1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 315 What did he do wrong? (Bonus chapter for 2185 monthly votes)

"This blood tofu is so delicious! It's even more tender than tofu! It smells amazing!" Aunt Zhao exclaimed.

"It's so much better than what I ate on the side of Jiaozhou Road last time! It's so good with rice, I feel like I'll have to eat an extra bowl of rice for lunch today!" Zhao Hong nodded in agreement, and with a spoonful of blood tofu, she had already dug a hole in the bowl of rice that was already full.

"The pork intestines are delicious, even more flavorful than braised pork intestines," Old Zhou agreed.

Zhou Momo, holding a spoon, ate the simplified version of braised pork intestines and blood curd with relish, giving Zhou Yan a thumbs up: "Brother, the blood curd is so delicious~~ I'm going to eat three bowls of rice for lunch today!"

"Looks like this braised pork intestines and blood curd will sell like hotcakes at noon today," Zhou Yan smiled, then lowered his head and tasted a piece of blood curd.

The texture is indeed as delicate as soft tofu, but it crumbles even more easily. It breaks apart with the slightest pressure of the tongue. The spicy and savory flavors explode in your mouth, paired with the rich aroma of the bone broth, making for a very delicious taste.

Fatty intestines and blood tofu, the blood tofu is the soul of the dish.

If the blood curd is delicious, then you're basically set.

He then tried a piece of braised pork intestine. The intestine was cooked to perfection, with a soft and chewy texture. It had been soaked for over an hour, allowing the aroma of the braising sauce to permeate it, resulting in a more intense and layered flavor when chewed.

He's quite professional at making braised pork intestines!
It's definitely a dish that goes perfectly with rice.

The broth from the blood curd soaks into the rice, making it savory and delicious. You can't stop eating it, one bite after another.

We finished all four servings of braised pork intestines and blood curd, and each person had an extra half bowl of rice.

"I ate an extra bowl of rice for lunch today! The braised pork intestines and blood tofu and the twice-cooked pork were so delicious!" Kong Liwei said, patting his round belly with a satisfied look on his face.

The quality of this work meal is even higher than that of Leming Restaurant!

After all, the head chef at Leming Restaurant doesn't prepare work meals for everyone.

Zhou Yan placed the notice he had written in the morning at the door, then returned to the shop and said to Kong Liwei, "Awei, you'll be in charge of preparing the dishes at noon. Let's work together and see if we can improve the efficiency of serving the food."

“Okay!” Kong Liwei nodded, without objection.

He has now adopted the mindset of an apprentice. He is here to be a kitchen helper and a cook, to learn and practice diligently under Master Zhou's guidance, and to strive to master the skills as soon as possible before thinking about becoming the head chef.

He had already realized that taking charge of the cooking at Zhou Erwa's restaurant would be even more difficult than at Leming's restaurant!
The textile factory workers all came because of Zhou Yan's cooking skills. If he were to cook a few bad dishes and ruin the reputation of Zhou Erwa's restaurant, there might be no customers the next day.

Leming Restaurant caters to different customers, and even a kitchen helper like him has the opportunity to showcase his still-developing culinary skills to individual diners.

Clearly, there's no chance with Zhou Yan.

Huang Ying arrived leisurely on her bicycle, parked it at the entrance, stared at the notice board for a while, and then came inside.

Recently, Huang Bing switched to selling braised meat and stopped eating at Zhou Erwa's restaurant for lunch and dinner. Huang Ying, who used to eat three meals a day, also changed to eating two meals a day.

It gets dark early at night, and her parents were worried about her, so they didn't let her come to eat.

Zhou Yan has lost two monthly card members.

"Boss Zhou, have you brought out any new dishes?" Huang Ying asked with some delight as she entered the room.

She's still as carefree as ever, and after losing twenty pounds, she does look noticeably slimmer.

Her face is still round, but her triple chin has successfully turned into a double chin. She looks much more energetic and less clumsy than before.

"Yes, braised pork intestines and blood tofu, just served today." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

"Is it delicious?" Huang Ying asked expectantly.

"It's incredibly delicious! I've already tried it for you. The blood tofu is very tender and has a wonderful aroma. If you don't like it, come find me!" Kong Liwei eagerly recommended.

"Who are you?" Huang Ying glanced at Kong Liwei, her face full of doubt.

"The new chef at Zhou Erwa Restaurant—Kong Liwei," Kong Liwei said, patting his chest.

"A chef from the Confucian school?" Huang Ying asked.

Kong Liwei didn't dare to reply, and looked at Zhou Yan. How could she tell his background just by saying his name? This round-faced girl is not simple!

His master told him yesterday not to embarrass the Kong school when he went out.

Zhou Yan ignored him; it wasn't like he had made the guarantee, so why should she accept it?

Huang Ying was a very intelligent person. She knew from Kong Liwei's reaction that she had guessed correctly. She didn't ask any further questions, but looked at him and said, "You said it. If it's not good, I'll come to you."

Kong Liwei nodded: "It's not good. Put the pork intestines and blood curd you ordered on my tab. I'll settle the bill for you."

“Okay.” Huang Ying smiled at Zhou Yan and said, “Boss Zhou, I’d like a serving of braised pork intestines and blood curd and a serving of shredded pork with garlic sauce.”

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

On the road outside the textile factory, a 28-inch bicycle slowly approached. The middle-aged man riding the bicycle was of medium build, wearing a black cotton-padded jacket. His bald patch was particularly noticeable, and a strand of hair was stubbornly coiled twice on his head, trying to cover it up but only making people take a second look.

