1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 262 Bean Sprout and Pork Buns Sell Well (Part 2)

Zhou Yan paused for a moment, then quickly nodded: "Okay!"

However, he quickly came to his senses and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Sister Meng, isn't this too much trouble for you?"

He was still considering how to bring it up, but Meng Anhe immediately said she would provide him with construction drawings.

She's so nice, so direct!

Meng Anhe is no idle person; he's a big shot at the architecture institute and has been in charge of many large-scale projects. Xia Yao had talked to him about it before, and he's usually quite busy with work.

Meng Anhe waved her hand dismissively: "It's okay, you're not in a hurry to build it anyway. I've taken the measurements and have a general understanding of your needs. I'll make it for you slowly when I have time."

"Okay, then I'll have to trouble you." Zhou Yan nodded. Since they had already said that, it would seem dishonest of him to refuse again.

These two steamed buns are such a great deal!

As they were talking, the steamed buns were ready.

After turning off the heat and waiting for five minutes, I lifted the lid of the steamer. Steam rose up, and the aroma of the pickled mustard greens and pork buns wafted out.

"Wow~~"

The three children gathered around the stove, their mouths agape in amazement. The aroma made them swallow hard.

"It smells so good!" Lin Zhiqiang couldn't help but stand up and look into the steamer. As a Shanxi native, his love for noodles and vinegar is ingrained in his bones.

The steamed buns in the cafeteria were never to his liking; they were too greasy and he couldn't get used to them. He usually ate steamed buns with porridge and a side of pickled vegetables.

The steamed buns Zhou Yan made today smelled delicious, which made him really look forward to them.

"Here, have one for each of you." Zhou Yan took a small bowl and filled one for each of the three little ones.

"Thank you, bro~"

"Thank you brother!"

The three little ones happily took their bowls and sat down to the side.

Zhou Yan took a large plate, first picked out six of the better-made steamed buns for Lin Zhiqiang and the others, and placed them on the table.

"These steamed buns are so big, aren't they a bit too many?" Meng Anhe frowned slightly, looking at the mountain of steamed buns, a little worried.

"Not much. Uncle Lin is from Shanxi, so he'll probably need more after we finish eating," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“Xiao Zhou understands me best.” Lin Zhiqiang sat down again, rubbed his hands together, and said with a smile, “I haven’t had freshly steamed buns in a long time. The buns in the cafeteria are steamed in advance and kept warm in the pot. The taste is incomparable to when they are fresh out of the steamer.”

"Eat up." Meng Anhe took a pair of chopsticks from the chopstick holder and handed them to him.

"You eat too." Lin Zhiqiang first put a steamed bun into her bowl, then picked up a steamed bun for himself. The white, plump, and soft bun sank in when picked up with chopsticks, and the meat juice seeped out from the thin skin, making it shiny with oil.

I blew on it a couple of times and then took a bite.

call--

hot!
The steamed buns were still hot inside their soft dough, and he didn't dare to take a big bite.

But with just this small bite, the scalding hot meat juices and the salty aroma of the bean sprouts burst in your mouth.

One bite and your mouth is filled with the rich, oily flavor—it's so delicious it'll make your soul leave your body!

Looking at the steamed bun in my hand, the thin skin was filled with a generous amount of pickled mustard greens and meat filling, glistening with oil, almost bursting out of the skin.

Lin Zhiqiang has been eating steamed buns for decades, but this one bite today completely won him over.

Sprout and pork buns!

So fragrant!
Thin crust, generous filling, soft and sweet.

Who would be willing to use such a generous amount of filling in their steamed buns?

His mom's cooking always had meat filling that you could only see in the second bite.

I couldn't even wait for the bun to cool down before taking a second bite.

On this cold winter morning, having a hot steamed bun is pure bliss!
cool!

No wonder their two sons crave steamed buns every day. Let alone them, even he would crave them after eating them.

Looks like noodles won't be the only option anymore; we'll have to eat these steamed buns.

Meng Anhe was still blowing on the steamer when she saw Lin Zhiqiang take two bites of half a bun. His expression was so beautiful, as if he had eaten honey. She couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Is it delicious?"

"It's so delicious! It's the best steamed bun I've ever eaten!" Lin Zhiqiang nodded and urged, "Stop bragging, take a bite while it's hot, or it won't taste as good when it's cold."

Lin Bingwen had also eaten half a bun and nodded, saying, "Mom, you should try it. You'll definitely like this bun."

Upon hearing this, Meng Anhe picked up a steamed bun and took a bite.

The dough is soft and fluffy, with a fragrant wheat aroma. One bite reveals half meat filling, with crisp and tender bean sprouts intertwined with minced meat, filling your mouth with a rich, oily flavor.

