Within the walls of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. Although Hé Yǔshuǐ was currently in the kitchen, meticulously preparing the feast soon to be served to Director Song and Director Liu, and had entrusted the "front lines" of the shop to others, she had, in reality, drilled her colleagues on every sales procedure and detail countless times. From the placement of goods to the etiquette of greeting customers, and through the entire process of calculating prices and collecting payments, everyone knew their roles by heart. Therefore, even though she was not stationed at the counter, she was confident that her colleagues would commit no errors and that everything would run smoothly according to the established guidelines.
Back in the kitchen, Hé Yǔshuǐ moved like an elegant, busy dancer, performing a culinary masterpiece amidst the swirling vapors. She began by washing fresh vegetables, her slender fingers brushing over each leaf to cleanse away grit and impurities. Then came the meticulous trimming, removing anything inedible and keeping only the most tender, delicious portions. Next was the critical phase of cooking: igniting the stove, heating the wok, and adding oil—a fluid, practiced sequence executed in one go. As the ingredients hit the pan, they hissed, and a rich aroma immediately filled the air. With spatula in hand, she stirred and seasoned with such focus that it seemed the entire world had shrunk to the dish before he…
Chapter 439