1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 303: That one line, "Thank you, brother~", is enough for her to learn for a lifetime (6.2k words combined).

Besides the portrait of the advisor, there were six plaques on the altar: the eldest senior brother Xie Ming, the second senior brother Lu Feiyang, the third senior brother Gao Yuan, the fourth senior brother Zhao Hui, and the youngest junior brother Wan Shuyu.

Looking at those familiar names and recalling the vivid faces in Song Changhe's memory, Zhou Yan's eyes gradually reddened.

Six shots were fired from Mount Emei, but only one returned.

Song Changhe retired from the army and returned to his hometown, putting away his spear. From then on, the Li family's Emei spear was no more in the martial arts world.

But today, Song Changhe, now in his seventies, suddenly wants to take on a disciple and has invited his friends from the martial arts world to witness it.

The Emei spear technique will have a formal successor today.

Most of those present today are inheritors of Emei martial arts, who came from Chengdu, Yibin, Meishan and other places. They are all elderly people with white hair and beards, and many of them brought their younger relatives to witness the event.

Li Lingfeng was a renowned figure in the martial arts world, known for his lifelong dedication to punishing evil and promoting good, and was deeply respected.

Although he only formally accepted six disciples back then, the Li Family Martial Arts School has trained and taught over a hundred students over the decades.

Among those present today were some disciples who, though not formally formally apprenticed, still respectfully addressed Li Lingfeng as their master and Song Changhe as their senior brother.

After Li Lingfeng's death, Song Changhe, as the inheritor of the Emei Spear, did not take on any disciples, but his status in the martial arts world was beyond question.

Although Song Changhe has not made a move for many years, his battle record is still verifiable.

He fought across 80,000 miles throughout his life, and countless Japanese and foreign devils perished under his gun.

He is the king of guns, and also the king of guns.

Within just half a month of receiving the invitation, a host of old friends rushed to attend.

Song Changhe's original intention was to hold a small-scale apprenticeship ceremony, but it turned into a grand ceremony for the inheritance of Emei martial arts.

Zhou Yan spotted Shen Shaohua from the Jiaozhou Daily in the crowd. Shen was holding a camera and looking for a good vantage point. Zhou Yan hadn't noticed him at all.

Two armchairs were placed at the head of the main hall. Song Changhe sat in one of them, while the one next to him was empty.

Zhou Yan knew that it was reserved for Li Susu.

There were six chairs on either side, where six highly respected martial arts masters sat.

Of course, there were very few full-time martial arts masters in those days. Among them were traditional Chinese medicine practitioners specializing in treating sprains and bruises, retired blacksmiths, and even retired physical education teachers.

The old lady and Zhou's relatives and friends stood aside, watching this scene with great satisfaction.

Xia Yao stood next to the old lady, holding a sketchbook in her hand, drawing on the paper with a pencil, her expression quite serious.

Zhou Ming knelt on the ground, took the covered bowl from Song Wanqing's hand, raised the bowl to his eyebrows, straightened his back, and respectfully recited: "Your disciple Zhou Ming... will serve your master as a father, and will never waver in this for life. I humbly request your permission!"

Song Changhe took a sip of tea, placed it on the tea table beside him, and looked at Zhou Ming, saying, "Zhou Ming, now that you've become my disciple, you must abide by the three ironclad rules of the Li Family Martial Arts School: First, never bully the weak; second, never kill the innocent; and third, always uphold martial ethics! Can you manage that?"

"I will follow Master's teachings." Zhou Ming nodded respectfully.

"Alright!" Song Changhe stood up and helped Zhou Ming up. He took a red-tasseled spear from Song Wanqing and handed it to Zhou Ming: "This spear is for you. From today onwards, you will learn the Emei spear technique from me. Remember: wield the skill as you would a blade, and be careful when drawing it. This is the teaching your master gave me back then, and today I will pass it on to you word for word."

Zhou Ming accepted the red-tasseled spear with both hands, his eyes shining brightly. He nodded emphatically and said, "Disciple understands!"

