1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 212 You must invite me when you get married (6k-page compilation)

Yan Fei watched Zhou Yan warily. Although Miss Duan was about to leave, he still had to stand guard until the very end.

If this leads to a murder, I'd really be letting my boss down.

They are even more worried about having their previous wages reclaimed.

“I happen to be free this Sunday, and I was planning to visit you in Jiaozhou,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"You little rascal, your true colors are showing!" Yan Fei sneered. He would definitely be on high alert this Sunday!

Duan Yuyan's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she smiled and said, "What a coincidence! I came here today to invite you to the Qiu residence this Sunday for a family dinner. We haven't sat down to eat together yet."

How about we come over to my house for a family meal?

What a rare word!

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow; only Miss Duan could say such a thing without sounding out of place.

“My grandma and I are going to Hong Kong next week. Grandma said there are some things she wants to tell you about the old house,” Duan Yuyan continued.

"So soon?" Zhou Yan was a little surprised. Last time they met, they said they would leave in a month or two, but he didn't expect to be going to Hong Kong next week.

“The plane tickets are all booked. My dad and aunt are eager to see the old lady as soon as possible, so they moved the original date forward a bit,” Duan Yuyan said.

“Okay, what do you and Grandma Qiu want to eat on Sunday? Make a menu and I’ll bring the ingredients up to cook.” Zhou Yan said with a smile, “I was just planning to give you the down payment for the house this Sunday and finalize the details.”

"You've saved enough already? So fast?" Duan Yuyan was somewhat surprised to hear this.

Ten thousand yuan is just a month's pocket money for her, but in mainland China today, having ten thousand yuan is a symbol of wealth.

You can even buy something with just five cents.

At Zhou Yan's small restaurant, a bowl of noodles costs only six cents, and a serving of twice-cooked pork costs only two dollars.

In just over a month, he has already saved up 10,000 yuan?
How many dishes and how many noodles would you have to cook every day?

"Almost there, but it should be done by this Sunday," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Okay, it's settled then." Duan Yuyan looked at him and said, "I want to eat snowflake chicken soup. Could you make me some on Sunday?"

“Of course.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Duan Yuyan smiled, "Then you can arrange the other dishes as you see fit. There are seven people in total, so just make sure they're comfortable."

“Okay, I’ll see how to arrange it.” Zhou Yan nodded.

"Momo, come have dinner with your brother on Sunday, okay? I'll be waiting for you to come play with me." Duan Yuyan reached out and pinched Zhou Momo's chubby cheek, saying with a smile.

"Mmm-hmm." Zhou Momo nodded. "Sister Yu Yan, I'll definitely come!"

"Good girl." Duan Yuyan withdrew her hand and looked at Zhou Yan again, saying, "You must bring Momo with you. She is my sister, and I have already formally invited her."

"Okay, I'll definitely bring her." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. Duan Yuyan really dotes on Zhou Momo.

Zhou Yan saw Duan Yuyan off at the door and watched her get into the car and leave before noticing Kong Guodong sitting on the stone bench at the door.

"Uncle Kong, why are you sitting here? Come in and sit down," Zhou Yan said quickly.

"It's nothing. I just finished eating and went for a walk. Is the shop done yet?" Kong Guodong's smile was a little stiff.

Judging from the way Zhou Yan saw Miss Duan off, it seemed like this wasn't Miss Duan's first time eating at Zhou Yan's restaurant; the two seemed quite familiar with each other.

Well, well, this nephew has even hooked up with a rich woman.

That's right. Zhou Yan not only cooks delicious food, but he also looks more authoritative than his cooking.

How do we dig this corner?
Zhou Yan said with a smile, "The guests have all left. Our restaurant mainly serves textile factory workers. After the workers finish eating, they need to take a lunch break. Once they're done with that, there's no business left. It's quite different from restaurants in the city."

"That's good too, we don't have to keep watch over them all the time." Kong Guodong nodded.

Zhou Yan is too modest. During the period when he was busy, he was enough to keep a small restaurant in the city going for a whole day.

With such a concentrated influx of customers, they're incredibly busy at times, but they also earn a lot.

"Uncle Kong, is there something you need from me today? Why don't we come in and sit down and talk?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.

"Let's not go inside and sit down. Let's sit at the entrance and chat for a while," Kong Guodong said with a smile, patting the stone bench.

