1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 6: Even the eyebrows are so fresh they'll fall off!

As a native of Shanxi, Lin Zhiqiang absolutely loves noodles.

But the noodles in Jiaozhou are mostly made with alkaline water, so they never taste like the noodles from my hometown.

But as soon as he tasted this noodle today, he found his rhythm.

It tastes like home!

Handmade noodles without alkaline water, only pure wheat aroma. Soaked in bone broth, they are chewy and smooth.

Fresh! Fragrant!
tasty!

Lin Zhiqiang's thoughts seemed to drift back to his childhood—

At the noodle shop on the street, the Mediterranean-looking owner tirelessly tossed and turned the noodles every day, the pot of bone broth on the coal stove bubbling incessantly, the aroma wafting halfway down the street. His father often took him there to eat noodles, always adding extra vinegar.

After growing up, he went to Moscow to study, settled down in Jiangnan, and was later transferred to Jiaozhou for work. His parents had passed away, so he hadn't returned to his hometown for many years. Some memories had become blurred, but this bite of noodles still stirred up some ripples in his heart.

After finishing the noodles, he took a sip of the broth and nodded repeatedly.

Eating noodles without drinking the soup is like not eating the whole thing!
"These handmade noodles don't have any alkaline water added, yet they're exceptionally chewy and smooth. Comrade Zhou Yan's noodle-making skills are truly remarkable, comparable to those of the old noodle masters from Shanxi," Lin Zhiqiang exclaimed with admiration. "Moreover, the broth must be made with beef bones; the soup is incredibly flavorful, with a rich meaty aroma. A sip in the morning will warm you right up—it's absolutely amazing!"

“I’ve eaten at every noodle shop in Suji, whether it’s a state-run restaurant or a factory canteen, none of their beef noodles are as good as this bowl.”

"Of course, it would be even better if it were served with a pot of Shanxi aged vinegar."

The workers watching laughed when they heard this, knowing that Lin Zhiqiang was from Shanxi and that he loved vinegar.

However, it was clear that he was quite satisfied with the braised beef noodles. After making a few comments, he continued to slurp it up, and a thin layer of sweat quickly appeared on his forehead.

On the other side, Zhao Dong also stirred the noodles evenly. The spiciness of the double peppers and the aroma of beef wafted over, and the noodles were coated with oily soup and covered with beef sauce. Based on his many years of experience eating noodles, he knew that this mixed noodles would definitely be good.

Suck!

The moment you take a bite of the noodles, a burst of spicy and savory flavors unfolds. The crispy on the outside and tender on the inside beef chunks, coated with the spiciness of green and red peppers and the tangy aroma of pickled cabbage, intertwine on your tongue. The oily and refreshing ramen noodles are exceptionally chewy, quite different from alkaline noodles. The flavor is perfectly balanced, offering the ultimate experience of taste and deliciousness.

One bite after another, I can't stop.

In no time, half of the large bowl of noodles was gone.

"Director Zhao, how's this noodle dish?" someone asked impatiently.

"To be honest, I've eaten at Comrade Zhou Yan's restaurant before, and his cooking skills were indeed a bit lacking." Zhao Dong swallowed the noodles in his mouth and exclaimed, "But today's double-pepper beef noodles really amazed me. It perfectly captured the numbing spiciness and fresh aroma. It was so delicious that I almost swallowed my tongue."

"The stir-fried beef at the state-run restaurant in town is pretty good, isn't it? But if you ask me, it's not quite as good as this noodle sauce in terms of taste and cooking time."

If I were to make a dish with this minced beef and bell pepper, I would definitely order it; it's absolutely delicious!

"Moreover, the amount of meat sauce is really generous. There's probably an ounce of beef alone. Even after mixing this big bowl of noodles, you can still taste beef chunks in every bite. It's really not expensive at six cents a bowl."

"I won't say much about the noodles. Deputy Factory Director Lin has already summarized it very well. They are indeed chewy and smooth, and they hold the soup well. If noodles don't hold the soup well, then they are not good noodles."

After summarizing, Zhao Dong turned to Zhou Yan and said, "Little Zhou, give me another bowl of braised beef noodles. I'm getting hungry just looking at how much Deputy Factory Director Lin is enjoying it."

