1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 299 My Heart Aches for My Boyfriend~~ (6.2k words, two chapters combined)

Zhou Yan went upstairs and took out his household registration book and bankbook from his pocket.

Aunt Zhao followed her upstairs, took the passbook, looked at it carefully for a while, and said with some concern, "Forty thousand yuan has been exchanged for this piece of paper. Is it reliable?"

"Don't worry, regular banks are reliable. Even if you earn 400,000 or 4 million in the future, it's just a piece of paper or a card in the bank." Zhou Yan comforted you with a smile. "Keep this passbook safe, and the money won't be lost. Even if the passbook is lost, you can report it lost and reissue it with your household registration book. It's convenient and safe."

"Oh, I see. Then I'll open an account and get a passbook too." Aunt Zhao seemed thoughtful. She and Lao Zhou had quite high salaries now, and Zhou Yan had returned the money to them before, so they had saved more than a thousand yuan. It wasn't very safe to keep it at home.

"Didn't my old man say he wanted to build a hidden compartment a couple of days ago? Has he started working on it yet?" Zhou Yan asked curiously.

Aunt Zhao nodded: "He's been moving bricks upstairs these past few days. When no one's in the shop, bring your box over and put it away to avoid it getting robbed. It's almost Chinese New Year, and thieves are really fierce."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. Old Zhou just loves to tinker and is willing to spend time doing these things.

That's good too. Every family needs someone who can sew and mend. It seems like that's the role of a father.

Zhou Yan was curious whether Old Zhou would build a place to store his secret stash of money.

The living room was empty, with only a simple wooden bed in the corner, and nothing else had been added.

"Keep the passbook safe, and I'll keep the household registration book. Ask me for it again when you need it." Aunt Zhao took the household registration book and handed the passbook to Zhou Yan. She then lowered her voice and instructed, "Listen to your grandma about this. Don't tell anyone else yet. Wait until the restaurant opens next year and you've earned another 40,000 yuan before giving this money to your grandma."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded.

This 40,000 is quite a windfall.

As the saying goes, a man cannot become rich without unexpected wealth, and a horse cannot become fat without night grass.

He earned the opportunity to get in touch with Zhuang Huayu himself.

However, we really need to be careful about theft prevention. I heard from the workers this morning that the textile factory was robbed again last night, and two machine parts were stolen.

The security department kept watch every night and worked with the police station to investigate the case, yet their home was burgled right under their noses.

The items themselves weren't worth much money, but the provocation was obvious; they were clearly trying to provoke the security department.

Luo Weidong hasn't been home to sleep for half a month. This morning, the security officers each asked for an extra steamed bun, which shows they were quite angry.

Zhou Yan guessed that this thief was either extremely bold or a pervert.

He wouldn't do petty theft; he just wanted to see the security department completely outmaneuvered by him.

These kinds of thieves usually have some skills. Zhou Yan's restaurant is so popular that anyone with eyes can see it's making money, so he might get targeted one day.

If the thief were a local, it wouldn't be so bad. He might have heard of the Zhou family's reputation and knew that his father was a skilled butcher in the surrounding area and his mother was a legendary female marksman. He might not dare to come to their door.

I'm afraid they're from out of town, they'll just grab something and leave, they don't care about sportsmanship.

With the Chinese New Year approaching, the thief also wanted to make some money to go home and have a good New Year.

Of course, guarding the security post, one feels quite safe.

No matter how skilled the thief is, he can't outrun a gun.

Zhou Yan changed his clothes and went downstairs. He saw Zhou Momo staring blankly at the last candied hawthorn on the stick, with a trace of glistening sugar stains on the corner of her mouth, which she licked away with her little tongue.

"The last one, why aren't you eating it? Are you saving it for your brother?" Zhou Yan walked over with a smile, opening his mouth and bending down as if to eat it.

"Ouch! Guoguo, you ate one!" Zhou Momo immediately moved the candied hawthorn aside, avoiding Zhou Yan's big mouth, and pouted, saying, "This is for Yaoyao! You can't take it!"

"Oh my, you're so good to your sister Yao Yao." Zhou Yan laughed.

Zhou Momo nodded her little head: "That's right! Sister Yaoyao is so good to me~~"

"I saved a skewer for your sister Yaoyao, you can eat it. My mouth is watering just looking at it." Zhou Yan smiled and patted the little guy's head.

"Really?" Zhou Momo asked, still somewhat doubtful.

