The bedroom was cozy, with a small bedside lamp lit.
The warm, dim light illuminated Meng Anhe's flushed cheeks. Her fingers traced circles on Lin Zhiqiang's chest as she breathed slightly heavily, "Have you been secretly working out these past few days?"
"Working out?" Lin Zhiqiang flicked the cigarette between his fingers, tilting his chin up with a smug look. "Needed it? Just normal performance."
"I know your strengths and weaknesses." Meng Anhe rolled her eyes at him, then pinched him lightly with her circling fingers.
Men over twenty five are usually the most stubborn.
Thirty eight years old men are even more so.
"Hiss~" Lin Zhiqiang gasped, quickly offering a handicap. "May be it's because I've been eating a lot of beef these past few days, my body's gotten better."
"Cross-legged beef?" Meng Anhe asked thoughtfully.
"The bone broth simmered for eight hours, with all sorts of Chinese herbs and beef added, it's definitely nourishing."
"Then you can eat there everyday from now on, I'll reimburse you."
"Okay, of course, it's mainly because I'm healthy, whether it's nourishing or not doesn't make much difference."
"Really? Then let me test you again." Meng Anhe sat up and tied her hair back with a hair tie.
"Oh dear, I suddenly remembered I haven't finished a design drawing, I have to present it at the meeting tomorrow, I'll go work on it first, Anhe, you go to sleep first." Lin Zhiqiang turned over, put on his pajamas, and was about to leave, his legs a little weak.
What kind of cadre can withstand this kind of test?
"Heh, men." Sister Meng's lips curled up, she reached out and hooked his collar, "Come back and lie down, I won't tease you anymore."
"That's right, slow and steady wins the race, don't overindulge." Lin Zhiqiang then lay back down on the bed.
Meng Anhe rested her head on his hand and said with a smile, "I think the factory director and Sister Meilin enjoyed today's meal quite a bit."
"I've eaten with the factory director many times, including at several big restaurants in Chengdu, and this is the first time I've seen him react like this." Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile. "His expectations were too low at first, but he was amazed by his performance, and his attitude towards Zhou Yan has clearly changed."
Meng Anhe nodded slightly: "To be fair, the dishes Zhou Yan made today were indeed on par with those in well-known restaurants in Chengdu. It's a real waste of his talent to have him running a restaurant in this small town; he should be developing his career in a big city."
"You can't say that. I think he's taken things quite steadily, step by step." Lin Zhiqiang pondered. "Being fired from the factory canteen and opening a restaurant near the factory gate—for a young man from a small town with limited education and an ordinary family, the best he could do in such a short time was to get the business up and running and establish himself."
"Once he's accumulated his first pot of gold, he might move to a big city. May be he can even open a large restaurant in Chengdu someday."
"You seem to have high hopes for him." Meng Anhe said with a smile.
"Most people who have worked in state-owned enterprises for a long time look down on self-employed individuals. We've seen a lot of this while studying abroad. Opening a shop and doing business is a legitimate profession. Those with ability can earn much more than working in a factory. With money, life is naturally better. Going to university doesn't necessarily guarantee a brighter future..."
"You want to set Xia Yao and Zhou Yan up?" Meng Anhe interrupted him, her words hitting the nail on the head.
"I don't have that ability, but I definitely won't stop them." Lin Zhiqiang said, shrugging. "If those two kids really get together one day, Zhou Yan might be a good match."
"Then go tell my sister and brother in law."
"Huh? How dare I!"
...
Sichuan Fine Arts Institute dormitory.
A small desk lamp was lit on the desk.
Xia Yao sat at the desk writing a letter, her delicate handwriting flowing across the paper. Several crumpled pieces of paper lay in the trash can beside her.
"Yao Yao, are love letters really that hard to write?" Deng Hong poked her head out and asked with a smile.
Zhu Yuyu poked her head out from another bed and teased, "That's right, this is the fifth version already. You're more serious about it than I am about my graduation project. Can you teach me a thing or two?"
"I wrote a letter, not a love letter." Xia Yao said, straightening her posture without turning her head, her hand instinctively covering the words on the letter.
"Right, right, it's a letter filled with revolutionary friendship." Deng Hong nodded with a smile. "Then please thank Comrade Zhou Yan for the puffed rice candy; it was delicious."
"That's right! Remember to tell him I got some too." Zhu Yuyu nodded in agreement.
"Okay, you guys go to sleep first. I'll turn off the lights in some time." Xia Yao said with a smile.
...
Just as dawn was breaking, Comrade Little Zhou rode his bicycle out to buy groceries again.
