1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 33 I will write to you

Comrade Zhou, if you can't catch any fish, are you really going to go to the market to buy them?
Zhou Yan pursed his lips, looking at Old Zhou who was making quite a few small movements, it was still a bit difficult for him to lie.

"This is really good. Braised crucian carp would be perfect." Zhao Tieying picked up the crucian carp and nodded repeatedly. Looking at Zhou Miao, she said, "Then you should go fishing whenever you have free time. I love eating fish, and Momo loves it too. Our family will be able to eat fish more often in the future."

“This…that…” Zhou Miao hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Zhou Yanku was holding back his laughter, but he almost burst out laughing.

It's clear that Comrade Zhou's savings are almost depleted; it would be really difficult for him to buy two fish every day.

Zhou Yan pondered secretly slipping him some of her own money.

Comrade Xiao Zhou used to receive a lot of help from Comrade Lao Zhou.

[Ding! Side quest triggered: Initial investment in food supplier. The Air Force needs to understand and support Zhou Miao, providing financial assistance to support his passion!]

[Task Reward: A recipe for crucian carp with patchouli]

[Accept: Yes/No]

A system task suddenly popped up.

Good, good, good! The system is still the brave one; even the short sellers dare to be investors.

But of course he had to accept such a good task.

We can have crucian carp with mint flavor tonight.

"Old man, why don't you kill these two crucian carp and eels? You're good at this. We'll cook them for dinner tonight," Zhou Yan chimed in, trying to get Old Zhou out of the predicament.

"Okay," Zhou Miao replied, carrying the crucian carp to the side.

Zhou Yan then said to Zhao Tieying, "Mom, go pick some patchouli leaves. Shouldn't we have patchouli-flavored crucian carp for dinner?"

"Okay, the crucian carp with mint is delicious." Zhao Tieying went out and walked in the opposite direction.

Zhou Yan picked up the small bucket containing the eels and followed Old Zhou.

"Slicing eels requires some skill, do you want to learn?" Zhou Miao tossed the crucian carp into the bucket and grabbed an eel first.

The slippery eel was clamped between his two fingers, and no matter how it twisted and turned, it couldn't escape.

“Learn, it’s always good to have more skills.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. “I’ll learn to fish with you in a couple of days. This fish looks so delicious.”

Comrade Zhou paused, glanced in the direction Zhao Tieying had gone, and pondered, "Fish? It's not that easy to catch them. You only caught one today because you were lucky. It doesn't happen every day."

"If you want the fish to come ashore, you have to trade them for grain." Zhou Yan smiled and took out a large coin, stuffing it into Zhou Miao's pocket.

"What?" Zhou Miao touched his pocket, looking at him with suspicion. "Why are you giving me so much money?"

"Old man, do you think I don't know your skills?" Zhou Yan said with a smile, "Today I sold 160 bowls of noodles and 100 bowls of braised beef. This is my personal donation to help you go to the market, so you can hold your head high in front of Mom from now on."

Zhou Miao blushed, not expecting Zhou Yan to have noticed. He coughed twice and said, "Well... it's just that we ran into a big one, otherwise we wouldn't have needed to buy it."

“Yes, I believe you’ll catch something next time. It must be a problem with the hook, line, or rod. You can go to town and get some better equipment when you have time.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. “I really support your hobby. You’ll be fishing when you’re old anyway, so starting now will save you decades of detours.”

What's wrong with Old Zhou not playing cards or drinking, but just liking to fish?
Moreover, he would only go fishing after finishing his work and arranging everything at home, no more than four times a month.

"Why buy any equipment? A bent embroidery needle can be a fishing hook, a duck feather can be a float, dig up some earthworms, and you can fish with a bamboo pole just the same. Keep the money you earn safe and pay off your debts first." Zhou Miao shook his head, took out the money, and was about to hand it back to Zhou Yan.

"Keep it safe, or I'll tell my mom you bought this fish." Zhou Yan took a step back and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I can pay back the loan in two months, including the five hundred yuan from you."

"This is your secret stash of money. I won't tell my mom. It's a secret between men."

Zhou Miao held the ten-yuan note in his hand, looked at Zhou Yan with a complicated expression and mood, and nodded after a while: "Okay, then I'll save this money to buy fish."

“Then you go and skin the eels, I’ll learn some techniques,” Zhou Yan said, looking at him.

"Slicing eels is very simple, just recite the rhyme." Old Zhou grabbed an eel, pressed it onto a wooden board, hammered a nail into its head, took out a small knife, and recited: "An eel with a yellow belly, a pointed head and a long tail, a nail in its head, and a knife to send you to see the King of Hell..."

In just a few swift movements, the five eels were killed.

Zhou Yan understood, but he certainly couldn't achieve that smoothness.

Comrade Lao Zhou's knife handling is so steady, I have to admit defeat.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Zhou Momo’s voice rang out.

Zhou Yan turned around and saw Zhou Momo running towards them, clutching a doll in her hand, with Xia Yao following behind her.

"Look! The doll that Sister Yaoyao gave me!" Zhou Momo held up the blonde Barbie doll in her hand. "Isn't it pretty?"

"Yes, it looks good." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile, looking at Xia Yao and saying, "You've spent money again."

"I saw it at Jiaozhou Department Store. It's so cute, so I thought I'd get one for Momo." Xia Yao smiled and said, "I can tell she likes it a lot too."

"Mmm, I love it!" Zhou Momo nodded. "This is my first doll."

"Sweetie, I'll bring you another doll next time." Xia Yao patted her head.

