When Qian Duoduo arrived at the Mess Hall’s main kitchen, she happened to see a young soldier in training uniform walking out from inside, carrying a large stainless steel basin used for washing vegetables.
Recognizing him as Xiao Honghua, she waved enthusiastically and greeted, “Comrade Honghua.”
“Hey, Teacher Qian!” Xiao Honghua replied with a bright, sunny smile, showing a mouthful of neat, white teeth, his tone relaxed. “Squad Leader Cui just told us that tonight you’re going to show off your skills to everyone. Everyone’s looking forward to it.”
“I’m just making two simple home-style dishes. You guys are flattering me,” Qian Duoduo teased, then asked, “What are you up to?”
“Aren’t you making the Spicy Braised Duck Leg?” Xiao Honghua answered. “The squad leader told me to take the duck legs out of the freezer early to thaw. The kitchen faucet is a bit broken— water barely trickles out even after a long time— so I’m planning to carry the basin over to the laundry area to fill it there.”
Qian Duoduo nodded, smiling softly. “Thanks for your trouble.”
“All right. Teacher Qian, you go on in. I’ll get to work first.”
After chatting for a bit, Xiao Honghua carried the basin of duck legs and strode toward the laundry area. Qian Duoduo turned and stepped through the kitchen door.
Inside the kitchen, she saw several soldiers in military uniforms busily working at the stove— some boiling water, others chopping vegetables. The rhythmic “da-da” sound of knives hitting cutting boards filled the air.
Rolling up her sleeves, Qian Duoduo walked up and looked over at the stove. “Squad Leader Cui, has the pork belly thawed yet?”
“The pork belly just arrived this morning. It’s very fresh,” Cui Yurong said as he picked up a large chunk of marbled pork and showed it to her. “Look, the marbling is beautiful. It’s perfect for the steamed pork with rice flour you mentioned.”
Qian Duoduo nodded and asked, “Do we have the rice noodles for steamed meat?”
“We do,” Wen Hao replied as he lifted a blue package onto the counter. “We bought a lot last time and still have a big bag left. Teacher Qian, take a look to see if it’s enough. If not, I’ll arrange more right away.”
Qian Duoduo glanced at the weight marked on the rice noodle package. “This should be enough.”
A few minutes later, the pork belly was rinsed clean.
With a “clack,” Cui Yurong placed the meat on the cutting board and asked Qian Duoduo, “Teacher Qian, should we cut thick slices?”
“I’ll do it.” Qian Duoduo took the meat cleaver, wrapped it with a whetstone, and skillfully sharpened the blade twice. She pursed her lips slightly. “You guys handle the other dishes. I’ll take charge of the steamed pork with rice flour and the Spicy Braised Duck Leg.”
Cui Yurong smiled broadly and replied heartily, “Got it!” He then turned to the other cooks nearby. “Quick, bring out the outfit we prepared for Teacher Qian.”
Curious, Qian Duoduo asked, “What outfit?”
“You’ll see soon enough,” Cui Yurong teased.
Not long after, a young soldier in training uniform walked out from the kitchen’s storage room carrying a brand-new set of chef’s clothing— pure white chef jacket, dark blue apron, and a sleek black leather belt around the waist, stylish and neat.
Qian Duoduo looked at it in surprise. “This is…”
“It’s from Team Leader Lu,” Cui Yurong said with a smile as he took the uniform and handed it to her. “Team Leader Lu said that both you and Teacher Dakuan work really hard. The kitchen has heavy oil smoke, so he wanted to provide you with proper chef’s uniforms so you don’t ruin your own clothes.”
“There’s more,”
Just then, Xiao Honghua returned after fetching water and added, “Team Leader Lu also said that the oil smoke damages hair and skin. After ordering these uniforms, he personally picked out special oil-smoke-proof hats and face shields for you and Teacher Dakuan.”
Qian Duoduo blinked, a little stunned.
Before she could respond, Wen Hao came out of the storage room carrying a face shield and chef’s hat, showing them to her. “Here, these are them.”
Qian Duoduo took the items, holding them in her arms.
Her fingertips absentmindedly brushed the soft, pure white brim of the chef hat and the transparent full-face shield.
She was truly surprised.
Lu Qiming… was even more meticulous than she had imagined.
Qian Duoduo was slightly dazed.
A moment later, Cui Yurong’s deep voice brought her back. “Teacher Qian, stop spacing out. We already sent Teacher Dakuan his outfit. It fits perfectly. You should try yours on, see how it feels.”
“Okay.” Qian Duoduo smiled and agreed.
She turned her head from side to side, looking for something.
Cui Yurong immediately understood. A young lady changing clothes in a room full of men would be improper.
He pointed to a half-open door and suggested, “Teacher Qian, if you don’t mind, you can change in that room. It’s cleaned every day and very tidy.”
“All right.” Qian Duoduo cast a grateful glance at Cui Yurong and smiled lightly, then carried the chef’s uniform into the storage room.
This room was usually used to store all sorts of dried goods.
On the standard iron racks: rice, oil, salt, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms.