"Haha, then I'll have another bowl of double-pepper beef noodles," Lin Zhiqiang said with a hearty laugh.

People in those days didn't have much oil in their stomachs; two strong men could easily eat two bowls of noodles.

[+1 point of recognition from a customer]

[+1 point of recognition from a customer]

Zhou Yan caught a glimpse of the notification and his smile grew even brighter.

[Ding! Side quest triggered: Lin Zhiqiang's niece, Xia Yao, has lost her appetite and hasn't eaten for a day due to the shock of falling into the water. Lin Zhiqiang and his wife are very worried about this. Please help Xia Yao regain her appetite and resume normal eating. Quest reward: Unknown. Accept: Yes/No]

A system notification sounded in my mind.

Lin Zhiqiang had just mentioned Xia Yao's situation, but it seemed to be even worse, and unexpectedly, a side quest was triggered.

Zhou Yangang had just received someone's bicycle, so he couldn't just ignore it, especially since there was a recipe as a reward.

The fact that Deputy Factory Director Lin and Director Zhao praised him repeatedly, and even asked for another bowl while they were still eating, is the best proof of his praise.

Several of the workers who had been watching the commotion outside the restaurant immediately came inside.

"Boss, give me a bowl of beef and chili noodles too."

"I'd like a bowl of braised beef noodles."

"I haven't had pork ribs in a long time. I'd like a bowl of braised pork rib noodles."

With someone taking the lead, those who were still hesitating couldn't resist anymore and came in to find seats and start ordering noodles.

In a short while, the shop was filled with more than a dozen customers, and people kept coming in.

They have to go to work at eight o'clock, so they don't have much time to think. If they sit down and order a bowl of food right away, they can still eat. Otherwise, they'll have to wait until lunch or dinner.

Zhou Yan took a piece of paper, wrote down the guests' orders, and then quickly walked towards the kitchen.

He ordered eighteen bowls of noodles at once, highlighting the celebrity effect!

Lin Zhiqiang and Zhao Dong's endorsement directly dispelled the workers' doubts and strongly recommended the product to them.

He really is a leader; he's a talented person, and he speaks so well. But he needs to hurry up and cook the noodles so the workers don't miss their clock-in.

Many people wanted to go into the store, but worried they wouldn't be able to wait, so they went to the factory canteen for a quick bite and planned to come back for lunch.

More than a dozen bicycles were parked in front of Zhou Erwa Restaurant, and most of the tables inside were occupied. Such a scene had not been seen for a long time, except for the first three days after the restaurant opened.

"Is the noodles at Zhou Erwa's place really that delicious? How come they've all gone in?"

"It's probably pretty good. If the noodles weren't already in the pot, I'd like to try it too."

Wang Laowu's expression darkened as he listened to the guest's words. He said sarcastically, "How delicious can it be? The leader is just being polite and giving him a treat. Even dogs disliked Zhou Yan's cooking before, and pigs would starve if you fed it to them. How could he become a master chef in just two days?"

His worst fears came true. Although he didn't think highly of Zhou Yan's cooking skills, the deputy factory director supported him, and the workers were willing to patronize his business. Zhou Yan's start in selling noodles was much better than he had expected.

However, when Zhou Erwa's restaurant first opened, business was better for more than three days. But a restaurant relies on reputation and taste. If it's not good, it's not good. No amount of endorsement will help.

Just wait and see, this noodle shop won't be open for more than a few days!

Not far away, Zhao Tieying was leading Zhou Momo towards the restaurant.

"Mommy, look how many cars are parked in front of the pot restaurant!" Zhou Momo said in a childish voice, shaking Zhao Tieying's hand.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tieying looked over and asked in surprise, "Why are there so many cars parked here?"

Good business is a good thing, Zhao Tieying picked up Zhou Momo and quickened her pace. Upon entering, she saw a dozen or so textile factory workers sitting inside, and the two eating noodles near the entrance looked like leaders; the other customers' tables were empty.

"Aunt Zhao, hurry up and help in the kitchen! We're all waiting to eat our noodles before going to work," a female worker from Zhoucun said with a smile, recognizing Zhao Tieying.

"Get it!"

