Chapter 706 Liu Ping'an 12
In the back kitchen of the factory canteen filled with the atmosphere of human life, a busy symphony of dancing with food is playing enthusiastically. On the huge stoves, the blazing flames are like a group of cheerful and lively elves, jumping and tumbling wantonly in the small space of the stoves. Sometimes they gather together, licking the bottom of the pot enthusiastically, continuously passing on the scorching temperature; sometimes they playfully scatter, turning into golden sparks, flashing with smart light.
The spatula and the iron pan, the golden pair in the kitchen, are now colliding to produce a series of clear and pleasant sounds, as if it is a beautiful movement played by nature. "Ding-dong-dong" and "clang-clang-clang", the sounds come and go, interweaving rhythmically, adding a bit of cheerfulness to the busy kitchen. At the same time, the air is already filled with the mouth-watering aroma of food, which seems to have life, playfully entering everyone's nose, teasing everyone's taste buds, and causing everyone to involuntarily take a few deep breaths, wanting to inhale all of this tempting aroma into their stomachs.
In every corner of the kitchen, the kitchen helpers were busy in an orderly manner like skilled craftsmen. In front of the chopping board, a kitchen helper held a sharp kitchen knife and danced flexibly with both hands. With the rise and fall of the knife, the fresh vegetables were neatly cut into thin slices of uniform size. Each slice was as thin as a cicada's wing, but intact, as if it was a carefully carved work of art. Next to the sink, another kitchen helper rolled up his sleeves, put the pile of dishes into the sink, turned on the faucet, and the clear water poured down like a silver ribbon, splashing crystal water. He picked up the sponge skillfully and wiped each dish vigorously. His movements were quick and meticulous. After a while, the originally greasy dishes were washed clean, shining white under the light.
The workers were not idle either. They sat together in groups of two or three, wiping the sweat from their foreheads while chatting with great interest. From family matters to new things in the factory, from the exciting football game they watched last night to their expectations for the weekend, the topics came one after another, and laughter echoed throughout the kitchen. Other workers helped pass things on the side. As soon as someone shouted "Bring me a plate", someone on the other side quickly passed the plate over. Everyone cooperated very well, and the whole kitchen was bustling with activity and vitality.
In the center of this bustling kitchen, He Yuzhu was wearing a clean but tidy apron that was washed a little white, standing steadily in front of the stove. He stood tall and straight, with a focused and determined look, as if the whole world was only the pot and the food in it. He held the spatula skillfully with both hands, and with a slight flick of his wrist, the spatula flew flexibly in the pot, like a skilled dancer dancing on the stage. The ingredients in the pot seemed to be given life under his stir-frying, jumping and rolling happily. The originally green vegetables gradually became emerald green, and the tender meat slices gradually exuded a rich fragrance. The aroma of various ingredients blended with each other, forming a unique and charming taste.
After a while, a dish of twice-cooked pork with good color, aroma and taste was freshly cooked by He Yuzhu. The shiny slices of meat were neatly stacked on the plate, shining with an attractive luster, as if they were gems inlaid on the plate. Each slice of meat was wrapped in a rich sauce, which was a deep reddish-brown color and exuded a mellow aroma, making people drool just by looking at it. The fat part of the meat was crystal clear and melted in the mouth; the lean meat part was tender, juicy and chewy. Paired with green peppers and red chili peppers, the colors were colorful, like a beautiful painting.
As soon as the twice-cooked pork was served, the kitchen helpers and workers stopped what they were doing, stared at the plate, and drooled. They looked at each other, their eyes full of expectation and desire.
"Hey, Zhuzi, the dish you cooked today is even more delicious than usual!" A kitchen helper grinned and joked. As he spoke, he couldn't help but stretch his neck and sniff the aroma, as if he wanted to absorb it all into his stomach. Other kitchen helpers and workers also echoed his words, praising him: "Zhuzi's cooking skills are getting better and better!" "That's right, with this skill, he is more than qualified to be a chef in a big hotel!" Hearing everyone's praise, He Yuzhu just smiled honestly, scratched his head, and continued to cook the next dish.
