Chapter 118 No need to be too reserved
Unfortunately, no one intended to give him this chance to delay. As soon as the restaurant closed for the night, Yuan Tianhong stepped out of the Huifang Restaurant and was blocked at the door by someone, leaving him no room to dodge.
The person who stopped him was none other than He Daqing's fellow disciple—He Daqing himself had no idea that this fellow disciple was now also making a living in Tianjin, and doing quite well at that.
The man who came was named Li Baoguo. He had made a special trip to attend the banquet when He Yuzhu held his apprenticeship ceremony and had personally witnessed He Yuzhu's culinary talent.
The two dishes that He Yuzhu made that day were delicious and cooked to perfection, which really made Li Baoguo want to poach this promising talent and bring him to his side.
That's why he made a point of arriving at Huifanglou's closing time today. He ordered a table full of dishes cooked by He Yuzhu himself. After tasting them, he became even more determined to poach him. He then waited near the restaurant, specifically for Yuan Tianhong to leave after closing time.
"Baoguo, did you wait for me here on purpose?" Yuan Tianhong looked at the familiar figure in front of him, his face full of surprise. He did not expect to meet this junior brother here.
"Absolutely right, Senior Brother," Li Baoguo took a step forward, clasped his hands in a respectful bow to Yuan Tianhong, his tone utterly sincere and without a trace of perfunctoriness, "Junior Brother has an important matter to ask Senior Brother for help with today!"
"Ask me?" Yuan Tianhong raised an eyebrow, his heart filled with skepticism. "You are the head chef of Hongbinlou, a well-known figure in Tianjin's culinary circles. How come you would need to ask me, a second-in-command at Huifanglou, for something?"
After all, the halal food community is not very large, and the number of distinguished guests can only be considered a limited number, so the business scale is always limited.
But Li Baoguo is different. He specializes in Sichuan cuisine, which has a very wide appeal. Whether it's ordinary people or wealthy families, everyone loves its spicy and savory flavor. The customer base is much larger than that of halal cuisine.
This is precisely why Li Baoguo is often able to enter and exit various mansions of the wealthy. In terms of social standing and connections, he is far superior to Yuan Tianhong. Yet now he is asking for my help, which is truly puzzling.
"Come on, senior brother, let's find a quiet place to talk slowly. It's been a long time since we two brothers got together. Let's heat up a few pots of good wine and catch up." Li Baoguo enthusiastically pulled Yuan Tianhong's arm and was about to walk towards the tavern next door.
"No, no, no," Yuan Tianhong quickly waved his hand, gently pulling his hand away, his tone cautious, "You are the head chef of Hongbinlou Restaurant. You're begging me and offering to buy me drinks. I'm really uneasy."
"You should make things clear first, and I'll see if I can do it and if I can help you."
"It would be better if I promised you but then couldn't deliver. Otherwise, we brothers would lose face and ruin our relationship."
"Alright, since you put it that way, senior brother, I won't beat around the bush. Please don't get angry when I tell you!" Seeing that Yuan Tianhong was unyielding and unwilling to agree to the banquet, Li Baoguo had no choice but to put aside his politeness and tell the truth.
"Just speak your mind, say whatever you want to say, do you think I'd get angry with you?" Yuan Tianhong waved his hand, his tone frank, indicating that he should speak freely.
"Actually, I had a meal at your Huifanglou restaurant today, and I came here specifically to try your restaurant's signature dishes." Li Baoguo spoke slowly, his tone calm, without getting straight to the point.
"Oh? How is it? The halal food we make at Huifanglou is pretty authentic, isn't it?" Yuan Tianhong's face showed a hint of pride, after all, Huifanglou's halal food was quite famous in Tianjin.
"Authentic, absolutely authentic!" Li Baoguo said, giving a thumbs-up. His tone was very sincere. Although there are many large restaurants serving halal food in Tianjin, Huifanglou might not be the best, but he deliberately raised his voice at this moment.
"In Tianjin, Huifanglou's halal cuisine is definitely among the best; the taste and texture are impeccable!"
"Just for this? He came all this way to praise our restaurant's halal food?" Yuan Tianhong was puzzled. Something didn't sound right. This wasn't Li Baoguo's style. It couldn't be as simple as just praising the dishes.
"Hehe, senior brother, to be honest, all the dishes I ordered here today were made by your apprentice, He Yuzhu." Li Baoguo smiled and finally revealed the key point.
"Zhu Zi?" Yuan Tianhong was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "Why did you suddenly decide you wanted to eat his cooking? He's just a second-in-command, and his skills are still being honed."
"Well, I happen to be short a few capable people, and the kitchen is too busy, so..." Li Baoguo paused deliberately, observing Yuan Tianhong's expression, without directly saying that he was poaching people.
"Oh, I see!" Yuan Tianhong instantly realized what was going on, his face darkening slightly, and his tone turning colder. "You're eyeing my apprentice, trying to poach him from my team!"