“Alright.” Zhou Yan sat down. “What is it? Just tell me.”

"Then I'll cut to the chase. Liu Ye, the manager of Leming Restaurant, saw the Jiaozhou Daily yesterday and highly praised your culinary skills. Knowing that you are a disciple of our Kong school, he asked me to extend an invitation to you and your master to join Leming Restaurant," Kong Guodong said with a smile.

"As for compensation, he will pay you the maximum amount, which is about 150 yuan a month. Leming Hotel hosts leaders and foreign businessmen all year round, and there are also many training opportunities at higher-level hotels. As long as you are willing to come, we can arrange it for you."

"These are the leader's exact words, and I'm telling you the truth."

Zhou Yan smiled upon hearing this, knowing that Master Kong had come with a mission today.

However, it seems he knew that the terms he offered were not worth negotiating, so he simply shifted the blame to his superiors.

“I have long admired Leming Restaurant. It is where our founder and master once fought, and it is also where our Kong School originated and grew.” Zhou Yan smiled and said, “However, as Master Kong has seen, my little restaurant is not bad. Business is just starting to pick up, and my whole family depends on this restaurant to make a living. I really can’t leave.”

Is that okay?
This restaurant is amazing!
He had just taken a walk along the riverbank and reconsidered in his mind. He figured that two or three thousand a month was an underestimation. With this booming business, Zhou Yan and his family could easily earn four or five thousand a month.

The combined salaries of all the chefs in the kitchen of the Leming Hotel don't even reach that amount.

"Okay, I understand what you mean. I'll explain it to the manager when I get back." Kong Guodong nodded. Zhou Yan had given him a clear answer, so he could report back to his manager.

This is not unacceptable; Leming Hotel cannot afford it, and neither can Feiyan Restaurant.

"If Leming Hotel has any important receptions, could we ask you to cook a few dishes?" Kong Guodong asked Zhou Yan. "As you know, sometimes important leaders come to Jiaozhou, and Leming Hotel usually hosts them. Of course, we won't let you make a free trip; we'll charge you per visit."

"I see..." Zhou Yan thought for a moment and nodded, "Okay, but you need to communicate with me about the time in advance, as I may not always be available."

"Then it will definitely be based on your schedule." Kong Guodong nodded with a smile, finalized the matter, chatted with Zhou Yan for a few more minutes, and then rode off to find Xiao Lei.

Zhou Yan watched him leave.

I don't want to go to work even once a day, but it's not bad to take on some day jobs when I have free time.

After all, the guests are all leaders, and you might even get to know some of them.

The advisor even cooked at Feiyan Restaurant back in the day. This kind of thing is not unusual. Usually, only masters are invited to do this, which means they have unique skills.

Respect was given enough; Zhou Yan didn't care about that, as long as he was paid.

"They're calling you to work again?" Aunt Zhao was tidying up the table when she vaguely heard something.

“Yes, Leming Hotel pays me the maximum salary, 150 a month.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

“One hundred and fifty, that’s quite a lot.” Aunt Zhao laughed and lowered her voice, “He just didn’t know you offered me two hundred and forty, otherwise he wouldn’t have asked for that.”

……

In the teachers' canteen of the No. 1 Middle School, teachers carried their lunch boxes, got their food, and ate in small groups at tables.

Zhou Ming and Song Wanqing sat facing each other, with two unopened lunchboxes in front of them.

Song Wanqing looked at him with some surprise and asked, "Didn't Teacher Zhou not have any classes this morning? Why didn't you eat lunch at home before coming?"

Zhou Ming said somewhat awkwardly, "I had some things to do at school this morning, so I came over early. I also brought you some braised meat that my brother made. I only ordered one serving of stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings for lunch today."

As he spoke, he opened the two lunch boxes. One contained thinly sliced ​​braised pig ears and braised pig snouts, while the other contained reddish-brown braised pig head meat. As soon as the lunch boxes were opened, the aroma of the braised meat wafted out.

"Gulu."

Song Wanqing's throat bobbed involuntarily.

She was on duty for the morning self-study session today, and then stood for three periods of Chinese class. The soy milk and fried dough sticks she ate in the morning were already gone.

In the last half of the class, she was sustained entirely by her sense of responsibility towards her students.

