1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 178 Wealth and honor not returned to one's hometown, like… (6.6k two-in-one)

Huang Ying's table and Duan Yuyan's table next door were eating so deliciously that the guests who were initially hesitant started ordering food one after another.

Mapo tofu with rice – whoever came up with this way of eating is a genius!

Just looking at it, you can already imagine how delicious it must smell.

Orders were delivered to the kitchen one by one.

It's only 80 cents a serving, worth a try.

"Sorry, we're sold out of Mapo Tofu. We only prepared twenty servings for today. Please order again tomorrow." A short while later, Aunt Zhao took down the Mapo Tofu sign, hung it in the clearance section, and smiled as she spoke to the customers who were ordering Mapo Tofu.

"Sold out already?"

"It's only noon!"

"Aunt Zhao, could you order me a serving? I really want to eat Mapo Tofu."

The guests immediately groaned, their mouths watering as they looked at the white and red Mapo Tofu on the table next to them.

"We use Xiba tofu, and we've sold out today, so we have nowhere to restock. We'll prepare more tomorrow," Zhao Tieying explained with a smile. "Be good and order other dishes today, and come back for Mapo Tofu tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, the guests had no choice but to give up.

But each of them secretly resolved to come early tomorrow and order a plate of Mapo Tofu.

Duan Yuyan doesn't usually like to eat rice, but today she ate two bowls of rice with Mapo Tofu.

She finally understood the meaning of "side dish" today.

It was much better with rice than twice-cooked pork, and she ate until she was stuffed.

They had almost finished eating when Yan Fei came in to clean up.

Grandma Qiu wanted to order him another dish, but he refused.

Yan Fei scooped a spoonful of Mapo Tofu onto the rice and said with a smile, "Mrs. Qiu, this is enough for me. These are all good dishes to eat with rice."

There was also a bowl of braised beef that was barely touched; I only ate the beef on top.

Clearly, this is still Ms. Duan's work.

It's a good thing we didn't order six bowls of beef hot pot today.

Yan Fei ate very quickly, devouring two bowls of rice in a flash, finishing off the remaining dishes as well, and then gulping down the soup from the beef stew.

"Tsk, look at the way these capitalists act. The driver doesn't even have the right to eat with them; he can only eat leftovers."

"Exactly! It shows a complete lack of respect for working people!"

"Come on, I was hoping to have braised beef, braised pork ribs, braised beef with ribs, and Mapo tofu in one meal. Look how elegant and well-mannered they are when they eat; they even left a corner of their food untouched."

"That's right, the driver was quite satisfied with the meal, but you didn't want to get on."

The other guests whispered among themselves, some indignant, others making jokes.

Yan Fei put down his bowl and let out a satisfied sigh.

This Mapo Tofu is so fragrant! The braised beef is also amazing!
Finally, we finished with a bowl of braised beef soup, which warmed us up from head to toe.

It must be said that Zhou Yan's cooking skills are indeed excellent. Each dish on the table has its own unique flavor, and there is not a single flaw to be found.

It tastes so much better than Feiyan Restaurant.

He even seriously considered that after Miss Duan returns to Hong Kong next month, he would bring his wife and children over for a meal.

Yan Fei didn't take the gossip to heart at all.

If they knew he earned 850 a month, they'd probably be green with envy.

Miss Duan always orders a whole table of food, but she and Mrs. Qiu never eat much. They are very particular about their food, and the dishes left for him are never mushy.

Seeing that he had finished eating, Duan Yuyan got up to pay the bill.

Grandma Qiu and Grandpa Wang also went out the door.

"Sister Yu Yan, are you leaving?" Zhou Momo ran over, having already taken off her leather jacket but still wearing her burgundy hat, and looked up at Duan Yu Yan as she spoke.

"Yes, I'm full. I'm going home now." Duan Yuyan smiled and squatted down, reaching out to pinch the little guy's chubby cheeks. "Do you want to come to Jiaozhou with me for a couple of days? I'll bring you back later."

"Shall we go by car?" Zhou Momo looked at the car parked on the side.

“Yes, if you like riding in cars, I’ll take you for a drive every day,” Duan Yuyan said with a smile.

The little guy thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook his head: "No, Mom said I can't just stay at other people's houses."

Duan Yuyan and Grandma Qiu both laughed upon hearing this.

"Okay, then I'll come visit you again in a couple of days." Duan Yuyan reached out and hugged her. "Quick, give me another kiss."

"Mua!" Zhou Momo pecked her cheek. "Goodbye, Xiangxiang sister."

"Goodbye, Momo baby." Duan Yuyan kissed her and said with a smile.

