1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 258 Should we just fast forward to the joint burial scene? (6.4k words, combined into one)

Zhou Yan went to Hu Tianlei and bought six steamers. He combined them with the two he had before, put four steamers on each of the two stoves, and stacked them up. It immediately looked quite appetizing.

Master and the others are still busy preparing for the banquet today. Zhou Yan dragged the steamer back to the restaurant and, following the method Master taught last time, prepared the new steamer.

It's not too difficult to set up, just a bit troublesome.

The new stove was left to dry for two days, and the part closest to the main stove is almost completely dry.

This morning, Zhang Shi came to take a look and patched up two cracks. He told him to let it air out for another day tomorrow before it could be used.

Just as Zhou Yan finished preparing the steamer and put it aside to air out, he saw Wang Laowu wearing a hat with the brim pulled low, pulling a cart of wood over.

Once you pay the management fee, you've essentially rented the stalls at the entrance of the textile factory. Except for not being allowed to build houses, you're permitted to put up a tarpaulin as a shed to keep out the rain, and you can also repair the stove.

Of course, the length and width are already defined for you, and you cannot exceed this range.

"Wang Laowu, you're back to setting up your stall again?"

Do you still sell noodles?

"I saw your wife with a man this morning. What's going on? Did your wife run off with someone?"

Many of the vendors recognized Wang Laowu; some asked him questions, while others laughed.

"You're meddling in my business. Do I have to report to you about everything?" Wang Laowu retorted irritably, stopped the tricycle, and started moving the wood.

Zhou Yan looked at him. Compared to before, Wang Laowu looked much older, and it was clear that being detained had been a big blow to him.

However, this guy deserved to be caught using pork from a diseased pig; he doesn't deserve any sympathy.

Judging from his appearance, that man from this morning must have been his accomplice. He's still up to no good and wants to continue making money by setting up a stall in front of the textile factory.

He was a bit shrewd; knowing he couldn't show his face in front of the textile factory, he deliberately sought out a stranger to set up his stall.

Unfortunately, there weren't many, and they didn't even know who their partners were before rushing to send their wives to their door.

There are indeed many talented people in prison, and they all have pleasant voices.

Wang Laowu was so confused by the potion that he lost his senses.

Wang Laowu piled the last few pieces of wood next to the stove, covered them with an oilcloth, weighed them down with the wood, glanced up at Zhou Yan cracking pumpkin seeds at the restaurant entrance, clenched his fist, and thought to himself, "Just you wait! Once our steamed bun shop opens, we'll steal your business!"

"Hey, give me a push~~" Zhou Momo sat on the swing and waved to Zhou Yan.

"Okay." Zhou Yan smiled, put the melon seeds back in his pocket, and went over to help her push the swing.

The swing rises and falls.

Zhou Momo held onto the rope, giggling happily.

After playing with the little guy for a while, Zhou Yan turned around and found that Wang Laowu had already ridden away on his tricycle.

"That old rascal Wang Laowu is up to no good. We should be careful, otherwise he wouldn't have come all the way back to set up his stall across from us." Aunt Zhao handed Zhou Yan a piece of beef jerky and took a big bite of it.

"It's alright. We'll despise him strategically, but take him seriously tactically. We'll see what he's up to when he opens tomorrow, and then we'll decide how to respond," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Mommy~ I want to eat meat too!" Zhou Momo's little hand stretched out from between the ropes, her eyes fixed on the jerky in Aunt Zhao's hand.

"Here you go." Aunt Zhao handed her a piece of beef jerky.

"Thank you, Mom~" Zhou Momo reached out and took the food, then put it in her mouth and took a bite.

"Ugh, so hard! I'll bite... I'll bite and bite~~" Zhou Momo stared at the beef jerky in her hand, which now had two rows of small teeth marks, lost in thought. After a while, she looked up at Aunt Zhao and Zhou Yan with a wronged expression and said, "Mommy~ Brother~ My teeth are bad, I can't bite it~~"

Aunt Zhao laughed heartily and said gently, "Sweetie, take your time chewing. This is how your second aunt makes beef jerky. It's very fragrant when you chew it slowly."

"It's okay, I can't bite it either, it's like a rock." Zhou Yan took a bite, looked at the two teeth marks left on it, and was also a little speechless.

My tooth hurts from the sharp object.

This isn't just beef jerky, it's practically beef petrification!

Aunt Zhao laughed and said, "If it's not a little firm, it won't last long. Look, if you eat it little by little like this, one piece can last a long time."

Zhou Yan felt there was some truth to it, but very little.

Similar to the preparation of dried beef, it is weathered into fibers, which will slowly soften when held in the mouth, and then you can tear it apart and chew it slowly.

