At noon in summer, the sea breeze carries a heat wave and rolls over the low and messy roofs of the Eastern Capital old port area.
In the direction of Harbor, the gantry crane rose and fell under the scorching sunshine, and the freighter in the distance let out a deep whistle.
Among the old and crumbling brick buildings, the six-story gray-white building No. 8, New Harbor Alley is particularly eye-catching.
On the open-air platform of Sixth Floor, the blooming Bougainvillea spreads wildly along the carved iron fence.
A large waterfall of purple-red flowers swayed in the wind, like hanging silk.
The dwarf plants Chinese Rose and Carnation next to them are also in full bloom and exude a rich sweet fragrance.
At this moment, a slender figure was squatting in front of two pots of Camellia.
She wore a sunhat, a light blue cotton and linen short-sleeved shirt that had been washed white, and a clean dust-proof apron around her waist.
Sometimes I hold a handful of delicate copper Pruning Shears and cut off the yellow leaves. Sometimes I push aside the overlapping branches and carefully examine the tiny insect eyes hidden on the back of the leaves.
The sun fell on her jade-white side face, illuminating the fine beads of sweat seeping out of her forehead.
"Hu--"
She took a long breath, put down Pruning Shears, raised the back of her hand, and wiped it on her forehead.
"It's done. You should feel more energetic now."
Zhou Xiumei smiled, then stood up and turned his head.
There is an entire frameless floor-to-ceiling Glass wall between the open-air terrace and Sixth Floor's main office.
Although the indoor air-conditioning of Air Conditioner cannot blow outside, it is not blocked by Blinds and the view is extremely clear.
The sunlight passes through Glass and scatters diagonally on the ground covered with Wool Carpet.
There is a set of calm and elegant Genuine Leather sofa and solid wood bookshelf in the office.
On the wall behind Mahogany Boss Desk, there is a banner "Grand Ambitions" written in thick ink.
Next to the reception area, an ecological landscaping tank nearly two meters long is emitting a slight sound of water circulation.
The water in the tank is clear, and two strong golden arowanas are slowly cruising between Aquatic Plants.
The golden scales sparkled under the light, followed by a group of snow-white Arowana, which looked very majestic as they swung their tails.
"Brother Cheng The exercise is not over yet, I guess it will take a while."
Zhou Xiumei whispered to himself, raising the corners of his mouth slightly.
Her eyes fell on another pot of plant at her feet.
It was a pot of Double-Petaled Jasmine, with green leaves and branches covered with white, full, bead-like flower buds, exuding a quiet and sweet fragrance.
Ever since I heard Aunt Li nagging about Fang Cheng and her friends opening a Import-Export Trading Company in Jinshui Fish Market half a month ago, Zhou Xiumei has been curious in my heart.
Some time ago, Fang Cheng rarely returned to Old Factory Street, and the opportunities to meet were few and far between.
Zhou Xiumei couldn't bear his thoughts, so he called him to inquire about the situation.
After getting the promise of Fang Cheng, she followed the address and found it with anxiety and expectation.
When she first stepped onto this vast open-air platform and saw the potted plants Greenery randomly placed all over the ground, she couldn't hide the joy in her eyes.
She likes to play with flowers and plants at home, which is both eye-catching and a way to relieve boredom.
Now that I see this small world, I naturally can't put it down.
These days, whenever Agency doesn't have any training or singing practice, she goes to Morningstar Trading Company to help take care of these delicate potted plants.
Of course, there is also a woman's reason for this.
As for the pot of Double-Petaled Jasmine in front of her, she specially picked it up from a trip to the flower market in the morning.
Zhou Xiumei bent down, steadily picked up the heavy Purple Clay flowerpot with both hands, and stepped towards the sensor Glass door.
Glass The door slid open to both sides smoothly, and a refreshing wave of cold air rushed in, dispelling the heat from her body.
She walked lightly to the large Redwood desk and placed the flower pot smoothly on the right side near the wooden pen holder.
Zhou Xiumei took a half step back, looked at it, then stepped forward and turned the flowerpot one-third clockwise.
In this way, the cluster of white flowers that blooms most vigorously can face the Genuine Leather backrest chair in the main seat.
"Jasmine...Mo Li."
