The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

At the end of November, a rare off-season in the year.

All the staff in the shop start to take turns enjoying their three-day annual leave.

This is the only paid consecutive leave apart from the official holiday during New Year.

After all, it’s usually very busy, unless it’s a real emergency, any additional leave in general wouldn’t be approved.

Especially during festive holidays, there’s no need to even think about it.

So everyone is happily planning how to spend their three-day vacation.

Sun Qingning handed the plated dish to the food runner: ”Sister Dai, have you decided when to take your leave?”

With the rare holiday approaching, Dai Li was in high spirits and said with a smile, ”I’ve had it planned for a while. I’ll take the weekend off and an extra Friday. My daughter Bao’Er’s kindergarten only has a half-day class on Friday.”

After Dai Li left, Sun Qingning sneakily whispered to Fu Yu: ”No wonder Chef Zhao is also taking the weekend off, they’re planning to go on a family vacation!”

Zhao Meng happened to come back at that moment and, hearing Sun Qingning’s words, he didn’t scowl as he usually did, instead, he calmly said, ”Yeah, planning to climb Old Black Mountain and I’ll bring you guys some gifts on the way back.”

Sun Qingning chuckled and said, ”Chef Zhao, does this count as making it public?”

Zhao Meng glared at him, but there was an irrepressible smile at the corner of his mouth: ”Keep talking nonsense, and I won’t bring you gifts!”

Sun Qingning quickly shut his mouth and went silent.

During the rare holiday, Zhao Meng had just confirmed his relationship with Dai Li, so the two of them discussed and planned to use the vacation to take the child on a self-driving trip to the mountains.

Having worked hard for a year, it’s an excellent chance to rest and let the child gain some knowledge.

Dai Li was looking forward to it.

Zhao Meng had been eagerly anticipating it for a long time.

What a rare opportunity it was.

Even if it meant having a child along.

Fortunately, the child is still young, so they can book a suite for the trip.

With a rare three-day vacation, it’s only right to spend a bit more money and enjoy it properly...

Fu Yu looked at Zhao Meng, intentionally moved closer, and teased: ”Chef Zhao, finally going on a trip, and you’re just going to Old Black Mountain? Not saying go abroad, but at least go out of the province, right?”

Zhao Meng gave Fu Yu a sideways glance: ”It’s only three days, unless you want to give me your vacation, then I can book a ticket to the Maldives right now.”

Fu Yu really considered it and thought it wasn’t impossible.

After all, there were just over two months until the New Year. Although he missed home, if Zhao Meng really wanted to take a few more days off, he had no problem giving him his vacation.

Fu Yu seriously said: ”Chef Zhao, then I’ll give you my vacation.”

Zhao Meng is the head chef, and although the shop has rules, everyone in the back kitchen can take one day off per week in turns.

But when business occasionally booms, and others take consecutive leaves for personal reasons, Zhao Meng couldn’t take his days off.

Throughout the year, the days he could actually rest were indeed very few.

After hearing Fu Yu out, Zhao Meng felt a warmth inside but said: ”You rascal, you’re almost earning as much as me now, and instead of taking a break, you’re still thinking about making commission?”

Since becoming permanent, Fu Yu’s salary had more than doubled, and he also held a part-time job at a music restaurant every week, earning additional pay.

Moreover, he received innovation awards and income from medicinal cuisine.

All of it combined, he was making quite a decent sum of money.

However, similarly, Fu Yu spent a significant amount of time at work.

Since becoming permanent, he had to stand at the cooking station every day, working for three to four hours in a stretch without moving.

The wok was heavy, and with the ingredients, it weighed even more. It relied solely on the strength of the right wrist, and after a day of standing, he would feel back pain and numbness in his wrist.

It was indeed tiring!

Zhao Meng himself, being a head chef, naturally understood Fu Yu’s workload.

Thinking about this, Zhao Meng looked at Fu Yu and couldn’t help but sigh as he softly said: ”It’s good to earn money, but you can’t push yourself too hard, your health needs to come first. No matter when, health is the capital of earning money.”

”With nights this tiring, no one can hold on! You need to take your time earning money.”

Fu Yu said: ”I’m just thinking that you don’t have enough vacation.”

Zhao Meng smiled: ”Three days is enough. Are you going home this time for vacation?”

Fu Yu nodded: ”Yeah, it’s been more than half a year since I last went home.”

Originally, he planned to go home after the Mid-Autumn Festival, but unexpectedly, that time was too busy, and he couldn’t find the time.

Then that night, as Fu Yu mentioned to his family that he would take some days off in a few days,

his mother happily said over the phone: ”You don’t need to come back. Your aunt is visiting you to see Minghao, and your dad and I will go along in your uncle’s car.”

After hanging up the phone, Fu Yu couldn’t help but giggle for a while.

His parents were coming to see him!

He could take a three-day break, which meant his parents could stay in Bei’an for three days!

That was great!

Since his aunt and uncle were coming, he might as well entertain them with a meal at Qianlima.

He could use the staff discount.

As for where they’d stay?

There’s a hotel on the side street, a chain one, and he’s heard the environment is quite good, though the room rates are a bit expensive, costing several hundreds a night.

But now that he was financially comfortable, no amount spent on his parents would cause him any heartache.

He carefully planned how to take his parents around and let them fully appreciate the charm of Bei’an.

Fu Yu had a restful night.

People feel refreshed when good things happen.

After clocking in, Zhao Meng headed to the back kitchen and saw Fu Yu with a cheerful expression.

”Hey, what good news have you got?”

Fu Yu happily announced: ”My parents are coming to see me in a few days.”

Fu Yu shared the story about how his parents were hitching a ride with his aunt.

Zhao Meng didn’t say anything at the time after hearing it.

But during the lunch break, he specifically called Fu Yu to his room, took out a stack of vouchers from the cabinet, exactly one hundred pieces.

”These are Sifeng Mountain vouchers. They expire in ten days, so take them and have a proper tour with your parents.”

The vouchers were in fifty-yuan denominations, totaling five thousand yuan.

Sifeng Mountain Scenic Area is located in the southwest of Bei’an City District, surrounded by lakes and mountains, with beautiful water and majestic mountains, making it a unique ecological tourist area. It has the famous Buddha Light Temple, winding corridors, scenic reservoirs, and various resorts.

With these five thousand yuan vouchers, you can spend freely within the scenic area, including dining, leisure, entertainment, and accommodation.

Fu Yu did some mental calculations and was a bit reluctant to accept: ”So many, you should keep them for yourself?”

Zhao Meng handed the vouchers over with a smile, ”I’ve been to Sifeng Mountain many times, and Bao’Er is too young for there. These vouchers were given by Chef Yao; didn’t cost anything, as his friend is a leader there and sends some every year. They’ll expire if not used, so you take your family.”

Upon hearing this, Fu Yu accepted them.

Primarily because Sifeng Mountain, due to its mountain and water surroundings, has excellent Feng Shui, and the north side of the mountain top is the largest cemetery in Bei’an.

Children being too young indeed aren’t suitable for such places.