Chapter 254: Disciples Come to Pay New Year’s Greetings
The next day was New Year's Day. Wang Jianye discovered that Wang Jianwu and Wang Jianwen got up earlier than him for the first time.

They changed into the new clothes that Zhang Lan had made for them, and were standing in front of the mirror on the washstand, looking proudly at themselves in the mirror.

"You two slept so late last night, how come you guys woke up so early today? When did you wake up?"

Wang Jianye sat up, looked at them and asked with a smile.

"We got up a while ago and we're not sleepy. Brother, you should get up quickly too. Let's go to pay New Year's greetings."

Wang Jianwu said excitedly that visiting relatives and friends during the New Year means he can get some food.

For example, peanuts, melon seeds, candies, etc. If you are lucky, you might even get some New Year’s money.

"You guys go and pay New Year's greetings. I won't go."

Wang Jianye didn't have that thought in mind, he just needed to visit his two masters' homes.

After getting up and washing, I went next door to make breakfast, which was actually just heating up the leftover dumplings and vegetables from yesterday.

Basically, the meal cooked on New Year’s Eve can be eaten at least until the third day of the New Year without having to cook again.

Brothers Wang Jianwen and Wang Jianwu came back from paying New Year's greetings in the yard, with their pockets filled with peanuts, melon seeds and other things.

Every time they went to a house, the owner would give them a handful. After going through dozens of houses, their pockets were full and they could only carry the food back in their hands.

"The second uncle was the most generous. He gave me a piece of cake."

"The old man in the middle court was also very nice. He gave me a handful of candy."

"..."

Wang Jianwen and Wang Jianwu excitedly reported the situation to their family members.

Just when the two brothers went out to visit other families to wish them a happy new year, other children also came to his house to wish them a happy new year.

Zhang Lan naturally entertained them warmly and gave them some peanuts, candies and other things so that they would not return empty-handed.

At nine o'clock in the morning, after Wang Jianye finished his breakfast at home, he went to the homes of his two masters to pay New Year's greetings.

Then he returned to the courtyard and saw five young men standing at the door of Liu Haizhong's house in the east wing.

"Master, we are here to wish you a happy new year."

"Happy New Year, Master!"

"..."

After sending these young men away, Liu Haizhong said to Wang Jianye proudly:
"These are the disciples I have taken in over the years. I told them not to come, but they insisted on coming. Alas, they are so disobedient.

I have been doing this for more than ten years and have only accepted these five apprentices. Today, they all came to wish me a happy new year, and none of them obeyed me. "

When he sighed, Liu Haizhong couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth:

"I still envy the old man. I just asked,

He had many apprentices in the steel mill, and they all listened to him.

No one came to pay New Year's greetings today."

Liu Haizhong finally found a place where he was better than Yi Zhonghai, and he kept talking about it.

After hearing these words, Yi Zhonghai remained calm on the surface, but he felt uncomfortable inside as if he was being pricked by needles.

Who doesn’t want his disciples to come and wish him/her a happy new year on the first day of the Lunar New Year?

"It's my fault for not letting them come. It's such a hassle to make this trip.

Why not wait until work starts and then wish me a happy new year in the workshop? "

Yi Zhonghai looked like he was concerned about his disciples.

It’s okay to fool others, but don’t fool yourself… Liu Haizhong smiled and said:

"What a coincidence. Like you, I also gave instructions to my disciples in advance.

Ask them not to come and wish me a happy new year on the first day of the Lunar New Year. It's too much trouble.

But my disciples are not as sensible as your disciples. They don’t listen to me.”

Yi Zhonghai didn't want to talk.

He felt somewhat dissatisfied that his apprentices did not come to wish him a happy new year.

I told you not to come, and I even found a bunch of reasons, just to get you to come. But how can you really not come?

He was so disappointed.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai pretending to be calm but looking disappointed, Wang Jianye knew why.

In the drama, after Yi Zhonghai accepted an apprentice, it seemed like he was just perfunctorily carrying out the tasks assigned by the workshop director.

He doesn't teach with all his heart, and few of his apprentices have good skills.

In the workshop, Liu Haizhong taught his apprentices very seriously and attentively. During the Chinese New Year and other holidays, his apprentices even came to the courtyard to see him.

Just in this respect, Liu Haizhong is much better than Yi Zhonghai.

"Jianye, didn't those disciples you accepted come to wish you a happy new year?"

Liu Haizhong looked at Wang Jianye and suddenly remembered.

Yi Zhonghai felt much more balanced when he thought that even a state banquet chef like Wang Jianye had no apprentice who came to pay New Year's greetings.

At this time, there was a noise coming from the front yard. It turned out that Chen Xiaoyang and seven other people had come to the yard.

"Who are you looking for?"

Yan Fugui in the front yard saw the seven young men. As the uncle in charge, he asked curiously.

"We are here to wish Master a happy new year."

Chen Xiaoyang, who was in the lead, spoke.

"Who is your master? Lao Yi? Or Lao Liu?"

Yan Fugui couldn't think of anyone else who had so many disciples.

"Our master is Wang Jianye."

After Chen Xiaoyang said something to him, he led the other six people to the central courtyard.

Yan Fugui was very surprised to hear this. The third aunt also came out of the house to ask Yan Fugui:

"Are they all Wang Jianye's disciples? When did Wang Jianye accept so many disciples?!"

"do not know."

Yan Fugui shook his head and couldn't help muttering:
"Wang Jianye has accepted so many people as his disciples, why didn't he accept my Yan Jiecheng? Are they all better than Yan Jiecheng?"

The third aunt was also sour: "It would be great if Yan Jiecheng could learn to cook from Wang Jianye. What a pity, why was he so confused at that time."

……

Chen Xiaoyang and the other seven came to the middle courtyard and saw Wang Jianye chatting with Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, so they came over:
"Master, we are here to wish you a happy new year."

Wang Jianye was very happy to see them and was about to take his apprentices to his home in the backyard.

When Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong saw this scene, their faces turned equally embarrassed.

They thought that Wang Jianye's disciples would not come to the courtyard to pay New Year's greetings, but they didn't expect this to immediately slap them in the face.

"Wang Jianye, are these all your disciples?! How come you have so many disciples?!"

Liu Haizhong was surprised when he realized what was happening. He had been a blacksmith for more than ten years and had only five apprentices in total.

Wang Jianye had only been a regular employee for two or three months, but he already had seven apprentices.

Wang Jianye nodded and said, "They are all my apprentices. I can teach them anyway, so I will take more of them and contribute more to the development of the chef industry."

Under the puzzled gazes of Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai, Wang Jianye took his apprentices back to his home in the backyard.

When Zhang Lan and the others saw that Wang Jianye's disciples had come to pay New Year's greetings, they happily invited them to sit down and have some fruits and snacks.

"Thank you, Auntie."

"Thank you, Master."

The disciples were also very polite.

After greeting each other and chatting for a while, the disciples did not stay for lunch. Wang Jianye saw them off and left the courtyard.

When Yan Fugui saw Wang Jianye again in the courtyard, he couldn't help but say:
"You have accepted so many disciples, why don't you accept our Yan Jiecheng as well?"

(End of this chapter)