Old Zhang was obviously the sort of petty man who got a little power and immediately wanted to show off and throw his weight around. He could get away with it when dealing with timid, meek people.
But the second cook to speak clearly wasn't someone he could push around. His words left Old Zhang momentarily speechless, unable to come up with a retort.
Old Zhang couldn't help getting angry from embarrassment. "You're talking nonsense! The three leaders made the rules. Are you saying you refuse to obey?"
The cook who'd come to help temporarily curled his lip. "You're just a cook. Stop borrowing the leaders' authority and acting like you know them so well. Just focus on minding your pots."
By then, not only had Head Chef Old Zhang caught on, but Jiang Ying, watching from the shadows, had too. That cook clearly had a grudge against Old Zhang. He was obviously using the opportunity to pick a fight.
Fortunately, Old Zhang knew how to back down when he met someone who wouldn't be pushed around.
He grumbled, "The offerings are more important. I'm not wasting time arguing with you."
The cook snorted. "That's more like it. You're just a guy who stirs the pots. Remember your place. We're just chatting, and it's not keeping us from working. What are you whining about?"
The first cook, the one Old Zhang had scolded, was a pushover. Seeing his companion stand up to Old Zhang, he was naturally delighted, barely able to hide his smile. He even gave his companion a discreet thumbs-up.
Now that the two of them had shut Old Zhang up, they chatted even more freely.
"Brother Qing, why do you think something's going to happen? The three factions in our base used to do their own thing,