EBE Chapter 159 Weeds Taking Root
Chapter 159 Weeds Taking Root
Facing Erya's admiring eyes, Cheng Yuntao felt a little embarrassed for a moment, and quickly waved her hands to explain, "The chefs who competed that day all had their own strengths. It was just that I happened to grasp the most crucial point, which made me stand out from the crowd."
"Miss Cheng, please don't be so modest. Being able to make the most ordinary wild vegetables into delicious delicacies that people can't stop praising is not something that ordinary people can do."
Erya paused slightly, her hands unconsciously tugging at the corners of her clothes, her tone filled with a hint of anticipation.
"Ms. Cheng, I have always loved cooking and I really want to improve my cooking skills. Can you teach me some unique cooking techniques? For example, when you make wild vegetable nests, do you add any special seasonings to make them so delicious?" As she spoke, she looked at Cheng Yuntao expectantly, her eyes revealing an eager desire for cooking skills.
Cheng Yuntao was moved by Erya's enthusiasm and sincerity, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"There's actually no special secret to making wild vegetable dumplings. The key lies in understanding and preparing the ingredients. Choose fresh and tender vegetables, and wash them carefully to remove impurities and bitterness. During the cooking process, grasp the right ratio of flour to vegetables, as well as the heat and steaming time. If these details are taken care of, the taste will naturally be excellent."
Erya listened very carefully, staring at Cheng Yuntao without blinking, afraid of missing any word.
Cheng Yuntao was delighted to see Erya like this. She felt that this girl was both clever and ambitious. She continued, "When I cook later, pay close attention to my techniques and steps. You can always ask me anything you want to know. Cooking is a skill that only comes with practice. As long as you are willing to learn and practice more, you will definitely be able to cook delicious dishes."
Hearing this, Arya was so excited that she almost jumped up, her face filled with irrepressible joy.
In her past experience, famous chefs often treasured their cooking skills, even to their formal disciples, and would often withhold some of their skills, fearing that teaching the apprentice would starve them to death. However, Cheng Yuntao before her was so generous, not only did she not hold back at all, but she also offered to teach her. This was completely beyond her expectations.
When Erya first asked Cheng Yuntao for advice, she was still feeling uneasy.
She knew full well that she was just an insignificant maid in the Ji Mansion. If she rashly made such a request, she would most likely be ruthlessly rejected. Worse still, if this matter was reported to the steward, she might even be beaten half to death for offending a distinguished guest.
But Cheng Yuntao was so gentle, like an older sister next door, that she couldn't help but let down her guard and confide in her.
Arya has been struggling at the bottom of society for too long. She is fed up with the heavy and boring menial work, and is also fed up with being ordered around.
She knew in her heart that if she wanted to change her fate, she had to work hard to improve herself, to learn more and become more capable. Only in this way would she have a chance to climb up and escape her current dark life.
If I have the opportunity to leave the Ji Mansion in the future, I will have more skills to rely on, which will help her live a more comfortable life.
But Erya couldn’t understand it.
"Miss Cheng, why are you willing to teach me? I'm just an insignificant little maid. I want to learn your cooking skills. Don't you think I'm unruly and restless? You are a distinguished guest invited by the master, you can ignore me."
Cheng Yuntao was stunned for a moment, then explained seriously, "Erya, I don't think you're unruly or restless. You want to learn and improve yourself, which is perfectly normal. People are born with ambition, and ambition is the motivation to change the status quo."
"The weeds in the corner may seem fragile, easily stepped on by anyone, but they are extremely tenacious. If you try to completely remove them, you will find that their roots are deep and strong in the soil. You are just like this weed right now. Even in difficult situations, you don't give up easily, but choose to take root and grow."
After hearing what Cheng Yuntao said, Erya was stunned for a moment. This was the first time in her life that she heard someone affirm her like this, telling her that it was not wrong to be ambitious and want to change, but a good thing that deserves encouragement.
In the past, her parents always told her that girls should be obedient and sensible and live a quiet life. Before marriage, they should obey their parents in everything, and after marriage, they should obey their husbands. In short, they should not have their own ideas, let alone any "evil thoughts".
If she expressed even the slightest disagreement or curiosity about the outside world, she would be scolded. But her younger brother, even when he was being unreasonable and talking back, would be praised by his parents for being smart, saying he had his own ideas and would definitely have a great future.
They are children of the same parents, but they are treated very differently... Thinking about it, Erya's tears flowed down, and then she quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, as if she didn't want others to see her vulnerability.
When Cheng Yuntao turned around to tie her apron, she saw Erya's eyes were a little red. Her heart ached, knowing that this girl must be hiding a lot of grievances in her heart, but she did not ask much. She patted Erya's shoulder gently, comforted her a little, and walked straight to the area where the ingredients were stacked.
Cheng Yuntao looked at the dazzling array of fresh ingredients before her and began to quickly think about tonight's menu. However, Mu Qingfeng had not revealed many details when he had assigned her the task, which made her feel a little troubled. She could only rely on a bit of luck, just like last time.
Cheng Yuntao's understanding of Ji Yanchuan was already very limited, and now she didn't know where to start.
Seeing her frown, Erya stepped forward and said, "Miss Cheng, are you having any problems? Is there anything I can help you with?"
"You've come just in time. You've been in the mansion for quite some time now. Do you know anything about your master? Do you know what he likes?"
Erya's face suddenly showed a look of panic, and she subconsciously took a step back. "Miss Cheng, I... I'm just a lowly maid. I do menial work every day. How could I know about my master's affairs? I've never even seen my master on a daily basis, let alone know his preferences."
Cheng Yuntao was a little disappointed, but she still pressed on: "Then think about it carefully again. Even if it's just a small thing, maybe it can help me."
Erya bit her lip, racking her brains to recall. After a long while, she whispered, "I... I only know that the master is not married yet, there are no other women in the mansion, and she has always been served by the steward personally. As for the rest... I really don't know."