Chapter 2 Cook Li Shengli

Half an hour later, the vegetables in the bowl were almost gone, with only some soup left.

"It has to be you, Master Li. I can't praise you enough." A master next to him gave a thumbs up. He was Master Yang who was steaming buns.

"Yes, Master, when will I be able to cook like this?" This is the young apprentice Liu Xikui.

"It's almost done. This is a big pot meal, there aren't many details to it. The main things are the heat and seasoning. You learn slowly, and watch carefully while I cook. Later you can cook by yourself, and I can slowly let go." Li Shengli taught his apprentice.

These days, the factory has a stable job, and this big pot of rice is no secret. As a modern man, Li Shengli has no intention of keeping things to himself.

"Okay, thank you, Master." Liu Xikui jumped for joy. After all, it would be easier to pass the exam if he learned it. His salary would also increase.

Seeing his apprentice's happy expression, Li Shengli smiled. In this era, learning a craft requires three years of apprenticeship, and after the apprentice is finished, the master will keep some skills, but Li Shengli does not have such an idea.

After all, I didn't plan to be a chef for the rest of my life. If I could train a few apprentices, wouldn't it be much easier for me? But when passing on my skills, I had to choose people with good character and a certain amount of talent.

Liu Xikui is a good person who respects his teachers, but he is not very talented and can only be a chef in an ordinary restaurant. He cannot learn the skills of a royal chef.

"Team leader, it's almost time to go back to work in the afternoon. The food is sold out and there's no one outside." Kitchen helper Yao Qin shouted at the food window.

"Okay, got it." Wang Tiezhu responded, stood up, clapped his hands, and called together the kitchen staff.

"Everyone, please clean up and get ready to go off work. Everyone please follow the rules. I won't say any more." Wang Tiezhu said with a stern face and a serious tone. Every chef has his own rules, but Wang Tiezhu's rules are that you can eat but you can't take.

"Don't worry, squad leader. Our canteen is the most hygienic in the entire steel rolling mill. We are also the advanced canteen every month. We all know what to do." Liu Xikui and other kitchen helpers said in unison.

"Okay, let's start cleaning. Yao Qin, you ladies will be responsible for cleaning the cafeteria outside. Sweep it clean and mop the floor." Wang Tiezhu didn't say any more nonsense and immediately assigned work to everyone, which highlighted his efficiency.

"Brothers, clean up your kitchen utensils. Xikui, you guys go pour out the slop." Wang Tiezhu said as he cleaned up the utensils he had eaten.

Everyone responded and worked for a while until they finished the work in their hands.

The remaining soup in the basin was not wasted. However, Wang Tiezhu did not take the remaining things with him. The chefs generally did not take these things with them either. If they did, they would take the leftovers from the small kitchen.

Li Shengli didn't take it with him either, because if he took it back, someone in the hospital would always be concerned about it.

After finishing the work in the cafeteria, there is nothing to do in the afternoon. Li Shengli is mainly responsible for lunch and dinner.

There were fewer people eating at night, so the rations in each canteen were smaller. Li Shengli had nothing to do, so he just wandered around the factory.

I didn't walk far before I saw a group of people gathered in front of me. What gossip were they chatting about? There were not many entertainment activities these days. Everyone liked to chat about gossip together, such as whose wife was beautiful, who was kicked off the bed by his wife, and who went into the woods with a widow.

Thinking this in his mind, Li Shengli moved closer curiously.

"Hey, have you heard? Jia Dongxu from Workshop 9 has applied for overtime again." A young worker squatting on the side said mysteriously.

"He has applied for it several times, isn't he afraid of exhausting himself?" someone nearby echoed.

"You don't know this, right? Jia Dongxu's wife has been pregnant for several months. If he doesn't work harder, he won't be able to support his family." The young man who spoke in front of him said the reason why Jia Dongxu often applied for overtime. Recently, Jia Dongxu often applied for overtime. His colleagues in the workshop asked him about it, and Jia Dongxu also explained the reason for his overtime. The workshop couldn't keep secrets, and it didn't take long for the news to spread throughout the yard.

"Alas, it's because the ration is too small, not enough for us to eat. What's more, nowadays you may not be able to buy food even if you have money." The person who asked the question in front sighed and said worriedly. Every family has its own problems.

"Besides, a pregnant woman can't just eat coarse grains." An older worker said, sounding very experienced.

"Is that so? Old Liu, explain it in detail." The young man next to him urged the older worker to explain in detail with an expression of having learned something new.

"Listen to me, I have experience in this matter. When my wife was pregnant..." His voice suddenly trailed off.

Hearing this, Li Shengli did not move forward anymore. Instead, he walked away leisurely with his hands behind his back.

It’s hard to say about other things without knowing me, but Jia Dongxu is quite family-oriented, Li Shengli thought.

After strolling for a while, Li Shengli was frozen by the weather, so he returned to the kitchen. He sat on a stool and read a book. It was still early, not yet time for dinner.

After reading for a while, Li Shengli thought it was almost time, so the kitchen helper was responsible for washing and cutting the vegetables, and Li Shengli only had to take care of cooking. Soon, Li Shengli finished cooking.

There are few people eating at night, most of them are single workers living in the staff dormitory. Everyone usually gets their meals and goes home to eat, and few people eat in the cafeteria. After Li Shengli gets his meals, he cleans up the cafeteria, and when the time comes, everyone leaves.

Li Shengli walked out of the cafeteria carrying a lunch box in a net bag. He exchanged a few words with his co-workers when he met them on the way and then staggered towards the factory gate.

"Hey, Uncle Wang, Brother Sun, it's you who are on guard again. You must have worked hard. Come on, have a cigarette." Li Shengli took out cigarettes and gave them to the two men in the guard room.

"Shengli, it's time to get off work." Wang Dahe took the cigarette, smelled it, and put it to his ear.

"It's not like we've just finished cleaning. There's no entertaining today."

"No more talking, it's time to go home. Brothers, do you still need to check?"

Li Shengli said this and picked up the net bag in his hand and shook it at the two of them.

"Hey, what are you checking?" Wang Dahe smiled and waved his hand.

"Go back quickly, be careful on the road, it's very slippery."

Li Shengli didn't say anything, just waved his hand and walked quickly towards the courtyard.

"Uncle Wang, you said that Master Li lives a really good life." The young man in the guard room looked at Li Shengli's figure as he walked away with envy.

"What you said is nonsense. He is a chef, and it is said that he is the descendant of the imperial chef. His cooking skills are quite amazing. In this day and age, good chefs can still go hungry. Of course, life is good." Wang Dahe glanced at him while smoking.

"It would be great if I could learn to cook too." The young man said with envy.

"Okay, okay, stop being envious and just stand guard." Wang Dahe glanced at the young man unhappily, "Stop dreaming, our security work is not bad either."

(End of this chapter)