Chapter 124: Cai Quanwu

"Master Cai, what a coincidence."

"It's you, Young Brother Zhang. Still heading to Nanluoguxiang?"

"Yes, sorry for the trouble, Master Cai."

"Don't mention it, Young Brother Zhang."

On the way, Zhang Ping'an didn't chat much with Cai Quanwu; he didn't want to disrupt Cai Quanwu's breathing rhythm. However, as they neared the Siheyuan, Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but ask.

"Ahem, Master Cai, to be honest, I felt you looked familiar the first time I saw you. Later, when I got to the courtyard, I realized you look exactly like our courtyard's He Daqing, Brother He, did when he was young. I wonder if you two know each other?"

"Young Brother Zhang, did you just say He Daqing?"

"Yes, so you really do know each other?"

"Um, Young Brother Zhang, please do me a favor and tell He Daqing to come find me at the Zhengyangmen Small Tavern when he has time," Cai Quanwu said after a moment of hesitation.

"Uh, sure."

"Young Brother Zhang, I won't charge you for this trip," Cai Quanwu said, dropping the two of them off at the entrance of number 95 before speeding away.

"Hey, wait?"

"Brother Ping'an, is this Master Cai a relative of Brother He?"

"Most likely. If it weren't for the huge age gap, I would have thought they were twins."

Wang Xiaoling had never seen He Daqing when he was young, so it was truly hard for her to imagine how the greasy middle-aged man of today could be a relative of this young man pedaling a tricycle.

"Let's go, let's head back first."

"Mm, okay."

It was a little past six o'clock now. At this hour, almost everyone was at home cooking, so they didn't run into anyone upon entering the courtyard.

"Whew~ so tired."

"You lie down, I'll give you a massage."

"Mm, okay."

As Zhang Ping'an massaged her, the atmosphere shifted, and finally, amidst Wang Xiaoling's exclamation, she was carried into the room.

The two of them had only just tasted the sweetness of intimacy, and four days without being together was already Zhang Ping'an's limit; once back home, how could he still hold back?

"Mm~"

The cooing and chirping of the Huangmei opera lasted for over an hour before it ended. Only then, in his post-climax state, did Zhang Ping'an remember he needed to pass on the message to He Daqing.

"Ahem, Xiao Ling, you rest for a bit. I'll go cook, and while I'm at it, I'll go tell Brother He."

"Mm, okay."

That lazy appearance almost made Zhang Ping'an raise his spear again. He kissed her once before getting up to take a shower.

After rinsing off, Zhang Ping'an washed some millet and set it to simmer over a low flame, then closed the courtyard gate and headed to He Daqing's house.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Creak— Uncle Zhang, come in and sit."

"Mm, Zhuzi, where's your dad?"

"He's inside drinking tea. Dad, Uncle Zhang is here."

"Ping'an, come sit, have some tea."

"I won't sit. I've got porridge simmering at home. I have something to tell you, Brother He."

"Oh? Go ahead, Ping'an."

"I saw someone a few days ago, and I ran into him again today. At first, I thought he looked familiar. I asked him about it today, and it seems he has some connection to you. His name is Cai Quanwu."

"Cai Quanwu? I don't recall knowing anyone by that name."

"Brother He, he looks exactly like you did when you were young."

"Uncle Zhang, doesn't that mean he looks like me?"

"Ahem, ahem, ahem, he's still a bit different from you."

Zhang Ping'an nearly choked to death. He Daqing might not have been a heartthrob in his youth, but he was still more attractive than Shazhu. He wondered if Shazhu was blindly confident in himself.

"..."

"Brother He, he's working at the Zhengyangmen Small Tavern. He said you should go over there when you have time."

"Alright, I've got it," He Daqing thought it over, but still couldn't remember such a person.

"Alright then, I'll head back first."

"Good."

"Zhuzi, help me ask for leave tomorrow morning. I'm going to go see what this is all about," He Daqing felt a vague sense that this Cai Quanwu might be related to his late father.

"Oh, okay. Dad, how about I go with you to take a look?" Shazhu was also extremely curious.

"No need, I'll go see for myself."

