1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 237 A Little Bit of Weather, Clothes Slightly Dirty (Part 2)

Zhou Yan, a food blogger, has visited Suji countless times, but his understanding of Jiaozhou Textile Factory is very superficial.

If he could offer a suggestion that would allow this currently booming Jiaozhou silk industry giant, a major foreign exchange earner, to survive the upheavals of more than a decade later, it would be nothing short of a pipe dream.

If he had that ability, he wouldn't need to stay at this small restaurant, earning a meager living on five cents or a dollar.

His understanding of this era comes mostly from textbooks.

The content in textbooks is generally very concise.

He understands restaurant operations, advertising, and some marketing techniques. He has also heard many stories of restaurant owners and century-old businesses starting and maintaining their businesses.

Therefore, he has some experience in brand building and can provide Xia Yao with some inspiration and suggestions.

But he held this era in awe.

Earn money within your understanding and take what you can hold onto—this is the survival philosophy he learned from the orphanage.

“Differentiation…” Xia Yao pondered, “Therefore, Jiaozhou Textile Factory has no advantage in competing with Guocheng Silk Factory and can only compete with lower prices.”

"Are you talking about the collaboration with Qian Siyuan?" Zhou Yan asked thoughtfully.

“Yes, this is the most important project for the marketing department right now. Director Du said at today’s meeting that we need to make a second presentation to them in two weeks to try to secure the cooperation. This is the focus of the marketing department’s work going forward.” Xia Yao nodded. “Of course, this matter doesn’t have much to do with me as an intern, but I think Jiading silk might be a good breakthrough point.”

Zhou Yan suggested, "Qian Siyuan's mother is from Linjiang, Jiaozhou. She is my advisor's sister. He came back to find his relatives, and I provided him with some help, so we had some contact."

I think he is a very sentimental person, and he has a very deep affection for his mother, so he must also have some emotional attachment to Jiaozhou.

You might find an advantage by delving deeper into the history of Jiading silk and focusing on its emotional appeal. Given similar product quality, this approach could be more effective.

"You know so many people!" Xia Yao's eyes lit up, and she nodded, "Then I have a general idea. I want to use the landscape and cultural scenery of Jiaozhou as inspiration to design a new series of Jiading silk..."

The two strolled along the riverbank, and before it got completely dark, Zhou Yan escorted her back to her dormitory building.

Xia Yao stood downstairs in the dormitory building, her hands behind her back, and smiled at Zhou Yanying, saying, "I'm very happy today. Thank you for the gifts and surprises you prepared for me. I had a warm birthday in Suji."

"You're welcome. Go ahead and get busy. I think your design inspiration is almost overflowing," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"See you tomorrow." Xia Yao waved to him and turned to go upstairs.

Zhou Yan turned and left only after seeing the lights on the third floor come on.

"Isn't that the restaurant owner near the factory gate?"

"It's him! Zhou Yan, he's so handsome! Lots of female workers in the factory secretly like him."

"Who is that girl? She's quite pretty."

"The new intern seems to be Director Lin's niece. She's the one Zhou Yan rescued from the river before."

Are they dating?

"I think so, otherwise why would they only take you back to your dorm after dark, looking so reluctant to part? Good-looking people really are pleasing to the eye when they stand together, like movie stars, and they're even a little sweet."

"I disagree!"

"They're a perfect match, what good is it if you disagree?"

"It's just..."

In the small garden downstairs from the dormitory, a group of female workers sat chatting and gossiping, cracking sunflower seeds.

Xia Yao opened the window, watching Zhou Yan's figure gradually disappear into the distance. She glanced up at the bracelet, a slight smile playing on her lips. She closed the window, returned to the table, took out some stationery, and began to write:
"Mom, it's so nice to read this letter. I'm so happy today, I received a very beautiful bracelet..."

……

Hangcheng.

A study with an elegant decor.

The wall was covered with bookshelves, and against the wall sat a chair where a refined middle-aged man was reading.

