1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 133 Yan-ge, you really are a talent! (6.4k words combined)

The Huang siblings arrived a little later than yesterday; the factory workers had already gone to work when they finally arrived at the restaurant.

Zhou Yan was sitting at the door cracking sunflower seeds, giving Old Zhou pointers on drifting techniques, when he saw Huang Bing and Huang Ying stop the car and get out, wearing pain masks and grimacing.

He stood up with a smile, looked at the two limping figures, and asked, "What happened?"

"Did you fall on the way?" Zhao Tieying asked with concern.

Huang Ying looked distressed and said, "Auntie, I didn't fall, it's just that I rode back and forth three times yesterday, and my legs hurt so much this morning..."

"My legs feel sore and swollen, they don't even feel like my own anymore." Huang Bing's smile also carried a hint of bitterness.

They set off at 6:30 this morning, but the ride was incredibly painful. What should have been a 40-minute journey took them more than an hour.

I got up very early but arrived late.

"Boss Zhou, do you still have noodles?" Huang Ying asked Zhou Yan with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

"Is it sold out?" Huang Bing was also a little worried. He had witnessed how popular Zhou Yan's restaurant was last night. The only thing that motivated them to ride their bikes was to eat a bowl of delicious noodles.

"Don't worry, I knew you were coming, so I saved a bowl for each of you," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "What are you having for dinner today?"

"I want to try braised pork rib noodles today," Huang Bing said.

"I want to eat stir-fried beef with minced meat and double peppers!" Huang Ying said without hesitation. She had been craving it after watching Huang Bing eat it yesterday.

"Okay, come in and sit down," Zhou Yan replied, turning and walking towards the kitchen.

After eating the noodles, the brother and sister went out.

"Let's go home," Huang Bing said, mounting his bicycle with a slightly pained expression.

"You go back, I'm going to play with my grandma, and I'll go home after dinner." Huang Ying said with a smug smile, "Anyway, I've already got my allowance, but you can't, you have to go back and ride your motorcycle to get the braised meat."

"If you... if you don't go back, won't my allowance be gone?!" Huang Bing was a little confused.

Huang Ying laughed and said, "Silly boy, you're an important tool now, responsible for picking up braised meat. You're working for the restaurant, and what you get is wages, not pocket money. Mom will even fill up your motorcycle with gas."

If Mom asks, just say my leg hurts today and I can't go back. I'll ride three more times tomorrow when my leg feels better. I bought her the pig's trotters yesterday, so she'll forgive me.

"Okay." Huang Bing nodded. Let alone Huang Ying, his legs were so sore he didn't want to move. "Are you coming for lunch again?"

"Of course I'll come! We'll meet here promptly at 11:30. I'll bring my grandma along so she can try some braised beef," Huang Ying replied.

"Okay." Huang Bing nodded, got on his bike, and rode away.

Huang Ying frowned, gritted her teeth, climbed onto the car, and rode shakily towards the textile factory's residential compound.

"These two siblings have a pretty good relationship," Zhao Tieying said with a smile.

"It's not bad, is it..." Zhou Yan smiled, finding it hard to comment.

Around ten o'clock, Zhou Yan took the thoroughly soaked braised meat out of the braising pot one by one and placed them on a large winnowing basket. The braised meat was bright red, steaming hot, and had a wonderful aroma.

Zhou Yan put together two pig heads, selecting only the best-looking meat, and placed them in a bamboo basket lined with gauze.

Two pig heads, which is about ten pounds of meat, is actually a pretty good portion.

"Woo——"

The sound of a motorcycle came from the doorway.

"They're here?" Zhou Yan peeked out and saw a green Jialing 70 parked at the entrance. The person who arrived was Huang Bing.

Two frames, both made of sheet metal, had been installed on the back of the motorcycle overnight. They were sturdy and had a mysterious feel to them, with a construction similar to Zhou Yan's old-fashioned bicycle with two baskets on his back.

