Chapter 99

"Whatever it is, I'll tell you everything I know." Wang Guoqiang said cheerfully.

"I heard from Dazhuang that when the village has a wedding banquet or something, they invite someone called Uncle Wang. I want to ask about his cooking skills." Lin Xiao organized his words.

"Oh, you mean him. His real name is Wang Zhi, and he's of the same generation as me. His cooking is top-notch, and he's the most authentic chef in the surrounding villages." Wang Guoqiang replied.

"Does Xiao Lin want to hire him? I advise you to give up on this idea." Wang Guoqiang saw Lin Xiao deep in thought, his expression uncertain, and continued.

"Oh? Why is that?" Lin Xiao asked.

"It's not a secret. About ten years ago, Wang Zhi went out to participate in a cooking competition and won first place. At that time, many hotels came to invite him to be their chef, but Wang Zhi refused them all, leaving the hotels empty-handed. I don't know why, but he is quite reclusive and doesn't talk much. My understanding is also limited." Wang Guoqiang recalled his memories.

"It was quite a sensation back then. The hotels came in cars, which were rare in our village, especially small cars. The villagers all came out to surround the cars, scaring the people inside so much that they didn't dare to get out. It was the old village chief who dispersed the crowd." Wang Guoqiang was lost in his memories.

"All the villagers envied Wang Zhi, thinking he would leave and no longer stay in this small village. I remember clearly that a hotel manager said Wang Zhi was a remarkable person, having reached the level of a master chef in his middle age, with very few people in the country achieving that." Wang Guoqiang continued.

Lin Xiao listened quietly, never imagining that such a great person was hidden in the village.

"Xiao Lin, you must think I'm a joke. I'm old and get lost in my memories." Wang Guoqiang laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Not at all, I was also captivated by the story." Lin Xiao smiled.

"Do you still want to invite Wang Zhi to come out of retirement and work for you?" Wang Guoqiang saw Lin Xiao's expression and knew he hadn't given up.

"Yes, I want to try." Lin Xiao nodded.

"Alright, Wang Zhi's house is at the end of the village. Go straight down this road until you reach the end, and the house by the mountain is his." Wang Guoqiang pointed out the way.

"Thank you, Uncle Wang. I'll take my leave now."

"Go ahead."

...

Lin Xiao followed the direction Wang Guoqiang pointed and soon arrived at the destination, which was easy to recognize.

It was a quadrangle courtyard, with plants climbing all over the walls, giving it a vibrant spring atmosphere. The gate was slightly ajar, and Lin Xiao gently pushed it open. The hinges creaked as he did so.

"Who's there?" a voice came from inside the house.

Lin Xiao walked in, and the large courtyard was filled with various fruits and vegetables. Looking around, he saw cabbages, green beans, loofahs, cabbages, tomatoes, and more, all green plants, leaving only a small path for walking. The entire courtyard couldn't even fit a chair.

A middle-aged man dressed in a dark Zhongshan suit, with his hair neatly combed and a serious expression, came out of the house.

"Hello, may I ask if you are Mr. Wang Zhi?" Lin Xiao asked politely.

"Yes." Wang Zhi nodded.

Looking at Wang Zhi, Lin Xiao couldn't imagine him as a chef. If he told others that Wang Zhi was a government official, they would find it more believable than a chef.

"I heard from the village chief that you were a famous chef in the past, so I thought..."

"I know what you mean, but I'm not prepared for that." Wang Zhi interrupted Lin Xiao before he could finish.

'He really is a strange person.' Lin Xiao glanced at Wang Zhi a few times, thinking to himself.

"I want to know the reason. Could you share it with me?" Lin Xiao asked calmly, not at all annoyed by being interrupted.

"Not convenient." Wang Zhi said without any emotion.

"Then I apologize for the disturbance. Let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Xiao, and I am the owner of the farm outside the village. I want to hire a head chef, and the village chief said you won an award in the past and that your cooking skills have reached the master level." Lin Xiao smiled.

Seeing that Wang Zhi didn't respond, Lin Xiao wasn't anxious. He had prepared himself for the first contact. A person at least at the master level wouldn't be easy to hire. Lin Xiao decided to take another approach.

"May I ask if you have a kitchen here?" Lin Xiao asked again.

"Of course." Wang Zhi looked at Lin Xiao as if he was stating the obvious.

"I would like to cook a dish for you to taste. Would I have the honor?" Lin Xiao smiled, completely ignoring Wang Zhi's challenge.

Wang Zhi's face showed a bit of interest, and his eyes sparkled with curiosity. He nodded and pointed to a room, saying, "There."

"Please wait a moment." Seeing Wang Zhi agree, Lin Xiao walked briskly to the room Wang Zhi pointed to.

"Not bad for a chef's kitchen." Lin Xiao sighed in admiration as he entered. The kitchen was well-equipped, with everything from a large bone-cutting knife to a small fish-scaling knife, all neatly arranged.

Opening the refrigerator, Lin Xiao saw green peppers and meat. He decided to make a home-style dish, stir-fried green peppers with meat.

He turned on the gas, heated the pan with oil, cut the green peppers, removed the seeds, and sliced the meat. After the meat was partially cooked, he added the green peppers. He only added a bit of salt and continued to stir-fry. When it was almost done, Lin Xiao added water from his space and simmered it over low heat.

After about ten minutes, the dish was ready. He put it on a plate, picked it up, and took a deep whiff, savoring the aroma.

Lin Xiao carried the plate to Wang Zhi and said, "Please taste it."

Wang Zhi picked up the chopsticks, took a piece of meat, and slowly chewed it. Lin Xiao carefully observed Wang Zhi's expression, but his serious face remained unchanged, giving no indication of his feelings. After swallowing the meat, Wang Zhi said nothing and picked up a piece of green pepper.

After finishing, Wang Zhi put down his chopsticks and stared intently at Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao felt his scalp tingle, unsure of Wang Zhi's intentions.

"How did you do it? The meat slices are irregular, completely disrupting the texture, yet the flavor is not lost at all. All the juices are locked inside. The green peppers are also perfectly integrated with the meat, reducing the bitterness and adding a touch of sweetness." Finally, Wang Zhi spoke.