Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle

Chapter 1261 604: Heading to Guangdong Province

After informing Mr. Qin, Qin Huai also told his parents the good news that many friends would join him in returning to Qin Family Village to celebrate the New Year this year.

In contrast to Mr. Qin's bewilderment, Zhao Rong and Qin Congwen accepted the fact within a minute.

How to put it? Going to a friend's house for New Year, especially with so many people going in a group, is certainly absurd, but considering the destination is Qin Huai's house makes it quite reasonable.

Who wouldn't want to wake up on a national festive day like New Year and taste the delicious snacks made by Master Qin?

It's just that Qin Huai didn't send out invitations; otherwise, if Qin Huai casually posted an announcement at the entrance of Yunzhong Restaurant, residents of Yunzhong District and nearby office workers might make an unconventional decision—to bring their whole family to Qin Family Village for the New Year.

Over there, after drafting for half a month and preparing mentally for several days, Wang Gen Sheng finally confessed to his wife and applied to celebrate New Year at Qin Huai's house upon Cheng Gong's agreement.

Chen Juan approved the application instantly.

She also suggested that Wang Gen Sheng didn't cherish his relationship with Qin Huai enough. How come he only secured one spot for such an important occasion and didn't bring his wife?

Next time, strive to secure an extra spot and bring your wife along.

Grandchildren have their fortunes; they can meet anytime, so why must they be together to eat and celebrate New Year? The old couple has spent so many New Years with their children; it's time they have some personal space and follow the current trend among young people—to celebrate New Year at a friend's house.

Thus, the list of friends going to celebrate New Year at Qin Huai's house was finalized.

Gong Liang, among the wife and children group, was the only spirit not going to Qin Huai's house for the New Year dinner. Qin Huai also asked Chen Huihong whether she would bring Huihui over, but Chen Huihong stated it wasn't necessary as in Guangdong Province there were no companions familiar to Huihui, and being in an unfamiliar place during the New Year wouldn't make her happy.

Speaking of which, Qin Huai can now make Longevity Noodles that meet the requirements.

Chen Huixi's birthday is June 28th, and Qin Huai plans to make a bowl of perfect Longevity Noodles for her birthday, which was his most desired task when he figured out the noodle recipe.

Although there was no gentle reminder in the recipe, Chen Huixi's status was confirmed to have dissipated; she's just an ordinary person now. Despite not planning to tell Chen Huihong the truth, Qin Huai feels Huihui needs to eat such a bowl of Longevity Noodles on her birthday.

From this year onward, every birthday of Chen Huixi needs such a bowl of Longevity Noodles.

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"Sister Xi, during the New Year Yunzhong Restaurant will rely on you, please bear the burden from Little New Year's Eve to the fifteenth of the first lunar month. All your work will be calculated at triple wages; you can compile the roster and send it to my mom. Everyone has worked hard this year, and at year-end there'll be an additional two-month bonus. Remember to secretly give Youyou an extra 10,000 yuan, telling her it's a special attendance award." Qin Huai whispered in a meeting with Huang Xi on the second floor.

That's how Yunzhong Restaurant operates; neither the boss nor management has offices, so when you want to convene, just run up to the second floor when it's vacant and talk quietly.

Huang Xi nodded, noted it down, and laughed: "Youyou will certainly be happy; I heard she'll go to celebrate New Year with everyone at your house, Master Qin. It'll surely be lively. When making New Year calls, I can be lazy and make one call as if everyone hears it."

Qin Huai laughed: "Then, Sister Xi, you just need to call Youyou for New Year's greetings; she'll definitely put it on speaker."

This year's New Year is late, not until the end of February. Considering he stayed in Shan City until the New Year last year, Qin Huai plans to return early this year after missing the chance to visit the Sanmalu Children's Welfare Institute and Director Qin due to returning late.

Return before Little New Year's Eve!

At the same time, Qin Huai also granted Wang Jun a long holiday. Wang Jun's primary purpose in Yunzhong Restaurant was to assist Qin Huai, and now that Master Qin has taken leave, his assistant can also take leave.

Previously when Wang Jun was at Huang Ji, he barely had a handful of days off during New Year; it's Huang Ji's busiest season, and a direct disciple like Huang Shengli could barely rest one day from the first to the seventh day, only taking winter vacation after New Year's.

This is how the culinary industry works; the busier the holidays, the more staggered leave is necessary.

Qin Huai's current plan for New Year's is thus:

Considering Qin Luo will certainly be so swept away by fun that she pays no heed to homework when returning home for New Year, she'll need to finish her pending assignments in Shan City beforehand, allowing her to enjoy unrestrainedly during the festival. Therefore, Zhao Rong and Qin Congwen will stay a few more days in Shan City to supervise their daughter.

Qin Huai plans to return to Guangdong Province two days before Little New Year's Eve and visit Cao Guixiang in town.

Throughout the latter half of the year, Qin Huai didn't return to Guangdong Province to visit Cao Guixiang, and their video calls were rare because it wasn't necessary. With his current prowess, queries requiring Cao Guixiang's guidance on pastry and snacks have sharply decreased, and many of the deficiencies in meat cooking are mended by Wang Jun, an excellent assistant.

Cao Guixiang herself feels Qin Huai doesn't need to expend excessive effort on foundational meat cooking exercises. His knife skills are barely adequate, and while practicing Fire Control is commendable, if there's indeed no time, the tasks can be delegated as Qin Huai is both a snack and breakfast master.

Previously, Qin Huai wanted to learn everything due to being in an apprentice mindset, feeling that making snacks required personal involvement in every aspect. Cao Guixiang respected Qin Huai's thoughts, considering him talented and eager, so encouraged his training. Who knows, maybe he'll become a genuine hexagonal warrior?

Just like Zheng Siyuan, whose meat cooking is exceptionally good for a pastry snack master.

Now, Master Qin has become Master Qin, a true culinary master, learning to effectively utilize assistants and differentiate tasks not needing masterful attention.

Under this mindset shift, and considering Qin Huai's busy schedule, their interaction didn't dwindle but transformed into chats about everyday topics on social media.

When not serving as a mentor, Cao Guixiang is an ordinary retired lady, often sending Zhang Chu to the market instead of shopping personally; her days are leisurely, spent meeting retired friends for mountain hikes, park outings, chats, or at home watching TV and knitting.

When Qin Huai was busy, it was understandable he had limited dialogue with Cao Guixiang. But nearing New Year, how could he not actively present gifts, bringing several suitcases of snack prototypes to demonstrate his meticulous progress to dear Master Cao?

According to Qin Huai's plan, he'd visit Cao Guixiang before the New Year as early greetings and then head to Gusu post-Year to greet Huang Shengli and Zheng Da, additionally taking Huang Ji's festival accounts for Wang Gen Sheng's review, subsequently stopping by Hangzhou for greetings to Master Zhou and the chef colleagues at Zhiwei Restaurant.

Indeed, visiting Gusu first then Hangzhou, Qin Huai believed his dear Master Zheng would surely discern his subtle intentions through this itinerary.

With these arrangements in place, Qin Huai and Shi Dadan set off on February 11th, towing four large suitcases filled with snack prototypes, bound for Guangdong Province.