1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 320 You've been a bit presumptuous.

"Zhou Yan can also carve flowers? That's amazing." Xia Yao was somewhat surprised, and a smile appeared on her face. This peony carving is really good, comparable to some skilled jade carvers.

Carving is actually quite demanding in terms of aesthetics. Carving out thin petals tests the master's basic skills, but how to make the petals form a beautiful flower, like the double-petaled peony in her hand, is definitely not something that an ordinary chef can carve.

Zhou Yan has a good foundation; no wonder Momo, at only three and a half years old, can draw so many beautiful pictures with a paintbrush.

"Sister Yaoyao, why are you late for dinner today? There's already a queue." Zhou Momo asked her in a childish voice.

"It's okay, I'll play with Momo a little longer." Xia Yao smiled and patted her head as she joined the queue.

"Come on, have a seat on my little stool." Zhou Momo ran over and brought over her personal little stool.

"Thank you, but I'd like to stand for a while. I've been sitting and drawing all afternoon." Xia Yao said with a smile, "You can sit down and chat with me."

“Then I won’t sit either. Mom said that little kids don’t have bottoms, so they don’t need to sit.” Zhou Momo carried the little stool back.

The little guy is small, but he talks a lot, chattering away non-stop.

Xia Yao listened attentively to her, responding to every word, and they chatted very enthusiastically.

Xia Yao wore a gray wool coat, a black turtleneck sweater underneath, black trousers, and black Mary Jane shoes. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail without bangs, fully revealing her smooth and delicate face.

Her skin was a cool, pale white, almost glowing. With her long, slender neck, she stood out like a beautiful swan among the majority of workers in factory uniforms.

"Is that pretty girl in the wool coat the rumored new intern in the marketing department? I heard she's a real glutton; she's the first one to run off when the bell rings to leave work!"

"That's her, Director Lin's niece. Aren't she and Zhou Yan dating? Why is she still waiting in line?"

"This shows that Boss Zhou is fair and just, and doesn't give special treatment. Even his girlfriend has to wait in line to eat at the restaurant."

"He must be such a straight man! With such a beautiful girlfriend, he has to stand in the cold wind and wait in line for food. If it were me, I would definitely be a little upset."

"A little temper? If it were you, you'd be punching someone."

The female workers whispered among themselves, with Xia Yao and Zhou Yan becoming the focus of their conversation while they waited in line.

There's nothing we can do; these two are the most talked-about topics in the factory lately.

Handsome men and beautiful women always capture people's hearts.

The question of whether a female college student from a prestigious university and a small-town restaurant owner can overcome the obstacles of family, education, and distance to be together has piqued everyone's interest.

There were even bets on whether Xia Yao and Zhou Yan would officially start a relationship before Xia Yao's internship ended, based on a meal at Zhou Erwa's restaurant.

It's not too big a deal to be a main character just to watch the fun.

"Aunt Zhao, is the shop next door being renovated to expand its storefront?" a customer asked curiously.

All eyes turned to Aunt Zhao, who was scalding the beef brisket.

Aunt Zhao replied with a smile, "Yes, we've taken over the shop next door. We plan to expand it and add ten more tables. It will be more spacious, and everyone will be more comfortable sitting there, instead of having to stand in line outside for so long."

"Great! The weather is getting colder and colder. It's really hard to stand in line outside. It's much more comfortable to wait inside the store."

"Exactly, when the wind blows on the river, even stomping your feet is almost useless."

"Did they get a new chef? I heard from them that the food was served much faster at lunchtime today."

Some people praised it, while others were curious.

Aunt Zhao said, "Yes, we hired a young chef from Leming Hotel at a high price. He is Zhou Yan's fellow apprentice."

"That's great! Then queuing for food won't be so annoying anymore."

"Sure! Let's grow bigger and stronger, and create even greater glories!"

The guests cheered and laughed, creating a very harmonious and joyful atmosphere.

Xia Yao smiled, equally happy for Zhou Yan.

When she first came to Zhou Yan's restaurant, there were only three kinds of noodles and a bowl of braised beef, and there weren't many customers. It was just starting out.

It has now become the most popular restaurant in Suji, even surpassing the state-run restaurant in Suji Town.

Zhou Yan has demonstrated exceptional abilities in both cooking and business management.