The seat of the Jialing 70 is a one-piece design. It took some effort to fix these two metal boxes on, and they look like they are not easy to disassemble.

This significantly reduces the riding experience in the back seat.

The cool and flashy new motorcycle has been completely relegated to being a delivery vehicle.

Huang Bing parked his car and came in with a look that was no longer the smug and dashing one he had when he rode his new motorcycle; instead, he looked somewhat embarrassed.

In 1984, no one could simultaneously possess both a Jialing 70 and feelings of inferiority.

Unless he has two metal boxes hanging on the back seat.

"Young Master Huang, delivering takeout?" Zhou Yan couldn't help but be sarcastic.

"Huh?" Huang Bing was stunned for a moment, not understanding.

"It's nothing, the car is modified quite well, and it's very practical," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"My dad had someone modify it for me, and it looks awful!" Huang Bing shook his head repeatedly, adding, "Luckily, it can be disassembled. It's a bit of a hassle, otherwise, I'd be too embarrassed to take any girls out with me."

"Isn't this great? One person can sit on each side, and you can bring two more." Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Brother Yan, you're quite the talent!" Huang Bing exclaimed, speechless. He entered the store and asked in a low voice, "Is the goods ready?"

"Don't make selling braised meat sound like some kind of special transaction," Zhou Yan said, somewhat speechless.

Huang Bing scratched his head: "My old man said that you have to be careful when making transactions, and don't let anyone see it, so as not to cause trouble for those with ulterior motives."

“Then he shouldn’t have sent you a Jialing 70 to pick up the goods. With these two containers loaded, it would be hard for anyone not to notice,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“Oh right…” Huang Bing was stunned. On his way here, he had been turned around so many times that even dogs would turn around to look at him.

The vendors outside were all craning their necks to look.

It's hard to hide it if you do it like that.

"What should we do then?" Huang Bing was a bit of a headache.

Zhou Yan thought for a moment and said, "Next time, park the motorcycle in a secluded spot downstairs at your uncle's house. Put two baskets on your bicycle, just like I did. Don't wear leather jackets, leather pants, or leather shoes anymore. Put on some plain and low-key clothes, load the braised meat back, and then switch to the bicycle. That way, you won't be easily noticed."

"That's a good idea!" Huang Bing's eyes lit up. He had just been considering switching to bicycles for delivery, but that would mean he would have to make four round trips a day, which would be exhausting.

Following Zhou Yan's method, one could conveniently ride a motorcycle along the way, rev the engine, and deliver the braised meat back to the restaurant in twenty minutes.

"Brother Yan, it has to be you! You're quick-witted." Huang Bing said sincerely.

Zhou Yan smiled and handed over a round bamboo basket: "Here, this is today's braised meat. Eight catties of braised pig's head, one catty and two ounces each of braised pig's ears and braised pig's snout, totaling twenty-one yuan and seventy-six cents. Just give me twenty-one yuan and seventy cents."

The bamboo basket was covered with a white gauze, which served both to prevent dust and to block the view.

"Okay." Huang Bing reached out and took it without even glancing at it, then pulled out two 100-yuan bills and two yuan and handed them to Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan gave him three cents in change and wrote a receipt by hand, including the weight and price.

Huang Bing glanced at it and said, "Why don't you write a couple more pieces?"

"Then when your father goes back and weighs me again, what will I look like?" Zhou Yan rolled his eyes at him.

"I was just kidding," Huang Bing laughed, put away the receipt, picked up the basket, carefully put it into the metal box, and drove off.

Zhou Yan looked at the deliberately slowed car speed and nodded with a smile. Young Master Huang seemed to have some sense of strategy.

Huang Bing carefully made his way back to Feiyan Restaurant, parked his car at the back door, looked around to make sure no one was there, then opened the box, picked up the braised meat, and quickly went inside.

"Old man!" he called out as soon as he entered the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Li Laosan was talking to several chefs and cooks, who all turned to look at him.

