1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 195 What You Keep in Mind Will Surely Come True! (6k-page compilation)

Xiao Wang comes from Hong Kong, but his ancestral home is Guangdong. In 1980, he won the runner-up title in his first free fighting competition in Southeast Asia. He later retired due to injury and went to work.

This time, when I accompanied Mr. Qian back to China for business and to search for relatives, my secretary was also in charge of his safety and some translation work.

In Guangdong and Hangzhou, where Mandarin is relatively widely spoken, his translation skills are quite good.

But ever since I came to Sichuan...

Sichuan dialect is just too outrageous!
Does the principal not speak Mandarin when giving a speech on the school playground?

The students listened with great interest, and it didn't feel out of place at all!
When he arrived in Jiaozhou, he found that the Jiaozhou dialect was even more difficult to understand than the Sichuan dialect!
He gradually became taciturn, transforming from a lively and cheerful secretary.

I don't understand Sichuan dialect very well, but the food in Sichuan is delicious!
Especially after moving from Hangzhou to Sichuan, he felt as if he had entered a food paradise.

He was initially worried that his chrysanthemums might not survive after arriving in Sichuan.

But the actual experience was much better than he had expected. Delicious food was everywhere, even the food in the factory canteen was so delicious.

He was especially shocked by this small restaurant in the town today.

The young chef cooked every dish so deliciously. He buried his head in his rice and ate five bowls of rice with Mapo Tofu.

He had thought that was the ultimate in deliciousness.

It wasn't until Zhou Yan invited his master to make a dish of Linjiang eel shreds that things changed.

Not only did they make the boss cry again, but even he felt like crying after eating them.

So delicious!

In Guangdong, a famous way to cook eel is in a clay pot. When I was in Hong Kong, I often went to a small Cantonese restaurant to eat it. The sauce was rich and flavorful, the eel was tender and smooth, and the taste was fresh and not fishy.

This method is completely different from the preparation of the eel shreds from the Linjiang River, and each has its own unique flavor.

But I have to say, the eel shreds are fresh, spicy and numbing, and every chopstick is full of eel meat. You don't have to spit out the bones. It's just like slurping noodles. It's really so satisfying.

The most amazing thing was the last bowl of ramen, which was poured directly into the remaining eel soup and mixed with the noodles. After the soup was slightly absorbed, each person served it into a bowl.

The ramen, soaked in broth, was chewy, smooth, spicy, and fresh—better than any bowl of noodles he had ever eaten before.

And this was made with just leftovers!

Sichuan people really know how to eat.

Judging from Mr. Qian's reaction after eating the eel shreds from Linjiang, his search for relatives is likely to be successful.

Others may not know, but he accompanied them to Hangzhou to pay respects to their ancestors.

When paying respects to his ancestors in Hangzhou, Mr. Qian acted with the air of a multinational corporation boss, walking with his back straight and his wallet paving the way as he brought his father's memorial tablet into the ancestral hall.

Unlike today, I've cried twice already.

The mother clearly holds a more special place in Mr. Qian's heart.

Although Mr. Qian is amiable, he always gives people a sense of distance. He generally doesn't get too close to others, let alone dine with a family he doesn't know.

Today, however, I am sitting here, eating with a family from a small restaurant, sharing a table and toasting with Lin Zhiqiang. We are enjoying our meal together, which is quite unexpected.

Qian Siyuan put down his chopsticks, breathed a satisfied sigh, and smiled with a hint of alcohol on his lips: "I've always been disciplined when I eat, and I'm careful to eat until I'm seven-tenths full. I've had two meals where I was stuffed since I came to China, one was now, and the other was at noon. Chef Zhou and Chef Xiao's cooking skills are so superb that they really whetted my appetite."

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

Let alone him, who among those present wasn't stuffed?
Zhou Yan ate the noodles, which were cooked in three ounces each, along with a large bowl of eel shreds. He must have been stuffed.

"Master Zhou, thank you for your help. I will come to thank you in person after I successfully find my relatives." Qian Siyuan stood up and held Zhou Yan's hand tightly.

"You're welcome, it was nothing at all," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "I hope Mr. Qian can successfully find his relatives and his mother's hometown."

"Thank you." Qian Siyuan nodded, then looked at Xiao Lei and asked, "Master Xiao, where should I pick you up tomorrow morning?"

Xiao Lei said, "I'll be waiting for you at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative at 8:30 tomorrow morning."