She murmured in a low voice, feeling as if a deer bumped into her heart, and her cheeks felt slightly hot.
This flower not only has a good flower language, but the natural fragrance it emits can also soothe nerves and relieve fatigue.
Brother Cheng usually handles company affairs or does homework, and it is inevitable to be distracted while sitting at the table. With this potted flower by his side, it should be able to refresh him and relieve some stress.
After setting up the flower pots, Zhou Xiumei smiled with satisfaction.
She took out a clean rag from her apron pocket, lowered her head and carefully wiped the tabletop and the back of the chair.
At this moment, footsteps came from the corridor.
There were steady and powerful steps ahead, and there was a clear sound of high heels tapping on the ground.
Zhou Xiumei paused and turned around.
The heavy door frame of the office was pushed open, and Fang Cheng walked in first.
He was wearing a simple black cotton T-shirt and Gray sports shorts, with a white Towel strip on his head, and his forehead and hairline were still stained with moisture from just taking a shower.
Muscles stretch out the T-shirt into clear lines, and the whole person exudes the vitality of just finishing exercise.
"Brother Cheng, are you done exercising?"
Zhou Xiumei's eyes lit up, he folded the rag and put it aside, and took half a step forward.
"Well, I just warmed up my lower body."
Fang Cheng nodded with a smile, reached out and took off Towel from his neck and wiped his neck:
"How are the flowers doing?"
"It's almost done, the branches and leaves outside have been pruned."
Before Zhou Xiumei finished speaking, he noticed the figure following behind Fang Cheng from the corner of his eye, and his breathing stagnated slightly.
It was a tall, plump woman.
She was wearing a dark blue custom-made OL skirt. The narrow skirt wrapped her slender and round legs, and she wore a pair of seven-centimeter black stiletto heels.
The Chang Fa that was originally placed on the back of the head was slightly scattered on the shoulders, and the eyes were full of charm.
Lin Chuqiao crossed Fang Cheng and walked forward very naturally, with a flawless smile on his face:
"Xiumei, are you coming to play again today when you are free? Welcome."
That tone and gesture were exactly like a woman Master entertaining guests.
Zhou Xiumei Tighten your fingertips slightly.
But after experiencing the singing competition Audition and various big scenes, she is no longer the Little Girl who always bows her head and blushes.
She stood up straight, met Lin Chuqiao's gaze calmly, and replied with a smile:
"Hello, sister Chuqiao. I was thinking that some pots of Camellia on the terrace should be renovated this morning, so I came over to take a look."
The tone of voice is gentle, neither humble nor overbearing.
Lin Chuqiao raised his eyebrows, looked away from Zhou Xiumei's face, and suddenly glanced at the new furnishings on Redwood's desk.
The dark blue Purple Clay pot has emerald green leaves surrounded by white plum-like flower buds, with a delicate fragrance.
"Huh?"
Lin Chuqiao made a soft sound, walked to the table on high heels, reached out and touched the flower branch:
"When did there be a pot of flowers on this table?"
Zhou Xiumei saw this and explained warmly:
"This is the Double-Petaled Jasmine I chose at the flower market in the morning. I bought it specifically for Brother Cheng. It is easy to feel sleepy in the hot summer. Putting it on the table can refresh your mind. After looking at documents for a long time, looking at flowers will make your eyes less likely to get sore."
Lin Chuqiao Hearing this, the smile on his face faltered slightly.
Her eyes turned and fell on this small and delicate flower, and she felt an inexplicable feeling of depression in her heart.
During this period of time, I spent a lot of time decorating Fang Cheng's office. Not only did I fill the rooftop with all kinds of precious flowers, but I also bought Podocarpus worth tens of thousands of dollars each and placed them in Living Room to enrich the facade.
He actually missed the area on the desk that is closest to Fang Cheng's personal space, giving this girl a head start!
"Xiumei is so attentive."
Lin Chuqiao quickly suppressed that emotion, turned to look at Fang Cheng, and sighed half-jokingly and half-coquettishly:
"It's not like me. I've been preoccupied with the recruitment and tax filing of various departments these past few days. I've been thinking about bills, but I've forgotten the layout on Brother Cheng's desk. It seems that I'm not competent enough for the position of logistics director."
