1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 337 The Angry Wife and the Pig for the New Year (6k-page compilation)

"The plaque above belongs to my grandfather. He left Sichuan in 1937 to fight against the Japanese. He fought across tens of thousands of miles throughout his life and finally fell in South Korea."

"That plaque below was brought back by my uncle. It commemorates the Sino-Vietnamese War, where soldiers fought bravely and were wounded and discharged," Zhou Yan said.

Lin Zhiqiang and the others nodded solemnly.

Zhou Yan's two short sentences deeply shocked them.

"Please sit down. I'll make you some tea. This is tea that Tieying brought back from her parents' home last time. It's quite good. Now it's called Emei Snow Bud." The old lady put the things they brought on the cabinet, invited everyone to sit down, and took a teacup from the coffee table to prepare tea for everyone.

Zhou Yan quickly stepped forward and helped the old lady pour tea.

Looking at the old lady, Xia Yao couldn't help but think to herself, if she could choose, the old lady would probably rather not have these two plaques, right?

Meng Anhe and the others sat down and looked around the main room.

The main room was simply furnished. Apart from two plaques, there was only a portrait of the deceased and a portrait of the teacher hanging on the wall, with the words "Long live the Chinese people" written below.

Eight old-fashioned round-backed chairs were arranged for the host and guests. Although they were old, they were well-maintained. Each chair had a hand-sewn cotton cushion on it, so they were quite soft and not cold at all.

Everything was kept spotless, even the chair legs were clean; it was clear that the old lady lived a very particular life.

"This portrait must have been hanging here for quite a few years, right?" Lin Zhiqiang asked curiously as he stood in front of the instructor's portrait.

“Yes, it’s been at least ten years and it hasn’t been changed.” The old lady didn’t turn around and said with a smile, “My husband admires him the most, so I’ll hang a portrait of him to accompany him. He said: ‘Wheat has ripened thousands of times, but the first time is when the people are reborn. Our teacher has us in his heart, so the people should hold him high.’”

Lin Zhiqiang was filled with awe.

Meng Anhe nodded slightly, and said with a touch of emotion, "My father has a painting in his study that isn't his own, but a portrait of a teacher, and he said the same thing."

Zhou Yan served tea to everyone, and they chatted while drinking the tea.

The old lady was very talkative. Although it was their first meeting, she had a good chat with Lin Zhiqiang and Meng Anhe.

Sometimes when there are obstacles in the dialogue between the two parties, Zhou Yan will act as the translator to enable them to communicate smoothly.

Zhou Yan sometimes suspected that Zhou Momo's love of chatting wasn't because of her mother, but because she had always loved going to the old lady's house since she was little, chatting with her from house to house, which gradually cultivated her to be so talkative.

Because his mother is actually a ruthless and taciturn person. She uses her sarcastic remarks and curses outside, but at home she usually says things like: "I'm like the Shu Road!"

As they chatted, Zhou Momo didn't go off to play by herself. Instead, she moved a small stool over and sat down next to the old lady's legs, resting her head on the old lady's lap. She listened with great interest, occasionally taking out a sunflower seed from her pocket and cracking it open.

While they were chatting, Zhou Ming picked up Teacher Song and they arrived.

Song Wanqing arrived carrying a basket of pastries. She greeted the old lady first, served the pastries, then greeted Meng Anhe and the others, before sitting down next to Xia Yao.

"Yaoyao, we were supposed to go shopping last weekend, but I didn't expect you to come back to the countryside to raise pigs." Song Wanqing whispered, holding Xia Yao's hand.

"That's great. We can even have a pig-slaughtering feast. I studied in Chongqing for more than three years and never had a Sichuan-Chongqing-style outdoor banquet before," Xia Yao said with a smile.

Song Wanqing smiled and said, "Then you must try it. The pig-slaughtering feast in Sichuan and Chongqing is quite unique. With Chef Zhou Yan in charge, it certainly won't be bad."

Girls of similar age always have endless topics to talk about when they get together.

Zhou Yan looked at Zhou Ming, who was grinning foolishly at Teacher Song, and hesitated whether to ask Ming for some advice. But then he thought about it and felt a little unconvinced. He was sure he could do it himself.

"Master Zhou, didn't we say we'd make noodles? If we don't eat breakfast, we won't have the strength to press the pig later," Awei whispered.

"I had forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it." Zhou Yan stood up and said, "A lot of people haven't had breakfast yet? I'll go get something to eat to tide me over."

"I!"

"I!"

Everyone expressed their opinions one after another.

