1009 At Ease (1/2)
”Hm, this tastes…” Zuo Cidian took a bite of the cabbage stir-fried with sweet and sour sauce before him and widened his eyes so much that his eyes looked like two gaping holes on his face.
”Give this stir-fried potatoes with beef a try.” Ye Sigong extended his hand and gestured at the dish to showcase his handiwork.
He employed the same strategy as he did as a doctor, showcasing only what he was best at. The seven or eight dishes on the table right now were his best dishes.
He knew more than just how to prepare the ingredients, cook the dishes according to the steps, and control the fire as well as cooking time well when it came to those dishes. He knew how to tweak the taste of those dishes, especially the undertones. This only came with repeated practice...
Ye Sigong was also capable of cooking many other dishes right now, and he would have plenty of time to put in some practice to perfect his skills when it came to those dishes.
What he needed to do now was to emerge victorious among all his competitors by being the best in making home-cooked food, since the members of the Ling Treatment Group merely wanted good home-cooked food.
”How much oil and seasonings did you put into this dish?” Zuo Cidian ate a slice of beef and nodded slowly.
”I focused on serving healthy and tasty dishes today. Take the beef as an example. I could have stir-fried it with oil first, but I didn't. Of course, when I'm actually serving it to you guys, you guys can tell me what to do.” Ye Sigong knew what Zuo Cidian meant very well. Since Zuo Cidian was a middle-aged man who looked older than his age, he reckoned that Zuo Cidian's requirement when it came to food was like that of his grandfather: healthy.
Zuo Cidian could not help but nod again. He then tried the other dishes, including scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and stir-fried snow peas.
”If you're able to make vegetarian dishes taste so good, you're capable of making more than just delicious home-cooked food.” Zuo Cidian showered Ye Sigong with praises.
”I'm pretty good at meat dishes too.” Ye Sigong smiled and continued, ”But I heard that Doctor Lu is pretty good at braised dishes, so I believe that you guys need more vegetables for a balanced diet.”
”Hm, you're right. Ah, all doctors are smart.” Zuo Cidian laughed.
Ye Sigong smiled and said nothing.
”Manager Fang, I really need to thank you this time.” Zuo Cidian shook hands with the manufacturing representative of Duco Medical Company.
Manager Fang quickly registered what Zuo Cidian said. He quickly replied, ”My contributions are minute. Go ahead and continue your discussion. I'll be taking my leave first.”
”Have a safe journey, Manager Fang.” Zuo Cidian smiled as he watched Manager Fang leave.
After that, Zuo Cidian looked at Ye Sigong. His expression had become slightly more solemn. ”Since you know about how Doctor Lu is good at making braised dishes, it means that you know quite a lot about us already. I won't be bothering you with other questions, but I have to ask you this. How long do you hope that this in-service training will last for?”
”Two years… is this too much?” Ye Sigong gritted his teeth.
When he was training in Tai Feng Restaurant, Ye Sigong had done a lot of thinking as he stood before the stove, the steamer, and the chopping board.
He no longer wanted to work in a county hospital.
Doctors in county hospitals were not like those in tertiary Grade A hospitals. Their lives were more relaxing, and they enjoyed more freedom and fewer responsibilities. Moreover, people were kinder there.
However, Ye Sigong had a paralyzed father who had to stay in the hospital all year long, and he still needed to pay his house loan for twenty years. He had no car either, and he had never enjoyed life in the city like what he had always watched on television.