1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 123 Please Do Not Abuse or Hit Customers! (Bonus Chapter 24 for Alliance Leader Yixiao Qingtian)

Huang Ying's eyes were already brimming with tears of grievance, but she held them back when she heard Zhou Yan speak.

She turned to look at Zhou Yan, sniffed, and asked, "Was your noodle dish good?"

"Whether it tastes good or not is a very subjective matter, so I won't praise it myself. If you're curious, you can ride your bike over and try it yourself tomorrow," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“Okay! I’ll do it!” Huang Ying nodded, her eyes resolute. “I’ll ride my bike myself!”

He invited me to dinner!

Who could refuse?
"Huh?" Everyone looked at Huang Ying with strange expressions. What's wrong with this girl? She actually agreed?
Zhao Shulan smiled with some relief and glanced gratefully at Zhou Yan. This young man was really nice; he was easy on the eyes and much more reliable than Huang Bing. Plus, he didn't smoke.

"Huang Bing! Starting tomorrow, you and your sister will come! By bicycle! You'll eat for every meal she eats, or you can forget about pocket money." Zhao Shulan's face turned cold as she spoke to Huang Bing.

He doesn't like eating his own food, so let him eat at Zhou Yan's place. Three meals a day won't bankrupt this family. As long as he gains a few pounds and looks more presentable, that's fine.

"Mom, I'll ride my motorcycle." Huang Bing's face fell. Coming to eat was no problem, but asking him to ride a bicycle was just too much.

As soon as he got his new bike, he loved to ride it around everywhere. A trip to Suji only took twenty minutes, and he could have a meal and go out to play.

If we were to ride a bike together, especially with Huang Ying by our side, who knows how long it would take.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Huang Ying smiled happily, winking at Huang Bing.

Zhou Yan remained silent. "That's good. With just one sentence, you've attracted two monthly subscribers."

Blood earned!
As for how to complete the task?

Let's take it one step at a time!

Maybe if that girl rides her bike to eat here every day, she really will lose weight.

The Huang and Zhao families left, and it seemed they were planning to find a place to drink tea and play cards, spending a leisurely afternoon.

When Zhou Yan entered, Aunt Zhao and Old Zhou had already tidied up the table, leaving only a table of unwashed dishes.

"When did you learn to ride a motorcycle? I've never seen you ride one before," Aunt Zhao asked Zhou Yan curiously.

Not to mention the Zhou family, not a single family in the entire Zhou Village owns a motorcycle.

Zhou Yan hopped on the motorcycle in one smooth motion and drove it away, clearly a skilled driver.

“There was a coworker in the canteen who had a small motorcycle. We were very close, and I would ride it around the factory entrance whenever I had free time, so that’s how I learned to ride it,” Zhou Yan said fabricatedly.

Aunt Zhao nodded, and said with some emotion, "This motorcycle is impressive."

"When I make some money later, I'll buy a car and take you guys for a spin," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"You have to save the money you earn. First, build a house and get married. Motorcycles use gas, and going out costs money," Aunt Zhao said, shaking her head.

Zhou Yan didn't say much, and seeing the two who were about to wash the dishes, he said, "Come on, wash the dishes when you get back, change your clothes, and let's go to Jiaozhou for a trip. It's been a long time since I took you there."

Zhou Momo had already put on the little bag that Aunt Zhao had sewn for her and was happily running around the restaurant, shouting, "Let's go to Jiaozhou! Let's go!"

"Okay." Aunt Zhao nodded with a smile and called Old Zhou upstairs to change his clothes.

Zhou Yan also went upstairs to change out of his chef's uniform. He changed into a slightly worn polyester shirt, black trousers, and faded canvas shoes.

He glanced down at it. It was alright, clean and tidy. Apart from being a bit shabby, there wasn't much wrong with it.

He had over four hundred yuan on him, all in large unity notes and one- or two-yuan notes. He didn't take any small change or penny, and rolled it up into a thick stack.

Soon after, Aunt Zhao and Comrade Zhou also came downstairs.

Aunt Zhao wore a blue and white floral shirt made of polyester, black suit pants, and leather shoes with brass buckles. Her hair was tied up, and she looked energetic and dignified.

