1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 275 You are an Honest Chef (Part 2, please vote)
He Ermao was stunned when he saw Zhou Yan's new announcement.

He made beef buns today, intending to surprise Zhou Yan.

Well, now it's him who's scared.

Zhou Yan's pickled mustard greens and pork buns sold like hotcakes, completely overshadowing his fresh pork buns.

Today he added two flavors to the steamed buns.

Pork buns, beef buns—this is a precise, targeted attack! Everyone's coming for them!

If Wang Laowu and Zhou Yan weren't mortal enemies, he would have suspected that Wang Laowu had leaked information to Zhou Yan.

"Do you think he's targeting us?" He Ermao turned around to talk to Liu Fen, but saw her sitting in front of the stove, lost in thought, with a dark red bruise at the corner of her eye that looked quite conspicuous. She had her woolen hat pulled low, trying to cover the mark.

She's been like this all morning, looking listless. When asked, she says she accidentally bumped into the door last night.

He Ermao had been feeling uneasy about her all morning, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Liu Fen, did that bastard Wang Laowu hurt you in the eye? Did he bully you again?"

"No...no." Liu Fen shook her head, her gaze somewhat evasive.

"Judging from your condition, he must have hit you!" He Ermao clenched his fist in anger. "That bastard isn't a man. He'd even lay a hand on his own wife. He's just a coward who only bullies his own family! Why would he hit you?"

Liu Fen pursed her lips, tears welling up in her eyes, and whispered, "He got up in the middle of the night and wanted me. I didn't want to, so he tore my clothes, found the money I had hidden, and then beat me."

"You son of a bitch!" He Ermao gritted his teeth.

“He’s completely useless. All he can do is spit on me. He’s become more and more perverted and disgusting over the years.” Liu Fen lowered her head and mumbled, “But don’t worry, he doesn’t know that the money was given to me by you. I’ll say that it was money I saved up before, and he won’t bother you.”

"He won't cause me any trouble? I'm going to cause him trouble!" He Ermao looked at her with eyes full of heartache, wishing he could chop Wang Laowu into mincemeat!

"Don't interfere, this is not your business. You're an outsider, what right do you have to interfere..." Liu Fen's eyes were filled with tears, and her voice was trembling with sobs.

“I…” He Er Mao clenched and unclenched his fists, unsure of what to say.

“You have good skills. You can make money anywhere after leaving the textile factory. Wang Laowu is a selfish person and not worth getting close to. Once you have saved enough money, leave. Don’t get involved with him, or he will ruin you,” Liu Fen said to him.

He Ermao looked at her earnestly and said, "Come with me, I'll take you away from here and leave that bastard alone."

Liu Fen lowered her eyes, pursed her lips, and said, "Leave? Where can I go? I haven't even left Su Ji."

“Chengdu! Chongqing! And even further away Guangzhou! Where can’t we go? I’ve been reading the newspapers these past few days. The special economic zones are developing rapidly. Now the country is supporting the individual economy. We may not be able to do anything big, but we can sell steamed buns anywhere!” He Ermao patted his chest and said, “Don’t worry, follow me, and I will definitely not let you suffer.”

Liu Fen stared at him blankly, remained silent for a long time, then lowered her head and whispered, "The workers are coming to work. I'll start the fire. Aren't we selling beef buns today?"

She backed down again.

He Ermao felt a little helpless, but more than that, she felt sorry for him. She seemed particularly afraid of Wang Laowu, and she must have had a very hard time all these years.

“Right! Let’s sell the buns first. The filling for today’s braised beef buns is my master’s secret recipe. It used to be a must-order at banquets in that restaurant. Although Zhou Yan is also selling beef buns today, I believe mine will definitely taste better! Let’s not shy away from his strength today. My beef buns are just as delicious!” He Er Mao said with renewed fighting spirit and full of confidence.

"Yes, I believe you." Liu Fen nodded, her eyes also shining.

Zhou Yan steamed four baskets of buns as soon as she started today, just in case she didn't steam enough and then she wouldn't have any to eat.

What he didn't expect was that Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen brought even more primary school students today than yesterday.

The steamed buns had just been steamed when a group of elementary school students carrying cloth backpacks flooded into the restaurant, chattering and asking for buns. This scene left Zhou Yan a little bewildered.

"Where did all these students come from? Are they all your classmates?" Zhou Yan asked Lin Jingxing.

