1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 93: Unlocking the Secrets to Wealth in the Wealth Mall (4k)

[Ding! The Wealth Mall is now open!]

Zhou Yan, who had just given himself a pep talk, closed his eyes, then opened them a second later.

Great news! The Wealth Mall is now open!

The panel unfolded in his line of sight.

[Player: Zhou Yan]

Occupation: Chef

[Wealth Points: 1363.12]

[Professional Skills]: Omitted

[Mastering the Dishes]:
Garlic Sprout Twice-Cooked Pork (Premium): 99999/100000
……

Cold dish series:

Braised pork products (premium): 99999/100000
Braised Beef (Intermediate): 5333/10000
Cold Chicken Salad (Intermediate): 6666/10000
Cucumber Salad (Intermediate): 1871/10000
……

Special Skill: Food Identification (Master): 999999/1000000 (Cannot be upgraded)
Main Quest: Dominate the Textile Factory: Quest Progress: 998/1000

Side Quest: The Legacy of Zhang's Braised Food! Quest Progress: 0

[Wealth Mall]: Now Open!
Zhou Yan quickly glanced at the ratings of the braised food series, which had been updated. The pork series, obtained from the system, was rated as advanced and had maxed out proficiency.

I learned how to make braised beef and cold chicken from an old lady today, and I didn't expect to reach the intermediate level directly, instead of gradually improving from scratch.

However, this is quite true. Zhou Yan, who is skilled in braised pork products, is already a semi-master in the field of braised food, and he also has a master like the old lady personally guiding him.

The guests raved about the first time I made braised beef and cold chicken salad. It would be absurd to label it as a beginner-level dish that requires starting from scratch and working my way up.

However, this also indicates that these two dishes still have considerable room for improvement.

He thought of the missing word "quite" in the appraisal. Even if it's a chicken cooked in the same pot with the same seasoning, there's still a difference in skill compared to a master chef. It must be the technique that's the problem.

Of course, this gap will gradually be bridged as you do it more often and continuously summarize your experience.

The system has already shown him his health bar; just go all out.

The icon for the Wealth Mall in the bottom right corner has changed from gray to gold.

Zhou Yan's mind raced, and the page opened:
100 Ways to Cut a Cucumber - 800
[Ten Tips for Seasoning a Pot] - 800
[Ten Tips for Bargaining at Groceries] — 1000
【Kitchenware Maintenance Methods and Techniques】—1200
[Ten Secret Recipes for Advanced Hot Pot Dipping Sauces] — 2000
[100 Practical Tips for Quickly Winning Over a Rich Woman's Heart] — 8888
……

[Items in the shop are refreshed randomly daily, please stay tuned]

Zhou Yan stared at the glittering skill packs and remained silent for a long time.

Is this the Wealth Mall?

It looks more like a business opportunity mall for everyday life tips!

Isn't this right?

He had assumed this hidden shop contained some special items like the Mighty Vajra Pill or the Invincible Spear Elixir. Or perhaps it was a Dongzi Mall that sold refrigerators, color TVs, and washing machines?
But it seems like this is full of weird and strange skill sets?

After studying it for a while, Zhou Yan immediately took a liking to "100 Practical Tips for Quickly Winning Over a Rich Woman's Heart".

Who wouldn't want to be a kept man?

Unfortunately, I'm short on cash; with only 1363.12 wealth points, I simply can't afford it.

His gaze swept back and forth across the remaining four skill packs he could afford several times before finally choosing the one on "Kitchenware Maintenance Methods and Techniques".

Kitchenware maintenance is a must for chefs, but Comrade Xiao Zhou's culinary training was too short, lasting only two and a half years, and he has not yet mastered enough skills.

Even when it comes to sharpening knives, he's only a half-baked expert.

The wealth points I had painstakingly accumulated were drained, my skill pack flashed with golden light, and some new information appeared in my mind.

A minute later, Zhou Yan's eyes cleared, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

From routine knife maintenance to sharpening, sterilization of wooden cutting boards, and daily care and cleaning techniques for cookware...