Unlike the juicy Hangzhou-style steamed buns, this one has the meat juice hidden inside the generous filling, making it savory and delicious without being greasy.

The bean sprouts absorb most of the oil, and their crisp and tender texture and unique flavor make the oily buns not greasy at all.

She doesn't really like steamed buns. Her workplace cafeteria has pork buns for breakfast, but she only tried them once. The meat smell was too strong, and there was too much fat, which made her feel nauseous. After that, she only ate steamed bread.

But the steamed buns Zhou Yan made today had the bean sprouts and meat stir-fried beforehand, making them especially fragrant and chewy, which she really liked.

Really delicious!
One bite after another, I couldn't stop.

"Come on, let's have breakfast too." Zhou Yan called Zhao Niangniang and the others over to get some steamed buns. At the same time, he lit another stove, steamed four baskets first, sold half of them, and then started steaming the rest.

Master the rhythm of steaming buns to ensure that guests enjoy the best-tasting buns.

After finishing one steamed bun, Lin Zhiqiang picked up a second one and looked at Zhou Yan, saying, "I've been eating pork buns for twenty years, but this one with pickled mustard greens has stolen my heart! Zhou, this bun you made is so delicious!"

“Uncle Lin loves to eat, he’ll have a couple more later, there are still plenty left in the steamer,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Okay, then I won't be polite." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile. He really couldn't refuse these steamed buns today.

Meng Anhe added, "Xiao Zhou is really amazing. Not only is he good at cooking hot dishes, but he's also top-notch at cooking cold dishes. These pickled mustard greens and pork buns are even better than the ones I had in Yibin."

"That's too high a rating. Take your time eating. We'll have a couple more when these steamers are ready," Zhou Yan said with a smile. The positive feedback from the actual customers gave him even more confidence.

"He already has customers?" Liu Fen peeked into Zhou Yan's shop and saw a family of four sitting there, feeling a little envious.

“It doesn’t matter if there are only a few customers, but why are they eating them themselves? Aren’t they going to sell them? My buns are almost cooked, why aren’t the workers here yet?” He Er Mao looked around anxiously.

His steamed buns were almost ready, but the workers hadn't arrived yet.

He started steaming noodles after seeing Zhou Yan light the fire, thinking that since the kid had been running the noodle shop for so long, he should know how long it would take for customers to come.

Who would have thought that this kid only steamed one basket, and then his own family ate it first after it was done?

The heat has been reduced to a simmer, but if these buns are steamed for too long, they won't taste as good.

He Ermao looked around anxiously.

be cheated!
Zhou Yan ate four steamed buns and put up a signboard that he had written the night before at the door.

New product: Sprout and pork bun: 2 jiao (crossed out) 1.5 fen each!
It was placed directly in front of the steamer stove, with a downward-sloping arrow drawn on it.

A small stool was placed next to it.

Zhou Momo, the top salesperson, was already sitting obediently at her workstation with her second meat bun in hand, taking small bites of it. Her chubby little hands were covered in oil, and she was enjoying her meal immensely.

The steamer was already steaming, and the aroma of wheat mixed with the fragrance of the bean sprout and meat filling gradually spread with the heat.

Workers arrived one after another, and the entrance became lively.

The wafting aroma of steamed buns became a speed bump at the entrance of the textile factory.

The workers subconsciously slowed down and noticed the two stacks of steamers standing in front of Zhou Erwa's restaurant. There was a sign in front of them. Their eyes followed the arrow downwards, stopped, and they swallowed hard.

A little girl in a floral jacket held half a large meat bun in her hands and ate it one bite after another.

The thin dumpling skin is filled with a generous amount of meat filling. The filling, with its almost overflowing bean sprouts and meat, makes one worry that it might fall to the ground.

However, the little guy was experienced, taking a bite from the left and a bite from the right, keeping the bun in a delicate balance.

It looks so delicious!

"Zhou Erwa's restaurant has started selling steamed buns! They look really good!"

"The skin is so thin, and the filling is so generous! Mr. Zhou, are the steamed buns you sell really like this?"

"No, I need to eat a hot steamed bun before going into the factory! I can't even walk past this smell!"

The workers immediately swarmed around and asked Zhou Yan, who was standing at the door.

"It's genuine, all our steamed buns are like this, thin skin and generous filling, please feel free to try them." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

"The meat buns are so delicious! Brother, I want to eat a third one later~~" Zhou Momo looked up and said to Zhou Yan in a childish voice.

“Okay, I’ll get you another one once this steamer is done.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

The workers, who were initially hesitant, could no longer contain themselves.

"Boss, I'll have two!"

"Two aren't enough, I want three!"

"I want four! The price is the same as a bowl of noodles! I want to see if noodles or steamed buns are tastier." The workers stopped their bicycles and started ordering steamed buns.

