"Going to work today." Zhou Weiguo parked his bicycle and walked into the shop with a smile.
He was wearing a brand-new navy blue Zhongshan suit today, with a white polyester shirt underneath, buttoned up to the top, meticulously.
His leg was slightly lame, and the empty left sleeve swayed slightly, drawing attention, but his upright posture as he walked, coupled with the scar near his eye, gave him an imposing and dignified air.
Many customers in the shop were stunned when they saw his face.
He looked so much like Zhou Yan!
A buzz cut, more mature, and although there was a scar near his eye, his upright appearance didn't make him unpleasant.
"Going to work? Weiguo, your work assignment has been arranged?" Zhao Tieying came out with a bowl of noodles, served the customers, and asked with some surprise.
"Yes." Zhou Weiguo found an empty seat and sat down, smiling slightly. "Fourth sister in law, give me a bowl of double pepper beef noodles."
"Sure." Zhao Tieying replied. With many customers in the shop, she didn't ask further questions. Turning into the kitchen, she smiled and said, "Your uncle's here. He ordered a bowl of noodles. He said he got a job. He rode a brand new 28-inch bicycle and wore a new outfit—your grandma must have dressed him up. He looks so proud."
"Really?" Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. If he wasn't holding noodles, he would have definitely run out to take a look and ask what job his uncle had been assigned.
His uncle's demobilization placement had been delayed for over three years. His superiors would visit him every holiday to discuss it, and they even had his family persuade him. So they had a general idea of what rank he might be assigned.
Before his demobilization, Zhou Weiguo was a captain and unit commander. He received a first-class merit during the war, which entitled him to preferential treatment upon demobilization. When he first returned, he was offered the position of deputy director of a state-owned factory, in charge of security, with deputy section chief-level benefits, but he refused.
Zhou Yan guessed that the arrangements this time should be similar.
Bowls of noodles were carried out of the kitchen, and things were gradually getting quieter.
"Fourth Aunt, what are those people doing? What are they checking?" Zhao Hong stood at the door, watching a group of people in uniforms inspecting the stalls, and asked softly.
"They look like health department people, doing a routine inspection. They come every month." Zhao Tieying glanced at them and whispered, "Quickly, let's collect the dishes and chopsticks, wipe the table clean, and tell Zhou Yan too."
"Okay." Zhao Hong nodded and immediately got to work.
Actually, the hygiene at Zhou Erwa Restaurant was already excellent.
Zhou Yan had set strict hygiene standards for them. Besides sweeping, the restaurant had to mop twice a day. They had two rags—one for wiping oily tables and one for wiping second time—to ensure that every customer sat down on a clean and tidy table.
Even state-owned restaurants couldn't achieve this.
Customers have their own standards; after a couple of visits, they would naturally notice the difference.
"It's alright, it's a routine check, just treat it normally." Zhou Yan said calmly.
Zhou Yan was cooking, keeping the countertop spotless. He wiped away any oil stains with his hand. Now that the noodles were done, he tidied up the side dishes, washed his hands, and came out of the kitchen when he saw a group of three people from the health and epidemic prevention station enter the restaurant.
Not only were there epidemic prevention personnel, but two men in hats followed behind.
This set up is quite different from usual routine inspections.
In Suji, the health and epidemic prevention work is mainly handled by the township health center. Two of the three people are staff members of the health center, and the one leading them is a staff member of the county health and epidemic prevention station. He was the one who accompanied Gao Tianlei last time; his name seems to be Zhu Liqiang.
"Who is the restaurant owner?" Zhu Liqiang asked.
"I am." Zhou Yan stepped forward and said.
Everyone's gaze fell on Zhou Yan, with a hint of scrutiny and some surprise at his youth.
Zhu Liqiang narrowed his eyes, feeling that this young man looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. He nodded slightly and said, "Routine inspection. Take out your health permit and the purchase ledger for the past month for inspection. The staff will also inspect the hygiene of your shop."
"Okay." Zhou Yan replied, taking out the documents and ledger from the counter and handing them to Zhu Liqiang.
The other two epidemic prevention officers began inspecting the restaurant's hygiene, from the stove near the entrance to every corner of the store, and then to the kitchen, each carrying a flashlight and checking very carefully.