"From this day forward, you are my disciple, Song Changhe. I hope you will study diligently, carry on the Emei Spear tradition, and make it flourish." Song Changhe looked at Zhou Ming and seemed to see himself more than sixty years ago receiving that red-tasseled spear from his master.

“Master, your disciple will do his utmost.” Zhou Ming nodded solemnly.

Song Changhe nodded with satisfaction. He had no intention of taking on a disciple, but he was still moved by the young man Zhou Ming's enthusiasm.

He had been thinking a lot during this time. His master had passed on his skills to his fellow disciples, and now only he was left alive.

If he doesn't leave something behind, I'm afraid that in another ten or twenty years, no one in this world will remember Li Lingfeng, the number one spearman of Emei, or his fellow disciples.

Zhou Ming talked to him about the inheritance of martial arts, the importance the country attaches to the inheritance of martial arts, and traditional culture.

Perhaps this young man is capable of accomplishing something.

Martial arts are no longer a killing technique, but they can still shine in terms of physical fitness and become a cultural symbol.

At least something was left behind, instead of it suddenly disappearing.

As Zhou Yan watched this scene, memories and reality gradually overlapped, and the meaning of inheritance seemed to become tangible at this moment.

Song Changhe introduced Zhou Ming to his advisor and his six senior martial uncles, and reminisced about their lives.

The hall was quiet, with only Song Changhe's deep voice slowly recounting how his family was wiped out by bandits, how he became an apprentice to learn martial arts, and how he and his fellow apprentices went down the mountain to fight against the Japanese and serve the country.

After taking a few photos, Shen Shaohua started taking notes, his pen flying across the notebook.

Xia Yao stopped writing, listening intently to Song Changhe, her lips slightly parted, a mixture of shock and emotion in her eyes, which gradually reddened.

The old lady pursed her lips, but when she heard Zhou Yi's name, a tear finally slid down her cheek.

He never talked about the battlefield when he got home. He would only say a word or two occasionally when she asked, and those were all interesting stories.

It was from Song Changhe's words that she learned how Zhou Yi had survived countless near-death experiences, repeatedly rising from the ashes to drive the Japanese out of China.

Zhou Qing and Zhou Miao looked at the old lady, hesitant to speak, and finally chose to remain silent. They didn't know how to comfort their mother.

For them, the father in their hazy memories is, in a way, slowly filling in the gaps in their understanding.

Xia Yao took a silk handkerchief out of her bag and quietly handed it to the old lady, saying gently, "Grandma, are you alright?"

"My dear, I'm alright." The old lady wiped away her tears with a silk handkerchief and gave Xia Yao a relieved smile.

What a wonderful girl! Zhou Yan would be so lucky to marry her.

By the way, Zhou Ming is also a lucky guy.

Teacher Song is a kind and generous person, with the same integrity as her grandfather, yet she is also very meticulous.

It must be Zhou Ming, that kid. He needs a good beating when we get back.

He has no sense of propriety at all, like a block of wood.

In comparison, Zhou Yan, that piece of wood, is much better.

Zhou Yan turned and went back to the kitchen. He had seen the story Song Changhe told him in fragments of his memory, but it was more comprehensive and cruel.

Of course, it's not that he doesn't want to listen, it's just that he has to cook.

He was in charge of feeding the twenty-odd people listening to the story inside the house.

"Brother, I'll start the fire for you~~" Zhou Momo said with a candy in her mouth as she ran into the kitchen.

"Yes, you're the one who cares about your brother the most." Zhou Yan smiled and patted her head. He then washed his hands and started cooking.

The beef and ribs were stewed in two small pots using a honeycomb briquette stove, and then the preparation began.

The aroma of braised pork belly and steamed pork with rice flour was already wafting from the kitchen, filling the air with a wonderful fragrance.

Zhou Momo found a few potatoes in the corner, and Zhou Yan scooped them up with a spatula, stuffed them into the side of the stove, covered them with wood ash, and roasted them for her.

