Chapter 343 - 187: A Taste Beyond Compare

Chapter 343: Chapter 187: A Taste Beyond Compare

"Alright, then I’ll leave it in your hands." Zhou Ming handed the tea to Song Wanqing. "This tea is from the ancient trees on the mountain behind our school. It’s just a small token of my appreciation, for Mr. Song to try."

Song Wanqing reached out for the tea packet, nodding with a smile. "Okay. My grandfather happens to love tea, so I’ll be sure to pass along your kind gesture."

"Goodbye," Zhou Ming said, offering a traditional cupped-fist salute.

"Goodbye, Zhou." Song Wanqing smiled and nodded.

Zhou Ming turned and walked over to Zhou Yan as the main gate slowly closed behind him.

"Ming, I think you’ve got a good shot at this," Zhou Yan said with a smile on the way back.

"I couldn’t even meet him. I’d say it’s a long shot," Zhou Ming sighed. "I asked around before. Song Changhe said that the Spear Technique is only passed down to the Song family. He has two sons, and neither is interested in practicing martial arts."

"Then you need to change your approach. Figure out a way to become part of the Song family, and problem solved, right?" Zhou Yan said, tilting his head.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Zhou Ming was baffled.

"I’m talking about Song Wanqing, Teacher Song. Isn’t she a teacher at No. 1 High School? And you just got transferred back there." Zhou Yan slammed on the brakes, turning to look at him with a serious expression. "You can’t knock open the door to Number 8 Dongfeng Lane, so why not try knocking on the door to Teacher Song’s heart? That way, Song Changhe will definitely be happy to teach you the Spear Technique, and our aunt’s wish from today will come true as well."

Zhou Ming listened, stunned. He scratched his head and said, "I want to learn his art. How can I have designs on his granddaughter? That’s not honorable!"

Zhou Yan laughed. "Who knows? Maybe ’Song Xue Mei’ is thinking about her ’Senior Zhou’ too. In any case, if you want to learn Song Changhe’s spear, you have to find your opening through Song Wanqing. However, you absolutely cannot be a simp. You have to maintain your prestige as a martial arts champion. Don’t ruin your image."

"What’s a ’simp’?" Zhou Ming asked seriously.

"It’s when you know you can’t have her but you still go out of your way to be nice to her. See? That’s a simp." Zhou Yan looked at him and said earnestly, "Also, don’t go around saying, ’But she’s different.’ That’s classic simp behavior too."

Zhou Ming said wryly, "But Mr. Song *is* different."

"See? You know you can’t win him over, but you still go out of your way to be nice to him. Isn’t that being a simp?" Zhou Yan said, throwing his hands up.

Zhou Ming fell silent.

"You can’t be like that with Teacher Song," Zhou Yan said earnestly. "Otherwise, you won’t be able to keep up with all the simping."

"Damn! Let’s go, let’s go home!" Zhou Ming clapped him on the back, unable to stop himself from laughing.

Zhou Yan laughed and pedaled away on his bicycle. He didn’t understand romance, but he couldn’t stand simps.

’He couldn’t have the Zhou Family, known for its loyal and upright members, suddenly produce some kind of Gotham fanatic.’

’But that Teacher Song... you could tell at a glance she was in a much higher league than Ming. With her calling him ’Zhou’ over and over, wasn’t he bound to get all flustered?’

Back at the restaurant, everyone was already inside.

Some were gathered around tables playing long cards, while others were on the long benches by the door, setting up a Dragon Gate Formation. The children were having the time of their lives playing on the paved area out front.

The matriarch and Zhang Zhengping were sitting at the entrance, chatting idly.

When Zhang Zhengping saw Zhou Yan and Zhou Ming return, he greeted them, stood up, and said with a smile, "I’m heading back tomorrow. I’m going to swing by Ji Hongtao’s place for a bit."

"Grand-uncle, why don’t you ask Dr. Ji to join us for dinner tonight?" Zhou Yan suggested with a smile.

"This is a family gathering. It wouldn’t be appropriate to invite him," Zhang Zhengping said, shaking his head.

"What’s inappropriate about it? He’s your student, that’s practically family," Zhou Yan said, taking a step closer to his grand-uncle and lowering his voice. "Dr. Ji is the deputy director of the factory hospital, and the medical facilities there are better than at the local clinic. If you introduce us, Grand-uncle, we’ll have a contact if there’s ever an emergency at home, you know?"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhengping smiled, looking at Zhou Yan with pleased surprise. "So the Zhou Family has finally produced someone who knows how to think ahead. Alright, I’ll head over and see. If he’s not busy, I’ll bring him back with me."

"Great. I’ll go get started on the food then," Zhou Yan said with a smiling nod.

’Some things were best said plainly. Given his grand-uncle’s relationship with his grandmother, there was no way he’d refuse.’

’Zhou Yan had been banking on that, which was why he’d been so direct.’

’With the elderly and children in the family, minor illnesses like headaches and fevers were inevitable.’

’The chance to connect with the deputy director of the factory hospital was rare. With his grand-uncle, the man’s mentor, pulling the strings, maintaining the relationship would be much easier down the line.’

’Zhou Yan just wanted to get his face known. That way, if anyone really did end up in the hospital, he’d have someone to call for help.’

’Besides, someone at the deputy director level was bound to have some connections at the city hospital, which was far more effective than him running around like a headless chicken in a crisis.’

Hearing the two’s conversation, the corners of the matriarch’s mouth lifted in a slight smile.

’Zhang Zhengping had a point. The men of the Zhou Family were all stubborn and single-minded, not very good at adapting.’

’Zhou Yan was different. Ever since he started his business, his mind had become much more nimble, and now he was even taking the initiative to maintain connections.’

’That was something his father and his uncles had never been able to learn.’

"Zhou Yan, need any help?" Zhou Jie asked, putting down his cards.

"It’s only three tables, no help needed. You go on and play," Zhou Yan said with a laugh. On a normal day, all twenty tables would be full and they’d be turning them over. It was only three-thirty, and the stewed meat had been prepared that morning. He could prep the other dishes at a leisurely pace. There was no rush at all.

"Uncle, I’ll be your assistant!" Zhou Lihui declared, following him into the kitchen.

"Alright, you can wash vegetables and tend the fire," Zhou Yan chuckled, not turning away his young apprentice.

There was no rush to start the stir-frying. He first set the beef brisket and pork ribs to simmer in a pot. Stews had to be prepared in advance, slow-cooked over low heat to develop a rich flavor.

Then, he started prepping the other ingredients.

The amount of prep work in a restaurant kitchen was actually considerable, on par with the cooking itself.