The Game of Life

The two amateurs in cooking Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon really started to seriously consider how to make a proper and excellent dish of it.

Jiang Feng and Sun Jikai were in charge of cooking, Ji Yue was responsible for eating, Sang Ming took care of chopping vegetables while mooching food, and Jiang Weisheng supervised Sang Ming’s chopping and mooched as well.

The scene was very harmonious for a while.

Eventually, Ji Yue, burping, holding a half-consumed milk tea, went out to change clothes and prepare for work.

As soon as Jiang Jiankang, who had gone home for a nap to improve his work quality, walked into the kitchen, he saw Jiang Feng and Sun Jikai huddled together researching how to perfect the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant

Pigeon.

“Sun Jikai, I thought you had the night off today, why haven’t you left yet?”

Jiang Jiankang asked.

Sun Jikai:…

That’s right, he was only scheduled for half a shift today; he had just come to look for a cufflink, so how did he end up researching Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon with Jiang Feng?

How had the plot developed to this point?

Where did the problem start?

Sun Jikai felt there was something off with his memory, he couldn’t remember why his search for cufflinks had turned into a cooking research session.

The sequence of events seemed so strange, yet before Jiang Jiankang voiced his concerns, Sun Jikai had taken it all as natural.

Sun Jikai felt it was time for him to leave.

As the young proprietor of Jubao Building, working overtime without extra pay was not his style.

“Ah, since you’re already here, Sun Jikai, why not just continue working through the evening? Next time I’ll find a way to make up for it with a full day off. Half a day off doesn’t really count for much,” Jiang Jiankang said. “1 need to find some time to discuss with Manager Fan and readjust the schedule for

days off.”

Hearing Jiang Jiankang propose this, Sun Jikai again felt there was sense to it.

Since he was already here and had already stayed for overtime, why not just go

all in and turn it into a regular shift?

“I think the problem was with your loosening technique. My grandfather was really fast when he made Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon,” Sun Jikai decided to commit to the overtime.

“The speed of my loosening is already fast. I don’t think that’s the issue; it’s the slurry that’s not right. The timing of the final thickening wasn’t ideal either,” Jiang Feng raised an objection.

“Yes, it’s mainly the slurry that’s the issue,” Sun Jikai agreed, turning his head to check on the pigeon soup in the pot, “Let’s try again once this soup is done.”

“Why don’t you call your grandfather?” Jiang Feng suggested.

“My grandfather blacklisted my phone number and WeChat,” Sun Jikai said expressionlessly.

Jiang Feng:…

Indeed, being kicked out of the house was not an exaggeration at all.

Jiang Feng glanced at the time, it was 4 pm. The kitchen always started its evening service before the lobby, so once they finished this batch of Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, it was time to tidy up the stove and prepare for the night.

“Let’s finish up these last two pigeons, then we can clean up the stove,” Jiang Feng said.

“Okay,” Sun Jikai agreed.

In just two short hours, the relationship between Jiang Feng and Sun Jikai had evolved from mere colleagues to plastic brothers, a rapid progress second only to Jiang Jiankang roping someone into visiting the pig farm.

“By the way, there’s something I’ve been wanting to say for a long time,” Sun Jikai suddenly said.

Jiang Feng’s hand paused as he was cleaning the cooking station, startled, wondering if their relationship had progressed to a point where they could confide deeply and share personal matters.

“What’s the matter?”

“Why is Ji Xue’s stir-fried beef ho fun priced 8 yuan more than mine? The stir- fried beef ho fun at Jubao Building is sold for 48, and your pricing is way too cheap,” Sun Jikai said.

“Your stir-fried noodles are that expensive?” Jiang Feng was surprised.

“It’s stir-fried beef ho fun,” Sun Jikai felt he needed to restore some dignity to stir-fried beef ho fun, “Stir-fried beef ho fun and stir-fried noodles are completely different!”

“I’ll talk to my mom about this tonight and see if we can change your stir-fned beef ho fun back to 48. She’s the one who sets the prices for our restaurant s main dishes,” Jiang Feng said, implying that we’re all good brothers, and I’ll definitely take care of this little issue for you.

And casually change Ji Xue’s stir-fried beef ho fun to 56.

The evening business went smoothly, aside from Jiang Feng still not being able to sell any wontons, pickled vegetable dumplings, Marriage Set Meals, or Li Hongzhang hodgepodge, there were no unpleasant incidents.

With Ji Xue’s clay pot Hua Diao Chicken as assurance, Taifeng Building’s private room occupancy stayed high.

After a day’s business, Ji Yue floated into the back kitchen from the lobby. Having gorged on three Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeons that afternoon, Ji Yue felt guilty and decided to punish herself by skipping dinner and opting for barbecue as a late-night snack instead.

“Hey, you two head chefs, let’s go. It’s half past nine now, and by the time we get to the barbecue place by the East Gate, it’ll be around ten. I just called Qiqi to ask her to come downstairs at 9:45- We’ll probably finish the barbecue around eleven, and then I’ll go back to draw for three hours and sleep at two, just perfect,” Ji Yue planned everything out clearly.

“Sleep at two, are you cultivating?” Ever since Jiang Feng resumed his normal culinary work and became as tired as a dog every day, he never knew the sensation of cultivation again.

“Didn’t you see that, what’s its name, I don’t remember who said it either, but you shouldn’t eat three hours before bed. If we finish barbecue at eleven, it’s perfectly fine for me to go to bed at two. It’s very reasonable!” Ji Yue said with an air of obviousness, clearly a logical genius.

Jiang Feng:…

Women are terrifying when they deceive themselves.

“Xue, we’re going to have barbecue now, do you want to join us?” Ji Yue saw Ji Xue, who was helping to clean up the kitchen, and invited her.

Ji Xue shook her head: “I don’t like that kind of food, I won’t go. You guys go ahead.”

Jiang Feng secretly gave Ji Yue a look, reminding her of Ji Xue’s difficult financial situation.

Ji Yue suddenly came to her senses, cursing herself for eating pigeons today and stuffing her brain silly.

“Mr. Jiang, can I take these not-so-fresh vegetables home to practice at night?” Ji Xue asked, pointing to the leftover vegetables.

“Take whatever you want, don’t be shy. Our restaurant gets fresh supplies every day, and you can take these if you want, just make sure to record it,” Jiang Jiankang agreed readily, “Anyway, there’s not much leftover each day, justkeep a record.”

“Okay,” Ji Xue immediately perked up, rummaging through the pile of leftover vegetables as if she was shopping at a vegetable market.

“Xue, don’t just take vegetables, you can also take some meat if you want, just remember to record it. Our restaurant’s furnace chefs are allotted a certain amount of practice ingredients, so feel free to practice without worries,” Jiang Jiankang said.

Ji Yue shifted her gaze from Ji Xue, turned her head to Jiang Feng and Sun Jikai, and said, “Let’s go, you two. Get changed quickly, we’re off to skewers.” “Right, since there’s a crowd for skewers tonight, why don’t we drink some beer?” Ji Yue suggested.

“Don’t drink.”

“Don’t drink.”

Jiang Feng and Sun Jikai both refused at once.

” Just some beer with the skewers, it’s no fun without beer!

Unmoved, Jiang Feng and Sun Jikai walked into the changing room, ignoring

her.