Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Eating Meal Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Eating Meal Bai Xiao took Bai Yue and the five others to the canteen, and though it was already the last mealtime, as soon as Bai Xiao entered, the head chef hurriedly came over to greet him. Ever since last time when Dean Zhang personally brought Bai Xiao here for a meal, all the logistical master chefs in the canteen knew that Bai Xiao was a connection of Dean Zhang.
Who would dare to provoke him!
Moreover, Director Xing had already given orders that whenever Bai Xiao came, he should be warmly welcomed.
So, the moment they saw Bai Xiao, and behind him five people whose clothing looked like relatives from the village, who didn’t have a few poor relatives coming to mooch?
“Doctor Bai, happy new year! You’ve already come back on the fifth day of the New Year.”
This master chef was specifically responsible for deans and directors, and of course, wanted to maintain a good relationship with these people. Everyone’s family had sick members sometimes, and when the time came to ask for help, it would be too late.
Bai Xiao greeted him warmly, “Master Gao, happy new year. This is my eldest sister and brother-in-law as well as their three children. We’ve just arrived after a day on the train, and I brought them here for a meal. Otherwise, there’s nothing at home, not even a dish to cook.”
Master Gao smiled and said, “Of course! Returning from the New Year break, the house must be empty. Since it’s the New Year, food in our canteen is good today, too. What would you like to eat?”
Bai Xiao was the only doctor who could order dishes.
This was instructed by Dean Zhang.
“Master Gao, what’s being served today? If there’s something tasty and hot, just bring it out, we’re not picky. It saves you extra work.” Bai Xiao didn’t want to trouble anyone.
“It’s no trouble, no trouble at all. Today we have dumplings, stewed chicken with mushrooms, sauerkraut with glass noodles, soy sauce pig trotters, and soy sauce beef. I’ll serve some of each. They are all ready and guaranteed hot.” Master Gao really had a good impression of Bai Xiao! Although this Doctor Bai looked young and had a powerful background, he never caused trouble and was very easy-going. In fact, all the master chefs in the canteen liked him; he never put on airs.
“Great, give me a bit of everything, and fill this lunchbox with dumplings as well; I’ll take it home. As for meal tickets, don’t worry, I’ll pay for seven portions.” Bai Xiao amiably handed over the lunchbox.
Master Gao took it, smiling broadly, and scratching his head, “Alright, I’ll get everything ready right away, just have a seat first.”
It wasn’t long before the canteen’s elder sister had laid out everything on their table.
A large plate of soy sauce pig trotters, a large plate of soy sauce beef, a bucket full of five pig trotters, the chicken stewed with mushrooms, and the sauerkraut with glass noodles, all served in big basins. Steaming hot dumplings were brought out, one plate per person. The food in the canteen was different from the food at home.
Especially since Bai Xiao was using a dean-level meal ticket, the chefs used plenty of oil, so every dish was oily and bubbling with hot oil. The three youngsters were already dumbstruck, and although they had eaten well at home during the New Year, this was probably the year they ate the most meat.
But seeing the food prepared in the canteen, the aroma and their home-cooked meals were incomparable. Besides, these three youngsters always remembered what their aunt had just said about dining in the canteen without spending money.
Dining on great dishes without spending money, not only the three kids were amazed, but Bai Yue and Wang Yan also looked a bit dumbfounded.
Mainly because their concept of a canteen was still stuck in the era of communal meals, one bowl of clear porridge, one steamed bun per person.
When this spread was served, Bai Yue quietly pulled Bai Xiao aside, “Xiao, is it really free? Don’t fool your sister.”
Bai Xiao was amused and pulled a meal ticket out of her bag, pushing it towards Bai Yue. “Sister, take a good look, this is the meal ticket. If you don’t believe me, I’ll call the head chef over right now to give the meal ticket to someone, and you can ask them.”
Bai Yue shook her head, feeling uneasy, “As long as it’s free, I’m just worried that you might quietly pay for it yourself to put my mind at ease. No matter how much money you have, you can’t fill our bottomless pit. I’m not doubting you.” She was genuinely afraid that her and her children’s arrival might really drag Bai Xiao down.
“Master Gao, here’s the meal ticket, please take it,” Bai Xiao called out loudly to Master Gao inside the serving window.
Master Gao wiped his bald head with a towel before coming out with a smile.
“Dr. Bai, hurry up and eat your food while it’s hot. There’s no rush for the meal ticket, we’re all from the same canteen and I’m not afraid of you running away. Besides, you haven’t picked up this month’s meal tickets yet. Director Xing has already prepared them for you, just waiting for you to come and sign for them.
By the way, Dr. Bai, what would you like for breakfast tomorrow morning? We’ve recently got some fresh milk and eggs. Tomorrow morning, we’re making large meat buns in the canteen. What would you like for breakfast?” Master Gao said as he took the meal ticket and stuffed it into his white coat pocket.
Seeing that he really did accept those pieces of paper, Bai Yue finally felt completely reassured.
She had never eaten in a canteen and didn’t understand how it was possible to eat such ample amounts of meat and fish without spending money. It was really hard to comprehend; weren’t they afraid of running out?
Noticing other people in the canteen, who were eating from their lunch boxes and occasionally glanced over, their looks also carried a sense of curiosity.
“Master Gao! We’ll have whatever everyone else is having tomorrow! No need to make anything special! Thank you!” Bai Xiao was not someone who abused her privileges to act recklessly.
In fact, overall, as long as no one bothered her, she was quite easy to get along with.
She wasn’t picky or difficult and was a likeable young lady.
“Okay then, we’ll talk about it when you come tomorrow! I’m off to get busy, you guys eat up, eat up, don’t let it get cold, it won’t taste good then.” Master Gao, seeing that it might make Bai Xiao’s sister and brother-in-law feel uncomfortable to eat in front of him, and knowing that if they wolfed down their food in front of him, it might embarrass Bai Xiao, quickly left.
“Go ahead and eat! It won’t be good once it gets cold!” Bai Xiao urged everyone to eat.
Only then did Bai Yue and the others start to eat, and the taste was so delicious that it made them all sigh.
With so many dishes, they couldn’t keep up with the appetite of the young men. Li Haiping, Li Hai’an, and Li Haishun were all growing boys, and although Wang Yan was an adult, years of habit had made him a big eater capable of devouring three bowls per meal, and Bai Yue’s appetite was certainly no problem either.
As a result, they quickly finished all the food. Bai Xiao couldn’t eat that much meat and fish; having eaten only seven or eight dumplings and some pickled cabbage bean noodles, she couldn’t eat anymore. She hadn’t used much energy recently and didn’t need to replenish so much, otherwise, she really would gain weight.
After finishing their meal, Bai Xiao took the lunch box, and the six of them headed back to the dormitory. Just as they reached the dormitory entrance, An Zhiyuan happened to arrive by car, just turning off the engine and getting out.
Together, they unloaded four folding beds from the car, borrowed from several colleagues’ offices. With the weather being too cold to sleep on the floor—as this wasn’t Liupan Village where the air temperature wasn’t as frigid—the winter chill here couldn’t be kept out by mere bedding.
There were also four sets of clean bedding that were obviously new.