dognovel Chapter 1425 Unifying the world
Chapter 1425 Unifying the world
Chapter 1425 Unifying the Martial World
"Ugh~ Sauerkraut and pork belly—"
This restaurant isn't very big, but it's small yet complete, and even the waiters' shouts have a unique charm.
Remember, in the past, there were two types of waiters in restaurants: one was "light service," which involved serving tea and water, handing out menus, wiping tables, sweeping floors, and cleaning up.
Generally speaking, these waiters work in the lobby and rarely go to the kitchen.
Then you might ask, how do you notify the kitchen of the dishes ordered by the customers?
The answer is simple: sing and shout.
You've heard of reciting the names of dishes, right? Actually, that's not a job for crosstalk performers. There are crosstalk performers who work as waiters in restaurants.
They were learning, learning the street vendors' calls, like those for selling vegetables, cloth, or medicine and candy.
They would collect the best and most catchy hawking cries and incorporate them into their own work.
Over time, it became a catchy phrase in crosstalk performances.
The restaurant staff's calls are so catchy, and the food is delicious too; just listening to their calls makes my mouth water.
Reciting the menu was originally a required course for restaurant waiters; only those who could memorize it well could earn a living.
It's no wonder that restaurants and theaters used to be the liveliest places, and the waiters who shouted out their wares were the most sought-after.
Another type is the "service-oriented" type, which is what we call "food runners" today. The waiters who ran food in the past were different from today's food runners; they would also shout out their wares.
While it's still the same process of announcing the dishes, since the customers have already ordered, you don't need to announce as many different dishes; you just need to call out the names of the dishes on the tray in your hand.
Their calls may not be very pleasant, but they often have a prefix, such as "Hey—", which they only shout when passing through the food delivery gate, serving as a reminder.
He reminded the other staff not to bump into him, and also reminded the guests that their food had arrived.
Another benefit is that this way of serving food also serves as advertising, letting customers at other tables in the restaurant know what's being served and whether it looks delicious.
Customers can use this as a reference when ordering, and if they like what they've ordered, they can order more. These are all part of the process.
Why is it said that only upscale restaurants have this kind of shouting and these "light and heavy waiters"?
It's very simple. In the past, restaurant staff were relatively stable and might work at the same restaurant for their entire lives. Unless the employer was at fault, the staff couldn't switch jobs.
You asked what happens if I switch jobs?
Being bound by industry restrictions can also lead to being looked down upon.
Some people might say, "Isn't this just being unreasonable? It's about freedom of work and personal freedom!"
In this era, freedom is valued, but in that era, such constraints were a form of protection. Restaurant owners would keep good employees for life until they could no longer work.
Why don't restaurants have waiters who can shout out their wares anymore?
It is because of "freedom".
In the past, restaurant waiters were apprentices. They learned to work for their employers without being paid, but they were given clothes and food.
A kind employer would also provide basic living expenses, such as money for a haircut or a bath.
The children come to learn the trade when they are young. Only after they have completed their apprenticeship can they work as waiters or shop assistants to earn wages. They do this job for the rest of their lives.
Even the waiters often need three to five years to learn the ropes; they represent the restaurant's reputation.
Do you see anyone teaching this in later generations?
There were no instructors for serving customers, let alone for hawking their wares, and the restaurant no longer had the means to hire apprentices.
why?
Child labor is not allowed.
Restaurants after liberation either employed the original staff or hired temporary workers.
Temporary workers are great; if you can do it, you can do it, and if you can't, you can leave. They don't have the skills to be waiters, so they just do the work anyway.
The culture of waiters has almost disappeared. With the relaxation of policies, people have started to pursue enjoyment. How can we improve the level and quality of service staff?
It's really frustrating that we have to learn Western service etiquette standards, which are neither Chinese nor Western.
Some people said, "Ah, the shouts of the waiters in the past were unpleasant and noisy. Western restaurants are quiet, high-class, and sophisticated."
That's nonsense. Anyone who truly understands life knows that street restaurants are noisy all over the world, while upscale restaurants are quiet.
You say the waiters' shouts are noisy? That's because you haven't been to the private rooms on the second or third floor of the restaurant.
When you say that Western restaurants are quiet and upscale, that's mostly from what you see in movies and TV shows, and it's a stereotype.
