Chapter 119 I suffered because of my ignorance!

"Yes, yes, yes, let's taste the dishes first. Junior brother was too impatient." Li Baoguo quickly echoed, with a somewhat ingratiating smile on his face. "Please, senior brother, taste the dishes carefully and enjoy my cooking skills."

"Let my senior brother see if my skills are good enough to take Zhu Zi as my apprentice and whether I can teach him the real stuff."

Yuan Tianhong didn't say anything more. He picked up his chopsticks and the first dish he picked up was twice-cooked pork. After all, Fanglou Restaurant mainly served halal food and never made this dish. Twice-cooked pork is the most representative Sichuan dish and can best show a Sichuan chef's skill.

Li Baoguo's twice-cooked pork has an enticing reddish-brown color, with a perfect balance of lean and fat, making it very appetizing. Moreover, it is not greasy at all, melts in your mouth, and has an excellent texture.

It seems that he made a special effort to cater to Yuan Tianhong's preference for halal food and his inability to handle spice, so he only prepared it with mild spice. The first taste is a rich meaty aroma, followed by a slight numbing spiciness. The flavor is long-lasting and leaves a lingering aftertaste, becoming more and more delicious with each bite.

"Delicious!" Yuan Tianhong chewed carefully for a few bites, swallowed slowly, and uttered only this one word. His tone was firm, yet as heavy as a thousand pounds. This one word was the best recognition of Li Baoguo's skills.

Then, he put down his chopsticks and picked up the remaining dishes on the table one by one, tasting them one by one. With each bite, the look of satisfaction on his face deepened.

Under Li Baoguo's expectant gaze, Yuan Tianhong slowly picked up the wine glass on the table, took a small sip, and then spoke unhurriedly.

"With your authentic Sichuan cooking skills, you'd definitely be considered top-tier in Tianjin!"

As he spoke, Yuan Tianhong even gave a thumbs-up, his face full of approval.

Li Baoguo quickly waved his hand and said humbly, "Senior brother, you are really too kind to me. My skills are hardly worthy of the title 'top-notch'!"

Yuan Tianhong smiled and said seriously, "I personally have absolutely no objection to Zhuzi learning Sichuan cuisine from you."

"I was originally thinking of keeping him by my side a little longer so I could teach him some real skills, but..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Baoguo interrupted him hastily, saying, "Senior brother, please don't speak so dramatically. It's making my heart pound."

Yuan Tianhong was amused by his anxious appearance and said loudly, "Hahaha, don't be in such a hurry, let me finish speaking before you rush."

Li Baoguo nodded quickly, smiling apologetically, and said, "Okay, okay, I won't interrupt you. Please continue."

Yuan Tianhong's smile faded, and he said slowly, "However, Zhu Zi learns things so fast. I'm just worried that the dishes you know aren't enough for him to learn."

Upon hearing this, Li Baoguo immediately patted his chest and said confidently, "I know at least fifty or sixty proper Sichuan dishes. How could that be not enough for a teenager like him to learn?"

Yuan Tianhong sighed softly, his tone tinged with regret: "Alas, in the end, all I've suffered in my life is my lack of knowledge!"

Li Baoguo looked puzzled and quickly asked, "Ignorant? Senior brother, what makes you say that? I really don't understand what you mean."

Yuan Tianhong said sincerely, "I really have no experience. In all my years, I have never seen such a talented young person with such a knack for cooking."

"My meager skills have long been completely absorbed and learned by Zhu Zi. He even taught him the basics of Shandong and Anhui cuisine that I learned in my early years, without holding anything back."

Li Baoguo was even more puzzled and then asked, "Since you've already taught him your skills, why do you keep Zhuzi by your side all this time, preventing him from completing his apprenticeship sooner?"

Yuan Tianhong shook his head slightly and said, "He's really too young. You've always had a good relationship with the Qing Dynasty, don't you know how old Zhuzi is this year?"

Li Baoguo thought for a moment and said, "Probably around ten years old, but I'm not really sure of the exact age."

"But judging from Zhu Zi's tall and big stature, he must be at least fifteen or sixteen years old. He looks much stronger than other kids his age."

Yuan Tianhong immediately waved his hand, saying with a tone of helplessness and amusement, "Bullshit, that kid is only thirteen years old this year, how could he be fifteen or sixteen?"

Li Baoguo was utterly shocked, stammering, "Ten...thirteen years old? Is this...is this for real? What did this child eat to grow so tall?"

Yuan Tianhong said with a smile, "You should ask him how bright and intelligent his brain is to learn things so quickly!"

As he spoke, Yuan Tianhong tilted his head back and drank another glass of wine. Li Baoguo quickly picked up his own glass and drank with him.

Setting down his wine glass, Li Baoguo said with a puzzled look, "That's right, how come I've never heard the Qing Dynasty mention Zhu Zi's age before?"