Fang Cheng stood aside, looking at the two women in front of him going back and forth, hiding their sharp edges, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.
He coughed slightly, breaking the strange atmosphere:
"Okay, stop standing around. It's almost noon, what do you want to eat?"
"Ah, is it almost noon?"
Lin Chuqiao answered the question, raised his hand and glanced at his watch, and then suggested:
"Sichuan Restaurant has opened a new restaurant over there at Canal Road. The chef is the old Master who came from Shuzhong. Boiled Beef in Hot Chili Oil and Boiled Fish in Hot Chili Oil taste very authentic. It takes less than ten minutes to drive there."
As he said that, he turned to look at Zhou Xiumei standing aside:
"Xiumei, do you have any taboos?"
Zhou Xiumei pursed his lips and responded softly:
"Except for the spicy ones I can't eat, everything else is fine."
"Oh, that's such a shame."
Lin Chuqiao rolled the corners of his eyes, with a hint of regret in his tone:
"That store mainly sells spicy food. It seems I can only change to another one..."
"It's a hot day, there's no need to run outside."
Fang Cheng interrupted their pull and pointed downstairs:
"Isn't there a full set of kitchen facilities in the lounge area on the fifth floor? We might as well make them ourselves in the company."
Lin Chuqiao's eyes lit up:
"Doing it on the fifth floor? That's okay. There are a lot of ingredients in the big Refrigerator downstairs. Jiang Yun just went shopping two days ago. Those guys at the Operations Department are usually very lazy. They order takeout every day and rarely open the fire to cook."
"If by chance something is missing, I'll ask the owner of the aquatic product store next door to bring some live fish and shrimp. They're also very fresh."
Zhou Xiumei nodded and tightened the apron around his waist:
"Then I'll do something for Brother Cheng."
The three of them went down the stairs to the fifth floor.
The logistics lounge area on the fifth floor not only has independent rooms, but is also equipped with a spacious open kitchen.
The large Double Doors, Refrigerator, Stainless Steel operating tables and double-burner high-power gas stoves are all available.
The division of labor was quickly clarified.
Zhou Xiumei quickly collected the water and washed the vegetables, tore open the peeled garlic cloves, and chopped the green bamboo shoots and celery neatly.
Lin Chuqiao rolled up his shirt cuffs, revealing a pair of snow-white slender forearms, and was handling fresh Sea Bass and prawns just delivered from next door at the sink.
Fang Cheng stood in the chef's position, put on a black apron, reached out and pressed the switch of the gas stove.
The blue Flames jumped up and licked the bottom of the pot.
Cooking In addition to knife skills, side dishes, and seasoning, the most important thing is the control of heat.
Generally speaking, in order for a top chef to accurately control the heat and oil temperature of a pot of food, it takes more than ten years of experience to accurately control the oil temperature to a specific temperature range by relying on vision and feel.
But Fang Cheng is completely different.
Under his spiritual perception that is far beyond ordinary people, the physical changes of the entire iron pot are as clear as the data displayed by precision instruments.
Pour oil into the pot and let the heat rise.
He can accurately sense the change in viscosity of Peanut Oil when it heats up to 180 degrees, and can clearly see the microscopic process of the fish skin locking in moisture the moment it hits the hot oil.
You can even judge by feel how many seconds the ingredients will be out of the pan, so as to maintain the ultimate freshness and tenderness.
"Ta-ta-ta-ta--"
Kitchen Knife makes a dense crisp sound when it collides with the chopping board.
Fang Cheng raised the knife and lowered it. Several Old Ginger and green peppers instantly turned into filaments of uniform thickness under the blade. The knife was as precise as cutting by a machine.
The wok flipped lightly in his hands, and Flames jumped up suddenly, wrapping the ingredients in it, exuding an alluring aroma of burnt food.
"Crunch--"
The door on the side of the rest area was suddenly pushed open.
Big Hammer walked out wearing a loose Gray vest and slippers, yawning and rubbing his sleepy eyes.
He originally wanted to go to Refrigerator to get a bottle of ice soda, but as soon as he took a step forward, he was shocked to the spot by the movement in the kitchen.
Big Hammer Zhang Big Mouth looked at the scene in front of him blankly.