Why is this restaurant considered "refined"? It's not just because it has waiters and waiters with high-ranking positions, but also because of the four signs hanging in front of the door.
This situation doesn't exist in restaurants in the south, or even in Beijing; it's unique to restaurants in the northeast.
The sign hanging at the entrance of a restaurant indicates its capabilities and level.
A restaurant can only display a maximum of four signs. One sign indicates that it serves snacks, two signs indicate that it offers stir-fries, and four signs indicate that it can host banquets.
If you say I have superb culinary skills and a huge restaurant, and I need to hang eight or sixteen signs, then you don't have superb culinary skills, you just have a screw loose.
A large restaurant with four signs must have at least two floors. The first floor has a large hall with twenty or thirty tables, while the second floor has several private rooms.
There weren't many tables in the lobby of this restaurant, but the tables and chairs looked very high-quality.
There is a staircase in the lobby leading to the second floor. Li Xuewu had been up there before, and the decoration was passable.
Well, these places for business that were open to the public in this era were all renovated and built. There are very few ancient buildings from the Republic of China era.
Given the economic conditions and the current situation, the four signs hanging at the entrance of this restaurant are quite fitting.
To say that their business is overrated is not true; customers don't even need to question it, competitors would have already come knocking on their door to "challenge" them.
How do you say that?
The real hatred comes from those in the same industry.
The fact that this restaurant has survived to this day and is still in business proves that its culinary skills are truly exceptional.
"Please continue eating; the kitchen is already preparing the rest of the dishes."
The waiter was quite eloquent; while serving the two of them rice and millet, he said something polite.
Seeing Li Xuewu nod, he then slightly bowed, took two steps back, and went to the kitchen with the tray.
Bang Geng couldn't figure out the tricks of the trade; he just thought the restaurant was special.
How could it not be special? There are waiters who proactively offer to take your order, and waiters who personally serve the dishes.
Although he had never eaten at any restaurants in the capital, he had seen and heard of them. Don't forget, he was still a chef's apprentice.
Although he may never graduate from the culinary profession in his lifetime, he has heard some knowledge from his master.
The signs hanging on the walls clearly reveal just how low the service level of ordinary hotels in Beijing is.
Just don't hit the guests, the rest...
"What are you looking at? Never tried it before?"
Seeing the boy craning his neck to stare at the sauerkraut and pork on the table, Li Xuewu asked him a question.
Bang Geng was honest and shook his head slightly, saying, "I've eaten it before, but I've never had it this style."
When you stew sauerkraut at home, you don't need to plate it when you serve it, so it doesn't look as nice as it does here.
Li Xuewu glanced at him, ignored him, picked up his chopsticks and tasted it; it still tasted the same as before.
There's a trick to making sauerkraut and pork belly: the meat shouldn't be too thick, which is different from pork stew.
The dish "killing pig stew" involves cutting the pig in half and stewing it directly with sauerkraut, but sauerkraut with pork belly is not like that.
The pork belly on the sauerkraut wasn't greasy at all, and the taste and texture of the meat were just right.
You can eat pork stew with four or five pieces of meat as thick and big as stinky tofu, and no one will laugh at you if you eat it sitting on the kang (heated brick bed).
If you eat pickled cabbage and pork belly like that at a restaurant, people will think you haven't eaten meat in a long time.
"So delicious—"
Bang Gengzhen seemed to be eating sauerkraut and pork for the first time; his eyes lit up after taking a bite.
"If it tastes good, just eat more."
Li Xuewu smiled slightly, put down his chopsticks, pointed to the blood sausage arranged around the large bowl, and said, "This."
“Blood sausage, I know.” Banggeng puffed out his cheeks and muttered, “Uncle Sha said this thing is not easy to get out; you have to slaughter a pig first.”
"You're not calling him 'Master' anymore? Does that mean you're not planning to continue learning to be a cook?"
Li Xuewu wasn't very hungry, so he leaned on the table with his arms crossed and watched him wolf down his food.
Banggeng tilted his head and said, "I don't know, I probably won't be able to learn it. I have no desire to be a chef. What's the point of spending all day around the stove?"
"You still look down on your stupid uncle?"
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "He's probably the one in our courtyard who's never short of food, right?"
