Transmigrated as My Aunt in the 70s
Chapter 108 - 102 Niu Sanxian

Chapter 108: 102 Niu Sanxian

"Comrade, where did you buy this wine? It’s great wine, it has the taste of the He Family Wine from back then, it’s just a bit young."

Niu Sanxian, like his father Niu Wuwei, had a great love for drinking, especially for He Family Wine, it’s just that it had been over a decade since he last had a taste. Hearing that the He Family had been brought to ruin by others, father and son both lamented that they would never again enjoy good wine, yet today he unexpectedly encountered He Family Wine again. Could it be that the He Family people haven’t all died out?

He Xuewen couldn’t help but view the plain-looking fat chef before him with new respect; discerning the quality of wine like this is not something any ordinary person could do. Furthermore, considering his culinary skills that could rival those of famous chefs, it seemed that this fat chef was no ordinary person. Who knew this small town was actually a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers lay.

"Comrade, you flatter me too much, this wine is just ordinary liquor, how can it compare to He Family Wine?" He Xuewen was not keen on trading on the name of He Family Wine, his current capabilities were still lacking and he couldn’t afford to be too high-profile.

Niu Sanxian realized He Xuewen’s concerns after a moment of thought. He sized up He Xuewen and couldn’t help but inwardly exclaim in admiration what a celestial being he was! No wonder Guiyuan kept insisting on losing weight, but isn’t he a bit too old? It’s funny how Niu Sanxian could be such a character; Mr. He didn’t say he wanted to marry your daughter, yet you’re already complaining about his age.

"Yes, it’s just ordinary liquor, but the skills of the brewmaster are exceptional indeed. Please wait a moment, comrades, I’m going to bring over some dishes."

Niu Sanxian dashed back to the kitchen and brought out a bowl of meat and a bowl of pan-fried tofu, placing them on the table where He Xuewen and his company sat, and without any reservation, sat down with them.

Yang Wenbin, seeing this, poured a cup of wine for Niu Sanxian in a very congenial manner, inviting him to drink together. Niu Sanxian raised his cup, clinked glasses with them, and took a small sip with a ’zzi’ sound, satisfied, he sighed:

"Great wine! It’s been so many years since I last drank such good wine. Where did you buy this from?"

Yang Wenbin smiled and gestured towards He Xuewen with his chin. Niu Sanxian’s eyes lit up, and he hurriedly whispered to He Xuewen, "Comrade, can you get some for me? Don’t worry, we’ll sneak into the village quietly, definitely not alarming anyone else."

He Xuewen and the others were amused by Niu Sanxian’s words. He Xuewen didn’t say yes or no, just left Niu Sanxian hanging, continually pouring wine for him. The group chatted and laughed, and in less than half an hour, Niu Sanxian’s ancestors up to the eighteenth generation, as well as his present children and grandchildren, had their stories dug out by He Xuewen and Yang Wenbin, the two cunning foxes.

"I was saying that this dish is cooked even better than the ones at Lou Wai Lou, turns out Master Niu is the descendant of the famous Chef Niu from Lou Wai Lou back in the day, truly living up to the reputation, tastes much better than what Chef Yang cooks now. The young master of Lou Wai Lou really is short-sighted, picked up sesame seeds and lost a watermelon." He Xuewen was very good with words, and in just a few sentences made Niu Sanxian smile broadly.

"It’s not that the dishes made by the Yang Family aren’t good, it’s just that each family has its specialty. Moreover, the young master personally invited me and my dad to come back, but my dad refused."

Niu Sanxian was an honest person and didn’t like to speak ill of others behind their backs, so his words still carried a sense of protection for his former employer and the Yang Family who took over their position.

He Xuewen and Yang Wenbin took a great liking towards Niu Sanxian; he was hospitable, straightforward, honest by nature, and didn’t speak ill of others behind their backs, truly someone worth befriending.