Zhang and his colleagues closed and locked the door of the restaurant next door, said goodbye to Zhao Tieying, and then went home.

The kitchen is busier than the front of house.

The two stoves used for braising were put into use, and Kong Liwei took on the important task of frying crucian carp, as well as watching the crucian carp with mint that needed some time to cook.

Kong Liwei's usual serious demeanor vanished. He gripped the iron ladle in his hand, staring intently at the crucian carp in the pot, a mixture of nervousness and excitement in his eyes.

On his very first day, he was already in charge of cooking.

Although I can only be considered a kitchen helper at the moment.

But that was a three-stage jump from chopping board worker to kitchen helper!
Small restaurants get promoted so quickly!

The approach is a bit unconventional.

But he likes it!

Master Zhou is truly skilled; he teaches genuinely and doesn't hold back at all.

Cooking fish is a specialty of the Kong school, so braised crucian carp with agastache is not unusual.

However, Master Zhou's approach to making crucian carp with agastache was different from what his master and grandmaster had taught him, yet he could still explain why he did it that way.

Kong Liwei is studying very diligently, isn't he? We'll give our evaluation after he tastes it.

With the braised pork ribs sign hanging in Guqing District, only the braised crucian carp sign remained on the wall, and there were still four or five tables of customers eating inside.

"That's enough firewood, time to go home!" Zhou Yan said, taking off her apron and speaking to Kong Liwei, who was about to continue stuffing wood into the stove.

"Off work?" Kong Liwei was still a little confused.

"We're out of vegetables, what's the point of cooking if we're not leaving get off work?" Zhou Yan laughed. He left work twenty minutes early tonight, and his efficiency had improved quite noticeably.

Furthermore, there was a period in the middle when they were waiting for customers in the kitchen, indicating that this was not their limit.

Once the adjacent shops are connected, ten more tables can be added, and there's room to move the tables forward a bit after get off work.

"Get off work when you're done! If you're not eager to leave work, you're out of your mind!" Kong Liwei put the wood back on the woodpile, then picked up two buckets of water and poured them into the pot to keep it burning with the embers, so that Aunt Zhao and the others could use it to wash the dishes later.

Kong Liwei packed up the knives, while Zhou Yan went upstairs to change her clothes and came down together.

"Teacher Zhou, are you really going for a run? Why don't you go back, take a shower, and lie in bed to rest comfortably?" Kong Liwei said, yawning as he pedaled his bicycle, his face showing undisguised fatigue.

"Running a lap and working up a sweat will make it easier to sleep later," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

He looked quite energetic, running with long strides, his speed comparable to Kong Liwei's when he was cycling.

"Then I'll come to the shop at six o'clock tomorrow morning to learn how to make braised pork intestines and blood curd," Kong Liwei said.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded. Ah Wei was quite ambitious and had already started asking to come to work earlier.

The two chatted all the way to the girls' dormitory building.

"Zhou Yan!" Xia Yao, dressed in sportswear, called out as she jogged over, smiling brightly. "Why are you here so early today?"

Kong Liwei's eyes widened as he looked at Zhou Yan. "Wait, bro, you have a beautiful woman running with you?"
No wonder she still has the energy to run after work.

If he had a beautiful woman like that running with him, he could run two laps around Su Ji, even until dark.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Awei is so capable. The cooking efficiency in the kitchen has improved significantly. He can leave work 23 minutes early. We can run 5 kilometers today."

"Really?" Xia Yao smiled upon hearing this.

Kong Liwei: "?"

Ah Wei's smile disappeared.

Therefore, the twenty minutes he worked himself to the bone were to buy Zhou Yan time for their date.

Damn it!
"I'm leaving." Ah Wei hopped on his bicycle and rode off angrily.

When will he meet such a wonderful girl?
Zhou Yan and Xia Yao jogged along the riverbank.

Xia Yao said, "I have decided to work for Licheng Group after graduation. I plan to go to the Hong Kong headquarters first to learn about advanced design concepts and working methods."

“That’s good. Hong Kong and the mainland are indeed worlds apart now. We can learn a lot more here. For the design industry, being advanced is crucial.” Zhou Yan nodded, not surprised by Xia Yao’s decision.

This opportunity is so rare. It's hard for a recent graduate like her to get such an opportunity, whether it's campus recruitment or submitting her own resume. It's no exaggeration to say that it's a stroke of luck.

