Chapter 17: The Principal and the Chairman Go Down to the Kitchen

  In China, a country where everyone gossips, it's hard to keep any secrets. Liu Yuan took Chiang Kai-shek to the Third Academy, and the news spread throughout Changsha immediately.

  First, a few hoodlums who had been with the troops for some time spread the rumor, "Do you know? He Rong brought the principal to San Shi, and the two of them went to eat good food." Huang Wei, wearing a woolen coat, with two guards by his side, said this to Zeng Kuoqing, who had also come to the command center to look for Chiang Kai-shek.

  "Really? Will the principal cook in person?" Asked Fan Hanjie, who was standing next to Zeng Kuoqing with a disbelieving tone.

  "Hey, have you forgotten that Hui Zhang is a genius? He can do anything, let alone cook. If you say he can give birth to children, I'd believe it too." Zeng Kuo said with a smile.

  "I understand, I understand, if having children would also be the two of you." Deng Wen-yi, this mixed-up guy didn't continue to mess up like in his past life, but instead became a staff officer in Chiang Kai-shek's headquarters, expecting one day to lead troops out.

  "What day is today, so you all don't have to fight, right?" Zeng Kuochang was in the political department, so he felt very unnatural about so many people suddenly appearing in Changsha.

  "We came to petition the principal, I studied at Huangpu, with passionate and sincere heart, not afraid of bleeding. The principal actually didn't let us participate in important battles, if it goes on like this, when can our Huangpu grow up?" Chen Mingren is now a colonel, and his gait also has the demeanor of a regimental commander.

  "That's right, General Guo said that year that soldiers cannot lose their blood nature, and generals must be more passionate than the soldiers under his command, because a general is the soul of his troops. The 3rd Division of Guo has integrated Guo's soul, so they fight, attack and win, battle and take." Deng Wenyi said with admiration.

  "Hey, aren't you always opposed to the chairman? How come you're also saying this now?" Zeng Kuoxing asked.

  "Fu Guo has become a teacher, it can be seen that my previous ideas were some prejudices, and Fu Guo is not that kind of petty person. I think if I go to ask for a meal, Fu Guo should not refuse." Deng Wen Yi smiled and made a fist at the crowd, "You brothers go ahead first."

  Deng Wenyi's departing back, Huang Weili was no longer polite, "Why should he go eat? I've always called the president old, fellow students, I'll take my leave too."

  Zeng Kuangqin grabbed Huang Wei's arm, "I'm asking you, Huang Wei, do you think this is right? If we're going, of course, we'll go together. Right, brothers?" Zeng Kuangqin waved his hand, and a large group of people, including Liu Yuan, who were familiar with him, rushed towards the Third Division's headquarters.

  "Hey, shall we call Wang Erzhuo and the others? We're all classmates after all." In this life, thanks to Liu Yuan's existence, the relationship between classmates from both the Nationalist and Communist parties was extremely good, especially when they were together. Except for a few individuals, everyone got along famously.

  "I don't know if they're willing to go, after all, many people have a lot of grievances against the principal."

  "We'll go ourselves, if we don't bring them, they will definitely scold us later. Let's go, I'll call them."

  Xu Jishen is in Changsha on business, preparing to go to the Independent Regiment to make a good fight, and there are many people who have the same idea as him. However, he did not expect to welcome a large group of Nationalist Party classmates today.

  "Shall we go or not? The principal is cooking with Lao Da right now. It would be a pity if we don't go and get some free food." Deng Wenyi invited with a smile.

  Wang Erzhuo's eyes widened, "Why not go? Even if it's just to curry favor with the president, I have to go. Let me tell you, Chen Gong that guy used to freeload meals at the president's place, and the president cooks extremely delicious food."

  Compared to him, Zhou Shidi didn't want to go. Zheng Dongguo patted Zhou Shidi's shoulder and said, "Let's go, you see the situation, I reckon this can be considered our first gathering after the separation. The Northern Expedition is going so smoothly, when it comes time to divide the spoils, if you want to have a meal together, there won't be an opportunity."

  "Go, I'll go." In a period of time, one of them actually put on military uniform, why don't we go.

