"I'd like some pork rib noodles, but could you give me an extra serving of pork ribs?" Xia Yao sat down and looked up at Zhou Yan, smiling brightly. "I'll pay for the stew separately."
"I'll have braised beef noodles. Two taels of noodles will be enough." Meng Anhe said. Old Lin had been raving about how delicious the braised beef noodles were yesterday. If he hadn't been on a last minute business trip to Chengdu, he would have definitely ordered them this morning.
"I only want two taels of noodles." Xia Yao added quickly.
Yesterday's bowl of noodles was so filling that she had to starve all day to finish it. She doesn't usually eat that much.
"Okay." Zhou Yan replied, turning and heading to the kitchen.
Zhao Tieying put the things in behind and went about getting water for the two of them.
"His handwriting is quite good, like he's practiced. Why did Old Lin say he quit school before graduating from junior high?" Meng Anhe asked, looking at the handwritten menu on the wall.
"It's indeed quite good. A boy with such good handwriting usually has good grades." Xia Yao was a little surprised by the words on the wall, but quickly smiled and said, "May be he prefers being a chef. After all, his braised pork ribs is so delicious."
Meng Anhe nodded slightly, but a hint of regret remained in her heart. No matter how delicious his braised pork ribs was, he would be stuck in this small town of Suji for the rest of his life, running a successful noodle shop.
National policies are improving, and all industries are thriving. If he could get into university, his horizons and future would be vastly different. Given his personality and appearance, he might have a bright future.
Soon, Zhou Yan returned with two steaming bowls of noodles, accompanied by a plate of pickled radish.
Xia Yao's bowl was nearly covered in braised pork ribs, and her smile grew even brighter. She had enjoyed her meal yesterday and still couldn't get enough.
Meng Anhe looked at the bowl of braised beef noodles in front her. The large chunks of beef, paired with diced bamboo shoots, were a vibrant red, an alluring sight, and the aroma was irresistible, making her mouth water.
They had arrived hungry to begin with, so they couldn't resist, picking up their chopsticks and slurping at the noodles.
Zhou Yan and Zhao Tieying tactfully moved behind the counter to avoid the discomfort of watching from the sidelines.
A mouthful of noodles, a bite of meat, and a sip of the hot beef bone broth soon had a thin layer of sweat on their foreheads. They ate with such gusto.
Meng Anhe usually preferred wontons and rarely ate noodles outside, unable to get used to the alkali smell.
But today's bowl of braised beef noodles truly surprised her.
The beef was spicy and tender, the bamboo shoots were crispy and delicious, and paired with the chewy, smooth noodles and rich, fragrant beef bone broth, there was no strange taste at all, leaving a lingering fragrance.
A bite of pickled radish was another, sour and spicy, with a refreshing aftertaste and a sweet aftertaste, a delight that touched her heart.
A bowl of beef noodles was swallowed, and before she knew it, even the broth was gone.
She felt warm all over, completely satisfied.
She finally understood that it wasn't that she disliked noodles, but that she hadn't had good noodles before.
"This is my second time eating it, and I'm still impressed by the braised pork ribs!" Xia Yao finished her breakfast with a pickled radish, a smile of satisfaction on her face. "And this pickled radish is delicious too."
Eating two servings of braised pork ribs at once was truly satisfying!
"Little Zhou, do you sell these pickled radishes individually? I'd like to buy some to go with my two sons' morning porridge." Meng Anhe pulled out her wallet and asked Zhou Yan.
"The pickled radishes are provided free of charge by the shop to help customers relieve their greasiness. If you like them, I'll pack some for you to take home. Radishes aren't expensive, so you can come back for more after you're done." Zhou Yan took a glass jar of canned yellow peaches and scooped out a jar of pickled radish for Meng Anhe.
Getting some pickled vegetables to build good relations with Mrs. Lin was well worth it.
Meng Anhe clearly wasn't a woman who depended on Lin Zhiqiang. Leaving a good impression would make things easier for him if he needed help in the future.
"Okay, I won't hold you back then." Meng Anhe took it with a smile. The glass jar was clean and translucent, the red radish shimmering brilliantly. He'd thoughtfully filled it with pickled vegetable juice, so as long as the lid was tightened, it could be eaten for a few more days. The young man was thoughtful.
"Give us the bill."
"This meal is my treat for you two. I'm embarrassed to take money after received many things from you both." Zhou Yan said quickly.
"That won't do. We came here specifically for the noodles. If you don't charge, we'll be even more embarrassed to come back for noodles next time." Xia Yao waved her hands repeatedly. "My portion of ribs was extra generous, so just count it as two bowls of noodles."
"I think it's appropriate. You take the money. Old Lin and I will come back next time." Meng Anhe nodded, took out 1.8 yuan and handed it to Zhou Yan.
"Okay, then I'll take it. But it's not 1.8 yuan, it's 1.5 yuan." Zhou Yan smiled, took the money, and returned 30 cents. "An extra stew is 30 cents."
Meng Anhe put the money back into her wallet. The young man was natural and calm in his dealings with others, and spoke neither servilely nor arrogantly, unlike the shy and dull young men in the countryside.
The new college student in their design institute was often so nervous in her presence that they stuttered. They were not as good as him.
She felt a sense of appreciation for his talent and looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Little Zhou, did you write the menu on the wall and the sign at the door yourself?"
"Yes, the menu is pretty simple, so I just hand-wrote one myself." Zhou Yan nodded.