Sitting in the back seat was a woman in a red cotton coat, her thick hair dyed blonde and permed. Her face was grim, like a lioness about to explode. “Ding Meng, we must respect Awei’s choice. Second Uncle said Awei is ambitious and willing to learn his craft diligently, which is a good thing. This is his workplace; you can come and take a look, but please don’t cause trouble. Zhou Yan is Shi Tou’s apprentice; don’t interfere with his business,” the man advised with a pained expression.

"That Kong Liwei, he's got too big for his britches! So many people want to get into the Leming Hotel but can't, and he just quits like that? Six years of seniority! Even if he goes back, his seniority will start all over again!" Ding Meng clenched her fists tightly. "Yesterday I was so angry I told him to get out, and you two, you packed your bags overnight and actually left first thing this morning. Kong Guoliang, I think your wings have hardened too!"

"Then...then if you say get out, do we dare disobey?" Kong Guoliang stammered.

Ding Meng took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I'm not here to cause trouble. It's not easy for that kid to run a restaurant, how could I possibly interfere? But today I have to have a serious talk with Awei and make him think carefully about whether he wants to go back."

Think about it yourself. Shi Tou's character is definitely not a problem, but his cooking skills aren't outstanding among the Kong family, right? He's not even comparable to Guo Dong, but he's far inferior to Er Ba, isn't he?

"Ah Wei didn't learn cooking from his second uncle at Leming Hotel, but instead came to Suji to learn cooking from Shi Tou's apprentice. Does that make sense to you?"

Kong Guoliang was silent after listening for a while before saying, "Awei said that Zhou Yan is a genius. He was only twenty years old when he was published in the Sichuan Cuisine magazine. He also cooked three dishes at a banquet for foreign businessmen, which amazed everyone. Even my second uncle highly praised and recognized him."

Ding Mengdao said, "You studied cooking for three years when you were young. Do you believe that? Being a chef is a demanding profession. How skilled can a twenty-year-old chef be, who is a year younger than Awei?"

Kong Guoliang got excited upon hearing this: "When my uncle was twenty years old, he was already famous in Jiaozhou and was the head chef at Leming Restaurant."

"That old man is a genius! How many geniuses like him have emerged in Jiaozhou over the years?"

"The old man is one, Song Bo is one, and maybe Zhou Yan will be one too?"

Ding Meng remained silent, but her fingers had already touched the soft flesh on Kong Guoliang's waist.

"We're here! Zhou Erwa Restaurant! It's right there!" Kong Guoliang hurriedly pointed ahead and said, "Whether it's real or not, you'll know for yourself when you go and see for yourself."

Upon hearing this, Ding Meng looked over and only let go of the sign after seeing it.

The bicycle was parked in front of the restaurant.

Kong Guoliang and Ding Meng got out of the car and walked into the store.

Kong Liwei was about to go into the kitchen with Zhou Yan to start working when he saw the two people entering. He paused for a moment, blinked, and turned to Zhou Yan beside him, saying, "Master Zhou, am I hallucinating? How come I see my mother and father in the shop?"

"Looks like your family didn't hand over things properly," Zhou Yan said in a low voice. Although the woman in red was trying her best to control her emotions, the forced smile looked worse than a grimace, and she clearly had ill intentions.

Aunt Zhao stood in front of the large pot of braised beef, not daring to say a word. This woman looked like she had come with a murderous aura.

"Awei," Ding Meng called out.

"Mom...why are you here? Aren't you at work today?" Kong Liwei forced himself to step forward, even though he hadn't given Zhou Yan the exact address of the restaurant.

"I asked your dad for leave and went to Leming this morning. It's the address your master gave us." Ding Meng put her hands back in her pockets, afraid she wouldn't be able to resist spanking the kid.

Kong Liwei said loudly with a happy expression, "Mom and Dad! I knew you would support my decision and my work. You even took time off to come and support me. I feel very happy and honored to have you as my parents."

"Ok?"

Kong Guoliang and Ding Meng looked completely bewildered.

Zhou Yan pursed her lips. When it comes to handling both funerals and celebrations, we still need Awei.

However, Kong Liwei's flattery rendered Ding Meng speechless, preventing her from saying anything she had prepared.

All eyes in the shop turned to look at them, including a round-faced girl sitting over there.

Ding Meng, the workshop team leader, unconsciously straightened her back a bit.

Kong Liwei turned around, winked at Zhou Yan, and then said, "This is my boss, Zhou Yan, who is also our Kong School's senior brother."

When Ding Meng came, she was full of resentment. She felt that Zhou Yan must be a smooth-talking old fox who would send his promising son from the city's largest state-run restaurant to this small restaurant in the town.

If you can reason with her, that's fine; if not, she knows a bit of martial arts.

Looking up, she realized that this tall, handsome young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes was Zhou Yan? He looked even more dashing than Zhu Shimao, the actor who starred in "The Wrangler." She loved watching movies; there were even movie posters on her walls at home.

She could tell at a glance what he had done wrong.
It's obviously Ah Wei's problem!

"Auntie, Uncle, hello, I'm Zhou Yan." Zhou Yan had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward with a smile. "Please sit here. You probably haven't had lunch yet, right? It's lunchtime, so why don't you think about what you'd like to eat?"

“We won’t eat dinner today…” Kong Guoliang said worriedly.

“Alright, since we’re already here, let’s try Zhou Yan’s cooking.” Ding Meng had already sat down, a smile on her face: “Look at him in that chef’s uniform, so proper, just like a movie star, he looks so professional.”

"what?"

Kong Liwei and his son Kong Guoliang looked at each other in bewilderment.

What's going on here?

Does her mother's worldview follow her physical appearance?

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