"No wonder you kept begging me and offering to buy me drinks, so that's what you were up to! No way! There's no room for negotiation, absolutely not!" Yuan Tianhong refused without even thinking, his tone extremely firm.
"No, senior brother, don't shut us up!" Li Baoguo quickly waved his hand, his tone becoming more urgent. "I'm not here to poach your talent, I just want to ask you, when will Zhuzi graduate?"
Would he be willing to learn Sichuan cuisine from me after he graduates from his apprenticeship, so he can learn another skill and have more career options in the future?
"You see, I didn't even go directly to Zhu Zi himself, nor did I try to win him over privately. Instead, I came to you first to discuss this. Isn't that giving you enough face? I've come with the utmost sincerity and have absolutely no intention of offending you!"
Hearing this, Yuan Tianhong's expression softened slightly. After a moment's thought, he slowly said, "Then you'll have to treat me to some really good wine, otherwise I won't even bother talking to you about this, let alone offering any help!"
"Alright! It's definitely top-quality wine, I guarantee it will satisfy you, Senior Brother! Please, Senior Brother!" Seeing that things had taken a turn for the better, Li Baoguo quickly agreed with a beaming smile.
"How about you try some of the dishes at Hongbinlou Restaurant today? Let me do my best to be a good host."
"What, you're planning to cook a few dishes yourself and let your senior brother give you some pointers?" Yuan Tianhong said with a smile, his tone slightly teasing and joking, his tone completely softening.
"As long as you're willing to talk things over with the pillar, this little thing is no problem at all." Li Baoguo said readily. "Today, I'm going all out and will personally cook for you to try. Please give me your guidance."
"Alright, let's get going then. I want to see if your skills have improved over the years." Yuan Tianhong nodded and readily agreed.
"Please, senior brother!" Li Baoguo gestured for him to enter, his attitude both respectful and enthusiastic.
The two brothers flagged down a rickshaw by the roadside and instructed the driver to head straight for Hongbinlou. They made a lively trip, and the atmosphere gradually became more and more enthusiastic.
Today was supposed to be Li Baoguo's day off. He rarely appeared at Hongbinlou on his days off. When the staff first saw him suddenly arrive, they thought something had gone wrong and they all became nervous.
Upon inquiring, they learned that Mr. Li was bringing guests for dinner. They were immediately relieved and quickly prepared a quiet private room, cleaning it thoroughly to avoid neglecting their guests.
The waiter brewed a pot of hot tea, respectfully brought it in, and then considerately withdrew, closing the door to the private room and leaving the two brothers to talk alone.
Li Baoguo then bowed respectfully to Yuan Tianhong and said in a humble tone, "Please sit for a moment, senior brother. I will go to the kitchen to prepare some dishes to go with the wine. I guarantee you will be satisfied."
"Alright, then I'll wait here for your signature dish, senior brother. Don't disappoint me." Yuan Tianhong was not polite at all. After all, Li Baoguo needed his help, so he didn't need to be too reserved.
Before long, one steaming, fragrant dish after another was served, filling the entire table.
Kung Pao Chicken, Twice-Cooked Pork, Mapo Tofu, and Boiled Sliced Pork are all classic Sichuan dishes, with bright colors and rich aromas that make your mouth water just by looking at them.
As for elaborate dishes like braised pork knuckle and braised beef, which require a lot of time and effort, they couldn't be made on the spot due to the limited time, so they had to be put on hold for the time being.
Finally, Li Baoguo personally entered the private room, carrying a delicate little food box in his hand, with a smile on his face. It was clear that he was very confident in his culinary skills.
The food box contained two small dishes—one of crispy and delicious peanuts, and the other of fresh and appetizing Sichuan-style chicken, as well as a jar of Fenjiu liquor that had been sealed for many years. The jar was simple and unadorned, and it was clear that it was not an ordinary fine liquor.
Li Baoguo arranged the side dishes one by one, and then carefully opened the seal on the wine jar. A rich and mellow aroma of wine instantly filled the entire private room.
He smiled and said to Yuan Tianhong, "Senior brother, this is a ten-year-aged Fenjiu, aged for many years in cellars. It has a mellow taste. How about it? Is this finally good enough to be considered a fine liquor?"
"Of course it counts, of course it counts!" Yuan Tianhong brought his nose close to the mouth of the jar, took a deep breath of the rich aroma of the wine, and smiled with satisfaction. He said with a smile, "You've finally shown your sincerity today, kid. You didn't fool your senior brother."
"About the pillar..." Seeing that Yuan Tianhong was satisfied, Li Baoguo quickly seized the opportunity and tentatively brought up the matter of He Yuzhu, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"What's the rush? Try your cooking first. Whether it's good or not is still uncertain." Yuan Tianhong waved his hand, deliberately keeping him in suspense, picked up his chopsticks, and did not immediately respond to his words.