"Alright, then I'll head back to the Jiaozhou Hotel first," Qian Siyuan said, taking the wallet from Xiao Wang and handing out two stacks of ten-yuan notes to Xiao Lei and Zhou Yan. "I've troubled you a lot today. This is a small token of my appreciation as a token of my appreciation for your hard work. Please accept it, gentlemen."

Xiao Lei raised his hand and pushed it back, shaking his head with a serious expression, saying, "Helping others is a traditional Chinese virtue. We're helping you not for money, but because of your kindness in searching for your relatives across thousands of miles."

A person's life is fleeting, like grass and trees in autumn. Chinese people believe in returning to one's roots, so your mother always cherishes her hometown.

You were born in the United States, but you have Chinese blood flowing through your veins. It's a good thing to recognize your roots. From now on, no matter where you are, you'll at least know where your hometown is and where your roots are.

“Master is right.” Zhou Yan nodded. Master Xiao had been a head chef, so he spoke with great skill.

Moreover, he possesses the romanticism inherent in the Chinese psyche.

Qian Siyuan lowered his hand that was holding the money, bowed to Xiao Lei, and said with some shame, "I was shallow."

"Uncle, this painting is for you!" Zhou Momo slid off the stool, took the painting she had done that afternoon, handed it to Qian Siyuan, and said with a smile, "Don't cry~ Be happy!"

"Okay, thank you." Qian Siyuan smiled and took the painting. He rummaged in his pockets but couldn't find anything suitable. Finally, he handed the stack of ten-yuan bills to Zhou Momo. "In foreign countries, paintings by famous artists are usually bought with money. Your painting is so good, so how about I buy your first painting?"

Aunt Zhao raised an eyebrow. "What can be sold for money? That thick stack of ten-yuan notes is worth at least two hundred yuan!"

Zhou Momo looked at the stack of money, took a half step back, and waved her hand, saying, "I don't want the money! I'm just a helpful girl~~"

Qian Siyuan smiled as he held a stack of ten-yuan notes. This was the first time since he came to China that he had been unable to give away the money he had.

"Okay, then next time I come, I'll give you a gift in return." Qian Siyuan nodded with a smile, handed the money and painting to Xiao Wang, and instructed, "Keep it safe, don't fold it."

"Okay, Mr. Qian." Xiao Wang carefully took the painting, opened his briefcase, and put it in the folder.

Lin Zhiqiang saw Qian Siyuan to the door.

The car from Jiaozhou Hotel was already parked at the entrance.

"Director Lin, thank you so much for the introduction today. I feel really bad for taking up half a day of your time with me." Qian Siyuan looked at Lin Zhiqiang and said, "I will seriously consider the cooperation when I get back. Regardless of whether the business goes through in the end, I'm determined to be your friend."

"It is my honor to be friends with Mr. Qian," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

“I wasn’t joking at noon today. If you ever want to start your own business, you can come and talk to me. As long as the project is suitable, I will definitely invest in you.” Qian Siyuan said seriously, “I think you are a reliable person.”

Lin Zhiqiang nodded: "Okay, I will remember Mr. Qian's words. If I ever need to invest, I will give Mr. Qian my first choice."

Qian Siyuan got into the car and left.

Lin Zhiqiang watched the car drive away.

"Uncle Lin, did the cooperation go through?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile from behind.

"It's hard to say yet, but it looks more promising than before lunch." Lin Zhiqiang turned around, looked at Zhou Yan and smiled, "I have to thank you and Master Xiao for helping Mr. Qian a lot."

"Of course, everyone in Linjiang Town is surnamed Kong. They might even be related to my master. We should help them if we can," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

Thinking of that stack of 100-yuan bills, he still felt a pang of heartache.

Although his money didn't come from thin air, it seemed to have been blown away by the wind.

Of course, if it were him, he probably wouldn't accept the money either.

"Okay, I'll head back now. I skipped work today to spend the whole day with a client, so I need to give the factory manager an explanation." Lin Zhiqiang patted Zhou Yan's arm. "I'll treat you to dinner later."

"I'll definitely treat you to dinner. There's nothing more convenient than a restaurant," Zhou Yan said with a smile. He certainly didn't want to go to someone's house to cook for him.

“Then I’ll go back too.” Xiao Lei came out and said to Zhou Yan, “Your noodles are really good, quite chewy and smooth, better than the ones made by machine in a noodle factory.”

