1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 4 Beef Stew with Bamboo Shoots

Zhou Miao rode his old-fashioned bicycle back home with Zhao Tieying and Zhou Momo as passengers.

Sitting on the front bar, Zhou Momo tilted her head and waved to Zhou Yan, calling out in a childish voice, "Brother, I'm going home."

“Okay,” Zhou Yan replied with a smile.

This old-fashioned bicycle wasn't just a means of transportation; it was also his father's transport vehicle, used to haul hundreds of kilograms of beef to the market every day.

In those days of scarcity, having money wasn't enough to buy a bicycle; you also needed a bicycle ticket.

“Zhou Yan seems a little different today,” Zhao Tieying said with a smile, her arm around Zhou Miao’s waist.

“I feel like I’ve matured, and I’m closer to my youngest daughter now. Being a hero makes a difference,” Zhou Miao replied.

"These noodles are really delicious today. I've never eaten such good noodles in my life. He's really learned some skills." Zhao Tieying's smile grew even brighter, but she quickly added with some doubt, "But he learned his skills from Master Xiao. If the noodles in the factory canteen are this good, why would anyone still come to Wang Laowu's noodle stall?"

"It is a bit strange..."

……

"Zhou Yan, are you planning to sell this restaurant?" Wang Laowu's voice came from behind Zhou Yan as he was about to enter.

Zhou Yan frowned and turned around.

Looking at Wang Laowu, who was 1.56 meters tall, had a receding hairline, was slightly overweight, and had a shrewd smile.

Zhou Yan: "Who said that? My restaurant is doing just fine, I'm not going to sell it."

Wang Laowu's smile froze, and he said anxiously, "You haven't had a single customer all day, and you're still running a business? How can you do business like this? Even if your parents are rich, they can't afford for your child to squander money like this. Although what I say sometimes may be unpleasant to hear, but..."

"If you don't like what I say, just keep it to yourself and stay away from me." Zhou Yan took a step back. "I have trypophobia and I'm most afraid of people who are cunning."

Wang Laowu's noodle stall was located right in front of the silk factory, across from Zhou Yan's restaurant. Zhou Yan knew he wasn't up to any good, otherwise his mother wouldn't have scolded him earlier.

He laughed again, "Instead of worrying about my shop, you should worry about how many hairs you have left on your head. My restaurant will be selling noodles starting tomorrow, and you'll probably lose your hair even faster then."

After Zhou Yan finished speaking, he turned around, went into the store, and closed the door.

"Sell noodles?" Wang Laowu was stunned for a moment, then, after figuring out Zhou Yan's words, he became furious and embarrassed: "This spendthrift doesn't even know where to buy noodles, and he wants to sell them? Does he really think opening a noodle shop is that simple? His restaurant will definitely go bankrupt in less than half a month!"

He wasn't interested in the shop with a monthly rent of 15 yuan, but he was really eyeing the eight-immortal table and benches that Zhou Yan made. He planned to buy a few sets at a discounted price, which would be much more cost-effective than having a carpenter make them himself.

Zhou Yan went into the kitchen to take stock of the ingredients. There were about ten pounds of flour left, enough for tomorrow.

Chili peppers, dried bamboo shoots, scallions, ginger, and other side dishes and ingredients need to be prepared in advance today, so that we can have time to cook the toppings after picking up the meat tomorrow morning.

Before leaving, Zhou Yan counted the money in his hand. He originally had 3 yuan and 85 fen, his father secretly slipped him 2 yuan, Zhou Momo generously contributed 5 fen, and his mother gave him another 10 yuan and 4 fen, for a total of 16 yuan and 4 fen.

It wasn't much money, but it was all one-yuan and fifty-cent bills, a thick stack in my hand.

This is Zhou Yan's entire fortune, his capital for turning things around, and also the embodiment of his parents' expectations for him.

Zhou Yan took the money and went out, locked the door, and set off to buy things.

