Chapter 2: A Thunderclap in the Cafeteria—This Ladle's Skill Explodes!

Red Star Steel Mill, Third Cafeteria.

Just past six thirty, the kitchen behind the cafeteria was already filled with billowing steam. The big stove's coal burned bright red, and the blower hummed loudly.

Several apprentice cooks were busily scrubbing piles of potatoes and Chinese cabbage. Beside the chopping board, a sturdy young man clumsily sliced shredded radish—Ma Hua, the only apprentice still somewhat loyal to the original owner.

“Ma... Master?” Ma Hua looked up as He Yuzhu entered, startled. He sensed something different about his master today; his eyes shone brighter and brimmed with newfound confidence.

“Hm.” He Yuzhu responded shortly, then walked straight to his designated stove, picking up a well-used, gleaming wok spatula. It was heavy in his hand.

“Ma Hua, let me see the ingredient list for the noon big pot dishes,” He Yuzhu said without wasting words.

“Here!” Ma Hua quickly wiped his hands on his apron and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper from beneath the greasy windowsill.

He Yuzhu glanced at it: braised cabbage with vermicelli, staple food was mixed wheat flour steamed buns. The broth was thin and bland, without a trace of oil or fishiness. The small amount of meat planned was likely reserved for the special stove.

“Where’s Wang Tou’er?” He asked about Wang Dahai, the cafeteria foreman.

“Wang foreman went to the storeroom to get today’s fine grain,” Liu Lan interrupted with a tone of schadenfreude. “He said some leaders are coming for an unexpected inspection, so there’ll be an extra special stove at noon. Silly Zhu, before he left, Wang Tou’er said you still have to cover the special stove work, so don’t mess it up.”

He Yuzhu’s eyes darkened. From the original owner’s memory, this reprimand of “messing up” was frequent—just fears that he might hoard supplies or botch the cooking. Wang Dahai lacked skill and responsibility and feared bearing blame himself.

“Understood.” He Yuzhu slapped the list back on the table. “For the big pot dishes, soak enough vermicelli in advance. Peel off two extra layers of cabbage stalks, cut thinner so it’s easier to chew. Steam buns steamed strictly per head, no extras.”

Liu Lan curled her lips. “Oh, what’s this? Turning over a new leaf? Usually, you steam extra buns so you can…”

“Do what you’re told!” He Yuzhu snapped sharply. “The factory’s grain quota is fixed; steaming one extra is waste! Anyone wanting more can pay for it themselves!”

Liu Lan’s face flushed red, and she sulked back. The apprentices exchanged glances, holding their breath. Ma Hua quickly promised, “Master, I’ll watch carefully to keep the portions exact!”

Just then, a drawn-out sarcastic voice came from the door:

“Heh, Silly Zhu, fiery mood today? Didn’t bring your lunchbox last night and feeling pent up?”

Xu Damao! That bastard was sure to show up at the scent of trouble. Wearing a four-pocket cadre jacket, slicked-back hair, arms crossed leaning against the doorframe, a habitual sneer on his face.

The cafeteria fell utterly silent as everyone pricked up their ears. The feud between Silly Zhu and Xu Damao was a staple entertainment.

He Yuzhu didn’t turn back but grabbed a rag, leisurely wiping the spatula, his tone flat as if commenting on the weather: “Xu Damao, is the propaganda department so idle? Coming to the kitchen to sniff smoke, aren’t you afraid of ruining your ‘cadre skin’? Or did the film screening yesterday go wrong again, so you got assigned here to find some significance?”

“You!” Xu Damao hated having his botched film screenings mentioned. His face flushed red. “Silly Zhu! Stop slandering! I’m just concerned about the cafeteria work! The leaders are hosting comrades from a brother factory at noon—do you think you, with your sloppy looks, can do it well? I don’t think we should rely on you, Wang Tou’er was wrong!”

He Yuzhu finally turned around, spinning the spatula in his hand with a smooth arc, tapping it lightly against the stove edge. He locked eyes with Xu Damao:

“Whether I can do well isn’t for you to decide. The leaders will taste it and know. But you, Xu Damao, a film projector operator, meddling with everything including the kitchen, stretching your hands so far—aren’t you afraid of the cafeteria’s bone cleaver? If you have the time, better figure out how to fix that projector instead of embarrassing our steel mill!”

A suppressed chuckle escaped from somewhere.

Xu Damao trembled with fury, pointing at He Yuzhu. “Fine! You sharp-tongued Silly Zhu! Let’s see how you handle noon! If the hospitality fails, this spatula won’t be yours for long!”

“No need to worry.” He Yuzhu turned away, uninterested. “Ma Hua, bring the five-spice pork belly we just got from the storeroom. Also soak the shiitake mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots. Prepare plenty of scallions, ginger, and garlic.”

