Across from Jiangzhou University, in the Xuefu Garden District.
"Dad, Uncle Liu said he went to find you at ho today, but you weren’t there. He tried calling your cell, but no one answered. Where did you go?"
"Am I your dad, or are you mine? Do I have to report to you where I go?"
"It’s not that. You’re getting older, I’m just worried about you."
"I can eat, sleep, run, and jump. I’m healthy, so there’s no need for you to worry. Just leave be, and don’t look for without a reason. That’s it!"
"Dad..."
"..."
The old man had just rented a small two-bedroom apartnt in this place across from Jiangzhou University. It’s not big, but it’s clean, and the environnt in the district is quite nice. The old man didn’t haggle much and imdiately signed a six-month lease with the landlord.
After renting the place, he had just gotten to the supermarket outside the district to buy mats, bed sheets, and such when his son’s call ca.
The old man perfunctorily answered a few of his son’s questions and hung up, taking the chosen items to the supermarket counter to check out.
After checking out, he busily took these things to his rented apartnt.
With a place near the school, it would be much more convenient to eat at the Seventh Dining Hall in the future. Just thinking about it bubbles up happiness.
The old man’s surna is Jia, nad Dequan. He is 62 years old, from Hanyang City in Jiangxia. At 14, due to poverty, his parents couldn’t afford to raise him, so they sent him to a distant relative.
That relative happened to work as a cook in a factory canteen and took Jia Dequan along. Firstly, working in the kitchen ant he wouldn’t go hungry, and secondly, he could learn so skills while helping out.
Jia Dequan worked in the canteen for about ten years, mastering a ton of skills. Later, he was headhunted to a restaurant as the head chef. Thanks to his talent for cooking, he beca famous over ti and was even fortunate enough to cook for a state banquet once.
Decades passed, and Jia Dequan not only accumulated substantial wealth through his culinary skills, but he also opened a major restaurant "Chuwei Restaurant" in Hanyang City, which has beco a renowned local spot for family gatherings and entertaining friends.
Now, Jia Dequan is retired, and his son Jia Yiming is in charge of the restaurant.
Having worked hard for most of his life, he’s now free as a bird, and of course, it’s ti to think about himself. After all, with his wife long gone, as an old man by himself, why not do as he pleases?
After bringing the purchased items back to the apartnt, Jia Dequan didn’t trouble anyone else. He cleaned the little place inside and out with a broom, tidied the bedroom, and made the bed.
By the ti he finished, the afternoon had slipped away.
Sitting on the living room sofa, Jia Dequan let out a long sigh of relief, took a sip from the cup on the coffee table, and instinctively glanced at the ti on his wristwatch. With that glance, he leapt up.
It’s almost five o’clock!
Doesn’t the Seventh Dining Hall start serving dinner at five-thirty? Got to hurry, or the line might stretch all the way to the road!
With that thought in mind, Jia Dequan quickly put on his shoes, shut the door, and clattered downstairs.
Do you ask if he’s tired?
Of course not!
Having been a cook for most of his life, he’d been busy in the kitchen as recently as earlier this year, standing at the stove all day. Cooking all those dishes required so strength, so how could he do it without energy?
Now he just did a bit of cleaning; this is hardly anything!
So, when he told his son over the phone that he’s in good health, he wasn’t exaggerating!
Walking briskly, Jia Dequan soon arrived at the Seventh Dining Hall. Sure enough, he was still a step too late; the line was already at the door.
He let out a sigh of relief and quickly got in line at the back.
In that mont, a childhood mory of queuing up decades ago popped into Jia Dequan’s mind.
Back then, resources were scarce, and you had to queue up for at, oil, rice...
Once, when he and his brother went out, they saw a long line in front of a store. His brother said, "They must be selling sothing good! You queue up first, I’ll go get Mom."
Hearing that, he quickly got in line at the back.
After a while, he felt sothing was amiss; the people in line were looking at him strangely.
It was then that Jia Dequan realized everyone in line was won of mom-age or aunty-age.
He later found out they were queuing to buy won’s sanitary pads, which had been out of stock for ages and had just arrived.
For that, the grown-ups teased him for quite so ti.
Thinking back on those tis and comparing them to today, Jia Dequan truly feels happiness and contentnt. Lacking nothing, that’s truly wonderful!
Back then, just having enough to eat was happiness. Unlike now, where eating well and being satisfied is the real deal!
As these thoughts flitter through his mind, ti passes quickly.
