Chapter 106 – First Update

Chapter 106 – First Update

A stove burned fiercely in the room, warming a small pot of wine. The warm air inside formed a cozy refuge from the icy cold outside. The frigid air carried a hint of snow, while the room was filled with the fragrance of wine and accompaniments like peanuts and sunflower seeds.

One, two, three, four, five... Shen Guixiang counted the heads and exclaimed in surprise, “Wow, there are nine of them, not a single one missing. The small room feels just as lively and cozy as ever.”

Qin Chuanrong coughed, and the room fell silent for a moment, with only the sparks from the charcoal brazier flying upwards.

“Guixiang, you’re back? I thought your train was delayed?”

The men in black clothes, of various heights and builds, around Qin Chuanrong began to look at each other awkwardly. “Oh no, Qin Chuanrong’s wife is back. Too bad, our ‘private retreat’ will soon be gone.”

This gathering was the last to mourn the loss of their “private retreat.”

There was no helping it; housing in the city was too cramped. Families of seven or eight, or even five or six, were squeezed into small courtyards or tube-shaped buildings. Ordinary families lived in houses of thirty or forty square meters, sometimes even fifty, with three generations under one roof. While some young people had moved out, many educated youth were returning, getting married, and having children, making the place even more crowded.

In the eyes of these people, Qin Chuanrong, the chef, was truly a remarkable person. He had four sons and a daughter; all his sons had moved out, and his daughter was married. His wife was away taking care of their grandchildren, leaving him as an old bachelor.

One might think him pitiful, but he had a full house of descendants, a wife still alive, and grandchildren galore... He was less pitiful than they were.

Although the families of the eldest and second sons didn’t live in the courtyard, they came over for meals quite often, not far away. So, he wasn’t lonely.

Not lonely, and not pitiful, which meant he was... free and easy.

Living alone in a thirty to forty square meter house, my goodness, the per capita living space was on par with government officials. Even high-ranking cadres didn’t have forty square meters all to themselves.

These old-timers loved to gather at Qin Chuanrong’s house for meals. Each would bring some meat, wine, and snacks, and they’d eat and drink together, escaping their wives and children and the troubles of home, enjoying a peaceful retreat for old men.

But now, Lao Qin’s wife was back.

“I rushed back to see you, didn’t I?” Shen Guixiang said, glaring, feeling that her worry had been for nothing. This old man had been living a carefree life, not at all eager for his wife’s return.

“Hehehe,” Qin Chuanrong chuckled nervously, trying to brush it off. Why was he so unlucky?

“Guixiang, your daughter and son-in-law are back. Sit, sit, please sit.”

“Lao Qin, since your daughter is back, we shouldn’t take up space here. You should have a family reunion. We’re leaving, leaving now,” the other men said, picking up on the situation and exchanging glances before gathering their things to leave.

“Don’t rush off, stay a little longer,” Shen Guixiang said, making a token effort to keep them. After some polite refusals, they left one after another.

Once the men had left, the room was left in disarray. Qin Chuanrong bowed his head to clean up, with Shen Guixiang helping. Rui Rui and Mingming, the two children, waddled around like little ducklings, finding everything fascinating, like country bumpkins visiting the city.

Qin Yao whispered to Gu Cheng, “Look at our two sons, like little country bumpkins with no experience of the world.”

“Like mother, like son,” Gu Cheng said.

Comrade Qin Yao was furious. “What did you say?”

“I’m saying you’ve got that same boundless curiosity,” Gu Cheng said with a smile, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “I recently read that staying curious about everything is a sign of youth. If someone remains unmoved by anything, with little emotional fluctuation, it only shows that their heart has grown old.”

“Young people are more willing to accept challenges and embrace new things. Our two children are quite adorable, curious about everything, which shows they are full of vitality.”

Qin Yao: “... Comrade Gu, you’re quite the smooth talker.”

“As an older husband, I have plenty of experience,” Gu Cheng said shamelessly, his young handsome face unashamed. “Having eaten ten more years of rice and salt than you, do you think I’ve been eating for nothing?”

“Trust me, girls like you love a man with experience.”

Qin Yao raised her hand to her forehead. "Older husband, don't act up too much, or I'll start to think I have heavy tastes. How can I even handle someone like you..."

"You’re eating pretty well for someone who’s not supposed to be into this kind of thing."

Qin Yao: "..."

"After raising you for so many years, when will you return to that chubby little girl? Every time I accompany you to your parents' house, I'm always afraid that they will think I'm neglecting you, older husband."

"Stop messing around, Little Gu." Once out of his uniform, Comrade Gu really loosened up.

If it weren’t for the fact that their two sons were still too young, a certain mischievous dad would have wanted to sit on a sled and make the two boys pull it.

"When the kids are around four or five, we’ll bring them back to Beijing for the New Year. We'll prepare a sled for them in advance and have them pull it on the track."

