"Cookbook?"
Xiao Jun looked at it with surprise and didn't take it.
"Can we talk inside? It's a long story," the middle-aged man seemed somewhat melancholic.
"Of course," Xiao Jun welcomed him inside.
"I'm Wang Zhengyang. My father's name is Wang Hai, and he is the eighth-generation descendant of authentic Shandong cuisine. This cookbook is the culmination of his years of learning and innovation, written with great passion and effort."
Xiao Jun's expression turned serious. He had heard of Wang Hai's name before, although he had never met him. Wang Hai was the old man renowned for his mouth-watering meat dishes and Beijing-style cuisine.
"I can't accept this cookbook," Xiao Jun shook his head. Such a precious item would be a treasure in any restaurant.
Wang Zhengyang smiled. "Don't be hasty, let me explain."
"My father had a disagreement with our family recently because my stubborn son refused to learn his recipes and instead wanted to study Western cuisine. It broke my father's heart, so he ran out and ended up coming to your house."
"After returning home, my father sighed and said not to force the child if he doesn't want to learn. But I feel regretful."
Wang Zhengyang looked at Xiao Jun with a questioning gaze. "Although I've been learning cooking from my father, I'm not talented in this area. I can only follow the cookbook meticulously and produce each dish exactly as it is written. It may taste good to those who are unfamiliar, but experts would know that the flavors lack innovation."
"I can't discern the subtle differences in taste, and I can't figure out how to modify ingredients, seasonings, and cooking methods to improve the dishes. It's just not my forte."
"I can manage our family restaurant well, but I can't carry forward the legacy of the Wang family's cuisine."
Wang Zhengyang gently touched the cookbook in his hand. "Instead of letting it gather dust, I'd rather give it to you so that you can improve and carry forward the recipes."
"My father would also be happy knowing that his lifelong dedication to cooking has found a good home for his cookbook. It's my way of honoring him even a hundred years from now."
Xiao Jun looked at the cookbook again and felt that it was different. It was not just a cookbook; it carried a profound vision and entrusted responsibility.
He solemnly said, "I can only promise that I won't let the Wang family's cuisine be disgraced. Every dish that comes out of my hands will be worthy of the name of Wang's cuisine."
Wang Zhengyang glanced at him with reluctance and handed the cookbook to Xiao Jun. "We have tasted the dishes you make, and they are delicious."
"My mother also said they were delicious," Wang Zhengyang thought of his mother and smiled tenderly, "When will you officially open? I want to bring my mother here to dine in."
"Do you know how to make local Shanghai dishes? My mother is from Shanghai, but it's been a long time since she had an authentic local meal. I want to fulfill her wish."
Xiao Jun pondered for a moment and replied, "We can prepare marinated fresh sea cucumber. Spring bamboo shoots will be available in a while."
Wang Zhengyang was overjoyed. "My mother loves marinated fresh sea cucumber!"
Xiao Jun informed him of the new address after the relocation and saw him off.
When he returned, holding the priceless cookbook, he sighed once again.
"What's wrong? Why do you look so downcast?" Ding Sha approached, holding Little Ping An.
"Come here, Little Ping An, give Daddy a smile."
Little Ping An didn't know if he could understand, but he obediently smiled widely.
Xiao Jun told Ding Sha about Wang Zhengyang's situation and finally said, "It's really..."
He thought for a long time but couldn't figure out what to say, so he sighed.
Ding Sha put down the recipe and said, "Since there's a renovation going on over there, we can separately list a section for Grandpa Wang's dishes and call it 'Wang Family Cuisine.' What do you think?"
"That's exactly what I was thinking," Xiao Jun said, worried that Ding Sha's arm might hurt from holding the child, so he took Little Ping An in his arms. "The landlord over there is quite reasonable. The location and area of the house are even better now. I thought that if it's suitable, we can save enough money and eventually buy it. I mentioned it to the landlord, and he agreed."
"So we can consider the renovation. The pandemic is gradually under control now. We can make an appointment with a designer another day and take a look at the design and decoration plans. What do you think?"
"Of course, that's great!" Ding Sha was quite happy.
Perhaps all Chinese people have a sense of stability and belonging when they buy a house and settle down.
Ding Sha was no exception. As she spoke, she took out her phone and started searching for decoration ideas.
"Can we decorate it in any style?" Ding Sha asked.
Xiao Jun replied concisely, "Whatever you like."
Ding Sha was his preference.
For Xiao Jun, when facing Ding Sha, there was only "yes" and no "no."
After looking for a long time, Ding Sha finally decided to go with a Chinese-style decoration.
She saved a design that she liked and showed it to the designer she had arranged to meet with Xiao Jun. "Can we do it like this?"
"Of course," the designer glanced at it and understood. "But the wooden furniture like this may not be readily available in the market to suit your taste."
"That's fine. I can have it custom-made based on the design," Ding Sha waved her hand. She was satisfied with Wei Uncle's aesthetic sense and craftsmanship.
"Alright then, in the next few days, I'll oversee the renovation there. If there's anything that needs to be finalized, I'll give you a call," the designer was an efficient and decisive career woman. Only after everything was discussed did her demeanor soften.
"How old is the little one? Just born recently, right?"
"Just three months," Ding Sha smiled.
"So adorable. When my daughter was this age, she cried every day as if her father had died."
Ding Sha paused for a moment. It was the first time she had heard such a description.
The designer smiled mischievously at her. "My ex-husband cheated on me during my pregnancy."
"Oh..." Ding Sha didn't know how to console her.
"You can just say 'my condolences' to me," the designer winked playfully. "Anyway, I consider him dead."
Ding Sha burst into laughter. She thought this designer was really interesting.
Not only was she carefree, but even when discussing the decoration matters, she avoided contacting Xiao Jun and Ding Sha.
According to the designer, it was to avoid any unnecessary trouble.
The designer looked at the sky and said, "It's getting late. I still need to make a trip to the building materials market. Not sure which stores are still open."
"Wait! It's already so late. Let's have a meal before you leave," Ding Sha quickly stopped her.
The designer initially wanted to decline, but her stomach growled in protest, so she decided to sit down. "Let's eat first then. Coincidentally, I'm hungry too," she said.
"What would you like to have?" Ding Sha handed her the menu.
The designer glanced at it and replied, "Something simple and healthy, like 'Shredded Vegetables in Sauce.'"
"How about a bowl of rice?"
"No, no, no," the designer waved her hand, "health-conscious urban professionals don't consume carbs at night."
Ding Sha chuckled and passed the menu to Xiao Jun.
'Shredded Vegetables in Sauce' is actually a vegetarian dish from the Huaiyang cuisine.
White radish, carrot, and green radish are shredded and blanched in water, then poured into a pot of crucian carp soup with a pinch of salt and pepper for seasoning. After steaming for ten minutes, it is topped with a thin layer of egg crepe and ready to be served.
Not only is it fresh and delightful, but the fragrance of the fish soup is also infused throughout, making it both nourishing and healthy, satisfying the taste buds.
The designer finished the plate clean, patted her satisfied belly, and happily headed to the building materials market.
Ding Sha held a stack of furniture pictures and said, "Take a look at these. See if there's anything we don't need or need to add. We'll give them to Uncle Wei another day. It will take quite a bit of time to handle this stack."
Xiao Jun took them and the first thing that caught her eye was a note from Ding Sha indicating an extra-large bed.
It measured over two meters, looking incredibly spacious.
Unable to resist, Xiao Jun held her phone and started daydreaming.