At this moment, even the sight of white rice makes their eyes light up, and the aroma of the braised meat is simply irresistible.

So delicious!
And it looks so tempting.

"Isn't this too much? It must have cost a lot of money, right?" Song Wanqing swallowed her saliva and looked up at Zhou Ming to ask.

Both lunchboxes were almost full, weighing more than a pound in total.

Braised meat is so expensive! Last time she bought pig's head meat for her father to take home with his drinks, it cost 2.5 yuan per pound.

Braised pig ears and braised pig snouts are even more expensive.

"Try it. My brother learned his cooking from my grandma. He makes really good braised dishes. He's completely mastered the art," Zhou Ming said with a smile, without taking the money.

Song Wanqing smiled slightly and picked up her chopsticks to take a piece of braised pig's ear.

The pig ears were sliced ​​so thinly that light could pass through them, and the braising liquid had soaked through them, turning them amber in color. The cartilage was scattered throughout, making them look quite beautiful.

The braised pig ear slices are infused with the aroma of broth, offering a soft and chewy texture with a hint of crunchy bone.

With one bite, the aroma of the braising sauce bursts forth between your teeth, becoming more and more fragrant with each chew.

"These braised pig ears are so delicious! They're crispy and fragrant! The braising flavor is so rich, it's a very unique aroma." Song Wanqing couldn't help but exclaim, it was completely different from any braised pig ears she had ever eaten before.

One piece wasn't enough, so she couldn't resist picking up two more and putting them in her mouth.

"Trash, trash, trash."

The soft crunch of the cartilage between her teeth was like a delicious melody, intoxicating her. It was the first time she had ever experienced the allure of braised pig's ears.

I picked up a mouthful of rice from the lunchbox with my chopsticks, put it in my mouth, chewed and swallowed it with the aroma between my teeth, soothing my hungry stomach and bringing a strong sense of satisfaction.

Once you start eating, you can't stop.

She picked up a piece of braised pork snout and put it in her mouth. The texture was firmer and a bit chewy, but the braised flavor was just as rich. The combination of salty and savory flavors was absolutely wonderful.

Another mouthful of rice.

Her gaze shifted to the braised pig's head.

Compared to pig ears and pig snout, braised pig head meat is cut thicker, with a bright red color and a glossy sheen.

She doesn't actually like eating pig's head meat because it's a bit fatty. Last time, she tried two pieces of the pig's head meat she bought for her grandfather, and it made her feel sick of it.

But the old man's favorite food is pig's head meat with his drinks, and he doesn't even want to eat the more expensive braised pig's ears.

Song Wanqing picked up a piece of braised pig's head meat, which was one part skin, six parts fat, and three parts lean, and it looked shaky when put together.

After a slight hesitation, I still fed it to my mouth.

One bite reveals a rich, tender, and juicy texture. The braising sauce and oil intertwine, making it fatty yet not greasy, tender yet not mushy. The slight thickness adds a meaty feel, making it incredibly delicious to chew!

Is this braised pig's head?

What did she eat last time?
This braised pig's head meat isn't greasy at all!

She had already picked up the lunchbox, and no longer caring about the ladylike manner of picking up rice with chopsticks, she shoveled a big mouthful of rice into her mouth.

Compared to pig ears and pig snout, braised pig head is even more appetizing.

It was so satisfying to eat.

"Is it good?" Zhou Ming asked with a smile.

"Mmm, it's so delicious!" Song Wanqing nodded, her eyes shining. "This is the best braised meat I've ever eaten, hands down! Teacher Zhou, you have such great taste in buying things!"

"You... if you like it, eat more." Zhou Ming was a little embarrassed by the praise. He picked up his lunchbox, shoveled a mouthful of rice, and then picked up a piece of stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings. He ate it with relish.

"Teacher Song, Teacher Zhou, are you eating braised meat? It smells so good!" The teacher at the next table couldn't help but ask, and several pairs of eyes immediately turned to look at them.

The food in the school cafeteria is alright.

Some teachers even prepared their own food and brought it with them.

Seeing the usually calm and elegant Teacher Song eating with such amazement, I couldn't help but feel a little curious.

Since we teach the same class and have a lot of contact with each other, I couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, it's braised meat that Teacher Zhou brought," Song Wanqing said with a smile. "Teacher Zhang, would you like to try some?"