“Look, what’s this?” Zhou Yan turned to the counter and picked up the string of candied hawthorns that had been left earlier.

"Ah! It really is!" Zhou Momo's eyes lit up, and without hesitation, she took a big bite of the candied hawthorn she had been craving. She put a piece of candy in her mouth, smiled at Zhou Yan, and said, "Brother! I've already taken a bite, so it's mine!"

“I don’t mind,” Zhou Yan grinned. “Give me a bite too.”

"Come on, come on~ I don't mind if you don't eat it." Zhou Momo actually handed Zhou Yan the candied hawthorn, but earnestly instructed, "Just one bite! Just a small bite."

"Never mind, I won't eat it, you eat it." Zhou Yan smiled and patted her head before turning and walking towards the kitchen to prepare ingredients for the evening's business.

I was planning to tidy up the shop next door these past two days, but Zhuang Huayu's arrival has disrupted my schedule. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to ask Brother Jie about the table, and then ask Master Zhang to help open two doors and connect the two shops.

The lights also need to be redone, as lighting greatly affects the appearance of the dishes, which is quite important, so we need to find an electrician.

With 40,000 yuan in hand, Zhou Yan suddenly had plenty of money.

Once Sister Meng's design drawings are finished, he can start preparing for the house renovation, and construction will begin immediately after the New Year.

Both projects are quite large, so we need to prepare in advance. The reconstruction will probably require going through the approval process, so there will likely be a lot of work involved.

However, he's not entirely without connections in Jiaozhou now. He's at least become acquainted with Lin Qing, and if all else fails, he can go to Huang Xiaoji. After all, Feiyan Restaurant is a genuine century-old establishment with extensive connections.

Often, having connections can save a lot of trouble.

As soon as the closing bell rang, Xia Yao was among the first three customers to enter the store.

Running every night has definitely paid off; I'm number one in rice.

Before Zhou Yan could speak, Zhou Momo had already run behind the counter, grabbed the candied hawthorn skewer, and trotted over to Xia Yao. "Sister Yao Yao! Candied hawthorn skewers! Guoguo brought you candied hawthorn skewers!"

"Really?" Xia Yao's eyes lit up. She reached out and took it, peeling back the oil paper to reveal a string of six hawthorns wrapped in a glistening sugar shell, like a string of small lanterns, big and round.

"Wow~ This candied hawthorn is even bigger than the last one!" Xia Yao took a bite, the candied hawthorn crunching as she chewed, then looked up at Zhou Yan with a smile. "It's sweet and sour, so delicious! Thank you~~"

"You're welcome." Zhou Yan's lips curled up slightly, her smile sweeter than a candied hawthorn.

"I need to reserve a table. My aunt is back today. She'll come over after picking up Jingxing and Bingwen." Xia Yao sat down at the table by the kitchen door and reserved her spot.

"You seem very happy. Is something making you happy?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at her.

"The leader praised me in front of everyone at the meeting today," Xia Yao said softly, raising her right hand to cover her mouth, her eyes crinkling with pride.

"That's impressive," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Boss, one twice-cooked pork and one shredded pork with garlic sauce..." The customer started ordering, and Zhou Yan quickly wrote down a few order slips before turning around and going into the kitchen to get busy.

"MoMo, do you want some?" Xia Yao finished eating a candied hawthorn and handed it to Zhou MoMo, who was sitting next to her.

The little guy swallowed hard, but still shook his head: "Sister Yaoyao, you eat, I don't want to eat anymore. I've already eaten one skewer, and Guoguo said I can't eat too much."

"You're so good, you said you wouldn't eat and you really didn't." Xia Yao smiled and patted her head.

Not long after, Lin Zhiqiang, Meng Anhe, Lin Bingwen, and Lin Jingxing also arrived.

"Auntie, over here." Xia Yao waved.

"Sister Yao! Sister Momo~" The two little ones ran over first, greeted her, and their eyes fell on the candied hawthorn in Xia Yao's hand, while they swallowed hard.

"Want some?" Xia Yao smiled at the two of them.

"Yes!" The people who came nodded in unison.

"Where did you buy the candied hawthorns?" Meng Anhe sat down and asked with a smile, noticing that Xia Yao still had half a skewer of candied hawthorns left in her hand.

"Zhou Yan brought these back for me from the city," Xia Yao said with a smile, handing the candied hawthorn to Meng Anhe. "Auntie, try one. It's sweet and sour, so delicious, and it whets your appetite. Give the other two to the two little ones."