But the thought that Xia Yao would be going to Hong Kong next year, thousands of miles away, and that they might not see each other for a whole year made him feel a little empty.

Xia Yao looked at him and said with a smile, "My uncle spoke with Yao Licheng on the phone today. Yao Licheng is planning to set up a factory in Jiaozhou. He said that if I join Licheng Group, I may have the opportunity to be sent from Hong Kong to the Jiaozhou factory later."

"Really?" Zhou Yan paused in his steps.

Xia Yao smiled and nodded: "That's what Yao Licheng promised, so I decided to go to the Hong Kong headquarters. If I go to Guangzhou, I might have to stay at the Guangzhou factory."

Zhou Yan pondered: "The Jiaozhou factory may not be as good as the Hong Kong headquarters."

“I think Jiading silk deserves to be explored and promoted in depth, and it can become a continuous source of inspiration for creation.” Xia Yao looked at him and said, “I like Jiazhou. Didn’t you say you would reserve the biggest room for me in the courtyard? Does that still count? When you finish building the courtyard, I might come to Jiazhou.”

Zhou Yan nodded: "As long as you come, the biggest room will be reserved for you. I always keep my word."

"You said it, I still want to paint in the study." Xia Yao looked up at him and smiled, her smile bright and sweet.

"Yes, I said it, the study is yours too." Zhou Yan lowered his head slightly, looking directly at her with a smile.

The setting sun shone on her hair, and her smile was so pure and radiant.

She decided to go to Licheng Group because she could be sent to the Jiaozhou factory.

"Let's go! Comrade Wei bought us twenty minutes! We must finish the five kilometers today!" Xia Yao said, clenching her fist, her tone relaxed and cheerful, and turned to run forward. "Okay, sure," Zhou Yan said with a smile as he followed.

The setting sun casts its golden rays upon the river, making the water shimmer and sparkle.

The shadows of the two people, side by side, stretched longer and longer on the riverbank.

They talked about many things, including their visions for the future and their plans for the present.

Xia Yao is about to leave campus and enter the workforce.

Zhou Yan is planning to expand his restaurant from the town to the city, opening a more upscale establishment.

Two lines that seemed destined to part ways and drift further apart might soon intersect again, making the future they discussed seem a little gentler.

When I got back to the dormitory building, it was just getting dark.

"I really do start sweating after five kilometers. It's been so long since I've felt this good." Xia Yao's face was flushed, and she was slightly out of breath. She raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her cheeks and said with a smile, "Zhou Yan, see you tomorrow!"

"Goodnight, Xia Yao." Zhou Yan watched her run into the stairwell, and only after the lights in the dormitory on the third floor came on did he turn and leave.

……

"Uncle-Master, I don't even want to talk about Master Zhou. He made me work like crazy, and then left work twenty minutes early. Turns out he was going for a run with Xia Yao." Kong Liwei said to Xiao Lei, who was rolling a cigarette beside him, as his feet were soaking in the wooden tub, steaming hot.

Xiao Lei smiled and said, "Isn't that great? Even though you don't have a pretty girl to run with, you've given the boss an extra twenty minutes of dating time. Maybe next year you'll have a boss lady who can keep an eye on you."

Kong Liwei: "..."

"Awei, is that girl pretty? What's her personality like?" Ma Dongmei, who was knitting nearby, became interested.

Kong Liwei nodded: "She's beautiful, just like a movie star. You know Gong Xue, the actress who starred in 'Under the Bridge'? Her temperament is very similar to hers. She also has a good personality, not at all like a typical college student, unlike some intellectuals who speak with an air of superiority. She gets along very well with Momo."

“Gong Xue! She’s a real beauty.” Ma Dongmei put down the yarn in her hand. “Our Zhou Yan is not bad either. He has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he’s tall and handsome. If the two young people like each other, this might actually work out.”

"Look at them, they're like turtles eyeing green beans, they've been eyeing each other for a long time." Kong Liwei curled his lip.

Xiao Lei said, "Everything else is fine, but this girl is from Zhejiang Province, which is a bit far away. Her family is probably unwilling to let her marry someone from so far away."

“Zhejiang Province, that’s indeed a bit far.” Ma Dongmei sighed upon hearing this. “My daughter is my own flesh and blood. I’ve worked so hard to raise her into a college student. How much effort and energy has it taken? How could I bear to let her marry so far away? Thousands of miles away, I might not see her for several years.”