"Brother Yan, I don't know either. It seems like all the classmates know your family's steamed buns are delicious. Maybe they talked about them all over school after they ate them yesterday." Lin Jingxing shrugged, indicating that he didn't know much about it.

"With so many people, Brother Yan, will we still be able to get any steamed buns?" Lin Bingwen expressed his concern.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "You guys definitely won't be left out of steamed buns. Today we have pork buns and beef buns with chili oil. Which flavor would you like? I'll get them for you first."

These two young guys are so reliable; they bring new customers to the restaurant, and they're even elementary school students, a group that's usually hard for the restaurant to reach.

More importantly, this group is backed by a family.

For example, these chattering elementary school students wanting to eat steamed buns are followed by their parents, including moms, dads, grandparents, and so on. This can basically drive consumption.

"A new flavor of steamed buns! I'll take one of each of the three today!" Lin Jingxing's eyes lit up and he immediately said.

"Is the red oil beef bun spicy?" Lin Bingwen asked.

“Yes, mildly spicy.” Zhou Yan nodded.

“I love beef, but I don’t like spicy buns. I want a bean sprout bun and a pork bun,” Lin Bingwen said.

"Then I'll take one of each of the three flavors and try your new flavored buns," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan took a plate and packed the buns for the two of them, letting them take them away themselves.

"I'd like a pork bun and a beef bun," Xia Yao said with a smile to Zhou Yan, having arrived early today.

"Okay." Zhou Yan replied with a smile, picking out two plump steamed buns for her, which he had made himself.

"Thank you." Xia Yao carried the steamed buns and walked towards Lin Zhiqiang's table.

Lin Qing was sitting at the table behind Zhou Yan when she saw Xia Yao and couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

That girl is so beautiful!
No wonder everyone says there are many beautiful women in textile factories; it's no exaggeration.

Not to mention him, young men can't help but take a second look at Xia Yao when they see her.

A strange sense of pride welled up in Zhou Yan's heart.

They could only see each other occasionally, but he ran with her every day.

"Here, your steamed buns." Zhou Yan packed three steamed buns for Lin Qing, one of each of the three flavors.

"Thank you," Lin Qing said with a smile, picking up her chopsticks and taking out a meat bun, the aroma of which wafted up.

He got up at 4:30 this morning and watched Zhou Yan and the others wrap steamed buns for more than an hour. By this time, he was starving and had no resistance to the freshly steamed buns.

I didn't have time to let it cool down before I took a bite.

The bun has a soft, thin skin and a generous filling; it bursts with juice in every bite.

The broth was scalding hot, but it was also incredibly fresh, tender, and flavorful!
The fresh meat and scallion flavors blend together perfectly, with no gamey taste at all. The dough is soft and elastic, and the minced meat is tender and juicy.

It tastes so delicious!

"Delicious! These pork buns are really delicious!" Lin Qing couldn't help but exclaim to Zhou Yan, saying that they were much better than the buns in their company cafeteria.

No wonder so many students came to buy steamed buns so early in the morning.

I never expected that Zhou Yan is not only good at red dishes, but also at white dishes.

He thought for a moment and then said, "Give me two more pork buns."

"Okay," Zhou Yan replied, adding two more steamed buns for him.

On the other side, Xia Yao had just picked up a red oil beef bun. The white skin and red filling were glistening with oil, and the meat juice soaked into the dough, giving it an enticing red sheen. She took a bite and her eyes lit up.

The dough is soft and slightly sweet, and the ground beef, cut into small pieces, was stir-fried in advance. The spiciness is not prominent, but it is exceptionally fragrant.

The minced meat has a good balance of lean and fatty meat, making it more juicy and flavorful. It becomes more fragrant with each chew, and has a slightly spicy and numbing aroma.

"This beef bun smells so good! The chili oil isn't greasy at all and has a slightly spicy flavor, which is quite unique," Xia Yao exclaimed softly.

"Yes, that's a very accurate assessment. This spicy beef bun is indeed delicious! The beef filling is stir-fried perfectly! Zhou Yan is simply a god when it comes to stir-frying beef." Lin Zhiqiang also praised the beef bun he had half-eaten in his hand.

He was initially skeptical about the spicy buns.

But after taking a bite, he realized that he had been narrow-minded before.