“Yes, that’s true, but that was before.” Banggeng nodded and said, “My grandma used to envy him a lot, saying that my dad didn’t have that ability.”
He looked at the rice and vegetables in the bowl, paused for a moment, then looked up and said, "I used to envy him when I was a child. I could often eat the lunchboxes he brought back."
"Back then, I thought, how great it would be if I could be a chef when I grow up, bringing lunchboxes home every day."
"You became a cook just to bring lunchboxes home?" Li Xuewu said with a laugh. "Which canteen would dare to hire you? They'd all have to move you here."
“My master takes it too, and I’ve never seen anyone cause him any trouble—” Banggeng said dismissively, shaking his head. “But I don’t want to think about it now, it’s pointless.”
This kid has reached puberty, and his speech is very different from before, especially after he stopped going to school.
Li Xuewu could clearly sense that he was learning how adults communicated and behaved.
This is a good thing. Every boy has to go through this process; sooner or later, they all have to grow up.
"Ugh~ Stir-fried pork intestines with green peppers—"
It was the same guy again. This time, he didn't waste any more words. He set out the dishes and went back to the kitchen.
Just then, the white curtain at the back of the kitchen flickered, as if someone had glanced in their direction.
Li Xuewu's senses are incredibly sharp, honed through jungle warfare training; he can sense things even with his eyes closed.
However, he didn't react much and continued listening to Bang Geng talk about the past, ignoring even the occasional glances from the female shopkeeper behind the counter.
“In the past, the neighbors in the courtyard did envy my master, and you could even say they were jealous of him.”
Banggeng curled his lip and said, "Don't think I'm too young to know what they're gossiping about."
"Is it about the lunchbox he brought back?"
Li Xuewu cut to the chase, looking at Bang Geng and asking, "What do you think about this?"
"Anyway, I've already eaten it, so what else can I say?"
Banggeng offered to pick up a piece of fatty intestine for him, and after tasting it himself, nodded and said it was delicious.
"This skill is almost as good as my master's; it really has that wok hei (wok aroma)."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu was happy to listen to the child, and at this moment he poured a cup of warm tea for Big Face Cat.
Eating pork intestines leaves a lingering taste in your mouth, which can mask the original flavor of other dishes. It's best to drink some tea instead.
Baijiu (Chinese liquor) or beer are both acceptable.
Just as Banggeng said, the pork intestines taste good, the fat is tender and crispy, and they smell very fragrant.
To compare with Sha Zhu's skills, it should be said that the styles of the North and South are different, and Sha Zhu makes Sichuan cuisine.
He couldn't compare to Master Qian at all; he had eaten so much of Master Qian's cooking, and that was the real ultimate enjoyment.
Sichuan cuisine is so meticulous in preparing braised pork intestines that they practically remove all the fat, leaving only the chewy texture.
Actually, most people who like pork intestines love this flavor; if it's too clean, it won't taste as good.
Of course, you can't have pork intestines sashimi!
"You didn't look down on my mom back then, did you?" Banggeng asked, looking at him. "I know what they all said about my mom, I know how nasty they were."
"What do you think?" Li Xuewu asked him in return, then smiled and said, "Since you know that people are gossiping about your mother, why do you still eat the lunchbox your master brought back? You could have just refused to eat it."
"But I'm so hungry, so very hungry."
Banggeng pointed to the white meat in the bowl and the fatty intestines on the plate and said, "When I was a child, I never dared to imagine that I would be able to eat this kind of food in the future."
“My family was poor back then. My mother had no ambition, and neither did I. So we just pretended not to hear.”
"A poor man has little ambition, and a thin horse has long hair," Li Xuewu summarized, and put a piece of white meat on his plate.
Banggeng ate with his head down and said indifferently, "I just said that the neighbors in the yard all envied him because he had no worries about food and drink, but later I envied you."
He looked up and said, "Actually, the neighbors all envy you. Although they used to say bad things about you, I know it was out of envy, jealousy and hatred."
"Hehe, what do you envy about me?"
Li Xuewu chuckled and looked at him, saying, "If you really envy me, you should study hard so that when you grow up you can wear a white shirt like me."
"Forget it, how could that be?"
Bang Geng's studies over the past six months have truly paid off, as he candidly stated, "Even if I get into high school and vocational school, I still won't become you."