"Looks like our Zhou Shi is going to be tormented by love too." Kong Liwei sighed, but the corners of his mouth turned up in a smug smile.

“There’s no need to worry about Zhou Yan. With his current conditions, as long as he nods, matchmakers will be lining up at the restaurant tomorrow. I wonder how many young girls from the textile factory like him.” Ma Dongmei looked at Kong Liwei and sighed. “But you, you’re a bit short and your face is a bit square. You might end up balding like your father after you turn thirty. You should hurry up and find a wife while your hair is still thick.”

Xiao Lei nodded in deep agreement: "That makes sense. Guo Liang's hairline started to recede after he turned thirty. Every time we met, it would recede a bit, and within two years he had developed a receding hairline."

Kong Liwei: "..."

“Uncle-Master, Madam Ma, although we are indeed very familiar with each other, it is still a bit presumptuous of you to speak like this.”

Ma Dongmei laughed when she heard this: "Your mom and dad even came over for a cup of tea at noon today, asking me to let you stay for a few days. I told them that as long as you don't blow up my outhouse with firecrackers again, you can stay as long as you want."

Kong Liwei looked embarrassed and said awkwardly, "That was all before I was ten years old. I definitely wouldn't do such a thing now."

“Your mother also told me that there are many female workers in this textile factory, and asked me to keep an eye out for you. Do you have any ideas?” Ma Dongmei said.

“I’m not in a hurry at all. I’m only twenty-one. I need to focus on my career.” Kong Liwei shook his head, his attitude resolute.

“There are indeed many young girls in the textile factory, and they are pretty and charming. If you don’t want them, that’s fine too. You can’t force these things,” Ma Dongmei said.

Xiao Lei nodded in agreement: "Zhou Yan went running with the female college student, so you can come back early and soak your feet. It's the same thing."

"Aunt Ma, are there really any pretty and charming girls? Well... then I can get to know them first."

"Didn't you just say you didn't want it?"

"I admit I spoke a little too loudly just now, I'm sorry!"

……

Zhou Yan returned to the hotel and practiced for an extra half hour.

There was hot water boiling in the pot, so that when Aunt Zhao and the others came back from their literacy class, they could soak their feet while doing their homework.

"I've discussed it with your father, and we'll go see your sixth uncle tomorrow afternoon. He can't eat, and it'll probably only last a few days," Aunt Zhao said to Zhou Yan.

“Alright, I’ll go down with you to see Sixth Master tomorrow afternoon.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Sixth Master was his grandfather's cousin, a comrade-in-arms who had shared life and death.

After returning to the village, he served as the village head for twenty years and took good care of their family, resulting in a very good relationship between the two families.

In the village, Sixth Uncle was not only a respected village chief, but he was also literate and could read almanacs, thus becoming a kind of fortune teller in Zhou Village.

When it comes to choosing dates for weddings and funerals, and naming children, he's the first person the villagers think of.

Sixth Master often said that his life had been worth living.

He killed five or six Japanese soldiers and still managed to come back alive from the battlefield, with countless shrapnel fragments still inside his body, and he lived to this age.

After playing two games of chess with Comrade Zhou, Zhou Yan took a shower and came out to find Aunt Zhao carrying Zhou Momo, who was already asleep in her arms, upstairs.

Comrade Zhou was tidying up the homework books and said with a smile, "It's clear that teaching someone to do homework is not easy. The little guy has been sleeping very soundly lately, sleeping through the night."

"That's right, even the Heavenly King himself would need to take blood pressure medication to stay calm," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

The child is still young, so both sides will have more patience.

Zhou Yan felt that his wisest choice was to hire Momo as a tutor for Aunt Zhao.

It's a case of using magic to defeat magic.

Zhou Yan went next door to confirm that the door was locked, then bolted the restaurant door, checked the bill, and went upstairs.

It's cold outside, so it's definitely more comfortable to stay in bed.

He crawled into bed, put a pillow behind his back, picked up a book from the bedside table, and started reading, but Zhou Yan's thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Zhou Erwa Restaurant is already undergoing expansion. The additional ten tables will not only enhance the dining experience for guests but also increase its capacity to accommodate more guests.

Ah Wei's arrival made the restaurant's kitchen operations more efficient, increasing food preparation efficiency by about 20%.