The vegetables had already been roughly processed at home; they were washed clean and only needed simple chopping and preparation, which was very efficient.

After finishing that, I started cutting the braised meat.

Grandpa Song Changhe specifically instructed that the portion of braised meat should be generous, as the old friends who came today all enjoy drinking, and the braised meat should go well with their drinks, so they should eat to their heart's content.

Therefore, Zhou Yan gave very generous portions. Each table had a pound of braised pig's head and a pound of braised beef, and there was even extra left over so that people could have more after they finished eating.

Braised tofu and braised dried bean curd sticks are also served on large plates, which are great snacks to enjoy with drinks.

After Zhou Yan had been busy for a while, Xia Yao also came to the kitchen.

Zhou Momo found her a small stool, and the two of them sat side by side in front of the stove, warming themselves by the fire while waiting for the potatoes simmering in the fire to cook.

"Sister Yao Yao, the roasted potatoes are so delicious! They're soft and fragrant." Zhou Momo nestled in Xia Yao's arms and said in a childish voice.

"Really? It tastes even better than roasted sweet potatoes?"

The little guy thought about it seriously for a while: "That's different. Roasted sweet potatoes are also delicious, but roasted sweet potatoes are very, very sweet. Potatoes aren't as sweet, but they're still very delicious."

"Then I'm already looking forward to it." Xia Yao smiled and hugged her.

Zhou Yan looked at her and said, "Your clothes are so white. The kitchen is either full of oil or charcoal, so don't get them dirty."

Xia Yao looked up at her and smiled: "It's okay, we can wash it when we get back. If we can't even go into the kitchen, then there must be something wrong with these clothes."

Zhou Yan smiled upon hearing this, exuding a composure that emanated from within.

"Comrade Zhou Yi is your grandfather, right? That's amazing. Mr. Song mentioned him many times. He was a brave war hero and a good family man." Xia Yao's tone was filled with emotion.

“Yes, he was a good family man, but he devoted himself to the country. He had five sons, but he couldn’t take care of any of them.” Zhou Yan nodded, recalling Zhou Yi before leaving Sichuan, when he and Zhang Shufen went to set up a stall to sell braised meat in a horse-drawn carriage.

He suddenly understood why all five Zhou brothers, after getting married, treated their wives so well.

The old lady raised them like her own husband, someone who could handle things on the outside, was responsible at home, and showed enough respect to his wife.

Xia Yao said softly, "When the old lady was young, she must have been a stunning beauty, right? Her bone structure was so beautiful. Time has left wrinkles, but they have never diminished her beauty."

Zhou Yan nodded with a smile: "Yes, you have good taste. My grandmother was indeed one of the most beautiful women in the surrounding area when she was young. Back then, she and my grandfather sold braised meat at a stall by the stone bridge..."

He spoke softly about their stories from their youth, and Xia Yao listened with great interest.

During this time, Zhou Yan took the roasted potatoes out of the stove.

With a slightly charred skin, it was slowly baked in ash. It looked much better than the roasted sweet potatoes from last time. After shaking off the ash, you could easily flatten the small potatoes with your fingers. When you gently broke them open, you could see the golden potatoes inside, and the aroma would waft out with the steam.

He handed half to Zhou Momo and half to Xia Yao.

"Thank you, bro~~" Zhou Momo happily took it, holding it in her little hands, blowing on it, then taking a small bite, and happily shaking her little head.

"Thank you, brother~~" Xia Yao took the potato, mimicking Zhou Momo's words, and smiled up at Zhou Yan.

The way that little lisp trailed off made Zhou Yan's bones melt, and the upturned corners of his mouth were harder to suppress than an AK. "You're welcome."

Song Wanqing, who had just reached the kitchen door, paused, raised her spirited eyebrows, and widened her eyes.

That one phrase, "Thank you, brother~," is enough for her to learn for a lifetime.