He shrugged and said, "How many college graduates your age are there at the Red Star Factory? I haven't seen a single one who can compare to you?"
“My grandma said that a person’s fate is predetermined by heaven, and I, Jia Geng, am destined to be strong-willed throughout my life.”
"Take back everything you've lost?"
Li Xuewu understood his thinking a little and said this with a smile.
Banggeng readily admitted, nodding as he ate his food, "How much they looked down on our family before, I'll make them envy us just as much in the future."
“Then you must study hard and work diligently,” Li Xuewu said earnestly. “If you want to be prominent in public, you must suffer in private.”
“That’s why I envy you,” Banggeng said, looking at him with clear eyes. “You can always explain things clearly in one sentence.”
“You’ve grown very quickly,” Li Xuewu affirmed at the opportune moment. “You’re much better than when you were at home.”
"It was you and Aunt Zhou who took care of me." Banggeng lowered his head again and started eating his food. "They didn't look down on me at all."
"Really, I know everything."
He looked up at Li Xuewu again, then lowered his head and said, "I don't hate my mother, and I don't blame her. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here."
Li Xuewu didn't speak. He understood what Banggeng meant and knew what he knew.
With so many neighbors in the courtyard, even if Banggeng didn't see it or know about it, he would have heard the gossip long ago.
He did it, and Qin Huairu was sensible. Bang Geng was more mature than he had imagined. You could tell from the fact that he was willing to come to Gangcheng with him that this kid was a bit shrewd.
If you ask why Qin Huairu didn't react when she followed him, it's because after she married Liu Guoyou, that guy turned on her.
There's only one possible explanation: he had no desires.
"Eat vegetables, don't just focus on eating meat."
Li Xuewu pointed to the two plates of vegetables that the waiter had just brought over and said, "Young people need to grow, so their nutrition should be balanced."
"Okay." Bang Geng opened up to him, and their relationship seemed to become more harmonious. He readily agreed.
Li Xuewu picked out the most appealing pieces and ate them all, finishing a bowl of rice and rice completely. He was already on his third bowl of corn stalks.
This kid can eat a lot, he's got a big belly, no doubt he'll grow up to be a fat man.
He had to be just like Lao Biaozi, and Gao wasn't much better than Lao Biaozi.
"Boss, is the food to your liking?"
Just as Bang Geng was asking the waiter for his fourth bowl of rice, the person Li Xuewu was waiting for personally brought it over.
He held the rice bowl with both hands, politely placed it in front of Banggeng, and nodded with a smile.
Bang Geng, having also picked up a bit of the江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit, nodded and thanked him in return.
"I almost didn't recognize you."
Li Xuewu carefully examined the newcomer, shook his head slightly, and said, "I didn't know you had this skill before."
"I don't have that skill anymore."
Nie Liansheng stood aside with a smile and explained, "I help out in the kitchen, there's a head chef there."
"Oh, I knew it—"
Li Xuewu smiled, pointed to the spot next to him, and said, "The guy who used to carry a gun is now carrying a kitchen knife. I can hardly believe it."
"I'm too old to learn anything anymore."
Nie Liansheng didn't stand on ceremony with Li Xuewu. Seeing that Li Xuewu had given way, he sat down to the side.
Banggeng glanced at him curiously a few times, and seeing that Uncle Wu had no other instructions, he continued to eat with his head covered.
"Okay, that's fine." Li Xuewu pointed to the rice stick and joked, "The restaurant's cooking is quite good. You can make a living and support your family without any problems."
"Just as you said, what skills do I have left now? Just enough to support my family."
Nie Liansheng smiled modestly, poured tea for Li Xuewu, and looked at Bang Geng with a warm gaze, showing no trace of his former profession.
"When did you come back?"
Li Xuewu pointed to the proprietress standing behind the counter, looking nervously in their direction, and asked her a question.
Nie Liansheng glanced in the direction he was pointing, then turned back and said, "It's been almost a year now. I've been all alone, but she hasn't looked down on me."
"It's a bit of a waste of your talent." Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "Your mistakes have been dealt with. Just live your life well from now on. There's no need to suppress yourself."
He looked at Nie Liansheng and said, "No one will bother you, so you don't need to hide in the kitchen."
Nie Liansheng's mistake wasn't major, and the main responsibility didn't lie in his work; he was just overthinking things.