By the time he returned to the restaurant carrying bags of groceries, it was already getting dark.

"Bicycles are great. When I make money, I'll definitely buy one first." Zhou Yan placed the large bag of dried bamboo shoots and vegetables on the octagonal table, shook his numb hands, picked up the teapot on the table, and gulped down several large mouthfuls.

There are so many places to go to buy groceries, and relying on walking is exhausting. At this moment, my desire for a bicycle reached its peak.

He bought ten pounds of dried bamboo shoots at 55 cents a pound, one pound each of millet peppers and Erjingtiao peppers at 15 cents a pound, and five pounds each of radishes and lettuce, spending one dollar, for a total of six dollars and eighty cents. He took out an account book from behind the counter and wrote down the expenses.

I made myself a simple bowl of noodles and ate it, and found two large pieces of red paper and a calligraphy brush.

A new menu was posted on the wall, featuring only three types of noodles, each bowl costing six cents, with the price clearly marked.

A new sign was written, and a display board was nailed together with wooden planks. It will be placed at the entrance tomorrow to attract customers.

I grabbed two handfuls of dried bamboo shoots and soaked them, and then cut the radish into long strips and soaked them in the pickling jar.

The newbie gift pack from the system not only includes three kinds of noodles, but also a kimchi recipe. You can make kimchi today and eat it the day after tomorrow.

After finishing all that, he washed up early, went upstairs, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the bed.

……

The next day, before dawn, Mr. Zhou got up and went out to buy groceries.

Zhou Yan has always been extremely enthusiastic about making money.

There was no other way; I was terrified of being poor.

Holding a Tiger Head brand flashlight, he followed his memory to the Zhoucun Yankantou slaughterhouse, where Zhou Miao had already prepared the one jin of hanging tenderloin, one jin of beef brisket, and ten jin of beef bones he wanted.

The beef tenderloin and brisket were priced at 1.5 yuan per jin, which was 1 yuan cheaper than the beef stalls outside. The beef bones were free. This is what a loving father does!

On the way back, I stopped by the stone bridge to pick up a pound of spare ribs that I had ordered in advance from Zhang Laosan.

"Zhou Erwa, why do you only want a pound of spare ribs today? Don't you want pork trotters, pork belly, etc." Zhang Laosan looked at Zhou Yan with some doubt. Zhou Yan had been his big customer lately. Every time he came, he not only bought meat, but also pork kidneys, pork liver, and large intestines.

"Uncle Zhang, I've switched to selling noodles. I'm making braised pork rib noodles. Come over and have some noodles when you're done here," Zhou Yan replied with a smile.

Zhang Laosan and Zhou Miao had a good relationship, and today the pork ribs were priced at 1.9 yuan per catty, which was 20 cents cheaper than other places.

Knifesmiths are important suppliers for Sichuan restaurants, so it's essential to maintain a good relationship with them, especially since there's also the connection between our parents' generation.

“Okay,” Zhang Laosan replied, bowing his head to continue dividing the meat.

When Zhou Erwa's restaurant first opened, Zhou Miao invited him to eat there. It was the first time he had ever eaten at such a terrible Sichuan restaurant; it was practically a waste of the meat.

On the way back, Zhou Yan spent another 3 cents to buy two bunches of green vegetables.

The villagers went to the fields early in the morning to pick the fruit to sell. They tied it with straw, and each bunch weighed more than a pound. The leaves were still covered with dew, so they were quite fresh.

He got back to the hotel at five o'clock. The beef brisket and ribs would take a long time to stew, and the beef bone soup would need to be stewed in advance. He didn't dare to delay, so he chopped the ribs into evenly sized pieces and cut the beef brisket into evenly sized chunks.