Jia Dequan feels not much ti has passed before the line starts moving slowly forward, and soon he’s at the window.
Peeking at the selection similar to this afternoon’s, Jia Dequan ponders a mont, then points:
"One serving of braised chicken claws with preserved mustard, one serving of braised tofu with Huang Yatou, and... one serving of vegetables with oil dressing. Three portions of rice."
He paid with his phone, then carried a tray full of food, and eagerly found a place to sit in the dining area.
These were all dishes he hadn’t tried at noon, especially that Huang Yatou tofu. Those students earlier had praised it to the skies, making his mouth almost water. Now, he had to taste it properly to see if it was really that good.
With this thought, he imdiately picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of fish, and put it in his mouth.
...
Seventh Dining Hall, in the kitchen.
After finishing cooking for the cafeteria, Jiang Yu also made sothing for Liu Shurong and her child. Just as he was about to take a break, Lu Shuwu hurried over from the serving area:
"Boss, a lot of people ca today, and it seems like the dishes might not be enough..."
"Not enough? How much are we short?"
Jiang Yu was a little stunned. It wasn’t a special day, so why were so many people here that even the food was running out?
"Not that much, making two more dishes should be enough."
Lu Shuwu thought for a mont, then said,
"I just checked, and it seems like more and more people from outside the school are coming to eat. At this rate, the students won’t get any food. Shouldn’t we limit them a bit?"
"The school doesn’t restrict outsiders from coming in, so how can we restrict them as a dining hall? Let them be."
Jiang Yu shook his head, stood up from the chair, and smiled at Lu Shuwu,
"Co on, let’s cook two more dishes, one for you, one for !"
Before long, the two dishes were ready. Jiang Yu and Lu Shuwu each carried a large tray of steaming food to the serving area, placing them at a separate window, instantly attracting a lot of attention.
With Yan Tongtong and the others busy, Lu Shuwu took on the role of a temporary server. He knocked hard on the tray with a large ladle and shouted:
"Additional dishes! Senior Brother Jiang’s spicy poached beef slices, eight yuan per serving! Also, my pickled pepper lotus root, four yuan per serving! Co quickly, or they’ll be gone soon!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the students scattered around the dining hall, whether in line or already eating, surged forward like a tide in an instant:
"Wow! More dishes, let’s go, guys!"
"Made by Senior Brother Jiang, hurry and get one!"
"Wow! Spicy poached beef slices, so tasty!"
"..."
Jia Dequan was sitting at his seat, enjoying a chicken claw, when he heard the call for more dishes. By the ti he reacted, a long queue had already ford in front of the window, and in the blink of an eye, the large tray of spicy poached beef slices was gone.
Jia Dequan was upset. What was this? Even pigs in a feeding farm didn’t grab food like this!
Do elderly people not have any rights?
Before he even realized it, the food was gone!
These students, they really show no regard!
Jia Dequan thought this was already outrageous, but he didn’t expect worse was yet to co!
The students who got the additional dishes ca back and sat next to Jia Dequan. On top of their steaming white rice was a large scoop of bright red, aromatic spicy poached beef slices, making others drool at the sight.
These students imdiately began eating in large mouthfuls, excitedly discussing as they chewed:
"Mmm~ this spicy poached beef is amazing, the at slices are tender, spicy and delicious, feels like my soul is flying away with each bite!"
"It’s indeed delicious, and these bean sprouts, crispy and refreshing with a hint of at flavor, truly satisfying!"
"Senior Brother Jiang is really amazing, every dish he makes is better than the last, never tiring to eat. If I graduate, I’d cry my eyes out!"
"Hehe, from this sester, I’ve started preparing for the entrance exam to our grad school, not accepting transfers, that’s how much I love my school!"
"I think you just love Senior Brother Jiang’s cooking and can’t bear to leave the Seventh Dining Hall?"
"..."
These students are too much!
You can eat, but do you have to make a fuss intentionally tempting us elders?
Don’t you have any public decency?!
The more Jia Dequan listened, the angrier he got. He huffed as he carried his unfinished al around the dining area, finally sitting in a corner to continue eating.
Although the stewed chicken claws with pickled vegetables and Huang Yatou tofu on his tray were delicious, the uneaten dishes always seed the best. Anyway, Jia Dequan felt quite unsatisfied.
No, things can’t go on like this, or next ti he’ll be too angry to stand it.
He has to co up with a plan!
What kind of plan should he use to be able to eat the new dishes without competing with the students in line?
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