The spicy beef buns are absolutely delicious!
Elementary school students are the most generous with their praise.

"These steamed buns are absolutely the best I've ever eaten in my life! They're so much better than my mom's!"

"It smells so good! I want to eat steamed buns for every meal! Mom, can you buy me two more?" The parents, who had originally only planned to bring their children to eat steamed buns and leave, couldn't resist the aroma and the sight of the thin-skinned, generously filled buns. They eventually sat down and ordered some.

It doesn't matter where you eat breakfast, even if the steamed buns at the factory canteen cost a dime each, they really aren't as good as Zhou Erwa's restaurant.

Workers gradually arrived for work. Some regular customers who had been eating bean sprout and pork buns for two or three days in a row originally planned to take a day off and try a different breakfast.

But when he heard that Zhou Erwa's restaurant had launched new steamed buns, and even two different flavors at once, he naturally steered his bicycle towards Zhou Erwa's restaurant.

I have to try it!
Before long, a long queue formed in front of the steamer, stretching almost to the front of He Ji Baozi Shop.

He Ermao, seeing the aroma, quickly turned up the heat, and the smell of meat wafted out with the steam. At the same time, he stood at the entrance of the steamed bun shop and shouted loudly: "Savory beef buns! Fresh meat buns! Delicious! Only 15 cents each! No need to queue, no need to rush, order and eat right away, absolutely delicious!"

These shouts immediately attracted some attention.

Especially the customers who lined up at He Ji Steamed Bun Shop couldn't help but swallow their saliva as they smelled the aroma of meat mixed in with the steam.

These steamed buns smell pretty good!
He Ermao lifted the lid, revealing plump, round buns in the steamer. He reached out, grabbed one, tore it in half, and continued to call out as he walked along the line: "Look at my beef buns! Thin skin, big filling. Fresh beef bought this morning, minced and chopped, with a rich, savory sauce."

As she spoke, she picked two customers from the queue and handed them the steamed buns in her hand: "These are the hands I use to make steamed buns. If you don't mind, please try them and give me a fair evaluation."

The two guests glanced at the steamed buns in He Ermao's hand, then at Zhou Erwa's restaurant, where Zhou Yan and Aunt Zhao were staring intently at them, and were momentarily at a loss for words.

These buns look pretty good; they have a rich, savory sauce, thin skin, and generous filling.

But...

They're queuing up for Zhou Erwa's restaurant right now. If they accept the offer, wouldn't that be betraying Boss Zhou and Aunt Zhao?

If you find something you like after eating it, how should you rate it?

It's really annoying.

"This guy is really something else. Wang Laowu isn't up to his level." Zhou Yan looked at He Er Mao with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

In this situation, the fact that they dared to tear open the buns and directly grab customers shows that they have a good mentality, strategy, and courage.

However, this puts the guests in the middle, putting them in a difficult position.

"They're really not taking me, the Iron Lady, seriously by trying to steal customers like this!" Aunt Zhao had already started rolling up her sleeves, ready to make her move.

"It's alright, watch me." Zhou Yan took two buns from the steamer, one with pork filling and the other with beef in chili oil, and walked straight towards He Er Mao.

Now, everyone's eyes turned to Zhou Yan, their faces filled with anticipation.

The two businesses are located opposite each other, both specializing in steamed buns, and their flavors are exactly the same.

Are we finally going to fight tooth and nail over customers today?
"What is Zhou Yan doing?" Xia Yao had just finished eating her steamed buns and stood up nervously.

"Don't worry, he's not an impulsive person," Lin Zhiqiang reassured him, but his gaze towards Zhou Yan was also full of concern.

When He Ermao saw Zhou Yan approaching, he subconsciously took a half step back.

After all, he was the one trying to steal customers, so he was a little guilty.

Liu Fen also stood up from behind the stove, looking at Zhou Yan with a similar nervousness.

If a fight really breaks out, should she go and help?

Zhou Yan's mother is a notorious iron lady, quite fierce. She once scolded Wang Laowu and her all by herself, and she could make Wang Laowu cry even with half her mouth covered.

If they were to actually fight, they would have absolutely no chance of winning.

The customer who was about to receive the steamed buns quickly put his hands behind his back, lowered his eyes, and inexplicably felt like he had been caught red-handed by his wife.

In the distance, Wang Laowu, who was wearing a hat and squatting under a tree, also got up and craned his neck to look in this direction. Because the situation was unclear, he was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks.

