The General's Delicious Wife Chapter 033: Reserving for the birthday feast
Xia Yue Chu is thoroughly confused by the ramblings of Xue Qin, going out for a look then does she know that Cui Shu Qing has come looking for her.
"Why has Cui young mister come here, come in quickly for a seat." Xia Yue Chu lifts the portiere out of the way and invites Cui Shu Qing into the house.
The west wing rooms are no longer dark and gloomy like in the past, it has been organised and tidied by Xia Yue Chu recently, which it is now clean and bright.
Cui Shu Qing smiles as he says. "I am here today, it is because the fourth month fifth day is my grandfather's birthday anniversary. We have mentioned previously that we would invite Xue elder sister to be our main chef for the birthday feast, so I am here today to specially invite you."
"Cui young mister is truly too polite, this kind of matter, finding someone else to inform will do." Xia Yue Chu says so in her speech, but this has caused her to think well of the Cui family in her heart.
Feng Yong Yuan who has yet to attain the scholar title is already so prideful and arrogant, and now looking at the Cui young mister, this is truly comparing a person to person will exasperate one to death.
Xia Yue Chu serves a new brew of tea, sits down and asks in detail. "Not knowing this, does the main family have any requirements for the birthday feast this time? Anything particular to take note? Anything to avoid? I am troubling Cui young mister to list out everything so that I can plan out the menu."
"This year is my grandfather's sixtieth birthday, the family wishes to plan it more grandly, other than preparing the banquet for friends and family in the house, there is going to be a free flow booth outside the gates, treating the surrounding neighbours for a lively celebration together."
Xia Yue Chu cannot help but to crunch up her brows as she hears that. If it is only the banquet in the house, as the main chef, there is no issues with preparing a few tables of feast. But if there is an add on of the free flow booth, there will not be enough labour even if she can split herself into two.
Cui Shu Qing quickly supplements more information. "The free flow booth outside will be overseen by Madam Shan, the main items will be longevity noodles and a few side dishes, you only need to check the taste and maintain its standard for it."
Xia Yue Chu nods her head then. "There is no problem with that. Not knowing this, how many tables are we preparing to set in the house? How many dishes for each table? Is there anything particular?"
"A total of five tables in the house, ten dishes every table. We have witnessed Xue elder sister's capabilities during the newlywed's returning banquet the previous time, so grandfather and my mother have said to let you be in charged, as long as the theme matches the well wishes for birthdays, it will do."
As Cui Shu Qing is saying, he pulls out a piece of paper and hands it over to Xia Yue Chu. "This is all the ingredients we have procured currently, Mother told me to bring it here, we will leave it to Xue elder sister's considerations."
Xia Yue Chu nods her head. "Right, then following the previous practice, I will draft out the menu within these two days and bring it over to the house for viewing, if there are any problems we can communicate about it then, and I will be going over one day before the birthday celebration to prepare the ingredients in advance."
"No problem, we will follow Xue elder sister's arrangement." Cui Shu Qing smiles and he greets with his hands clasp. "Also, concerning the wages…"
Not waiting for Cui Shu Qing to complete his sentence, Xia Yue Chu waves her hand to stop this topic. "The issue about the wages, we can talk about it again after the menu has been drafted."
Xue Qin stands by the door, spying into the room from the gap of the portiere, seeing how cheerfully Xia Yue Chu is chatting with Cui Shu Qing, there is an emotion brewing in her heart which she cannot identify.
She has never seen anyone as good looking and as well mannered as Cui Shu Qing, with his distinct contrast, her brother-in-law Feng Yong Yuan becomes a short nerd and Qin Zheng becomes a fool with only brawl strength.
Just taking a glance at him, it is as if her heart is going to jump out of her chest.
The one thing hateful is why is it that the person sitting opposite him is not herself.
Xue Qin claws at the portiere that she is grasping, there is an emotion brewing in her heart which she cannot identify.
"You this dead lass!" Madam Sheng comes from behind and slaps her. "Tell you to go heat up some food for your sister, what are you doing lingering here!"
