Deep in a narrow lane stood a shabby old courtyard with five or six wooden tables and dozens of dining chairs. This was Master Chen's private kitchen.
The tables had seen better years, their painted surfaces dull but wiped spotlessly clean. The chairs were much the same, though they wobbled slightly when you sat down, making you wonder if they might collapse right under you.
Of course, an open-air courtyard like this had no air conditioning. Electric fans stood in the corners, oscillating back and forth with a whirring sound to send over cool breezes and drive away the summer heat.
Chapter 404