With the same mouth at a 38-degree angle, how could she speak so tactfully and pleasantly, without any affectation?

Not to mention men, she loves to hear it too.

You really need to get along well with this younger sister; she's amazing.

Song Wanqing silently withdrew one foot from the kitchen; her presence would be superfluous.

I was worried that Xia Yao would be bored, so I came to check on her.

Right now, she just wants to take care of herself.

The ceremony ended close to midnight.

Several aunties went into the kitchen to help, first setting the cold dishes on the table. Xia Yao and Zhou Momo also went outside to sit down.

The martial arts figures who came to witness the ceremony had taken their seats, and the old man took out his treasured wine and asked Zhou Ming to pour it for everyone.

Zhou Han, as Zhou Ming's father, was at the same table as Grandpa Song Changhe today, and was sitting right next to him, with his back ramrod straight and his face full of restraint.

There was no other way; Grandpa Song was of the same generation as his father, and they had been comrades-in-arms in the same trench.

On the way here today, Ma Jinhua had given him a task: besides Zhou Ming becoming an apprentice, he also needed to sound out Old Master Song to see if they could talk about Teacher Song and their son Zhou Ming.

But sitting here now, he can't utter a single word.

Originally, Teacher Song's father said he was going to come, but he had to cancel due to an important meeting and didn't return from Chengdu today.

Forget it, it's better to wait until the two children settle their feelings for each other before they propose marriage.

"Come on, Zhou Han, right? Let's have a drink together." Song Changhe picked up his wine glass, looked at Zhou Han and said with a smile, "Wanqing said you wanted to have a couple more drinks with me."

"I should offer you a few more toasts, and I'm willing to take Zhou Ming as my apprentice," Zhou Han said hastily, raising his glass.

Zhou Weiguo was also sitting at the main table. As a Vietnam War hero, he was not old, but he was still highly respected.

Ma Jinhua looked at Zhou Hanzhi at the next table and shook her head. It seemed that she couldn't count on him today.

The old lady sat with Xia Yao on her left and Song Wanqing on her right, chatting casually with the two girls, her smile never fading.

The others at the table didn't say anything, but their smiles were impossible to hide.

Of Zhou Yan's generation, Zhou Yang is still serving in the army and isn't in a hurry, leaving only Zhou Ming and Zhou Yan as the three who haven't started families yet.

It was easy to see from the old lady's expression that she was very satisfied with the two girls; she genuinely approved of them.

If the young people agree, then good things are just around the corner.

After the wine was poured, everyone began to eat.

"Wow! This braised pig's head is so delicious! The aroma is so rich, the taste is just too good!"

"This braised beef is also really good, it smells so good! It's not dry at all, I can even chew it with my few teeth left."

"The braised tofu is so good, just like the dried egg, the outer shell is a bit crispy and fragrant, and the inside is so tender."

Before the hot dishes were even served, the braised dishes had already drawn praise from everyone.

Originally, no one had high expectations for this apprenticeship banquet. After all, there were only three tables set up, and there was no traditional open-air banquet with a stove and steamer. They thought it would just be a simple meal.

They all knew Song Changhe's personality; he disliked extravagance and waste. In his more than 30 years as an official, he had never held a banquet or accepted red envelopes in any form.

I thought today would just be a simple family dinner, but these four plates of braised dishes immediately made it anything but ordinary.

"Changhe, where did you hire this chef? This braised dish is something else." The old Chinese medicine doctor Bai Yong clinked glasses with Song Changhe, took a sip of wine, and asked curiously.

Song Changhe put down his wine glass and said with a smile, "Today, the chef in charge of cooking is Zhou Ming's cousin, Zhou Yan, a young chef who apprenticed under the late Jiaozhou master chef Kong Huaifeng. Although he is not old, his cooking skills are quite superb."

"This braised food tastes amazing. It's a recipe passed down to Comrade Zhou Yi from his wife, Comrade Zhang Shufen. Back then, Zhou Yi told me his wife's braised food was the best in the world, and I didn't believe him. Now I truly believe it."

