Chapter 11 (2/2)

“Never mind, just eat, pretend like I didn’t say anything.” Lin ShuYi was already busy enough, where would he find the time to make this? It would be better if Shen Fu just bought it for him.

In reality, besides XiQin Restaurant’s noodles, Shen Fu had never really experienced Lin ShuYi’s cooking skill. It was because Lin ShuYi didn’t really know how to make simple dishes; all the ones that Song Yan taught him were some difficult dishes that tasted absolutely divine. Since dishes often seen at home were too simple and he rarely tried to make it, they were often made by Old Man Yang. Lin ShuYi helped by chopping vegetables and acting as an assistant.

Today, the two of them had just reached XiQin Restaurant when Old Man Yang walked over joyfully.

“Xiao Yi ah, grandpa is going to be gone for two days. If you want to open the restaurant, then open it. If you don’t, it’s fine if you close it for two days. It’s up to you?”

Lin ShuYi was stunned, and he kneaded his hands together. “Where… is grandpa going?”

Old Man Yang didn’t detect Lin ShuYi’s stiffness, but Shen Fu went up and placed an arm on Lin ShuYi’s shoulders. Old Man Yang said, “Yesterday night, Xiao Xiao gave me a call and asked me to go over to stay with him for two days.” His face was all smiles, and he seemed extremely happy.

Only then did Shen Fu feel the shoulders underneath his hand relax. Lin ShuYi chuckled. “It’s fine. In any case, I have nothing else to do.”

Old Man Yang patted Lin ShuYi’s head. This young lad was truly warm-hearted; if only he were really his grandson.

“That’s fine. The vegetable and meat shops already recognize you, so you can also go over and get vegetables at your leisure. If anything happens, you can call grandpa…” He only remembered that he didn’t have a cellphone after he finished speaking, nor could Lin ShuYi call him. He smiled and modified, “I’m only staying for a few days, so nothing should happen. If you really don’t want to open it, then just close the restaurant. Two days won’t make much of a difference.”

After that, Old Man Yang left, leaving Lin ShuYi and Shen Fu staring at each other in the shop.

“Are you fine by yourself?”

Lin ShuYi shot him a look before he put on the apron with the cartoon décor. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Shen Fu couldn’t help but burst out in laughter. After that, he rolled up his sleeves. “Here, let me help.”

Shen Fu chopped vegetables, while Lin ShuYi cooked. The two of them actually worked together quite well, even a bit better than Lin ShuYi and Old Man Yang. It took less time than usual.

By the time people showed up, Lin ShuYi cooked, while Shen Fu was in charge of bringing out noodles and collecting money, before finally washing the dishes.

Washing dishes had always been Old Man Yang’s job. Neither Shen Fu nor Lin ShuYi had washed them before. Now that Old Man Yang was gone, this was also their task.

Lin ShuYi didn’t really care, but after he broke two bowls after coating them with slippery dishwashing detergent, Shen Fu went up and stopped him, both of his eyebrows jumping. “Grandpa just left, and you’re gonna smash his shop? Once he comes back, he’ll be so distressed. Let me do it.”

How long had it been since he had washed dishes, ah?

Lin ShuYi flushed a rare red, and he was a little at a loss of what to do as he stood there. He had never used this thing before, so he didn’t know that it was actually so slippery. In Da Yan, they usually used luffa pulp to wash dishes; what’s more, his teacher said that ‘a nobleman who has seen a living animal cannot bear to see it die, henceforth he should stay away from the kitchen.’ As a result, he secretly learned how to cook from Song Yan, so never mind washing dishes, he had never done such a thing.

Actually, ever since Lin ShuYi took over for Old Man Yang, he very rarely ate noodles anymore. It made some sense that he wouldn’t eat what he sold. Even though noodles were still as delicious as ever, he still always wanted to eat something else. Furthermore, he had that picky eater Shen Fu at his side.

At noon, Shen Fu went out to get the vegetables. Once he came back, not only did he bring the vegetables for the restaurant, he also brought a few bags of first-rate small ribs. Lin ShuYi didn’t know how he swayed the shopkeepers into giving it to him for free.

After he brought it back, he stared longingly at the small ribs greedily. He didn’t know that Lin ShuYi could also make other dishes, and he only kept muttering to himself that it would be a waste if such good ribs weren’t made into something delicious. Originally, he wanted to make it himself, but he knew very clearly that he himself could only cut vegetables, not cook them.

Just when he was holding a knife, considering where it would be best to slice the meat, a slender and fair finger reached over.

“Cut it here. This length should be fine.”

Shen Fu looked back. Lin ShuYi stood next to him, still wearing that ridiculous apron. The one who had pointed at the ribs with his finger was him.

“So you know how to cook?”

Lin ShuYi rolled his eyes and nodded. Shen Fu instantly immediately obeyed and cut up the meat before washing it and handing it to Lin ShuYi.

Lin ShuYi pointed at the clay pot that he brought back from his house last time. “Rinse this out.”

Shen Fu followed his command, and as he washed, he asked him, “What are you going to make?”

“Pork ribs in a clay pot.”

It sounded delicious just by the name. Shen Fu beamed and scooted closer. “You should add some potatoes in it. I want to eat it.”

Lin ShuYi didn’t eat spicy food, so Shen Fu didn’t request that he put in hot peppers. He poured a little plate of the garlic chili that Old Man Yang had made for himself and rolled the food in it a bit, giving it another sort of distinctive flavor.

Lin ShuYi ate his own food while looking at Shen Fu, as if he kept feeling like Shen Fu’s was a little more delicious.

After that, he also picked up a piece and rolled it a bit in the chili sauce. Before Shen Fu could say anything, he put it in his mouth, and his throat exploded at once with spiciness.

Shen Fu looked all around for water, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “I saw grandpa make this chili sauce a few days ago with chili peppers. It’s that spicy, yet you still dare to eat it?”

It was so spicy that Lin ShuYi’s eyes were watering. He drank an entire cup of water before he stuck out his tongue and said, “I didn’t see your expression change while you ate the noodles.”

Shen Fu was startled, and then he laughed. “Can you compare with me? My mom really likes to eat spicy, so I inherited it.”