Chapter 209

Sure enough, Liu Dongchang brought that up during their meeting right away.

“Chef Meng, you’ve seen your sister-in-law’s cooking yesterday. I am not picking on you, but I can’t have someone her level to be cooking at my restaurant.”Chef Meng did not look happy. His eyes bulged out like that of a frog and he didn’t make a sound.Meng Qingqing took a look at her mother. The latter was as timid as Meng Qingqing and did not start shouting after what Liu Dongchang had said about her.Liu Dongchang was pleased with their reactions. He paused, then went onto say , “If Chef Meng cannot find someone to replace him, then I will have to arrange for someone from my end.”Chef Meng looked even more unhappy.It was easy to find someone who could cook, but not someone whose cooking was delectable. Not to mention that Liu Dongchang would try to muddle things up.Liu Dongchang’s lips curved a little and he could barely contain his excitement. “My sister doesn’t have a chef license but her cooking is delectable. Perhaps we should have her substitute for you during this period. What do you say, Chef Meng?”Chef Meng finally spoke. He harrumphed and said, “Do I look like an idiot to you?”Liu Dongchang was speechless for a second and also looked displeased, “What is your idea then? I need a solution.”He did not want things to be awkward between himself and Chef Meng but he was the person in charge of the restaurant. If Chef Meng continued to not budge, he would have to do what he needed to do!Chef Meng was so upset that his chest heaved up and down.Liu Dongchang had always wanted to get his sister into the government-operated restaurant. If he allowed her to take over the kitchen area due to his injury, he would have lost that battle.And Liu Dongchang was a sneaky one. Once he had taken over that power, Chef Meng worried that he would not be able to get his job back after 6 months.The atmosphere in the lobby was tense.Meng Qingqing and her mother dared not make a sound and Tan Xiaoyan looked complacent.Liu Dongchang did not want his relationship with Chef Meng to worsen right now either. “I will give you one more day, Chef Meng. If you still can’t find someone to replace you, I will have to make arrangements from my end.”Having said that, he took Guo Weiping with him to go buy the ingredients for the day.Guo Weiping took a look at Chef Meng. He was upset but he nodded anyway. Guo Weiping followed behind Liu Dongchang dispirited.Oh boy. Little did Tong Xuelu know that she had only been gone a little over a week and the situation had changed so much at work.Chef Meng had a slight upper hand before she went on leave.Meng Qingqing’s mother twisted her hands together and blamed herself. “Big Brother, it was all my fault. My cooking is too awful to help you out.”Chef Meng waved. “That is not your fault. Comrade Tong is back today. Why don’t you take Qingqing home with you?”Meng Qingqing asked him, concerned, “What you are going to do then, Big Uncle?”Her mother was the one who had been cooking at home. She could cook too but her cooking was even worse than her mother’s.Chef Meng pinched his lips shut and didn’t say anything.He was out of options. He would have to let Liu Dongchang make arrangements from his end.But he hated that idea. There was this unpleasant feeling in his chest that he couldn’t make it go away!Tan Xiaoyan stood to one side and watched the drama unfolded. She dared not chime in and make any comments but she did look happy about what was going on.Seeing that Meng Qingqing was about to take off, Tong Xuelu finally said, “Chef Meng, my cooking is decent. Perhaps I can take your place if you don’t mind.”Chef Meng did not sit by when she needed help. He even went as far as to bring his niece over from the village to take over her work for her.She would not have otherwise been able to have someone to take her place had it not been for his help.