Xia Yao, Awei, and Uncle Lin and his family.

Oh, and there's also Zhou Momo, who definitely ate breakfast but is pretending she didn't; her little hand is raised really high.

"I...actually, I haven't had breakfast yet either," Teacher Song said.

"Oh dear, I haven't been a good host. I didn't even know to make breakfast for you." The old lady stood up as well, looking embarrassed.

Zhou Yan smiled and pressed the old lady back to her seat: "Grandma, it's alright, you sit and relax. I'll go fry some egg pancakes for them. There's not enough time to make ramen at this hour."

"I'll go help you." Zhou Ming immediately followed.

"Teacher Zhou is pretty good, she's started learning cooking." Xia Yao whispered to Song Wanqing.

“Because he just tasted the goose egg pancakes I made yesterday.” Song Wanqing pursed her lips.

"How does it taste?" Xia Yao asked curiously.

"Hmm... Teacher Zhou is still alive after eating. It's alright, just a bit burnt and salty, and for some reason the middle part was raw." Song Wanqing's smile was tinged with embarrassment: "Cooking is so hard... I don't understand, I really don't understand."

"It's quite difficult." Xia Yao pursed her lips, wanting to laugh but feeling it wasn't appropriate, so she could only hold it in.

Before long, Zhou Yan and Zhou Ming came out carrying four plates, each containing several egg pancakes.

"Come on, have a pancake to fill your stomach, so you'll have the energy to massage the pig later," Zhou Yan said, distributing the pancakes to everyone.

Song Wanqing took a bite. It was soft and sweet, even more delicate than the goose egg pancake. It was completely different from what she made; they were practically not the same thing at all.

"Teacher Zhou, have you learned it?" Song Wanqing looked at Zhou Ming, who was the hope of the whole family.

"I think so." Zhou Ming hesitated for a moment, then said happily, "I know the trick to making egg pancakes that aren't burnt, too salty, or undercooked."

Zhou Yan couldn't help but laugh as he ate the pancake.

Ming asked him these three questions, saying they were life-or-death matters, which almost made him laugh to death.

Song Wanqing remained silent, lowered her head and ate her pancake, pretending that this matter had nothing to do with her.

Xia Yao ate the pancake with a smile on her face. Zhou Yan knew how to make it, so she didn't need to learn.

"The egg pancakes are so delicious!" Lin Bingwen exclaimed.

"Brother Zhou Yan, why doesn't the shop sell egg pancakes? They smell so good! I love them!" Lin Jingxing asked, somewhat puzzled.

"You might like it, but our guests might not. Besides, making egg pancakes in the morning is a bit of a hassle, and we're too busy to keep up," Zhou Yan explained with a smile.

Ah Wei was really hungry, and he ate three pancakes in one go. If he hadn't felt a little embarrassed to fight with the kids for the two remaining pancakes on the plate, he could have easily eaten another one.

"Zhou Yan! Zhou Ming! Come and press the pig!" Just after finishing his egg pancake, Grandpa Zhou Qing's energetic voice rang out from the courtyard.

"Coming!" Zhou Yan responded, patting Awei and Zhou Ming sitting next to him. "Come on, Awei! Let's go press the pig."

"I'll go too." Lin Zhiqiang finished his tea and immediately stood up.

"I also need to go!"

"I'll catch the pig's tail!"

Lin Bingwen and Lin Jingxing were already excited and immediately jumped up from their benches.

"I want to go see it too~~" Zhou Momo got up and ran out the door.

"Xia Yao, do you want to go?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at Xia Yao.

“Let’s go.” Xia Yao nodded and pulled Song Wanqing along.

“Then I’ll go take a look too. I haven’t seen a pig being slaughtered in many years. The last time was in Shanxi.” Meng Anhe got up as well.

“This pig weighs over 300 pounds; it can gore and bite people. You two little guys, just stay over there and watch, don’t come any closer,” Zhou Yan said to his two brothers.

"Bingwen, Jingxing, come here, it looks good standing here!" Zhou Momo was already sitting on the pile of wood next to the pigsty, calling out to Lin Bingwen and Lin Jingxing.

"They're here!" The two men's eyes lit up, and they immediately ran over.

The firewood pile wasn't high; it was supported by two upright poles, and because it consisted of large logs, it was very stable.

As soon as the two men approached, Comrade Zhou immediately pulled them onto a pile of wood where they could sit, enjoying a great view. They were overjoyed and called him "godfather" affectionately, which made Comrade Zhou beam with joy.