Huang Bing was paying the bill with Huang Ying when he saw this scene and couldn't help but envy Zhou Momo.

Zhou Momo, the goddess he couldn't even speak to, hugged and kissed him!

That's so enviable.

Being cute means you can do whatever you want.

"Look at other people's sisters," Huang Bing couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

"Why don't you look at that guy's brother? He's tall and handsome, cooks so well, speaks so sweetly, has beautiful handwriting, and is incredibly good to his sister. Pretty girls are always around him." Huang Ying rolled her eyes at her and continued her tirade:
“I have photos at home. I was just as cute when I was little. Even Grandma Qiu loved to hug and kiss me.”

Huang Bing opened his mouth, only to find that he couldn't refute it.

It's so frustrating to compare yourself to others!
Before they entered, Miss Duan and Zhou Yan were indeed chatting enthusiastically, and seemed quite familiar with each other.

I should have known better than to say that!

Duan Yuyan looked at the two elders and suggested, "We've eaten so much! Grandma, why don't we stroll along the river to the library? I'd like to borrow a few books to take back and read, and ask Uncle Wang for some recommendations."

Grandma Qiu nodded: "That's fine too."

Grandpa Wang naturally had no objections, and he and Grandma Qiu strolled slowly along the riverbank, pushing their bicycles together.

"Brother Fei, drive to the town library and wait for us. We'll walk there," Duan Yuyan said to Yan Fei, then followed a few steps behind the two elderly people.

Yan Fei dared not leave Miss Duan and Old Lady Qiu alone, especially since Miss Duan was wearing sparkling jewelry. If that blind scoundrel were to target her, he couldn't bear the responsibility.

He glanced at Huang Bing with a hint of warning, got into his car, and followed the three of them at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

"He just glared at me with his claws again? Do I really look like a bad guy?" Huang Bing pushed the car out, somewhat annoyed.

“I really can’t see any characteristics of a good person.” Huang Ying nodded in deep agreement.

"It's nothing, he's just a driver." Huang Bing said nonchalantly, watching Duan Yuyan's departing figure with confidence, "I believe I'll be able to speak with Miss Duan soon. She gave me quite a few looks today!"

"Tsk, people usually see two kinds of things when they go to the zoo: good-looking ones and funny-looking ones, like monkeys with red bottoms."

"What...what do you mean?" Huang Bing glared at her.

Huang Ying looked at him and said, "Do you remember what the fortune teller said to you when we went to worship Buddha at the beginning of the year?"

"I remember the fortune teller said I would be troubled by love this year." Huang Bing said with a sigh, "Look, love has come to me."

“I used to think it was love too, but it seems you’re going to be stuck with a corn cob this year.” Huang Ying said earnestly, “I only realized today that it was just wishful thinking.”

"Huh?" Huang Bing was stunned for a moment. Looking at Huang Ying who had already ridden off on her bicycle, he suddenly realized what was going on and gritted his teeth, saying, "Huang Ying! You stay right there!"

……

"Customers are very enthusiastic about ordering Mapo Tofu. I think we could sell even if we added twenty more servings," Zhao Tieying said to Zhou Yan, who had taken off his apron and came out of the kitchen after the lunch break.

"At first, everyone wants to try it out, but adding twenty servings means adding twenty kilograms. I don't know if Laifu and the others can handle it," Zhou Yan said with a smile, quite satisfied with the debut of Mapo Tofu.

These tofus are all made from soybean milk that Laifu grinds by hand, and the production capacity depends entirely on his physical strength.

He's too thin. No matter how good his stamina is, he has to make tofu, dried tofu, and even help make yuba. There's too much work to do, so his production capacity is ultimately limited.

If we're talking about the optimal solution, Zhou Yan thinks they should try to buy a mule and restart that big millstone in the corner of the yard.

The most tedious and physically demanding step of grinding soybeans can be done by freeing up your hands, and the speed of grinding soybeans can be greatly increased, so production capacity is expected to increase rapidly as well.

Zhou Yan estimated that they could buy a donkey that cost 300 yuan each before the Chinese New Year.

In that time, donkeys will not only be able to pull millstones, but they can also be used to deliver tofu by harnessing them to a cart.

Back then, Laifu's father used to deliver tofu around by driving a donkey cart.

Zhou Yan will definitely help to check this out.

With the donkey cart, even if he moves the restaurant to Jiaozhou in the future, he can still have Laifu deliver tofu to him every day.

This is a core ingredient supplier.

“Whether or not they can do it is your aunt’s business. You should make your request first, and they will naturally find a way. To put it bluntly, making tofu requires far fewer steps than making dried tofu, and the money earned is the same, so they will definitely be more willing to make more tofu to sell,” Zhao Tieying said.

