Becoming the Villain's Discarded Wife
Chapter 247: Trial Work

Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Trial Work

Hu San set the others up to rest while Nanzhi led Xu Chou to the kitchen.

"Your name is Xu Chou, right?" Nanzhi slowed her speech as she looked at the somewhat flustered Xu Chou.

"Yes." Xu Chou dared only to respond briefly. From the moment he entered the room, he kept his head down, afraid of offending Nanzhi.

"There are some ingredients in the kitchen, see if you can make a dish out of them." Nanzhi gestured to the neatly arranged ingredients and condiments nearby.

"I can." Xu Chou glanced at the items placed nearby, and then nodded.

"Good, since the others have not arrived, I’ll let you choose your ingredients and make a dish first."

"Alright."

Nanzhi stepped aside to let Xu Chou go choose his ingredients. She positioned herself by the stove, preparing to light the fire soon.

"No, no need, I can start the fire myself." Xu Chou was somewhat flustered when he saw his prospective employer going to light the stove.

Who has ever heard of a buyer lighting a fire for him?

"You just do your thing, and let me know when you’re done. I’ll start the fire." Nanzhi, somewhat bemused by his statement, just waved her hand to indicate it was no big deal.

Upon hearing her words, Xu Chou seemed a little dazed. Saddled with the nickname "Monster" due to his hideousness, he had used the five taels of silver his mother had saved up to pursue culinary training. It took others only a year to graduate and start earning money, but his teacher had held him back, claiming he was clumsy and untrainable. He spent five years as a kitchen hand.

When his mother fell seriously ill and there was no one to take care of her, he pleaded with his teacher to let him go home to look after her. His teacher responded by kicking him out, saying he would no longer recognize him as a disciple if he left.

That kick had landed on his spine, and since then, his back would hurt from time to time.

Once his mother recovered, he looked for work again, but the restaurant owner said his looks were frightful. He grudgingly hired him, confining him to the kitchen where he was out of sight. His monthly wage was a mere 600 wen, yet the food and drinks sold in the restaurant were all his creations. From chopping vegetables to lighting the fire, he had to do everything himself.

He figured that even if he only earned 600 wen a month, he could save over 7 taels a year. He didn’t spend any money on food and drinks, so he could give the money to his mother.

After two years of working as a chef, he was dismissed on the grounds of neglecting a meal due to a bout of back pain.

Remembering his past, Xu Chou wiped away a tear and began to concentrate on cutting the vegetables.

Fearing that potential buyers would be put off by his stooped figure, he had strained to keep his back straight all the way there. Only now, while chopping vegetables with his head down, did he allow himself to relax.

Sitting in front of the stove, Nanzhi could see his back. Xu Chou was thinly dressed, allowing her to observe the twisted curvature of his spine.

Although Xu Chou had difficulty walking, his movements were swift with deftness; even just watching him, Nanzhi was impressed.

"S-sir, could you start the fire, please? I am d... done." Xu Chou stuttered, regaining the nervous manner he had initially displayed while setting down his knife.

"Okay."

The pot was heated and the oil filled, Xu Chou’s movements flowed like water. Before Nanzhi could even respond, a steaming dish was already placed on the table.

"S... sir, I’ve finished cooking."

Shen Miaomiao and Hu San, both of whom had been peering through the door, squeezed in. Especially Hu San, his eyes nearly fell out at the sight of the dish.

"Xu Chou, I didn’t expect that you were so talented!"

"I... I learned it before." Xu Chou responded, bowing his head even lower.

"Miaomiao, go ahead and taste it." Nanzhi handed chopsticks to Hu San and Shen Miaomiao, only picking up a slice of meat with her own chopsticks after both of them had tasted the dish.

Upon receiving the chopsticks, Shen Miaomiao rushed to taste a mouthful. After seeing the two women begin to eat, Hu San also extended his chopsticks.

All three remained silent after finishing the meal, but Nanzhi had already made up her mind.

She had to buy Xu Chou, no matter what.

For no other reason than that she still had over two hundred pounds of cumin. When she opened this restaurant, she’d need to have signature dishes.

She’d planned to hire a chef and then choose one to teach how to make dishes using cumin.

Xu Chou had superb culinary skills. He had chosen beef for his dish, but not only did the dish taste delicious, it also had no muttony smell. If she bought Xu Chou, the benefits would far outweigh the drawbacks.

Shen Miaomiao couldn’t stop praising Xu Chou’s dish either. Because of Sister Nanzhi, she had once eaten at Hongfu Building, but now that she had tasted this, she found that Xu Chou’s culinary skills were clearly superior.

Hu San had to taste several mouthfuls before he could believe that the dish was the work of Xu Chou.

Truthfully, this beef was really delicious!

"Brother Hu, may I ask how much Xu Chou is worth?" Nanzhi turned to Hu San.

"This..." Hu San hesitated. After Lin Gu Niang and the others had chosen Xu Chou, he had checked, but he hadn’t been able to find any records on this person.

"I... I sold myself into servitude." Xu Chou timidly spoke up on the side.

"My mother has passed away, and there was no money at home for her funeral. So I sold myself, hoping to buy her a coffin."

When Xu Chou’s words came out, all three of them stood still for a moment. Hu San was startled that he would appear in Yahang’s house, Shen Miaomiao was surprised by his filial piety, and Nanzhi was surprised that, despite his excellent culinary skills, he was destitute enough to have to sell himself into servitude.

"I willingly sold myself. I’d be fine with... two taels of silver." Xu Chou choked up as he spoke. At the age of forty, he had relied on his old mother for survival all these years. Now that she was gone, he could not even afford money for a coffin.

"I’ll give you ten taels of silver, does that sound okay?" Nanzhi spoke up solemnly, ignoring Hu San’s startled gaze.

"It’s not because I pity you, but because of your culinary skills that I’m giving you ten taels of silver. Does that work for you?"

Nanzhi was a little hesitant when she spoke. She could have easily bought Xu Chou for two taels of silver, or even "loan" him two taels under the guise of providing for his mother’s funeral expenses.

After all, a good chef’s monthly salary is two taels of silver. But she didn’t want to take that risk.

She wanted to give the recipe for her barbecue sauce to Xu Chou. If she could buy him out right away, that would naturally be the best option.

"Okay, okay, thank you, sir. Thank you!" Xu Chou’s voice was filled with excitement as he knelt down in front of Nanzhi and Shen Miaomiao.

Seeing him kneel like this, Nanzhi felt a complex mix of emotions. Perhaps she truly had integrated into this world.

"Get up quickly. The others should be here soon." Nanzhi and Shen Miaomiao helped Xu Chou up and headed back to the front hall.

Outside the restaurant, a few people were gathered, peering inside.

They were all people who had registered with Yahang in search of work. They had been notified by someone from Yahang to come here as the owner was hiring, but it didn’t look like the place was open for business?

Everyone looked at each other, but no one dared to step forward. It was eventually An Wazi, who heard the commotion, who peeked his head out.

"Master, master, people are here!"

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