1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 341 I think you guys should really keep an eye on Zhou Yan (Thanks to the guild leader "Accidentally Splashed You"!)

Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. The presentation and the appraisal results were quite good for his first time making Mao Xue Wang!
"It looks pretty good, and it tastes even better than what my master makes," Ah Wei muttered.

"Awei, the fried pork rind and cabbage are yours now," Zhou Yan said to Awei.

"Okay." Ah Wei replied, and started stir-frying the vegetables, using the remaining oil in the pan.

Zhou Yan gave a shout, and the aunties began serving the dishes.

By the time Ah Wei finished stir-frying the pork cracklings and cabbage and brought it out of the pan, the three tables of people were already seated and waiting for dinner.

The moment the spicy blood curd was served, it became the focus of everyone's attention.

The tripe and blood tofu are coated in a bright red and piping hot broth, the dried chili peppers are charred and slightly red by the hot oil, the minced garlic and scallions turn golden, and white sesame seeds and Sichuan peppercorns are sprinkled on top.

"Wow! This spicy blood curd looks so appetizing! The tripe almost completely covers the bowl!" Zhou Qing exclaimed.

"Homemade spicy blood curd is still the best! Last time we bought beef in Zigong, the owner took us to a restaurant. They even counted the tripe by the piece. City people treat it like a treasure." Zhou Ze nodded.

Zhou Yan said, "Let's eat. We'll keep it simple tonight."

Everyone responded and began to eat.

"Let me try Master Zhou's spicy blood curd." Awei couldn't wait to pick up a piece of tripe and put it in his mouth.

The numbing spiciness explodes on the tongue, with the aroma being particularly prominent. The butter, soy sauce, and various spices blend together, while the rich bone broth permeates the flavor, creating a mellow and complex taste with a strong sense of layering.

The tripe has a crisp and chewy texture, and you can even hear a crunching sound when you chew it.

Cool!
"It tastes amazing! The soup is fragrant, spicy, and rich, and the tripe is fresh, crisp, and bouncy. It's so satisfying to eat!" Awei praised Zhou Yan while picking up some beef tripe.

The tripe and beef aorta must be fresh enough and cooked for just the right amount of time to ensure such a crisp and refreshing texture.

"This Maoxuewang is completely different from the Fatty Intestine Blood Tofu. The flavor is much stronger, the blood tofu is smooth and tender, melts in your mouth, and soaks up all the broth. It's spicy, numbing, fresh, and hot, and it's cooked to perfection." Lin Zhiqiang nodded repeatedly, praising it highly.

Zhou Yan smiled and picked up his chopsticks to try it.

The tripe was indeed spicy and flavorful, and the beef tallow seasoning was truly fragrant, with a richer, more savory aroma than lard. Paired with fermented broad bean paste, dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and spices, the taste was just as good as hot pot broth.

A crisp and refreshing texture is a basic requirement; even when cooking beef brisket, tripe must be blanched in the broth. Controlling the heat is not a difficult task for him.

The blood tofu is tender and smooth, the winter bamboo shoots are spicy and refreshing, and the salty and savory flavor is just right, making it a great accompaniment to rice.

Reach down the edge of the bowl with your chopsticks and pick up a mouthful of bean sprouts. The bean sprouts, soaked in the meat broth, are crisp and refreshing, adding flavor and cutting through the richness of the broth.

This spicy blood curd is really good.

The spicy blood curd dish was unanimously praised, and the old lady's braised beef intestines and beef were equally popular.

Beef intestines are slightly thicker than pork intestines. They are soaked in old braising liquid, resulting in a soft and chewy texture with a rich, savory aroma that becomes more fragrant the more you chew.

Needless to say, the braised beef was consistently excellent, no less so than Zhou Yan's.

Although the dinner was simple, everyone sat around the table, eating and chatting, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.

"Grandma, the sausages you made are so delicious! They're not too spicy, but they're really fragrant, like eating ham," Xia Yao said, eating a slice of sausage and looking at the old lady.

The sausage slices are thin, with a ratio of 30% fat to 70% lean. Although they were made at the end of last year, they are still very firm after being cut open, and the patterns are as beautiful as marble.

Xia Yao tasted a piece. The aroma of ham fat mixed with the faint fragrance of cypress branches and leaves, and the spiciness was mild. Both the texture and the taste were more delicious than any sausage she had ever eaten before.

“Yes, Grandma’s sausages are delicious, even more fragrant than my mom’s,” Song Wanqing added.

The old lady chuckled and said, "I still have quite a few left. You can each take two back later. Just steam them, slice them, and you can eat them. They're great for fried rice and stir-fries. Adding a little bit makes them even more fragrant than stir-frying with fresh meat."