“If you like it, come anytime for breakfast. There’s plenty of noodles,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

Xiao Lei looked at him and casually asked, "Who taught you to make ramen? I don't remember ever teaching you how to make pasta dishes, did I?"

Zhou Yan's smile froze for a moment, then he quickly became serious again and said, "I learned how to make Shanxi ramen from a recipe I bought from a street stall. The way we make ramen is quite different from the way we make noodles in Sichuan."

Business was slow a while ago, so I practiced making noodles in the shop every day. I used up several bags of flour before I finally mastered this noodle-making skill. It's thanks to these noodles that I've kept the business afloat.

"The way to make Shanxi ramen, huh? No wonder." Xiao Lei nodded thoughtfully, then quickly stared at him again, his brows furrowing slightly. "You're a bit strange, kid. I've taught you so many dishes, but you haven't mastered many of them. Yet, once you start working on your own, it's like you've suddenly figured it out. You can make dishes quite well just by flipping through a recipe?"

“Master, you’re wrong.” Zhou Yan said seriously, “Without the solid foundation I built by learning to cook in the factory canteen for two and a half years, without your patient teaching and painstaking cultivation, I wouldn’t have been able to accumulate so much knowledge and skills. All of this is because I have a good master. Having you is my good fortune.”

"Hey, stop talking, I'm getting goosebumps!" Xiao Lei waved his hands repeatedly, looking disgusted, but he couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

“I’m speaking from the bottom of my heart. Our Kong School lineage relies on good teachers like you, Master, to pass on our knowledge.” Zhou Yan said earnestly, “Don’t worry, when we go out in the future, I will definitely not say that you are my master. Even if a reporter interviews me, I will keep my mouth shut and not reveal a single word about our school, so as not to embarrass you.”

Xiao Lei stopped laughing and coughed twice, looking slightly embarrassed: "This...that...it's actually okay. Our Kong School is a legitimate lineage. Next time you're interviewed, just be open about it."

For example, talk about your experience learning to cook, how you learned from me, and what excellent qualities you learned from me. That would make the character more well-rounded.

"Is that so?" Zhou Yan stroked his chin. "I remember Master didn't say that before, did he?"

“The past is the past, and the present is the present.” Xiao Lei laughed: “With your cooking skills when you first opened the restaurant, you were simply wasting ingredients. In the entire kitchen, apart from those two cucumbers that deserved to die, all the other dishes were a waste.”

Zhou Yan laughed upon hearing this, "It really comes down to Master, he knows it all!"
"Let's go, I need to go back and cook dinner for your teacher's wife," Xiao Lei called out.

"Should we get some braised meat to take back for your wife?" Zhou Yan asked him. Old Zhou was carrying braised meat and braised vegetables to the small table.

Xiao Lei paused, looking at the braised vegetables on the side: "No braised meat, how about some braised vegetables? Your teacher's wife likes braised tofu skin and dried tofu. Also, get some lotus root and potatoes. I won't need to cook anything when we get back."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan took two oil paper packages, one containing dried bean curd and tofu skin, and the other containing potatoes and lotus root, and handed them to Xiao Lei.

"How much money?" Xiao Lei had already taken out his wallet. "Consider it emergency money. I'll call you again next time," Zhou Yan said matter-of-factly.

"Then I'm off." Xiao Lei stuffed his wallet back into his pocket, picked up the braised vegetables, and rode away on his bike.

Zhou Yan smiled and turned back to the kitchen to start preparing the dishes. That's what social interactions are all about.

When you help me and I help him, only when we form a bond will our relationship become closer and closer.

Zhou Yan used to be someone who was afraid of bothering others and also afraid of being bothered by others.

I have no relatives or close friends. I only have a few roommates with whom I get along well and occasionally get together. I usually focus on making money.

In this life, he had loving and caring parents and grandmother, a lovely younger sister, and a bunch of relatives who were truly devoted to him.

There was also a master who was willing to resign for him, and a harmonious sect.

His mindset has changed somewhat.

It seems that these things are not as troublesome as he imagined.

This is life itself.

When he chooses to help others, he begins to experience happiness.

Earning money slowly and living life at a leisurely pace is quite comfortable and enjoyable.

"Brother, let me help you~~" Zhou Momo followed him into the kitchen, brought over a small stool, and helped him tear the cabbage.

Holding a large lotus leaf in her small hands, she tore it apart and tossed a lotus leaf into the wooden basin beside her. She tore off one leaf at a time, and they were all quite uniform in size. She did this job quite skillfully.

