I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 33

The first time Zhou Youling picked up a spatula was when she was thirteen years old.

At that time, Zhou Zhishan had suffered a failed investment, leaving the Zhou Family drowning in debt. Creditors came knocking, demanding repayment, and were just shy of splashing red paint on their door. The household servants, fearing trouble, packed up their belongings and left overnight, even forfeiting their wages.

In an instant, the once lively house became eerily quiet and empty. The only thing the Zhou Family had left was this house.

Zhou Youling would never forget that day. Zhou Zhishan locked himself in the study, refusing to come out, while Rong Huiying hadn’t eaten for a full day and night. She knocked on the study door, shouting loudly, but her father ignored her. She went to her mother’s room to try and get her up, but her mom was too weak to move.

Alone, Zhou Youling went downstairs and rummaged through the refrigerator. She managed to find a few eggs and some ham. Relying on her memory, she heated oil in a pan, picked up the spatula, and made fried rice with egg.

To her surprise, her first attempt at fried rice turned out quite well, except for being a little bland.

Carrying two bowls of fried rice, Zhou Youling first brought one to her mother’s room. She helped her mom sit up and comforted her, saying, “Even if the sky falls, there will always be someone tall enough to hold it up. Mom, try my fried rice-it smells amazing!”

Rong Huiying burst into tears, hugging Zhou Youling tightly, unable to calm down for a long time. Then, hand in hand, Rong Huiying and Zhou Youling brought the other bowl of fried rice to the study.

Rong Huiying took Zhou Zhishan’s hand, pressing her forehead against his, and said, “We can’t fall apart. We still have our daughter!”

Fortunately, Zhou Zhishan listened.

Zhou Youling discovered her love for cooking. She loved watching others savor the food she made, loved seeing the satisfied expressions on their faces-it filled her with a sense of fulfillment. So, at a young age, she dreamed of opening her own restaurant someday, where people would praise her dishes after every bite.

Now, Zhou Youling’s dream was halfway realized.

The dish Squirrel Fish was practically a walk in the park for Zhou Youling.

She remembered the first time she cooked for Old Master Fu-it was this very dish. After tasting it, Old Master Fu couldn’t stop praising her. From then on, whenever Zhou Youling was in the kitchen, he would always request Squirrel Fish.

Squirrel Fish, also known as Squirrel Mandarin Fish, is a classic dish from Su cuisine. When prepared, the dish resembles a squirrel, with a crispy exterior and tender interior, a bright orange hue, and a sweet-and-sour flavor, accompanied by a unique pine fragrance.

But now, the problem was that the kitchen didn’t have any fresh Mandarin Fish. Mandarin Fish, also known as Guiyu, is a popular ingredient in southern China, its name symbolizing success and prosperity.

The staff responsible for inventory explained, “The contractor who supplies fresh fish suddenly didn’t deliver today, so we had to use the leftover fish from yesterday…”

Due to the lax attitude of the previous Kitchen Supervisor, the kitchen staff had developed a habit of cutting corners.

Zhou Youling shook her head firmly and said, “We must use fresh Mandarin Fish. Where’s the nearest market or supermarket? How long would it take to get there and back as quickly as possible?”

The kitchen staff member who had prepared the Squirrel Fish earlier spoke hesitantly, “It’s too late. I thought about going to buy a fresh one, but the nearest supermarket takes forty minutes round trip. By the time I get back and prepare the dish, it’ll be too late, so I just…”

He trailed off, lowering his head, clearly aware of his mistake.

Zhou Youling thought for a moment. She noticed that there were quite a few restaurants nearby and asked, “Can we borrow a Mandarin Fish from another restaurant?”

It was as if her words had sparked a new idea. Su Xingan was the first to respond, “I’ll go check with the other restaurants right now!”

“Stop right there!” Zhou Youling blocked Su Xingan. “You’re the Kitchen Supervisor. There are still plenty of things here that need your attention. What are you running off for?”

“I’ll go!” Another kitchen staff member volunteered, and without waiting for a reply, dashed out the door.