Comrade Zhou was wearing an old Zhongshan suit with patches on the elbows, and his indigo trousers were faded from washing. The only decent thing about him was his pair of leather shoes.

There was nothing we could do; when the house collapsed, all of Old Zhou's clothes were gone. We had only bought him a chef's uniform last time, and we hadn't gotten him any other clothes yet.

Zhou Momo is wearing a green sweater today and carrying a small green bag, handmade by Aunt Zhao, with a pumpkin pattern on the chest; it looks quite stylish.

She rummaged in her small bag and stuffed an orange-flavored hard candy into everyone's hands, saying generously, "One for each of you, orange-flavored candy, sweet to the touch!"

Zhou Yan peeled off the candy wrapper and put it in his mouth. It had a strong orange flavor and was indeed very sweet.

"Sit with your brother or your father?" Aunt Zhao asked Zhou Momo.

"Brother!" Zhou Momo moved closer to Zhou Yan without hesitation.

"I'll tie this garment on you so your butt won't get all bruised from the bumpy ride." Aunt Zhao took an old garment, folded it twice, and tied it to the front bar of the bicycle with a rope.

Zhou Yan reached out and lifted Zhou Momo onto the front bar with her clothes tied to it.

Aunt Zhao locked the door, and the two bicycles rode off towards Jiaozhou.

Comrade Zhou is busy slaughtering cattle all year round. By the time the beef is sold out, it's already afternoon. He gets home, gets something to eat, and is too exhausted to go to Jiaozhou for fun.

Usually, people would wait until holidays or festivals when they weren't working, and then take a day to visit Jiaozhou.

Zhou Momo had only been there twice in her life, one of which was when she was still an infant, so she had no recollection of it.

The little one loves listening to others talk about things in the city. She always has an expectant look on her face and often asks Zhou Yan when he will take her to Jiaozhou.

"Fat boy, chubby and plump, rides a horse to Chengdu. Chengdu is so much fun. Fat boy rides a white horse, the white horse jumps high. Fat boy wields a guandao (a type of halberd), wielding the guandao with great skill. Fat boy collects copper coins, collecting many copper coins. Fat boy buys steamed buns, but the steamed buns have no sugar, making Fat boy cry in frustration..."

The little guy held the dragon head in one hand, singing a nursery rhyme in a childish voice, his head bobbing back and forth. His two little braids looked like two tiny antennas, sweeping back and forth in front of Zhou Yan, making him both cute and funny.

The distance from Suji to Jiaozhou city is more than ten kilometers. The road conditions are acceptable. They rode at a leisurely pace and arrived at the intersection of Yutang Street and Tuqiao Street in about half an hour.

Jiaozhou Department Store stands here, spanning two blocks, one on Tuqiao Street and the other on Yutang Street.

This intersection is also known as Jiaozhou Little Cross.

The area is surrounded by well-known shops in Jiaozhou City, such as Changshengtang, Liao Guangdong, Yudong Restaurant, Continental Hotel, Post Office, Xinhua Bookstore, and New China Bookstore.

Calling it Jiaozhou's CBD wouldn't be an exaggeration. "You're going to shop at a department store right away?" Zhao Tieying looked up at the grand department store and said with a smile.

“Yes, let’s buy what we need first, before they close down,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“That makes sense. They leave work on time, not a minute longer,” Aunt Zhao nodded.

After parking the bicycle, Zhou Yan took Zhou Momo's hand and led his parents into the department store.

Today is Sunday, a day off for everyone, and there are quite a few people shopping at the department store. The bicycles are lined up for a long distance at the entrance, and an old man has brought a stool and is standing guard here to protect the important belongings of customers.

Upon entering, a bustling crowd filled every counter.

"Comrade, how much is this Seagull brand ladies' watch?"

"Comrade, let me try that dress on."

"Comrade..."

People were asking about prices, others were trying on clothes and feeling the fabric; it was quite a lively scene.

Zhou Yan picked up Zhou Momo and placed her on his shoulder to prevent her from being accidentally knocked over or stepped on.

Wow! There are so many people!

"Look, there are so many dolls over there!"

"There are so many beautiful clothes over there!"

