Rebirth He Yuzhu stays away from troubles

In the torrent of the great era, individuals are insignificant and can only be blown by the wind.

One day, Master Luo Jianrong looked solemn after entering the kitchen.

After a busy lunch, Master smiled and called us brothers together to chat, telling us about the Japanese invasion of China and the sufferings of the Chinese people during the Republic of China period. Master said: "Now in our new country, the people are the masters, and we should contribute to the strength of our country."

With a look of hope for the future in his eyes, he changed the subject and said, "Soon Fengze Garden will also be transformed from a public-private enterprise. Fengze Garden will be merged with some other hotels. Its original relevant staff will be replaced by new positions and re-evaluated and assigned positions and grades."

After the master finished speaking, everyone was silent.

He Yuzhu's thoughts returned to his memories of his previous life. "Master Luo Jianrong's glorious era is coming. Later, Master will join the Capital Hotel and participate in the state banquet."

"In the new China where the people are the masters of the country, chefs who participate in the preparation of state banquets will receive the highest honor and prestige in their lifetime in the chef industry."

"We all want to follow Master. We will do whatever Master arranges," said the eldest brother Wang Sheng.

Second Senior Brother Chen Kangnian and a group of senior brothers and junior brothers nodded.

The master waved his hand and said slowly, "I will go to the Capital Hotel."

After a pause, he took a sip of Jasmine Tart, and continued: "There will be two places among you, and you can go with me then."

Seeing our bewildered look, the master counseled us, “The rest of the brothers will be separated and assigned to various restaurants, hotels, and factories.”

"I believe that the apprentices I, Luo Jianrong, bring up will shine wherever they go and will be good at what they do."

"I have full confidence and expectations for you. Do you have confidence?"

Our faces flushed, and we all shouted, "We have confidence."

“Although we will work in different places in the future, I still hope that you can help each other. No matter if you encounter difficulties in life or work, feel free to come to Master.” Master said with a little sob.

With tears in our eyes, we said, "Master, don't worry!"

"In the next period of time, relevant companies will come to look for people, and then they will ask you to prepare dishes for them to taste."

"It will definitely get better. Let's take a break first. We will be busy with dinner." After the master said this, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

My fellow students were chatting in groups of three or four in low voices, and I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair.

My thoughts recalled the information from the previous life: "After the end of public-private partnership, the era of strict bills will come."

"By then, those who are not registered in the city will not be able to buy food rations because they lack receipts."

"In a few years, that terrible ten-year catastrophe will also come."

"What should I do? Oh... I can only take it one step at a time..."

In the following days, everyone was obviously a little confused, but the daily busyness still diluted the confusion.

One day, the master went into the kitchen and arranged for several of my fellow apprentices and me to prepare a dish each. Several enterprises had completed public-private partnerships and the canteen was in urgent need of a chef, so they came to look for a chef.

He Yuzhu watched his fellow apprentices preparing twice-cooked pork, mapo tofu, spicy chicken and other dishes, and he was thinking, what dish should I prepare?

He Yuzhu thought about it and came up with the idea of ​​"boiled fish" which became popular all over the country in later generations.

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu began to prepare: 500g of soybean sprouts, 2 egg whites, 2 tablespoons of bean paste, 50g of Sichuan peppercorns, 50g of Sichuan peppercorns, 100g of dried red peppers, 2 onions, 1 small piece of ginger, half a clove of garlic, some salt, starch, rapeseed oil, fennel, and cooking wine.

He Yuzhu went to get a grass carp weighing 4 to 5 jin, removed the head, tail and middle fins, removed the scales and internal organs, cleaned it and set it aside.

Stand the fish upright and use a knife to cut open its back to make it easier to remove the fish meat. Separate the fish meat from the bones and use a knife to slice the fish meat into thin slices one by one. Chop the fish bones into pieces and cut the fish head in half for later use.

Prepare garlic, peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel and various types of dried red peppers. Tie the green onions into knots and set aside. Wash the soybean sprouts and set aside.

Add a little cooking wine, salt, an egg white and a little starch to the fish fillets, mix well and marinate for later use; also add cooking wine, an egg white and starch to the fish bones and fish heads, mix well and set aside.

Heat the pan, add oil, stir-fry the bean sprouts until cooked, add a little salt, and put the fried bean sprouts into a large blue and white porcelain bowl.

Heat the pan, add oil, add fennel, Sichuan peppercorns and Sichuan peppercorns and fry until fragrant. Remove most of the fried Sichuan peppercorns and Sichuan peppercorns and set aside.