“My favorite food is braised pork. After hearing you praise it so highly, I must try it.” Mr. Zhang, a music teacher and a middle-aged man in his forties, stood up with a smile. When he saw the braised pork in the lunchbox, his eyes lit up immediately: “This braised pork looks delicious! The color is so beautiful, and the knife skills are excellent.”

"Teacher Zhang has a good eye for food." Zhou Ming smiled upon hearing this and offered, "Have a taste?"

"Okay, then I won't be polite." Teacher Zhang turned her chopsticks around, took a piece of each of the three kinds of braised meat from her lunchbox and put it into her own lunchbox, then carried it back to her seat.

Before long, his exclamation rang out: "These braised pig ears taste so good! The braised pig snout is delicious too! And the braised pig head is absolutely amazing!"

Upon hearing his commotion, several other teachers who were familiar with him immediately came over to greet him and sampled the braised meat.

This is actually quite common; it's common for teachers to cook their signature dishes and invite other teachers they're close to to eat together.

After eating it, they praised it repeatedly.

"Teacher Zhou, where did you buy this braised meat?" Teacher Zhang returned to the dining table, looking intently at Zhou Ming. "This braised meat tastes amazing! It's simply the best braised meat I've ever eaten."

“This was made by my younger brother. His shop is in Suji, right in front of the Jiaozhou Textile Factory,” Zhou Ming said.

"Suzhou? That's a bit far." Teacher Zhang looked a little troubled upon hearing this, and after a moment's thought, said, "Teacher Zhou, could you bring me half a pound of braised pig's head meat tomorrow? I'll pay you."

"Bring me half a jin too, my father-in-law's favorite food is braised pig's head."

"Teacher Zhou, could you please bring me a braised pig's ear?"

The other teachers also spoke up, looking at Zhou Ming and saying something.

Zhou Ming was a little flattered, not expecting the teachers to like braised meat so much. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes..."

“No, that won’t work. Teacher Zhou has already given everyone the address. You can go buy it yourselves when you have time. Anyway, Suji isn’t that far.” Song Wanqing quickly spoke up. “Teacher Zhou is busy with classes, so I’m afraid he won’t have much time to wait for the braised meat to be ready before bringing it up to everyone. It wouldn’t be good if it affected his teaching.”

Everyone nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.

Teacher Zhang wasn't giving up, and looked at Zhou Ming, asking, "Teacher Zhou, what do you think?"

Zhou Ming met Song Wanqing's gaze and saw her shake her head slightly. He then said, "The braised meat can only be made after 10 a.m. Starting tomorrow, I will be leading the martial arts team in morning exercises, so I really can't lead the teachers. I'm really sorry."

"Okay, I'll buy it myself when I don't have class." Teacher Zhang nodded with a smile and didn't say anything more.

Upon hearing this, the other teachers also smiled and sat back down.

Song Wanqing quickly finished the rice in her lunchbox with braised pork and stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings, leaving a lot of braised pork in both lunchboxes.

She divided the remaining braised meat, putting some into each of the two lunchboxes.

After leaving the cafeteria with Zhou Ming, I quickly caught up with Teacher Zhang, who had just washed the lunchbox. I said with a smile, "Teacher Zhang, take this braised meat home for dinner tonight. Teacher Zhou just arrived, so please take good care of him. You know how teachers are; they can't handle money, otherwise, some things might become unclear later."

Teacher Zhang was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then nodded with a smile: "Oh dear, Teacher Song is so thoughtful. I was only thinking about food."

"It's alright, I know Teacher Zhang is a well-known gourmet at our school, and she eats the most," Song Wanqing said with a smile.

"I wouldn't call myself a gourmet, I'm just a glutton." Teacher Zhang shook his head with a smile, glanced at Zhou Ming who was a few steps behind, and said with a smile, "Teacher Song, you must invite me when you get married. Zhou Ming is such a down-to-earth young man, just a little naive. It's good to have you watching over him."

"Teacher Zhang, what did you say..." A blush rose on Song Wanqing's face.

"We old guys in the academic affairs office are not only good at spotting students dating, but we're also spotting young teachers just as well. Students aren't allowed to date early, so you two aren't considered early." Teacher Zhang walked away happily, humming a little tune, carrying her lunchbox. She had already decided who to drink with that night.