It's called beef jerky, but it's more like a teething stick.

It had absolutely no texture, though you could taste a little bit of beef.

Zhou Yan really didn't have the patience. Seeing a stray dog ​​rolling around on the ground in front of him, he casually threw it at the dog, which hit it right on the head.

The stray dog ​​jumped up with a start, looking left and right with a puzzled expression.

However, it quickly noticed the beef jerky on the ground, sniffed it, immediately picked it up, wagged its tail, and walked away, probably to find a safe place to slowly enjoy its chew toy.

"You silly boy, wasting food! Such good beef jerky, and you're feeding it to the dog!" Aunt Zhao glared at him.

"Only a dog could chew that..." As soon as Zhou Yan said that, he knew he was in trouble.

"Say that again!" Aunt Zhao produced a feather duster from somewhere and raised her hand.

"Oh dear, I'm going to buy some soy sauce!" Zhou Yan took off running; he was setting sail tonight!
When Zhou Yan returned to the restaurant with the soy sauce, he saw a brand-new Forever brand bicycle parked in front of the door. Zhou Ming was standing next to the swing and pushing it. Sitting on the swing, grinning from ear to ear, was Teacher Song Wanqing, who was holding Zhou Momo, who was also giggling in her arms.

At first glance, if you didn't know them, you would definitely think this family of three is quite warm and loving.

"Zhou Yan, the soy sauce is back." Zhou Ming greeted him with a smile when he saw him.

"Hey, we've got it back. Ming-ge, Teacher Song, why are you down so early today?" Zhou Yan replied with a smile, stepping forward to examine the bicycle first. "Nice new bike!"

"Not bad, right? It was supposed to arrive on Monday, but I waited two more days and just got it today." Zhou Ming grinned and stepped forward, saying, "Look, it's the latest model, and the bell on this bicycle is really crisp."

As he spoke, he rang the bicycle bell twice.

The ringing sound was indeed crisp and loud.

Sure enough, men love cars no matter the era.

In those days, bicycles were considered equivalent to private cars, and not everyone owned one.

Many workers have to save for a year to afford a bicycle.

"I only have one class this afternoon, and Teacher Zhou said he'd take me to your restaurant for lunch to celebrate his bicycle purchase," Song Wanqing said with a smile. "I've been wanting to eat at your restaurant for a long time."

"Welcome, welcome." Zhou Yan glanced at his watch; it was 4:30. "It's still early. Are you planning to eat early and head back to the city, or wait until lunchtime?"

“My mom and dad will be here later, let’s wait for them,” Zhou Ming said.

A blush rose on Song Wanqing's pretty face, and she nodded, saying, "Yes, Uncle and Auntie."

"Oh... okay." Zhou Yan's mouth gaped slightly. He's meeting the parents already? Ming-ge is something else!
Zhou Ming smiled and said, "My old man said he's been wanting to eat at your restaurant for a long time, so I brought him here today to try it out."

Zhou Yan stopped laughing. "I just praised you, and you said something unnecessary."

Upon hearing this, Song Wanqing's smile widened, and she looked at Zhou Ming, saying, "Really? Then why didn't you bring your uncle to eat here before?"

“He might be a little embarrassed. People from the countryside don’t eat out unless there’s a special reason,” Zhou Ming said.

"That's great. Today is a celebration of your new car purchase, a happy occasion," Song Wanqing said.

Zhou Ming nodded: "That's right, I haven't treated them to a meal in all these years."

Zhou Yan glanced at the smiling Song Wanqing and said, "Fine, fine, just spoil him then."

Ming is so lucky to have met such a wonderful girl.

"Okay, you guys play for a while, I'm going to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients," Zhou Yan said.

"Go ahead and do your thing, we'll play with Momo for a while," Zhou Ming nodded.

"Yes, you don't need to worry about us." Song Wanqing nodded with a smile.

"Come on, Teacher Song, Mingming, have some sunflower seeds." Aunt Zhao brought out a plate of sunflower seeds.

"Thank you, Auntie," Song Wanqing said quickly with a smile.

"You're welcome," Aunt Zhao replied with a smile, placing the melon seeds in Zhou Ming's hand before heading towards the kitchen. As soon as she entered, she couldn't help but say, "Teacher Song is such a nice person. She's so good to Zhou Ming that he seems like a block of wood."

"It's alright, maybe Teacher Song just likes wood," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain it.

Zhao Hong followed her in, equally gossipy: "Teacher Song is tall and thin, with such a good temperament, just like Haozi's wife Yueyue. Teacher Song has such an elegant air about her."