“Okay, I’ll go to Shangshui Village later.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Zhao Tieying smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go back to the village with you, old man, and talk to everyone about the meal."

"Mom, I want to go back to the village to play too!" Zhou Momo came over, looking up with expectant eyes. "I haven't played with Huahua and Dabai for so long, they must miss me too."

“Okay, I’ll take you back too.” Zhao Tieying reached out and flicked her nose.

"Fourth Aunt, you go ahead, I'll wash the rest of the dishes so you don't come back late," Zhao Hong said.

"Alright, Zhao Hong, then thank you for your trouble." Zhao Tieying nodded with a smile and called to Zhou Miao, "Go upstairs and change your clothes. Go back early so that everyone doesn't take a nap or go out."

Zhao Tieying carried Zhou Momo upstairs as well.

When the three of them came downstairs again, they had all changed into new clothes.

Comrade Zhou was wearing a Zhongshan suit, Western-style trousers, and a pair of well-maintained, shiny leather shoes. He also wore a Shanghai brand watch.

Aunt Zhao was wearing a floral shirt with a red knitted cardigan over it. Her hair was tied up, revealing both ears. Her gold earrings were sparkling, and she was wearing the same leather shoes that Zhou Yan had bought for her.

Zhou Momo changed into a thin sweater underneath, and wore the brown leather jacket that Duan Yuyan had given her today. She also wore a burgundy hat. Aunt Zhao had taught Zhou Momo how to dress.

"Do you think we should dress like this?" Aunt Zhao asked Zhou Yan.

“Yes, you can tell he’s made money in town.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

"That's exactly the effect I wanted." Aunt Zhao was quite satisfied with Zhou Yan's explanation and turned to take the magazine that was standing on the wall.

"Mom, do you want me to get you a bag?" Zhou Yan asked.

"Why take out a bag? It's more natural to hold it in your hand." Aunt Zhao shook her head and said seriously, "Taking it out of a bag is too deliberate. Holding it in your hand is different; everyone can see it."

Look, this is the experience of the older generation of artists. Zhou Yan looked at Aunt Zhao's upturned lips; it seemed that just thinking about what she would do when she returned to the village later made her want to laugh.

Comrade Lao Zhou drove Aunt Zhao and Zhou Momo away. Zhou Yan put some money in his pocket, packed three ounces of pig's head meat and half a pound of braised vegetables, pushed his bicycle out the door, and headed towards Shangshui Village.

As soon as I turned into the alley, I smelled the aroma of soy milk.

Zhou Yan parked the car outside the courtyard gate and went up to knock on the door.

A moment later, the door was opened, and Laifu, standing inside, saw Zhou Yan and smiled as he welcomed him in.

"Zhou Yan, you're here." Grandma Sun was still sitting in the courtyard making tofu skin. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Auntie, are your eyes and legs feeling better?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile, handing the braised meat and vegetables in her hand to Laifu standing beside her. "I brought you three ounces of pig's head meat and some braised vegetables for dinner."

"My eyes feel much better. After my cousin Zhengping gave me acupuncture, my legs are also much better and don't hurt as much as before. I finally got a good night's sleep last night." Grandma Sun said a little embarrassedly, "Oh dear, you're always so kind to me when you come. Why do you bring me anything? Money doesn't go unnoticed, and I don't have anything to give in return."

"It's good that it's better, which means it's working. I brought some of the homemade braised food for you to try," Zhou Yan said with a smile. He noticed that Grandma Sun's eyes were indeed less red and swollen than yesterday, indicating that the eye drops and anti-inflammatory medicine were quite effective.

Moreover, she probably stopped crying, which will also help with the recovery of her eyes.

"Auntie, my Mapo Tofu sold very well today. Twenty catties of tofu weren't enough to meet the demand. Can you increase your tofu production?" Zhou Yan revealed the purpose of his visit.

"Twenty catties isn't enough to sell?" Grandma Sun was a little surprised when she heard this, and asked directly, "How many catties did you say you wanted?"

"Would forty pounds be okay?"

"Forty catties..." Grandma Sun pondered for a moment and nodded: "Okay! I'll have Laifu carry it twice tomorrow, I guarantee you'll have enough to sell."

“No need to make two trips. Just have Laifu carry the tofu to my shop. I’ll pick up the dried tofu and bean curd sticks when I come back.” Zhou Yan said with a smile, “Laifu shouldn’t waste his time delivering goods. He should stay home and help you make tofu. Improving his skills is the key.”

"You uncles and cousins ​​have taken such good care of him," Grandma Sun said, her voice choked with emotion.