Xu Damao left disgruntled, spitting on the ground in hatred under the amused gazes around.

The kitchen resumed its busy rhythm, but the atmosphere had clearly changed. No one dared ignore He Yuzhu’s words anymore.

Ma Hua quickly gathered the ingredients—a two-pound pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean, a rare treat. A few dried shiitake mushrooms, a small bunch of dried winter bamboo shoots, and scallions, ginger, and garlic.

He Yuzhu studied the ingredients, calculating rapidly in his mind. The leaders’ hospitality was mostly for show.

The original owner’s skills weren’t bad, but limited by materials and era, he repeated the same few dishes. He needed something different to impress and silence Wang Dahai and Xu Damao.

[Beep! Suitable location detected: Red Star Steel Mill Third Cafeteria Stove. Sign in?]

A cold mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

He Yuzhu froze, pupils contracting. A golden finger? A sign-in system?! He suppressed the shock, expression calm, silently thinking: “Sign in!”

[Sign-in successful! Acquired: Sichuan Twice-Cooked Pork Cooking Technique (Mastery Level) and Required Compound Seasoning (Trace Amount). Items have been delivered to system space and can be retrieved by thought.]

A flood of detailed information instantly surged into his mind: selecting meat, cooking, knife skills, stir-frying, seasoning… each step vividly clear as if rehearsed a thousand times.

At the same time, he sensed several small paper packets added to his system space.

Joy lasted only a moment before calm returned.

The opportunity had arrived! Twice-cooked pork! Sichuan cuisine was rare in the North, especially the unique spicy “twice-cooked” aroma from the compound seasoning—a guaranteed killer dish!

“Ma Hua,” He Yuzhu said steadily, “boil a pot of water. Scorch the pork skin to remove the gamey smell, then put it in cold water with slices of ginger, segments of scallion, and Sichuan peppercorns. Cook until a chopstick can pierce through, but don’t overcook.”

“Okay!” Ma Hua was puzzled by the sudden fussiness but dared not question and obeyed immediately.

He Yuzhu picked up the pork and, with fluid, precise motions, sliced it evenly and thinly. Liu Lan watching nearby even forgot to cut the vegetables.

When the meat was cooked, he fished it out and soaked it in cold water.

He Yuzhu thought and the small packets appeared in his apron pocket. Turning his back, he quickly mixed the powdered seasonings in a small bowl according to the proportions in his head. The broad bean paste was a cafeteria staple, so he scooped a heaping spoonful and added some finely chopped fermented black beans.

Ignite the stove! Flames roared.

He Yuzhu’s gaze was focused as he heated the pan with cold oil, then slid in the sliced pork. Sizzle! The rich aroma of meat instantly burst forth!

The pork curled into lamp-shaped nests as he added the mixed broad bean and black bean paste. The bright red chili oil steamed up, the unique compound sauce fragrance fiercely spreading through the kitchen! Everyone couldn’t help but inhale sharply.

“Fragrant! So fragrant!” Ma Hua whispered in awe.

Unmoved, He Yuzhu quickly added the white parts of the garlic shoots, soaked and sliced shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, flicking his wrist as the ladle tossed the ingredients dancing in the glossy oil sauce.

Finally, he drizzled a little vinegar, sprinkled garlic shoot leaves, poured in the secret compound seasoning powder, and gave it a few quick stirs over high heat.

“Serve!”

A plate of glossy, red, oily, fiercely aromatic twice-cooked pork was placed on the counter. The meat was slightly curled like little lampshades, accompanied by fresh, bright vegetables.

The intense sauce aroma, the mildly spicy meat fragrance mingled with the fresh scent of garlic shoots, seemed like an invisible hand gripping everyone’s senses tightly.

The entire kitchen fell silent. Everyone was dumbfounded, their mouths watering uncontrollably. This... was made by Silly Zhu? The aroma and appearance could easily outshine a master chef from a state-run restaurant!

He Yuzhu set down the spatula on the stove with a crisp clang.

Then he tore off his apron, wiped a nonexistent sweat from his brow, his gaze sweeping over the stunned crowd before resting on the shocked face of foreman Wang Dahai who had just entered.

“Wang Tou’er, the special stove dishes are ready. Would you like to inspect?” He Yuzhu’s tone was casual, as if he had just cooked some cabbage.

Wang Dahai stared at the shiny, aromatic plate of twice-cooked pork, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently, eyes wide like copper bells. After a long moment, he forced out a few words:

“...Good... very good! Silly Zhu... no, Yuzhu! You’ve been hiding your skills well!”

He Yuzhu said nothing, but his eyes flicked past Wang Dahai toward the path leading from the cafeteria to the factory area.

In the distance, Deputy Director Li was walking with several officials in varying uniforms, heading toward the cafeteria.