Chapter 72

Evening.

Lin Shengli's home.

Lin Shengli was busy in the kitchen, while Zheng Juan and Liang Ladi helped out.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife, Guan Yushan, and Liu Haizhong were drinking tea and chatting.

Liu Haizhong was specially invited by Lin Shengli.

It's not for any other reason; it's just to thank him for his hard work today.

Even if Liu Haizhong has many flaws, he has never provoked Lin Shengli.

Lin Shengli also has no need to make things difficult for him.

As long as he doesn't provoke me and can help me, why can't I invite him for a drink?

There's no need to treat everyone in the courtyard as enemies.

A few days ago, Lin Shengli borrowed a book on cooking from Nan Yi, and he reads it whenever he has free time.

Now his cooking skills have reached super level.

The dishes he makes can already outshine Nan Yi's, let alone Shazhu's.

Nan Yi is a legitimate inheritor of imperial cuisine, while Shazhu is just a half-trained amateur.

Tonight, Lin Shengli also wanted to test his super cooking skills, so he didn't invite Nan Yi to cook.

Before Liu Haizhong arrived, he met Shazhu in Zhongyuan.

Shazhu asked him where he was going, and he replied with a proud, tsundere expression that he was going to Lin Shengli's house to drink.

Shazhu felt depressed and asked why Yi Zhonghai wouldn't let him go cook.

Liu Haizhong said Lin Shengli invited nobody; tonight he would cook himself.

Shazhu laughed and said, "Can Lin Shengli's cooking even be eaten?"

Liu Haizhong replied, "Then I don't know."

As long as the wine is good to drink.

Not only does Shazhu doubt Lin Shengli can cook, but nobody believes it, including Zheng Juan and Yi Zhonghai.

"Juan'er, why aren't you wearing gloves? Didn't I buy you gloves?"

Seeing Zheng Juan cutting pork without gloves, Lin Shengli frowned and asked.

"Still not wearing them, it's a waste."

"I bought them especially for you; not using them is the waste."

"Then, okay, I'll listen to you."

"Liang Ladi said with an envious look:"

"Juan, Master, I'm really envious of you."

"Shengli Ge treats you so well!"

"Zheng Juan's pretty face flushed, and she coquettishly said:"

"Master, you're teasing your disciple again."

"Lin Shengli: 'Juan'er, go wash the vegetables.'"

"I'll handle this."

"Zheng Juan hummed in agreement and put down the knife."

"Lin Shengli said while chopping:"

"Master Liang, why don't you come to our factory tomorrow to help out?"

"I can have the leadership give you a subsidy of ten yuan a day."

"Liang Ladi exclaimed excitedly: 'Ah? That much?'"

"Lin Shengli: 'Um, you're a level-five welder.'"

"We're currently assembling a new machine and need a welder with good skills."

"If you agree, I'll cancel the person that Factory Director Yang invited from his side."

"Liang Ladi: 'No, your factory already has welders.'"

"If I remember correctly, there seems to be one."

"Lin Shengli: 'That doesn't sound like your style.'"

"Just say whether you'll come or not."

"Liang Ladi happily said: 'Thank you, Shengli!'"

"Of course I'll come."

"I'll go find Ding Qiunan later to get a sick leave note."

"Lin Shengli: 'Um, getting sick leave is good.'"

"That way we won't have to deduct wages."

"But I have a condition."

"Liang Ladi: 'Ah? What condition?'"

"Lin Shengli: 'Bring Juan'er along as well.'"

"You also need to help get a sick leave note for Juan'er."

"Liang Ladi: 'No problem, I'll take care of it.'"

"Zheng Juan: 'Thank you, Shengli Ge, thank you, Master.'"

"Liang Ladi: 'Working hard is the greatest thanks to Shengli Ge and your Master.'"

"Zheng Juan: 'Um, Master, I will work hard.'"

Lin Shengli: "Alright, I'm starting to cook."

Liang Ladi: "Shengli, can you do it?"

"Or maybe I should do it."

Lin Shengli pointed at the chopped pork, beef, and potatoes, and asked:

"What do you think of my knife work?"

Liang Ladi and Zheng Juan hurried over.

Upon seeing, they all opened their eyes wide.

"This knife work is truly divine."

"Without saying anything else, just the uniformity in size left them speechless."

Lin Shengli was chopping while chatting.

Lin Shengli smiled and said smugly:

"With such superb knife skills, how could the dishes possibly be bad?"

Liang Ladi laughed: "Alright, alright, I'll tentatively believe you this once."

Zheng Juan: "Shengli Ge, I believe you, you'll definitely manage."

Lin Shengli raised a thumb toward her.

Just then, Yi Dama walked in.

Liang Ladi quickly said:

"Yi Dama, hurry and look, this is what Shengli cut, how is it?"

Yi Dama walked over, involuntarily widened her eyes, and asked:

"Tsk tsk, it's really Shengli's cutting, huh?"

Zheng Juan nodded: "Mm, I didn't expect Shengli Ge's knife work to be so great."

Yi Dama: "Yeah, it's better than Shazhu's and Nan Yi's knife work."

Liang Ladi: "Yi Dama, Nan Yi's knife work is passable, just barely."

"Frankly, Shazhu's knife work isn't even as good as mine, hehe."

Yi Dama: "Ah, Shazhu's knife work really isn't that good."

"But he's still very confident."

"He insists he's the best at knife work in the whole siheyuan."

Liang Ladi: "He has the nerve."

"He's a cook, yet he still wants to compare knife skills with everyone."

Yi Dama looked at Lin Shengli and said:

"Shengli, after thinking it over, why don't you bring Teacher Mu over to support him in his old age?"

Liang Ladi asked: "Who is Teacher Mu?"

Zheng Juan: "You could say he's Shengli Ge's second parents."

"Without him, there would be no Shengli Ge as he is today."

"Shengli Ge was an orphan; his parents were gone when he was still young."

"He grew up eating meals from village households."

"Teacher Mu was his neighbor; seeing that he was smart and eager to learn, he gritted his teeth to put him through school."

"Otherwise, Shengli Ge wouldn't even know where he is or what he's doing now."

"Shengli Ge, I support Yi Dama; we should bring him over to care for him in his old age."

Liang Ladi: "Then Teacher Mu would be wonderful too."

"Shengli, you must bring him over so he can enjoy blessings and peacefully spend his later years."

"You now have the means to do so."

Lin Shengli: "I've sent him a letter."

"He has three sons and two daughters; as far as I know, the eldest son graduated from university, the second son from a technical college, and both are now cadres."

"The youngest son should be in high school; the two daughters, one graduated from technical college, the other is probably still in middle school."

"His children are all very filial."

"In the letter I said, once I'm done with this busy period, I'll go back to visit the villagers."

"By then I also want to bring him over."

"I just don't know if he's willing."

Liang Ladi: "That's hard to say."

"After all, his children are very filial and his circumstances aren't bad."

"But other people's children are their own; since you've become successful, you ought to show it, to express gratitude."

Zheng Juan: "Master, Shengli Ge has already sent money to Teacher Mu."

"He also bought some things and sent them over."

Liang Ladi raised a thumb at Lin Shengli and praised:

"Not bad, not bad, Shengli, sis (I) got your back!"