1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 11 This girl is really nice.

"I'd like to eat pork rib noodles again, but could you give me an extra serving of pork ribs?" Xia Yao said to Zhou Yan as soon as she sat down, with a bright smile: "I'll pay for the toppings separately."

"I'd like a bowl of braised beef noodles, two ounces of noodles will be enough," Meng Anhe said. Yesterday, Lao Lin had been raving about how delicious the braised beef noodles were. If she hadn't been on a business trip to Chengdu, she would definitely have come to eat them this morning.

"I only need two ounces of noodles," Xia Yao quickly added.

Yesterday's bowl of noodles was such a huge portion that she was starving all day before she could finish it; she doesn't usually eat that much.

"Okay," Zhou Yan replied, turning and walking towards the kitchen.

Zhao Tieying took the things to the back and put them there, then went to prepare water for the two of them.

“His handwriting is quite good, like he’s practiced. How come Old Lin said he dropped out of school before graduating from junior high?” Meng Anhe said, looking at the handwritten menu on the wall.

"It's really well written. Usually, boys who can write that well don't have bad grades." Xia Yao looked at the writing on the wall with some surprise, but quickly smiled and said, "Maybe it's because he prefers being a chef. After all, his braised pork ribs are so delicious."

Meng Anhe nodded slightly, but she still felt a little regretful. No matter how delicious the braised pork ribs were, she would be stuck in this small town of Suji for the rest of her life, running a noodle shop with good business.

With the country's policies getting better and better, all industries are thriving. If he can get into university, his horizons and future will be very different. With his personality and appearance, he may have a bright future.

Before long, Zhou Yan brought out two steaming bowls of noodles, along with a plate of pickled radishes.

Xia Yao's bowl was almost completely covered with braised pork ribs, and her smile grew even brighter. She had enjoyed her meal to the fullest yesterday.

Looking at the bowl of braised beef noodles in front of her, Meng Anhe saw large chunks of beef paired with diced dried bamboo shoots. The bright red color was very tempting, and the aroma was irresistible, making her mouth water.

The two of them had come hungry, and now they couldn't resist picking up their chopsticks and starting to slurp up the noodles.

Zhou Yan and Zhao Tieying tactfully went behind the counter to avoid making others uncomfortable by watching them.

A bite of noodles, a bite of meat, and then a sip of hot beef bone soup—before long, a thin layer of sweat appeared on their foreheads as they ate with great relish.

Meng Anhe usually likes to eat wontons and dumplings, but rarely eats noodles outside because she can't get used to the smell of alkaline water.

But today's bowl of braised beef noodles really surprised her.

The beef is spicy and tender, the dried bamboo shoots are crisp and refreshing, and when paired with chewy and smooth noodles and rich beef bone broth, there is no strange taste at all, leaving a lingering fragrance in your mouth.

Another bite of pickled radish, sour, spicy, and refreshing, with a sweet aftertaste, it touched her heart.

After finishing a bowl of beef noodles, I even drank all the soup without realizing it.

I feel warm all over, it's so satisfying.

She then realized that it wasn't that she didn't like noodles, but that she simply hadn't had any good noodles before.

"I was still amazed by the braised pork ribs the second time I ate them!" Xia Yao finished her breakfast with a pickled radish, her face beaming with satisfaction. "And the pickled radish was delicious too."

Eating two servings of braised pork ribs at once was so satisfying!

"Xiao Zhou, do you sell your pickled radishes separately? I want to buy some for my two sons to eat with porridge in the morning," Meng Anhe asked Zhou Yan, taking out her wallet.

"The pickled radishes are provided free of charge by the shop to help customers cut through the greasiness. If you like them, I'll pack some for you to take home. Radishes aren't expensive; you can always come back for more when you're done." Zhou Yan took a glass jar of canned yellow peaches and scooped out a jar of pickled radishes for Meng Anhe.

Getting some kimchi to build a good relationship with Mrs. Lin is definitely worth it.

Meng Anhe was clearly not a subservient woman who depended on Lin Zhiqiang. Making a good impression on her would make things easier if she ever needed his help in the future.

"Okay, then I won't be polite." Meng Anhe smiled and took it. The glass jar was clean and bright, the red radishes were crystal clear, and it even contained pickling brine. This way, as long as the lid was tightened, it could be eaten for several days. The young man was thoughtful.

"Please settle the bill for us."

"This meal is on me, it's kind of me to accept so many things from you," Zhou Yan said quickly.

"That won't do. We came here specifically to eat noodles. If you don't charge us, we'll feel even more embarrassed to come back for noodles next time." Xia Yao waved her hands repeatedly and said, "My portion had a lot of ribs, so just charge us for two bowls of noodles."

“I think it’s a good deal. We should take the money. Old Lin and I will definitely come back to eat here next time.” Meng Anhe nodded and handed Zhou Yan a dollar and eighty cents.

“Okay, then I’ll take it, but it’s not 1.8 yuan, it’s 1.5 yuan.” Zhou Yan smiled as he took the money, then returned 3 mao. “Adding an extra topping is 3 mao.”

Meng Anhe put the money back into her wallet. This young man was naturally composed in his dealings with people, and spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, unlike the shy and sullen young men of the countryside.

The new college graduate at their design institute often stutters in front of her, unlike him.

A sense of appreciation for talent welled up in her heart, and she looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Little Zhou, did you write the menu on the wall and the sign at the door yourself?"

"Yes, the menu is quite simple, so I just wrote it down by hand." Zhou Yan nodded.

"Your handwriting is really good. Did you take the college entrance exam?" Meng Anhe asked again.

Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan, her face also showing curiosity. Zhao Tieying, who was wiping the table nearby, gradually stopped what she was doing and glanced at the menu on the wall. The previous menu had been written by the fortune teller in their village, and Zhou Yan's handwriting was like a scribble. How come it suddenly became so beautiful?

This kid's bragging!
"No, my grades have always been bad. I dropped out of school in the second year of junior high. How could I take the college entrance exam?" Zhou Yan shook his head, quite frankly.

Comrade Xiao Zhou's educational level is only slightly better than illiterate; he can't even do addition problems involving more than one hundred.

Without obtaining a junior high school diploma, Zhou Yan's path to changing his fate through the college entrance examination was essentially blocked.

Zhou Yan is not anxious about this. This era is full of opportunities, and you can turn your life around by seizing one. He is determined to settle down in the catering industry and run the restaurant well.

He's content with modest wealth and can't be a trendsetter, much less a business tycoon. His life's dream is to one day own a few restaurants and eateries, live a comfortable life with his wife and children.

"Your handwriting is quite good; you can continue practicing." Meng Anhe didn't pursue the topic any further.

He dropped out of school in the second year of junior high and has been away from school for four or five years, so you can imagine how poor his foundation was.

But as Xia Yao said, he cooks so well, his talent lies in cooking. He's bold and meticulous, so maybe he'll make a name for himself in the future.

“You’re right.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Xia Yao reached out and patted Zhou Momo's head, smiling as she said, "Momo, I'll bring you something delicious next time."

"Sister!" Zhou Momo's eyes lit up, and she grabbed Xia Yao's hand, pleading, "Then you have to come!"

"Okay, okay, I'll definitely come." Zhou Momo waved her chubby little hand, and Xia Yao's heart melted. After finally withdrawing her hand, she waved to Zhou Yan again, "Goodbye, Comrade Zhou Yan."

"Goodbye, Comrade Xia Yao." Zhou Yan nodded slightly.

The two met eyes and couldn't help but laugh at the same time.

A rather strange title.

There was a sense of mission in establishing a revolutionary friendship.

"That girl is really nice," Zhao Tieying said, watching the bicycle disappear into the distance. "I wish she were my daughter-in-law."

"You're dreaming," Zhou Yan said with a smile, turning and walking towards the counter.

“That’s true. He’s a college student, from the city, and his family must be well-off. Why would he look down on us country folk?” Zhao Tieying sighed and followed her inside. “Your Aunt Liu has said several times that she wants to find you a partner. When are you going to meet them?”

“I’m only twenty, what do I need to do with blind dates!” Zhou Yan paused in counting money, feeling a chill run down his spine. He quickly added, “Or you could tell Aunt Liu the truth about our family situation and see if she can introduce me to someone.”

Zhao Tieying immediately deflated upon hearing this. Her family was originally well-off, and Zhou Yan was tall and handsome, so matchmakers had been eyeing him quite a bit.

But now he's emptied his savings to open this restaurant, and he still owes more than 800 yuan in debt. What girl would want to come here? He can't even afford the bride price.

After silencing Zhao Tieying, Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief. This was the first time in his two lives that he had been pressured to get married. Being urged to marry was a novel and heartwarming experience.

However, he wasn't in a hurry at all. A man should prioritize his career, and he wouldn't accept marrying a woman introduced by a matchmaker whose values ​​didn't align with his and with whom he had nothing in common.

"Hello, Sister Yaoyao." Zhou Momo leaned close to Zhou Yan's leg and whispered, "It would be great if Sister Yaoyao were my sister-in-law."

"You're dreaming," Zhou Yan said, reaching out to flick her nose.

This morning I sold 52 bowls of noodles, earning 31.5 yuan, all in one-jiao and five-jiao bills, a thick stack in my hand.

Zhou Yan had been busy all morning, and felt all the fatigue disappear at this moment. This sense of accomplishment was so great.

"Business is getting better and better. It looks like we can sell out ninety bowls of noodles today." Zhao Tieying looked at the money in Zhou Yan's hand and smiled broadly.

Previously, the restaurant's daily revenue wasn't even enough to buy ingredients, and money was flowing out of the restaurant. But these past two days, we've finally seen a return on our investment, and business is getting better every day. Customers are saying the food is delicious, and our reputation is growing rapidly.

During this period, the pressure on the couple was no less than that on Zhou Yan. They didn't dare to say anything harsh to him, fearing that he would be overwhelmed by the pressure. They were already prepared to close the restaurant and come here to pay off their debts.

Unexpectedly, after jumping into the river to save someone, this kid seemed to have suddenly had a breakthrough. He switched to selling noodles and revitalized the restaurant. Business is getting better and better, and he can sell ninety bowls of noodles a day, which is fifty-four yuan!
With a monthly income of over a thousand yuan, even after deducting costs and rent, there's still a profit of several hundred yuan!
Zhao Tieying has been selling beef for several years and knows how to do the math; she earns more than Lao Zhou does from slaughtering cattle!

There's hope for the future!

"It's clear that everyone is willing to spend a little more money to eat better," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

The customers are all savvy. Although their noodles are a few cents more expensive than other places, they have twice as much meat, so it's actually more cost-effective and tastes better.

Once you establish a good reputation, business will naturally follow.

However, we sold 52 bowls of noodles this morning, so the system task should have been exceeded, right?
Zhou Yan glanced at it and sure enough, a taskbar popped up.

[Ding! Main Quest: Restaurant Influence Reaches 100 - Completed! Reward: Braised Beef with Pork Knuckle Recipe.]

(End of this chapter)