Qin Yao wished she could cover her ears. This sounded like something a shady boss would say.

"Dad, you’re terrible."

"Good girl," Gu Cheng said with a smile.

"I’ve lived ten more years than you. Do you think I’ve been living for nothing?

"I know you’re secretly playful, but don’t let it become obvious."

"Polluting our two pure and innocent children."

"If you keep this up, I’ll have to turn into the cold and ruthless Captain Qin just to keep up with you."

Qin Chuanrong doted on children. Seeing these two little grandsons, he was incredibly fond of them.

"Grandpa, grandpa..."

"Grandpa's treasures, what would you like to eat? Grandpa will make it for you, something you've never tasted before."

He loved making various snacks for Qin Yao. Before his daughter and grandsons left, he would stuff a large bag full of delicious treats.

Qin Yao loved the amber honey walnuts made by Qin Chuanrong. The walnut kernels he chose were of high quality, not bitter, and the honey was wild mountain honey, farm-produced, not the kind fed with white sugar.

They were fragrant, sweet, and crispy, with just the right sweetness so as not to feel cloying.

Other snacks, like candied haws, weren't particularly delicious either. The ones bought outside were a bit of a mystery, but the homemade candied haws were delicious. Compared to candied haws, Qin Yao preferred the sugar-frosted hawthorn balls, which her father Qin Chuanrong made very well. Some people even specifically asked him to make them.

As for other foods like fermented bean juice, fried dough rings, the so-called "Qianlong cabbage," and "stewed offal"—if you took an out-of-towner to eat these, they might think you had a grudge against them.

Qin Yao didn't like these either. She found Peking duck too fatty, but she loved mutton hotpot and her father's sheep offal soup.

The sheep offal soup wasn't something just anyone could handle. Those who liked it found it fragrant, but those who didn’t like it couldn’t stand the smell at all.

Although many here claimed to be descendants of imperial chefs, it was somewhat of a food desert. True gourmets, upon hearing you're a descendant of an imperial chef, might not even want to eat your food. Only those looking for "authenticity" or "tradition" would go and try it.

Generally speaking, palace chefs from the late dynasty weren't particularly good. Like the large families described in *Dream of the Red Chamber*, before the collapse of a great mansion, you could see the signs: the master weakens while the servants grow stronger. The Grand View Garden had been "contracted out," with generations of servants interconnected and deeply rooted, leading to servants overpowering their masters, favoritism, and nepotism. In the palace, even among imperial chefs, rather than selecting those with good culinary skills, they chose those "with connections." This was their way of making money, not serving the emperor's palate. Serving "stale" and "unappetizing" dishes to the master was a way to avoid being picky.

Thus, the level of these imperial chefs was complicated, and more often than not, they used the title of imperial chef as a gimmick. Whether they were actually good was questionable.

Qin Chuanrong had learned various styles of cooking. He was a self-taught chef who prioritized flavor over tradition and never bound by formal schooling. He enjoyed innovating and improving his recipes. The dishes he cooked were delicious and highly popular among diners.

Of course, many picky foodies would criticize him, calling him a "heretic."

"Old Man Zhang always says my dish isn’t authentic, but he sure doesn’t mind eating it. If he’s so tough, let him not even pick up his chopsticks. What a jerk," Qin Chuanrong would say, indignant.

At his age, with children and grandchildren around him, he had few regrets. His only regret was that he never received the recognition he deserved. His cooking skills were admired, but he wasn’t born into a "prominent family." He had no formal training under a famous master and lacked the title of a renowned chef’s successor. It just didn’t sound impressive. His name wasn’t well-known outside the city.

"Dad, you’ve been holding onto this grudge for years. How about I write a book about you and promote you extensively?"

Even the best wine can get lost in a narrow alley. Many famous chefs became well-known through advertising. Without promotion, how could one gain fame? A few celebs giving shoutouts would also help with publicity.

Qin Chuanrong’s cooking skills were somewhat famous locally, but outside the city, no one knew his name. At that time, media exposure was scarce. Throughout history, famous chefs and beauties who were remembered by later generations were often depicted by scholars and writers.

Qin Yao thought the Gu family was just teasing her. She didn’t think she could write a book about her father. But she was interested in writing vivid, mouth-watering descriptions of food in her everyday life.

A novel might not be the best way to go right now, but writing it as an article and submitting it to a local literary magazine might actually earn her father some recognition.

As for writing a biography, it might be better to wait a year or two to avoid any potential problems. By then, they could open a privately-run restaurant, which would help build his reputation. Qin Chuanrong could be in charge of the kitchen, and the eldest and second brothers could manage the restaurant.

"You writing a book about me? Nah, I don’t think so," Qin Chuanrong waved his hand, feeling he didn’t deserve such honor.

Qin Yao responded, "Alright then."

"Why don’t you give it a shot? Just keep it real, no need to overdo it."

Qin Yao: "..."