“Zhou Yan is quite nice to you. These hawthorns look very fresh and are quite big.” Meng Anhe reached out and took them, took a bite, and nodded: “Mmm, they’re delicious! They’re slightly sour but sweet enough, and the sugar coating is crisp and doesn’t stick to your teeth. They’re quite good. Zhou Yan knows how to find good ones.”

Xia Yao lowered her eyes and smiled with her lips pursed.

"Your aunt used to love eating candied hawthorns, but she got a cavity and rarely eats them anymore," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

"Who doesn't love sweet and sour candied hawthorns? It's a flavor you can only taste in winter." Meng Anhe handed the remaining two candied hawthorns to her two sons, and looked at Zhou Momo with a smile, saying, "Momo, these two little balls are tied up quite cutely today."

"It was Sister Yao Yao who styled my hair into a bun!" Zhou Momo proudly shook her head and looked at Meng Anhe, saying, "Auntie, your clothes are so pretty today too, and that flower is sparkling!"

“It’s made of tiny sequins, you have such good taste.” Meng Anhe looked down at the sequined flower on the chest of her wool coat, her smile growing even brighter.

After eating the candied hawthorns, the little ones ran to the door to play on the swings.

Meng Anhe looked at Xia Yao and said, "Yao Yao, I heard from Lao Lin that you also secured a big order for the textile factory? That's pretty impressive."

“Mr. Yao was quite interested in my Jiading silk series. After looking at the design drawings, he decided to place an order, which surprised me quite a bit.” Xia Yao smiled and said, “Auntie, your Chinese painting skills from elementary school to university have definitely paid off. You’ve put them to good use in your design work.”

“Of course, it’s a huge advantage at work. Every step a person takes counts; it’s all accumulation.” Meng Anhe nodded with a smile, her eyes full of satisfaction as she looked at Xia Yao.

After dinner, Xia Yao took a walk back to her dormitory with her aunt and the others.

"Anhe, I need to talk to you about something." After returning home, the two children went to their room to do their homework. Lin Zhiqiang rubbed his hands together and looked at Meng Anhe with a slightly nervous expression.

Meng Anhe reached out and closed the door to the second bedroom, grabbed Lin Zhiqiang's clothes, and smiled: "Come on, let's go to the bedroom and discuss it slowly."

"No... wait a minute... I'm talking about serious business." "I am talking about serious business. Your aunt has been up there for five days. I need to check if you've been exercising properly these past few days and have collected the grain."

"The child is next door, wait a minute..."

"It's alright, their homework takes at least half an hour to finish. Don't I know you? Hehe..."

"Speak properly! Today I'm going to show you the results of my recent workouts!"

Fifteen minutes later.

Comrade Lin lay on the bed, his gaze unfocused.

"Not bad, the training wasn't a waste of time." Meng Anhe nestled contentedly against Lin Zhiqiang's chest. "So, what is it?"

Lin Zhiqiang immediately perked up and hugged her, saying, "Do you remember the three paintings your father-in-law gave you?"

Meng Anhe hummed in agreement: "Isn't it in the box? I have another stack in my room in Hangzhou, what's wrong?"

"Two Hong Kong businessmen came yesterday, one of whom is named Zhuang Huayu. He really likes Dad's paintings. After learning that Dad is my father-in-law, he insisted on coming to see the paintings. I thought they were clients, so I brought them to see them..."

"Speak the key."

“He wants to buy the painting and has set a price, but I haven’t dared to make a decision. Now that you’re back, I wanted to discuss it with you.” Lin Zhiqiang’s throat bobbed, and he cautiously sized up Meng Anhe with a sidelong glance.

“Old Lin, we may not be rich or powerful, but we're not at the point of selling my dad’s paintings, are we? If word gets out, where will we put our faces? A vice president of a provincial design institute and a vice director of a Jiaozhou textile factory, selling paintings given to us by our fathers?” Meng Anhe looked up at him, her expression serious and her eyes sharp.

"You're right, it can't be sold, so I didn't agree," Lin Zhiqiang quickly said. Luckily, he didn't sell it yesterday, otherwise he really wouldn't be able to explain himself today.

Meng Anhe smiled. Old Lin still had some sense of propriety, and casually asked, "How much did he ask for?"

"The smallest flower and bird painting cost 50,000," Lin Zhiqiang said.

"How much? Fifty thousand!" Meng Anhe sat up abruptly, staring at Lin Zhiqiang. "Fifty thousand yuan?"