"Uncle Li, you're busy, don't worry about me." Huang Bing waved with a smile, then quickly walked out when he saw Huang He sitting in the shop.

"You got it back?" Huang He got up and came over when he heard the noise.

“Yes.” Huang Bing nodded, then leaned closer and whispered, “Two pig heads, ten pounds and four ounces, twenty-one yuan and seventy cents, with a receipt.”

Huang He nodded calmly and said in a low voice, "Keep the receipt for now, but don't take it out of the shop. In the future, when you take meat, just take it to the kitchen and say that it was taken from the old house. Don't take it outside the shop."

"Okay." Huang Bing nodded.

"Come with me." Huang He walked towards the kitchen.

Huang Bing, carrying the meat, quickly followed.

"Boss." Li Laosan greeted Huang He when he saw him.

Huang He looked at him and said, "Master Li, I'm going to serve a few braised dishes today. I need to confirm the quantities and plating with you first."

"Braised dishes?" Li Laosan was a little surprised. He glanced behind Huang He and saw no one else except Huang Bing. "The cold dish chef that the boss hired has arrived?"

Huang He smiled and said, "I didn't hire a chef. I just tried out my family's ancestral braised meat recipe, and it tastes much better than what those cold dish chefs make. In the future, we will gradually restore the century-old braising sauce of Feiyan Restaurant."

"The boss braised it himself?" Li Laosan asked, his expression slightly strange, though he was surprised.

He's worked at Feiyan Restaurant for over ten years, and he knows Huang He's abilities all too well. How could he possibly know how to braise meat?

He had heard about the century-old braising sauce at Feiyan Restaurant after he arrived.

But I've never seen it, nor have I ever tasted it.

In the past, restaurants belonged to the government, so it was understandable that the owners kept their secret recipes.

Two years ago, the restaurant was returned to the Huang family, and regular customers would ask about braised meat every now and then, but the owner never served any braised dishes.

Not long ago, he was asking around for a cold dish chef, and he even introduced me to a junior apprentice from Chengdu. Apparently, they've already discussed salary.

How did you suddenly manage to concoct a century-old brine all by yourself?
However, I had to give the boss face, so I didn't dare to ask any questions.

"I don't have the time to braise meat. My cousin passed down the craft and has now mastered it. The Huang family's traditional skills are incomparable to those braised meats outside." Huang He smiled with a hint of pride and waved his hand: "Huang Bing, bring the meat over so that the other chefs can take a look and we can discuss how to cut and arrange it."

Huang Bing stepped forward, placed the bamboo basket on the table, and lifted the gauze covering it, revealing piles of braised pig's head and ears inside, their bright red color and tempting sheen.

Li Laosan and the other chefs all gathered around, their eyes lighting up.

"The color of this braised pork is so beautiful! It's a bright, glossy red, and the caramel color is just right!"

"The aroma of the braised food is also very tempting. The spices are well-balanced and not overpowering."

"It's no wonder it's a family recipe passed down for centuries; it really looks different."

The chefs all praised him, not forgetting to shower Huang He with compliments.

"This is truly extraordinary, the presentation is simply stunning." Li Laosan exclaimed in equal amazement. Although his braised food skills were lacking, he was worldly-wise and knew the difference between good and bad. Huang He and Huang Bing, father and son, raised their chins, their lips slightly upturned, their expressions identical.

They had such a smug air about them, as if they were the ones who actually made the braised meat.

Huang He smiled and said, "Come on, Master Li, let's first determine the cutting method and the quantity."

“Okay.” Li Laosan nodded, and immediately his apprentice brought over his special cutting board and cleaver. After washing and drying his hands, he took a piece of braised pig’s head from the basket.

You can tell the braised pig's head is cooked to perfection just by holding it in your hand. It's tender but not mushy, and it trembles slightly when you shake it, yet it has a chewy texture.

