Chapter 280

: Matter of Spring Wound Clock
Translator: Xiong Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth

Er.. I don’t think it’s necessary. I came with my friend.
While saying, the girl dragged Yuan Yuan out from behind her.
It was the girl who liked eating the sandwich along with the Beef and Blueberry Jam very much.
Being dragged out suddenly, Yuan Yuan looked blankly at the customers who were all looking at her.

Yuan Yuan, you will help me, won’t you?
the girl asked directly.

Humm, I will.
Friends were to help each other, although Yuan Yuan, who had stared somewhere blankly just now, didn’t actually know what happened.
Then, other customers lost their interest and had only to continue their discussions about Dongpo Pig Knuckle.
Of course, it was much too common right now to publish something on Wechat Moment or QQ Zone. Someone even especially made calls to notify his friends.
Zhou Jia was quite delighted to see that. She returned to the restaurant with a big smile and waited there silently for the dinner time.
Nevertheless, Wu Hai just looked at his watch attentively and waited very patiently for the business time of dinner.
The watch had been specially adjusted according to the clock in Yuan Zhou’s restaurant. There was even a tiny interlude concerning that.

This clock is slow, isn’t it?
Wu Hai said sensitively.
Other customers beside him also echoed affirmatively,
Yes, it’s slow. Boss Yuan, your clock is three minutes slower than Beijing Time.


Humm. The clock has been working for so many years,
with a nod, Yuan Zhou said bluntly.

I can help you to adjust the time. I’m able to handle this kind of spring wound clock.
A customer said enthusiastically.
In order to prove his word, he specially revealed the spring wound watch on his wrist.

No need. It’s too high to reach,
Yuan Zhou looked at the clock that almost reached the ceiling and said dumbly.

I can provide a ladder.
Man Man put up her hand.
It seemed that they all volunteered to offer help to make the time right. What a joke! If they could manage to adjust it three minutes earlier, they would likewise wait for three minutes less. From this perspective, it was merely an easy job to adjust the clock.
Even if it was a spring wound clock and even hung at the top of the wall, the foodies were no way to stop.

It’s unnecessary. I feel it’s fairly good that way. Then you guys can stay here for three minutes more,
said Yuan Zhou earnestly.

It truly makes sense. But why do I feel something is off?
Man Man looked at other companions with puzzlement.
As for those companions of hers, they didn’t find anything wrong in that short instant. As a result, Yuan Zhou muddled through.
As a matter of fact, the total business time neither increased nor decreased. After all, Yuan Zhou opened and closed the restaurant as per his own clock time. He didn’t open the restaurant according to Beijing Time nor closed it according to his own clock time. Therefore, the total business time still remained the same.
Smart and clever as Wu Hai was, he specially bought a watch and made it the same time to that of Yuan Zhou’s restaurant.
The three minutes before breakfast was an extraordinarily tough time, especially for Wu Hai who had only drunk plain boiled water and didn’t eat anything for lunch.

Time for dinner, everybody,
said Zhou Jia at the last second before the dinner hours.

Shoop shoop
. The first ten customers got seated immediately as if they had used the skill of sliding over the water. They seemed to be waiting for nothing but ordering the dishes.
Fortunately, Zhou Jia was quite used to that.
Actually, these people were truly like those elderly men and women who went to buy the vegetables when the supermarket opened the door.
Every morning, the supermarkets would sell vegetables at discounted prices like the Chinese cabbage at 0.25 RMB/kg. Having once worked as a cashier in a supermarket, Zhou Jia felt they resembled those old people.
Every time they came to Yuan Zhou’s restaurant for meals, the seemingly tepid and urbane white-collar workers moved far extraordinarily fast as if they had eaten a magical elixir.

Good evening, you are back.
Yuan Zhou caught sight of Wu Hai who sat opposite to him very easily.

Humm. Get me all the new dishes, please,
said Wu Hai generously.

You can’t finish them.
Yuan Zhou refused flatly.

