Huo Zhongcheng pondered for a moment, then said to Ou ZhenTing, "Old Ou, I understand what you're saying, and I will consider it carefully."
Ou ZhenTing nodded and replied, "As long as you understand."
Just as the two had finished this topic, Mr. Guan came carrying dishes and knocked on the door from outside.
"Come in!" Huo Zhongcheng hurriedly called to the person outside.
As the door opened, it indeed was Mr. Guan. Ou ZhenTing immediately brightened up with a smile and said, "Old Guan, it's about time you showed up!"
Mr. Guan replied, "How could I not appear when Commander Ou is here?"
After a brief exchange of pleasantries,
Mr. Guan, concerned about the kitchen, guessed that Xia Chuyi's Jade Cabbage was almost ready. He soon bid farewell to Ou ZhenTing and returned to the kitchen.
True enough, there it was — Xia Chuyi's Jade Cabbage was already prepared.
She had arranged the dish on a plate and was about to bring it out.
"Wait a minute!" Mr. Guan called her to a halt.
"Ah?" Xia Chuyi was startled.
Mr. Guan stepped forward, took the plate from her, and carried it back to the kitchen. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and added a piece of cabbage to taste.
Jade Cabbage, simply stir-fried cabbage, appears to be an incredibly simple dish.
But in reality, real chefs know that the simpler the ingredients, the more difficult it is to prepare them well.
Thus, creating an extraordinarily unique taste out of very common ingredients and seasonings is very challenging.
Honestly, Mr. Guan hadn't had much confidence in his establishment, but after eating a piece of cabbage...
The Jade Cabbage Xia Chuyi had cooked displayed a mix of vibrant green and bright white; the white was luminous, the green tender, looking utterly appetizing.
Tasting it, it possessed none of the raw bitterness of cabbage nor the mushy texture from excessive cooking.
The crunch was crisp and refreshing in the mouth, juicy and tender. The ratio of minced garlic to salt was also spot-on.
In short, this was a superbly cooked Jade Cabbage.
"Master?" Xia Chuyi looked puzzled at Mr. Guan.
"Chuyi, where exactly did you learn your cooking skills?" Mr. Guan asked seriously.
A sudden "oh no" resounded in Xia Chuyi's mind.
Oh no, she'd gotten carried away with the old sensation of cooking in the restaurant's kitchen and had momentarily forgotten to hide her skill.
"Master..." Xia Chuyi hesitated, "Actually, my family has an heirloom cookbook."
"Inside it, aside from many recipes for fine dishes, there are also many notes and insights from predecessors."
"I... I taught myself," Xia Chuyi pinned everything on the "cookbook."
"Cookbook?" Mr. Guan said in surprise.
Xia Chuyi immediately nodded, "Yes, the cookbook."
This was the only way she could smooth things over since she did indeed possess a "cookbook."
As for the experiences of her predecessors, she trusted that the Heavenly Book would have its own ways to handle them.
In any case, she intended to resolve all potential problems in one fell swoop, to avoid such exposing situations in the future.
Little did she know, after hearing her words, Mr. Guan sighed internally.
The ability to learn cooking from just a cookbook, this child's talent was truly extraordinary.
Mr. Guan felt that perhaps he had nothing to teach her.
As for that cookbook, Mr. Guan had no intention of seeing it at all.
After all, judging by Xia Chuyi's culinary skills, that cookbook must be an extraordinary legacy.