The pig-pressing team has assembled for today. The Zhou family has no shortage of able-bodied young men, but judging from the way the eldest uncle and second uncle have already taken off their coats, they also want to join in and press a pig today.

Zhou Jie and his two sisters-in-law were tending to the beef stall when Zhou Hai returned.

This is the main force of the Zhou family's pig-raising team. If they used the same setup as for wild boars, it would be an extremely important task.

Standing at 1.9 meters tall and weighing over 200 kilograms, he ducked as he entered the pigpen, causing the pigs to huddle in the corner.

At his peak, Zhou Hai could lift a 200-pound pig all by himself.

That's not just 200 pounds of pork, but a 200-pound fat pig that's struggling desperately. Without training, even three or four ordinary young men couldn't hold it down.

Of course, Uncle Zhou Yan and his second uncle are no pushovers either. They've been slaughtering cattle for half their lives, and now in their fifties, they're still working on the front lines of cattle slaughtering. Their physique is beyond doubt.

“Well then, today Zhou Hai will lead the way, with Zhou Ming and Zhou Yan assisting him. We’ll just stand by and see what happens, teaching the young people how to work together. Sooner or later, we’ll have to hand over the pig-slaughtering business to them,” Zhou Qing said.

“Okay, let’s do it your way, brother.” Zhou Ze nodded.

Zhou Miao had no objections.

"Old Zhou, what am I responsible for?" Lin Zhiqiang asked as he approached Zhou Miao.

Zhou Miao glanced at him and pondered, "Zhiqiang, wait until they hold the pig down, then you go up and grab one of its legs. Remember to wait until they hold it down before you grab it, otherwise the force of that kick is very strong."

"Don't worry, I'm very strong, pressing down on one leg is no problem!" Lin Zhiqiang said confidently.

After assigning tasks, everyone began to surround the pigsty.

"Zhou Hai, do you see that biggest and fattest pig in that corner over there? That's our target today," Zhou Qing said, pointing to the pigs in the pigpen.

"I see it!" Zhou Hai responded, lowering his head as he walked into the pigsty, saying, "Brothers, follow me!"

Zhou Ming and Zhou Yan followed into the pigpen and formed a triangular formation to surround the pig.

"Can you hold down such a big pig?" Lin Bingwen asked nervously.

"It looks terrifying. I feel like that pig could knock me flying." Lin Jingxing was also a little worried.

"Don't worry, my guys are really good. They can hold this big pig down in no time," Zhou Momo said confidently.

Xia Yao and Song Wanqing also came to the woodpile to look at it.

"Old Lin, watch your back, okay?" Meng Anhe reminded him.

"Don't worry, I'll only get more monstrous with age." Lin Zhiqiang said smugly. "Take out your camera and take a few pictures to record my heroic state."

“Okay.” Meng Anhe replied with a smile. She had brought her camera with her today, and upon hearing this, she took it out of her bag and pointed it at the pigsty.

Although Zhou Yan had two strong older brothers supporting him, he was still a little nervous facing that big, fat pig weighing over 300 pounds.

However, the big fat pig that was being targeted was clearly more nervous, retreating to the corner and trembling under the relentless pressure from the three men. "Let's get started!" Zhou Hai said, stepping forward, taking a horse stance, and bending down to grab the big fat pig's upper waist.

Although the big fat pig grew up eating vegetables, its fat body was not for nothing. The moment it was hugged, it immediately screamed and kicked its four hooves wildly, its body twisted into a pretzel shape, trying to break free from Zhou Hai's embrace.

But Zhou Ming immediately followed suit, lunging forward and grabbing the fat pig's lower back. With a powerful push from his horse stance and a shout from Zhou Hai, he lifted the fat pig into the air.

Zhou Yan rushed over and was shocked to see the huge fat pig being lifted up in mid-air.

"what?"

Was it just raised so hastily?

This is incredibly disrespectful to this large, fat pig that weighs around 350 pounds!

The large, fat pig thrashed about, trying to break free, but it was clearly too late.

"Zhou Yan, support him from the middle and carry him out!" Zhou Hai shouted.

"Okay!" Zhou Yan quickly replied, and then reached out to lift the pig's waist. The three brothers bent over slightly and carried the big fat pig out of the pigpen.

"Wow! We really need young people! They just stepped up and carried it out." Zhou Qing laughed.

Zhou Ze also sighed, "When we were young, two or three of us could easily take down a big fat pig. Now that we're old, we can't keep up with the strength."

