The Game of Life-Chapter 621 - 619: Setting Out (Three)
Chapter 621: Chapter 619: Setting Out (Three)
The assessment was actually very simple. At first, Jiang Feng heard Sun Guanyun incessantly pressing Jiang Weiguo, worrying that he wouldn’t pass the assessment, and thought it must be extremely complex and difficult. However, upon observing it firsthand, he discovered it was infuriatingly simple.
The so-called assessment was to have the person being assessed prepare dishes during an entire lunch service without notifying the customers. If not a single customer raised any objections to the dishes from start to finish, then the assessment was deemed a success. However, if any customer did voice objections, Sun Zheran would personally determine whether it passed or not.
The final assessment for a disciple registered in the name was a major event for all the chefs in the kitchen, let alone the fact that the dish Jiang Weiguo had to be assessed on was Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall, which no registered disciple had ever learned to prepare. During the time Jiang Feng aimlessly roamed the kitchen, he overheard quite a few kitchen helpers quietly discussing Jiang Weiguo’s noon assessment.
Some were optimistic, while others were not.
From the discussions of others, Jiang Feng learned that patrons of Jubao Building were often very willing to participate in the assessments of registered disciples. Because whether or not they detected anything amiss with the dishes, at the end of the meal, the floor manager would inform them and offer the same dishes on their next visit for free.
It meant that with enough luck, they could enjoy a buy-1-get-1-free mega deal.
...
Perhaps for this reason, the most common exclamation Jiang Feng heard was:
“If you ask me, regardless of whether Jiang passes the assessment, it’s the customers who reserved Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall today who are lucky. The dish is normally hard to reserve. Getting another portion for free next time, tsk tsk.”
Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall was the signature dish of Jubao Building, with only one vat sold per day, most of which were reserved in advance. However, a few portions were still available for dine-in orders each day at noon, usually selling out within a minute or two once the business started.
It was due to the exclusivity of Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall that the results of Jiang Weiguo’s assessment were likely to emerge within ten to fifteen minutes.
Even though it was Jiang Weiguo who faced the assessment, it was Sun Guanyun who seemed to be on pins and needles—ever since the lid was lifted off the Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall, he had been pacing back and forth in the kitchen like he had a motor attached to his legs, unable to still himself.
On the contrary, Jiang Weiguo behaved as if nothing was amiss, chopping vegetables when he needed to chop, helping out when needed. One would think Sun Guanyun was the one being evaluated instead.
“Brother Sun, the dishes have already been served. If you really want to know the outcome, why not just go out and see for yourself?” Sun Maochai was rather unfortunate; he was still by the entrance practicing his radish cutting.
Sun Guanyun paced back and forth in front of him, unsettling him to the point where he could hardly cut the radish properly.
Sun Guanyun glanced at Jiang Weiguo, who was rummaging through a cupboard, and wanted to say something but held back. Instead, he shot a fierce glare at the back of Jiang Weiguo’s head before turning to address Sun Maochai, “You have a good nose. Did you notice anything different about the Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall when the lid was lifted just now, compared to the usual scent?”
Sun Maochai had been a formal disciple for less than a year and was still at the stage of cutting radishes. He hadn’t even tasted the leftovers of Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall, let alone be able to detect anything peculiar about its scent.
Seeing Sun Guanyun’s slightly gloomy expression, Sun Maochai carefully ventured, “It seemed… a little… milder?”
“Right? Even you noticed it. I knew there was an issue!” Sun Guanyun’s confidence burgeoned instantly.
Sun Maochai: …
Jiang Feng read the words written all over his face.
As long as you’re happy.
Sun Guanyun stood quietly beside Sun Maochai for a few minutes, but soon got restless again. After thinking for a moment, he nudged Sun Maochai.
“You’ve just arrived and are young; the customers outside probably don’t recognize you. Go out and take a look.”
“Why don’t you go out yourself, Brother Sun?” Sun Maochai asked.
“Are you an idiot? Those who ordered Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall are regulars. How could they possibly not know about our restaurant’s rules for registered disciples’ assessments? If I wander out there, they might guess what’s going on, and wouldn’t that be helping Jiang Weiguo cheat?” Sun Guanyun wore an expression of not wanting to give Jiang an advantage.
Sun Maochai had no choice but to obediently put down the knife and go out to observe the customers’ reactions for Sun Guanyun. Jiang Feng followed suit and went out as well.
Actually, he should have gone out earlier, but he couldn’t bear to miss Sun Guanyun’s flustered state akin to ‘the emperor isn’t in a hurry but his eunuch is,’ so he stayed in the kitchen a bit longer to watch the show.
The customers outside didn’t seem to react much.
At that time, the common people weren’t wealthy; those who could afford to dine at Jubao Building had at least some property. Due to its intricate preparation process and the cost of ingredients, Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall was destined to be an extremely pricey and luxurious dish. Only families with some mines to their name dared to order it casually; it was always the same group of customers taking turns to enjoy it.