Everyone laughed upon hearing this. Song Changhe had mentioned this before, and they hadn't expected to actually eat it at noon.

That is indeed very convincing.

Upon hearing this, the old lady stood up with her wine glass and said, "Since Brother Song says so, then I'll toast Brother Song and everyone on behalf of Old Zhou. Zhou Yan learned his skills from me, but now he makes even better braised dishes than I do."

Upon hearing this, the people at all three tables stood up and raised their glasses to drink together.

The Zhou family has five sons, but everyone can see that the old lady is the one in charge.

Zhou Yi fell in South Korea, and the old lady raised her five sons to adulthood, which is admirable.

Song Changhe and Zhou Weiguo talked a lot, from their military careers to the Vietnam War, and now to his work at the Suji Armed Forces Department.

Zhou Han deliberately switched seats with Zhou Weiguo so that the two could have a more enjoyable conversation.

After retiring from the army, Song Changhe returned to Jiaozhou and started working in the armed forces department. His similar experience made him very close to Zhou Weiguo, the son of his old friend, and he was happy to give the young man some advice.

Two braised dishes, beef with dried bamboo shoots and braised pork ribs, were served one after another, drawing another round of praise.

"Sister Wanqing, you should try Zhou Yan's braised pork ribs, they're delicious!" Xia Yao recommended to Song Wanqing. Of all the dishes Zhou Yan served, braised pork ribs were still her favorite.

Song Wanqing took a bite and nodded repeatedly: "Mmm! Delicious! Tender and falling off the bone, coated in sauce, it's so fragrant!"

"Right?" Xia Yao's smile revealed a hint of smugness.

Song Wanqing ate another piece of braised winter bamboo shoot. The crisp and sweet winter bamboo shoot, with a light braised aroma, was so delicious that it brought tears to her eyes. Looking at Xia Yao with envy, she said, "Zhou Yan's cooking is so delicious, Yao Yao, you're going to be so lucky in the future. I'm so envious I could cry."

"Hmm..." Xia Yao's face flushed slightly as she lowered her head to gnaw on a rib, letting out a soft "hmm" as she didn't know how to respond.

What causes the corners of the mouth to turn upwards?

Only the girl herself knows the stirrings of her heart.

No, the old lady sitting next to me had a smile on her lips, clearly having seen through everything.

After serving two braised dishes, Zhou Yan interspersed the meal with shredded pork with garlic sauce and Mapo tofu.

Fish-flavored shredded pork is alright; meat dishes are considered proper banquet dishes these days.

But when this Mapo Tofu was served, everyone found it quite unusual.

This dish is rarely seen at outdoor banquets, but it is famous as a Sichuan dish and is served in many restaurants, though it is rare to find an authentic version.

After tasting it, everyone's expressions changed.

The people who were just drinking picked up their bowls.

"Where's the rice? This Mapo Tofu is so delicious with rice!"

"That's right! This Mapo Tofu is perfect with rice, but not with alcohol. It's spicy, savory, tender, and piping hot—it's absolutely delicious! Authentic! I want to finish a bowl of rice first!"

Zhou Yan had anticipated this situation, and a small wooden bucket of rice was placed on the table.

Mapo tofu is not only a great dish to eat with rice, but also shredded pork with garlic sauce is another dish that goes well with rice.

Next up are two steamed dishes: braised pork belly with salt and salt and steamed pork with rice flour.

Zhou Yan really nailed today's steamed pork with rice flour.

An earthenware bowl is placed upside down on a plate. Holding your breath, you lift it up and reveal the bright red pork belly coated in steamed meat powder. After absorbing the oil, it becomes golden and translucent, like gold dust adorning it.

A pretty good steamed pork with rice flour.

Zhou Yan saw the results of the appraisal and felt relieved.

Master, I've succeeded!

As for the braised pork belly, it performed consistently well, nothing much to say.

