Not long after we started learning knife work, our course gradually became more difficult and added carving lessons.

Of course, unlike the students in the Academy of Fine Arts, who engage in carving and sculpture, the carvers in the chef's class just process the ingredients finely and make some simple shapes. The most basic thing is to carve radish flowers, in fact, the test is still knife work, and the kitchen knife is also square. Later, a fruit knife was used to carve some patterns on winter melons, watermelons, and cantaloupe, or to cut melons into special pieces and arrange them.

Some carvings are also used in the pasta, such as steamed peaches and buns in the shape of various animals. Among them, steamed peach is a must-learn dish, in addition to the basic techniques such as rolling, kneading, and kneading, it is also necessary to use scissors, combs, bamboo sticks and other small tools to assist in depiction. It is easier to make a single peach, but it is much more complicated to arrange it in multiple layers and as a whole, including adding natural pigments such as red yeast water and matcha powder.

In the last class, the teacher taught us to pinch a few animal-shaped buns. I sold steamed buns in Nanting, and it was natural to do this, and after a while, I pinched out a few little pig buns and rabbit buns, and added bean paste filling. As soon as the steaming drawer comes out, they are all full and cute, which makes people like it at a glance. For this reason, the teacher really praised me in class, saying that my buns can already be used to open a store, and customers will have a desire to buy when they see it.

This also attracted the attention of the students again, including the little beauty. I now know that her name is Xu Yuan, a native of Wencheng County, and she is only 16 years old this year. Actually, I was less than three years older than her, but I always felt like an adult and didn't want to talk to her. What's more, I still have Han Jie, the "current", here!

As soon as I talked about Han Jie, I suddenly had an idea to pack these cute buns for her to taste as well. So I grabbed the last practice time, steamed a few more, and secretly took them out of the classroom. I didn't eat dinner, so I ran out of the school gate and took a bus to Quang Nam University.

I carried those buns in a food box in my arms, and they were still warm until Quang Nam University, and the shape was not damaged. I felt a little proud, so I swiped a shared bicycle at the school gate and rode to Han Jie's dormitory building, thinking that I wanted to surprise her.

As a result, as soon as I arrived downstairs in the dormitory, Han Jie had already returned from the canteen to eat, and there were a few roommates with her.

When Han Jie saw me, she was surprised: "You are here like this?" It's not a weekend again! ”

I saw that there were a lot of people, and it was not easy to talk to her, so I directly handed her the food box and said, "This is what I steamed myself today, bring it to you to taste." ”

"Yikes! Such a cute bun! Did you make it yourself? The reaction of the roommates was more excited than Han Jie's, and their eyes lit up. Han Jie was embarrassed to enjoy it alone, so she had to change hands and give one to each of them. The girls were so happy that they were reluctant to eat while playing with them in their hands, and they praised me for my good workmanship.

I was speechless and unhappy. But I still took care of Han Jie's face, didn't show it on the spot, just kept silent. Han Jie asked the girls to go upstairs first, saying that she wanted to stay and talk to me.

I said, "Let's go out for dinner and go shopping, how about it?" ”

Han Jie looked embarrassed and said, "No! I have two courseware to hand in tomorrow, and I have to do it tonight. I need to finish my meal now and go to the computer room. Let's go out another day! ”

I pouted, displeased.

Han Jie picked up the little pig bun and took a bite, and said, "Na! I ate the buns you made, and they were delicious! You're going back today, and you're coming back to me on the weekend. ”

I shook my head and said, "I don't ......."

Han Jie didn't give me a chance to complain, reached out and touched my face, and coaxed me again: "Be good, obedient!" I'm gone, go back! She winked at me, smiled sweetly, and waved her hand into the dormitory.

I was left alone at the door sulking, unhappy. In vain, I came all the way to bring her delicious food, but I didn't even have a kiss or a hug, so I was sent away. It's just too much!

Recently, Han Jie's attitude towards me has made me a little unpredictable. It's not always that every time I come to her, the two of us can date and make out as before, and there are often "surprises" that keep her out of it, even on weekends. Sometimes it's academic homework, sometimes it's an activity in the student council, and sometimes it's just the wrong time for me to come!

I once jokingly asked her, you chased me first, do you like the new and hate the old? Han Jie knocked me on the head again and said, "What are you thinking? How can a big man be like a resentful woman? ”

I said, "Then why do you say you're not available all day long?" It's rare for me to see you once. ”

Han Jie said: "It turns out that the two of us are in the same class, and we naturally meet every day when we go to class together." Now that we are separated from two schools, how can we be together every day? Can I be blamed for this? ”

"I don't blame you, but I just hope you can squeeze out a little more time to spend with me......"

"You also know that I have a wide range of interests. I participated in many clubs and associations at school, so I didn't have enough time. Gee, why are you still like a child? Okay? ”

Anyway, I couldn't talk to her every time, and the discussion ended with my concession in the end. Otherwise, I'm "not well-behaved"!