This work wasn't done for free; Zhou Yan paid her five cents for each lotus leaf she tore open.

You can earn a dime or two a day.

The piece-rate wage isn't low, but she's too small, so tearing them is a bit strenuous for her; she usually gets tired after tearing just one.

"This foreign boss is really something else. He casually pulled out several hundred yuan to express his gratitude." Aunt Zhao came into the kitchen and looked at Zhou Momo with a smile, saying, "Your youngest daughter still has backbone. You don't want so much money, but you're here tearing cabbage and earning five cents at a time."

"Guoguo said that we have money at home, and we don't want money given to us by others. We want to create wealth with our own hands," Zhou Momo said in a childish voice, but her expression was quite serious.

“Yes, your husband is right.” Aunt Zhao moved a small stool over and sat down next to her to work, her eyes full of smiles.

Zhou Yan smiled as well. These were the words he had said to her before, and he hadn't expected the little one to actually remember them.

Girls should be raised with abundance, not only in terms of money, but also in terms of spiritual strength and richness.

That way, when she grows up, no one will be able to trick her away for a pittance.

Putting everything else aside, she can't be worse than her brother, right?

When he has more money in his pocket, Zhou Yan plans to buy a Jialing 70 so he can take her out for drives more often.

In those days, a new motorcycle was a symbol of wealth.

Cars cannot be privately owned yet.

She could ride around in a Jialing 70 in the 1980s, so she wouldn't even look at those flashy, blond-haired guys who used to cause trouble on the streets.

"Do you think he can find his relatives?" Aunt Zhao asked, looking up at Zhou Yan.

“I think the chances are pretty high. If it really is someone from Linjiang, many of the older generation are still alive and have names. We can definitely find out.” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“That makes sense.” Aunt Zhao nodded, with a touch of emotion. “Judging from his expression, this matter must be very important to him. I hope he can get his wish. It’s not easy to travel thousands of miles to find relatives.”

……

"Tsk, you go and make the eel shreds from Linjiang yourself, while I stay home and make some braised vegetables. Stone, Stone, you've really grown up now, haven't you?" Ma Dongmei stood with her hands on her hips at the kitchen doorway, looking at Xiao Lei in the kitchen and clicking her tongue.

"Tell me, isn't this braised vegetable dish delicious?" Xiao Lei said with a smile as he turned around, his spatula still moving. "Besides, didn't I also stir-fry some pork cracklings and cabbage for you? It's got meat and vegetables, it's flavorful, that's good enough."

"Is this really braised by Zhou Yan?" Ma Dongmei stuffed another piece of dried tofu into her mouth. "This vegetarian dish is so fragrant! The dried tofu is even more tender than dried egg, the dried bean curd is even more fragrant than meat, and the lotus root is crisp and fragrant. I love thick-cut lotus root, and the potatoes are delicious too."

Xiao Lei laughed and said, "Zhou Yan's family recipe was learned from his grandmother. You may not know Zhang's braised food from back then, but my master said it was good and has been thinking about it for many years."

"That's great. This kid's career is finally on the right track. Before, I was worried that his restaurant would lose money and he would be left with a mountain of debt. Now that I see his restaurant thriving and he's even been featured in a magazine, I'm so happy." Ma Dongmei's smile was tinged with emotion.

"He's sensible, and he's motivated by shame. He's been much more diligent lately than he was in the cafeteria, which is how he honed his skills," Xiao Lei nodded.

"So you're taking that American to Linjiang tomorrow?" Ma Dongmei laughed. "Master Xiao is so honest and straightforward, he just turned down a few hundred yuan without hesitation."

“I was just going to help Zhou Yan, there’s no reason for me to take money. Besides, his mother’s surname is Kong, she’s from Linjiang, and her ancestors were chefs. Who knows what kind of relationship she might have with my master? If I take money, where will I put my face?” Xiao Lei shook his head.

“That’s right. We should definitely help if we can. Taking money would just make us look like a petty person.” Ma Dongmei nodded with a smile.

Xiao Lei scooped the pork cracklings and cabbage from the pot and carried them out of the kitchen. "Here you go, have some rice."

Besides two plates of braised dishes, there were also two glasses of wine on the table.

"On the hour? I'm free today, go to bed early tonight," Ma Dongmei asked him with a smile.

