Chapter 84: Culinary Arts

Jiang Family

Madam Chen led Cao Weiguo into the kitchen: "Little comrade, conditions are limited, please bear with it."

Cao Weiguo was a bit surprised looking at the ingredients on the table.

Except for a piece of pork belly weighing no more than three catties, everything else was vegetables and dried goods (yuba, vermicelli, wood ear mushrooms).

Madam Chen complained: "I told him to go get more ingredients, but he just couldn't let go of his old face."

Cao Weiguo said: "Director Jiang is a clean and frugal good leader. I will definitely use these ingredients to make delicious dishes."

Madam Chen said with a smile: "Then I'll have to trouble you, little comrade."

Cao Weiguo said with a smile: "Sister Chen, if you don't mind, just call me Weiguo."

Madam Chen said with a full face of smiles: "Then if Weiguo needs anything, just speak up."

"Okay!"

After Cao Weiguo finished speaking, he began to prepare the ingredients, picking and washing vegetables, and soaking the yuba, wood ear mushrooms, and vermicelli.

The process of handling the ingredients was orderly, and his knife work was clean and neat.

Madam Chen, watching from the side, breathed a sigh of relief.

When she first saw Cao Weiguo, she was worried that he was too young to cook.

Now seeing his knife skills, she knew he had real ability.

The shredded potatoes were cut with uniform thickness and length, neat and consistent; it felt like every single strand could pass through the eye of a needle.

Just as Cao Weiguo finished cutting the shredded potatoes, a knock on the door sounded.

Three guests were welcomed into the house by Director Jiang, and then they all went into the study.

Madam Chen brewed a pot of tea, sent it in, and returned to the kitchen.

She watched Cao Weiguo cook with shining eyes, even feeling a sense of pleasure.

Madam Chen asked curiously: "Weiguo, can you tell me what dishes you are planning to make?"

Cao Weiguo said while cutting vegetables: "I plan to make fresh mushroom yuba, three-fresh radish rolls, pork belly stewed with vermicelli, pan-fried pork belly, deep-fried shredded potatoes, vinegar-glazed cabbage, and hibiscus soup."

Madam Chen praised: "Weiguo, you are really amazing, being able to make so many dishes with so few ingredients."

Cao Weiguo and Madam Chen chatted while cooking.

The kitchen was full of talk and laughter, and soon an enticing aroma filled the room.

Because the aroma was so alluring, Madam Chen couldn't help but swallow her saliva, disregarding her manners.

Madam Chen praised: "Weiguo, your culinary skills really surprised me. Simple home-cooked dishes are made to have an endless aftertaste by you."

The four people talking in the study couldn't sit still either; the aroma was simply too enticing.

A square-faced man said: "Old Jiang, you really didn't brag. This chef's skills are high. Without even seeing the dishes, just smelling the fragrance makes me unable to stop drooling."

A man in military uniform greedily inhaled the aroma and said impatiently: "Let's stop talking and start eating quickly."

Director Jiang laughed: "Respect is better than obedience. Let's have Chen Fang serve the dishes now."

Director Jiang walked to the kitchen with a full face of smiles and praised Cao Weiguo:

"Weiguo, you are really great. Just smelling the fragrance, my comrades-in-arms there couldn't sit still."

Cao Weiguo said modestly: "Director Jiang, you overpraise me. Whether the dishes are delicious or not, one has to eat them to know."

Madam Chen laughed: "If they dare to say these dishes aren't delicious, I'll take a feather duster and chase them out."

Director Jiang said: "Wife, let's serve the dishes. The guests can't wait."

Madam Chen said with a smile: "Good, good, I'll serve the dishes now."

Cao Weiguo wanted to help, but Madam Chen said: "Weiguo, you've worked hard cooking. I can carry these dishes by myself."

Cao Weiguo diligently picked up a basin of pork belly stewed with vermicelli and said with a smile: "This is much easier than cooking in a big pot. I haven't even felt anything yet, and the dishes are done."

The two served the dishes together, and soon six dishes and one soup were placed on the table.

Director Jiang came out of the kitchen with the three guests, his eyes shining as he looked at the dishes on the table.

"I didn't expect a few home-cooked dishes to be made so fragrant."

The man in military uniform looked at Cao Weiguo with burning eyes: "Little comrade, I heard you work at the Rolling Steel Factory. Are you willing to transfer to the army?"

Cao Weiguo shook his head: "Leader, I just got married, and I don't want to live apart from her for a long time."

The man in military uniform said unhappily: "Hey, what a lack of ambition. A wife has tied you down. A great man shouldn't worry about not having a wife." ===== CHAPTER 86 =====