On the other side was a long desk, in front of which stood a woman in a silk robe, with an elegant figure. Her ink painting of lotus flowers was already finished. She put down her brush, picked up her name seal, and stamped it below her signature.

Xia Huafeng closed the book in his hand, looked up at Meng Zhilan, and pondered, "Zhilan, why did my eyelid suddenly twitch? Is something wrong with Yaoyao?"

Meng Zhilan put away the seal and comforted her gently, "Yaoyao is going to Suji for her internship. Anhe and Zhiqiang are looking after her, so everything will be fine. Don't worry. You've been traveling a lot lately, so you might be tired. I'll massage your head for you in a bit."

Xia Huafeng sighed: "I'm just worried about her going to Suji. Why does she have to go to Suji when there are so many factories in Shancheng? Who is actually in Suji?"

"Since you're all going to Suzhou, why not go back to Hangzhou for your internship? You can stay at home during the internship, and then spend the Chinese New Year at home after it ends."

Meng Zhilan looked at him with a smile: "Are you worried about that young man named Zhou Yan?"

"I only have one daughter, Yao Yao. I've carefully raised her. I don't trust any other young man." Xia Huafeng crossed his arms and frowned.

“I think this young man is quite good. He’s handsome and talented. At twenty, he was featured in a professional food magazine, and his dishes were even on the cover. He’s a skilled chef, hardworking, and dedicated.” Meng Zhilan said with a smile, “The key is that he caught Yao Yao’s eye, which is no easy feat. In all these years, have you ever seen her praise any male classmate? With you as her father, she has very high standards when it comes to men.”

“That’s right.” Xia Huafeng’s lips curled up slightly.

"Yaoyao said that Zhou Yan's braised pork ribs are the best in the world."

Xia Huafeng stopped laughing and said quietly, "She used to say that my braised pork ribs were the best in the world."

Meng Zhilan walked over, her slender fingers gently massaging his temples, and softly comforted him, "Don't worry, Yao Yao isn't the kind of girl who gets carried away by love and doesn't care about anything else."

Although Zhou Yan is handsome, has a good personality, cooks well, saved her life, is professionally competent, and is quite ambitious, he even gave her some advice on career choices..."

"Okay, stop talking, my head is hurting even more..."

……

"Aren't you afraid that if they actually get together, your brother-in-law will come after you with a knife?" Meng Anhe sat on the edge of the bed, applying lanolin to her face, and said with a hint of sarcasm.

"What's there to be afraid of? If Lao Xia really comes with a knife, I'll just go on a business trip for a month. I don't believe that he, as a bank manager, is more idle than me, as a deputy factory director." Lin Zhiqiang leaned against the headboard, smiling as he handed over the newspaper in his hand.
"Look, today's Jiaozhou Daily's front page headline is about Zhou Yan and his cousin bravely fighting against ruthless bandits and protecting the people."

Zhou Yan is such a good person. He is brave and resourceful, hardworking and ambitious. He can run a small restaurant very well. Even Qian Siyuan can become his friend. He is definitely not someone to be underestimated in the future.

His grandfather was a hero who died in the Korean War, and his uncle was a hero who returned wounded in the Sino-Vietnamese War. Their family has two plaques recognizing them as first-class meritorious service recipients. Such a family background and tradition would be top-notch anywhere, wouldn't it?

"Really?" Meng Anhe put down the lanolin in her hand, took the newspaper and read it carefully. After reading it, she got up and walked out.

"Where to?" Lin Zhiqiang asked, puzzled.

Meng Anhe said, "Cut this newspaper out and send it to my sister tomorrow."

Lin Zhiqiang smiled and pulled her back: "Don't cut it. Just send it to them like this. One copy isn't enough. I'll find two more copies tomorrow and send them together, so that Lao Xia won't think it's some tabloid publishing a fake report."

Meng Anhe turned to look at him and couldn't help but smile: "You really like Zhou Yan."