"Your third aunt will be overjoyed; there might even be a wedding banquet at the end of the year," Aunt Zhao said with a smile.

"It can't be that fast, can it?" Zhou Yan was a little surprised when she heard this. Ming Ge had only been back for less than a month, and the two of them hadn't even confirmed their relationship yet. How could they have gotten so close to attending a wedding?

Aunt Zhao waved her hand: "You don't know anything. They're of age, they're in love, they're both teachers, they're a perfect match, they can get their marriage certificate tomorrow without any problem."

Zhou Yan: ?
How about we fast forward to the joint burial scene?

He just couldn't understand it; this definitely wasn't right!

In his worldview, you need to get to know each other well before establishing a relationship and spending some time together, right?

Aunt Zhao laughed and said, "Your husband and I only met twice before we got engaged, and the third time was for our wedding. Isn't that fast?"

"That proves Mom has a keen eye for talent." Zhou Yan gave a thumbs up.

"I just thought you were an honest old man with a skill, and of course, you were quite good-looking when you were young. I agreed to date you the first time we met," Aunt Zhao said with a bright smile.

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. So, back then, Aunt Zhao was also attracted to Comrade Zhou at first sight.

Just as Zhou Yan finished preparing the dishes, he heard his third uncle and third aunt's voices coming from outside.

Peeking inside, I saw Zhou Ming and Song Wanqing enter the shop, followed by their third uncle Zhou Han and third aunt Ma Jinhua.

The two men sized up Song Wanqing, their smiles revealing a hint of restraint.

"Uncle, Auntie, please have a seat." Song Wanqing was quite poised and invited the two to sit down, saying with a smile, "You just finished selling beef, right? You must be very tired after a busy day in this weather."

“It’s not hard work, we’re used to it,” Zhou Han waved his hand repeatedly.

“Yes, we’re used to it,” Ma Jinhua added.

Song Wanqing smiled and said, "Then you can see what dishes you'd like to order. Teacher Zhou bought a car today and said we should celebrate. This is my first time eating at Zhou Yan's restaurant."

“You order, you’re the guest,” Ma Jinhua said.

“Yes, you order.” Zhou Han nodded and added, “I just want a twice-cooked pork and a braised pig’s ear.”

"Teacher Song, don't listen to his nonsense, just keep an eye on things." Ma Jinhua smiled, her feet already under the table.

Zhou Han pursed his lips, not daring to shout.

“Okay.” Song Wanqing nodded with a smile and looked at Aunt Zhao, saying, “Auntie, let’s order a braised pig’s ear and a twice-cooked pork first, and then a crucian carp with mint and a stir-fried pig’s liver.”

“Okay.” Aunt Zhao nodded with a smile. “Would you like your twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts or twice-cooked pork with pickled mustard greens?” “Uncle, which one do you want?” Song Wanqing asked Zhou Han.

“Bean sprouts, bean sprouts are delicious!” Zhou Han said, his eyes lighting up.

"Then I'll have the twice-cooked pork with bean sprouts, thank you, Auntie," Song Wanqing said.

“Okay.” Aunt Zhao replied, walked into the kitchen, and whispered with a smile, “Teacher Song is so capable. I think she should be the one to run the household from now on.”

Zhou Yan nodded in deep agreement; he had anticipated this.

This honest and unassuming family is about to welcome their leader.

"Should we cook a few more dishes so we can all eat together..."

"No, it's their first time meeting, don't make it so awkward," Zhou Yan interrupted Aunt Zhao.

"Do you charge money for it?" Aunt Zhao asked again.

"I'll take it." Zhou Yan nodded, then thought for a moment and added, "I'll also send you a plate of braised vegetables and braised pork intestines. Teacher Song likes braised vegetables, so let Uncle San try my braised pork intestines."

"Okay." Aunt Zhao nodded with a smile and went out.

Zhou Ming looked at Song Wanqing and said, "Teacher Song, would you like to try Qiaojiao Beef? You can't get this kind of beef outside of Suzhou."

"Is it the 'braised beef' on the magazine cover?" Song Wanqing's eyes lit up.

“Yes, Zhou Yan’s braised beef with 'qiaojiao' is the best in all of Suji.” Zhou Ming nodded.

"Now that you mention it, I'd like to try it." Song Wanqing nodded.

"Fourth Aunt, let's have another bowl of braised beef with ribs," Zhou Ming said to Aunt Zhao.

“Okay, I’ll go cook it for you.” Aunt Zhao replied and walked towards the big pot.

There were only a few dishes, and Zhou Yan served them quite quickly.

He also cooked their own work meals.

He finally brought the crucian carp with mint flavor out of the kitchen and served it to them.