Aunt Zhao and the others served the dishes.

The aroma of salted braised pork belly wafted over, and Song Changhe paused, his hand holding the wine glass still, his gaze snapping to the salted braised pork belly that had just been served on the table.

Salted pork belly is not a rare dish; it's common at outdoor banquets. In Jiaozhou, it's often served with locally produced salted vegetables as a base.

He could only occasionally come across braised pork belly with pickled mustard greens, but the flavor was ultimately lacking, completely incomparable to the braised pork belly with pickled mustard greens that his master's wife used to make.

After his wife passed away, Susu would make several servings of salted braised pork belly during festivals, and he could eat one serving by himself.

Only Zhou Yan's salted braised pork belly could bring back the taste from the depths of his memory.

The braised pork belly in the plate is sliced ​​thinly and evenly, laid out on top of the bean sprouts, with two more slices on the side, resembling a book, glistening with oil, and looking red and tempting.

Her knife skills were better than those of her master's wife and Susu.

I put down my wine glass, picked up a piece of meat. The meat was so tender and mushy that it seemed about to fall apart at any moment.

As you put it in your mouth, the aroma of bean sprouts and meat intertwines, and the fried tiger skin soaks up the broth, becoming soft, bouncy, and sticky on your lips. The moist texture is rich but not greasy, and countless memories instantly flood your mind.

It's a pity that Susu is no longer here, otherwise she would probably be very happy today too.
She had tried to persuade him several times to take on an apprentice, even just one.

But he stubbornly refused them all.

The fact that the Li family's Emei spear technique was not passed down is probably her biggest regret.

Now that he has taken on apprentices, when he goes down in the world, he can stand tall and tell Susu and his master that the Emei Spear tradition has been passed down.

My eyes welled up with tears. I lowered my head to drink, and casually wiped away a tear from the corner of my eye.

That Zhou Yan is really something. I don't know what he put in the food, but at his age, tears still come out of his eyes so easily.

The stir-fried pork liver is served, followed by the grand finale: braised carp.

The moment this dish was served, the class of the apprenticeship banquet was elevated to a whole new level.

This dish is not typically found at outdoor banquets.

Zhou Yan and the aunties who were in charge of serving the dishes took their seats. The dishes on the table were barely touched, waiting for them.

"Zhou Yan, your cooking is getting better and better. Every dish tastes delicious," Grandpa Zhou Qing praised Zhou Yan.

“That’s right, it’s really impressive, especially the last dish, braised carp. I heard from Yueyue’s cousin Zheng Qiang that this is a high-end banquet dish at the Rongcheng Grand Hotel.” Second Uncle Zhou Ze nodded in agreement.

Zhou Yan sat down next to Xia Yao, served himself a bowl of rice, and said with a smile while picking at his food, "Grandpa and Second Uncle are right to praise me. I love hearing it. Please praise me more."

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

"You're not modest at all," Aunt Zhao glared at him, her face full of pride.

Zhou Yan then turned to the old lady: "Grandma, what's your opinion?"

"Yes, it's quite good. The braised carp today is also very good. It's slightly spicy and fragrant, with a rich flavor. It's soft on the outside and tender on the inside. It's delicious." The old lady tasted a piece of fish and nodded repeatedly: "To be honest, there's no need to be modest."

Zhou Yan immediately smiled smugly at Aunt Zhao: "Mom, Grandma said so, no need to be modest."

“Yes, you should be proud.” Aunt Zhao smiled as well.

Xia Yao turned her head to look at him, unable to hide the smile on her lips. The atmosphere of this family was really nice, making people feel very comfortable to be around them.

Song Wanqing sat to the side, a smile also on her face.

Although Zhou Ming is a bit slow, this family is really interesting.

"Are you used to the food?" Zhou Yan asked Xia Yao softly.

Xia Yao nodded, a smile in her eyes: "Yes, the food is very good. This is the first time I've ever had a banquet like this in Sichuan."

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(End of this chapter)