Pig's head meat shouldn't be too soft; things that lack chewiness are not suitable for drinking with alcohol.

"The braised pig's head meat should be cut into pieces five centimeters wide and one qian thick. One serving is about four liang. This plate should be just right." Huang He picked out a white porcelain plate and placed it next to the cutting board.

"Have it."

Li Laosan agreed, and with a swift motion, the cleaver in his hand fell, and slices of braised pig's head meat, each as thick as a copper coin, fell down. He used the cleaver to scoop them up and arrange them in a circle on the plate, piling them up in the center. The bright red braised pig's head meat was soaked in the braising liquid, and its color was like amber. The piled up looked quite beautiful.

"Great! Let's go with this standard!" Huang He was extremely satisfied and clapped his hands.

Li Laosan truly lives up to his reputation as a top-notch chef. His knife skills and plating are both exceptionally good. He can understand everything I say immediately and even exceeds expectations.

Huang He continued, "Braised pig ears are priced at three ounces per serving, which is roughly one ear per plate. They need to be sliced ​​thinly, so thin that light can pass through them, and they need to be sliced ​​evenly to ensure a consistent texture."

Upon hearing this, Li Laosan first made two cuts, then picked up two pieces of ear that were slightly different in thickness and asked, "Which one meets the standard better?"

“I think…” Huang He looked left and right, then simply ate both pieces of ear, nodding and saying, “The slightly thicker one is thin enough to let light through, but it also has some chewiness. Otherwise, you can’t feel it in your mouth, and that would be a bit lacking.”

Li Laosan nodded and quickly sliced ​​a pig's ear into even, thin slices. He then arranged the slices on a white porcelain plate, where the bright red color immediately stood out, making it look quite appealing.

Soon, the pig snout was also sliced ​​and plated.

Three plates of braised meat were placed on the table, and it certainly looked classy.

"The color of this braised meat is so beautiful. The braising time was just right, and the braising liquid seeped into the meat, turning it amber in color. It's so much better than those braised pig heads sold outside," Li Laosan exclaimed.

This isn't flattering the boss; it's simply praise for the high-quality braised meat.

He knows the quality of the meat as soon as he cuts it.

The meat was braised in one pot, but the heat was controlled perfectly. The braised pig ears were crisp and refreshing, unlike the soft and mushy texture of the pig head meat.

"Master Li's knife skills are excellent, and his plating is superb as well." Huang He nodded repeatedly, quite satisfied.

Li Laosan smiled upon hearing this; the boss's words were still pleasing to the ear.

If we had hired another chef, he certainly wouldn't have been as dedicated to helping with the cutting and plating, and he'd also have to guard against theft.

But since it's homemade by the boss, there's nothing more to say. Showing off your knife skills appropriately will help solidify your position in the boss's eyes and increase your salary in the future.

Huang He said to a short, stout young man beside him, "Sun Zhou, you have good knife skills, so I'll entrust the task of cutting braised meat to you. From now on, cut and plate it according to Master Li's standards, and there can be no mistakes."

“Boss, my knife skills are still not as good as Master Li’s. I can cut without any problem, but you’ll have to ask Master Li to give me more pointers.” Sun Zhou nodded.

"Master Li, what do you think?" Huang He asked with a smile.

Li Laosan was very pleased with Sun Zhou's words and nodded with a smile, saying, "Okay, I certainly won't hold back."

Huang He asked Huang Bing to bring over a bucket of chopsticks and called to everyone, "Come on, everyone, try some. If any regular customers come today, I'm going to start promoting this. Let's see how reasonable the price is for this kind of braised meat."

The food tasting session is what everyone most enjoys seeing.

Li Laosan was the first to pick up his chopsticks, taking a piece of braised pig's ear into his mouth. He chewed it until the cartilage made a crisp crunching sound that echoed in his mouth. The ear was thin and soft, with an excellent texture. The aroma of the braising sauce became more and more intense as he chewed, leaving a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth after swallowing.

Wonderful!

