Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 77

Old Master Wen took Gu Yin to the study room.

In the study room, Elder Master Wen learned that the old father had a good appetite, and after eating a large bowl of noodles, he left with satisfaction.

Old Master Wen sat on the top and gestured toward the chair below.

Gu Yin thanked him, and the two started talking across the table.

“You shouldn’t be surprised about the previous incident.”

While talking, Old Master Wen looked at Gu Yin’s expression. He invited Gu Yin, of course, to repay the past.

But it was not uncommon for the strong to bully the weak since ancient times.

If Gu Yin was dissatisfied with the status quo. Naturally, Old Master Wen would not keep such a person by his side. He may just give her some money and send her away.

Gu Yin’s expression was natural, “It is just a misunderstanding, nothing to be surprised about. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

The one who threw her out that day was Second Master Wen, who was so angry that he couldn’t vent. It had nothing to do with the old man. And because that day was delayed, she and Mrs. Wang worked together to catch the little brat she was thinking of.

As for Old Master Wen’s worry of repaying back the favor, Gu Yin didn’t think there was anything worth repaying for that day – after all, if Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Xu hadn’t pulled the old man off the stage and quarreled with him, the old man might not have fainted. He gave her a job opportunity, so he already repaid her.

Old Master Wen touched the goatee on his chin and nodded, “That’s right.”

Gu Yin didn’t know his meaning, but the little old man in front of her was her immediate boss, so she smiled back.

The servant brought two cups of hot tea, the old man took a sip, and then said, “I was worried that Chef Xu in the kitchen would bully you, and I just went to have a look, but he actually changed his attitude. You are quite sharp.”

Gu Yin hurriedly said, “It’s nothing great, it’s just that Master Xu asked me how to make noodles, and I gave him a few pointers.”

There was an old saying that a craftsman couldn’t starve to death in a famine year, which was enough to see the preciousness of craftsmanship.

People at that time had a taboo toward the disciples without a master. Like Chef Xu who did not have a master. 

“You direct others, are you not afraid that your master would be unhappy?”

Gu Yin thought of her grandfather. Their ancestors were not prominent, unlike other culinary families in the future, who had been royal chefs. There were more than a dozen generations in their family, all of them were ordinary people, and they had accumulated various recipes by being apprentices from all over the world.

When her grandfather was in good health, he was very willing to take apprentices. Regardless of his qualifications, as long as anyone wanted to learn, he was willing to teach.

But there were too many job opportunities for future generations. The income of cooks was not great, and not many were willing to study further.

So much so that her grandfather taught apprentices for half his life, and only his son and granddaughter were really left to the end.

At that time, Gu Yin didn’t understand, and asked him of the reason he was teaching for half his life without charging tuition fees.

Her grandfather said that if a craft was only passed down in his own family, how could it be carried forward? Moreover, if their ancestors encountered teachers who did not teach with dedication, how could there be an inheritance to their family?

Thinking of her grandfather who had been open-minded all his life, Gu Yin said with certainty, “No.”

Old Master Wen jumped off the chair, pointed at her and smiled, “You girl, last time I asked you about your master’s inheritance, and you denied having a master. Now you are telling me you learned how to cook porridge from a master? You really lied to me!”

Gu Yin didn’t expect that Old Master Wen was actually inquiring about that in circles.

“Well… I’m not lying, I did have someone guiding me, but it’s more of giving a recipe.”

In her previous life, when she officially started to learn to cook, her grandfather was already old, and it was not easy to guide her every day. He couldn’t teach her hand-to-hand like ordinary people with apprentices, and Gu Yin relied on recipes.

“If everyone is like that then in this world, as long as you can read and write, you can practice your skills according to the recipe.”

Gu Yin didn’t argue with him, but said seriously, “I didn’t lie to you this time.”

Old Master Wen became stubborn.

He had a large collection of books in his study room, and even had a collection of food recipes.

Old Master Wen took out a copy and flipped through it, pointed to Gu Yin and said, “Then you can make this cake.”

Gu Yin took a closer look, and saw the ingredient list; rice flour, pine nuts, walnuts, sesame seeds and peanuts. Walnuts have to be undressed, and sesame seeds have to be fried until fragrant. After they are fried, mix it with crushed peanuts and pine nuts. For sweetness it needed neither honey or sugar, and you can’t put diced oranges.