Heat the wok and start preparing braised beef and braised pork ribs, while a soup pot in the middle is simmering beef bone broth. Heat oil in the wok, first stir-fry the beef brisket to render the fat and until the skin is slightly browned, then add fermented broad bean paste, ginger, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-fry to coat with color, then add a small amount of star anise, galangal, and cinnamon, and finally pour in cooking wine.

Once the aroma is released, add water to cover the beef, cover, and simmer for one hour.

Once the beef is tender, add the chopped dried bamboo shoots. Let the rich beef broth soak into the bamboo shoots and simmer over low heat.

Simmering and bubbling, the aroma of meat fills the air.

Skimming off the foam repeatedly, a pot of rich, white beef bone broth has taken shape; the broken beef bones make the broth even more flavorful. Once the broth is cooked, the beef marrow will also be a delicious dish.

Looking at the time, Zhou Yan kneaded the dough again, so that there wouldn't be too little time to serve guests later.

On the other side of the pot, the ribs were bubbling and coated in a thick sauce. They were immediately taken out of the pot and placed into a large earthenware bowl that had been prepared in advance.

The spare ribs, cut into thumb-sized pieces, were clearly separated and coated in sauce, looking quite tempting. Zhou Yan decided to try a piece.

The tender ribs tremble slightly when picked up, and fall off the bone with the first bite. The slightly sweet sauce is rich but not greasy, and the aroma of meat and spices complement each other perfectly. The fat on the ribs is the finishing touch. One slurp and your soul will soar to heaven.

"I'm a genius!" Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. He was amazed by the braised pork ribs. It was a success on the first try!
The large earthenware bowl was placed on the stove to keep it warm. Zhou Yan didn't stop for a moment, quickly rinsing the pot and starting to stir-fry the beef sauce with two kinds of peppers.

Once the double-pepper beef sauce is ready, the braised beef over there will have reduced its sauce and is ready to be served.

Zhou Yan tasted a piece of dried bamboo shoot. The bamboo shoot was cut slightly smaller than the beef chunks. It had absorbed the rich beef juice and was crisp and fragrant. It was really delicious!

Zhou Yan got up at four o'clock and worked until six-thirty. He was so hungry that he quickly cooked himself a bowl of ramen. He seasoned the bottom of the bowl with two spoonfuls of milky white beef broth, three ounces of noodles, and a spoonful of braised beef and bamboo shoots.

After finishing a bowl of hot noodles, even the soup was gone, and I immediately felt warm all over.

This bowl of braised beef noodles is absolutely amazing, flawless.

Moreover, this braised beef with dried bamboo shoots could be a restaurant's signature dish on its own, and it's absolutely delicious with rice!
With the meat sauce and toppings ready, Zhou Yan stood at the restaurant entrance, carrying the signboard he had written the night before.

Jiaozhou Silk Factory was located on the banks of the Qingyi River in Suji Town. It was a major taxpayer in Jiaozhou, with more than 2,000 employees, 80% of whom were women. The factory ran its own school for its employees and a hospital for its staff, and the benefits were quite good. People in Suji Town were proud to work at the silk factory.

It was already daylight when the workers arrived at work on their bicycles. Some stopped at the stalls outside the factory gate to eat a bowl of noodles or steamed buns, while most went to the factory canteen for breakfast.

The factory canteen serves breakfast, and it's even cheaper if you use a ticket. A bowl of vegetarian noodles costs only one cent, which is much more cost-effective than eating out.

As Zhou Yan stood at the door with the wooden sign in hand, he immediately attracted the attention of some young female workers.

He was 1.8 meters tall, with a straight and strong figure, a neat buzz cut, and a angular face. Even though he was only wearing a white cotton shirt, blue work pants, and an apron around his waist, young girls couldn't help but take a second look.

"Zhou Yan is so handsome! He has long legs too. He's even better looking than movie actors!"

“You can’t eat just because you’re handsome. Why would you give up a perfectly good cafeteria apprenticeship to become a self-employed individual?”