It was still dark after dinner.

The old lady asked Zhou Yan to take down the sausages and cured meat hanging from the roof beam and give them to Xia Yao, Song Wanqing, Chen Yueyue, and Lin Zhiqiang, two sausages and a piece of cured meat to each of them.

By the end of the year, the old lady's inventory was running low.

Besides cured pork and sausages, they took out dried longan and red dates from the cloth bag they brought and filled it with radishes and sweet potatoes.

"Come visit again next time, okay?" The old lady said with a smile as she had Zhou Yan put a large pumpkin into Lin Zhiqiang's bicycle basket.

"Aunt Zhang, we're really embarrassed by all this food and gifts," Meng Anhe said with a smile, holding her precious covered bowl in her hands.

The old lady's excessive enthusiasm made her feel like she was going back to her parents' home. Every time she went back to her parents' home, her mother would fill her bag to the brim with all kinds of food.

The old lady said gently, "My dear, these are just things that grow in the ground. What's there to be embarrassed about? I even drank the tea you brewed for me. Come again next time!"

"Okay." Meng Anhe nodded, her nose tingling, and she suddenly missed her mother.

"Grandma, we're off then." Song Wanqing held her handbag, which also contained a beautiful bowl. The old lady had asked her and Chen Yueyue to choose porcelain as well. She chose a rice bowl, and Chen Yueyue chose a master cup. They both liked them very much.

"Okay, let Mingming take you and Yueyue home." The old lady nodded with a smile and gave Zhou Ming a few more instructions.

"Goodbye, Grandma." Xia Yao said goodbye to the old lady while holding the silk four-piece set that the old lady had given her. Then everyone got on their bikes and rode away.

"Brother, have a good time today!! We'll come back to slaughter pigs again next week~~" Zhou Momo said to Zhou Yan as she sat on the front bar.

“We don’t have that many pigs to slaughter. We’re saving one for the New Year,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

The little guy thought about it seriously and said, "Then... then let's kill Grandma's family and Grandpa's family."

“That makes sense. I’ll take you back to press the pig again next time.” Zhou Yan nodded.

"No, I won't do it!" The little guy shook his head like a rattle-drum, his eyes fixed on Awei: "Tell Awei to do it! He's super good at it~~"

Ah Wei, riding his bicycle with Lin Bingwen and Lin Jingxing following not far behind, laughed upon hearing the sound, saying with a hint of smugness, "That's right, there's no pig that Ah Wei can't control!"

"Brother Wei is amazing!"

"Brother Wei, could you teach me?"

The brothers Lin Bingwen and Lin Jingxing were incredibly emotionally engaging, calling Awei "Brother Awei" repeatedly, which made Awei feel very satisfied.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan and Xia Yao couldn't help but laugh, recalling the scene of Awei choking and pressing down on the pig that morning.

Upon arriving in town, Zhou Ming, Song Wanqing, and Chen Yueyue headed towards Jiaozhou before it got dark, as he was responsible for ensuring their safe return home.

The school arranged a dormitory for him last week, so he can stay in Jiaozhou tonight and doesn't need to come back.

The group paused at the entrance of the family compound. Lin Bingwen and Lin Jingxing got out of Awei's car, greeted him, and then ran upstairs.

"Zhou Yan, this pig-slaughtering feast was so interesting! Next time there's an event like this, you have to invite me. I'm thick-skinned, so if you invite me, I'll definitely go," Lin Zhiqiang said to Zhou Yan.

“Okay, next time you slaughter a pig, call me Uncle Lin again.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

"Auntie, you can keep these cured meats and sausages. I'll come over to eat them next time. I don't have anywhere to cook in my dorm." Xia Yao got out of the car and handed the cured meats and sausages that the old lady had given him to Meng Anhe from the car basket.

“Okay, I should be able to steam a sausage without any problem.” Meng Anhe nodded confidently.

After everyone parted ways, Xia Yao said to Zhou Yan, "Want to go for a walk? I feel like I ate a bit too much tonight."

“Yeah, I think I’ve eaten a bit too much. It’ll be better if we go for a walk together.” Ah Wei nodded in agreement.

"Come on, let's go back and play chess. We each won two games yesterday, and we still haven't decided who's the winner." Old Zhou pulled Awei away.

"Huh?" Ah Wei was still a little confused.

"Me too..." Zhou Momo began to speak.

"You should go back and teach me my homework. I still have a few math problems to ask Teacher Zhou for help with." Zhao Tieying pulled her away.

"Okay, okay, I just can't do anything with you." Zhou Momo nodded.