With a plate of braised pig ears like this, wouldn't you want to drink a couple more glasses of wine?

Then he tried a piece of braised pig's head meat. The pig's head meat was as thick as a copper coin, and the texture was even more substantial than that of pig's ears. It was soft and chewy, half fat and half lean, and the aroma of the braising sauce permeated the meat. With one bite, there was a burst of braising sauce in his mouth, filling his mouth with a rich meaty flavor.

It smells amazing! It smells so good!
That bite was truly the most delicious thing he could taste.

Braised pig snout is also good, but he prefers pig ears and pig head meat.

Li Laosan ate another piece of braised pig's head, put down his chopsticks and said, "Boss, this braised meat is amazing! This braising liquid must have been used for many years, right? The taste is absolutely incredible! I think this serving of braised pig's head is worth two yuan, and this serving of braised pig's ears can be priced at another 50 cents."

The initial doubts have all disappeared; you can't find better braised meat in Jiaozhou.

It has a flavor that's truly unique.

It looks good too; once it's placed on a plate and served, it's worth the price.

"It's really delicious! It smells amazing, and it's perfect with drinks!"

"This braised pig's head is so fragrant! It's fatty but not greasy. One bite and your mouth is filled with meaty flavor. I think I could easily eat two pieces!"

"Two pieces is a bit expensive, isn't it? A pound of pig's head meat only costs two and a half yuan outside. I think selling it for around one and a half yuan might attract more customers, and it would also match the prices on our restaurant's menu."

"I think what Master Zhang said makes sense. One yuan and sixty cents for pig's head meat, and two yuan for pig's ears and pig's snout."

Everyone chimed in with their suggestions and opinions.

Huang He was ultimately in charge of the kitchen at Feiyan Restaurant, so people dared to express ideas that differed from Li Laosan's.

This braised meat is delicious; that's a consensus among all the chefs.

Fortunately, it was made by the boss himself, so it didn't threaten their position or their jobs.

"Okay, okay, I've noted it all down. I'll discuss it with Shulan later and then finalize the price." Huang He listened attentively, nodding repeatedly, and then pointed to the three plates of braised meat, saying, "If everyone likes it, we can share it. But these in the basket will have to be left for the guests."

"Okay!" everyone replied with laughter.

Huang He and Huang Bing exchanged a glance and walked out of the kitchen.

Zhao Shulan had just come downstairs when she heard the sound and looked towards the kitchen.

Huang He quickly came over, beckoned Huang Bing to go into the private room next door, and closed the door.

"Did you bring the braised meat?" Zhao Shulan asked.

"I took it, and even had Li Laosan finalize the cutting standards and plating. I had everyone try it, and they all said it was delicious." Huang He couldn't hide his excitement: "Even the chef praised it highly. If we launch this braised meat, our customers will definitely be very satisfied!"

Zhao Shulan smiled upon hearing this, equally confident in the braised meat, and asked, "How do you set the price?"

Huang He relayed everyone's suggestions.

Zhao Shulan took out paper and pen and calculated for a while, then said, "I think that 1.6 yuan for braised pig's head and 1.8 yuan for a serving of braised pig's ears would make the price per serving seem less abruptly high."

The main business is dine-in; if customers want to take away, they are charged by portion, not by weight. This way, the gross profit margin can be over 50%.

After thinking about it for a while, Huang He nodded and said, "Okay, let's do it your way."

"You can make double the profit at this price?" Huang Bing, who was listening nearby, was somewhat surprised.

“The profit margin of a restaurant is barely 50%, and it'll have to close down in half a month.” Zhao Shulan rolled her eyes at him and said, “Do you know how many employees we have? Do you know how much wear and tear we get on all kinds of tableware, kitchen utensils, tables, chairs and benches every month? And then there's managing relationships and maintaining customers…”

Huang Bing was getting drowsy listening to Zhao Shulan, but after she finished speaking, he asked expectantly, "Then I want to set up a stall to sell braised meat, do you think that's okay?"

