Chapter 398 - 202: Great Minds Think Alike

Chapter 398: Chapter 202: Great Minds Think Alike

Kong Qingfeng shook his head. "The last time I had this was over twenty years ago. It just tastes a little familiar. I’ll have to buy some later and give it another try. In any case, for this braised meat Zhou Yan makes, you probably couldn’t find a better one in all of Jiazhou."

"Is this what a genius is like? Good at everything, perfecting anything he touches. It’s just unreal!" Kong Liwei sighed, then quickly added, full of excitement, "I’m going to have to ask him for advice later on how a genius is made."

"A genius is born, not made. If you can become one through practice, you’re not a genius—that’s just called ’heaven rewards the diligent.’" Kong Guodong rolled his eyes at him. "It’s fine if you’re a bit dumb; your master won’t hold it against you. But if you’re dumb *and* lazy, I’ll be tempted to smack you upside the head!"

"Master, all our brothers are here. You have to save me some face," Kong Liwei said, his face a mask of misery.

Kong Guodong replied, "Then I’ll just smack you when we get back."

Everyone laughed. They ate and chatted, and besides discussing cooking techniques, they also shared some interesting recent stories.

This was how it always was when peers in the same trade got together.

The shop talk was for the first half; the second half was usually reserved for industry gossip.

And you always talked about whoever didn’t show up.

They had a grand time of it.

Once the hot dishes were all served, Xiao Lei and Zheng Qiang grabbed a stool and squeezed in at a table with their brothers to eat.

Naturally, everyone immediately showered the pair with another round of compliments.

For the past couple of years, the skill level of many rural chefs in Jiazhou had been subpar. As long as they could steam a dish and get it on the table, they dared to call themselves rural chefs, dragging their steamers around and soliciting business everywhere.

If their skills weren’t up to snuff, they’d just lower their prices, and there would always be someone willing to hire them.

The Nine Big Bowls made by Xiao Lei and Zheng Qiang today, paired with Zhou Yan’s braised meat, was absolutely a top-tier countryside banquet in Jiazhou.

The catered banquets from Le Ming Restaurant and Feiyan Restaurant might be more high-end, but for the same price, they could never produce a feast that would earn such relentless praise from so many guests.

For a countryside banquet, besides the convenience for the guests, value for money was also a crucial factor.

After the banquet, Zhou Yan had planned to go see a Sichuan opera with Mrs. Zhao and the others. However, he was intercepted and dragged away by Kong Liwei and a crowd of his apprentice-brothers, who spent the whole afternoon grilling him on ’how a genius is made.’

Fortunately, Zhou Yan had recently been reading *How Steel is Made*, so the wisdom he shared was quite solid and reliable. The theme of ’diligent study and hard work’ ran through his entire "lecture," causing the crowd of apprentices and masters to nod repeatedly in agreement.

"Zhou, when you have time, you should come to our training center and give a talk to the students, share some of your experiences," Kong Qingfeng said, holding onto Zhou Yan’s arm. "The new students and apprentices, especially—they need a peer like you to give them some confidence and a bit of a push."

"Sure thing, I’ll definitely come next time," Zhou Yan said with a smiling nod. ’As for when ’next time’ might be... we can figure that out next time.’

’What could he possibly talk about?’

’After all, his was an unorthodox path; his personal experience wasn’t something he could easily talk about.’

Xu Yunliang stayed and chatted until three o’clock before leaving. Before he went, he got Zhou Yan’s address, promising to mail him the cookbook as soon as he got back.

Qian Siyuan had his driver take him to the Jiazhou Bus Terminal, which allowed him to catch the last bus to Rongcheng.

’Life isn’t easy for a working man.’

Today was a rescheduled workday for him. Tomorrow was supposed to be his day off, but now he had to go back and make up the hours.

The evening banquet was no less sumptuous than the one at noon. The selection for the Nine Big Bowls was even different this time. The braised meat, however, remained a constant, and the guests ate with beaming smiles, all praising Qian Siyuan for having class and for taking this appreciation banquet so seriously.

Qian Siyuan earned a great reputation, and Xiao Lei and Zheng Qiang landed four new orders.

Every countryside banquet was its own best advertisement.

They would take orders from anywhere within Jiazhou.

After all, it was only a dozen or so kilometers from Suji to Linjiang. Hiring a tractor to haul the pots, stoves, and steamers wouldn’t add much to the cost.

Zhou Yan was happy, too.

Now, whenever Xiao Lei and his team took an order, their number one condition was that they had to use Zhou Yan’s braised meat.

Customers who had tasted the braised meat would grit their teeth and agree.

It was more expensive than providing their own meat to be braised, but the flavor was worlds better.

The guests who liked to drink, in particular, couldn’t stop singing the praises of the day’s braised meat.

Some even came looking for Zhou Yan to ask for his shop’s address. For a true foodie, making a special trip to Suji just to buy some braised meat wasn’t considered too outrageous.

Serving a portion of braised meat like this at a dinner party would really elevate the whole affair.

Zhou Yan welcomed them all. He absolutely loved these enthusiastic customers.

’His mission to break out of his circle was counting on their support.’

The evening banquet ended, and the guests began to disperse.

Zhou Yan and his brothers went forward to help load Xiao Lei’s team’s cookware and steamers onto the tractor.

With so many strong young men helping, they finished loading in no time.

Qian Siyuan pulled Xiao Lei and Zhou Yan aside. He took a thick stack of Great Unity bills from his secretary, Wang, and handed it to Xiao Lei. "Master Xiao, here is the payment for the countryside banquet and the separate cost for the braised meat. At four yuan a table, the total is 580 yuan. Please count it."

"Alright." Xiao Lei took the money, quickly counted it through, and nodded. "That’s right. Exactly 580."

Then, Qian Siyuan took two red envelopes from Wang and handed them to Zhou Yan and Xiao Lei with a smile. "Here, a little bonus. Today’s countryside banquet was a great success. The guests were all very satisfied, and I’ve gotten no end of compliments. They’re all saying the Kong Sect really produces talented people. You two, master and apprentice, have worked hard."

"I know your tradition is to accept a red envelope from the host after a banquet, so please, take this as a token of my gratitude. This trip to trace my roots has been absolutely perfect. I’ll be heading back to the United States in a couple of days, but we can keep in touch through letters."

Zhou Yan didn’t reach out for it, looking instead to Xiao Lei.

Xiao Lei was silent for a moment before reaching out to accept the envelope. He nodded. "Alright, in that case, we’ll accept. Thank you, Boss Qian."

"Thank you, Boss Qian." Only then did Zhou Yan accept the red envelope. It was stuffed with a thick stack of Great Unity bills, no smaller than the wad of cash Qian Siyuan had handed to Master Xiao just moments before.