"Yes, fifty thousand." Lin Zhiqiang nodded, then sat up and pulled the blanket over her to keep her warm.

"The smallest one? What about the two larger ones?" Meng Anhe asked again.

"Eighty thousand for one, one hundred and fifty thousand for the other," Lin Zhiqiang said. "Those two are your favorites, which is why you've always kept them with you. You definitely can't sell those two."

"My God, it's only been a few years! Dad's paintings have gone from three or five hundred to fifty thousand, then one hundred and fifteen thousand?" Meng Anhe was still a little surprised. Her father rarely put his paintings up for sale after retiring a few years ago, and he didn't even know the market price anymore.

Her sister's paintings are frequently exhibited and auctioned in Hong Kong, with prices rising from several thousand to tens of thousands. She is considered one of the more prolific painters in the Chinese painting world in recent years.

But she really didn't expect that the three paintings in her collection would be offered for 280,000 by a Hong Kong businessman!
Her salary was much higher than Lin Zhiqiang's because she frequently traveled for work and worked on construction sites, and also received bonuses from various awards and competitions. She could earn five or six hundred yuan a month, and her car was provided by her company.

The smallest painting her father gave her eight years ago would take her five years of hard work, without eating or drinking, to save.

Shocked, Meng Anhe couldn't help but laugh.

“If you say you won’t sell, then we won’t sell.” Lin Zhiqiang wrapped the blanket tighter around himself and said with a smile, “The owner said he was charging the market price. Even if we keep this painting, it’s still worth that price.”

Meng Anhe looked into his eyes and said, "Old Lin, are you thinking of selling your paintings and going into business?"

"I...I have thought about it." Lin Zhiqiang nodded frankly, "I told you before, many of my former colleagues from Jiangsu and Zhejiang have gone on to start factories..."

"How much is it?"

Lin Zhiqiang said, "If I had 50,000, it should be enough to start a small factory. I plan to start a small printing and dyeing factory and become a middleman in the silk industry. Over the years, I have accumulated some channels and connections, so taking some orders should not be a problem."

“Okay, contact that Hong Kong businessman first thing tomorrow morning and sell that flower and bird painting.” Meng Anhe nodded and looked at Lin Zhiqiang, saying, “But since he wants to buy the painting, we also have a requirement: the 50,000 yuan must be the after-tax amount that we can actually receive. He has to cooperate in handling all the procedures and taxes. The money has to be in your hands legally and legitimately so that you can have the money to use for setting up the factory later.”

Lin Zhiqiang was stunned, looking at Meng Anhe in disbelief: "Anhe, didn't you say you weren't going to sell?"

“I thought we’d only sell it for three or five hundred. We’d have to be really pathetic to sell paintings. But if it sells for fifty thousand, that’s a different story.” Meng Anhe said with a smile, “Do you know why my dad gave me that peony painting?”

Lin Zhiqiang said, "That year when we were going to work in Sichuan, your father painted a peony in full bloom in our yard and gave it to you. You have treasured it all these years, and it is very meaningful to you."

"That afternoon, I was chatting with my dad at the study window, and I remarked on how beautiful the peonies were. On a whim, he painted one for me, taking less than two hours," Meng Anhe said with a smile.

“The peonies in the yard bloom every year. My dad wrote in his last letter that he planted several more varieties this year. He’s in good health. You can sell them and use the 50,000 yuan to start a factory. If we go back to Hangzhou for the New Year this year, I’ll ask Dad to paint another picture of the plum blossoms in the yard for me.”

Lin Zhiqiang's face lit up with joy, and he hugged Meng Anhe tightly: "Anhe! I really... I really don't know what to say, you're so wonderful!"

"To repay a debt of gratitude, don't just talk about it; look at what you do." Meng Anhe gazed at him with captivating eyes, her beautiful gaze sparkling and alluring.

"I feel there's still room for improvement in my performance just now, let me prove it again!" Lin Zhiqiang understood, raised his spear, spurred his horse, and prepared to fight another three hundred rounds.

"Knock knock knock! Mom~ How do I form this word?" There was a knock on the door, and the sound of the doorknob being turned. Luckily, it was locked from the inside.

The two froze immediately. Meng Anhe pushed Lin Zhiqiang away from her, picked up a pair of pajamas and put them on, while calmly replying, "Go ask your brother first. I'll come over and teach you after I change my pajamas."

"Oh!" came a reply from outside, and then left.