If he can proactively confess his problems and demonstrate meritorious service, and considering his past work performance, serving two years in prison can be considered a good outcome.
Li Xuewu didn't just find out that he was out; he had known for a long time but hadn't reacted.
He was waiting for the Zhong family. All five of Old Zhong's sons had been killed by him and Ji Weidong. He wanted to see how Old Zhong and Zhong Huilian would react.
Zhou Yamei lived far away and was not directly involved in the matter. Even if they knew he was in Gangcheng, no one dared to break into Zhou Yamei's home.
Zhou Yamei didn't dare to gamble, so she went to Beijing on her own initiative.
Li Xuewu's decision to stay at her house was also a test. He said that fishing was out of the question; those small fry could only jump a few inches high.
If we're talking about revenge, Nie Liansheng can't escape it either; he's been out for a year without any major upheavals.
Li Xuewu didn't get to witness the attack from behind; the people were either frightened or scattered.
Yu Min and Lao San's group are still at the fence. Guan Dong has already been killed. Who else can cause him trouble?
"Times have indeed changed—"
Nie Liansheng nodded and said, "I feel that Steel City is different after I came out."
Have you ever thought about doing something about it?
Li Xuewu looked at him bluntly and said, "You're not even fifty yet. Are you going to spend the rest of your life in this shop, in the kitchen?"
"The proprietress is still the most beautiful woman in the land, she made you lose your ambition and dare not set foot in the world again."
"You're joking with me. There's no such thing as a martial arts world here."
Nie Liansheng's gaze gradually became unfocused as he watched the woman walk out from behind the counter.
"Leader Li, is the food alright?"
The woman was nervous, but she still managed to smile and greet them. She already sensed that the two men were talking about her.
"That's great, he's already eaten four bowls of rice."
Li Xuewu smiled and pointed to the stick, saying, "Your craftsmanship is exceptional, and your business is booming!"
"Just trying to make a living, thank you for your kind words."
The woman was polite, but her gaze was fixed on Nie Liansheng. She seemed to want to say something, but held back.
"It's okay, you know him, right?"
Nie Liansheng smiled and comforted the woman, saying, "We haven't seen each other in a long time, let's talk for a while."
“I wasn’t worried. I was just a little surprised that Leader Li came.” She looked at Li Xuewu and said with a smile, “You still remember this place.”
"Yes, I've been transferred to work in Steel City."
Li Xuewu nodded and explained, "I was transferred here before the New Year and have been busy ever since. Today I finally had some free time and was at a loss for what to do, so I don't know how I ended up here."
"This must be fate—"
The woman's smile was a little stiff, but her words were still very eloquent.
"If you live nearby, we can deliver anything you want to eat to you; it's very convenient."
"Let's eat at the restaurant, it tastes better there."
Li Xuewu ignored the implication in her words, nodded at Nie Liansheng who looked embarrassed, and said, "I heard that this restaurant has a very strong reputation, so I guessed it was you here."
"The landlady also said it's all about fate. If you want to come out and work, I happen to be short of people here."
Seeing that he had finished eating the corn, he stood up and greeted him, saying, "It's okay, think about it."
After speaking with Nie Liansheng, Li Xuewu then addressed the tense, unsmiling proprietress, saying, "My address in Gangcheng isn't far from here. I'll be a regular customer in the future. Thank you for your hospitality today."
After saying that, without paying attention to the changes in their expressions, he took the stick and went out the door.
Nie Liansheng and the woman saw him to the door and watched them stroll away before returning to the restaurant.
"What do you think he came here for?"
The woman gripped her clothes tightly with her fingers, and looked at Nie Liansheng with suspicion in her eyes.
Nie Liansheng naturally sensed this as well, and sighed slightly, saying, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"Is this what you're going to say now?" the woman looked at him and said, "Do you think I want to hear this?"
"Don't worry, I won't let him cause you any trouble." Nie Liansheng seemed to have made a decision, gesturing to the kitchen staff and saying, "That's it for today's work. I'm going back to pack my things now..."
"What are you going to do!" The woman grabbed his arm, glaring at him as she asked, "Are you going to go with him?"
"Why go with him? He's here to kill you."