After everyone left, Zhou Yan and Xia Yao exchanged a glance and couldn't help but smile.

Xia Yao returned the silk four-piece bedding set that the old lady had given her to her dormitory. She was very careful, afraid that it would get dirty if she left it in the guard room.

Zhou Yan parked his car next to the guardhouse and locked it to a tree.

"Young man, you've found such a beautiful and kind-hearted girlfriend." The security guard, a plump woman, had just finished eating and was strolling downstairs in the dormitory building when she saw Zhou Yan and said with a smile.

Zhou Yan had been coming to run with Xia Yao every day during this period, so they had become quite familiar with each other.

Xia Yao is not only beautiful, but also very polite. She always greets her when she comes in and out. Last time, she even gave her a box of candy, which made her two grandsons very happy.

Zhou Yan was thinking about how to respond.

Xia Yao came downstairs and greeted the plump auntie with a smile: "Hello, Auntie Huang."

"Okay, you two go for a walk. I'll watch your bicycles for you." Aunt Huang nodded with a smile.

"Thank you, Auntie," Zhou Yan said, and walked towards the riverbank with Xia Yao.

"How lovely! They're a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman. They look so good together," Aunt Huang murmured with a smile as she watched the two figures disappear from sight.

"What did Aunt Huang say to you?" Xia Yao asked curiously. "She said I'm lucky to have found a beautiful and kind girlfriend," Zhou Yan said, looking at her.

"Huh?" Xia Yao was taken aback for a moment, but didn't look away, tilting her head up to look at Zhou Yan. "Then... what did you say?"

After she finished speaking, a blush appeared on her pretty face.

What happened...

How could you have asked that?!
"I haven't even said anything yet, and you've already come down," Zhou Yan said.

Xia Yao breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and quickly changed the subject: "Then let's go, I want to stroll around the stone bridge."

"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile and followed Xia Yao's footsteps.

"I'm so happy today! It's my first time attending a pig-slaughtering feast in Sichuan and Chongqing. It's so lively and joyful. And the pig-slaughtering feast is delicious too."

"Grandma has a lot of porcelain and silk quilt covers. Her taste is really great. All her items are exquisite and beautiful."

"Grandma is so generous. Even though these are all her treasured collections, she opened the cabinet and let us choose whatever we wanted, and then gave them to us without hesitation."

Xia Yao walked with light steps and a bright smile on her face, showing that she was indeed very happy.

Zhou Yan followed beside her, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.

She appears dignified and beautiful in public, but in front of him, she often reveals a youthful and vibrant side, full of life and charm.

"Today I saw a lot of Jiazhou silk products from the Republican era. They were quite different from what I had imagined. The colors and patterns were very grand. The real thing was far more impressive than the written descriptions. I feel like I have a lot more inspiration in my mind. I'm going to draw all the sketches tonight so I can make a summer series of Jiading silk." Xia Yao's voice rose a few decibels when she talked about design.

Looking at the light shining in her eyes, Zhou Yan felt that she was glowing.

Indeed, the most beautiful sight is when one shines brightly in their own field.

"In which month next year will you start working in Hong Kong?" Zhou Yan asked.

Xia Yao replied without hesitation, "I plan to complete my graduation project this semester. I've already decided on the topic: the Jiading silk series, which combines brand design and product design, and meets the requirements of our major."

Moreover, I can get samples and relevant certificates from the textile factory before I go back. After returning to school, I can write the thesis and then make some revisions based on my supervisor's guidance.

I plan to go to Hong Kong for an internship early after the New Year to gain experience and grow into a designer who can work independently as soon as possible.

so……"

Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan, then swallowed back what she was about to say.

"That's great. You can learn a lot from a big company like Licheng Group." Zhou Yan nodded. Xia Yao is indeed a very organized person. She has already arranged everything for graduation clearly, which is similar to him.

The two walked along the riverbank to the stone bridge.

The wind was a bit strong on the bridge, and listening to the rushing water washing over the stone piers, Xia Yao subconsciously moved closer to Zhou Yan.

A warm, large hand took her hand and pulled her closer.

Zhou Yan lowered his head and said gently, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

"Mmm." Xia Yao's ears flushed slightly, but her heart immediately calmed down.

The winter wind was a bit cold, but his hands were exceptionally warm.

Zhou Yan led her across the stone bridge, chatting about how Wang Yu and Miss Qiu had sat under a tree, half a meter apart, and chatted after crossing the bridge.

"Grandpa Wang and Miss Qiu's relationship is restrained and solemn, refined and beautiful after the test of time." Xia Yao looked up at Zhou Yan. "Do you think we'll still be able to walk across the stone bridge like this when we're eighty years old?"

