"The past few days, I've been having you taste test egg tarts every afternoon while I'm making them. I wanted to see if you'd get impatient, thinking you ca to Zhiwei Restaurant to exchange and learn Finger Skills, not to learn these seemingly irrelevant Western snacks."
"I had Lao San teach you instead of because I wanted to see if you'd have the arrogance that most geniuses possess, thinking you're naturally gifted, and everyone should like you, pamper you, and teach you everything they know. I wanted to see if you'd feel dissatisfied if I didn't pay enough attention to you or if you felt I was being perfunctory."
"As for the day I suddenly asked you to make egg tarts and then didn't let you make any more snacks afterwards, I wanted to test your level of trust and obedience towards . Taking on an apprentice isn't hard, but finding a good apprentice is very difficult."
"I am indeed what they call the number one in pastry, but with your talent and capability, I'm sure many people, including Xiao Tan, have already told you that one day you'll be the next top pastry chef. Geniuses are always proud, let alone the fact that you're not an ignorant apprentice anymore. You've been taught by famous masters, taught by Zheng Da, worked at Zhiwei, have your signature snacks, and aren't short of money."
"Among apprentices, you're the type that most masters don't want to teach because you're probably challenging to teach. You potentially have the capital to question a master's teaching and abilities. Aside from soone like Huang Shengli, who has a particularly good temper, very few masters are willing to teach such a challenging student."
Qin Huai asked, "So, did I pass your test?"
"Flawless," said Master Zhou. "These days, I've been wondering how Zheng Da managed not to ask you to be his apprentice. He's got such patience."
Qin Huai: ...There's really no need to be sarcastic about Master Zheng at this point.
Master Zhou sighed, "If only you had co to Zhiwei Restaurant ten years ago, although I wasn't the top pastry chef at that ti, if you had co, I would have fought the then number one pastry chef, Master He, to win you over as my prized apprentice."
Qin Huai interjected slightly, "And Master He now..."
"He's made enough money and retired to take care of his grandchildren at ho. Our pastry craft isn't like at cooking; the famous ones are all a bunch of old guys."
Master Zhou sighed again, "It's a pity. Back then, did your uncle or whoever never think about trying to send you to us at Zhiwei Restaurant first?"
"Even now, as much as I'd like to take you as my fourth apprentice, I can't bring myself to do it. I've looked down on Zheng Da for decades, and there's no way I'd do sothing now that would make himself look down on ."
"If Zheng Da can teach you everything without formally taking you as a disciple, I, Zhou Guanghai, can do the sa. I still have that kind of broad-mindedness and generosity."
"Actually, my observation of you ended long ago. The reason I've had Lao San with you these past few days is mainly because I haven't figured out how to teach you. I've taught highly talented students before; Lao San is considered a talented one, but I've never taught anyone as talented as you, mainly because I don't have a good son like Zheng Da."
"From tomorrow onwards, you don't need to follow Lao San anymore. Follow and learn. I've scolded Su Qian into shape these past few days."
"Starting tomorrow, Xiao Qin, you'll learn Finger Skill from from the very beginning. I want Zheng Da to know that the apprentice he couldn't teach should still co to , that when it cos to Finger Skill, I'm superior."
"By the way, I heard from Xiao Tan, you haven't formally apprenticed under Master Cao in Guangdong Province, but you do call her master."
"Can you also call master?"
Without any hesitation, Qin Huai raised a smile unique to apprentices, and said crisply, "Of course, Master."
"I'm learning a craft from you, so you're my master."
Master Zhou chuckled again, thinking to himself it's no wonder Zheng Da couldn't help but teach him everything even without having him as an apprentice. With a mouth like Xiao Qin's, what master wouldn't be swayed?"
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