If Zeng Anrong could join Zhou Erwa's restaurant, there should be room for improvement in efficiency.

Zhou Erwa Restaurant is making a steady transition from a family-run restaurant to a larger establishment.

He currently has 40,000 yuan in savings in his account and more than 7,000 yuan in cash in a box under his bed.

He has already saved half of the money for repairing the restaurant and courtyard. He is just waiting for Sister Meng to give him the design drawings. After the New Year, he can get the construction team together and start construction immediately.

This can't be rushed. His requirements are higher than those of a typical house repairman. Whether it's rebuilding a small courtyard from an old house or considering the earthquake resistance of the restaurant, it's probably going to give Sister Meng quite a headache.

As the vice president of the architecture institute, Sister Meng is quite busy. If she can give him the blueprints within the year, that would be considered very thoughtful.

He wasn't in such a hurry. Everything was going well at Zhou Erwa Restaurant. Customer traffic was slowly increasing as word-of-mouth spread and as reported by media outlets such as the Jiaozhou Daily. Today's revenue reached 672 yuan, which was an improvement.

His goal is clear: firstly, to enrich the menu as much as possible and acquire more dishes so that the menu won't seem too thin after the restaurant opens.

Secondly, it is to cultivate Kong Liwei and Zeng Anrong, who may come.

While we don't expect them to be all-around capable, at least we should enable them to independently cook a few of the best-selling signature dishes to alleviate his burden.

One menu can be used by one person, and this still works in rural restaurants.

Once they entered the city, the stir-fry restaurant became a banquet hall, and if they still wanted to make money from banquet bookings, they had to have a clear division of labor.

Just then, he vaguely heard a knock on the door. He put down the book in his hand and listened carefully. He could hear hurried footsteps outside, as well as Old Zhou's voice: "Zhou Yan! Your Sixth Master is gone!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan was momentarily stunned. He threw off the covers, rolled over, and got up. He opened the door without even putting on his shoes.

Comrade Zhou, wearing a cotton-padded coat and holding a flashlight, with reddened eyes, looked at him and said in a deep voice, "Hongwei is downstairs. Put your clothes and shoes on and come back to Zhoucun with me."

"Should I go back?" Zhao Tieying also came over, wearing a coat, her voice slightly hoarse, her eyes also red.

"You stay home with Momo. Zhou Yan and I will go tonight so she won't be scared." Zhou Miao gently patted Zhao Tieying's arm.

“Okay.” Zhao Tieying nodded, took out a ten-yuan note and stuffed it into Zhou Miao’s pocket. “Go to Sun Qi’s place and bring back some paper and firecrackers. Mom and the others probably haven’t prepared any.”

Zhou Yan put on her cotton-padded coat and shoes and came out.

“Go back and listen to your grandma. Pay attention to any taboos she says to observe,” Aunt Zhao whispered, putting a woolen hat over his head.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded.

The three men took flashlights and went downstairs. Zhou Yan unlatched the door and opened it. Zhou Hongwei, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt at the door and said to Zhou Miao and Zhao Tieying with a sob in his voice, "Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt, my grandfather has passed away..."

“Okay, get up first. Zhou Yan and I will go back with you.” Zhou Miao stepped forward and helped him up. “Your fourth aunt needs to stay home to take care of Momo. She will go over tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Zhou Hongwei nodded.

Zhou Yan stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, unsure how to comfort him.

The three of them rode their bicycles, using flashlights as they went, towards Zhoucun.

This was Zhou Yan's first time experiencing something like this, and she felt somewhat heavy-hearted, unsure of what to say.

"Was the old man's journey smooth?" After walking for a while, Comrade Zhou asked.

Zhou Hongwei said, "I brought the braised meat back tonight, and he was very happy. He sat up by himself, ate some braised pig's head and braised beef, drank two ounces of wine, and praised me for a while."

"After he finished eating, he asked my father to clean his body and change his clothes. He said some things to my father, my uncle, and my youngest uncle. He passed away peacefully without suffering much."

"My old man said that my grandfather had chosen the date and time in advance. He knew when he was going to leave. He drank two ounces of liquor today, was in a great mood, and passed away happily..."

　I'm adjusting my sleep schedule today because I'm a bit stressed. I'll write an extra chapter tomorrow morning. Please vote with monthly tickets!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)