"I think you can judge a person by their family background. I think Zhou Yan's parents are very good, which is why they were able to raise children like Zhou Yan and Zhou Momo," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

"I watched Yao Yao grow up. If she really ends up with Zhou Yan, I think she will be respected and loved in that family, which is a basic condition for happiness."

Old Xia is a smart man; how could he not understand? He's just heartbroken that his precious daughter, whom he's nurtured for twenty years, is about to be eaten by a pig. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't be happy either.

Meng Anhe thought about it carefully for a moment and nodded, saying, "Not bad, Lao Lin. I feel like you've started studying human nature lately, in addition to technology."

Lin Zhiqiang said with a hint of pride, "I recently read a few books on philosophy, and I think they are quite good."

"Great, let's discuss the philosophy of life tonight."

"You don't need to take off your clothes to explore philosophy."

"If we're going to delve deeper, I don't understand. Could you explain it to me in simple terms?"

"I'm a little..."

"I'm going up there tomorrow, and I'll reimburse you for the beef stew tonight! You still have to pay your grain rations today, whether you like it or not! I said it!"

"I'll take it off myself..."

……

Zhou Yan returned to the hotel.

Aunt Zhao, who was soaking her feet, looked up and asked with a smile, "Did you send Yao Yao back?"

"Yes, I'm going back to the dorm to rest. I'm going to take a shower now." Zhou Yan nodded and walked towards the backyard.

"I wonder if Yao Yao will like the gift he picked out," Aunt Zhao muttered to herself.

"Ask him," Comrade Zhou said with a smile.

Aunt Zhao shook her head with a smile: "If the young people don't bring it up themselves, the middle-aged should refrain from interfering, lest they feel uncomfortable and find us annoying."

"That makes sense," Comrade Zhou nodded.

Zhou Yan came out after taking a shower.

Having just untied her braids, Zhou Momo, with her hair all frizzy, leaned forward and asked curiously, "Brother, what are you giving to Sister Yaoyao? Will she like it?"

She's a baby, you can ask her.

"I gave her the bracelet, and she said she liked it very much," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"That's wonderful! She really likes my drawing too!" The little one clapped her hands happily. "Sister Yao Yao had a wonderful birthday!"

Aunt Zhao and Comrade Zhou exchanged a glance, their eyes both lighting up with smiles. Zhou Yan smiled too; the little one was not only adorable but also considerate of others' feelings—no wonder everyone liked her so much.

"Brother, which one of you, Sister Yaoyao or Sister Yuyan, would you choose to be my sister-in-law?" Zhou Momo tilted her head, her little brows furrowed. "It's so hard to choose! I think they're both super nice to me. Can you have both of them?"

"Huh?" Zhou Yan looked puzzled. Did the little guy have such worries in his heart?
"Are you opening this Sunday?" Aunt Zhao asked Zhou Yan. "We have more customers asking if we can make reservations. Quite a few want to host dinners on Sunday."

Zhou Yan shook his head: "This Sunday won't work. I have to go to Jiaozhou to host a family banquet. A veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japan is hosting a banquet for his comrades. He and my grandfather even fought in the same trench."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhao sat up straighter and instructed, "Then you must serve them well and just charge them for the vegetables; don't overcharge them."

“I know, Ming-ge still wants to become Mr. Song’s apprentice, so I certainly can’t charge him money arbitrarily.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile, pulled out a notebook from behind the counter, and began writing down the menu.

Add one serving of salted braised pork belly and one serving of braised pork intestines.

For veterans of this age, considering their dental health, Mapo Tofu is definitely a must-have.

The menu listed nine dishes, but the Snowflake Chicken Soup wasn't served. This dish isn't suitable for drinking while reminiscing about past hardships.

"You bought so many copies of the newspaper? Deliver them to Mom and the others tomorrow, one to each family. Zhou Yan and Zhou Ming's heroic act being published in the newspaper is a great honor for the family," Aunt Zhao said, looking at Old Zhou.

Comrade Zhou nodded: "I bought ten portions, and I'll deliver them to them tomorrow morning."