"That's right, Brother Zhuzi, your cooking skills are getting better and better!" In the crowd, a young worker leaned forward with his hands on the edge of the chopping board, his upper body slightly leaning forward, his face full of mischievous smiles, his eyes narrowed into a slit, and the corners of his mouth were almost stretched to his ears. He deliberately prolonged his voice and continued in a half-joking and half-cheerful tone, "Did you get inspired by your sister-in-law's nourishment after marriage? Look at this dish, the aroma is almost blowing the roof off our kitchen!" After saying that, he sniffed exaggeratedly, as if he wanted to suck every scent in the air into his stomach, and he looked like a greedy little cat.
As soon as he said this, there was a burst of laughter. The kitchen helpers stopped their work, turned around, and looked at He Yuzhu with interest, their eyes full of amusement and curiosity. The workers also stopped chatting, stretched their necks, pricked up their ears, and waited to see how He Yuzhu would respond.
He Yuzhu's originally rosy face instantly smiled, and that smile was like a sunflower that suddenly bloomed in spring, bright and warm. Deep wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his eyes narrowed into a crescent, revealing a row of white and neat teeth. He skillfully used a spatula to put the tempting twice-cooked pork on the plate, and said with a silly smile like a child who couldn't wait to show off after getting a treasure: "Hehe, you know what, since I married Chunyan, my heart has been like a small stove, warm, and I feel warm wherever I go."
He stopped what he was doing, stood up, his face flushed with happiness, as if he was immersed in the sweet memories of a good life. "Chunyan is really amazing, the house and the outside are tidy. You don't know, every day when I get home from get off work, as soon as I walk to the door, I can smell the fragrance of food wafting from the house. As soon as I enter the house, hey, the steaming hot food has been placed on the table, the fragrance, drilled into my nose, and made my stomach growl with greed." As he spoke, he touched his stomach with his hand, as if he could already smell the smell of the food at home.
"Look at the clothes again, Chunyan washed them so clean, there is not a single stain on the collar and cuffs, and they are folded so neatly, as if they were just bought from the store. Before going to bed at night, she will prepare water for me to wash my feet. Just imagine, after a busy day, my feet are sore and swollen, and now I soak my feet in the warm water, and Chunyan's little hands gently rub my feet, from toes to heels, rubbing every part just right, and that feeling is like walking on clouds, so comfortable. All the fatigue in my body is gone in an instant, and I have more energy to work the next day!" He became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing with his hands from time to time, his face full of intoxicated expression, as if he was enjoying Chunyan's caring care at this moment.
Everyone sighed with envy after hearing this. The voices rose and fell, like the tide, echoing in the bustling kitchen. A kitchen helper folded his hands in front of his chest, raised the corners of his mouth, and showed a meaningful smile, and said with a smile: "Zhu Zi, you have fallen into a honey pot, you are so happy that the corners of your mouth are almost stretched to the back of your head. You must treat your sister-in-law well in the future. Such a good daughter-in-law is hard to find even with a lantern. If you dare to bully her, we will not agree!" As he said this, he deliberately waved the spatula in his hand, pretending to vent his anger for Chunyan.
"That's right, I, He Yuzhu, have decided that Chunyan is my life partner!" He Yuzhu patted his chest vigorously, and the "bang bang" sound was particularly clear in the bustling kitchen, as if it was a powerful echo of his firm vow. His eyes were firm, and there was an unquestionable light flashing in his gaze, like the brightest stars in the night sky, illuminating his deep affection for Chunyan. His lips opened slightly, and every word seemed to jump out from the bottom of his heart, with unquestionable firmness: "I, He Yuzhu, have always been a man of my word. Since I'm married to Chunyan, it's a lifelong thing. No matter what ups and downs we encounter in the future, I will definitely love her well! I'm afraid of dropping her if I hold her in my hands, and I'm afraid of melting her if I hold her in my mouth. I will never let Chunyan suffer any grievances!"
When he said this, He Yuzhu's face was filled with happiness, and his smile was like the flowers blooming in spring, brilliant and eye-catching. There were layers of wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, which were traces left by the years, but now they became more gentle because of happiness. His cheeks were slightly flushed, like the sunset in the sky, which made him full of vitality and energy. He raised his head slightly, as if to announce his love for Chunyan to the whole world. That look was both honest and cute, attracting envious and blessing glances from the kitchen helpers and workers around him.