"Pot..."

As soon as I looked up, the little guy's eyes lit up, and he started chattering away nonstop.

Zhao Tieying and Zhou Miao followed behind Zhou Yan, both looking somewhat restrained.

The last time they came to the department store was two years ago.

Department stores have a lot of nice things, but the prices are indeed expensive.

Last time they came, they just took a quick look, watched the spectacle, and didn't even dare to ask about the prices.

If you ask a few more questions, the sales clerk can be incredibly fierce.

"Comrade, let me ask you something..."

"Ask, ask, ask! You ask but you're not going to buy, what's the point of asking! I've answered you eight hundred times, this shirt is sixteen yuan and fifty cents, not a penny less! If you're not going to buy it, fine!" The round-faced saleswoman at the next counter rolled her eyes and said impatiently, then hung the shirt back up.

"You...you comrade, how could you be so crooked! I have a lot of complaints about your service attitude!" The customer was so angry that his hands were shaking.

The sales clerk said nonchalantly, "Hmph, you have a problem with me? Go ahead and sue me! Even if you want to buy it today, I'm not selling it to you."

Zhou Yan is tall, and his gaze can reach across the crowd, allowing him to see similar scenes occurring at many counters.

In those days, department stores were state-owned. Whether they made a profit or a loss did not affect the sales staff's salaries. The sales staff were all arrogant and looked down on people.

Look at the sign hanging on the wall: It is strictly forbidden to beat or scold customers!

It's a characteristic of our time.

Zhou Yan looked around with great interest and wandered over to the watch counter.

This is the most popular counter, packed with customers, all crowding around the glass display case.

Two sales clerks, a man and a woman, stood behind the counter, answering customers' questions calmly and deliberately.

Zhou Yan peeked at the price; the Shanghai brand men's 17-brick watch was priced at 70 yuan.

The price is exorbitant, equivalent to two months' wages for a frontline worker in a textile factory.

"You want to buy a watch?" Zhao Tieying followed over and asked in a low voice when she saw Zhou Yan stop.

“Yes, you need to keep track of time when making braised meat, so a watch would be more convenient.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Just then, a customer ahead of him finished looking at the watch and left, so he went up to the counter and said with a smile to the sales clerk, "Comrade, could I try on this Shanghai brand men's watch?"

The saleswoman, in her early twenties, looked up at Zhou Yan upon hearing his voice. Her furrowed brows relaxed, her voice softened, and she nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll get it for you."

Zhou Yan handed Zhou Momo to his mother, took the watch, and put it on his wrist. It was made of steel, cool to the touch, and shimmered silver on his wrist. It was also a bit heavy.

However, once you put this watch on your wrist, your bare wrist becomes decorated, and it does feel quite different.

"It suits you quite well. A watch definitely elevates a man's overall look," Zhao Tieying said with a smile.

"What about me?" Zhou Momo asked, stretching out her little hand.

“You’re still young. When you grow up, you’ll look good wearing a women’s watch,” Zhao Tieying said to her, pointing to the women’s watches in the display case.

"It's really beautiful." Zhou Miao, standing next to Zhou Yan, nodded in agreement.

"Want me to get one for you too?" Zhou Yan asked, smiling at him.

Zhou Miao was stunned for a moment, then waved his hands repeatedly: "What would I do with it? No, no."

"It's convenient for you to have a watch while fishing, so you can pack up when it's time and not miss work." Zhou Yan smiled, took the watch from Zhou Miao, put it on her wrist, and nodded, saying, "It fits perfectly, and you don't even need to adjust the strap."

"Seventy yuan each, not cheap. If you're not buying, don't try them on in turn. I'm too lazy to clean them if you get them dirty," the male sales clerk said, his tone carrying his usual sarcastic tone.

"Tsk! You should just mind your own business! You talk too much!" The saleswoman rolled her eyes at him, then looked at Zhou Yan and smiled, saying, "It's alright, take your time trying them on. Would you like to try on some other styles?"

The guests nearby turned around in shock.

Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

Isn’t this too much of a double standard?
Does being handsome mean you won't be criticized?
Is there any royal law?
　Asking for a monthly ticket! ! !

　　
　
(End of this chapter)