For a moment, the kitchen fell into a dead silence.

Zhou Youling reached up to tie her hair back, smiling as she said, “What are you all standing around for? Get to work! And by the way, do we have a chef hat? Give me one.”

“Yes, we do!”

This was the first time Zhou Youling had ever put on a chef uniform and chef hat.

The white chef uniform made her skin appear even fairer, and the tall chef hat perched on her head gave her an air of professionalism.

She glanced at herself in the mirror and, to her surprise, felt a bit nervous. Her palms were slightly sweaty. Up until now, she had only ever cooked for her family. Today, she was about to cook for strangers for the very first time.

Zhou Xiaoming stood in front of her, nodding encouragingly. Then he asked, “By the way, do you have a Health Certificate yet?”

“Huh?”

“A Health Certificate is a preventive health check document. Whether you’re working in the front of house or the kitchen, it’s a must for anyone in the food service industry.”

“Oh…”

Barely five minutes later, the kitchen staff member who had run out earlier returned, carrying a plastic bag. Inside the bag was a lively, wriggling Mandarin Fish.

Seeing the fish, Zhou Youling immediately felt a sense of relief. Without even putting on gloves, she grabbed the squirming fish with her bare hands and slammed it forcefully onto the ground. The fish, not yet fully stunned, still twitched slightly, but Zhou Youling wasted no time. She quickly scaled it, removed the gills, gutted it, and cleaned it thoroughly. The entire process took no more than two minutes.

The chefs standing around her were stunned. Although they had seen Zhou Youling prepare Candied Sweet Potato before, that dish wasn’t particularly challenging. Squirrel Fish, on the other hand, was a different story. Even the step of killing the fish was enough to intimidate many women.

Once the fish was clean, Zhou Youling pressed it down firmly and began by cutting off the head. Then, holding the fish steady, she used her knife to slice the meat off the bones, keeping the blade close to the spine. Her movements were precise and practiced, her knife skills so impressive that even the seasoned chefs around her couldn’t help but marvel.

Noticing the crowd watching her, Zhou Youling decided to give a demonstration. “Look,” she said, “next, you flip it over and slice the other side of the fish. Then, remove the bony section near the belly. Handling fish isn’t as hard as it looks.”

Since the Squirrel Fish dish is designed to resemble a squirrel, the knife work here was particularly critical.

Zhou Youling continued, “For the two fillets you’ve cut, place them skin-side down. First, make straight cuts into the flesh, then diagonal cuts, going deep enough to reach the skin, creating a diamond pattern.”

As she spoke, her hands moved swiftly and deftly, her technique both efficient and elegant.

After the fish fillets were properly prepared, Zhou Youling seasoned them with cooking wine and fine salt, carefully rubbing the mixture onto the fish head and fillets. This step ensured the flavors would seep in. She then coated the fish with dry starch, holding the tail to shake off any excess powder.

While handling the fish, Zhou Youling had already instructed someone to heat the oil.

By now, the oil in the pan had reached the perfect temperature-about eighty percent hot. Holding the fish fillets by the tail, Zhou Youling poured the hot oil from the pan over the fish, ensuring even coverage. She then gently lifted the fillets, shaping them with the tail raised, and placed them into the oil for a brief fry to set their form.

“This step not only shapes the fish but also ensures the middle section cooks thoroughly,” Zhou Youling explained. “Now, we’ll fry the fish completely until it turns golden brown, then take it out.”

After frying the fillets, it was time to fry the fish head-a process requiring precision. To achieve an appealing shape, Zhou Youling pressed the fish head with chopsticks while frying, ensuring the jaw area spread out and set properly.

Once the fish was fully cooked and plated, the final task was preparing the sauce.

Though Zhou Youling made it look effortless, crafting a dish like Squirrel Fish without a single misstep demanded exceptional culinary skill.

She poured the prepared sauce evenly over the fish, completing the dish to perfection.

After a quick final touch to the plating, Zhou Youling calmly announced, “Serve it.”