Nie Liansheng shook his head with a wry smile, reached out and pressed down on the woman's hand that was gripping his arm, and said, "I'll go far away. I shouldn't have come back in the first place."
"Don't tell me this, I don't want to hear it."
The woman stubbornly refused to let go, looking at him and saying, "You can't leave, and you can't go with him."
"Not leaving? Can you feel at ease if you don't leave?"
Nie Liansheng sighed again and said frankly, "You don't owe me anything, I'm the one who owes you."
"Thank you for taking me in for so long and feeding me. Our time together has come to an end."
"It's not over yet! I said it's not over yet, so it's not over yet!"
The woman's voice was somewhat hysterical, and the waiters in the restaurant lobby had already fled to the kitchen, not daring to listen to their conversation.
"It's not that I have a problem, it's that you have a problem!"
The woman pulled at Nie Liansheng and said, "I'm willing to support you, but you're the one who wanted to go to the kitchen."
Nie Liansheng remained silent. He didn't know how to explain, let alone how to talk to the woman.
He used to be her protector, but now he's an old bachelor. What right does he have to freeload?
Women have tried to approach him, but he just can't get over that mental hurdle.
Just like the woman said, he has a knot in his heart that he can't untie if he lets it go on for too long.
"You must follow him and do things."
The woman gave up arguing because of his silence. After a long while, she said, "I know this restaurant can't keep you here, and neither can I."
“You don’t need to provoke me.” Nie Liansheng sat down on the stool, let out a long breath and said, “You have no idea how much influence he has. He’s been eyeing this restaurant for a long time. He knew you were coming back to open the business and I was coming back.”
"There's been no news for a year, and then he suddenly comes here to eat today. What do you think is his reason?"
Nie Liansheng raised his head, looked at the woman, and said, "I'm not leaving. You'll never give me a moment's peace."
"Can't we just live our lives properly?"
The woman's tone softened, and she sat down next to him on the stool, almost pleadingly saying, "Just stay here and watch over the shop, what can he do to you?"
"I wish he had really tied me up."
Nie Liansheng smiled bitterly, letting the woman take his hand, and said, "You don't understand. He won't be at ease until I'm dead, unless I risk my life for him."
The woman was stunned, unable to comprehend the helplessness and resolve in his words. Why was the world of men so complicated, a world where it was either you die or I die?
"Let me think about it, give me some time."
Nie Liansheng patted her hand, stood up and went out the door; the woman couldn't stop him.
Nie Liansheng's position in this restaurant is awkward, and his interactions with women are also awkward. Today, he has finally resolved this awkwardness, but the two of them need to redefine their relationship.
The woman wanted to give him a home, but he couldn't just walk into the house like that; a man has to save face.
Nie Liansheng now has two paths: either abandon his family and run away, or obediently go and work for Li Xuewu, earn some prestige, and give his woman a home.
Men have never heard of women giving up their homes.
-
"Is this all prepared?"
This was Xu Sinian's first visit to Li Xuewu's home in Gangcheng. He had heard about the story of Li keeping a mistress in a golden house.
Jinwu saw it, but where did Jiao go?
"Would you like baijiu or beer?"
Li Xuewu pointed to the refrigerator and said, "Beer is in the refrigerator, and baijiu is in the cupboard."
"Forget it, let's have some white wine."
Xu Sinian looked at the food on the table; drinking beer would be a waste.
He knew, of course, that Li Xuewu had an unlimited capacity for alcohol, whether it was beer or baijiu, he didn't care, because he couldn't outdrink him anyway.
Without Li Xuewu's help, he took out a bottle of Five Star Moutai from the cabinet and opened it himself.
“I never imagined that you would have such a hard time living here all by yourself, and now you have to take care of a child too.”
Xu Sinian filled his bowl first, then poured his own.
He was referring to Banggeng, who was putting meat and vegetables into the pot; they were having seafood hot pot today.
These days, there's no such thing as a proper seafood hot pot, but Li Xuewu has connections, so his refrigerator is always stocked with everything he needs.
The vegetables were picked from the yard. Zhou Yamei took good care of the yard before she left, and now it's overgrown with weeds.
Li Xuewu could not possibly take care of the courtyard, let alone the servants, but he could prepare meals.
The ingredients for the soup pot were easy to match; the meat and seafood were readily available in the refrigerator, so he could use this to entertain Xu Sinian, who had come from afar.