Well, it's useless to stay here and complain today, so let's go back to New South China "obediently". I turned my head and saw that the shared bicycle that I had just ridden had been ridden by someone else, and there was no other one nearby. I had no choice but to walk and walk depressedly to the school gate, where I had not eaten and my stomach was rumbling with hunger.

There is a long way to go from Han Jie's dormitory building to the gate of Quang Nam University, and you must pass the library in the middle. I was walking down the school road, and it was already dark, and some students were walking to the library one after another, probably to study on their own. At this moment, I inadvertently seemed to see an unusual figure.

A fluttering, uncertain figure dangled among the students, looking a little dazzling. Out of professional habit, I stopped and looked over there to make sure it was a figure or a ghost. But there were too many people, and I was so far away that I couldn't see clearly.

I took a few more steps that way, and just as the figure flashed out of the crowd, it turned out to be a ghost!

There are so many people here, and the yang energy is so strong, there are actually ghosts? I was a little puzzled, and I wanted to get a closer look, but the ghost soon found me. He floated in mid-air, not knowing if he had no feet or if he was deliberately shrunk his legs. When he saw that I was looking at him, he hesitated, but turned around and "swished" into the grass next to him.

There was a tall monument on the grass, and the ghost had slipped into it. Oh, so his tomb is there!

I hesitated for a moment, and thought to myself: Alas, forget it, last time I made nothing but an itch for catching the drowning ghost. I'm not going to meddle with things this time, lest it be thankless again. So, I turned around and left, first went to a small restaurant outside the school to eat, and then went back to my school.

In addition to the unstable relationship with Han Jie, which bothered me, another thing began to bother me. It's been two months since I came to the provincial capital, and I haven't found a part-time job!

I walked around the school and didn't find any job that suited me. The places where job postings are all hired for permanent workers, and they are the kind that can work eight-hour shifts. If I want to work or study, I have to work part-time jobs or do odd jobs on weekends, which is really hard to find. Ironically, Han Jie found a part-time job as a tutor. She said that she also wanted to experience the feeling of a part-time job, so she went out and looked for it. The family had only met her once and decided to invite her. This makes me feel ashamed!

Han Jie went to take a tutor, and she went three times a week, two hours at a time, and fifty yuan an hour, so that a month's living expenses could easily come out! But I have a high school education, and if I want to be a tutor, people won't want me!

I checked the money left in my bank card, although it is not enough to run out of food, but I can't sit back and eat empty, right? Besides, I still have to prepare for next year's tuition. After thinking about it, I have no other better way, I can only go to the near and far, and plan to go to Xiling Cemetery to find something to do, even if it is to go to the ghost market inside to set up a stall!

I picked a weekend off, took the letter of recommendation that Master gave me, bought some greeting gifts, and searched for them according to the address above. It was not far away, in an old town in the northwest corner of the provincial capital. I asked people all the way, and I turned around to find the man's home. In front of that house was a row of old bungalows, and in the back was a brand new three-story building.

The name written on the envelope is a bit odd, it's called "Donald Pot"! I went up and knocked on the door, and after a long time an old man came out and opened the door for me.

I wasn't sure if he was Donald or not, and I didn't know if people were happy to be called him like that, so I just showed him the name on the envelope and said, "I want to find this person." ”

The old man squinted at the words on the envelope, then at me, and then suddenly shouted loudly: "I am Donald Pot!" What are you looking for me for? I don't know you! ”

The old man's shout startled me a lot. You don't know me, and you can't chase me so loudly, do you?

I quickly opened the letter, took out the letter and handed it to the old man, and said, "My master is Feng Daozhang." This is his letter to you! ”

When Donald heard my master's name, he took the letter, but he was so dazzled that he told me to follow him into the house first. He trembled and leaned on crutches, and walked for three minutes from the door to the house, which was less than ten meters away. He found his reading glasses in the room, put them on, read the letter carefully, and then beckoned me to sit down and talk.

Although the old man had behind his ears, dazzled eyes, and slow movements, his mind was still very clear. He said: "Lao Feng was kind to me back then, since you are Lao Feng's apprentice, then I must sell him a face!" ”

As soon as he said this, I immediately relieved my heart, it seems that Master's name is quite big, and even in the provincial capital, there are people who are willing to sell his face, did I underestimate him before?

But Donald said to me next: "You can also see that my old man can't walk anymore. My business on the Xiling side has long been handed over to my eldest apprentice to take care of, and I have retired. In a while, I'll give you a phone number, you can go to Xiling to find my eldest apprentice by yourself, he should be holding a meeting in the cemetery management office now! ”

Naturally, I have no opinion, everything is arranged by him. The old man called his eldest apprentice in front of me, saying that he had a junior who was going to Xiling to do work, and asked the eldest apprentice to arrange it for me. I heard that the background of his apprentice on the phone was very noisy, and the old man turned his ears and backs, and after communicating for a long time, I didn't know if I heard it clearly.