  "This is a rare scene in the Republic of China, a group of young cadets walking on the street with their arms around each other's shoulders, laughing and chatting. This scene was recorded by an American boy named Bai Xiude who had just come to China to do business with his uncle, and it will be forever etched in Chinese history. At the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, 25-year-old Bai Xiude, and generals in their thirties and forties, looked at this photo of their crazy youth, and I don't know how many people's tears were shed."

  Chiang Kai-shek, who was used to having food delivered to his mouth, was very unfamiliar with the kitchen. Liu Yuan handed Chiang a big bag of garlic, and indeed, Liu was preparing to cook a noodle dish, a type of food that northerners particularly enjoy eating.

  "I don't eat spicy food." Chiang Kai-shek said with a shake of his head.

  "As a national leader, how can you not eat spicy food? I remember when I had a restaurant in the US, their president brought his family to dine with me and he told our server, 'Chili, chili, bring us a big bowl of chili noodles.' Liu Yuan took over the rolling pin from the cook and started rolling out the dough himself."

  "Will the President of the United States dine with the American people in a restaurant?" Chiang Kai-shek couldn't get around Liu Yuan, so he could only take over the garlic and then feel his nose sour from the spiciness.

  Liu Yuan used to cook for himself after returning from missions when he was in the special forces, which helped him relieve stress and also honed his cooking skills. So the noodles were rolled out very thin and cut very finely.

  Liu Yuan said to Chiang Kai-shek while cutting noodles, "In the United States, the president is just like ordinary people, eating with the common folk, lining up with them, and watching movies together - it's a very normal thing."

  "Isn't that very dangerous, what if someone assassinates him?" Chiang Kai-shek put the garlic cloves on the table, Liu Yuan crushed them, then Chiang Kai-shek put them in a jar and started pounding.

  "There is indeed danger, but in the United States, to promote the spirit of freedom and equality, every president will do so and has to do so, because they have a good founder, Washington." At this time, Li Er Niu ran in and told Liu Yuan that many classmates had arrived, clamoring to eat at San Shi.

  Liu Yuan smiled and prepared to do more.

  Chiang Kai-shek thought for a moment and said, "They are a unified country, and the country is very stable. So when the president does this, it makes people feel very down-to-earth, able to connect with the common folk, and know what they want. That's different from us in China. When I go out, there's always a big group of bodyguards following behind me. If I want to see someone, they have to check ahead of time. How can I possibly know what the people are thinking?" Chiang Kai-shek shook his head with a bitter smile.

  "These are not things that can be accomplished overnight, they require the efforts of several generations. As long as we work hard, it won't take a few more generations for China to achieve this." Liu Yuan said with a smile.

  Chiang Kai-shek nodded, just about to continue saying something, when Ning Bo rushed in, looking wronged. "Senior, why didn't you call us from the second term to eat together? Are we not human?" Looking at Ning Bo's wronged expression.

  "Come and eat if you want to, who's stopping you?" Chiang Kai-shek was wearing an apron, learning from Liu Yuan how to knead dough, with a white flour mustache on his Shanghai-style whiskers.

  Looking at the family-like scene, Ning Bo didn't react for half a day. It was Liu Yuan's cough that reminded him that this smiling middle-aged man was actually his school principal. "Principal, you don't know, we wanted to come together, but the seniors bullied us and wouldn't let us in. They said that the principal and you made food, and they would only eat it for one period. What about the second period's small beans? Principal, please judge this fairly. How can they do this? The younger brothers and sisters of San Shi are still watching!" Ning Bo said with grievance.

  Liu Yuan suddenly understood, just as he was about to speak, Chiang Kai-shek beckoned him over. "Want to eat? Come on up! This is the first time I've cooked for you old comrades-in-arms since becoming principal. If we don't satisfy a few more people, you'll all be furious. Whoever wants to come can come, it's no big deal if they're called too. If anyone dares to stop them, just tell them I said so."

  "Alright, I'll go," said Ning Bo, and then he ran off like a wisp of smoke. Leaving Liu Yuan with a helpless expression.

  "Principal, you shouldn't be like this." Liu Yuan shook his head and said.

  "What's wrong, Fu Guo? Did I do something wrong?" Chiang Kai-shek asked in puzzlement.

  "If it were just the first phase, we would have done enough with 30 or 40 copies, but considering the second and even third phases, we need to make over 200 copies, Principal, this will be exhausting."