Chapter 127: Master Qin’s Cooking Skills
Su Tao had no experience with parenting, so she didn’t offer any advice.
Although Zhuang Wan was worried, she didn’t let it delay important matters. She handed Su Tao a list of seven new tenants for two-bedroom apartments.
“These houses are really popular with families. All seven rentals this time are couples with children. But Boss, when will we have apartments with more than two bedrooms? A lot of people have been asking for them, and they’ve been waiting for an answer for a long time.”
Su Tao felt her head ache. “Just wait a little longer. They should be ready by next month.”
In about a month, the business over at Panliu Mountain should be picking up, and with the increasing number of tenants in Taoyang, reaching 200 residents shouldn’t be a problem.
Zhuang Wan was pleased. “That’s all I needed to hear. Now I can give the tenants a proper answer. And remember to save me one—I’ve been wanting to move for a while now. My kid is getting older and doesn’t want to share a room with me anymore.”
Su Tao made an “OK” gesture, then suddenly remembered something.
“By the way, how’s Lan Lingling? The bomb explosion the other day injured her pretty badly. Has she recovered?”
Zhuang Wan replied, “Dr. Zhong healed her injuries, but she’s struggling mentally. She’s too afraid to see people and won’t leave her room. Her father has been taking care of her, and his hair has turned half white.”
“He even quit his job in Dongyang—not only to care for her but also because he wants to catch Su Zhengqing himself.”
Su Tao didn’t know what to say. In the end, she simply said, “Just remind him to stay safe.”
*
The Next Morning
The next morning, Su Tao had Zhuang Wan arrange accommodations for the Leopard Path team while she took Lin Fangzhi and teleported to Panliu Mountain.
As soon as they arrived, Ma Dapao ran out from the kitchen, his face beaming with excitement.
“Boss Su! Master Qin’s cooking is absolutely incredible! You have to try this—I never knew lettuce could taste this good!”
Master Qin’s deaf-mute wife brought out a plate of blanched lettuce, placing it down with a simple, silly smile directed at Su Tao.
Before the dish even reached the table, its rich aroma had already filled the air.
Su Tao picked up a small piece. The moment it touched her tongue, the savory flavors spread to every corner of her mouth. The texture was crisp but not raw—just perfect. He truly lived up to his reputation as a top hotel chef from before the apocalypse.
Lin Fangzhi stared intently at her mouth.
Su Tao chuckled. “Go ahead, it’s all yours.”
Lin Fangzhi devoured it like a storm.
Master Qin looked a little shy. “Is it good? I haven’t cooked in a long time—I’m probably a bit rusty.”
Because of the compliment last time, Lin Fangzhi now saw him as a familiar face and actually spoke up: “It’s delicious.”
Hearing this, Master Qin seemed to regain that sense of achievement he once had before the apocalypse—when he ruled the culinary world, one ladle and one pot at a time.
His deaf-mute wife clapped her hands beside him, her face full of joy, as if celebrating her husband’s success.
Master Qin affectionately squeezed her hand.
Ma Dapao, watching them, felt so envious it made his teeth ache.
Su Tao turned to him. “Did the customers from Shou’an Transport get their meals?”
Ma Dapao nodded repeatedly. “Just sent them off. This plate was specially saved for you and Brother Lin.”
Lin Fangzhi had already finished eating and was now staring toward the kitchen, clearly still hungry.
Seeing that it was indeed mealtime, Su Tao asked Master Qin to cook three more dishes—another serving of blanched lettuce, a plate of braised pork, and a cold stir-fry of water spinach. He also steamed a pot of fragrant rice.
Just as they sat down and started eating, the smell wafted through the air, drawing in the other customers.
One by one, they came downstairs, eyes widening like brass bells when they saw the freshly cooked dishes.
“Where did this food come from?”
“Is this really fresh vegetables?”
“And meat? It’s been years since I’ve seen rice this good! Where did you buy this from?”