Huang He glanced at it and said disdainfully, "With your knife skills, you shouldn't waste such good stuff. You can cut ear pieces as thick as a cutting board; it's a complete waste."

Huang Bing glared: "Old man! What you said is even more outrageous than what a nightingale said!"

"This shows that my daughter and I are of one heart," Huang He said with a smile.

"Ugh! I'm going to find Sun Zhou to practice my knife skills! I refuse to believe I can't even cut up a pig's head properly!" Huang Bing stormed off.

Huang He and Zhao Shulan exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised.

"Has the sun risen in the west? This guy actually went out of his way to practice his knife skills?" Huang He wondered.

“It’s even stranger that he’d want to sell braised meat to earn money himself,” Zhao Shulan said with a smile. “Has he changed his mind? Could it be that he saw Zhou Yan, who is the same age as him, already earning his own money and spending it himself, and that’s spurred him on?”

“The sparrows in the church can’t sing well, and the hen that’s been pinned down won’t lay eggs! We’ve never gotten him to do anything we asked him to do. I wonder if he’s really made up his mind this time.” Huang He stroked his chin, a hint of anticipation on his face.

……

After closing for lunch, Zhou Yan put a bag of braised meat and a book in his bicycle basket and slowly headed to the library.

At the library entrance, Grandpa Wang leaned back in his recliner, closed his eyes, and gently rocked back and forth.

The sound of a storyteller came from a nearby tape recorder: "Shan Xiongxin slapped him on the shoulder: 'I'll give you three hundred taels! And a fur coat to keep you warm!' Amid the uproar of the onlookers, Qin Qiong looked up at this hero he had just met. The wind and snow blurred his vision, and he only felt the golden mace in his arms burning faintly..."

Zhou Yan stopped the car.

"Finished reading 'Fortress Besieged'?" Grandpa Wang knew it was Zhou Yan without even opening his eyes.

"Yes, I've finished reading it. I came to borrow your new book today." Zhou Yan listened to the sound coming from the tape recorder and said with a smile, "Is it 'Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties'?"

"Yes, it's quite interesting, and easy on the eyes." Grandpa Wang sat up, looked at Zhou Yan and smiled, "You're quite knowledgeable; you can tell which book it is after just a few sentences."

"I guessed," Zhou Yan said with a smile. He hadn't listened to many episodes of the storytelling of "Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties," but he had loved watching "Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties" since he was a child.

"I brought you some braised meat to go with your wine." Zhou Yan handed over the braised meat wrapped in oil paper.

"Your braised meat tastes really good. Last time I had that packet with four ounces of liquor, but I usually only drink two ounces." Grandpa Wang reached out and took the bag, then asked with a smile, "How much is it? I need to tell you the price."

“Master, just pick out two books for me, why do you need money? Knowledge is priceless.” Zhou Yan smiled and waved his hand, taking out a copy of “Fortress Besieged” from the bicycle basket, and added, “My old man wants to read “Water Margin”, so he asked me to bring it to him.”

Grandpa Wang smiled upon hearing this, and after a moment's thought, said, "The Water Margin is the fifth book on the right side of the third row of the second bookcase when you enter. You can look at the fifth bookcase this time, the second row, the last one. It's written by a young author, and I think it's worth reading for you young people."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan carried the books into the room, first putting “Fortress Besieged” back in its original place, then finding “Water Margin”, and following the old man’s directions, he found the last book in the second row.

The cover, which is predominantly light blue, features only a small flower and five words:
Life – by Lu Yao.

A small book.

Zhou Yan took out two books and put them in the bicycle basket.

Grandpa Wang had already opened the oil paper bag, and with a glass of wine beside him, he looked at Zhou Yan and asked with a smile, "Have you learned how to make braised beef? Of all the braised dishes from Zhang's shop, the one I remember most vividly is braised beef."

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(End of this chapter)