The floor, walls, and glass were so clean and bright they could almost serve as mirrors.
Qian Duoduo took off her jacket by a rack and put on the chef’s uniform, surprised to find the lining of the jacket fluffy and soft.
Looking at the tag, the filling material was listed as: Iceland Goose Down.
Warmth spread over her body, and her heart softened.
A slight curve lifted the corner of Qian Duoduo’s mouth. She then gathered her thick curls atop her head, tucking them completely under the chef’s hat.
She tied the belt, put on the face shield, and the reflective window showed a slender silhouette that really looked the part.
She had the air of a five-star hotel chef.
After admiring her reflection for a few seconds, Qian Duoduo stepped out of the storage room.
Hearing her footsteps, the soldiers in the Cooking Squad looked up, their faces lighting up.
“How do you like the uniform, Teacher Qian?” Cui Yurong asked with concern. “Does it fit? If it doesn’t, we can get the supplier to exchange it.”
“Fits well.”
Noticing some wrinkles on the apron’s hem, Qian Duoduo bent down to smooth them out.
Then she looked up at the group with a puzzled expression. “Squad Leader Cui, how did you guys know my clothing size?”
“The clothes were personally picked by Team Leader Lu. He also coordinated the sizes with the supplier,” Cui Yurong replied. Then he looked a bit puzzled himself. “Didn’t Team Leader Lu ask you before?”
Qian Duoduo blinked in surprise. The word “no” nearly escaped her lips but she swallowed it back.
After a moment, she muttered shyly, “I think he did ask.”
Another soldier in the group named Zhang Daqian laughed and said to Qian Duoduo, “Teacher Qian, Team Leader Lu is a busy man with countless core tasks. Most of his time is spent on actual combat work, often working late at the office building. That he personally picked out your and Teacher Dakuan’s chef uniforms shows how much he values your support of the troops.”
“Do you know what Team Leader Lu’s actions represent?” Cui Yurong, as the Squad Leader, had a lofty sense of awareness and spoke with rhythm, “They perfectly exemplify the phrase ‘Military and civilians like fish and water; the military and local people are one family; the military and local authorities compose a harmonious melody together.’”
Their words made everyone laugh heartily.
Qian Duoduo grabbed a clean bag to pack her jacket, washed her hands, and went to the cutting board.
Making steamed pork with rice flour was not difficult.
First, wash and cut the pork belly into thick slices. Marinate them evenly with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fermented bean curd sauce, sugar, ginger-garlic water, and five-spice powder.
After marinating for about ten minutes, lightly coat the meat with rice noodles, then lay chunks of potato on the bottom of a bowl. Pour some water, steam for an hour and a half, and it’s done.
Qian Duoduo’s knife skills were very proficient.
Watching the pork slices take shape under her precise cuts, each about half a centimeter thick, Cui Yurong and the others couldn’t help but widen their eyes.
No one expected that this young blogger, who looked physically weak and unable to carry heavy loads, could wield a knife so skillfully.
Wang Fei, a fellow cook in the squad, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Teacher Qian, your knife skills are much better than many of ours.”
“I’ve been interested in cooking since middle school. I often mess around in the kitchen. Practice makes perfect,” Qian Duoduo replied shyly, her hands never slowing.
After finishing cutting the meat, she washed the knife and placed it back on the rack.
“We’ll handle the marinating,” Wang Fei offered.
“These two dishes are simple. I don’t need help.”
Qian Duoduo was very familiar with steamed pork with rice flour and operated confidently.
In no time, all the meat slices were coated with rice noodles.
The water in the steamer hadn’t started boiling yet. She bent down and sat on a small stool, waiting for the water to boil while taking out her phone from her pocket.
After some thought, Qian Duoduo bit her lip lightly and opened WeChat, finding the chat with the black night sky avatar.
Qian Duoduo: [Team Leader Lu, I got the chef’s uniform. It fits well and looks good. Thank you.]
After sending the message, her fingers hovered above the screen, twirling in the air a few times before returning to the chat box.
Qian Duoduo: [But…]
Qian Duoduo: [You never asked me for my height or weight. How did you know my clothing size?]
After sending, she waited, but no reply came.
Qian Duoduo then recalled that Lu Qiming had said he couldn’t use his personal phone during the day.
Probably he’d only reply by dinner time.
Thinking this, a faint, unnoticed wave of disappointment rose in her heart. She put the phone away.
–
At exactly six in the evening, the military camp canteen began serving dinner.
The day’s training and work were done, and soldiers from various departments gathered toward the Mess Hall— some lined up under the Instructor’s command, others moved independently in groups of five, all orderly.
The military was like that—even eating had countless rules and regulations.
After finishing her tasks, Qian Duoduo casually took off her hat and face shield, letting her thick, black curls cascade like a waterfall. She used a hair clip to loosely secure them at the back of her head.
She waited for a while, but still no sign of Lu Qiming.
Feeling a little strange, she was about to send him a message when she caught a glimpse of two figures approaching from the direction of the Life Supermarket.
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