It's inconvenient to go to a restaurant late at night, and going to a guesthouse is too formal. Now it's much more convenient to eat at home.
“If you hadn’t come, we wouldn’t have had any problems at all.” Li Xuewu pointed at the big-faced cat and asked him, “Does this child look like he’s suffering or hungry?”
“I told you I was treating, but you insisted on eating at home.” Xu Sinian loosened up and joked, “I thought we were going to eat something fancy.”
He deliberately glanced at the restaurant, trying to find some trace of her keeping a mistress, but unfortunately a week had passed, and not only was Zhou Yamei meticulous, but his and Bang Geng's laziness had also made Zhou Yamei's traces disappear.
"That's awesome enough. What else do you want to eat?" Li Xuewu pointed to the hot pot and said, "It's only because of you. I wouldn't entertain anyone else."
"Yes, yes, thank you."
Xu Sinian was spouting nonsense when he had already dipped his chopsticks into the pot to pick up some meat and start eating.
If it doesn't taste good, would he even touch his chopsticks?
"Whose child is this?"
When he picked up the meat, the child glared at him, as if to say that he wanted to eat the meat he picked himself.
He also found it funny; what kind of good kid could a child who could live with Li Xuewu?
However, Xu Sinian did not think the worst. Li Xuewu was only in his early twenties, so it was impossible for him to have a fourteen or fifteen-year-old child.
Who does he look like?
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, picked up a scallop, saw that the meat was still there, and then shaved off the meat and ate it.
A seafood hot pot naturally needs seafood.
When Xu Sinian heard him say this, he knew that the child's parents must know him.
If he can live with Li Xuewu and knows the child's parents, then whose child is this?
"Whose are you?" He didn't waste any words with Li Xuewu and asked Banggeng directly.
Banggeng is a good kid, so of course we have to give him face. He raised an eyebrow and replied, "Guess."
"Damn, this is actually pretty interesting!"
Xu Sinian turned to Li Xuewu and asked, "Which heartless parent would dare to send their child to you for tutoring? Aren't they afraid the child will go astray?"
"Don't worry, he won't go astray."
Li Xuewu raised his glass to him and said, "At least I didn't teach him to swear."
"Okay, I guess I'm the bad guy now."
Xu Sinian confessed his guilt, tilted his wine glass back, and downed the entire glass.
Even if you drink the whole cup, there's not much wine left. How long would it take to get drunk from a two-qian cup?
The two of them weren't going out to get drunk today; they just got together to chat.
"This kid's so old and he's not going to school anymore?"
Xu Sinian's gaze remained fixed on Bang Geng. He turned to Li Xuewu and said, "Hey, have you heard? The United School is going to open a shipbuilding and shipping management major this year. Do you have any connections? Why don't you think about it?"
"Is his mother more perceptive than I am?"
Li Xuewu took a bite of meat, looked at Bang Geng with amusement, and said, "Even his mother can't figure it out, why should I worry about it? As long as he doesn't starve to death here, that's fine."
"Qin Huairu's son—"
Upon hearing this, Xu Sinian immediately realized that Li Xuewu's relationship with him was only so-so.
Seeing that Li Xuewu did not deny it, he then looked at the stick more closely and said with a smile, "Looking at it this way, it really does look a bit like it, especially the face."
"What was she thinking, sending her child here so she wouldn't have to go to school?"
"Studying is too tiring, I don't want to study anymore."
Banggeng volunteered, "When you go back to the capital and see my mother, don't tell her I'm here."
"Hehe—" Xu Sinian laughed out loud when he saw him making such a fuss.
How do you know I'll be able to see your mother when I go back to Beijing?
"Unless you go back home."
Banggeng rolled his eyes, then quickly took all the meat from his side, not wanting to give it to him for free.
"My mother is the manager of the guesthouse, so you're asking a pointless question."
"Did you teach all of this?" Xu Sinian asked Li Xuewu, pointing at the stick. "It has your style."
"Not at all. I don't have time to teach apprentices. The kids have gone astray on their own."
Li Xuewu was just joking, making a joke.
Banggeng didn't care, he only focused on the meat in the pot, he still really liked eating meat.
"I know about the joint program at the school; it was Director Dong who suggested it."