Currently, there were square tables on the first floor of Jubao Building and round tables on the second, with no private rooms. Posing as an ordinary patron, Sun Maochai lingered around each customer who had ordered Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall before heading upstairs.
Jiang Feng couldn’t go up to the second floor; he could only walk up to a spot three meters away from the kitchen’s entrance.
Coincidentally, right beside Jiang Feng was a table where the patrons were enjoying Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall.
A small pot of Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall was nearly empty, its fragrance wafting through the air, filling the entire hall with the scent of the dish, growing more aromatic the closer one got to that particular customer. Apart from him, there were five or six other successful customers who managed to get a portion of Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall.
Other ordinary diners who came to eat in the hall were less fortunate, surrounded by tantalizing smells on all sides with no escape.
The customer that Jiang Feng could clearly see was of the generous and unrestrained sort, consuming his food in large bites and, upon finishing, sighed with yearning to his companions, “The Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall of Jubao Building really lives up to its reputation, far superior to what I’ve had elsewhere.”
Enough, this is a newcomer.
Unable to discern anything, Jiang Feng simply returned to the kitchen to see if Sun Guanyun was still swiping for WeChat steps.
As expected, Sun Guanyun began wandering around the kitchen again.
After a few minutes, Sun Maochai came back and immediately said to Sun Guanyun, “Sun, I just checked, and the guests didn’t seem to have any reaction.”
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No reaction was the best news of all. Sun Guanyun knew the intricacies well, his expression quickly becoming complicated. It was hard to tell whether he was pleased or displeased.
Jiang Feng noticed that Jiang Weiguo, who had been quietly filleting fish on the side, seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief.
“Jiang really is impressive; he’s bound to pass the assessment this time,” Sun Maochai exclaimed.
“What’s so impressive about him? It’s all because my dad’s biased,” Sun Guanyun muttered under his breath. “Since last night, that pot of Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall was watched over by my dad, who didn’t sleep a wink all night until noon today.”
Sun Maochai dared not speak and returned to his spot to obediently chop carrots.
Sun Guanyun walked over to Jiang Weiguo and said, “You’ve passed.”
“The results haven’t come out,” Jiang Weiguo responded.
“They’ll be out soon.”
“I heard that you’re starting to learn Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall next year.”
“Yes, so what?” Sun Guanyun replied irritably. “Trying to show off that you’ve already mastered it? Let me tell you, Jiang Weiguo, I’ll definitely be younger than you when I master it.”
“Ever played tangram?”
“I’m not your kid, why would I play with such childish things?”
“My wife heard from someone that playing tangram could improve a child’s intelligence, so she went to a carpenter to have a set made especially,” Jiang Weiguo said. “Learning Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall is just like playing tangram. From selecting and processing ingredients, soaking them to preparing the broth, each step is like a piece of tangram. Even if you know what picture you want to put together, you still need to understand what each piece is and get familiar with each piece before you can start assembling them.”
“It took me 8 years to figure out every aspect before I could start. You certainly don’t need eight years, but a picture put together in haste won’t look good.”
“I don’t need your advice,” Sun Guanyun retorted with a pout. “What time is your train this afternoon?”
“I’ll leave as soon as the results are out.”
“That soon?”
“What else?”
“Don’t leave just yet, I’m going home to get some things,” Sun Guanyun said before hurrying off.
Jiang Weiguo: ?
Sun Guanyun had barely been gone for 5 minutes when a middle-aged man came in and asked Sun Zheran to step outside. Sun Zheran was out for less than a minute before returning.
“Weiguo, the guests have given very good feedback. Congratulations, you have graduated,” Sun Zheran said with a smile.
The employees close to Jiang Weiguo and Sun Zheran quickly offered their congratulations. As others heard their voices, they realized what had happened, and soon the entire kitchen of Jubao Building was filled with phrases like “Congratulations, Jiang” or “Congratulations, disciple.”
“You don’t need to busy yourself here anymore. Is your luggage ready? If it’s all packed, you can head to the train station. Don’t miss your train,” Sun Zheran said.
“By the way, where’s that boy Guanyun? How come I don’t see him?”
“He went back to get some stuff,” Jiang Weiguo replied.
“He’s really unsettled, going back to get something at this time,” Sun Zheran shook his head. “Do you have a lot of luggage? Do you need someone to help you take it to the station?”
“No need,” Jiang Weiguo rejected the offer, as he already had someone willing to take on the heavy lifting. “Sun Guanyun will be taking me later.”
Sun Zheran nodded. “When he comes back, have him come to me first. If you run into any problems later on, remember to write and ask for advice. If you need help with anything, you can also write.”
Jiang Weiguo nodded, made his last cut, and turned to take one last look at the entire kitchen.
“Master, I’m leaving.”
