Song Tan’s Chronicle - Chapter 51

Secretary Wang personally carried the box of vegetables to the canteen, where the head chef eagerly greeted him:

“Secretary Wang, what is this? Why did you bring it over yourself?”

Secretary Wang smiled:

“The leader tasted some farm-fresh vegetables last time and liked them. He bought more for everyone to try today. You know, we don’t know much about cooking, so we’re counting on you!”

The head chef immediately perked up!

When the leader personally sends something, even if it’s for everyone, it’s a big deal. He started mentally going through his recipes—if it were shark fin or abalone, there wouldn’t be enough time to prepare it by lunchtime.

If it were other farm specialties, how should he cook them to make them stand out and taste delicious, garnering collective praise?

After Secretary Wang left, the young kitchen assistant opened the box and stared at the pile of vegetables, confused:

“Chef, what is this?”

The head chef took a closer look and was also puzzled.

He carefully examined the vegetables, even snapping a piece off and tasting it, before finally confirming:

“Isn’t this milk vetch?”

Back in the old days, it was used as fodder to fertilize the fields, fed to cows and sheep.

“Wow, you’d think…”

He couldn’t help but wonder aloud: “Nowadays, with all the rich food people eat, wild vegetables have become expensive, and even milk vetch is worth packaging and delivering?”

The dry ice packs inside were still emitting a faint mist!

The young assistant, too young to have eaten this before, rubbed his belly and chuckled:

“Not me, I just love eating meat!”

The head chef laughed and scolded, “What are you standing around for? Hurry up and take out the cured meat and braised pork, and this vegetable—”

He pointed to someone: “Clean it thoroughly.”

Although the vegetables were already quite clean, they needed extra care since Secretary Wang had sent them.

Meanwhile, in the office complex.

It wasn’t even lunchtime yet when someone in the administration department sniffed the air: “What’s that smell? It’s delicious!”

They were just talking when someone from the rural affairs department popped their head in, asking, “Did the canteen get new dishes today? Why does it smell so good?”

The administration department was in charge of security and should have known what was on today’s menu.

But thinking back to the delivery truck—wasn’t it just the usual stuff?

Could the canteen be that creative?

Although the leader had a small private kitchen, he often ate at the main canteen, showing his dedication and keeping the canteen staff motivated to cook better meals.

This made everyone more eager to eat at the canteen.

Now, as soon as work ended, everyone rushed to the canteen!

Meanwhile, the one who sent the vegetables was still receiving visitors from the city.

Secretary Wang, staying at his post, caught whiffs of the aroma wafting through the window, checked social media, and saw everyone praising the canteen (mainly the leader)…

His stomach growled embarrassingly loudly.

Coincidentally, the leader stepped out of the office with his guest.

In the silence of the room, the rumbling was very noticeable.

Secretary Wang swore he had never been so embarrassed in his life!

Fortunately, the leader was kind, breaking the awkwardness with a hearty laugh:

“Looks like we’ve talked right past lunch… Old Qian, how about joining us at our canteen for a taste?”

The guest smiled appropriately, “I was going to suggest that! The aroma has been teasing me; your canteen must be a hidden gem!”

Secretary Wang finally showed some quick wit, adding with a hint of playful complaint:

“You wouldn’t believe it. Our canteen was pretty average before, but today the leader sent a box of farm-fresh vegetables over. I have no idea what magic the chef used, but it smells fantastic. Everyone rushed over as soon as work ended!”

The aroma was just like the one at the hospital cafeteria that had been so enticing!

Meanwhile, the head chef was feeling troubled.

Everyone was holding their plates, clamoring at the empty serving counter:

“Hurry up, isn’t there a big portion left? Give me some more!”

“Give it to me first, give it to me first…”

“Guys, you all had seconds; I only had one bite and now it’s gone!”

“Chef, is there something special today? This is the best food I’ve had in ages!”

The head chef laughed:

“I told you, it’s not my skill. Our leader bought these farm vegetables, and they’re just so tasty…”

He tried to dissuade them:

“You’ve all had your share. I need to save some in case the leader comes to eat!”

Someone licked their lips, unwilling to give up: “It’s so late, he might go out for lunch…”

Just then, three people walked in from the entrance.

In the sudden silence, everyone awkwardly changed the subject and dispersed.

Seeing the guests from afar, the head chef was thrilled—

Today, he was determined to impress!

He quickly said, “Oh, leader! The farm vegetables you sent were so fresh and tender. We cooked them, and everyone loved them. I barely managed to save some…”

He wasn’t exaggerating. Lifting the lid of the warming tray, a mouth-watering aroma filled the air.

The guest’s stomach growled too, breaking the silence.

Secretary Wang tried to maintain his composure, but he felt relieved inside.

The leader looked eager:

“I thought this batch of milk vetch might not be as good as the last. Didn’t expect it to smell just as great.”

Though it might seem improper to serve simple wild vegetables to a guest, today’s visitor wasn’t an outsider. The three of them sat down happily and quickly started eating the light, refreshing vegetables.

“Mm!”

After a short exclamation, the table fell silent as they focused on eating.

Thanks to the head chef’s foresight in reserving this much, the three of them managed to eat their fill.

The assistant, refilling the rice, whispered, “Our leader really takes his health seriously. This is the first time I’ve seen him eat three bowls.”

The head chef glared at him: “Stop talking so much.”

In the private dining room, Secretary Wang resisted the urge to loosen his belt and looked at the empty plates. He was grateful he hadn’t left the WeChat group impulsively.

Forget about free shipping; he’d order more!

The guest, feeling at ease, spoke casually:

“Leader, where did you buy these vegetables? Please recommend the seller to me. After this meal, I’ll be craving them tonight.”