Today, he went to see Zhang Laosan first and bought eight jin of pork ribs.
"Little Zhou, your restaurant business is getting better and better." Zhang Laosan said with admiration as he weighed the ribs.
"Not bad, I can keep going." Zhou Yan replied with a smile, taking out some money and handing it to Zhang Laosan.
"Don't you want the second cut pork or the pork knuckle?" Zhang Laosan asked casually as he took the money.
"I don't need it now. I'll come back to buy from you when I start selling twice-cooked pork and Dongpo pork knuckle." Zhou Yan put the ribs into the basket and called out, "I'm off."
"That kid, he's got some skills." Zhang Laosan chuckled to himself, watching Zhou Yan's retreating figure.
Zhou Yan then went to the market and found the fishmonger, Boss Gao, who delivered fish to him, asking him to deliver forty eight which is eight ounces each crucian carp to his shop that noon.
Because he bought so much, requiring daily deliveries, Zhou Yan successfully negotiated down the price of a pound of crucian carp from 45 cents to 40 cents, and he couldn't raise the price on holidays.
The textile factory canteen and state-owned restaurants have their own ordering channels, and retail sales aren't that easy. Customers like Zhou Yan, who consistently order from them, are rare; in Suji, he's considered a major client. Based on the principle of small profits but quick turnover, Boss Gao readily agreed.
"Boss Gao, my fish must be of good quality. You've been selling fish for so many years, you can tell good from bad. If you deliberately send me inferior fish, I'll be furious." Zhou Yan said with a smile, making it clear from the outset.
"Don't worry, I'll bring you ten extra fish each time I deliver. You can choose for yourself, and if you're not satisfied, I'll send you another one." Boss Gao assured him. Despite his youth, Zhou Yan had a sharp eye for fish; he couldn't be fooled.
"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded, got on his bicycle, and rode away.
The operation of a restaurant is inseparable from these ingredient suppliers.
Establishing a stable ingredient supply chain is a crucial link in ensuring consistent food quality.
Currently, the restaurant's most important beef supply is controlled by family members.
At the Zhou Village Yankantou slaughterhouse, eight cows were being slaughtered simultaneously today. The morning temperature was low, and rising steam from each workstation resembled the vengeful spirits of cows ascending to heaven.
A sudden thought popped into Zhou Yan's head, making him chuckle.
At this time, the butchers were already butchering the meat.
The beef, separated from the bone, was cut into different parts; the meat was still warm and bright in color.
Zhou Yan parked his bicycle in front of Zhou Miao's stall.
"Twelve jin of beef brisket, twelve jin of sirloin. For the rest one, go get it from your big uncle. I've already spoken to him; it'll be two yuan a jin, and that'll be the price from now on." Zhou Miao said.
"Isn't two yuan a jin too cheap?" Zhou Yan hesitated.
"No, the local chefs who prepare banquets get this price in bulk. It's cheaper than buying individually anyway." Zhou Miao shook his head.
"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded.
Zhou Fei saw Zhou Yan approaching and asked with a smile, "Zhou Yan, how much sirloin do you need?"
"Brother Fei, five jin is enough for today." Zhou Yan said, also greeting the old man Zhou Qing beside him.
The old man was robust, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, and looked a lot like Zhou Fei. His temples were slightly gray. He grinned at Zhou Yan and said, "Zhou Yan, you can have as much as you want. I'll save sirloin for you first in the future."
"Okay, thank you, Big Uncle." Zhou Yan grinned.
This is the importance of the supply chain. If it wasn't for family, buying sirloin would be a matter of luck, and during holidays it would be even more difficult.
Sirloin sells well.
Zhou Fei cut off a piece of sirloin weighed it high, the tendons and membranes were cleaned off, the meat was of good quality, and packed it into Zhou Yan's basket.
"Big Uncle, two yuan a jin, am I taking advantage of you?" Zhou Yan took out a ten yuans note and handed it over, asking with a smile.
"What advantage is there for family? I said one yuan and fifty cents a jin, but your old man wouldn't agree, insisting I take two yuan. I felt like I was taking advantage of you, kid." the old man took the money, shaking his head with a smile.
"Zhou Yan, do you still want some sirloin? I've saved some for you too." his second uncle, Zhou Ze, called out to him.
Zhou Jie held up a piece of sirloin, showing it to him: "Today's sirloin is really good."
"I have some here too, it's all set." third uncle Zhou Han added with a smile.
"That's enough for today. Come back to second and third uncles if I need more in a couple of days." Zhou Yan replied with a smile, a warmth spreading through his heart.
His words were remembered by the entire family.
How wonderful.