### Chapter 351: Little Yu Kills Fish
After tidying up post-meal, Jiang Kekai and Xia Yu made their way to Master Chen’s hotel, which went by the charming name of Yun Zhong Lou.
Though it’s labeled a hotel, it’s not exactly a skyscraper and is nestled in a nice suburban area, which meant the journey took them an hour—one of the reasons Jiang Kekai didn’t want Xia Yu coming alone. It was a long and risky trek!
“Welcome!”
The reception ladies were as gorgeous as they were polite—a rare combination that inevitably caught the attention of all the gents who dared to enter. After all, the saying goes: attractive ladies attract gentlemen, right?
However, for some reason, Xia Yu found them rather unremarkable—one casual glance and she was distracted by the décor. This pleased Jiang Kekai to no end as she trotted alongside Xia Yu, laptop in tow.
Upon reaching the front desk, the staff seemed a tad surprised to see two kids at this high-end joint. Nevertheless, they greeted them with courtesy: “Ladies, do you have a reservation?”
“Reservation?”
Xia Yu turned to Jiang Kekai for assistance, “Sister Little Ning.”
With a knowing smile tinged with exasperation, Jiang Kekai stepped up: “We don’t have a reservation; we’re here to see someone?”
“And who would that be?” the staff inquired.
“Master Chen.”
At this, the two receptionists exchanged baffled glances. Who didn’t know that this hotel belonged to Master Chen? And now this little girl was straightforwardly after him?
“Please wait a moment while we contact him.”
One receptionist dialed a number, and before long, she ended the call, a bigger smile plastered across her face: “Oh, you’re Master Chen’s disciples! Please, go on in. He said to go straight to the kitchen. Do you need directions?”
“No, thanks.”
Since Jiang Kekai had visited before, she politely declined and whisked Xia Yu straight inside.
The hotel did have a lobby, but Jiang Kekai wasn’t keen on being the center of attention, so she led Xia Yu through a hidden passage straight to the hotel’s kitchen.
Rustle rustle rustle—
As soon as they stepped in, Xia Yu was greeted by the lively sounds of sizzling dishes. It was a bit on the hot side, too, and there were plenty of talented chefs strutting around in their tall white hats.
Normally, Master Chen didn’t cook unless there were important guests—now he was busy directing the other chefs like a conductor with a very chaotic orchestra, which made him impossible to miss. Xia Yu immediately zeroed in on the cantankerous old man.
Noticing them, Master Chen abandoned his current task and approached Jiang Kekai and Xia Yu: “Ah, you’re here! Head on in, I’ll find you something to do shortly.”
He ruffled Xia Yu’s hair while Jiang Kekai seized the moment to say, “I’ll find a spot to wait for you. If anything comes up, just give me a call, okay?”
“Mm-hmm.”
And just like that, Xia Yu followed Master Chen into the kitchen to learn the culinary arts while Jiang Kekai set up her laptop, ready to work. With her connections, where couldn’t she work? And besides, this was Master Chen’s place, and the Jiang family had a stake in it.
Curious glances from the kitchen staff surrounded this new little character, surprised to see Master Chen taking on an apprentice—especially one as adorable as Xia Yu.
Once Xia Yu donned her apron and sleeves, Master Chen began her first task: “Little Yu, since you love fish, your first job is to k*ll one. Do you see those ten fish in the tank? Do your thing.”
“Ah?”
Xia Yu was flabbergasted. This was her first day! Did it really have to be so intense?
Master Chen, however, didn’t have time for any “delicate flower” nonsense: “Your first task is to k*ll a fish. Do it, or you can just scram.”
“Fine!”
Clenching her teeth, Xia Yu approached the tank, scooping up a wriggly fish she didn’t even know the name of, but knew it was going to be fresh! She spotted a stick meant for fish-hitting nearby, and once her fish was pinned down on the cutting board, she lifted it up…
BAM!
BAM BAM!
Summoning her courage, she struck three times, but the fish kept wriggling about, clearly unbothered.
Master Chen facepalmed, shaking his head in disbelief. The other chefs exchanged glances, biting their lips to stifle laughter—how adorable was this scene?
“What are you staring at? Get back to work!” he barked at the rest before rushing over to Xia Yu, grabbing her hand with the stick. “Did you forget lunch? You need to hit harder to lessen their suffering, got it?”
BAM!
BAM! BAM!
Three more strikes, and this time the fish stopped its antics, though it was still slick and slippery under her hands. After a few more attempts, she finally managed to stabilize it.
Now came the bloody part. Master Chen stood next to her, all seriousness: “Remember what I showed you yesterday? No dawdling!”
She picked up a kn*fe… closed her eyes… and then opened them again. Goodbye, fishy!
With one clean cut, the fish’s bl**d gushed out, and Xia Yu felt like a total pro—nailing it just right.
“All right, now gut the fish. The swim bladder, intestines, and roe can all be used. I’ll teach you how to identify them later.”
Grossed out by the slimy mess, but with no choice, Xia Yu soldiered on. Inside the fish was warm and squishy, but she moved quickly, pulling out the insides with all the finesse of a seasoned butcher—how brutal!
Looking at her hands afterward, Xia Yu felt a swirl of complicated emotions. Today, she had taken a life. While she dealt with the leftover fish, the chefs whisked away her freshly processed ones to chop them up and make soup.
Fair enough, she realized. Her handling abilities could barely compare to what chefs could do. Soup it was; at least it would look decent!