Comrade Lao Zhou also brought them braised vegetarian dishes and braised pork intestines.

Zhou Ming asked, somewhat puzzled, "Fourth Uncle, we didn't..."

Zhou Yan chimed in, "Brother Ming, to celebrate your new car purchase, I'll treat you to two dishes. Teacher Song likes braised vegetarian dishes, and braised pork intestines are perfect for Uncle San to enjoy with his drinks."

"Okay, thank you then," Zhou Ming said with a smile.

"Zhou Yan, your braised vegetables are super delicious, I really love them," Song Wanqing said with a smile.

"Then you guys take your time eating. We'll eat too. We'll be opening soon," Zhou Yan said, turning to walk towards the table next to him.

Zhou Han looked at Zhou Miao and warmly invited, "Fourth brother, sit down and have a couple of drinks..."

"Third Brother, next time, I still need to sell braised food later." Zhou Miao glanced under the table and decisively refused.

“That’s right, the fourth brother is busy, don’t delay his business.” Ma Jinhua glared at him.

“Okay…” Zhou Han nodded obediently.

Song Wanqing lowered her head to drink the soup. The clear, tender beef broth was so delicious and rich that her eyes lit up. She exclaimed, "This soup is so good! So fresh!"

She was initially curious as to why a bowl of beef offal soup could be on the cover of Sichuan Cuisine magazine.

That sip of soup completely dispelled her doubts.

It has absolutely no gamey smell, only ultimate freshness.

It completely overturned all her knowledge and imagination about beef offal soup.

Delicious!

"Try the beef and offal, dip them in this dry sauce." Zhou Ming moved the plate closer to her.

"I'll try." Song Wanqing picked up a piece of tripe, dipped it in the dry dish, and then put it in her mouth.

Trash! Terrible trash!

Crisp tripe, coated in spicy chili powder, is the ultimate collision of umami and spiciness.

"This tripe is so crispy after being boiled! And this dry dipping sauce is so fragrant! Together, they're simply amazing!" Song Wanqing exclaimed. "No wonder it's a magazine cover-worthy dish, it truly lives up to its name!"

Sitting at the next table, Zhou Yan's lips curled into a wide smile. Teacher Song was giving him so much emotional value that she was sure to make Ming Ge turn into a placenta.

"Teacher Song, eat more if you like it, Auntie will heat up another bowl for you in a bit," Aunt Zhao said with a smile.

"That's enough, Auntie, there's too much food. I'll bring my friends next time. Your braised beef with ribs is so delicious," Song Wanqing replied.

"Okay~" Aunt Zhao's voice trailed off, it sounded so pleasant, she had to be a cultured person, just like Xia Yao.

"Auntie, let me serve you a bowl of soup. This soup will warm you up from head to toe." Song Wanqing took Ma Jinhua's bowl and served her the soup.

"I...I can do it myself." Ma Jinhua seemed a little flustered, but the smile on her face didn't lie.

This city girl is really great. Not only is she beautiful, but she also speaks and acts with grace and poise. If I could find a daughter-in-law like her, that would be absolutely wonderful.

"Oh my, this braised pork intestine is so delicious! It's just as good as my mother's braised pork intestine." Zhou Han took a sip of wine and exclaimed.

"Let me try it." Upon hearing this, Zhou Ming also picked up a piece of braised pork intestine and put it in his mouth. He chewed it and swallowed it, nodding repeatedly: "It's so good! It's soft and chewy, and not greasy at all. It's definitely no worse than Grandma's braised pork intestine."

Ma Jinhua clenched her teeth as she looked at the father and son.

"Really? I'll try some too." Song Wanqing handed the soup to Ma Jinhua, picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of fatty intestine and put it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up: "Mmm! It smells so good! There's no gamey smell at all. It's really fatty but not greasy. Hot braised fatty intestine is so delicious!"

“Right? Zhou Yan learned this skill from his grandmother. We used to only be able to eat it during festivals. We all looked forward to that pot of braised meat during the festival.” Zhou Han laughed and looked at Song Wanqing, saying, “Teacher Song, would you like to have some wine? This braised dish is perfect with wine.”

"Uncle, I don't drink alcohol." Song Wanqing quickly waved her hand and said with a smile, "Next time, let my grandpa drink with you. He likes to have a drink or two sometimes."

"Okay, I'll have a drink with the old man next time." Zhou Han nodded, beaming. "You should also try this twice-cooked pork with pickled mustard greens, it's so delicious with rice!"

"Mmm, delicious! The bean sprouts smell so good, I could eat three bowls of rice!" Zhou Ming nodded in agreement. "Would you like me to get you some more rice?"