Today, He Ermao is going to make beef buns. He went early this morning to buy five catties of beef, intending to challenge Zhou Yan.

He naturally didn't want to miss such a scene, so he arrived early in the morning.

“You…you want claws? Let’s compete fairly and rely on our own abilities. You can’t hit me, can you?” He Ermao said to Zhou Yan, his voice trembling.

“That’s right, fair competition, each relying on their own abilities. I run a restaurant, you set up a stall, we are both self-employed, there is no high or low status.” Zhou Yan nodded, raised his hand to show the two buns in his hand, and looked at He Er Mao and said: “I think your pastry skills are very solid, you are a pastry chef. Instead of making it difficult for customers to compare, why don’t you try my fresh meat buns and beef buns yourself.”

Upon hearing this, He Ermao straightened up, looking at Zhou Yan with a mixture of surprise and admiration.

This young man is not old, but he lives an open and honest life.

However, he looked to be only twenty years old. Wang Laowu said he learned his cooking skills from the chef at the factory canteen.

What good pastry chefs could a factory in a small town have? Could they compare to restaurants in Chengdu?

Looking at the two steamed buns in his hand, He Ermao hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took them. He also handed the beef buns he had made to Zhou Yan and said, "Let's have a contest as chefs. If my beef buns and pork buns are the best, you won't be selling buns starting tomorrow. If yours are even better, I won't be showing up at the textile factory gate starting tomorrow."

“No problem.” Zhou Yan nodded.

The guests were immediately intrigued; they hadn't expected to see such a spectacular showdown between chefs!
The customers sitting in the shop also craned their necks.

Even the vendors from the neighboring stalls came over to watch the spectacle.

Wang Laowu somehow hired He Ermao to go against Zhou Yan. Seeing that Zhou Yan had made steamed buns a hit again, everyone was quite envious.

If He Ermao wins and Zhou Yan stops making steamed buns, then He Ermao and Wang Laowu will really make a fortune.

"Er Mao, don't be impulsive..." Liu Fen whispered a reminder. If they lost, the price would be too high.

"It's alright, I know what I'm doing." He Ermao glanced back at Liu Fen, then confidently picked up the meat bun. It had twenty-two pleats, forming a perfectly shaped chrysanthemum. The bun was quite beautiful.

He pinched the dough with his fingers; it was soft and elastic, and when he released it, it returned to its round shape. The dough was well-kneaded, and the steaming temperature was just right.

He Ermao's expression became more serious.

The layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

The state of these steamed buns is enough to show that Zhou Yan's basic skills are quite solid. His master makes steamed buns just like this; one look and one pinch and you can roughly tell what he's made of.

In comparison, after neglecting his skills for several years, the steamed buns he made were still a bit lacking.

I picked up the meat bun and took a bite. The bun skin was soft and elastic, with a strong wheat aroma and a hint of sweetness. The skin was very thin, and the filling was very generous. One bite and the filling burst with juice.

The meat juice is piping hot, with a very prominent umami flavor. The ratio of lean to fat is just right, and the meat filling is tender, savory, and fragrant, with absolutely no gamey taste.

He Ermao stared at the half-eaten bun in his hand, remaining silent for a long time.

"How is it?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.

Everyone stared at him.

"Delicious." He Ermao nodded. "These meat buns are much better than mine. The meat filling is perfectly seasoned, savory and delicious, with plenty of juice. The meat filling is tender and flavorful, and the dough is well fermented, soft and elastic."

He Ermao's tone was filled with a strong sense of frustration. The gap was too big, so big that he felt that such a perfect steamed bun should not have appeared in this small town at all.

Even... the fresh meat buns made by his master were inferior to those made by Zhou Yan.

Every step is flawless, demonstrating absolute control over the entire process.

"You are an honest chef." Zhou Yan nodded, giving He Ermao a higher opinion of him.

He Ermao pursed his lips. This evaluation was somewhat like killing someone's spirit, making him feel uncomfortable, upset, and wanting to cry.

Then he picked up the beef bun and took a bite.

Tears immediately streamed down my face.

Oh my god...

How can he make steamed buns so delicious?
How much hardship and effort must one endure!

　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　No updates tonight. I plan to go to bed earlier and adjust my sleep schedule this month, and start writing earlier tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)