Zhu Liqiang carefully checked the hygiene permit and purchase invoices, placed them on an empty table to the side, and then personally inspected with a flashlight.
Today, Deputy Station Chief Gao led an inspection team. They had just come from the state-owned restaurant and inspected many vendors along the way.
The state-owned restaurant was slightly better, as there are daily cleaning regulations, and the overall hygiene was acceptable.
However, problems such as washing rags and mops together persisted, despite repeated warnings, demonstrating utter arrogance.
The hygiene conditions at the roadside stalls were even worse. Tables and chairs were filthy, and the stoves and pots were extremely greasy. The deputy station chief's face had turned black from walking along the way.
He was still outside, explaining to the wonton stall owner why can't use a cutting board that's been used to cut meat to chop scallions. He told him to lead a team to inspect Zhou Erwa Restaurant first.
His fingers brushed against an empty table nearby; it was clean and spotless, without a trace of oil.
A large pot stood by the entrance. The stove was spotless, without a single water stain. The ash under the stove had also been wiped clean. A dozen or so oak logs were neatly stacked beside the stove.
The restaurant wasn't closed for the morning yet, but the floor was quite clean, without any sticky, years-old grease.
Zhu Liqiang walked towards the kitchen, already somewhat surprised by the hygiene standards of this small restaurant.
The kitchen had just been bustling with activity; the noodle soup in the pot was still steaming, but the entire kitchen looked clean and tidy, with all the kitchen utensils neatly arranged, and even the stove top was wiped clean.
The noodle toppings were stored in large enamel basins, all covered.
The two epidemic prevention officers looked at him with somewhat strange expressions.
Clean and hygienic—that was probably their immediate thought.
They couldn't find a single flaw.
Not to mention outside, even their own homes couldn't maintain this level of cleanliness.
Today's inspection was very sudden, without prior notice, so this was probably the restaurant's usual practice.
"The hygiene standards are indeed extremely high; I won't find another like it in Suji." Zhu Liqiang nodded slightly.
Not to mention Suji, even in Jiazhou, it would be difficult to find a restaurant with better hygiene than this small establishment.
With this level of cleanliness, it's enough to be a model hygiene restaurant!
This made Zhu Liqiang a little suspicious. They had been notified by the police station to assist in the inspection, but would a restaurant with such extremely high hygiene standards really use diseased pork?
"Comrade, is there anything else we need to cooperate with?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at Zhu Liqiang.
Zhao Tieying and Zhao Hong were also watching him, slightly nervous. This demeanor seemed different from the previous routine inspections.
Zhou Weiguo, who had finished his noodles, was sipping his broth, also watching the scene closely.
Zhu Liqiang glanced at the dozen or so customers still eating noodles in the shop, then looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Our epidemic prevention station received a notice of assistance from the Suji Police Station. Someone reported that your restaurant used pork infected with disease. We are conducting an investigation and need your cooperation. If the allegations are true, you will be punished. If it's a false accusation, we will clear your name."
"Pork infected with disease!"
Oh My God!
Zhou Erwa Restaurant also uses pork infected with disease?!
As soon as those three words were uttered, the customers in the shop stopped eating, turning to look at Zhou Yan in shock.
"Which idiot dares to lie through the teeth! The person is spouting nonsense and not even fears divine retribution!"
"Our spare ribs and second cut pork are bought every morning from Zhang Laosan at the bridgehead for 1.8 yuan a jin. What brute would sell diseased pork for 1.8 yuan?!"
Zhao Tieying abruptly stood up, her eyes red with anger, and said, "You officials, without any evidence, you just spout nonsense! Do you know how hard it is for us small business owners to build a reputation?"
"One sentence from you can ruin my son's hard work!"
Zhu Liqiang instinctively took a half step back. This woman was like a fierce tigress protecting her cubs, her eyes filled with a chilling ferocity.
He moved closer to the two men in hats before speaking, "Madam, we haven't reached a conclusion yet. We're just asking you to cooperate with the investigation. Please calm down."
Zhou Weiguo frowned and stood up.
Zhou Yan couldn't help but laugh, looking at Zhu Liqiang and saying, "Comrade, it was Wang Qi and Wang Laowu who reported me, right?"