The steamed buns that someone dares to feed to their three-year-old child must be pretty good.

Zhou Yan said with a smile, "Please wait a moment. These steamed buns will take a few more minutes to arrive. Freshly steamed buns taste the best. Why don't you all sit in the shop for a while? It's warmer inside."

"Yes, that's fine!" the customers replied with smiles, and they all went inside to sit down.

Then I saw Lin Zhiqiang and his family eating steamed buns.

A familiar worker asked with a smile, "Director Lin, are these steamed buns delicious?"

"I've already eaten my fourth one, and I still don't feel like I've had enough. Isn't it delicious?" Lin Zhiqiang picked up the half-eaten meat bun in his hand and laughed heartily, "Look at this, how thin the skin is! It's full of pickled mustard greens and meat filling. Where else can you get such a big meat bun for 15 cents?"

"Exactly, those steamed buns at the bridgehead, you take two big bites and you can't see any meat filling, just a tiny bit of meat, and they still sell for a dime each."

"Oh my, just talking about it makes me hungry."

The workers all laughed. Director Lin's words were true; putting aside the taste, the meat filling alone looked tempting.

Zhou Yan's twice-cooked pork with pickled mustard greens and braised pork belly with pickled mustard greens were both quite delicious.

This bean sprout and meat filling looks delicious; it must taste amazing.

This is called word of mouth.

Many customers who came to eat noodles would park their bicycles and then stop at the shop entrance to watch Zhou Momo eat a steamed bun for a while.

The little guy is so cute, and he's eating so well, it makes you want to have one too.

He Ermao looked at the increasing number of bicycles parked in front of the restaurant across the street and got a little anxious: "What's going on? Why are they all going that way? Aren't we selling the same kind of steamed buns? Why didn't they even ask us?"

"It's here... that familiar feeling is back..." Liu Fen was also getting a little anxious. Looking at this scene, the fear of being dominated by Zhou Yan descended upon her again.

The same thing happened when selling noodles before. Even though Zhou Yan's noodles were more expensive, customers still flocked to his stall.

That's why they made one blunder after another, and in the end they were arrested and locked up for half a month, losing everything they owned.

Two hundred steamed buns were already in the steamer. The workers glanced at their signboard and price list, then at Zhou Yan's notice board across the street, and then walked towards Zhou Erwa's restaurant without hesitation.

"Look, a new steamed bun shop has opened! A meat bun is only 15 cents, not too expensive. Want to try it?"

"Wait a minute! Boss Zhou is selling steamed buns too, also for 15 cents each! I'll definitely get Boss Zhou's for the pickled mustard greens and pork buns!"

"So cheap? It's a better deal than eating noodles! Let's go, have a couple and try them."

The two workers parked their bicycles in front of He Ji Baozi Shop, but then turned around and left.

This kind of situation played out time and time again in front of He Ermao and Liu Fen.

"What's going on?" He Ermao scratched his head, completely baffled. But seeing more and more workers arriving, he quickly started shouting, "Meat buns! Freshly made meat buns! Fifteen cents each! Buns made with the techniques of Rongcheng Restaurant! Delicious—"

The shouts did attract some attention. Many workers didn't notice the new steamed bun stall; the steamers were steaming hot, and it looked quite professional.

At Zhou Erwa Restaurant, Aunt Zhao immediately stepped forward and loudly called out:

"Zhou Erwa's restaurant's piping hot bean sprout and pork buns! Thin skin, generous filling, and the taste is absolutely fantastic!"

"One cent and fifty cents each, fresh ingredients, and very fragrant—"

Zhao Niangniang's voice was loud and clear, directly suppressing He Ermao, adopting a head-to-head approach and refusing to give an inch.

With Zhou Momo sitting at the door, engrossed in eating a steamed bun, this combination of actions was irresistible to the workers who wanted to eat steamed buns.

"Holy crap... Is this how it's done? What a huge grudge, what a deep resentment!" He Ermao was dumbfounded; this was a completely different start from what he had imagined.

Isn't it true that as soon as the steamed buns are put on the stove, the aroma wafts out and guests flock to them?
This small town, once he takes action, isn't it a piece of cake?

Why did the scene he imagined appear at Zhou Erwa Restaurant across the street?

"Zhou Yan, the steamed buns are delicious. Let's take the kids to school now." Lin Zhiqiang ate five steamed buns. If he hadn't been so full, he felt he could have eaten two more.

Meng Anhe ate three steamed buns today, which even she found unbelievable. She looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Make sure you can schedule your time for Sunday."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Meng. Take care." Zhou Yan nodded.

Goodbye, Brother Yan!

"Goodbye, brother." Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen slung their backpacks over their shoulders, said goodbye to Zhou Yan, and ran out the door.

