Chapter 487 Practicing Calligraphy

Chapter 487: Chapter 487 Practicing Calligraphy
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
After Haitang left, Zhou Ying took off her cotton jacket. It was really too hot in the room.
Once she had finished her work, she put on her cotton jacket again and went to the small kitchen beside the east wing to close the fireplace.
Lunch was simple. There were flatbread, stir-fried pork slices, and some noodles.
Zhou Ying invited Haitang to sit down and eat with her.
However, as soon as the flatbread entered her mouth, she frowned and looked up at Haitang. “Haitang, did you knead this with warm water?”
“Yes, it’s more gentle to eat this way.”
“But it’s still a little too hard. Next time, use half a portion of the dough made with hot water and the other half at a normal temperature. Remember, the dough must be soft and just big enough to be held in your hands.”
“Alright, I’ll try that.” Haitang nodded thoughtfully.
Zhou Ying then lowered her head to continue eating. The stir-fried dishes were alright, especially the meat slices. It was obvious that they had been marinated with starch, as they tasted fresh and tender.
The cabbage was evenly heated, and it was crisp. In general, this dish was cooked well.
However, it was not enough to serve it in a restaurant. Zhou Ying later told Halting the recipe for fermented cabbage with meat and said, “Later, let Brother Biaozi try it. This dish will be one of the restaurant’s signature dishes in the future.”
“How did you come up with this? I’ve never thought of using cabbage to wrap meat.” Haitang asked in surprise.
“That’s why if you want to be a good cook, you must constantly get into a creative mindset. Otherwise, you’ll soon fall behind.
“Aren’t those imperial chefs the same? If not for their constant innovation, they would have to change chefs every year.”
“That’s right. I guess we have to study our cooking properly later.”
“Sure. If you need any ingredients, ask Mother Qiu to buy them. It’s great to practice your cooking and improve your meals at the same time.”
“Understood. We will definitely work hard.”
“By the way, is it only the back courtyard that has no floor heating?”
“Yes, so we moved to the front.”
“Okay. Tomorrow, I’ll think of a way to exchange for some silver and copper change for their wages.”
“I’ll take note of that.”
After Haitang left the room after lunch, Zhou Ying tidied up briefly and laid on the soft couch to take a nap. When she woke up, she was bored and went to the small study in one of the wings to practice calligraphy.
When Haitang came to deliver the tea, she saw her handwriting and smiled. “Madam, your handwriting hasn’t improved. It seems that you have to practice more.”
When Zhou Ying heard her words, she thought of her original self practicing calligraphy. Her original self’s handwriting was the same as hers; it was neat and tidy but without any sense of beauty.
She put down the brush and said, “Then you try it. I’ll have a cup of tea in the meantime.”
After saying that, she picked up a teacup and retreated to the side.
Haitang shook her head repeatedly. “No, I haven’t written for many years. I don’t even know how to hold a brush anymore.”
“Give it a try. In the future, when you work at the restaurant, there will be many opportunities to pick up a brush.”
When Haitang heard this, she braced herself and went up.
However, her writing was not good to begin with. In addition to the fact that she had not held a brush for many years, her writing was only a little better than that of squiggles. It was not comparable to Zhou Ying’s writing.
Zhou Ying immediately calmed down and shook her head. “You need to practice more. I’ll give you a set of stationery later.”
“Aye, I will definitely practice diligently.” Haitang drooped her head and said.
After that, she didn’t dare stay any longer. After ensuring that Zhou Ying had no more orders, she immediately ran out as if escaping from the room.
Zhou Ying was holding back laughter when she saw this. After drinking her tea, she continued practicing her calligraphy..