"Oh my God Fu Weina, you can't even fry some fish? Can you cook rice? Haih. You'll be in trouble like this. It won't be a week until you're fired Weiwei." Li Manfei starts nagging as soon as I admit that I can't cook at all. She is still waiting while looking at me with disbelief.
"Then what do I do, Manman? I really can't. you can teach me. Come on. Let's just use whatever we have in the kitchen. Please Manman. What should I cook tomorrow when I can't even fry a fish? I'm sacred the oil will splash on me. Manman… Please.. Help me." I made my best effort to use my watery eyes in order to gt her to teach me some basics of cooking. Huh, I should've listened to mom when she told me to help out in the kitchen.
"But your situation is critical Weiwei. I think if you go to a cooking class right now, there's probably not many people who would accept you. Hish, there yo have it. Whenever I told you to help me in the kitchen you just had so many excuses. If it's rough work you like it. Huh. You're just miraculously good at it, is it?" she continued to nag. It seems like it's getting worse. I'm getting tired of hearing my best friend's nagging. But I have to listen anyway. This is not the time for me to object, since it's kind of my fault anyway.
"I know. I know. It's my fault for not helping in the kitchen at all. If I could I'd just ask for any labour work, but they just won't take me in." I slowed down my voice by the end of the sentence.
"Never mind then, Manman. I'm sorry for being a burden to you." I intentionally use my sad voice, hoping she would sympathize with me.
"Hmm, you're so pitiful. Okay, let's go to the kitchen. I'll teach you what's necessary as much as I can." Li Manfei offers. Yes! My tactic worked. I followed after her with a grin on my face.
"What do we have in the fridge?" Li Manfei asked. I quickly opened the fridge.
"We have chicken and some salmon. You can teach me how to fry the salmon and some chicken curry." I started giving some ideas to her.
"Okay. You take two pieces of the salmon first. I'll teach you how to make a garlic butter salmon. And then you try one yourself." said Li Manfei while taking the salmon pieces in my hands.
"Yes Chef Li!" I said spiritedly. She just glared playfully at me pretending o be mad I called her that.
"Okay firstly, wash the fish cleanly. And then prepare all the ingredients and things we need, olive oil, garlic, butter, some lemon, and parsley. This is parsley." she said putting emphasize on 'this' witch some scoff in her voice.
"Hey Manman. I know which one is parsley and which one is.. which. I just don't know how to cook it, I know all the ingredients." I said while watching Li Manfei seasoning the fillet with some salt and pepper. When she starts bringing the fillet close to the pan, I started backing away.
"now you put the salmon slowly, that way it won't splash. If you just throw the fish in obviously you'll get hot oil splashed on you."
"Wow, you're so good at this." I said with fawning eyes, an blinked a couple of times so she can see the stars in my eyes. After Li Manfei rolled her eyes at me, I started seasoning my fillet the same way she did, and then slowly, slowly, slowly put it in the pan. There was no splash at all. Fuh, I did it.
And then the night passed with Li Manfei teaching me how to cook chicken curry while nagging at me until I memorized the recipe for tomorrow.
"Hah, finally. I have something to cook for the Mr. F tomorrow." I said while cleaning the counter.
"Thank you Manman, my bestie. I looooove you." I said hugging her and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Wait, wait. What did you say? Mr. F? What's that?" Li Manfei asked curiously.
'Mr. F is Mister Fussy. Since he's so picky. I just learned the word on the television a few days ago." I said while looking at the food we just made.
"Thank you again, Manman. If it weren't for you, I don't know what would've happened to me. I hugged her shoulder while she just smiled at me.