In the kitchen, He Yuzhu was enjoying a sweet show-off. His happy smile seemed to be contagious, filling the kitchen with a warm atmosphere. On the other side, Xu Damao was driving the old truck with his colleagues to transport things. The truck was driving slowly on the winding road, raising a cloud of dust. Under the sunlight, the dust looked like a golden ribbon, winding along the road.
The carriage was filled with all kinds of goods, some were packed in sacks, bulging like sleeping giants; some were packed in wooden boxes, tightly packed, as if they were hiding some precious treasures. Xu Damao was concentrating on the steering wheel, with veins on his hands bulging slightly from the force. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, focused and sharp, as if he could see through all the obstacles ahead. His brows were slightly wrinkled, his lips were tightly pursed, and his face was serious and earnest, as if he was shouldering an extremely important mission at the moment.
Colleagues sat in the front passenger seat and the back seat, with different postures. Some colleagues leaned back in their seats, their eyes closed, their heads swaying slightly as the truck jolted, apparently resting their eyes and trying to replenish their energy during this short journey; some colleagues gathered together, chatting in low voices, with occasional low laughter, as if they were sharing something interesting. The car was filled with a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, in sharp contrast to the whistling wind outside.
After driving for a while, the truck slowly drove into a rest area. There were several vehicles parked in the rest area that were also on the way. There were some simple facilities around, such as a few worn-out benches and a few faded trash cans. Everyone got off the car to stretch their muscles. Some colleagues stretched their waists, raised their hands high, and sighed with satisfaction, as if they wanted to release all the fatigue along the way with this stretch; some colleagues put their hands on their hips, jumped a few times on the spot, loosened some stiff joints, and showed a relaxed look on their faces.
A colleague who had a good relationship with Xu Damao, wearing a somewhat washed-out work suit and with a casual smile on his face, slowly approached Xu Damao. He first gently patted Xu Damao's shoulder, the "pa pa" sound was somewhat intimate, and then smiled and said: "Da Mao, look at your rosy face, your life after marriage is quite comfortable! Look at your spirit, it's very different from before, the whole person is radiant, is there any happy event in your family?" As he said, he deliberately squinted his eyes, his eyes were full of ridicule.
Xu Damao's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a smug smile, that smile was like a flower blooming on his face. He folded his hands in front of his chest, raised his chin slightly, and said with a somewhat boastful tone: "That's right, since I got married, I feel much more at ease. In the past, when I got home from get off work, as soon as I opened the door, the house was dark and deserted, and there was not even anyone to talk to, and my heart was empty. Now it's different. Every day after get off work, I can see the bright lights at home from a distance. The lights are like a beacon, illuminating my way home and warming my heart. As soon as I entered the door, I smelled the delicious smell of food. My wife Lou Xiao'e had already arranged everything properly. The steaming hot meals were placed on the table, with both meat and vegetables, and they were delicious. My appetite was immediately aroused."
As he spoke, Xu Damao swallowed his saliva, as if he could already smell the fragrance of home-cooked food. His eyes were full of attachment to his home and gratitude to his wife, and his face was filled with a happy smile, as if he was showing his colleagues a beautiful picture of his married life.
After hearing this, the colleague's face, which was originally somewhat playful, seemed to be injected with an exaggerated soul, and his facial features danced vividly. His eyes were wide open, like two round copper bells, his eyeballs were about to pop out of his eye sockets, his mouth was exaggeratedly grinning, and the corners of his mouth were almost pulled to the back of his ears, just like a funny big monkey. He deliberately spread his hands and waved them in the air, as if he wanted to catch the invisible happiness factor in the air, and said in a hoarse voice: "Oh, you are so proud, your tail is almost up to the sky! Tell us in detail, how good is your sister-in-law, so that we bachelors can envy you and get a taste of your newlywed happiness!" As he said this, he deliberately moved closer to Xu Damao, his head almost touching his shoulder, his eyes full of curiosity and expectation, as if every word that Xu Damao was about to say was the most precious treasure in the world.