"Your handwriting is really nice. Have you ever taken the college entrance exam?" Meng Anhe asked.
Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan, her face also filled with curiosity.
Zhao Tieying, who was wiping the table, paused and glanced at the menu on the wall. The previous menu had been written by their village fortune teller, but Zhou Yan's handwriting looked like a ghostly scribbling. How did it suddenly become so beautiful?
This kid, what a boast!
"No, I've always had poor grades. I dropped out of school in the second year of junior high. How could I possibly take the college entrance exam?" Zhou Yan shook his head, quite frankly.
Comrade Xiao Zhou's education level was barely above illiterate; he couldn't even add up numbers above 100.
Not having a junior high school certificate essentially blocked Zhou Yan's path to changing his fate by taking the college entrance exam.
He was content with a modest fortune. He wasn't a trendsetter, nor did he possess the ability to navigate the world of business. His ideal life was to open a few restaurants and hotels, live a comfortable life with a wife and children.
"Your handwriting is quite good. You can keep practicing." Meng Anhe didn't elaborate on the subject.
He dropped out of school in the second year of junior high, and it's been four or five years since he left school. She can imagine how poor his foundation is.
But as Xia Yao said, his cooking is so delicious. His talent lies in cooking. He's bold and careful. Perhaps he can make a career in the future.
"You're right." Zhou Yan smiled and nodded.
Xia Yao reached out and touched Zhou Momo's head, smiling brightly. "Momo, I'll bring you something delicious next time."
"Sister!" Zhou Momo's eyes lit up, and she grabbed Xia Yao's hand and said coquettishly, "Then you must come!"
"Okay, okay, I'll definitely come." Zhou Momo's chubby little hand waved, and Xia Yao's heart melted. She finally pulled her hand back and waved to Zhou Yan, "Goodbye, Comrade Zhou Yan."
"Goodbye, Comrade Xia Yao." Zhou Yan nodded slightly.
The two of them met eyes and couldn't help but smile.
It was a bit of the strange name.
There was a sense of mission, a sense of having established a revolutionary friendship.
"This girl is quite good." Zhao Tieying sighed as she watched the bicycle go by. "I wish she was my daughter in law."
"That's your nice thought." Zhou Yan said with a smile, turning and heading back to the counter.
"That's true. She's a university graduate, a city dweller, and must come from a well-off family. How could she possibly be interested in us village people?" Zhao Tieying sighed and followed him inside.
"Your Aunt Liu has said several times she wants to find you a partner. When are you going to meet them?"
"I'm only twenty, why would I want to find a date?" Zhou Yan paused as he counted the money, his scalp tingling. He quickly added, "Or you could tell Aunt Liu the truth about our family situation and see if she can introduce me to someone."
Zhao Tieying immediately lost interest when she heard this. Their family was once well-off, and Zhou Yan was tall and handsome, so matchmakers had been eyeing him for a long time.
But now, he'd emptied home savings to open this restaurant, and he still owed over eight hundred yuan in debt. What girl would want to come? He couldn't even afford the betrothal gift.
After shutting Zhao Tieying up, Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief. This was the first time in his two lives that he'd been pressured into marriage. It was a novel and heartwarming experience to have someone rush him into marriage.
But he wasn't in the least bit anxious about this. A man's career was his priority, and he wouldn't marry a woman introduced by a matchmaker whose values didn't match his, with whom he had no common language.
"Sister Yaoyao good." Zhou Momo leaned close to Zhou Yan's legs and whispered, "Sister Yaoyao would be a great sister in law."
"You're dreaming." Zhou Yan reached out and scratched her nose.
This morning, he sold 52 bowls of noodles, earning 31.5 yuan, all in ten and fifty cent bills, a thick stack in his hand.
After a busy morning, Zhou Yan felt all his fatigue melt away in that moment. This feeling of accomplishment was exhilarating.
"Business is getting better and better. It looks like we can sell all ninety bowls of noodles today." Zhao Tieying beamed as she looked at the money in Zhou Yan's hand.
Before, the restaurant's daily turnover wasn't even enough to buy the ingredients, and the money was flowing out. These past two days, they've finally seen some return, and business is getting better everyday. Customers are praising the food, and reputation is clearly building.
The couple has been under just as much pressure as Zhou Yan recently. They didn't dare to speak harshly to him, fearing he'd be overwhelmed. They were already prepared to close the restaurant and pay off the debt.
Unexpectedly, after jumping into the river to save someone, this guy suddenly seemed to have a sudden realization. He switched to selling noodles and revitalized the restaurant. Business was booming, selling ninety bowls of noodles a day, which was fifty four yuan!
A monthly income of over a thousand yuan, after deducting costs and rent, there was still a few hundred yuan in profit!
Zhao Tieying had been selling beef for a few years and figured it out. This was more than what Old Zhou made from slaughtering cattle!
There was hope for the future!
"I can see that everyone is willing to pay a little more for better food." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
The customers were quite discerning. Although their noodles were a few cents more expensive than other places, they had twice as much meat, making it a better deal and tasting better.
Once word of mouth spreads, business will naturally flourish.
However, he sold 52 bowls of noodles this morning, so he must have exceeded the system task quota, right?
Zhou Yan glanced over and, sure enough, a task bar popped up.
[Ding! Main Quest: Restaurant Influence Reaches 100 Completed! Reward: Cross-legged Beef Recipe.]