Chapter 175: The Commune is Established

The three-day holiday passed in a flash. Zhang Ping'an followed the main crowd from the Siheyuan into the flow of people. Everyone was basically heading to work at this hour; the streets were a sea of black, teeming with heads, all discussing what they had eaten for the New Year.

"Zhang Shu, here, I want two bottles of Tiger Bone Wine," Damao sidled over again, handed Zhang Ping'an one hundred yuan, and said in a low voice.

"Didn't you just buy some before the New Year? You finished it that fast? Let me tell you, Damao, this wine..."

"Stop, Zhang Shu, I gave all of that to my father-in-law as a filial offering. I'm just curious what it tastes like, aren't I?"

"Oh, oh, alright. Come over and get it after work tonight."

"Hehe, good."

"Don't drink too much. In all things, one must rely on one's own strength; these are all external aids."

"Don't worry, Zhang Shu, my body is rock solid. You know the film projector? I can handle it with one hand, easy."

"Heh, you know about the big-pot meals? That pot of ingredients weighs over a hundred catties, and I don't find it strenuous to swing the ladle," Shazhu also sidled over.

"..."

As long as these two were together, they would start comparing themselves within ten minutes, from the size of their strength to how much they pooped and how far they could pee—two childish ghosts.

Yan Jiecheng followed beside He Daqing, and the two would chat every now and then. Over the past half year or so, Yan Jiecheng had truly made He Daqing look at him with new eyes.

Originally, He Daqing had only been looking after him for the sake of Yan Bugui, and Yan Jiecheng was a bit old to be starting as an Apprentice Worker, but who knew this guy actually had talent.

That was Yan Jiecheng's tongue, his sense of taste; he could discern the differences in every dish, which moved He Daqing to consider taking him as an apprentice. After all, a Chef relies on their sense of taste.

Of course, the necessary tests and rules had to be in place. During this half year, He Daqing not only had Yan Jiecheng work on the chopping block to find his feel, but also made him describe the differences in every dish during meals.

"Jiecheng, spend some time during this period practicing your vegetable cutting and finding your feel."

"You got it, He Shu."

"Use your tongue to record the taste of the food every day, and practice your strength more. After the New Year, I will consider letting you try your hand at stir-frying."

"Really, He Shu? I will practice hard."

In fact, for the past half year, Yan Jiecheng had already been recording the amounts of seasoning used in the big-pot meals, and afterward, using He Daqing's measurements as a template, he used his tongue and mathematical calculations to analyze the seasoning amounts for home-cooked stir-fries.

During the New Year this year, Yan Jiecheng had stir-fried two dishes at home, and the taste was surprisingly good, causing his whole family to look at him with strange eyes.

"Jiecheng, did He Shu teach you this?"

"You could say that."

After all, He Daqing didn't hide things from him when stir-frying; on the contrary, he called him over to watch and learn. Yan Jiecheng didn't hide anything either and told his father everything.

"See if your He Shu has any intention of taking an apprentice. If he does, don't hesitate; take the initiative to offer your respects as a disciple. I will prepare the apprenticeship gift for you when the time comes."

"Oh, okay, but at my age..."

"That's why I'm telling you to first see what your He Shu intends."

"Oh, I understand, Dad."

Meanwhile, He Daqing was in the main room drinking tea. He smelled a familiar scent of Lu Cuisine and at first thought it was coming from his own kitchen, but then he remembered Shazhu was currently making Sichuan Cuisine.

So, He Daqing followed the scent and found himself at the door of Yan Bugui's house. Could it be Jiecheng? He Daqing was secretly shocked. He hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door.

"Lao Yan."

"He? Why aren't you at home eating New Year's Eve dinner?"

"I smelled the scent of stewed cabbage. Was it made by Jiecheng?"

"You really are an expert; you can tell just by smelling. He, come in and give us a critique?" Yan Bugui's heart stirred; perhaps he could get this matter settled today.

"That works too." He Daqing was indeed very curious.

"He Shu," X4.

"Hey."

"Jiecheng, get a bowl and chopsticks for your He Shu."

"Alright, Dad."

"Hmm~ Jiecheng, you have a lot of talent."