Zhou Xiaoming personally carried the dish to the front hall, presenting it to the guest who had ordered it. Meanwhile, Zhou Youling quietly stepped out to observe from a distance.

The guest picked up a piece of fish with their chopsticks, tasted it, and nodded in approval.

That simple gesture was enough to put Zhou Youling’s mind at ease.

Perhaps it was the intense focus and tension while cooking, but Zhou Youling suddenly felt unsteady on her feet. She swayed slightly, only to be steadied by a pair of large hands.

“You okay?” A deep male voice sounded behind her.

Turning around, Zhou Youling saw Ji Yangwen.

Dressed casually, likely due to it being his day off, Ji Yangwen looked completely different from the last time she saw him in formal attire. He appeared much more relaxed and cheerful.

She had to admit-he was undeniably handsome.

Surprised to see him there, Zhou Youling asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here as a customer. Is that strange?” Ji Yangwen helped her to a nearby seat, giving her a quick once-over. “But you-why are you dressed like this?”

Looking down at her outfit, Zhou Youling remembered she was still wearing her chef uniform. She removed the chef hat from her head, shrugged at Ji Yangwen, and said, “This restaurant is mine.”

Ji Yangwen’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “You’re the boss of this place?”

Zhou Youling nodded. “Which table are you at? Since I’m in a good mood today, I’ll waive your bill.”

Ji Yangwen chuckled. “Having Boss Zhou waive my bill feels like taking advantage. As a friend, I should buy a membership card instead.”

“Well, you’d better sign up for the premium membership then,” Zhou Youling replied with a grin, her mood genuinely lifted.

Ji Yangwen stood there, momentarily captivated by the smile at the corner of her lips.

“What made you decide to open a restaurant?” Ji Yangwen asked.

Zhou Youling said, “You might think it’s a bit sentimental, but it’s really about fulfilling a childhood dream.”

Ji Yangwen chuckled. “I always thought you’d end up being a police officer.”

Her eyes lit up with surprise. “Ha! How did you know? I really did want to be a cop back then!”

In truth, Ji Yangwen had known Zhou Youling since their school days, though she had no recollection of him. They were a year apart, with him being the older one. Back then, Ji Yangwen attended the junior high school next to hers, and the most talked-about name was Zhou Youling-the girl from the neighboring school who was always getting into fights.

When Ji Yangwen first laid eyes on Zhou Youling, he couldn’t reconcile the stories with the reality. How could someone who looked so delicate and frail, someone who seemed incapable of even lifting a feather, possibly be the same person who fought others?

One day, Ji Yangwen was sitting outside the campus convenience store, sipping on a cola through a straw. He watched as Zhou Youling single-handedly took down a boy who was nearly six feet tall. At that moment, he understood the saying: “Seeing is believing.”

Oddly enough, Ji Yangwen still remembered the words Zhou Youling had said that day: “If you ever dare bully the girls from our school again, I’ll chop off your little willy.”

The memory made Ji Yangwen instinctively shift his legs closer together.

Now, more than a decade had passed.

Ji Yangwen had never imagined that his path would cross with Zhou Youling’s again in this lifetime.

As they reminisced, Zhou Youling’s eyes sparkled with energy, her expression fierce with righteous indignation. “I still remember that guy! He was from your school! A total scumbag! He had the audacity to harass the girls from my school!”

Ji Yangwen quickly interjected, “He was him, and I am me. I never did anything like that.”

Zhou Youling shot back, “Then why didn’t you do something about it?”

Ji Yangwen sighed helplessly. “What could I have done?”

“You could’ve at least taught him a lesson,” she retorted.

Ji Yangwen nodded in agreement. “Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right.”

The two sat by the window, laughing and chatting.

It had been a long time since Zhou Youling felt this happy.

Across the street, Fu Xunzhou sat alone in his car. He watched her, her face alight with joy, and felt an inexplicable pang in his chest.

His long, slender fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, the wedding ring on his fourth finger still firmly in place.