C12 Lee Qingfeng Called

Zhao Lei meticulously secured the doors and windows before taking out the Purple Gold Gourd and fixating on the Taiji Pisces pattern adorning it. Within moments, he felt a dizzying whirl, and seamlessly transitioned into the Gourd Space.

There were no noticeable changes in the Gourd Space since his last visit. As soon as Zhao Lei stepped in, he felt invigorated. He had done some research over the last couple of days and realized that this sensation was due to the rich Spirit Qi within the Gourd Space, which would undoubtedly be highly beneficial for the plants grown there.

Upon entering, Zhao Lei had thoughtfully brought along a small shovel and a bucket among other tools, and he wasted no time getting to work.

The Iron Stone Herb thrived in shady areas, so he dug a neat row of small pits in the shade cast by two jade tablets and carefully planted the herbs he had gathered from the mountain.

For Zhao Lei, who was raised in the countryside, planting herbs was second nature. In no time at all, he had the Iron Stone Herbs neatly lined up under the jade tablets.

He then fetched some spring water to water the herbs. While not as potent as Immortal Dew, the spring water was still rich in Spirit Qi and would surely aid in the growth of the Iron Stone Herbs.

After completing his tasks, Zhao Lei quenched his thirst with the spring water and lay down by the spring's edge, musing to himself, "I'm curious how long it will take for these Iron Stone Herbs to be ready for harvest. The Gourd Space may not be large, but the environment is truly exceptional. It's incredibly soothing..."

Mid-mutter, Zhao Lei yawned, overcome by exhaustion from the day's work. Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.

After some time, Zhao Lei awoke with a start. Concerned about potential changes in the outside world during his time in the Gourd Space, he quickly positioned himself on the Taiji Pisces pattern and, with a mere thought, returned to the external world.

To his slight relief, everything appeared as he had left it—seemingly normal. However, Zhao Lei quickly noticed something amiss. The sky outside was still light. He had entered the Gourd Space in the evening and had since enjoyed a restful sleep, yet it was not dark outside. Clearly, something was off.

Zhao Lei quickly glanced at the time and realized that barely an hour had passed since he entered the Gourd Space. This clearly indicated that the passage of time within the Gourd Space differed from that of the real world.

To confirm his theory, Zhao Lei brought his watch into the Gourd Space to conduct experiments. After several tests, he concluded that the rate of time in the Gourd Space to the real world was 10:1. That is, for every ten hours spent in the Gourd Space, only one hour elapsed in the outside world.

This was certainly great news for Zhao Lei. He could now spend extended periods in the Gourd Space without concern for being noticed for his long absences.

No sooner had Zhao Lei returned to the real world than he received a phone call from Lee Qingfeng.

Surprised that Lee Qingfeng had reached out to him first, Zhao Lei asked, "Chef Lee, what can I do for you?"

"Yes, I need a favor," Lee Qingfeng replied. "Your jujubes are a hit. After trying them once, many customers specifically request your jujubes. Do you have any left?"

Zhao Lei responded with enthusiasm, "I have about three to four hundred kilograms left. How much do you need?"

Lee Qingfeng declared heartily, "I'll take them all. Could you deliver them as soon as possible?"

"No problem," Zhao Lei answered promptly. "I'll start picking the jujubes right away and will ensure delivery by tomorrow!"

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, Zhao Lei got to work and managed to harvest all the jujubes before nightfall. Early the next morning, he embarked on his journey, pedaling a tricycle.

Three hours later, Zhao Lei arrived at the back entrance of the Garden Restaurant and called Lee Qingfeng to let him know he had arrived.

Lee Qingfeng came out to greet Zhao Lei and, seeing that he had arrived on a tricycle, couldn't help but give him a thumbs up, saying, "Impressive, Zhao. It's about eighty kilometers from your place to the city center, isn't it? You actually cycled all this way to deliver the goods. Your stamina is truly commendable!"

Zhao Lei modestly replied, "You flatter me."

Lee Qingfeng, still puzzled, asked, "But really, hiring a small truck wouldn't have cost much. Why go to such lengths?"

Zhao Lei spoke earnestly, "My career is just taking off, so I need to be frugal where I can. Plus, I'm still young; enduring some hardship is no big deal."

Lee Qingfeng nodded approvingly. "Well said. With that mindset, you're bound to build a great career for yourself!"

While they talked, they walked into the restaurant's kitchen. Zhao Lei weighed all the jujubes in front of Lee Qingfeng and announced, "The total comes to 418 kilograms. Let's just round it down to 400 kilograms. Based on our previous agreement, that would be..."

"Hold on a second!" Lee Qingfeng cut him off before he could finish. "I want to check the quality of the jujubes first."

Lee Qingfeng casually selected a jujube, took a bite, and nodded in approval. "Hmm, it's as delicious as always. In that case, let's stick to the previous price of 15 yuan per kilogram. So, the total is... 6,000 yuan, right?"

As he spoke, Lee Qingfeng gave Zhao Lei a knowing wink, clearly indicating he was intentionally quoting a higher price.

Zhao Lei quickly grasped Lee Qingfeng's intent and expressed his gratitude, "Exactly, thank you so much, Chef Lee!"

"There's no need to thank me," Lee Qingfeng replied, gesturing dismissively. "Your jujubes are worth every penny!"

Lee Qingfeng, who greatly admired Zhao Lei's diligence, personally escorted him to the Finance Department to collect the payment and then walked him to the entrance.

Just as Zhao Lei was about to bid farewell, Lee Qingfeng's phone rang. The chef listened for a moment and then furrowed his brow in frustration. "Old Gao, you're telling me now that he's coming next month? That's cutting it close! Okay, okay, I'll do what I can. You always seem to put me in tough spots. This one's going to be a real challenge!"

After hanging up, Lee Qingfeng looked visibly troubled.

Curiosity piqued, Zhao Lei ventured to ask, "Chef Lee, is something bothering you?"

"Next month, the renowned food critic Jiaang Zili is coming to dine at the Garden Restaurant," Lee Qingfeng explained with a frown. "He's a big deal in the culinary world. Any restaurant or chef he endorses instantly skyrockets in value."

Zhao Lei remarked, "This is a positive development. If you manage to earn a few words of praise from Jiaang Zili, the Garden Restaurant's reputation will soar even higher."

Lee Qingfeng offered a wry smile in response. "It's not as great as it sounds. Jiaang Zili's standards for dishes and ingredients are incredibly high; 'harsh' would be an understatement. The restaurants he's visited in the past have received more criticism than praise. With only a month to prepare, the time is extremely tight. If I can avoid his criticism, I'll consider it a win. As for earning his praise... well, that's a stretch!"

The news of Jiaang Zili's impending visit weighed heavily on Lee Qingfeng, leaving him with little desire to engage in further conversation with Zhao Lei. He quickly excused himself and headed back to the kitchen to finalize the menu.

Reflecting on Lee Qingfeng's words, Zhao Lei's lips curled into a faint smile. While the upcoming visit posed a formidable challenge for Lee Qingfeng, it also presented Zhao Lei with a promising opportunity.