He Daqing's expression was complex. Aside from his knife skills and heat control being a bit lacking, Yan Jiecheng was now no worse than Cai Quanwu.

"He, do you have any thoughts on taking an apprentice? Since my Jiecheng has talent, I don't want him to waste it," Yan Bugui said straightforwardly.

"He Shu, I want to apprentice under you."

"How about this: if you can pass the Tenth-Grade Chef examination before the year after next, I will formally accept you. Of course, after the New Year, I will also teach you the basics well."

No matter how strong Yan Jiecheng's ability to replicate was, his mastery of knife skills and heat control was far too lacking; these all required spending a large amount of time to train.

"Alright, He Shu, I will definitely be able to do it."

Time returned to the present. He Daqing was already preparing to let Yan Jiecheng train together with his two apprentices, Chen Guodong and Liu Haiyang.

"Guodong, Haiyang, and Jiecheng, all of you come over. Come, watch how I cut the vegetables. Like this..."

He Daqing explained while demonstrating, then let them try it themselves, correcting their mistakes one by one.

"Alright, you all just keep practicing like this for now."

Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, it was the harvest season. Zhang Ping'an finished harvesting the wheat in the small courtyard, and Wang Xiaoling stood by his side, her belly protruding, wiping his sweat.

"Alright, wife, you're already over four months pregnant. Go rest under the grape trellis."

Zhang Ping'an had already taken her pulse; it was triplets, two boys and one girl. This was why Wang Xiaoling's belly was already protruding at just over four months pregnant.

"Mm, okay."

While Zhang Ping'an changed up the variety of food he fed her every day, he also had to ensure nutritional balance, followed by body massages. It could be said that he was now a qualified nutritionist.

"Ping'an, how about I go stay at my maiden home for a few days?" Wang Xiaoling knew Zhang Ping'an had to return to his hometown in two days to help with the wheat harvest.

"Hmm~ that's fine. I'll come pick you up as soon as I'm done. Don't be too tired at work; if there's work, let Senior Brother Chang'an do it."

"Mm, okay."

However, Zhang Ping'an still took some Tiger Bone Wine, tea leaves, and fruit to Senior Brother Chang'an's place that day.

"Senior Brother Chang'an, Sister-in-law."

"Ping'an, you came here for Xiao Ling, didn't you? Take these things back; I've watched Xiao Ling grow up since she was little, surely I can take care of her?"

"Senior Brother, that may be so, but as her husband, I must show my appreciation. Besides, I brought the fruit for my nephew and nieces to eat."

Wang Chang'an also had three children: his son Wang Jianshe, ten years old; Wang Jianming, eight years old; and his daughter Wang Jianhua, six years old.

Zhang Ping'an patted the three little ones on the head, left the items, and ran off.

"This Ping'an."

Wang Chang'an thought for a moment, then carried the items to tell his master, Lao Wang, about it.

"Hmm, if Ping'an gave them to you, then take them. We aren't outsiders, and since Xiao Ling is carrying triplets this time, we really do need to be careful."

"Understood, Master. I will take care of our Junior Sister."

"Hmm."

After settling Wang Xiaoling in, Zhang Ping'an felt at ease and went home to help three days later, but who would have thought he would be stopped by the village chief right at the entrance of the village.

"Ping'an, the wheat harvest is coming up soon. Many families will slaughter pigs to reward themselves, but they definitely won't be able to finish it all. Can you purchase a batch?"

"Sure, but since it's hot, it's best to slaughter them in the morning so I can deliver them to the Rolling Mill in time."

Zhang Ping'an did not refuse; nowadays, whoever slaughtered a pig made a profit, and by August at the latest, the Commune would be established, at which point all livestock and poultry would be turned over to collective management.

"Done, I'll arrange it."

So, the next morning, Zhang Ping'an received over six hundred catties of pork. These were pigs that had been kept since the New Year and not yet slaughtered; every household that slaughtered a pig would share a bit with everyone else, so there wasn't a large amount from any single one.

Zhang Ping'an did not hesitate; he pedaled his tricycle straight to the Sub-bureau, two hundred catties for each, and the rest for the Rolling Mill.