"Grandma, this is half the money for the goods Laifu delivered this morning. Please keep it safe." Zhou Yan took out eight yuan and forty cents from his pocket and handed it to Grandma Sun.

"I told you it was for payment." Old Mrs. Sun didn't reach out.

“It was my oversight. Even if we were to transfer the money, I would still give you the initial capital to buy beans, leaving some money for living expenses.” Zhou Yan smiled and stuffed the money into her hand. “I need a lot of tofu and other tofu right now, and you’re only doing business with me. I’ll leave you half the money to buy beans and cover your living expenses. That way, we can clear the accounts in about a month, which is just right.”

"Zhou Yan, do you need the money urgently? It's so much money." Grandma Sun held the money, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Auntie, I don't need the money urgently." Zhou Yan shook her head; she was the kind of person who felt particularly anxious when she owed money.

Grandma Sun asked, "Do you want tofu for dinner tonight? We just ordered two pots of tofu. If you want some, I'll have Laifu make two platters and deliver them to the shop."

Zhou Yan's eyes lit up upon hearing this: "That's fine too."

Two slabs of tofu weighing twenty jin (approximately 10 kg) make twenty servings of Mapo Tofu, which can earn you more than eight yuan.

……

Under the big tree at the entrance of Zhoucun village.

The women, who had just finished lunch, were now sitting and chatting.

During this period, Grandma Zhang and her family provided the most topics of conversation.

"Wei Guo is now the Minister of the Armed Forces Department, he's so powerful! Yesterday I went to town on business and passed by the Armed Forces Department, and I saw him instructing the militia in training. Standing there, those militiamen looked like chicks in front of him."

“Weiguo has made something of himself now. I heard that several matchmakers have come to Zhang’s house to ask her to marry him. Before, they looked down on Weiguo because he was disabled and unemployed, but now they see all his good points.”

“If I marry him, I’ll be an official’s wife. So what if I have a disability? Wei Guo used to be a handsome young man in the surrounding area, no less than Zhou Yan now.”

"I heard that Zhou Jie and Zhou Hai sell hot pot at the dock, and their business is booming. They sell it for six cents a bowl, and they can sell a hundred bowls a day. I wonder how much money they make!"

"They don't call it hot pot, they call it 'Qiaojiao Beef,' saying they learned the recipe from Zhou Yan. Everyone who has tried it says it's delicious, and customers are willing to pay extra for their food."

"This family is clinging to Zhou Yan, and they're getting better and better off. I heard that Zhou Yan's restaurant business is booming, with long queues forming outside every day to sell braised meat."

The women chattered amongst themselves, their faces betraying their envy.

"Tch, I think it's mostly bragging." Gao Cuihua curled her lip. "If Zhou Yan is really that good at making money, why hasn't he come back to repair his house after it collapsed? It's been more than half a month, and no one has even fixed the foundation. It's just lying there in a mess."

"Exactly, there are so many brothers, and none of them have offered to contribute money or labor to rebuild the house. If they can't afford a brick house, they could at least dig up the foundation and rebuild the mud walls," a plump auntie chimed in.

Just then, a bicycle appeared on the village road, riding along at a leisurely pace.

"Isn't that the fourth brother and Tie Ying?" Someone with sharp eyes recognized them immediately.

Everyone craned their necks to look; they had only just started talking about their family when the person in question arrived.

"The fourth brother is wearing a new outfit, and he looks quite presentable."

"What is Momo wearing? It's shiny and reflects light, is it a leather jacket?"

"Look at Tie Ying's ears, they're really shiny with gold, could it be a gold earring?"

The crowd whispered among themselves.

Hearing the sound, Gao Cuiying also craned her neck and lifted her bottom off the stone bench. When she saw the golden earrings on Zhao Tieying's ears, she plopped back down on the stone bench, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Sister Tieying is back!" Li Hongyan, the neighbor's sister-in-law, greeted her.

Zhou Miao squeezed the brakes, and the bicycle stopped under the big tree.

"Are you all full and just chatting here?" Zhao Tieying sat in the back seat, smiling as she brushed non-existent hair behind her ear, her earrings swaying slightly, glittering with gold.

"Wearing such huge gold earrings! They must have struck it rich!" Li Hongyan exclaimed.

"Oh dear, your fourth brother said I don't have any jewelry. Last time we went to the department store, he insisted on buying me a pair of gold earrings, from the Lao Feng Xiang brand," Zhao Tieying said with a smile.

"Fourth Brother is so good to you!"

"The fourth brother still knows how to cherish his wife, unlike my good-for-nothing husband who only knows how to gamble all day long!"

