The next day, my mother increased my workload, starting me from the bottom. My first stop was the kitchen, matching the purchase orders, then washing and cutting vegetables. The deadline she gave me was one month.

The time she set wasn't too long. I gladly accepted. Enduring hardship wasn't a big deal to me. After all, I'd been out in the world for so long, I'd experienced all kinds of setbacks. Besides, I had plenty of stamina.

I had been busy as hell for several hours when she finally came down to check on me. Seeing my serious attitude, she seemed quite satisfied. I stopped to twist my waist and said, "I have to go out for a bit later. You'll have to come down and help me."

"What are you going to do?"

"I took on a job yesterday. I have to personally deliver meals every noon and evening."

She studied my face for a moment and asked, "The people who ate here yesterday?"

"Yeah, the old man just got out of the hospital, and there's no one at home to take care of him."

"Why are you being so attentive?"

"Their family just suffered a tragedy. Of the three people who were sitting there yesterday, two of them became motherless children at the same time. Don't you think that's heartbreaking?"

"What happened?"

"A plane crash! Now, go be busy. Come down here promptly at ten." I started urging her.

"An hour should be enough, right?"

"It should be. If it's not, make some arrangements."

She took a step, then stopped again. Her tone was stricter than before. "I'm only giving you one month to learn. And you're taking on jobs on the side?"

"It only affects me a little at noon. Anyway, I have to eat. I can go straight home after delivering the meal in the evening."

"Let me make this clear. Lunch is at least after one o'clock. In the evening, we have to work together until we're done before you can leave. At least that's how it's going to be for this month. Don't come here expecting to enjoy yourself. You're going to be managing this place in the future. Not sending you to a professional school is already being lenient."

"So, around nine in the evening?"

"You'll be the last one to leave, anyway."

She left the kitchen after saying that. At that moment, the chef looked at me and smiled, saying, "It's only one month for you. It'll be over in the blink of an eye. We've been doing this through thick and thin all along."

"I get here earlier than you in the morning, right?"

"That's true, but you'll have it much easier than me in the future. Aren't you satisfied with a mother like that?"

I looked at the time. It was already past nine. I started taking out the menu that Pei Xianglong had ordered and placed the prepared dishes next to the chef.

"Cooking this early?"

"I have to deliver it by eleven-thirty. You take care of it."

"Alright, you cut the meat first..."

I followed his gesture and looked over. The bags were full of pork: bones, streaky pork. I was stunned for a moment and asked, "How should I cut it? Show me first."

"What shape are the braised spareribs and braised pork you usually eat in restaurants? Just cut it the same way."

Although the work uniform I was wearing was a little short, I still instinctively rolled up my sleeves and reached out to pick up the meat and put it on the cutting table.

I suddenly felt that a person's temperament changes depending on the environment. In the past, I would never have had the patience to do these things. Maybe it was Wang Rui's inspiration. After a period of aimless wandering, a person must calm down and think about how to live their life in the future. Now that I had such a good platform being handed to me, I should work twice as hard to cherish it, I thought as I cut.

At that moment, Xiao Wu suddenly called. I casually wiped my hands and answered...

"What's the matter?"

"Brother Lin, Lin Yang and Chen Biao's men are fighting."

"Aren't you one of Chen Biao's men?"

"We don't get along."

After hearing that, I immediately instructed, "Since you don't get along, don't get involved. Be clever. If you can avoid it, don't express an opinion."

"You're not here anymore. I'm very honest now. I basically listen to Director Li."

"Your alignment is a bit biased."

"There's no choice. They've been following Chen Biao for many years. They always try to squeeze us out when we're working."

I didn't want to face things in the underworld anymore, especially the matters between Lin Hai and Lin Yang. I had finally gotten out of it. Hearing it made me feel a little depressed.

"Be careful. I'm busy now."

"You found a job?" Xiao Wu confirmed with curiosity.

"Yeah, I'm working in a restaurant now."

"You don't know anything about this kind of work. What can you do?"

"I can at least wash and cut vegetables, right?"

"Don't joke around."

"I'm not joking with you. Also, can you help me find out how much my car is worth?"

Xiao Wu didn't answer immediately. He probably thought I was selling the car because I was down on my luck. After a pause, he turned around and comforted me, "I still have a thousand left of what you gave me last time. I'll transfer five hundred to you first. I'll give you the rest when I get paid."

Xiao Wu, who usually seemed to lack a sense of responsibility, suddenly warmed my heart with these words. It seemed that the efforts I had made in the past had paid off a little. He knew to help me financially.

"I'm very busy now. I'll send you the address in a message later. Come over and drive the car away this afternoon."

"You really want to sell it?"

"Yeah, you just come and drive it away this afternoon."

After I finished speaking, I hung up the phone and found a short message from Pei Shiyu: Send three portions.

After reading it, I didn't reply to her. Anyway, I would just send it over later. The dishes her father had ordered yesterday were enough for three people.

At ten-thirty, my mother came downstairs. The first thing she said when she came in was, "Lin Che, starting tomorrow, you can't bring your phone into the kitchen."

"Why?"

"How long were you on the phone? How can you work properly if you do that every day?"

I looked up and saw the security camera. I realized that all my actions just now were under her surveillance. I immediately felt very uncomfortable.

"If I don't even have the freedom to answer a phone call, I won't come here starting tomorrow."

"Don't be so negative at the slightest thing. You need to quickly familiarize yourself with the restaurant's procedures and business. Try not to contact your old friends as much as possible. Start a new life."

"People's hearts are made of flesh. How can I just cut off friends who were once so close? Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today."

"I heard clearly what you were talking about just now. I just hope you can focus on the restaurant. I've explained everything I need to explain to you. Next, it depends on whether you have the courage to take on the responsibility of managing it well."

"Don't worry, since I'm here, I won't let you down, but don't be so strict on some small matters. The effect will be counterproductive. You can't help someone grow by pulling them up."

She suddenly took the kitchen knife from my hand and skillfully started cutting. The braised pork and Dongpo pork were cut into neat squares, as if she was correcting my technique, and it was very fast.

"This is the effect of doing things efficiently, not like you were embroidering just now."

"Don't demand too much on the first day. I might surpass you in the future."

"I hope so. That's what I'm looking forward to. I can rest whenever you can take over. I've been doing this day in and day out for decades, all for you."

"Don't get emotional! My understanding isn't worse than yours. I can definitely do what you can do."

While speaking, I cooperated with her actions and put the cut meat into large basins separately.