Aunt Zhao said, "Let's deliver it tomorrow afternoon. I haven't been back to the village in a long time, so I'll take this opportunity to go back and have some fun."

"Have it."

"Mommy! I want to go too! I want to go back and play with Flower and Big White!"

"Go ahead."

……

In the small courtyard, a brazier was burning, and an incandescent light hanging under the eaves illuminated a corner of the courtyard.

Song Changhe sat at the stone table, with wine beside him and a newspaper in his hand, reading it with great interest.

Song Wanqing picked up a piece of braised meat and put it in her mouth, smiling as she said, "Grandpa, didn't I tell you he's different? He's over twenty years old, yet he's still so reckless, daring to fight ruthless bandits with his bare hands, and even managing to subdue them all."

“It is a bit reckless.” Song Changhe nodded, put down the newspaper, picked up his wine glass and took a sip. “But chivalry is something only a reckless person has. A person who worries about this and that can’t be a chivalrous person.”

"Grandpa, when you were young, were you also very reckless? Killing one person in ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles." Song Wanqing looked at him.

Song Changhe rolled his eyes at her: "I think you're asking for a beating."

Song Wanqing laughed and said, "Let me make it clear first, I haven't practiced martial arts for so many years. If you dare to hit me, I'll dare to cry."

Song Changhe tapped lightly on the newspaper: "This kid's family background is clean, isn't it?"

Song Wanqing nodded: "That's right, their family has two plaques for first-class meritorious service, while our family only has one."

Song Changhe smiled upon hearing this, but did not argue with her.

Song Wanqing then asked, "Grandpa, you always say that martial arts are killing techniques, not performance routines. So what do you think of Zhou Ming, who won the national Emei boxing championship, who subdued four thugs? Was his kung fu a routine or real kung fu?"

Upon hearing this, Song Changhe remained silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "This kid has learned real kung fu."

"Then will you take him as your apprentice?" Song Wanqing pressed.

"Eat your food, even a steamed bun can't shut you up." Song Changhe picked up his wine and took a sip.

……

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Comrade Xiao Zhou and Comrade Lao Zhou rode their bicycles out to buy groceries.

"Zhou Yan, you and Zhou Ming are in the newspaper again! That's amazing!"

"Young people are so bold; they'll even go after someone with a knife."

"How much money do you get for acts of bravery? Is there a bonus?"

As soon as Zhou Yan arrived at the slaughterhouse, he immediately became the center of attention, with everyone asking him questions and expressing their concern.

"Ming-ge was the one who did the dirty work. He's the national martial arts champion. I was just helping out and took down one of them."

"The bonus was still paid, fifty yuan."

"Acting bravely for a just cause is something that young people today should do," Zhou Yan replied casually, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips.

The news spread quite quickly, and it reached every corner of Zhoucun.

When he arrived at his third uncle Zhou Han's place, he looked at Zhou Yan and said earnestly, "You kids are really too daring. If you see someone with a knife in the future, you must run far away."

"Third Uncle, I understand." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. "You should tell Ming-ge more often that I run very fast."

"Whenever you talk to him, he always says he knows what he's doing, that he completely overwhelms the opponent, and that the opponent has no chance to fight back." The third aunt's smile revealed a hint of helplessness.

Zhou Yan laughed upon hearing this, able to picture Zhou Ming's expression when he said those words.

"As I clearly said, a little bit of weather and a slightly dirty hem are no problem," Zhou Jie said with a smile as he stepped forward.

Zhou Hai laughed along: "He's clearly a national champion. Dealing with a few petty thieves is a piece of cake for him. What kind of bandit is he? Let him come to our Zhoucun and try to cause trouble."

Zhou Yan glanced at Zhou Hai's robust physique; those few ruthless bandits were indeed just petty thieves in front of him.

"Brother Jie, how are the beef skewers selling lately?" Zhou Yan asked.

"Not bad, we can sell over 120 bowls a day. The colder the weather, the better we sell." Zhou Jie nodded, a little embarrassed, and said, "Some customers said they came here after eating at your place, Zhou Yan, are we taking some of your business away from us?"