"Holy crap! Is this how you hold a pig down?" Awei was shocked. Every year during Chinese New Year, holding down a pig in his family was a big event. More than a dozen younger relatives would join in, chasing the pig all over the yard. No one could hold it down, and if you weren't careful, you would get kicked by the pig and it would hurt for days.

"Wow! That's amazing! These guys are all strongmen!" Lin Bingwen and Lin Jingxing clapped their hands and exclaimed.

"I knew it, no big deal~~" Zhou Momo said with a smug look on her face.

The pig was carried to the entrance of the pigpen. Zhou Hai looked at the people filling the yard, thought for a moment, and whispered, "Let's put it down and let everyone play for a while."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan and Zhou Ming understood each other perfectly.

The three of them slipped, and the big fat pig fell to the ground.

The crowd, who had already crossed their arms, were startled, and their eyes lit up.

"Hurry up and hold it down! If you run out the door, you'll have to go to the fields to hold it down!" Zhou Qing shouted.

"This way!"

"We caught its tail!"

"Ouch!"

"Director Lin, are you alright?"

The crowd pounced on the big, fat pig, and the yard suddenly became lively. Some people were holding down its legs, others were grabbing its tail, and it was a chaotic scene filled with laughter and joy.

Lin Zhiqiang went to hug a pig's leg, but was kicked and fell flat on his face.

Meng Anhe quickly snapped two photos before putting down her camera to help Lao Lin.

Zhou Yan didn't dare to catch any more pigs and quickly stepped forward to ask with concern, "Uncle Lin? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Lin Zhiqiang blushed and said awkwardly, "It's nothing. I was wearing a thick cotton-padded coat, so the kick wasn't hard. I slipped on the moss and fell flat on my back."

Xia Yao and Song Wanqing came over and breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Zhou Yan helped him to the side, and after confirming that he was not injured, she breathed a sigh of relief.

It's not uncommon for pigs to be knocked over while being held down; pigs are inherently difficult to hold down.

This brings us to the Four Difficulties: the pig for the New Year, the stubborn donkey, the angry wife, and the fish that have come ashore.

If it overturns, as long as you're not injured, it's a minor issue.

"You took a picture?" Lin Zhiqiang asked, looking at Meng Anhe who was getting the camera.

Meng Anhe nodded: "I took two pictures. The V you made with your legs when you were lying on the ground was so straight. I should have taken a picture of it. Later, I'll write LOE on it with colored pens and combine it with your V. It will definitely be a very creative photo."

Lin Zhiqiang: "..."

To be honest, sometimes I really want to call the police on this wife.

The big fat pig was chased around the yard several times until it was too tired to run anymore before it was finally subdued.

This time, Ah Wei put in a lot of effort, getting knocked over twice. Later, he rode on the pig's back and delivered a deadly chokehold, pinning the pig to the ground, earning unanimous applause from everyone.

The group tied the pig's legs together and carried it out.

"Not bad, right?" Ah Wei walked over with a smug smile on his face.

"Awesome, Wei!" Zhou Yan gave a thumbs up, covered in mud, his participation was truly impressive.

"Awei, you're so amazing!" Zhou Momo clapped her hands and exclaimed.

"Brother Wei! You're amazing!" Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen also looked at him with admiration.

Kids don't care about any of that; Ah Wei's chokehold takedown was absolutely awesome.

"No problem, no problem." Kong Liwei waved his hand, no longer caring about the dust on his body or the sore knee from the impact.

Pressing the pig is fun!

Come again next time!

People have given too much emotional value, even exceeding the value of the pig itself.

"Uncle Lin, if there's nothing else, let's go slaughter the pig." Zhou Yan helped Lin Zhiqiang up.

"Come on, it's alright." Lin Zhiqiang waved his hand with a smile, stretched his joints, and found that there was indeed no problem. He had been running and exercising frequently during this period, and his body had become much stronger and less brittle.

Once outside the gate, the big fat pig had already been pressed onto the slaughtering bench.

Zhou Qing held a long pig-slaughtering knife in his hand and beckoned Zhou Yan over: "Zhou Yan, come here! Today, Grandpa will teach you how to slaughter a pig!"

“Okay!” Zhou Yan replied and quickly walked over.

Zhou Qing said, "Zhou Hai has already learned this skill, Zhou Jie has mastered it, and I won't ask Zhou Ming, who teaches martial arts, to handle it."

Your father said you want to get a chef's certificate, so you'll have to learn how to butcher pigs. If you want to make roast suckling pig later, you'll have to butcher and slaughter the pig yourself.