Yuan Tianhong rolled his eyes at him and said, "Nonsense, you've been in Tianjin for so many years, back when Zhuzi was just a little kid, he couldn't even remember anything!"

Li Baoguo quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, you're right. Back then, he was probably still wearing open-crotch pants and running around in the yard. I never imagined he would grow up to be this big now."

Yuan Tianhong picked up his wine glass and said in a hearty tone, "Hmph, enough of that, let's have another drink!"

Li Baoguo quickly picked up his glass and replied, "Let's have a drink!"

The two brothers raised their glasses and clinked them together, then tilted their heads back and drank the wine in one gulp, their faces flushed slightly.

Setting down his wine glass, Li Baoguo, unable to contain his eagerness, quickly asked, "Senior brother, when do you plan to let Zhuzi graduate and learn Sichuan cuisine from me?"

Yuan Tianhong slowly said, "Initially, my plan was to wait until Zhu Zi's cooking skills reached a level comparable to mine, or even surpassed mine, before I would hold a grand graduation banquet for him."

Upon hearing this, Li Baoguo couldn't help but show a hint of disappointment on his face, and said, "According to you, it will be quite a few years before that happens."

In our culinary profession, the gap between a beginner apprentice and the level of skill you described is not just a tiny bit; it takes many years of hard work to catch up!

Yuan Tianhong shook his head helplessly and said, "Hey, what I just said was the original plan. Why are you always so impatient, eager to pick up where I left off!"

Li Baoguo quickly apologized with a smile, "Yes, yes, it's all my fault for being too impatient and lacking composure. Please don't take offense. Please continue, I promise I won't say a word this time and will listen quietly to what you have to say."

Yuan Tianhong nodded and asked, "You must have heard of and know Chef Bai and Chef Ma from Huifang Restaurant, these two highly skilled chefs, right?"

Li Baoguo quickly replied, "Of course I know them! They are both renowned figures in Tianjin's culinary world, with exceptionally superb skills. Why are you suddenly mentioning them?"

Yuan Tianhong said, "The two of them have been urging me to hold a graduation ceremony for Zhuzi as soon as possible. They both want to take this kid as their apprentice."

Li Baoguo's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Wow, so it turns out I wasn't the only one eyeing this precious disciple of mine? Did you agree to their requests back then?"

Yuan Tianhong shook his head and said, "Not yet. Actually, I wholeheartedly support Zhu Zi studying Sichuan cuisine with you, and I have absolutely no objections."

"After all, he will eventually return to Beijing to develop his career. In the heart of the capital, halal cuisine is not as popular as Sichuan cuisine. Learning a popular cuisine will give him a better future."

Li Baoguo nodded quickly and said happily, "What you said, senior brother, really hit the nail on the head! It makes so much sense!"

Yuan Tianhong said earnestly, "The key is not whether the cuisine itself is popular, but whether one is a down-to-earth and reliable person, and whether one can master the skills."

"I trust your skills and your character. If Zhu Zi learns Sichuan cuisine from you, he will definitely not waste his extraordinary talent and will learn real skills."

"If it were anyone else who wanted to take Zhuzi as their apprentice, I wouldn't even consider it, and I wouldn't give them the slightest bit of face. After all, not just anyone can teach him properly."

Li Baoguo felt a warmth in his heart and quickly stood up. He personally picked up the wine pot and carefully filled Yuan Tianhong's wine cup, saying, "Thank you for your trust, Senior Brother. I will remember this kindness. Let me toast you!"

Yuan Tianhong said with a smile, "Since you are so polite, then I will gladly accept this drink from you today, and I also wish you and Zhuzi can make a name for yourselves in the Sichuan cuisine industry in the future."

Li Baoguo quickly said, "This is what you deserve. Senior brother, please eat while it's hot, don't let it get cold and upset your stomach. I made these dishes especially for you."

The two brothers toasted and laughed, and after several rounds of drinks and dishes, they began to carefully discuss the details of Zhu Zi's graduation banquet.

From the date of the graduation banquet to the scale of the event and the guests to be invited, every detail was discussed by the two of them, leaving no stone unturned.

Yuan Tianhong's connections in the Beijing-Tianjin area were far less extensive than Li Baoguo's. He originally planned to hold a small banquet with only five or six tables, inviting close friends and colleagues as a token gesture.

Upon hearing this, Li Baoguo immediately shook his head and rejected the idea. He said seriously, "This won't do. This is a golden opportunity for my future prized student to officially make his mark in the industry. It absolutely cannot be done in such a shabby and stingy way. It must be done in a grand and glorious manner."

Li Baoguo immediately made the decision that he would personally invite many respected figures and seniors in the industry to attend the apprenticeship banquet. He also specifically instructed Yuan Tianhong not to have any concerns about this, as he would arrange everything.