Zhao Tieying agreed, put Zhou Momo down, glanced at the brand-new bicycle parked against the wall, took an apron from behind the counter, tied it on, and rushed into the kitchen.

Zhou Yan was making ramen noodles when she saw Zhao Tieying come in, and she was a little surprised. "Mom, what brings you here? Weren't you going to sell beef?"

"Your dad was worried you'd be too busy selling noodles, so he sent me over to check on you. It's good that you came," Zhao Tieying said with a smile. "Why are there so many customers today? And what's with that new bicycle in the shop?"

"Mom, this can't be explained in just a few words. I'll tell you slowly when I'm done with this." Zhou Yan put a handful of noodles into the pot, smiling as she said, "Add a couple more pieces of firewood. They're all rushing to work."

"Okay!" Zhao Tieying replied without asking any more questions and went to add firewood to the stove.

"Brother, I'm here!" Zhou Momo ran into the kitchen, tiptoed to pick up a piece of wood from the firewood pile, and carried it to Zhao Tieying's feet with a huff and puff, her little face turning red.

"MoMo is so capable!" Zhou Yan said with a smile. The little one wasn't even as tall as Mu Tou yet, but she already had a knack for things.

"Hehe." Zhou Momo shook her head smugly after being praised, her topknot bobbing back and forth.

Zhao Tieying glanced at Zhou Yan with some surprise. This kid didn't used to like Yaomei much, but today he was actually praising her.

"Little sister, you stay here and watch the fire." Zhao Tieying closed the stove door, then grabbed Zhou Momo and pressed her down on a small stool. "Don't move around. Call me if the fire gets smaller."

"Okay." Zhou Momo nodded obediently, then earnestly instructed the stove, "Stove, you have to be a good boy and tend the fire!"

Eighteen servings of noodles were cooking in two large pots. Zhou Yan lined up the large bowls on the stove and began to season them.

Zhao Tieying didn't say much, just stood aside and watched attentively, observing the order and amount of various seasonings Zhou Yan added, and doing whatever Zhou Yan asked her to do.

The nickname "Iron Lady" wasn't just because Zhao Tieying was fierce in her scolding; she was also an excellent worker. In the past, she always earned the most work points in the team and could keep her home tidy.

She could learn simple tasks like mixing noodles and scooping meat sauce just by looking at them. Although she was illiterate, she could always tell Zhou Yan what kind of noodles were on which table, and she would never get them mixed up.

Bowls of noodles were quickly served to the guests, and the efficiency put the workers, who had been worried about being late for work, at ease.

Throughout the shop, the sounds of slurping and exclamations of praise filled the air as people ate their noodles.

[Customer's approval +1]...

Meanwhile, Zhou Yan in the kitchen received a string of positive reviews.

“With these three bowls of noodles, Xiao Zhou can keep this restaurant running.” Zhao Dong ate his second bowl of noodles, somewhat puzzled: “Why didn’t he just open a noodle shop before?”

Lin Zhiqiang smiled and said, "I don't think Xiao Zhou's cooking skills are as bad as you say. This braised beef with bamboo shoots and the double-pepper minced beef are perfectly fine as dishes on their own. Maybe he made too many different kinds of dishes before. It's rare for a young person to have the ability to correct his mistakes."

“You’re right, this young man is indeed quite good,” Zhao Dong echoed with a smile.

The workers quickly finished their noodles, paid, and rushed off to work.

"Boss, this noodle dish is absolutely delicious!"

"The ribs smell amazing, they're even better than what we get in the cafeteria!"

"The soup is so delicious, it's so flavorful it'll make your eyebrows fall out."

As they left, the workers couldn't help but offer a few words of praise.

"Take care, come again next time." Zhou Yan, with a handful of change in his hand, smiled and saw the customer to the door.

"Comrade Xiao Zhou, come and collect our money too," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

"I'll do it, I'll do it." Zhao Dong hurriedly took out his wallet from his pocket.

"Deputy Factory Director Lin, Director Zhao, this meal is on me today. If it weren't for your help in promoting my shop, I wouldn't be able to open today." Zhou Yan quickly waved his hand and then suggested, "How about we bring your niece a bowl of pork rib noodles to try? Pork rib noodles are a bit lighter, maybe she'll have an appetite for it."

(End of this chapter)