"That's not true. Quite a few customers have said they came to my restaurant after hearing your recommendation." Zhou Yan smiled nonchalantly. "Customers definitely prioritize convenience. My restaurant has queues at lunch and dinner now. If they're not textile factory workers and just want a bowl of braised beef, it's definitely more convenient for them to come here instead."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jie and Zhou Hai both breathed a sigh of relief. This matter had been bothering them for several days, and they had been trying to figure out how to bring it up with Zhou Yan, feeling quite guilty about it.

"By the way, Zhou Yan, starting next week, add five catties of pig's head meat every day," Zhou Hai said. "Our braised meat has already become famous at the dock, and more and more customers are buying it. Many merchants are also taking it with them. It won't spoil easily in the cold weather. Some people buy one or two catties at a time to eat on the road or take it home."

“Okay, you’ve all become my big clients.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Zhou Jie and his team are doing a great job with their braised meat distribution point. Everyone is making money; it's a win-win situation!
Zhou Jie looked at him and said, "By the way, Hongwei mentioned to me the other day that he also wanted to buy braised meat. He plans to ride his bike through the streets and alleys, going from place to place to sell it. What do you think?"

“Hongwei, he’s quit being a porter?” Zhou Yan was a little surprised.

“He saw that our business was doing well and was a little tempted. He thought that he could only earn one dollar a day by picking goods, and he could not make a living every day.”

Zhou Yan pondered for a moment. Selling braised meat from door to door was not a bad idea. Zhou Hongwei was his cousin and childhood friend. He had a rather interesting personality.

"Tell him that the first thing to do when selling braised meat is to have good knife skills. Let him learn knife skills from you for a month, and when he can cut pig's head meat and beef clearly, then he can come to me."

“Okay.” Zhou Jie nodded in agreement.

With one more person helping to sell braised meat, Zhou Yan would earn more money, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.

Even if he doesn't lead the whole village to prosperity, he'd be happy if his brothers and friends could earn money and live a good life.

After buying the meat and returning to the restaurant, they immediately got busy again.

The morning noodle supply has increased to 130 bowls and is currently quite stable.

When it was time for Zhou Yan to start work at the factory, she took off her apron and came out. She saw a bicycle parked in front of the restaurant. Yan Fei got off the bicycle, walked into the restaurant, and handed her a set of keys: "Miss Duan asked me to bring you the keys."

"Thank you for making this trip." Zhou Yan took the keys.

A heavy string of keys, with more than a dozen hanging on it, each key with a small note attached, indicating the door each key corresponds to in neat handwriting.

Grandma Qiu is still too meticulous.

Holding the keys in your hand instantly gives you a sense of ownership over the house.

The Qiu family's old house is truly his now.

"You got the key? That's great!" Aunt Zhao came forward.

"Come on, experience what it's like to be the mistress of the house." Zhou Yan handed her the keys.

"Wow, it's so heavy!" Aunt Zhao's face lit up with joy.

"Brother Yan, have Grandma Qiu and Miss Duan returned to Hong Kong yet?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.

Yan Fei's serious expression softened a bit, and he nodded, saying, "Yes, they left by plane yesterday."

"Okay, I hope they arrive safely." Zhou Yan smiled and casually asked, "Have you had breakfast yet? Would you like me to make you a bowl of noodles?"

"I haven't eaten yet." Yan Fei sat down, looked at the menu and said, "Then I'll order a double-pepper minced beef noodle soup."

After Miss Duan went back, he found the crew cut much more pleasing to the eye.

Of course, the main reason was that Miss Duan gave him a bonus before she left yesterday.

Three months' salary.

Two thousand four hundred!

Ms. Duan made up for the bonus that the boss hadn't paid.

From today onwards, he is Miss Duan's dog...man!

Miss Duan likes Zhou Yan, so he likes him too!
I'll buy the house in a couple of days, then I'll bring my wife and kids over for a nice meal.

　Update first, then go to the banquet~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)