While eating, Li Xuewu said, "The conditions aren't right this year, but we'll open an aircraft major next year."
“Great, everything that flies in the sky, runs on the ground, and swims in the water is here.”
Xu Sinian smiled and nodded, saying, "With the support of the joint school, we can say that we have solved the problem of the shortage of professional talents."
"Development cannot be separated from talent."
Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "What are the targets for Yingcheng Shipbuilding in the second half of the year?"
Before Xu Sinian could answer, he emphasized, "If it's lower than the same period last year and the first half of the year, you don't need to report it. I'd be ashamed to report it myself."
"A 5% increase is the limit."
Xu Sinian shook his head slightly and said, "As you know, business is easier in the first half of the year and harder in the second half. I'm still waiting for Yingcheng Port to drive shipbuilding."
How are speedboat sales?
Li Xuewu picked up a piece of green vegetable, looked at him, and asked, "How much has it increased compared to the same period last year?"
"Not many, I'm referring to the channels."
Xu Sinian thought for a moment and said, "There are many non-channels, but I won't say where they went."
"We need to increase the speed, the ship's speed."
Li Xuewu looked at him and said, "Once the port area is operational, you won't be able to take on many orders."
"Furthermore, we should strengthen cooperation with Bincheng Shipbuilding and make full use of their advantages."
“I’ve thought of that. I’ve been thinking about it recently.” Xu Sinian took a bite of crab and nodded. “I was too busy with work recently. Auditing and organizational development took up most of my time.”
"Complaining to me is useless. The work has been assigned; whether you don't carry it out or I don't is up to you."
Li Xuewu put some greens on Banggeng's plate and said, "Shenyang Aircraft Corporation is interested in cooperating on a major project. If it can be successfully completed, the integrated parts industry in the steel city will truly take off."
"A big project?" Xu Sinian understood the implication in his words and asked, "How many could there be?"
"Unbelievable, there are so many."
Li Xuewu looked at him and said, "By achieving breakthroughs in both technology and production, following the automotive parts industry, we now have a target for aircraft parts manufacturing. When will your Yingcheng Shipbuilding industry dominate the market?"
"Stop joking. You want to dominate the world? What are we but small fry?"
Xu Sinian curled his lips and said, "Haven't you heard? Bincheng and Tianjin have also built shipbuilding equipment capable of handling 10,000-ton ships. They're about to make some big moves."
"Isn't this perfect?" Li Xuewu said. "Even the construction company is pulling strings to get projects, how can you sit idly by?"
"Two different things, two different things."
Xu Sinian, with a piece of green vegetable in his hand, said, "I really admire our factory's remarkable rise in the automotive industry and its ability to secure key positions in the supply chain."
“You just mentioned that you want to get into the aircraft parts supply chain, I think that’s possible.”
After eating some vegetables, he looked at Li Xuewu and said, "I don't think it's very realistic to also develop a parts supply chain industry in the shipbuilding industry."
"As you know, ship parts are very large and there are transportation requirements."
Xu Sinian raised his chopsticks and said, "Even warehousing and transportation are difficult, let alone customization."
“Large ships are designed one by one, unless you are talking about small fishing boats or speedboats.”
"Then we should try to achieve standardization as much as possible."
Li Xuewu said earnestly, "Yingcheng Shipbuilding's current manufacturing volume is definitely not modern."
"You can say that you can meet the demand for orders now and build ships that can reach tens of thousands of tons, but what about in the future?"
"When breakthroughs cannot be achieved in equipment, processes, and technologies, standardized production and assembly are the only way to speed up shipbuilding."
"I'll think about what you're saying when I get back."
Xu Sinian scratched his head and complained to Li Xuewu, "This is a systemic project, not just a matter of a single screw or a piece of iron."
"Industrial enterprises themselves must always face the choices and tests of the times." Li Xuewu pointed to the hot pot, urging him to eat more, and continued, "If you don't consider the future now, then the future won't consider you."
"Don't always think about going it alone."
Li Xuewu then reminded him, "Report your work to Director Li more often, and coordinate with the Academy of Sciences later. You need to put in some effort."
"This is far from a tiny bit."
Xu Sinian groaned, but still nodded and pointed at the stick, saying, "Kid, go get some more meat."
(End of this chapter)