Chapter 58: Half-City Lou Hosts a Banquet

Chapter 58: Lou Ban Cheng Hosts a Banquet

A few days after returning from Manager Luan's home, He Yuzhu learned from his master that Manager Luan and his family had departed. Leaving temporarily was perhaps the right choice for Manager Luan. For the Luan family, investing in Hong Kong also served to mitigate risks.

On this day, just after He Yuzhu returned from walking Yushui to school, he ran into someone from the Lou family right at his doorstep. The visitor was Secretary Li, Lou Bancheng's secretary. Previously, whenever Lou Bancheng wanted He Yuzhu to cook, it was always Secretary Li who came to extend the invitation.

Seeing He Yuzhu return on his bicycle, Secretary Li said, "Chef He, Mr. Lou is hosting a banquet at home tomorrow, and he hopes to invite you to prepare a feast at the Lou residence."

"I happen to have time tomorrow and can go. Is Mr. Lou hosting the banquet at noon or in the evening?"

"Mr. Lou is hosting in the evening, but Madam Lou mentioned that Yushui doesn't have school tomorrow, so she would like to invite both you and Yushui to be guests at their home."

Having previously taken Yushui to the Lou residence multiple times upon Aunt Tan's invitation, Yushui and Lou Xiao'e had already become good friends.

"Very well, please let Aunt Tan know that we will head over in the morning."

"Madam has already given instructions; a car will be sent tomorrow to pick up Chef He and your younger sister."

"Since Aunt Tan has arranged it, we will just wait at home tomorrow."

After agreeing on the time for the car to pick up the siblings the next day, Secretary Li took his leave.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, He Yuzhu began preparing the items to bring to the Lou residence. Besides his kitchen knives, He Yuzhu also packed some medicinal wine for Aunt Tan. Yushui brought along the newly made flying chess game that He Yuzhu had crafted for her, intending to play with Lou Xiao'e.

Once everything was ready, the car sent by the Lou family arrived. The siblings boarded the vehicle and headed to the Lou residence.

Knowing that Yushui was coming, Lou Xiao'e had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time. As soon as the car stopped, she stepped forward to open the door. The moment Yushui got out of the car, she was taken by the hand and pulled away by Lou Xiao'e.

After getting out of the car, He Yuzhu greeted Madam Lou and handed over the gifts he had brought: "Aunt Tan, this is the medicinal wine and tea I brought for you. The medicinal wine is the same as before, and this is wild tea which has a rather unique flavor."

Upon hearing that He Yuzhu had brought medicinal wine again, Madam Lou happily accepted it: "Then I won't stand on ceremony with you. The effect of your medicinal wine is truly wonderful."

Madam Lou led He Yuzhu into the living room, and after they sat down, they chatted for a while: "Zhu Zi, I have to trouble you to make a couple of Tan-family dishes for us. I haven't had them for a while and have been craving them."

"No problem, let's go check out the kitchen first so I can prepare early."

Madam Lou brought He Yuzhu to the kitchen: "Just cook whatever you see fit. If you're missing anything, just call out for me."

"Aunt Tan, how many people are there tonight?"

"There are about seven or eight guests. We, along with Xiao'e and Yushui, will eat separately. Don't forget to set aside some dishes for us."

"Alright, I understand."

After Madam Lou left, He Yuzhu set to work in the kitchen. Because many of the ingredients had been prepared in advance, He Yuzhu made braised giant sea cucumber, firewood-bundle duck, and bird's nest soup for lunch, which he enjoyed together with Aunt Tan, Lou Xiao'e, and Yushui.

After lunch, Yushui and Lou Xiao'e went upstairs to play, while He Yuzhu went to the kitchen to rest.

In the evening, Lou Bancheng's guests arrived one after another. Judging by their attire, they were all wealthy individuals.

He Yuzhu was busy cooking in the kitchen. When the final dish was finished and served by a maid to the front table, He Yuzhu took off his apron, washed his hands, and walked over to the temporarily set table in the living room. Yushui and Lou Xiao'e were already seated there, and Aunt Tan, having finished greeting the guests, also came over to sit down: "Don't just stand there, everyone pick up your chopsticks. Yushui must be hungry, right?"

Lou Xiao'e and Yushui picked up their chopsticks and began to eat. Seeing the two of them eating with great relish, Madam Lou and He Yuzhu also picked up their chopsticks.

Just as He Yuzhu and the others were nearly finished eating, the table of guests had perhaps had too much to drink; their voices grew louder and louder, and they began wantonly criticizing the government's policies.

Hearing this, Madam Lou furrowed her brows deeply and finally let out a sigh.

"Aunt Tan, is something troubling you lately? Why the sigh? Besides, you'd better go and remind Uncle Lou. If they keep talking like this, it's going to invite disaster."

"It truly is necessary to give a reminder. One must not give others a handle against them at a time like this." With that, Madam Lou went over to pour drinks, interrupting the guests' grumbling.

When Aunt Tan returned, He Yuzhu advised her: "This is the general trend right now, and no one can resist it. You must remind Uncle Lou to participate less in gatherings like this, so as not to be targeted."

Madam Lou sighed: "Indeed, besides complaining, what else can a bunch of people like them do?"

He Yuzhu continued: "Since that's the case, you should persuade Uncle Lou. Sooner or later he will have to let go, so it's better to make a clean break of it while he still can, which will also leave a good impression. Not long ago, Manager Luan and his family from Fengzeyuan already left for Hong Kong. Aunt Tan, you all should learn from the Luan family; you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket."

Madam Lou thought for a moment and said, "I will try to persuade him."

After the banquet ended, He Yuzhu prepared to take Yushui home. Lou Xiao'e held Yushui's hand with great reluctance: "Yushui, when will you come play with me again?"

Yushui replied, "I don't know either, it has to be when my older brother has time. You can also come to my house to play."

Lou Xiao'e looked at Madam Lou: "Mom, can I go play with Yushui?"

Madam Lou smiled: "Of course you can. Once you both have a break from your studies, you can go find Yushui."

"That's wonderful! Yushui, as soon as my holiday starts, I'll come find you to play." Lou Xiao'e jumped for joy while holding Yushui's hand.

Yushui was also very happy: "I'll be waiting for you at home. I'll have my brother make lots and lots of delicious food then."

Hearing this, Lou Xiao'e nodded repeatedly: "Mhm, mhm!"

Seeing that the two girls had made their agreement, He Yuzhu bid farewell to Aunt Tan: "Aunt Tan, it's getting late, Yushui and I will head back first."

Madam Lou instructed: "I'll have the driver take you back."

"Thank you, Aunt Tan."

The Lou family's driver took He Yuzhu and Yushui back home. After getting out of the car, He Yuzhu said goodbye to the driver.

The driver suddenly called out, "Chef He, wait a moment."

He Yuzhu looked at the driver with some confusion, not knowing why he was being called back: "Is there anything else?"

The driver replied, "The wine Madam prepared for Chef He is still in the car." With that, the driver unloaded a box of Moutai and a box of imported red wine.

He Yuzhu said, "Please thank Aunt Tan for me when you get back."

"Certainly." The driver then got back into the car and drove away.

He Yuzhu carried the wine into the house and urged Yushui to quickly wash up and go to sleep.

Meanwhile, He Yuzhu pondered over what he had heard at the Lou residence that night. Whenever he went to the homes of the wealthy before, he always stayed in the kitchen and didn't hear much. But this time at the Lou residence, he had overheard quite a few complaints.

It seemed that he couldn't just accept banquets from wealthy families blindly without looking into them anymore; it was best not to accept them at all. He Yuzhu had no desire to implicate himself just for a little money.