"Why wouldn’t Old Man Niu and Big Brother Sanxian consider coming out of retirement? Logically speaking, being a head chef at Lou Wai Lou is far more prestigious than hiding away in this little diner, not to mention the salary and benefits are much better," Yang Wenbin inquired.

"For one thing, my daddy was getting on in years at that time, and he didn’t want to make a comeback. Secondly, there’s the saying, ’two tigers cannot share one mountain.’ There was no feud between the Niu family and the Yang family, but if we were to actually work together, there would surely be some competition for the top spot, which just seemed pointless. Another reason is that I find cooking in a small diner more liberating - I have the final say in everything; I can cook however I want and enjoy the freedom without having to put up with the nonsense you get at the big diners."

Even though Niu Sanxian gave three reasons, both He Xuewen and Yang Wenbin could guess that the second reason was likely the real one for Niu Sanxian and his son’s reluctance to return, which only improved their impression of them.

"Big Brother Sanxian, I don’t have the liquor right now, but if you can wait patiently, we’ll bring some over to you tomorrow. Does that sound okay?" He Xuewen lowered his guard with Niu Sanxian, believing in his ability to judge character, and trusted Niu Sanxian to be a reliable person.

"Wait until tomorrow? You mean to say you’ve got no drink on you right now? My thirst for drink has been stirred by you guys, how am I supposed to get through the night?" Niu Sanxian wore a sour expression, as the few sips he had were far from satisfying his craving.

"If you really want a good drink, then you’ll just have to come to Mr. He’s place with me later. You can drink as much as you like, but we’ll be leaving soon, so maybe you should just stick to your job and wait for tomorrow." Yang Xuewen teased him on purpose.

As soon as Niu Sanxian heard that he could have his fill of drink, he couldn’t care less about his job; besides, the lousy diner was so empty all day that his daughter could manage it all by herself. Right away, he polished off the food in his bowl and said, "Wait for me a bit, I’ll come with you. Let me get my things in order."

Not even bothering with his meal any longer, he swiftly returned to the kitchen, informed his daughter, who was still nibbling on her vegetables, then slipped out of his white chef’s coat into a jacket, and took out a two-pound piece of meat from the kitchen. He threaded it with straw and tucked it into a basket. This basket was his secret tool, useful for carrying things unseen by others.

Guiyuan was still in a daze when her daddy, basket in hand, walked out the door. She hurried after him, indignant that her daddy was gallivanting off and leaving the diner for her to manage alone. Hmph, as if that was going to happen easily! In a huff, Guiyuan ran after Niu Sanxian and happened to see her father and her crush standing together.

"Guiyuan, come here and meet some people. This is your Uncle He, and this is your Uncle Yang and Uncle Wang. They’re new friends I’ve made. Daddy’s going to Uncle He’s house for dinner later, and I’m leaving the diner’s work to you," Niu Sanxian quickly introduced them as his daughter approached.

The shy Fat Guiyuan, upon hearing her father’s introduction, forgot all about her shyness. What uncles? Had her father become muddled? She coughed a few times as a hint to her dad, but Niu Sanxian pretended not to hear. "What a discourteous girl—why aren’t you greeting them?"

"Daddy, this Mr. He here looks about the same age as Big Brother; how come you’re telling me to call him ’Uncle’?" With her father not playing along, Guiyuan had to figure out a way out herself.

"What do you mean ’about the same’? Your big brother is only twenty-four, while your Uncle He is thirty-three—only nine years younger than me. If you don’t call him ’Uncle’, what will you call him?"

Niu Sanxian did this on purpose when he found out He Xuewen’s age, knowing his daughter and He Xuewen were an unlikely match. Besides, with He Xuewen’s charm and background, would he even take a liking to his daughter?

"Thirty-three? How did you get to be so old?" Guiyuan, taken aback, spoke without thinking. Niu Sanxian’s face reddened with embarrassment. Oh my, why does this girl always have to be so truthful? (To be continued. If you enjoy this novel, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with your recommendation ticket or monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)