It is rich in content, basically covering all kinds of kitchen utensils, and it is not just a general statement, but knowledge and experience that enters the mind.

Zhou Yan felt like he was a seasoned knife sharpener, and couldn't wait to get up and find a couple of knives to test his skills.

Wealth Mall, you really didn't lie to me!

Putting everything else aside, once you master this knife-sharpening skill, even if you're down on your luck, you can still carry a load on your shoulder and go from street to street shouting, "Sharpening kitchen knives! Sharpening kitchen knives!"

Solving the problem of having enough to eat and wear is definitely not an issue.

Zhou Yan closed his eyes happily. These wealth points were income points; he could accumulate as much as he earned, and once he had enough, he could exchange them for skills in the system.

Although they are all minor skills, they are very practical!

For example, those ten advanced hot pot dipping sauce recipes—wouldn't it be great to eat hot pot at home after learning them?
Or if you want to open a hot pot restaurant in the future, having a good hot pot dipping sauce will be a core competitive advantage.

Of course, when he has more wealth points in the future, he still wants to see what that "100 Practical Tips for Quickly Winning Over a Rich Woman's Heart" actually says.

He does lack knowledge in this area.

It's about filling in the gaps in his knowledge; whether the woman is rich or not isn't important. What matters most is his love of learning.

Filled with longing for a better life, he quickly drifted off to sleep.

……

In the next room, Zhou Miao carefully moved Zhou Momo, who was wrapped in a small blanket, into the big bed. The little one had played wildly during the day and fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed.

Zhao Tieying stood at the door, carefully wiping two pairs of new leather shoes with a small towel in her hand, and said with a smile, "Everyone said my leather shoes look good today. Zhou Yan has good taste."

"They're also asking me where I bought the leather shoes, saying they want to buy a pair for the New Year too." Zhou Miao smiled and said, "They're all so envious when they hear that Zhou Yan bought them. They all say that their sons are married now and all their money goes to their wives. They can't even afford a pack of cigarettes, so how could they buy them leather shoes?"

Zhao Tieying put the shoes on the shoe rack by the door, closed the door, climbed onto the bed, snuggled into Zhou Miao's arms, and smiled happily: "In the past, we earned our reputation ourselves, but these past two days, Zhou Yan has earned us a lot of reputation. Everyone says I'm so lucky to have such a filial son."

“Zhou Yan is so lucky to have such a helpful mother like you. This restaurant can’t function without you,” Zhou Miao said softly, hugging her.

Zhao Tieying turned around: "Oh right, I was too busy yesterday and forgot to tell you. Zhou Yan paid me my salary, thirty yuan a month. He also said that starting next month, he will give me a 20% commission based on the profits from the beef 'Qiaojiao'."

"Now the restaurant can sell 120 servings of braised beef a day, with a profit of about half. That means a 20% commission alone would amount to more than 100 yuan a month!"

Zhao Tieying was stunned after she finished calculating.

"So many?" Zhou Miao was also somewhat surprised.

In rural towns, thirty yuan a month is considered a high salary, so Zhao Hong was happy to earn twenty yuan a month.

Zhou Miao was a skilled butcher who also sold beef, earning about seventy or eighty yuan a month, which was considered high among butchers in Zhoucun. Zhou Yan paid Zhao Tieying thirty yuan a month plus an extra hundred yuan in commission; she didn't dare tell anyone about this income.

Zhao Tieying thought for a moment and said, "Then I'd better not take his commission. It's too much. Thirty yuan a month is already a lot. He works from morning till night every day. He must be exhausted just to earn a little money."

“I think you should keep it for now.” Zhou Miao shook his head with a smile. “You should spend your salary as you see fit, but you should save his commission for him. Save it for two years so he can get married. Young people can’t always save money.”

Zhao Tieying nodded in agreement, “That’s right. There’s a whole line of people wanting to arrange marriages for Zhou Yan today. We can let him try going on blind dates during the New Year.”