Zhou Ming then quickened his pace to catch up, and asked with a smile, "What did Teacher Zhang say?"

"Teacher Zhang said... that you're quite reliable." Song Wanqing's face turned even redder.

“Teacher Zhang is a really nice person.” Zhou Ming grinned, then asked with a hint of confusion, “But why doesn’t Teacher Song let me bring braised meat for other teachers? Sometimes when I don’t have classes in the morning, I can help bring it.”

“Teacher Zhou, you must remember one thing: teachers are absolutely not allowed to engage in business. You brought me braised meat out of kindness, but if someone insists you're selling it at school, even if you prove you didn't, you'll still be severely punished.” Song Wanqing looked at him and said earnestly.
"Countless people are eyeing the teaching positions at the No. 1 Middle School in the city. Only those with outstanding professional skills will be transferred to lead the martial arts team. If the martial arts team performs well enough in the provincial and national competitions next year, you will have the opportunity to stay at the No. 1 Middle School. Such an opportunity may not come again if you miss it once."

Zhou Ming subconsciously straightened up. At that moment, he saw the image of his teacher in Song Wanqing. He nodded solemnly and said, "Teacher Song is right. I have learned a lot."

"You're not my student, why should I teach you?" Song Wanqing smiled and walked towards the sink with her lunchbox.

Zhou Ming scratched his head and quickly followed.

After washing the lunchbox, Zhou Ming handed the remaining box of braised meat to Song Wanqing, saying, "Take the rest of the braised meat back for Grandpa. If he likes to drink, he'll probably like braised meat too."

"Okay, thank you." Song Wanqing smiled and accepted it.

Zhou Ming quickly added, "I hope Grandpa Song won't mind that this is leftover. If he likes it, I'll bring him a fresh portion next time."

“It’s alright, my grandfather isn’t that kind of person,” Song Wanqing said with a smile. “You don’t need to be so nervous. He’s actually a very nice person, he just doesn’t like to talk about martial arts with people.”

"it is good."

"By the way, don't bring me braised meat to school next time," Song Wanqing said.

"Don't you like it?" Zhou Ming asked, a little nervous for some reason.

"This is the most delicious braised meat I've ever eaten," Song Wanqing said with a smile. "However, it's not quite appropriate for me to be surrounded by other teachers like this at lunchtime."

“Okay, I understand.” Zhou Ming nodded.

"I didn't mean to blame you. Today's lunch was the happiest meal I've had recently..."

“Then I’ll secretly bring you some next time, and you can take it home to eat. That way, there won’t be any problem,” Zhou Ming said.

Song Wanqing looked at him and smiled, a particularly bright smile. She nodded slightly, hummed softly, and her ears turned slightly red.

……

In the Song family's courtyard.

With his white hair and beard, and dressed in a loose-fitting long gown, Song Changhe looked at the braised meat divided into three sections in his lunchbox and said with a smile, "Qingqing, your cafeteria has started selling braised meat now?"

Song Wanqing opened the lunchbox, put a third of it into her own bowl, and then placed the lunchbox in front of the old man, smiling as she said, "Our cafeteria chefs can't make this taste. Grandpa, try it and see how the braised meat tastes today."

"It doesn't look bad." Song Changhe picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised pig's head, and put it in his mouth. He chewed it slowly, and his wrinkled eyes gradually widened like blooming chrysanthemums. After swallowing, he said with some surprise, "Where did you buy this? It tastes so good!!"

"Guess," Song Wanqing said with a sly smile.

"I won't guess, but I have to drink two ounces tonight to do justice to this braised pork." Song Changhe slammed the lid of the lunchbox shut, got up, poured himself two ounces of liquor, took a sip, then picked up a piece of pig's head meat, chewed it carefully, swallowed it, and let out a long, satisfied sigh.

"Absolutely fantastic!"

"I'd be so happy if I could eat this braised pig's head more often in the future."

Song Wanqing said with a smile, "Then you should take Zhou Ming as your apprentice. This braised meat is something he brought for you. It was braised by his younger brother. You can't buy it in other places in Jiaozhou."

Song Changhe's hand holding the wine glass froze; he didn't know whether to drink it or put it down.

　There's one more chapter coming up, but it'll probably be a bit late. You can read it tomorrow!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)