"Okay, thank you, Sister Yao Yao," Zhou Momo said obediently, then took the doll and went to find Fanwa.

"Are you going back to Shancheng tomorrow?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at her.

"Yes, the sketching trip is over, it's time to go back to school." Xia Yao nodded.

Zhou Yan wasn't good at saying goodbye and couldn't say anything sentimental. "You're staying at the factory guesthouse tonight, right? It's a bit far from here. Shall I take you there?"

"No need, it's quite close by walk..."

"I'll go get the bike. It's getting dark, and it's not safe for you, a girl, to be out alone." Zhou Yan turned and walked away, pushing the bicycle out of the store, with three bags of rice candy hanging from the handlebars.

“Suji doesn’t have any special products, but here’s rice candy. Take it with you and eat it on the road.” Zhou Yan handed the rice candy to Xia Yao.

"This...is too much." Xia Yao was a little confused, holding three bags of rice candy.

“I’ve also prepared a portion for each of your friends. You can share it with them.” Zhou Yan got into the car. “Get in.”

"Okay," Xia Yao replied, sitting in the back seat with a slight smile on her lips.

He's quite thoughtful. They rode their bicycles along the riverbank, the setting sun casting long shadows of the two of them.

Xia Yao turned her head slightly and stared blankly at Zhou Yan's profile.

"After graduating from university, do you plan to return to Hangzhou or stay in Chongqing?" Zhou Yan asked.

"Huh?" Xia Yao was taken aback for a moment, then shook her head: "I haven't decided yet. I might go back to Hangzhou, or I might go to Beijing."

“That’s great. They’re all big cities, which are suitable for designers like you to develop your careers.” Zhou Yan nodded.

"What about you?"

"what?"

"Do you have any plans to open a restaurant in a big city in the future? Like Chengdu?" Xia Yao suggested earnestly. "I think your cooking is especially delicious. You should have better opportunities in Chengdu. Suji is a good place, but it's a bit small."

"I don't know when I'll be able to reach Rongcheng, but that day will come." Zhou Yan smiled slightly. "Rongcheng is very big, but there's no place for me to stay for now."

"You are a clear-headed and optimistic person," Xia Yao said thoughtfully.

They rode their bicycles slowly, chatting about many things along the way, including ideals, plans for the future, and even literature and music.

In this era, there are no cell phones or the internet. After dark, the world is completely silent, as if it has been turned off.

It's inevitable to feel a sense of loneliness.

Zhou Yan discovered for the first time that he also had a desire to confide in others.

Interacting with peers brings joy and gives one a more authentic feeling about the world.

It felt like a drifting ship had finally found its anchor.

Or perhaps it's because the other person is a pretty girl?

Xia Yao was eloquent and had many ideas that transcended the constraints of the times, so innovative that they surprised him.

They were no different, except that he had a little more knowledge of the future.

The bicycle slowly came to a stop in front of the guesthouse.

Xia Yao got out of the car and smiled, "Thank you for bringing me back."

"You're welcome." Zhou Yan looked at her, then turned the car around.

"Zhou Yan." Xia Yao took a step forward and called out to him.

"What?" Zhou Yan turned to look at her.

“I will write to you.” Xia Yao looked at him and said gracefully, “I hope I will receive a reply from you.”

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded and said with a smile, “Then remember to include the address.”

Xia Yao smiled and waved to him, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Zhou Yan raised his hand and rode away on his bicycle.

Xia Yao watched him disappear around the corner before turning around and entering the guesthouse.

As Zhou Yan turned the corner, he almost bumped into someone.

"Brother Zhou! It's you! I was just about to come find you!" Ma Xingye pulled Zhou Yan along, looking very happy.

"Did it work?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile, looking at Ma Xingye, who was beaming with joy.

“It’s done! Deng Hong said she likes me too.” Ma Xingye nodded, then stuffed an oil paper bag into Zhou Yan’s hand. “This is a little something from me. If you come to Chongqing to find Xia Yao, be sure to look for me. I’ll take you to eat the best food in Chongqing.”

"I'm very happy that you two made it happen, but there's no need for gifts..."

Before Zhou Yan could finish speaking, Ma Xingye had already run away.

"Brother Zhou, be sure to call me when you come to Chongqing!"

"Okay, I'll definitely call you."

Zhou Yan shook his head helplessly. The paper bag in his hand was heavy, and he could feel that it probably contained a glass bottle of cola.

I threw the things into the bike basket; getting back to the restaurant to cook was the most important thing.

……

"Zhou Yan brought you back? Yao Yao, what were you saying at the door? We saw everything. Confess and you'll be treated leniently."

"Oh my, he brought you so much food? He's so thoughtful!"

As soon as Xia Yao opened the door, Deng Hong and Zhu Yuyu came over.

"This is for you, one bag each, rice candy, a specialty of Suji, from the best shop." Xia Yao put down the things and then gave each of them a bag of rice candy.

"Zhou Yanren is really kind; he even thought of us," Zhu Yuyu remarked.

"Yes, he's good at handling things and takes good care of Yao Yao." Deng Hong nodded in agreement, unwrapped a piece, took a bite, and looked at Xia Yao, saying, "So, did he confess his feelings?"

"Eat yours, we're still just friends." Xia Yao packed her bag of rice candy into the box, but a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

Zhou Yan is truly an interesting person.

He was humorous, knowledgeable, and had imaginative ideas that even she couldn't help but marvel at.

Although he was a chef, she felt they were no different.

He was even more of an artist than she was.

……

Whispering through the night, updating with gusto!
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My dearest family and friends!
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(End of this chapter)