Zhang Ping'an returned and set about steaming a Big Yellow Fish, and Wang Xiaoling came out after finishing her shower.

Looking at Wang Xiaoling, fresh as a lotus rising from the water, Zhang Ping'an's eyes burned with heat, and he forcefully suppressed the agitation in his heart.

"Ahem, Xiao Ling, come over and eat."

It was nearly eight o'clock now. Since the two of them had engaged in vigorous exercise earlier, they really needed to eat something to replenish their strength; there would be another fierce battle later.

The next morning, He Daqing rode his bike to Zhengyangmen. Fifteen minutes later, He Daqing stared blankly at the "young version of himself" sitting on the tricycle. He didn't even need to ask; he knew it was Cai Quanwu.

"Cai Quanwu?"

"He Daqing?" Cai Quanwu was also dazed as he looked at this young version of his father.

"I... you..."

"Let's talk over here."

The two went to a corner, and Cai Quanwu spoke first.

"I am He Zhenhua's son. This is the letter he left for me, and there is one for you too." Cai Quanwu was also afraid that He Daqing might show up at any time, so he kept the letters on his person.

He Daqing thought to himself that it was as expected. Fortunately, he had been mentally prepared when he came, and his face did not reveal any unusual expression.

In his early years, He Daqing's father passed on his Lu Cuisine skills to him and sent him to the Tan family to learn Tan Family Cuisine, while he himself returned to his hometown in Lu Province to live. He Daqing had gone back to visit a few times, but in the era of war, the father and son soon lost contact.

Afterward, He Daqing made many inquiries to no avail and eventually gave up completely; he had not expected that his father would have produced a "small account" 【a younger child】 now.

He Daqing nodded and took the unopened letter. In the letter, his father asked him to teach Cai Quanwu the family-transmitted Lu Cuisine and give him a trade to make a living.

"My father, he..."

"Passed away. He was captured by the Japanese to cook and never came back. My mother and I searched through piles of corpses before we found him. Later, my mother also passed away, so I came to Sijiucheng to find you, but I just never could."

"It is all thanks to Brother Zhang for recognizing me; otherwise, we wouldn't know when we would have been able to meet in this lifetime."

"Mm, Father told me in the letter to let you learn cooking from me. What do you think?"

"I will learn."

He had known the feeling of an empty stomach. From the journey from Lu Province to Sijiucheng, plus the few years in Sijiucheng, it had only been better in the last two years. Before that, he was almost half-starved every day and would be woken up by hunger in the middle of the night.

Being a Chef meant that at the very least, one would not go hungry. When he first arrived in Sijiucheng, he wanted to apply for a job as a cook at a restaurant, but unfortunately, he had only learned the basics from his father, and being eighteen or nineteen years old, he was not suitable to be an apprentice, so naturally, no restaurant wanted him.

"Good, I will teach you the family-transmitted Lu Cuisine. By the way, how old are you this year? Do you have a wife or children? Where are you living?"

"Uh, I'm twenty-two this year. I haven't taken a wife yet, and I'm renting a room from the Street Office."

"Alright, since you and I are brothers, there is no need to be distant. In the next two days, I will see if I can get you an apprentice spot in the Rolling Mill Kitchen. Wait for my news."

"Keep living in the Street Office's room for now; if it doesn't work out, move to my place."

"Once your job is stable, I'll find you a wife. You're not young anymore."

"Mm, alright, Big Brother, I'll listen to you. But I'm doing just fine living here."

"Mm, as you wish. Come with me tonight to meet your sister-in-law, nephew, and niece."

"Alright."

On the way back, He Daqing was still pondering how to get an apprentice spot. Although the Rolling Mill was expanding rapidly now, the spot he had in his hands had already been given to Shazhu.

The best way was to find his direct superior, Li Huaide. Although Li Huaide always greeted him with a smile, he was afraid it would be very difficult to get a spot if he really asked.

However, thinking that Li Huaide's Secretary had specifically sent a gift of money during Zhang Ping'an's wedding banquet, He Daqing's eyes lit up. Asking Zhang Ping'an first was better than running around like a headless chicken.