Chapter 96: 096: Helping Out in the Cafeteria

Chapter 96: Chapter 096: Helping Out in the Cafeteria

The three of them didn’t have to participate in training and felt too embarrassed to just stay in the dormitory. They couldn’t do strenuous activities, but light chores were still manageable. Thus, the trio was called to help in the canteen, where for the first three days they were responsible for wiping tables, washing vegetables, and cleaning duties.

Liu Yilan and Yang Xiaoman were city folks and likely came from good families, having never done domestic chores. They would have been better off not helping at all as their assistance only added to the chaos.

By the third day, the cook supervisor had no other choice but to send the two of them away.

“Ladies, why don’t you enjoy some free time? But you can’t come into the kitchen anymore,” he said as they washed the Chinese cabbage, throwing away all of the leaves and leaving just the bare hearts of the vegetables.

These kinds of girls, even if they were from the city, were usually more than most households could handle.

The cook supervisor turned to look at Sheng Ning, who was busily shredding potatoes inside, and nodded approvingly. When the three had first arrived, he had the least faith in her. She was too pretty and looked pampered. However, to his surprise, she got the hang of the work quickly and her skill astonished him.

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Sheng Ning handled the knife professionally and with precision, her movements so quick they dazzled, slicing the potatoes into fine, thin, and evenly cut strands. She had practiced a lot at the hotel to master this knife skill.

The cooks in the kitchen, about a dozen of them, all gathered around, looking on in amazement.

For the first two days, Sheng Ning had been assisting, but today was incredibly busy and no one else was available, so they had her fill in.

“Squad leader, how about I show off my skills today?” Sheng Ning cheerfully suggested.

“Sure! What can you make? We are only cooking in big pots, there’s no need for your skills. But if you really can cook, our captain has guests today. How about you take over?” Squad leader Zhao Fengshou, a man who saw the finer details within the rough, could tell she was skilled in the kitchen by her knife work.

As soon as Sheng Ning heard that Xu Qigang was hosting guests, she felt energized and quickly nodded, “Okay!”

Outside the kitchen, Liu Yilan and Yang Xiaoman stood shoulder to shoulder, peering through the window.

Yang Xiaoman muttered to herself, “How… how is she better than us?” Wasn’t everyone saying that she was selfish, shallow, unreasonable, and capricious?

“Don’t believe the rumors,” Liu Yilan, who was naturally aloof, shrugged and began to sweep the yard. Although she seemed calm on the surface, the fact that she had been outperformed in the kitchen by someone she looked down upon was a bitter pill to swallow.

The key was that Sheng Ning was diligent and adept at her tasks. She was nothing like how Qin Cuifen had described her, lazy and gluttonous.

Thinking of this, a hint of annoyance flickered in Liu Yilan’s eyes. Oh Qin Cuifen, well done!

Dinner time was at six o’clock, and the squad leader had cleared a stove for Sheng Ning to use just before five. This was because guests from the Rescue Association and the Provincial Rescue Center were visiting, making it a very important occasion.

It was a challenge to maintain appearances and save resources when there were no ingredients available.

Most regions across the country were facing resource shortages. The rescue team was no exception, and it was rare to see any oil or fat in their communal meals.

The War Wolf Rescue Team was an elite frontline force, with many having risked their lives and spilled blood. They often performed special missions, so their daily living standards were already the best—better even than what the Song and Dance Troupe had.

Sheng Ning had a banquet in mind, but as the saying goes, “an empty sack cannot stand upright.” Looking at the food allocated to her, she racked her brains but didn’t know what to make.

Three potatoes, a Chinese cabbage, and a little bit of vermicelli and carrot.

“Squad leader, isn’t there anything else?”

Zhao Fengshou thought for a moment then slapped his hands together and said, “There’s a bit of peanut. I’ll go get it for you.”

But peanuts couldn’t create a banquet!