"You rest first. You said you wanted to repay a debt of gratitude, so don't sleep tonight." After getting dressed, Meng Anhe leaned down and breathed into Lin Zhiqiang's ear, speaking in a charming voice.

Lin Zhiqiang pursed his lips, thought of the 50,000 yuan, gritted his teeth and nodded: "Okay!"

……

After closing for the evening, Zhou Yan was about to go for a run when she bumped into Zhou Ming.

"Ming-ge? What brings you here? Have you had dinner?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at him.

"I ate at the school cafeteria. I had extra practice with the martial arts team today, so I'll be back a little late," Zhou Ming said with a smile. "I came to confirm with you whether the menu is listed. Do you need any help? I've already spoken to Hai Zi and Jie Ge, and they can both come. Also, do we need to add another table? Our family representatives can fit in one table."

“Jie and the others can focus on setting up their stall. Their business is actually better on Sundays. My old man can help me out then,” Zhou Yan confirmed. “So it’s settled on three tables, right? I’ve already written the menu, don’t worry about that.”

“Okay, then it’s settled.” Zhou Ming nodded.

"Momo said she's going to the city with her grandma on Sunday. She and my mom will go together and be your witnesses."

Zhou Ming nodded with a smile: "That's great! My mom and dad will go too, along with my uncle, second uncle, and youngest uncle. They'll be able to sit at one table."

With the matter settled, Zhou Ming rode his bike home.

Zhou Yan ran downstairs to meet Xia Yao, and they went for a run together.

"Are you going to teach a chef training class this weekend? In Jiaozhou?" Xia Yao asked curiously.

“Yes, the chef training program at Leming Hotel has been running for over twenty years. It was founded by my grandmaster, and he was the first lecturer. It has continued to this day, and for over twenty years, it has trained and sent many chefs to Jiaozhou and Sichuan.” Zhou Yan smiled and said, “My grandmaster asked me to give a lecture. I’m just sharing my experience. I’m definitely not a teacher. The chefs sitting below are probably all older than me.”

"So what? Since Grandmaster Uncle invited you to give a lecture, it means he recognizes your strength and skill and thinks you can help the chefs who come to train. So you are the teacher." Xia Yao looked at him with admiration in her eyes. "Your cooking is really delicious, better than any Sichuan restaurant I've ever been to."

"Then I'll make it for you often from now on," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Okay." Xia Yao looked away, her face slightly flushed, but a smile appeared on her lips.

As soon as it got dark, Zhou Yan escorted her to her dormitory building.

She returned to her dormitory before heading back to the hotel.

It gets dark early, and he gets off work late, so he can only run three kilometers.

The intensity was just right for Xia Yao, and she broke out in a light sweat.

But for Zhou Yan, it wasn't enough; it was no different from just warming up.

Back at the hotel, Aunt Zhao and the others hadn't finished class yet. Zhou Yan turned on the light at the entrance of the shop, took out a jump rope from the cabinet, and added two thousand jump ropes and two hundred push-ups.

Sweat soaked through my vest and dripped down my cheeks. After a quick stretch, I finished my workout.

Comfortable!

I was sweating profusely, something I hadn't done in a long time.

Aunt Zhao, who had just returned from get out of class, threw a towel at his head and said irritably, "It's so cold, and you still made yourself all sweaty. You have so much energy but nowhere to use it. Dry yourself off first. There's hot water in the pot. You can take a bath later!"

"It's alright, I'm healthy..." Zhou Yan said with a smile. Seeing Zhou Momo running over with a feather duster, he quickly changed his tune: "Wipe! I'll wipe it right away! Dry it first, then wash it with hot water!"

Zhao Niangniang then withdrew the hand that had been holding Shang Fangbao's duster.

"Brother, don't you only take cold showers?" Zhou Momo asked in a childish voice, holding up a feather duster.

"Zhou Momo, Zhou Momo, you've gone astray." Zhou Yan's smile was tinged with helplessness.

"I...I was afraid you'd catch a cold, I felt sorry for you~~" Zhou Momo said in a childish voice.

"Okay, okay, I believe you." Zhou Yan dried his hair with a towel and walked into the store.

"Brother, can I still be Mom's teacher today?" Zhou Momo asked, wagging her tail with a feather duster.

“Ask Mom,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

Zhou Momo turned around and looked at Aunt Zhao, saying, "Tie Ying..."

"Zhou Momo, I think you're really asking for a beating!" Aunt Zhao snapped.

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(End of this chapter)