Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 323 Mantis Shrimp Must Be Cooked Before Eating

Sister Zhang said, "Mantis shrimp are edible, just make sure they're thoroughly cooked. Don't eat them raw. It's also good to eat more seaweed and other similar foods."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, I got it. How's business these next couple of days?"

Sister Zhang said, "That's about it. We have five or six tables a day, around lunch and dinner. You guys are about to make a fortune, boss. Um, can we talk about something?"

Xiao Wei said, "What's wrong? Tell me."

Sister Zhang said, "Business is usually slow on Sundays. Can we take a day off on Sunday and go to the Fengtian Wu'ai Market together?"

Restaurants are all affiliated with government agencies, and these agencies are closed on Sundays, so there are basically no customers at the restaurants.

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, when I get back, we'll pick a day to go to Fengtian together for a day of fun. I'm hanging up now."

Sister Zhang hung up the phone, and before she could even close it properly, she shouted, "The young boss agreed, go to Fengtian No. 5!" The call ended, Xiao Wei smiled and put down his words. The receptionist expressionlessly threw two yuan at him, said a few words, and collected three yuan.

Making a phone call these days is so expensive. It's cheaper at the convenience stores and grocery stores outside, usually 50 cents or a dollar per minute.

Xiao Wei put the two yuan in his pocket and went upstairs. Once inside, he said, "It's edible, but eat less fish and no crab. It has to be cooked thoroughly. It's good to eat more shrimp and seaweed too."

Chen Hui asked, "What about mantis shrimp?" This area of ​​Andong is famous for its mantis shrimp.

Xiao Wei said, "Just like shrimp, you can eat them after they're cooked. Eating more of them is good for Chen Xiao and the children."

Xiao Hong turned her head and asked, "Are you asking about my aunt?"

Xiao Wei said, "My mom and dad never go to the living room. I called for a long time but no one answered. I called Sister Zhang at the restaurant to ask."

Xiao Hong said to Chen Xiao, "If Sister Zhang says it's edible, then it must be edible. Thank goodness! I love mantis shrimp the most, and I like it raw and marinated."

Chen Xiao slapped the bed and said, "No pickled shrimp allowed." He turned and glared at Chen Hui, saying, "Soaked shrimp in alcohol is no good either. We can only eat boiled shrimp." He then licked his lips, and the three of them burst into laughter. Boiling mantis shrimp is actually the worst way to eat it. Raw marinating or soaking in alcohol is much better than boiling. It's tender, smooth, and fresh.

Xiao Wei leaned against the headboard and said, "We can have the restaurant steam it for us, that way it won't lose its flavor or become mushy."

Xiao Hong thought for a moment and said, "What can a restaurant do?"

Chen Hui chimed in, "Do you guys consider squid to be fish?"

Xiao Hong turned to look at Xiao Wei, who stared blankly for a while before hesitatingly saying, "Well, I guess so? Mantis shrimp can be considered shrimp, and squid is a fish, right?"

Chen Xiao said, "They said to eat less fish, not that you can't eat it at all. I'll just eat a few bites. Oh dear, I can't eat crabs, boohoo." She started to pretend to cry. Chen Hui said, "Alright, stop pretending ten times a day. Are you a child? Crabs and mantis shrimp are just different shapes, one is long and the other is round. They taste the same."

Xiao Hong leaned against Xiao Wei and said, "I want to eat bream, squid, cod, and sea cucumber."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "So much? Can you eat all of this? There are even mantis shrimp."

Xiao Hong said, "Mantis shrimp is just for the taste. There's not much meat on them, and they don't take up much space. I can eat a whole bowl by myself."

Chen Hui lit a cigarette, tilted his head back and exhaled a smoke ring, saying wistfully, "My crab, it's flown away."

After chatting for a while, Chen Xiao checked the time and stood up to urge everyone to leave.

As Xiaohong put on her coat, she said, "You have the nerve to rush us? We came out to play for a little while and then you two went to sleep. You're like two pigs. And then you start jumping around as soon as you hear about delicious food. You two are just two pigs."

Chen Xiao tugged at Xiao Hong's sleeve and said, "Pigs don't eat mantis shrimp."

Just as Xiao Hong was about to speak, Chen Xiao said again, "I'll help you peel the mantis shrimp." Xiao Hong shook her head smugly and remained silent. Peeling mantis shrimp is the most troublesome thing. These things are really prickly. That's why they're called the tyrant of the sea. Nothing can deal with them except people.

After getting ready, Xiaowei carried the camera on his back, and the four of them locked the door and went downstairs.

Xiao Wei was about to go to the back to get the car when Chen Hui said, "It's not far, just a few hundred meters. Let's take a stroll." So the four of them walked along the road towards the river, looking at the scenery and searching for a restaurant.

By 91, private restaurants were everywhere. For Chinese people, the first priority in doing business is food, followed by clothing and daily necessities, and this will always be the case.

At that time, Antong didn't have so many high-rise buildings, dense housing, or development zones leading all the way to the sea. Everything was simple and honest. People in this era weren't rich, but they lived simple and fulfilling lives. Everyone was sincere, and their faces were always beaming with smiles.

At that time, Moon Island was just a sand dune in the middle of the river. The opposite bank was still a deserted mudflat. Several factories were discharging black water into the river. The Yalu River was clearly divided into two halves from the middle of the river. The half closer to our park was greenish-blue, while the half on the opposite side was pitch black.

It's early spring, the grass and trees are just beginning to sprout, and it still looks desolate.

The Yalu River Bridge stands majestically across the river, and the large stone engraved with the words "Yalu River" by the roadside at the bridgehead has become a must-see in photos for generations of visitors. Back then, there weren't wide walkways, flowerbeds, or trees along the river and road, nor were there many sculptures or landscapes. The roads weren't as wide as they are now. Everything was simple, but the magical word "border" added a touch of grandeur and mystery to the place.

A group of people strolled slowly along the riverside road until they reached the bridgehead. They took a picture next to the world-famous large rock, then turned back. After crossing the railway bridge, there wasn't much else to see. The whole city had a hazy, gray feel due to the era it was in. Not in a derogatory sense, but even Beijing felt the same way at that time—dusty and dusty.

None of them wanted to go shopping. Shopping in malls these days isn't a fun thing, especially in tourist cities like this, where people from all over the country crowd the malls so much that it's impossible to move an inch.

After leaning on the roadside railing and looking at the opposite bank of the river for a while, Chen Xiao patted his stomach and said, "Let's go eat mantis shrimp."

Xiao Hong nodded and said, "Let's eat then." After looking around, Chen Hui pointed to a spot not far across the street and said, "Let's go there, the one on the second floor, the state-run restaurant." Everyone agreed and crossed the street to walk towards the restaurant.

In the 90s, something quite interesting happened: private individuals could freely engage in business, and all sorts of shops sprang up everywhere, yet state-owned enterprises were still operating, and they all prominently displayed the words "State-owned" on their storefronts. In that era, state-owned enterprises represented trustworthiness, reliability, and affordability.

However, the service at state-run restaurants was rather disappointing, depending entirely on their mood that day.

(End of this chapter)