Add dried red pepper and fry until fragrant, add bean paste and stir-fry until red oil comes out, add broth or water, add the beaten scallion knots, add the fish head and fish bones and bring to a boil.

After the water boils, use chopsticks to put the fish fillets into the pot one by one. Pour the cooked fish fillets into a large blue and white porcelain bowl filled with bean sprouts, and sprinkle with minced garlic and chopped peppercorns.

Take another pot, add cooking oil, put in dried red chili peppers, fry the peppers until fragrant, then turn off the heat and pour the hot oil and chili peppers on the chopped garlic and chopped peppercorns.

When He Yuzhu finished cooking, he saw his master and fellow apprentices standing by and watching. It turned out that the dishes of several of his fellow apprentices had already been served. He Yuzhu smiled embarrassedly.

"Serve the food!" the chef shouted from behind, and the waiter came in immediately with the food.

Although the boiled fish was taken away, the spicy and fresh aroma left in the kitchen was still unforgettable, penetrating the human soul from the nose to the heart, making people feel the pleasure brought by food.

The eldest senior brother Wang Sheng's rude voice came: "Zhu Zi, you've done really well after getting married, you really look good!"

"Haha..." Master and his fellow disciples burst into laughter.

The master took his fellow disciples in and out, and they all signed contracts for places to go: Capital Food Factory, Machinery Factory, Flour Mill...

Just when He Yuzhu was bored, his master shouted, "Zhuzi, come with me!"

After entering the box, the master introduced them one by one: "This is Representative Yang Aiguo from the steel rolling mill, and this is Director Li Bufan who is in charge of logistics."

"This is my disciple He Yuzhu, the chef at Fengze Garden."

"I have passed the advanced level of cooking skills test (national professional qualification level 3)"

He Yuzhu was lost in thought as he looked at the two old acquaintances from his previous life.

Director Li smiled faintly and said, "Did you make this boiled fish?"

"Yes," He Yuzhu replied.

"The fish meat is as white as jade, tender and smooth, and not greasy; the peppers are bright red and pleasing to the eye, spicy but not dry, and numb but not bitter," commented Director Li.

"Alas... this Director Li still knows how to eat and enjoy life like in his previous life. He is broad-minded, generous to others, and can accommodate all talents. His only shortcoming is that he is greedy and lustful. In the ten years after the storm, the steel mill was his world; after the reform and opening up, he is still a celebrity. This Director Li is definitely a character!" He Yuzhu thought with a smile.

"Comrade He Yuzhu, after discussing with Director Li, we have decided to invite you to join our factory."

"You are mainly responsible for the reception and the canteen, and your position is deputy director."

Representative Yang saw that He Yuzhu only smiled and didn't say anything, so he continued, "We asked about it earlier. Your current monthly salary is 50 yuan. Your salary will remain the same after you come to our factory."

After a pause, he looked at Director Li and said, "Our factory will also give you a monthly allowance of 10 yuan as deputy director."

Seeing this, the master said, "Representative Yang, Director Li, it seems that you are both people who cherish talents."

"Zhu Zi, I suggest you think about this carefully."

"Then there was the era of bills, three years of natural disasters, and ten years of cultural movements... staying there? It's better to be a worker in the largest steel mill in the city. It's safer."

He Yuzhu came back from his thoughts and replied happily, "Master, I'm going to the steel mill with Representative Yang and Director Li."

"Comrade He Yuzhu is very steady. He is 30 years old this year, right?" Representative Yang asked cheerfully.

He Yuzhu looked embarrassed and thought to himself, "Do I look that old? I need to pay more attention to my beauty regimen in the future."

"Hahaha..." The master laughed beside him and said, "Zhu Zi, the three generations before him were all chefs who cooked Tan's cuisine. He came to Fengze Garden as an apprentice at the age of 16. This year he is 21 years old."

"No wonder, no wonder...it turns out it's a traditional craft!" Director Li joked on the side.

After that, everyone exchanged pleasantries, recognized each other, and praised each other for a while. It was agreed that He Yuzhu would officially join the steel rolling mill on the first of next month, and Director Li would send someone to deliver the "employment certificate" to Fengze Garden tomorrow.

After many twists and turns, He Yuzhu returned to the steel mill where he had been entangled for a lifetime in his previous life. The difference is: the starting point of going to the steel mill in this life should be regarded as the end point of the previous life!