Donald hung up the phone, and then told me the name and phone number of his eldest apprentice, and asked me to find it myself. I thanked him and gave him the gift of the meeting. The old man pointed to the coffee table, indicating that it would be fine, and then lay down on the bamboo chair and closed his eyes. I didn't dare to disturb him anymore, so I went out of the door alone and helped him bring the door.

I looked at the time, it was already eleven o'clock in the morning, and I had to rush to Xiling Cemetery, and then I took the bus to get off work. So I had to hail a taxi and sit directly at Xiling Cemetery.

At the entrance of Xiling Cemetery is a large archway, and the left and right sides are written: Pure Land of Requiem, Blessed Land of Rebirth. The cemetery is quite large, the greenery is like a park, and when you look up, there are rows of tombstones on the whole hill, and I don't know how many tombs there are in total. I walked through a long Shinto path before I found the big-character signboard "Xiling Cemetery Management Office". Outside the office were two men in security uniforms, but with crooked hats, open collars, and cigarettes in their mouths, no different from bandits.

The two security guards stopped me and asked me what I was here for. I said come and find someone. Who are you looking for? They were always very wary and refused to let me in, saying that there was a meeting inside. When it is said to be a meeting, I think it is a quarrel. As I stood outside, I could hear a lot of people arguing in the office from afar, and it was very noisy, and there were people slapping the table and scolding their mothers. But I couldn't hear what they were arguing about.

I had no choice but to take out my mobile phone and call Donald's big apprentice.

"Hey, is it Brother Hou?" Donald Laoguo's big apprentice is called Hou Dapeng, of course, I have to be polite when I speak.

"Who are you?"

"I was introduced to you by Donald, my surname is Zhai, and my name is Zhai Zisheng!"

"What's your name?" It's just too noisy over there.

"Zhai Zisheng!"

"I can't hear clearly, I'm in a meeting! You'll call again later! "It looks like they're about to hang up.

I hurriedly said, "I'm outside your office right now!" Can you come out for a moment? ”

The other side should have heard this, but his tone softened, and said, "Oh, then I'll go out now." The last thing I heard him on the phone was probably to someone else: "You guys talk slowly, I'll go out to meet someone first!" ”

Coming out of the office was a short, middle-aged man, with a hairline that had receded sharply and a small belly that had risen, a typical man. I thought he must be Hou Dapeng, so I politely introduced myself again: "Brother Hou, my name is Zhai Zisheng, you can call me Xiao Zhai." ”

Hou Dapeng only glanced at me, and didn't mean to greet me, so he took out a cigarette and lit one. While smoking a cigarette, he looked at the grave mountain in the distance, and it seemed that he really just came out to breathe. I didn't understand what he meant, and I didn't dare interrupt him.

"Who are you Donald Pot?" Still looking at the mountain, he asked casually.

I hurriedly replied: "My master and Tang Lao are old acquaintances, and my master's name is Feng Daozhang." ”

"I haven't heard of it." Hou Dapeng threw the cigarette butt on the ground and rubbed it with his foot. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm looking for something to do here."

Hou Dapeng finally looked at me with his eyes at this moment, but his brows furrowed, "Running here to find something to do?" Can't find anything to do in the city? You see we're in a mess here, what can you do? There are enough security guards, but are you good at cleaning and green chemicals? ”

"Well," I said with a smile, "I actually want to come here and do some work for the rest of the day, selling things and running errands!" ”

Hou Dapeng was slightly surprised when he heard what I said. He squinted his eyes and asked me, "Have you worked in the 'Tuwen Market' before?" ”

I said: "I worked in my hometown in Nanting County, specializing in serving 'old customers'. ”

The Tuwen market and the old customers are both jargon, and they are generally tested before they are sure whether the other party is also a ghost market peer. The Tuwen market refers to the ghost market of the underworld. However, there are also ghost markets in the sun, the kind of street markets that specialize in trading some unsightly goods, because they are only open at night and disperse at dawn, which is also called a ghost market by some people, but it is actually a black market. In order to distinguish it, the real ghost market in the underworld is called the Tuwen market. This kind of ghost market is generally opened in the cemetery, and the tomb character is dismantled to the local script. And the old customers refer to the customers in the ghost market. If you think about it, many of those ghost customers have been dead for hundreds of years, and they are indeed old enough.

"Nanting County ......" Hou Dapeng asked again: "What did you just say about your master's name?" ”

"Feng Daozhang."

"Which faction are you from?"

"Returning to the Mountain."

He thought about it very seriously, but still shook his head and said, "I haven't heard of it." ”

I'm speechless. My Master's name is not always good!

Fortunately, Hou Dapeng finally gave face and said, "Okay, since it was introduced by my master, I will keep you for a month." You'll come back tomorrow night, and we'll talk about what you're going to do. ”

I hurriedly agreed and thanked him. Hou Dapeng waved his hand, turned around and went back to the office, and the quarrel inside never stopped.