"Really? Then I'll have a bowl of rice, and then I'll try this twice-cooked pork with pickled mustard greens." Song Wanqing handed the bowl to Zhou Ming, looking eager to try it.

Looking at Song Wanqing, Ma Jinhua felt a mixture of helplessness and relief. This girl was truly wonderful; even with these two men by her side, she managed to keep to herself and not utter a single word.

At the next table, Aunt Zhao wore a beaming smile, confident that she would be able to attend a wedding banquet this Chinese New Year.

Zhou Yan almost burst out laughing; it was the first time he had ever realized that his third uncle was also a talented person.

Ming-ge's straight-man attitude, it turns out he learned it from his father.

The meal went very well, and the dishes were highly praised by all four of them.

Teacher Song is indeed a Chinese language teacher; she's so good at talking, she made Zhou Han and Ma Jinhua smile from ear to ear.

There were some pork intestines and braised pig ears left over, which Zhou Han packed up and took back with him.

When it was time to pay, the store was already bustling with activity.

"Fourth Aunt, so much money." Zhou Ming took out his wallet.

"Six yuan, may all your wishes come true," Aunt Zhao said with a smile, handing Zhou Ming a lunchbox. "And this, take some braised dishes up to your master."

Zhou Ming slapped his forehead and took the lunchbox: "Fourth Aunt, you're so thoughtful. Adding braised dishes would cost a lot more."

"This is a token of my appreciation, it's free." Aunt Zhao shook her head and instructed, "Ride slowly on the road and get Teacher Song home before dark, so her family won't worry."

"Okay, thank you, Fourth Aunt." Zhou Ming handed over the six yuan without refusing.

"Auntie, please tell Zhou Yan for me that the dishes today are exceptionally delicious," Song Wanqing said with a smile.

“Okay, I’ll tell him later, Teacher Song, come again next time,” Aunt Zhao said.

“Okay~” Song Wanqing nodded, said goodbye to Zhou Momo, and got on the back of Zhou Ming’s bicycle and left.

"Tieying, what do you think of Teacher Song? Is it a good fit?" After the bicycle had gone some distance, Ma Jinhua approached Zhao Tieying and asked in a low voice.

"Third sister-in-law, if you could marry a daughter-in-law like Teacher Song, you should be secretly happy! What else is there to complain about?" Zhao Tieying said with a smile.

“You’re right, it’s Zhou Ming who’s such a blockhead. I don’t know when he’ll finally get it.” Ma Jinhua’s smile held a hint of helplessness.

"Boss, let's order!" a customer called out.

"Okay, right away~" Zhao Tieying replied, and said to Ma Jinhua, "Don't worry, as long as Teacher Song is willing, this matter can't be avoided."

“Okay, then you go ahead with your work. We won’t keep you any longer. We’ll come back to chat with you when you’re free.” Ma Jinhua nodded, turned around, and quickly went out the door.

Zhou Han was already on his bicycle, waiting for her. Slightly tipsy, he said, "What are you going to say to your sister-in-law?"

“I told you I wanted to eat twice-cooked pork and a braised pig’s ear,” Ma Jinhua said sarcastically.

"Hey, I have to say, you..."

"What should I do?"

"fine……"

……

"I think your family atmosphere is so nice! Everyone seems so kind, yet they also have boundaries. They care about you a lot, and it feels so comfortable and warm to be around them." Song Wanqing sat in the back seat, holding Zhou Ming's clothes, with a smile on her face.

"Really? They've always been like this. I guess I'm used to it, so I don't really feel anything," Zhou Ming said.

“Yes, everyone seems very relaxed around each other, and you can tell they have a very close relationship. I don’t have much contact with my uncle’s family. Although we get together during the New Year, everyone is quite polite, and it feels a bit distant.” Song Wanqing nodded and smiled, “I’m quite envious of your relationship. You and Zhou Yan are like brothers, always thinking of each other. But my cousin and I don’t even exchange a single letter in a year.”

Zhou Ming's lips curled up slightly, "Then you will definitely like my grandma. My grandpa was always fighting in wars and later stayed in South Korea. She raised my five brothers and arranged for them to get married."

The five brothers separated their households after getting married, but they always maintained an excellent relationship. There were never any conflicts between their wives and sisters-in-law. We seven cousins ​​are no different from biological brothers.

"Really? That old lady is amazing! So that's how her family is." Song Wanqing's eyes lit up. "Then take me to meet the old lady next time."

"Have it."

"Teacher Zhou."

"Ok?"

"What kind of relationship do you think we have now?"

"colleague?"

"Fine……"

……

　Asking for a monthly ticket~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)