"Let's do it." Xiao Lei smiled as he sat down, glanced at the cup of medicinal wine in front of him with half a cup of goji berries floating in it, and sighed softly.

It looks like this is going to be another sleepless night.

……

The next morning, Zhou Yan was preoccupied with this matter.

The task progress bar is completely stuck; it seems there was no prior announcement, only the final result.

Just before lunchtime, when the restaurant closed, a car slowly pulled up in front of the restaurant.

Qian Siyuan and Xiao Lei got out of the car and walked into the store.

"Well? Did you find it?" Aunt Zhao couldn't help but ask when she saw the two of them.

"Found it! It's Linjiang! My mother is from Linjiang!" Qian Siyuan nodded, his expression revealing his excitement.

"That's wonderful!" Aunt Zhao's eyes lit up.

In the kitchen, Zhou Yan scooped out two portions of stir-fried pork liver from the pot, hurriedly carried the two dishes out, served the food to the guests, and went up to the two men, saying, "Mr. Qian, did you really find it?"

Qian Siyuan nodded and said, "Yes! Master Xiao took me to ask many old people. One of them knew my mother and even found one of my mother's childhood playmates, which confirmed this."

"That's great!" Zhou Yan couldn't help but clench his fist and turn to look at Xiao Lei. "Master, what's going on?"

Xiao Lei said with a smile, "If I'm not mistaken, his mother might be your grandmaster's sister. We plan to have lunch here with you, and then go to Jiaozhou to find your grandmaster uncle and have him confirm this."

Now that he's the head of the Kong family, he'll have to decide this matter. Your advisor's children probably haven't even met this old aunt. After we've eaten, would you like to come with us to Jiaozhou to witness this?"

“I’ll go! I’ll definitely go!” Zhou Yan nodded decisively.

With such a big commotion, who wouldn't want to go and see it!

Now that you mention it, Master was very farsighted.

If she really is the advisor's sister, and they accepted that money yesterday, they'll never be able to hold their heads up in the Kong faction again.

Even Aunt Zhao, who was standing to the side, lit up when she heard this, clearly her gossip spirit was also ignited.

"Then you can order your food. Once you've finished eating, we'll be closing soon," Zhou Yan said, then turned and went back to the kitchen to continue cooking.

"I'd like to order a plate of shredded pork with garlic sauce and a bowl of beef stew with pickled vegetables," Qian Siyuan said as he sat down. "Master Xiao, just order whatever you'd like."

"Then let's order some Mapo Tofu and Shredded Beef," Xiao Lei said, looking at Xiao Wang sitting next to him: "Xiao Wang, why don't you order two dishes too?"

“Yes.” Qian Siyuan nodded slightly.

Xiao Wang looked at the menu and thought about it carefully for a while before saying, "Then I'll order some cold chicken salad and braised pig's head."

The three of them sat and waited for their food.

It was clear that Qian Siyuan was in a very good mood today, with a smile on his face the whole time.

This morning, when he heard the white-haired old man nod and say, "Kong Simin? I know her! Huaifeng's sister!" his mind went blank.

After decades, his mother's long-cherished hometown finally gave him a response.

The excitement was indescribable.

This land suddenly seemed exceptionally welcoming.

Qian Siyuan calmed down and looked at Xiao Lei with a smile, "Master Xiao, Xiao Zhou's cooking is so delicious, as his master, your culinary skills must be even more experienced and skillful, and your dishes must be even more delicious, right?"

Xiao Lei remained calm and said, “There is an old Chinese saying: ‘A disciple is not necessarily inferior to his teacher, and a teacher is not necessarily more virtuous than his disciple.’ Although I have been cooking for more than 20 years longer than Zhou Yan, some of his dishes are already better than mine. This shows that he has good talent. For example, this Mapo Tofu, I have never even taught him. He probably learned it himself from cookbooks or magazines.”

"I see, that young Master Zhou is truly skilled! I had this Mapo Tofu yesterday, and it was very appetizing." Qian Siyuan nodded thoughtfully and exclaimed in admiration.

"Yes, it's especially delicious," Xiao Wang couldn't help but chime in, expressing his agreement.

Just then, Zhou Yan came out carrying Mapo Tofu and Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce.

Looking at the Mapo Tofu on the table, Xiao Lei leaned forward slightly and nodded. Then he looked up at Zhou Yan with a playful smile and said, "This Mapo Tofu looks authentic. It seems I'll have to ask Master Zhou how to make it later."
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(End of this chapter)