"Let him think about it slowly. He's only twenty years old. You've had a hard day. Let me give you a back massage so you can go to sleep early." Zhou Miao turned her over and began to massage her with skillful technique.

……

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Zhou Yan was awakened by the noise in the courtyard.

He pulled the cord of the bedside lamp, and with a click, the dim light came on. Zhou Yan rolled over and sat up.

It's great to be young and healthy. After a good night's sleep, you feel full of energy, all fatigue is gone, and you're ready for another energetic day.

Zhou Yan pushed open the door and stepped out. The cold morning wind made him shrink his neck. Old Zhou was sharpening a knife in the corner of the yard. His flashlight was hanging on a tree branch next to him, swaying slightly in the wind. Old Zhou, with his back bent, pushed and pulled the flashlight with a rhythmic motion.

"Did I wake you up?" Old Zhou asked without turning around.

“I usually wake up around this time.” Zhou Yan stepped forward, looked at the row of butcher knives laid out to the side, his hands itching, and said, “Old man, let me help you sharpen them for a while. I learned the knife-sharpening technique from my master, and I can sharpen them very well.”

"The butcher's knife can only be sharpened by himself, so that you know exactly what to do when you cut," Old Zhou said slowly without stopping his work. "No matter how fast someone else sharpens it, it may not be suitable for you."

"Okay, then I'll go make breakfast." Zhou Yan said nothing more and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

He had heard this from his master as well: "The knife of the dagger can only be sharpened by himself; no one else is allowed to touch it."

There was really nothing else at home. The eggs were laid by their own hens, and there was some flour left in the kitchen, so Zhou Yan quickly made a pot of noodles.

Fry eggs in lard, pour in hot water to make a milky white soup, and toss in a handful of freshly picked green vegetables from the yard, bright green and vibrant.

On a chilly early autumn morning, eating a hot bowl of soup, finishing every last drop of the broth, warms you from your stomach all the way up, making you feel cozy and warm all over.

"It's delicious. I'll make it this way next time. It's so convenient." Aunt Zhao was quite satisfied.

Today, Comrade Zhou went to the next village to help someone slaughter a cow. He packed his bag and rode his bicycle out the door.

Aunt Zhao picked up Zhou Momo, who was sleeping soundly, from the bed, carefully put her in her backpack, tucked her in with a small blanket, leaving only half of her face exposed, and then got on her bicycle and went out.

When buying beef, Zhou Yan hesitated for a moment and did not buy beef shank.

We ordered three pig heads. Yesterday, Zhou Yan had already told Zhang Laosan and Xu Laoer to help debone them. The deboned meat was charged at 6 mao per jin (0.5 kg). Each pig head would yield about 6 jin of meat, so the three pig heads cost 11.2 yuan.

Zhou Yan also took the pig's head bone that had been removed from the pot. He didn't charge her anything and brought it back to make broth for noodles. The broth was whiter and the flavor was richer.

Then I went to the market and bought two live roosters, each weighing six pounds, for 9.6 yuan.

On the way, I also bought two small round bamboo winnowing baskets and a thin bamboo strip.

The bicycle stopped in front of the restaurant, and Zhao Hong and Zhou Lihui, who had arrived earlier, went forward to help unload the goods.

"Why are there so many dishes today?" Zhao Hong asked, somewhat surprised, as she carried two large roosters.

"We're starting to sell braised food and cold chicken today, so I bought a pig's head and chickens." Zhou Yan took the pig's head off and looked at Zhao Hong, saying, "Sister-in-law, you were in charge of killing these two roosters this morning, draining their blood and plucking their feathers, but you don't need to cut open their bellies."

“Okay.” Zhao Hong nodded.

The business starts selling at noon, so the braised food has to be braised in the pot in the morning, making the already busy morning even more hectic.

However, the braising and soaking time for pig's head and pig's ears is not long. As long as the pre-treatment is done well, it is fine to start braising after the morning rush hour.

The impact of the Wang Defa case has not yet dissipated after the weekend, and there has been a noticeable increase in customers eating noodles at Zhou Erwa Restaurant this morning.

