is for preparing ingredients. Beneath the side room is a wine cellar, which stores the family's corn wine.

Jianfan also smiled; although the two individuals had distinctly different personalities, they maintained a high degree of consistency in this shared interest

The more lice there are, the less one fears their bites; the more troubles there are, the less one fears their disturbances! With increased disappointment, Jianfan does not feel insignificant in the face of disappointment!

From childhood to adulthood, having faced numerous setbacks, Jian Fan's expectations of himself have not been particularly high. After all, in this day and age, both the publishing industry and the market are driven by profit, and apart from the cooking skills he learned from his father since he was young, he truly feels he is lacking in other areas. Over the past year since graduation, he has indeed learned to cook and stew dishes with greater precision and detail from his father. If it weren't for his mother's constant hope that he would become successful and find a job, Jian Fan would have comfortably accepted a position as a kitchen assistant in the family restaurant.

This fat man may lack other skills, but when it comes to sourcing high-definition videos online, he is more adept than anyone else

Fei Shiqing never considers himself an outsider; he often strides into the kitchen, rummaging around, grabbing whatever he can find to eat. Frequently, he enjoys pairing raw cucumbers and fresh chili peppers with a few pieces of pork belly or beef offal from the pot, making quite a noise as he savors his meal

After exchanging smiles and greetings with several acquaintances and strangers, Jianfan silently rode his bicycle back to the store. On the way, he stopped by a spice shop, selecting a variety of items: the fragrant Sichuan peppercorns, dried star anise, the specialty large chili peppers from Wulong, freshly available fennel seeds, and black sesame seeds... He picked out more than a dozen items, totaling over one hundred yuan. After haggling with the bald shop owner for twenty minutes, he managed to negotiate a discount of twelve yuan and twenty cents, and only then did he pack everything up and prepare to head home

Entering university brought Jian Fan a fleeting sense of joy. However, after muddling through graduation and facing numerous obstacles, Jian Fan began to doubt whether it was he who attended university or if he was merely being attended by it. In any case, he remained as confused as ever and continued to lack ambition. During moments of disappointment, Jian Fan often consoled himself by thinking: If I can't become a master, surely I can be a chef? If I can't achieve anything notable, at least I can work as a waiter, right? If I can't find a job, I can always do manual labor, can't I? Can a living person really be suffocated by their own urine?

Peach Blossom had no good feelings towards this gluttonous fat man and bluntly said, "The pots are washed and the dishes are done, there is no food left!"

With his coarse fingers, he pressed a few keys, adjusting the machine. Suddenly, familiar sounds echoed from within: "Ah ah... Yami Dia... Yiyi Ai... Kuda..." Fei Shiqing nonchalantly presented it to Jian Fan, chuckling as he said, "It was just updated 24 hours ago, I compressed it!"