Ma Dapao put down his bowl and chopsticks, deciding to take the opportunity to explain. He greeted the guests and introduced the current menu, as well as the time slots for meal reservations.
Even the people upstairs from Shou’an Transport, who had just received their meal, were stunned when they saw the plate of blanched lettuce.
Zhang Lin, the transport team leader, had traveled between many bases and seen his fair share of powerful organizations and well-developed territories. But Panliu Mountain still managed to surprise him.
One of his teammates swallowed hard while staring at the lettuce and asked,
“Captain, what’s the deal with this Panliu Mountain? Not only do they supply fuel, but they let us use water freely, and now they’re even giving us a plate of rare vegetables for free. Honestly, they don’t need us to spread the word—soon enough, everyone will be rushing here. Who would still go to those overpriced, run-down old stations?”
Zhang Lin saw his teammates’ eyes glued to the dish and waved his hand.
“Eat up. Since their boss is willing to give us this for free and even offers us a discount on rent, we should return the favor. Later, take some photos of Panliu Mountain and this dish—send them to our fellow transporters.”
“Got it!”
In less than twenty seconds, the entire plate was emptied.
Some didn’t even bother with dignity—they pulled out dry rations from their bags and used them to soak up the remaining sauce.
Everyone still wanted more.
“Captain, that wasn’t enough! Can we go downstairs and ask if there’s more? We’ll pay for it!”
Even Zhang Lin felt like he had just tasted an elixir but hadn’t savored it properly.
However, as soon as they went downstairs, they saw a long line forming outside the kitchen window.
Looking closer, they realized a menu had been posted. There were only five dishes, but just from the aroma alone, it felt like their souls were being drawn in.
Time to queue up!
Inside the kitchen, Master Qin saw how popular his food was, and his wok-handling became even more energetic.
Even Wu Zhen, who had been isolating himself in his room, heard the lively commotion.
The noise pulled him out of his lonely world, making him feel as if he had returned to the land of the living.
He walked downstairs and froze at the sight of the bustling atmosphere and the rich aroma of freshly cooked food.
Meanwhile, Su Tao had finished eating and packed five portions to bring back to Taoyang for Zhuang Wan, Old Mei, and the others to try. When she turned around, she spotted Wu Zhen staring blankly.
She walked over and asked with a smile, “Just woke up?”
Rather than asking if he had figured things out.
This casual, natural approach made Wu Zhen feel comfortable. He nodded.
“Yeah, I haven’t slept this well in a long time. Why is it suddenly so lively?”
In truth, there weren’t that many customers at Panliu Mountain—only about twenty or so. But since they had all come downstairs to line up, the relatively small Situlanya Restaurant now felt packed and bustling.
Su Tao lifted the food in her hand. “They’re ordering food. A few days ago, I had Fangzhi bring some cultivated vegetables from Taoyang. Master Qin is our head chef—he can turn any vegetable into a delicious dish. Now that we’ve put up a menu, everyone’s lining up.”
Just as she finished speaking, Master Qin called out from the kitchen, “Lettuce and water spinach are sold out! If you were waiting for those, no need to line up anymore!”
The customers in line erupted in protest.
“I just got in line, and it’s already sold out? Can’t you prepare more?”
“Yeah! I’ve been watching—you only sold about ten portions! That’s way too little.”
Master Qin explained, “Come on now, with the way things are nowadays, where are we supposed to find that many vegetables? Please understand.”
“Will there be more tomorrow?”
“Or the day after? I’m staying here for a week. I haven’t had a place this comfortable in ages—great food, good drinks, and fuel cheaper than the old stations. If I had known earlier, I would’ve stayed here last time I passed by!”
Master Qin glanced at Su Tao for help.
Just as Su Tao was about to respond, Wu Zhen suddenly grabbed her arm and said,
“How much lettuce and water spinach do you need? These two are easy to grow—I can have a new batch ready for you in just two days.”