"Grandpa, just teach me, I'll definitely learn well and study hard." Zhou Yan nodded earnestly. Roast suckling pig was one of the topics in the Level 3 Chef Exam.

Just as the old man said, you have to do everything yourself, starting from slaughtering the pig.

Today's opportunity is truly rare, and he must make the most of it.

Including Comrade Lao Zhou, everyone present was the best cattle slaughterer in Zhoucun.

Hearing this, Awei moved closer. Slaughtering pigs was great; he wanted to learn too!

Zhou Qing continued, "When slaughtering a pig, you must be steady with the knife. Pigs can be very fierce when they get angry. If you panic, you won't know where to stab them, and that would be terrible."

Slaughtering a pig requires a single, fatal blow. Why is the knife so long? Because this cut must reach the heart. The pig's heart is located on the left side of its chest, inside the base of its foreleg. We insert the knife through the aorta, piercing the heart with precision; one precise cut is enough to kill it.

Zhou Qing patiently explained the pig-slaughtering techniques to Zhou Yan. The old man had fought for half his life, and he had introduced his brothers to the trade of slaughtering cattle. As the eldest brother, he was like a father to his younger brothers, and he was the one who taught them the first knife when they entered the trade.

Zhou Yan listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

Zhou Qing took a hot towel and handed it to Zhou Yan: "Here, wipe the area around the pig's neck clean first, so that the pig's blood will be clean and hygienic later."

Zhou Yan did as instructed.

Zhou Qing then handed him the butcher knife, squeezed his hand tightly, and said with a serious expression, "You must be decisive when butchering a pig, but only if you are absolutely certain. You can't be impatient. Find the right position and the right time, and finish it off with one strike."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded solemnly.

Zhou Qing released his grip, took two steps back, and picked up a large basin, placing it under the pig's head.

Led by Zhou Hai, the four men held down the pig's ears, back, legs, and tail.

A big, fat pig, covered in burly men, received VIP treatment even on its deathbed.

Zhou Miao stood beside him and pointed out a spot to Zhou Yan: "Make the cut here, with the tip of the knife slightly downwards, and stab straight down the aorta to the heart. Once you reach the spot, twist the knife a couple of times to widen the wound and make the death more painless."

Zhou Yan nodded, let out a soft breath, greeted Zhou Hai and the others, and then plunged the butcher knife into the pig's neck.

The knife went in quickly, almost without any resistance. The sensation in his heart was noticeably different. After the blade was completely inside, Zhou Yan twisted the knife a couple of times.

The butcher's knife was pulled out, and blood gushed out of the hole, landing precisely on the large enamel basin below.

The big fat pig roared twice, and the struggling gradually subsided.

"As expected of our Zhou family's kid, his first time slaughtering a pig, that cut was clean and efficient." Zhou Qing nodded.

Zhou Ze and Zhou Miao nodded with smiles. Zhou Yan's talent was indeed good; this strike was of high quality.

"Zhoucun now has another pig butcher."

The villagers who were watching all praised it.

Xia Yao watched from the side, not afraid at all, holding a small sketchbook in her hand, sketching away.

Meng Anhe raised her camera and took a picture of her from the side and behind, then stepped forward and said, "Are you painting a picture of slaughtering a pig for the New Year?"

"Yes, I found my grandfather's pig-slaughtering pictures very interesting when I was a child. I will draw one and give it to him during the New Year so that he can see the scene of pig slaughtering in Suji countryside."

“The old man will be very happy; he hasn’t received a painting from you in so many years,” Meng Anhe said with a smile.

The big fat pig stopped moving, and the next step was to shave it.

There's not much skill involved in shaving pig hair; as long as the water is hot enough, the pig hair is easy to shave.

Ah Wei also shaved for a while, and the hairy, fat pig turned into a white, plump pig in less than twenty minutes.

Cutting the meat is a skill; how well the meat is cut directly determines whether the pig's death was worthwhile.

A novice like Zhou Yan had to step aside temporarily and let Old Zhou take the lead.

As the top butcher in Zhoucun, his skills are beyond question.

"Cutting pork is actually very simple. First, cut along the ribs, then remove the internal organs..." Old Zhou said as he cut.

Under his knife, a large, fat pig was quickly cut into pig's head, ribs, pork belly, and pork saddle pieces...

His tone was casual, and his movements were fluid and effortless. In less than ten minutes, the meat of a whole pig had been completely cut up.

Ah Wei blinked and exclaimed in surprise, "No, Uncle Zhou, I didn't blink either, how did it all end up being distributed?"

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