“My son is the same. As soon as it gets dark, he urinates a few times and then falls asleep without saying a word.”

The women looked on with envy, and then, through gritted teeth, they gave their husbands a thorough dressing-down.

"Is that the new Shanghai watch that Fourth Brother is wearing? It must cost over a hundred yuan!" Li Hongyan, with her sharp eyes, made another new discovery.

All eyes turned to Zhou Miao's hands.

It really is a shiny new watch, a Shanghai brand.

"It's less than a hundred, the price has dropped, only seventy yuan now." Zhao Tieying said with a smile, "Zhou Yan bought it for his old man, saying that he likes fishing but doesn't know the time, so a watch would be more convenient."

"Even fishing requires a watch? Zhou Yan is both rich and filial," Li Hongyan remarked.

The others nodded in agreement, while silently criticizing in their hearts.

He bought a watch for seventy yuan and used it for fishing!

"Is Momo wearing a leather jacket? It looks so stylish." Li Hongyan's gaze shifted to Zhou Momo.

"Hello, Aunt Li." Zhou Momo greeted her politely.

“Yes, Zhou Yan’s friend bought it for her from Hong Kong. He said it was some brand, but I don’t know anything about it. It’s genuine leather, and it feels so comfortable to the touch. It’s quite different from a cotton coat.” Zhao Tieying said with a smile, “This hat was also a gift from his friend. It’s called something like a baseball cap.”

"Brought back from Hong Kong!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes widened slightly.

Li Hongyan leaned closer and touched it, exclaiming, "The leather is so soft! It's even softer than the leather jacket I saw at the department store last time that cost over a hundred yuan!"

"It was given to me by Sister Yuyan. She's so pretty," Zhou Momo said.

"How does Zhou Yan know such a beautiful girl from Hong Kong? And why did he bring such a nice leather jacket for Momo?" someone asked curiously.

“Our Zhou Yan is a great cook, handsome, and very sensible. Many customers who have eaten his food want to be his friends.” Zhao Tieying proudly handed over the magazine in her hand and said with a smile, “Look, his dishes are even on the cover of the magazine, and there’s an interview inside. I heard that only top-level or even master chefs can be featured in this magazine.”

"Appear in a magazine?"

"An exclusive interview?!"

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this, and they all looked at the magazine cover in Zhao Tieying's hand, where a pot of beef soup was being served in a blue and white porcelain basin.

"Isn't this our Zhoucun hot pot?" Li Hongyan exclaimed in surprise.

“It’s Zhou Yan’s braised beef with ribs.” Zhao Tieying smiled and flipped to Zhou Yan’s interview. “Look, he even took a picture.”

Everyone looked at it intently.

"It really is Zhou Yan!"

"He looks incredibly handsome in the photos!"

"This kid is promising! He's already in a magazine! People who can be published in newspapers are all important figures."

"Tieying, you are so lucky. Your husband loves you and your son is so successful. You are so happy."

"That's right, my husband is such a wretched child. All he does is lie in bed and sleep all day. He's like a toad, jumping around all the time."

The women under the tree were truly envious this time.

No matter how generous my husband is, he's still spending the family's money.

But a son who is both capable and filial is what any mother could ever dream of.

This is not...

Zhao Tieying's dream has come true!

No, sister?
How did you end up living this kind of life?
While one's own mediocrity is certainly frightening, the success of one's sisters is even more unsettling.

Gao Cuihua, standing to the side, had a contorted expression of jealousy.

Zhao Tieying took in everyone's expressions, and couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

"That's enough for now, we have some things to do back home. Come visit me in town sometime if you have time," Zhao Tieying said with a smile as she put the magazine away.

Zhou Miao immediately rode his bicycle towards the village.

This left behind a group of women who were extremely envious.

"She's so smug! Others who got into university and received their acceptance letters aren't as smug as her. Anyone who didn't know better would think her son Zhou Yan got the top score in the imperial examination!" Gao Cuihua spat, her sourness overflowing.

“Zhou Yan’s dishes made it onto the cover of a magazine, alongside a bunch of top-level chefs and master chefs. If someone is good at studying, they’re called a literary champion, so he can be considered a culinary champion too!” Li Hongyan laughed.

“That’s right. If my son had that kind of ability, I would cut two holes in a magazine and stick it on my face every day, walking around the village once in the morning and once in the evening.”

"We're all from the Zhou family. Their ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke, so why aren't we benefiting?"

The crowd was buzzing with discussion, and the word "envy" had been used to death.

Gao Cuihua clenched and unclenched her fists, then went home gritting her teeth.

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(End of this chapter)