"Yes." Zhou Yan looked down at her and nodded slightly.

Xia Yao smiled, a particularly bright smile, watching the clear river water lapping against the bank, and suddenly felt that everything was so beautiful.

Zhou Yan only let go of Xia Yao's hand after escorting her back to her dormitory building.

"Then I'll go up first," Xia Yao said, looking at him.

“Okay, I’ll leave after I see your dorm light come on.” Zhou Yan nodded.

"Okay." Xia Yao turned and walked towards the stairwell.

"Xia Yao."

"Hmm?" Xia Yao turned to look at him.

“You… look beautiful today,” Zhou Yan said.

"Thank you, you're handsome too." Xia Yao nodded slightly, and as she turned to go upstairs, a smile bloomed on her lips, and her steps became lighter.

Zhou Yan watched her figure disappear at the top of the stairs, then raised his hand and patted his mouth.

Dead mouth!

Why can't I just say it!

The lights on the third-floor dormitory came on, and Zhou Yan hopped on his bicycle and slowly rode towards the restaurant.

Xia Yao stood at the window, watching his figure disappear into the darkness, a smile on her lips, her cheeks slightly flushed.

What was he trying to say?
Why did you change your mind when you were about to say it?
How come she's a little silly, yet also a little cute?

Zhou Yan returned to the hotel.

Zhou Momo is teaching Aunt Zhao how to do her homework.

Comrade Zhou and Awei were playing chess at the table in the far corner of the shop next door, their voices low as they fought fiercely.

"General! I won!" Awei pushed the chariot forward, devouring Comrade Zhou's horse, and exclaimed excitedly.

"One more round! One more round! Best of seven!" Old Zhou said, looking unconvinced.

"Shh! No arguing! Tie Ying's calculations are already bad, and if you all argue, he'll be even worse at it." Zhou Momo ran over, put her hands on her hips, and said in a childish voice.

"Oh……"

"I'm not shouting anymore."

Ah Wei and Comrade Lao Zhou nodded quickly and sat back down to set up the chessboard.

Zhou Yan entered the room and happened to see this scene, and couldn't help but laugh.

It's not hard to see that they were driven there.

That's true, who wouldn't go crazy doing homework?

Teacher Zhou also has a temper.

"What do you mean? Is it done?" Seeing Zhou Yan enter, Aunt Zhao stopped doing her arithmetic and asked with concern.

Comrade Zhou and Awei put down their chess pieces and then gathered at the door to look at Zhou Yan.

"I'm going to take a shower." Zhou Yan parked the car and went upstairs to get her clothes without looking back.

"I think it's most likely done," said Comrade Zhou. "Young people are shy and embarrassed to say it."

"Is there any doubt about this? Look at their eyes, they're practically drooling. What city college student, dressed so nicely, would want to be in the kitchen? Look at Zhou Yan, she's even putting food on her plate, so attentive. They're definitely up to something," Awei suggested earnestly.
“Uncle Zhou, Aunt Zhao, I think you should keep a closer eye on Zhou Yan. They are not of marriageable age yet, and the country does not approve of their relationship. It makes me uncomfortable.”

"Awei, it's alright. Go to sleep early after you finish the game. You'll be fine once you've had a good night's sleep," Old Zhou comforted him.

Aunt Zhao comforted him, saying, "Awei, don't worry. I'll keep an eye out for you. There are so many young women from textile factories coming and going at our restaurant. I'm sure I can find you a suitable wife."

"Thank you, Auntie." Ah Wei was very touched, then pulled Old Zhou away: "Come on! Uncle Zhou, let's play again. If you lose again, you probably won't be able to sleep tonight."

After taking a shower, Zhou Yan made a shopping list for tomorrow.

In addition to our regular business hours tomorrow, we have also received an extra banquet booking order from Song Yang.

Old Zhou had already placed an order for the rock carp in advance; when it comes to buying fish, Old Zhou has a wider network of connections than him.

The principle of "practice makes perfect" applies to all fields.

I need to buy another young chicken tomorrow.

The chicken breast can be used to make snowflake chicken soup, and the remaining chicken can be used to make taro and chicken stew, which will be perfect for their own dinner tomorrow.

In terms of food, Zhou Erwa Restaurant is probably one of the best restaurants in the entire Jiaozhou area.

Tomorrow afternoon, he plans to take some time to go to the library to borrow two more books from Grandpa Wang, and also to seek advice from the old prince of love letters.

In the entire Suji region, he only trusted Grandpa Wang.

　I just got home tonight, I'll start updating more tomorrow~~
　　Thank you to the guild leader "一不小心溅到你" for leading the alliance!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)