"Goodbye." Zhou Yan waved with a smile, glanced at the time, and lifted the lid of the steamer, saying, "Here, have some steamed buns!"

He spotted Xia Yao in the crowd; she smiled and waved at him.

"How many do you want to eat?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.

"Two." Xia Yao glanced at the restaurant, which was almost full. "Takeout is fine; I'll take them to the office to eat."

"Okay." Zhou Yan first picked out two for her, put them in an oil paper bag, and handed them to her.

"Thank you." Xia Yao took the bun, stuffed three cents into his hand, opened the bag, took a bite, and said with a smile, "Delicious, the bean sprout and pork filling is so fragrant. I'm going to work now."

"Okay." Zhou Yan smiled as he watched her turn and leave, tossed the money into a box to the side, said something to Aunt Zhao, and then went into the kitchen to cook noodles.

The second batch of steamed buns has already been put into the steamer. Judging from this, selling out these two hundred buns today shouldn't be a problem.

"two?"

"Three to go?"

"It's hot, handle with care!"

Aunt Zhao never stopped smiling as she took on the important task of selling steamed buns.

The first batch of one hundred steamed buns sold out in no time.

The second batch was just steamed, and they immediately started selling it.

"It's so delicious! This pickled mustard green and pork bun is incredibly fragrant, with a thin skin and generous filling. The taste is absolutely fantastic!"

"Boss lady, I'd like another steamed bun! The taste is absolutely amazing."

"Aunt Zhao, these steamed buns are so delicious, why are you only selling them today? I'm so tired of eating the steamed buns from the cafeteria."

The guests' praise undoubtedly became the most resounding advertisement.

Many customers who ordered noodles couldn't resist ordering a steamed bun to try while they were waiting for their noodles.

He Er Mao was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks. It was already 7:30, and he had only sold one steamed bun.

The worker took his bun, then turned around and went to the other side to buy another one.

After finishing the two steamed buns at the entrance, the worker bought two more steamed buns with pickled mustard greens and pork.

Clearly, the bean sprout and pork bun is the clear winner.

"He Ji's steamed buns taste a bit better than the cafeteria's, but only by a small margin. They're steamed for too long, which makes the dough unpalatable."

"These bean sprout and minced meat buns are different! Freshly steamed, the dough is soft and fluffy, and the taste is superb. The bean sprouts and minced meat are stir-fried first, making them incredibly fragrant. One bite is so satisfying! So blissful!"

"Which one to choose? Do you even need to ask? At the same price, of course we'll choose the bean sprout and pork bun with more filling and a better taste!"

The worker ate while sharing with his fellow workers.

He Er Mao was so angry he gritted his teeth. He stared at the worker for a while, remembered him, and blacklisted him!
On the first day of sale, the steamed buns at Tuesday's Wa Wa Restaurant sold out, and soon after, the second batch of one hundred steamed buns also sold out.

"Auntie, are there any more steamed buns?"

"I want one more..."

Looking at the workers gathered at the door, Aunt Zhao said apologetically, "That's all! We've sold out of two hundred buns today. Come back tomorrow, and we'll make more in the morning so everyone can have some."

The workers who didn't get to eat immediately sighed in despair.

I'm too late, I missed it!
"He Ermao, what should we do? We're about to start work, and we've only sold one steamed bun! You need to think of something!" Liu Fen was pacing anxiously.

Now she didn't want to think about the 7.5 yuan that He Ermao had mentioned. If she couldn't sell the 200 buns in the pot, she wouldn't even be able to get back the 20 yuan she had invested today.

All that talk about Chengdu restaurant techniques, famous masters and apprentices, and the buns not selling—it's all bullshit!

He Ermao gritted his teeth, took two steps forward, and shouted loudly, "He's Steamed Bun Shop, grand opening special! Meat buns are only one cent each! Steamed buns are five cents each! Freshly made, and the taste is absolutely amazing! The steamed buns at Rongcheng Restaurant are made by my master, and they taste just like this!"

This call tempted the workers who missed out on the steamed buns from Zhou Erwa's restaurant last week; they were only one cent each, the same price as the factory canteen.

"Come on, let's buy one and try it out. Let's see what the steamed buns from Rongcheng Restaurant taste like, and whether they're just bragging."

"Taste it!"

When someone takes action, others immediately follow.

They swarmed around He Ji's steamed bun stall.

I want one of this, and two of that.

He Ji Steamed Bun Shop has officially opened for business.

A slight smile appeared on Liu Fen and He Ermao's faces.

One worker paid, took a bite of the steamed bun, and immediately his expression changed: "Pah! This soggy steamed bun, is this what Rongcheng Restaurant tastes like?"

(End of this chapter)