"When you’ve pretty much learned everything, you become an apprentice to handle things on your own."
"When I first started selling Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns at the State-owned Restaurant, I was scorned by the neighbors. They all said my buns weren’t as good as my master’s. I’m not afraid to tell you, I used to sell buns at the restaurant during the day, and at night I’d cry alone in my room, feeling like I let my master down."
"My senior was the same, his dishes received harsh criticism too."
"Thinking back, the neighbors didn’t really say anything nasty. Even though they commented that my skills were far inferior to my master’s, they still bought every bun, lining up daily. It was expected not to be as good as my master; I was just a young, inexperienced kid back then. Even now, I’m not as good as my master."
"Sometimes I think being a master is better than being an apprentice. If the apprentice doesn’t learn well, people say ’it can’t be helped, a famous master doesn’t always produce great students.’ But if the apprentice excels, that’s a glory shared with the master, showing the master’s teaching succeeded."
"At my age, there’s no way I can surpass my master in this life. But if I have an apprentice who can surpass me, then even I, Zheng Da, haven’t wasted my time in the Pastry Circle."
With that, Zheng Da looked intently at Qin Huai.
No, Master Zheng, if you want to reminisce, just reminisce. Why sneak in your own agenda?
When Uncle Wang reminisces, he never sneaks in his own agenda; it’s pure nostalgia.
Qin Huai really wanted to say he had no intention of becoming an apprentice.
If it was a few years ago while he was still in high school or college, before his gaming system was activated and he hadn’t inherited, Qin Huai probably would have wanted to apprentice under someone as skilled and wealthy as Master Zheng.
But now it’s different, now he has the system.
And he’s inherited wealth.
And more wealth is soon to be inherited.
Life is too comfortable; he can’t find a goal to strive for.
Qin Huai feels that his current goal is to create the recipes given by the gaming system; making S-grade locust flower buns would be a victory.
To become an apprentice.
He’s been on his own path for so many years that he’s accustomed to it, with no intention of changing now.
Thinking it over, Qin Huai directly said, "Master Zheng, I don’t have any plans to become an apprentice right now."
Zheng Da was taken aback by Qin Huai’s straightforwardness but quickly convinced himself.
Not now doesn’t mean not ever.
Maybe he hadn’t showcased himself enough.
Blame it all on Huang Shengli for being too hasty and ruining his plan.
"It’s okay, let’s first... oh, seems like the Crab Dumplings are ready, let me check the time, another minute, let’s have some dumplings first."
After you taste this, you’ll know just how awesome your future master is!
A minute later, the Crab Dumplings were done.
Qin Huai wasn’t like Qin Luo who could shove freshly steamed snacks into his mouth. Holding a small plate, he transferred three dumplings onto it and stepped aside to let them cool to a biteable temperature.
As for why Qin Huai stepped aside.
It’s because there were many people queued up with little plates waiting for their Crab Dumplings.
Zheng Da proactively making Crab Dumplings was as rare an event as rain falling upwards.
On a normal day, if Zheng Da voluntarily made some Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns, Huang’s Kitchen employees would suspect Zheng Da struck a big deal, earning an eight-digit figure, and so was happily giving back to the public. Although Crab Dumplings might not taste better than Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns, they’re definitely more complicated.
Getting the flavors right was tough; Zheng Da’s first method of seasoning was akin to a secret recipe, and most ordinary chefs would choose a less challenging second method to avoid the complexity. Such a level of seasoning reached the Red Case Master level, which was difficult even for a pastry chef.
While Zheng Da made it look easy, it was because he had the skill, fearlessly confident, but it didn’t mean it was truly easy.
Let me put it this way: This afternoon, Huang An Yao was in the hospital accompanying Huang Shengli for therapy. Upon hearing Zheng Da made Crab Dumplings, he immediately went on WeChat, begging kitchen staff to save him two so he could come over and eat them at night.
Pleading, considering he was the Young Master, save him two!
The Young Master hadn’t had Zheng Da’s Crab Dumplings for three and a half years!
Huang An Yao continued pleading all over.
The Crab Dumplings in Qin Huai’s plate had cooled to an edible temperature.
The dumplings looked beautiful.
Zheng Da specially fashioned them, adding egg crepe garnish on top.
The dumplings were small; if Qin Luo were eating, she could easily down one in a single bite.
Qin Huai opted for a single bite to taste half of a dumpling.
He knew freshness was a vague term, but the dumplings truly tasted extraordinarily fresh.
The dumpling skin was very thin, slightly chewy with hardly any taste, ideally matched with the fresh shrimp filling.
Qin Huai had no idea before that fresh shrimp and crab meat, crab roe could pair so well.
Shrimp flavor is mild; people who often eat shrimp know that boiling fresh live shrimp in water imparts a subtle sweetness unique to shrimp.
Crab meat shares the same mildness and also carries a unique sweet freshness.
Crab roe, however, is different. Compared to the aforementioned ingredients, its flavor is rather bold.
These three ingredients, with minimal de-fishy condiments, combined into a wonderfully intriguing flavor.
Qin Huai had previously eaten Crab Roe Soup Dumplings and even tried making them. He always thought that softening crab roe’s domineering taste with soup in these dumplings was the way to enjoy them.
But these Crab Dumplings in front of him taught him otherwise.
As long as it’s blended well, as long as the seasoning is spot on, as long as the dumplings can fully showcase the shrimp and crab meat flavors, allowing each component to blend, neither overshadowing the other, yet keeping their true essence, it could taste wonderful.
Simply the result of excellent seasoning.
No extensive pastry techniques required; it’s the pure deliciousness brought by fillings and fresh ingredients.
This is true craftsmanship!
Suddenly, Qin Huai felt a pang of jealousy towards Gong Liang.
He could eat something even tastier than these marvelous Crab Dumplings for an entire month straight!
What kind of family conditions allowed for that!
Even a department supervisor shouldn’t be able to indulge . Don’t you ever intend to eat anything else in your lifetime?
No wonder he is constantly pestering Huang Shengli and Zheng Da to make something good for him—it’s because his tastes have become accustomed to extravagance.
It’s so enviable! Qin Huai wished he could spoil his taste buds this way too.
Inside, Qin Huai shed tears of envy.