Xue Qin jumps in a scare by her own mother, seeing that she is about to open her mouth and start scolding, she quickly muffles her and pushes her further out.
"Dead lass, are you rebelling!" Madam Sheng is so angry.
"Mother, lower your volume, Cui young mister is here. He is in the room talking to Sister-in-law!" Xue Qin has just seen such an elegant and beautiful person, then now seeing her old mother who is bruised with a green nose and a swollen face, with a set of yellow teeth and foul words spewing as soon as she opens her mouth. She is suddenly ashamed with a sense of inferiority, and she feels hard-pressed to the point of tears.
"Cui family young mister?" Madam Sheng could not react in the moment, but due to the revere towards the Cui family, she lowers her voice. "What did he come here for? What are they talking about in the room?"
"Talking about Cui old sir's birthday in a few days' time, came here to hire Sister-in-law as the head chef!" Xue Qin answers in her whisper.
"Is it true or fake?" Madam Sheng jumps in a shock. Initially when other people say that Xia Yue Chu has gone to the Cui family as the main chef, she finds it somewhat unbelievable.
Until this afternoon, despite after tasting the food that she cooks, she remains partially doubtful. Thinking that it could be because she herself has not had much good food before.
Now that she hears the Cui family has actually send Cui Shu Qing here to invite Xia Yue Chu over as the main chef, on top of that it is for Cui old sir's birthday, such an important celebration. Her thoughts in the spur of the moment starts becoming lively.
This is an enormous event!
It proves that Xia Yue Chu's skills are valuable for money!
Madam Sheng's eyes sparkles with light, if this popularity has been spread out, estimating to receive about two hundred offers in a year, how much money will that be!
She is only imagining the pretty prospects of earning money but not at all considering how big is the total area of Seng Head Village, how many red or white events* there will be in total for her to take on.
Besides that, which regular household can organise a feast in the kind of scale that the Cui family is planning and is able to afford that much payment like the Cui family.
Madam Sheng is currently absorbed in her own imagination of earning big bucks, thinking that perhaps their family will be able to upgrade and build tiles and bricks home very soon.
The more she thinks, the more excited she becomes, pushing Xue Qin aside, lifting the portiere out of the way and enters the house. "Aiyo, what kind of kind is blowing today, to have blown Cui young mister into my house here. We have a small house and small family, truly are lacking to honour you."
Cui Shu Qing does not recognise Madam Sheng, so he looks at Xia Yue Chu with a confused look.
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Xia Yue Chu can only introduce them. "This is my mother-in-law."
"Xue Big Madam, hello." Cui Shu Qing being polite. "You don't have to trouble yourself. I have already finished speaking with Xue elder sister about the matter. Please don't make yourself busy. I still have to go back and help the family with preparing for the birthday celebration."
It is not good to say much in the presence of Cui Shu Qing, Madam Sheng smiles shrewdly whilst sending the person off, and turning back asking coldly. "What have you agreed on? How much are they paying to prepare that banquet?"
Xia Yue Chu has guessed that she will ask about this, pushing off the pressure in answering. "Where is it so easy to confirm on this matter, there is still a need to test the dishes in advance, what if they find someone who can cook better then, the opportunity will not fall onto me if so."
Madam Sheng could not get an answer from Xia Yue Chu, so she goes back to her room and asks Xue Qin. "Did you hear everything they say in the room just now?"
Xue Qin is so focused on stealing peeks at Cui Shu Qing, where would she hear what they are saying. Being asked one question and the answers are all not known, she is criticized by Madam Sheng and becomes irritated. Getting up and pushes the nagging Madam Sheng out of the door.
"You quickly go and heat up some food for Big Sister, I want to be alone for a while."
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She slams the door shut, covering her own burning cheeks. When she closes her eyes, she can see Cui Shu Qing's figure smiling as he stands by the gates addressing and speaking to her.
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Translator Notes:
*Red events, referring to any event that is celebrated with auspicious intentions, births, birthdays, weddings, shop openings, anniversaries of any kind. White events, referring to any event that has to do with a sobering tone, wakes, funerals, Memorial Day, etc.
Translated by Yellow. Sep 2022.