Ho Ho. You don’t know my appetite at all and you don’t know what the genuine strength is, either,
stroking his mustaches, Wu Hai said with contempt.

You can’t finish them.
Yuan Zhou still answered him with the same words.

I only drank water at noon and didn’t eat anything else after the breakfast. I want to eat the new dishes.
Wu Hai emphasized.

Look at the menu. Some new dishes aren’t available now,
said Yuan Zhou after he kept silent for a while.
Wu Hai took a deep breath and then said,
Please get me all the new dishes available right now.


Only the two dishes of Dongpo Pig Knuckle and Smoked Fish Silver Thread Noodles.
Yuan Zhou hadn’t much patience to others except Wu Hai, who was considered to be half his apprentice.
He didn’t really want to admit that he once had a special apprentice that cooked dishes with a painting brush.

It’s too little. Where’s the Honey Tremella?
Wu Hai asked.

It depends on the mood of bees.
Yuan Zhou still gave the same answer as before.

Then what’s the mood the bees like today?
asked Wu Hai naively.

How do I know the mood of bees? I’m only a chef.
Yuan Zhou looked at Wu Hai with a perplexed sight.
He suspected that this guy had become foolish due to great hunger.

…
For the first meal that Wu Hai came back for, he was choked by Yuan Zhou.

Let me eat first, please. Apart from the two new dishes ordered just now, please get me a serving of plain cooked rice and a cup of watermelon juice.
Wu Hai was finally defeated by the growling stomach and then ordered his dishes, pretending that he didn’t notice Yuan Zhou’s sight. The words of Yuan Zhou was naturally neglected directly.

Haw Haw. A serving of Dongpo Pig Knuckle, plain cooked rice and watermelon juice for me, please.
Ling Hong knew there was usually gravy in the dish of pig knuckle.
With the gravy eaten together with the rice and the refreshing and ice-cold watermelon juice cutting the grease, they were definitely the perfect match.

Ok. One moment, please.
After a nod, Yuan Zhou turned around and went to prepare the dishes. As for the payment, Zhou Jia would handle it.
After he went back to the kitchen, Yuan Zhou straightforwardly prepared the Dongpo Pig Knuckle first, which had actually already been in process. Of course, he needed to prepare some more as the number of customers waiting outside was always increasing.
The pork couldn’t be washed with hot water, otherwise it would lose its intrinsic fragrance. From washing to cooking, this dish required way too many intricate processing steps. For each and every procedure, Yuan Zhou treated it with great earnest.
Ten minutes later, Yuan Zhou well prepared the dishes and sent Zhou Jia to carry to them.

Here are the dishes for you two,
while carrying the dishes to them, Zhou Jia said.
Luckily they sat close to each other and both couldn’t wait to savor the new dishes. They just went up and helped Zhou Jia to carry all dishes out.
Dongpo Pig Knuckle was the most eye-catching one. A pig knuckle that looked as heavy as 1 kg was placed on the plate. It appeared to be fairly thick and was truly the good news to the meat-eaters.
The shape of the pig knuckle was still as same as usual, but just appeared extraordinarily yummy. The red glossy gravy was poured over the pig knuckle and flowed out surrounding it. The plate used was the simplest white plate.
However, the edges of the plate was decorated with some green leaves of grass, which well contrasted the pig knuckle.

It looks really nice and fairly thick,
Ling Hong said that after he watched it carefully.

My boss says to eat it up as soon as possible,
Zhou Jia reminded them timely at the side.

Really? For what?
Ling Hong instantly got curious. Then he asked, leaving Wu Hai there eating his own dishes.

Sorry, my boss didn’t tell me about that,
Zhou Jia said courteously.

Well, alright. I will ask him personally later.
Ling Hong shrugged and didn’t bother Zhou Jia anymore.

Thank you.
Zhou Jia thanked him and then turned to greet other customers.
At that time, Wu Hai was slightly satisfied after finishing the Smoked Fish Silver Thread Noodles. After that, he took the chopsticks and reached for the steaming hot Dongpo Pig Knuckle that he had been looking forward to.