Chapter 50 – Manager Fang’s Request

Chapter 50 - Manager Fang's Request

"For now, let's deliver according to this list. If we can't gather everything later on, just bring whatever you have," Qin Xiaoyao said hastily.

"Okay!" Qin Xiaoyao nodded eagerly.

Uncle Zhao then looked at the items the two had brought.

Noticing that there were vegetables other than yams, he asked, "Oh, are those vegetables from Li Daniu's place?"

Qin Xiaoyao quickly replied, "Yes, I mentioned her to you earlier. She's my sister and will be helping me with the deliveries in the future."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Zhao nodded but didn't say much more.

The kitchen usually had to buy vegetables from outside anyway, so receiving more wouldn't be a problem since the quantity wasn't excessive.

"Also, Uncle Zhao, I've brought some other great items this time!" Qin Xiaoyao said promptly.

"Oh?" Uncle Zhao looked at Qin Xiaoyao with curiosity.

Qin Xiaoyao then stood up, took Uncle Zhao by the hand, and led him towards the basket filled with fragrant chives.

She plucked a sprig and handed it to him. "This is fragrant chive sprout. When cooked with eggs, it's incredibly delicious. Give it a sniff," she said with a grin.

Uncle Zhao, half-believing, brought the chive sprout to his nose.

Instantly, he was greeted by a rich aroma.

"If I could borrow your kitchen for a moment, I'd cook it for you myself," Qin Xiaoyao offered.

Uncle Zhao was taken aback.

Recalling the success of the yam dishes, he hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. The Laifu Building had indeed seen a noticeable boost in business since introducing the yam dishes on the menu.

Now, many patrons even visit specifically to savor the yam dishes.

If this fragrant chunye could become the next sensation like the yam, the business at Laifu Building might flourish even more.

Qin Xiaoyao's face lit up with delight.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhao!" she thanked him promptly.

Following that, she accompanied Uncle Zhao to the kitchen of Laifu Building.

There, in front of everyone, she prepared the chunye scrambled eggs.

This dish was incredibly simple.

One only needed to wash the chunye, chop it into tiny pieces, and then mix it with the eggs.

After that, one would proceed with the usual steps for cooking scrambled eggs.

In no time, Qin Xiaoyao had finished cooking the dish.

The rich aroma stirred the appetites of everyone present.

An attendant promptly fetched bowls and chopsticks.

Uncle Zhao's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he picked up his chopsticks and carefully separated an egg chunk wrapped in the fragrant Toona sinensis from the plate.

Then, under the watchful gaze of the crowd, he placed the egg into his mouth.

The intense fragrance instantly flooded his palate, causing Uncle Zhao's eyes to sparkle.

"This... this taste of Toona sinensis..."

It was so aromatic that it was almost on par with spices. Yet, the flavor was delightfully palatable, something that spices couldn't quite achieve.

"I'll go find the manager. You all wait outside for now," Uncle Zhao said quickly.

With that, he carried the plate and a clean pair of chopsticks, then left.

Everyone in the kitchen turned their attention to Qin Xiaoyao, curious about the taste of the Toona sinensis scrambled eggs.

"I don't know much about culinary arts; my cooking skills are just average. The taste of the dishes relies entirely on the quality of the ingredients," Qin Xiaoyao chuckled, addressing the chefs with a smile.

"This time, I've brought quite a bit of Chinese toon sprouts. If Laifu Building is willing to purchase them, all of you should be able to prepare this dish in the future."

The chefs exchanged glances, beginning to believe Qin Xiaoyao's words.

They had just witnessed how she cooked, and her knife skills and stir-frying techniques were indeed quite ordinary, perhaps even falling short of their standards.

Thus, the chefs finally let go of Qin Xiaoyao and allowed her to leave the kitchen with the apprentice.

In the backyard.

The two didn't have to wait long before Uncle Zhao returned, accompanied by the manager of Laifu Building.

"San Ya, quickly, come meet Manager Fang," Uncle Zhao hurried forward and introduced Qin Xiaoyao.

Qin Xiaoyao promptly stood up with Li Daniu and bowed to Manager Fang.

"San Ya has met Manager Fang!" she greeted sweetly.

"Haha! Just as you described!" Manager Fang replied jovially, turning his gaze towards Uncle Zhao.

Uncle Zhao smiled. "I've made Manager Fang laugh."

Manager Fang's smile grew warmer, and he then looked back at Qin San Ya.

"There's no need for formalities. I've worked with your Uncle Zhao for many years, and we have a personal connection too."

"Since you call him Uncle, you may address me the same way."

A delighted expression crossed Qin Xiaoyao's face.

"San Ya has met Uncle Fang!" she promptly responded.

"Haha," Manager Fang chuckled again, clearly pleased with Qin Xiaoyao's response and her composed demeanor.

"Please have a seat," he invited.

Fang Manager went over to the stone table and sat down.

Uncle Zhao took his place beside Fang Manager.

Qin Xiaoyao, on the other hand, seated herself on the other side of Fang Manager.

As for Li Daniu, she lacked the courage to sit, so she chose to stand behind Qin Xiaoyao instead.

Fang Manager glanced at Li Daniu and then back at Qin Xiaoyao, finding her increasingly intriguing.

"The mountain yams and the fragrant chunzi you've delivered are excellent. Laifu Building is interested in purchasing them from you on a long-term basis," Fang Manager stated straightforwardly.

"Let's discuss it first. How much mountain yam and fragrant chunzi do you currently have in stock? Are you capable of consistently supplying to Laifu Building in the long run?"

Qin Xiaoyao maintained a composed expression.

"For the mountain yams, there are still over a thousand catties at home. In addition, we haven't ceased our search in the mountains, so we should be able to find more in the future."

"However, the exact quantity is hard to determine," Qin Xiaoyao stated frankly.

Seeing Manager Fang nod, she continued, "As for the fragrant chives, that's much easier to manage."

"We have over a hundred Chinese ash trees. After their shoots are harvested, new ones usually grow within two or three days."

"Mm-hm. If we deliver every other day and plan the harvest properly, we should be able to supply around ten to twenty pounds per delivery."

"Moreover, fragrant chives are seasonal vegetables. They're only available in spring. Once the season passes, we won't have them anymore."

Manager Fang nodded once more.

"Suddenly, he asked Qin Xiaoyao, "Do you know how to cultivate yams?"

If possible, yam dishes could truly become a signature specialty of the Laifu Building.

"I don't," Qin Xiaoyao replied with an embarrassed smile.

Even if she knew, she wouldn't want to cultivate them.

Disregarding the fact that the Song family doesn't own any land, the cultivation cycle of yams is also quite lengthy.

Though they require minimal care, it takes two to three years from planting until the yam tubers grow.

She didn't possess such patience.

Shopkeeper Fang's face fell with disappointment.

"Then, how much do you know about the habits of yams?" he promptly inquired.

He had a feeling that this young lady before him was not as simple as she seemed. She must have known quite a bit about yams, or else she wouldn't have recognized them.

Qin Xiaoyao smiled.

She glanced at Uncle Zhao before turning her gaze back to Shopkeeper Fang.

"If Uncle Fang is considering cultivating yams, I advise you to proceed with caution," she continued.

Shopkeeper Fang was taken aback.

"Though yam is easy to cultivate and requires minimal attention, its growth cycle is excessively long. It takes two to three years from planting until the tubers can be harvested."

"At present, it's likely only medicinal herb dealers who would bother to cultivate yams artificially."

"After they dig up the yams, their primary use isn't for cooking but for processing into dried herbal slices. The profit margin in this is much higher than if they were used in dishes."