"You woke up so early? Is there too much noise here, disturbing you?"
"No. I've never liked lazy beds."
Yan Yan walked over, took Mu Juan'er's hand and led her to sit down at the small square table by the south wall of the backyard, then turned to go into the kitchen.
"Let's have breakfast first. I'm here to wait for you." Mu Juan'er grabbed her, pushed her to sit down at the table, and opened the earthen jar on the table with her own hands.
Yan Yan curiously looked into the soup can and saw that it was full of yellow snow-winged duck soup.
There is also a drawer of warm rice bread and two plates of cold side dishes with vegetable oil toppings on the table...
It was all the flavors that Yanyan mentioned accidentally that she liked to eat.
The soup looked untouched at first glance and was reserved just for her.
This beautiful creamy yellow color cannot be obtained by cooking it for only two or three hours.
Bringing two bowls, Yan Yan filled the soup and said, "Bi Cheng's appointment as his disciple has nothing to do with our friendship. If you continue to cook breakfast for me like this from now on, I won't eat it."
Yan Yan couldn't accept it in her conscience to let a blind man with limited mobility take care of her.
Mu Juaner held the soup bowl with a gentle smile: "A Cheng used to get up early to work. I'm used to getting up early to cook. I'm very happy to hear that you like the food I cooked. You don't let me do anything.
Do it, but I find it boring."
Mu Juaner was very diligent, and Yan Yan knew that she was telling the truth, so she stopped forcing herself and quickly finished breakfast and went into the kitchen.
When several young people who were working around Bi Cheng saw Yan Yan coming in, they quickly put down what they were doing and came over to salute Yan Yan respectfully.
The words used were all honorifics, and it was obviously something Bi Cheng had explained in advance.
Bi Cheng also quickly put down the spatula in his hand and came over to salute respectfully: "Master worked hard yesterday and should take more rest."
Yan Yan asked everyone to continue working and walked directly to the dish table to check the ingredients.
Bi Cheng quickly waved the people away and said respectfully: "Master, don't worry, all of them are high-quality ingredients, brought by the masters outside. The apprentice originally planned to go to buy goods early in the morning. Before he went out, he was blocked by these diners.
It’s home.”
Yan Yan nodded: "I've seen yesterday's order. I can't use up these ingredients, so I'll save the best ones. You know why."
Bi Cheng responded quickly: "Disciple knows that I have already stayed. They are all here. You can take a look."
Bi Cheng brought over a large old bamboo basket and opened the rattan cover on the door to show Yan Yan.
Yan Yan nodded, turned around and prepared to go out.
"Master, are you going out right now?" Bi Cheng said with a hint of guilt.
Yan Yan smiled: "What? You have been cooking for more than ten years, and you still want me to teach you step by step?"
Bi Cheng was a little embarrassed: "No, my apprentice doesn't have skills like you. I'm afraid..."
Yan Yan patted Bi Cheng on the shoulder: "To be my apprentice, you must first be confident enough. I have taught you the basic techniques, and the rest must be practiced diligently, plus the exclusive secret materials I give you.
Maru, just go ahead and do it. No one in the entire Luwu City kitchen can compete with you!"
"Yes! Disciple, I will obey my master's teachings!" Bi Cheng was refreshed and responded with a sonorous voice, and he immediately became full of energy.
Yan Yan nodded happily and walked out with his hands behind his back, leaving the steaming kitchen to Bi Cheng.
For a whole day, she never stepped foot into the kitchen again.
Instead of sitting by the wall drinking tea and eating melon seeds, I would just pick up a book and read through it. All orders were completed by Bi Cheng alone.
Making a banquet is a craft job.
Serving more than a dozen tables is a physical job.
Of course, this kind of hard work must be done by Bi Cheng.
As for the noble gentlemen outside who were eagerly waiting to taste Chef Yan's cooking skills, Mu Juan'er's clever mouth blocked the door, so Mr. Ghost knew who was cooking in the kitchen.
Except for the buyer who had eaten the food last night, no one else knew what it tasted like. Naturally, they didn’t know the true quality of the dishes, so they boasted about Bi Cheng’s craftsmanship.
Only Mu Juan'er would quietly turn her face to Yan Yan from time to time and stick out her tongue: "This dish is a bit hot, I don't know if the young leaves are burnt... It's a bit late to start the pot, and the fragrance of the dish is gone... Ah
I have this skill, but it’s still far behind yours.”
Yan Yan slowly peeled the melon seed shells: "The heat is slowly simmered. It doesn't matter, just grind it more and it will be done."
Those fat-headed nobles don't have Mu Juan'er's clear heart, so they don't know a thing.
When the sun sets, the last wave of guests are sent away, and the courtyard finally becomes quiet.
The young helpers received their wages for the day, even the kitchen and yard were swept clean, and they went to drink wine together.
Bi Cheng put the collected balance of the order and the heavy two generations of gold on the table, and looked at the two women sitting at the table with a silly smile.
After two days of hard work, I have earned enough for a lifetime!
Master, she is simply a money tree!
The money tree had no expression on his face as he took a sip from his teacup.
Bi Cheng: "..."
Mu Juaner: "..."
Why are you still unhappy?
It's so worrying and distressing, but I just don't know what to do.
Yan Yan raised her head, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the wooden window and onto the light yellow pink wall opposite her.
Standing up, she stretched and said, "You two have worked hard today. You two should rest early."
From the beginning to the end, Yan Yan never looked at those gold bags.
Bi Cheng and Mu Juaner touched each other's hands under the table.
Yan Yan didn't notice their little movements, and walked towards the door with slightly lowered eyebrows.
As soon as one foot stepped out of the threshold of the main room, I heard the clear sound of hoofbeats coming from the deep alley, and a sedan slowly stopped outside the door of the small courtyard.
Yan Yan raised her head suddenly and turned nervously to look at Bi Cheng: "Quick, get ready to entertain the distinguished guests!"
"Ah? Hey!" Bi Cheng and Mu Juaner stood up in panic.
They had never seen Yan Yan in such a panic.
...Who is here? What is this?
There are two rattan chairs and a small rattan table in the center of the small courtyard.
Sitting on one of the chairs was a middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man is wearing a navy blue ganoderma-patterned gauze and satin gown. He has a medium build, looks a little rich, and has a surprisingly white complexion.
Because his skin is particularly white, his appearance, which is not particularly outstanding, is made more gentle and kind. He wears a high scarf of the same color on his head, with a piece of warm-colored white jade embellished in the middle of his forehead.
The man's demeanor was calm and gentle, not like the richest man in the city, but like a civil servant who has become an official.
The only sign of his wealth was that he was playing with a golden three-legged coin-holding toad in his palm.
The middle-aged man and Bi Cheng were sitting opposite each other, and the two were talking.
The butler behind him stood politely.
Yan Yan stood by the window of the inner room, quietly watching the middle-aged man in trance.
After not hearing her move for a long time, Mu Juaner walked over slowly: "What are you looking at? You're so fascinated."
Yan Yan's eyes did not move, and he spoke absentmindedly: "I'm looking to see if his appearance is different from ours."