"Zhou Yan is good-looking, but his cooking is really terrible. If he switched to selling noodles, they probably wouldn't be any better."

"Who in our factory still eats at Zhou Erwa's restaurant? No matter how bad the food in the factory canteen is, it's still much better than what he makes."

……

The girls rode past Zhou Yan, laughing and joking, their eyes bold, but none of them stopped.

When those words reached Zhou Yan's ears, the smile on his face began to falter.

Xiao Zhou is really something, he's built up a solid reputation. It looks like he might have a hard time opening today, because reputation is everything in the catering industry.

Prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain.

On the other hand, Wang Laowu's noodle stall across the street already had seven or eight customers.

"Zhou Erwa, I'm afraid you won't be able to sell any of these noodles. Skill is more important than quantity. You can't just sell anything like that. You have to be responsible to your customers." Wang Laowu grabbed the noodles and put them into the pot, not forgetting to make a few sarcastic remarks to Zhou Yan. He couldn't hide the smile on his face.

Zhou Yan was selling noodles to steal his business, so Wang Laowu naturally seized the opportunity to tease him.

“Wang Laowu, you’re shouting with your mouth wide open, spitting your saliva into the pot. That won’t do. You have to be responsible to the guests.” Zhou Yan wouldn’t tolerate him and replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the guests who were waiting for their noodles to be served all craned their necks to look at Wang Laowu, their faces showing concern.

Wang Laowu's expression changed, and he quickly waved his hand, saying, "No, no, that little brat was just talking nonsense."

Zhou Yan's lips curled up slightly. Business warfare is just like that, simple and unpretentious.

Winning an argument won't bring Zhou Yan any customers. Standing at the door, watching the bustling workers pass by, he started thinking about how to turn around his reputation and attract more customers to the restaurant.

They have quite a few methods and approaches, such as offering free samples. Free samples will definitely attract people to try them, and they can use their strength to silence the doubters.

Or you could build a stove at the entrance, stir-fry toppings and pull noodles on the spot. As soon as the aroma of the meat wafts out, discerning gourmets will naturally come knocking.

The methods are all simple and effective, but they cost money.

What Zhou Yan needs most right now is money.

He has to sell all thirty bowls of noodles he prepared today, otherwise he won't be able to pay the rent in three days. He can't very well ask his parents to borrow money for him again, can he? He just can't bring himself to say that.

The flow of people at the factory gate is getting bigger and bigger. Wang Laowu's noodle stall has already served two rounds of customers, while Zhou Yan's stall hasn't even opened yet.

Wang Laowu kept glancing at Zhou Yan standing at the door, his face beaming with joy.

It was already 7:30, and Zhou Yan figured there was no hope for this morning. He needed to finalize the promotion plan by noon and start implementing it, otherwise the toppings and noodles he had prepared today would be wasted, and he would lose even more money.

At this moment, two bicycles emerged from the traffic and stopped in front of Zhou Erwa's restaurant.

"Deputy Factory Director Lin, this is Zhou Erwa's Restaurant," one of them said.

Zhou Yan looked in the direction of the sound and saw two middle-aged men. He recognized the slightly overweight man on the right, Zhao Dong, the director of the silk reeling workshop. Zhao Dong usually liked to eat at the canteen and had a strong palate.

The man on the left is tall, wearing a dark gray Zhongshan suit over a white polyester shirt. He has a square face, wears black-rimmed glasses, and his hair is neatly combed. He has a pen in his pocket and a Shanghai brand watch on his wrist, exuding an intellectual air. He is pushing a brand-new old-fashioned bicycle, with a red ribbon tied to the front.

This is Lin Zhiqiang, the deputy factory director who was transferred here the year before last.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, right!" Lin Zhiqiang parked his bicycle, excitedly took two steps forward, grabbed Zhou Yan's hand, and said loudly, "I am Lin Zhiqiang. You saved my niece yesterday, and I've come to thank you!"

(End of this chapter)