Their President Fang, who is a monster in terms of combat power and can knock down walls with just a raise of his hand, is holding a spatula and skillfully cooking in front of Stove. He exudes a kind of... Aura, a good family man?
On the left side of President, Mr. Lin, who is usually aloof and elegant in the company, is holding the plate carefully and handing over the condiments with gentle eyes.
On the right stood a young, beautiful, and fresh-faced student girl, talking to President in a low voice and handing over washed green onions.
Big Hammer's brain suddenly got stuck.
What's going on?
Why does the aloof Lin General Manager act like a little daughter-in-law?
Who is that innocent girl? Could it be Mr. Lin's love rival?!
President Are you enjoying being surrounded by double beauty?
"Tsk..."
At this moment, Fang Cheng stir-fried it and poured in dark soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.
A strong Scallion Beef fragrance instantly rose into the sky, mixed with the hot smell of oily smoke and rushed straight to the door.
Big Hammer was unprepared, and his nose suddenly itched:
"Aqiu--"
This loud sneeze broke the harmony in the kitchen.
Lin Chuqiao turned around, reached out to brush the broken hair on the temples, and said hello with a faint smile:
"Big Hammer, are you awake? Just in time, I have prepared dishes and chopsticks for you, and Brother Cheng is cooking for you."
Fang Cheng also turned his head sideways, holding a spatula in his hand:
"It's quite early to get up, Big Hammer. Let's have lunch together later."
Big Hammer looked at the spatula in Fang Cheng's hand, then at Lin Chuqiao's half-smiling eyes, and at Zhou Xiumei's curious gaze.
An instinct to survive instantly surged into his mind.
This kind of Shura Field... If I dare to sit down and eat this meal, I'm afraid the undercurrent of Killing Aura on the table will be suppressed before I even move my chopsticks.
"No, no, no, no need President."
Big Hammer shook his head like a rattle, and the sleepiness on his face disappeared:
"I... I just remembered! The professor just sent me a message asking me to go to Dingqiao Industrial Park immediately to help assemble the machine."
"Yes, it's very urgent! I can just grab some steamed buns to eat on the way!"
As he said that, Big Hammer grabbed two Cold Mantou from the table next to him as if he had seen a ghost, and walked out.
"Big Hammer, don't be in such a hurry, it's not too late to go after eating."
Fang Cheng shouted.
"It's not too late! President You, Sister Lin, and that girl, take it easy!"
Big Hammer shouted as he opened the door with extremely fast hand speed, slipped out, and closed it with a "bang".
Looking at Security Door being slammed shut, Fang Cheng shook his head helplessly.
During this period of time, Big Hammer was really tired from following the professor. He had to be responsible for security work and also participated in the construction of the base, which was difficult for him.
"This Big Guy runs pretty fast."
Zhou Xiumei couldn't help but chuckle.
Not long after, five home-cooked dishes with delicious flavors and flavors were served to Coffee Table in Sixth Floor's office.
A plate of fresh and juicy steamed Sea Bass, topped with hot scallion oil.
A plate of fragrant stir-fried Yellow Beef, Beef sliced as thin as cicada wings;
There are also boiled prawns, minced garlic Water Spinach, plus a bowl of rich tomato, beef brisket and egg drop soup.
The three of them sat around Coffee Table, admiring the fruits of their labor.
Lin Chuqiao picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of Sea Bass meat dipped in sauce and put it into his mouth.
The fish meat melts in your mouth, and the sweet juice bursts on the tip of your tongue. The saltiness and heat are just right. It is even more authentic than the chefs of those high-end seafood restaurants.
"Brother Cheng, your skills... are really amazing."
The amazement in Lin Chuqiao's eyes was undisguised, and the gaze he looked at Fang Cheng was even more intoxicating.
Fang Cheng smiled:
"This is called Talent. Those chefs with star Dining Room outside have to help me when they come. They are called masters. You two will be honored by following me."
Zhou Xiumei pursed his lips and chuckled, his eyes curved into crescent shapes.
Fang Cheng is not bragging.
At this moment, a light blue light screen that only he could see appeared in the center of his sight:
[Congratulations, after unremitting efforts, your skills have reached a higher level and have reached Master Level]
[Cooking lv2(0/500)]