Zhou Yan had actually anticipated this and prepared twenty extra servings of noodles, but they still sold out by 7:40.

"There are so many people eating noodles today! Should we prepare more for tomorrow?" Aunt Zhao suggested to Zhou Yan, her face beaming.

Zhou Yan shook his head with a smile: "This is all temporary and false prosperity. A bowl of noodles costs six cents. Once they've tried it, they'll come back to eat it again after a while. If we rashly increase the stock, we might not be able to sell it all and end up losing money."

He would be satisfied if the number of servings increased from eighty to one hundred and could be maintained in the long term.

Aunt Zhao nodded and said with a smile, "The pork bone soup smells so good today. Many customers have praised it, saying that the soup noodles are even better than before."

"That's good." Zhou Yan replied with a smile. The bone broth was a small improvement he made. In fact, the original recipe used pork bone broth, but he didn't have that option before, so he used beef bone broth instead.

Zhou Yan began processing the pig's head and the chicken.

Braised food doesn't sell very well at lunchtime. Many people like to eat braised pig ears and braised pig head meat to go with alcohol, but these dishes don't go well with rice.

Now that we've launched braised food, we need to find a way to break through the competition from the three braised food stalls at the entrance, first take a slice of the textile factory's market share, and then slowly build up our reputation.

He planned to let his customers know at noon that Zhou Erwa's restaurant was selling braised food, so that he could open up the business more quickly in the evening.

After all, the rush hour after get off work only lasts for half an hour, and customers are snapped up quickly. Once the workers disperse, he might end up with nothing but three pig heads and two chickens.

At half past eleven.

The textile factory is about to close for the day.

Zhou Yan cut two jin of pig's head meat and spread it out in the small bamboo basket he bought in the morning, which just filled the basket.

I also prepared another pound of cold chicken salad and put it in an open enamel basin.

They took a bamboo tube, inside which were stuck hundreds of bamboo sticks with sharpened tips.

Another small winnowing basket was lined with a new gauze and filled with half a chicken, two pig ears, a whole piece of pig head meat, and two pig snouts.

I moved a long bench and placed it next to the stove where I cooked braised beef brisket by the door, then laid out the four items in a row on the bench.

It was eye-catching and conspicuous, and Aunt Zhao was just the right person to keep an eye on it.

"These two pounds of pig's head meat and more than one pound of cold chicken are just for everyone to try for free?" Aunt Zhao felt a little distressed. The cost alone was three yuan. If everyone just ate and didn't buy anything, wouldn't it be a complete loss?

"You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub. If you don't let people taste it first, how can they be willing to buy a pound of braised pig's head meat and cold chicken salad for 2.5 yuan?" Zhou Yan smiled and put up the price list he had written in advance. "Let everyone have a free tasting at noon today to build up a reputation. Only then can we sell those dozen or so pounds of pig's head meat when we get off work tonight."

“Okay, whatever you say.” Aunt Zhao nodded.

As they were talking, the factory's closing bell rang, and workers poured out of the factory gate one after another.

As I walked to the restaurant entrance, my eyes were immediately drawn to the braised dishes and cold chicken salad displayed on the long bench.

The sliced ​​pig's head meat was a bright red color and spread out on the winnowing basket, looking very tempting. The cold chicken salad on the open plate was covered with red oil and sesame seeds, and you could smell the aroma of the red oil. It looked so delicious!
The winnowing basket next to it contained whole pig ears and pig head meat. The color was so beautiful, bright red and glistening with oil, making one's mouth water.

"Come on, come on, be good, workers! Our restaurant has just launched some new braised dishes and cold chicken, and everyone can try a piece for free! Free to try, free to eat! Grab a skewer and grab it yourself!" Aunt Zhao called out with a smile.

"Come on, come on, it's so delicious~~" Zhou Momo stood to the side, calling out indistinctly, with a skewer of cold chicken on a bamboo stick in her hand. She ate with her mouth full of oil, and her delicate eyebrows almost flew to the sky.
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(End of this chapter)