Chương 18: Aunt Zhao's scolding was well done!

"Comrades... you must have made a mistake. How could I use diseased pork..." Wang Laowu said in a panic, his face ashen. Wang Defa, who had been so arrogant just moments before, suddenly changed his expression, instinctively taking two steps back, his eyes darting around as if trying to find a place to run away. The customers sitting at the noodle stall immediately erupted in an uproar.

"Diseased pork! What has Wang Laowu been buying diseased pork for all this time?"

"What else could he be doing? He's definitely using it to make meat sauce! This bastard is truly rotten to the core!"

"He's letting us eat diseased pork for free, what a disgrace!" Originally, seeing Wang Laowu's remorseful attitude, everyone thought it was barely acceptable. Diseased pork for meat sauce, who could stand that? The key is that it's been going on for a long time and in large quantities! In other words, Wang Laowu's noodle shop had been using diseased pork to make meat sauce and toppings for everyone all along.

Some regulars at Wang Laowu's noodle stall were already feeling dizzy, with itchy throats and general discomfort. The onlookers quickly retreated, keeping their distance from Wang Laowu's stall. Luckily, Comrade "Hat" arrived just in time! What a close call! They almost sat down!

"It's a mistake, it must be a mistake!" Liu Fen cried out, her voice trembling.

"Wang Qi, the knife maker at the farmers' market, has confessed. You, Wang Dewei, are the first on the list!" Uncle "Hat" stepped forward and handcuffed Wang Laowu's wrist with a silver bracelet, saying sternly, "Confess and you'll be treated leniently; resist and you'll be punished severely! You two had better tell the truth when you get to the station!"

"Ah—" Wang Laowu and Liu Fen exclaimed, collapsing to the ground simultaneously, their faces filled with panic, their eyes instinctively glancing at Wang Defa. Wang Defa walked away without looking back, his legs swinging incredibly fast, almost running. The commotion was so great that even the customers at Zhou Yan's restaurant squeezed to the doorway with their noodles, craning their necks and straining their ears, afraid of missing any crucial information.

Many others even ran out from the factory to watch the spectacle; such a scene of "Uncle Hat" arresting people was a rare sight. Wang Laowu's noodle stall had been set up at the factory gate for quite some time, and many people had eaten his noodles. Hearing that he used diseased pork, the crowd was instantly enraged.

"Damn it, they dare to feed customers diseased pork! Making dirty money, may their children be born without an anus!" Zhao Tieying was the first to step forward, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at Wang Laowu and his wife, angrily cursing, "If the Kitchen God lifts the lid on your pot—the underworld's accounts are clear!" A cheer erupted from the crowd.

"Aunt Zhao's words are well said!" Wang Laowu and Liu Fang lowered their heads, not daring to raise them, like two rats being carried onto the vehicle. Zhou Yan stood at the door with his arms crossed; his height meant that even with two rows of female workers in front of him, it didn't obstruct his view of the spectacle. The Wang couple deserved what they got. The efficiency of the epidemic prevention station was surprisingly high; they'd found Wang Laowu by noon. The complaint letter hadn't been written in vain.

He watched Wang Defa leave quickly. The obese Director Wang looked quite flustered. He'd just said Wang Laowu was using pork from the factory canteen, just as good. Could it be that the factory canteen was also using Wang Qi's diseased pork? Zhou Yan recalled some memories of his apprenticeship at the factory canteen. His master, Xiao Lei, had argued with Wang Defa over the poor quality of the pork the canteen purchased, and was demoted from head chef to kitchen helper.

The hot-blooded young Zhou Yan had stood up for his master and caused a scene, resulting in his dismissal. He didn't think Wang Defa was any good, but he had no evidence yet. He'd see if Uncle Hat could pry something out of Wang Qi.

"Please rest assured, everyone, this matter will be resolved, and the perpetrators will pay the price!" Gao Tianlei said loudly to the crowd, glancing towards the restaurant and spotting a tall, thin figure that looked vaguely familiar.

"Comrade, I've been eating noodles at Wang Laowu's place for months. What if I get sick?" Wang Jianming said with a worried look on his face. He was a regular customer at Wang Laowu's noodle stall.

"Me too," Liu Laoba said with a similarly distressed expression. Many other victims were also in a bad mood, wondering if they had gotten sick from the food. Gao Tianlei raised his hand to calm everyone down and said loudly, "Don't worry, everyone. I'll have Xiao Zheng write down your information and names…" Wang Laowu and his wife were taken away, and the remaining bowls of unused toppings and sauces were taken away by the epidemic prevention station staff for investigation.

The noodle stall was confiscated by Uncle Hat. Wang Laowu's noodle stall, which had just made a big show of challenging Zhou Erwa's restaurant and determined to bring Zhou Yan down, went bankrupt just like that. Selling leftovers, and since the customers didn't get sick, they could only condemn him on a moral level. He salvaged a lot of his reputation and goodwill by offering free noodles. But selling diseased pork is a different story.

From today onwards, all the workers in the textile factory will know that Wang Laowu's noodle stall uses diseased pork for its meat sauce and toppings. Who would dare to eat there? Moreover, buying diseased pork in large quantities and using it to make noodle sauce and toppings over a long period is a serious crime that should get Wang Laowu and his wife into serious trouble. Who knows when they'll be released?

"You can't be like Wang Laowu. We can earn less money, but we can't lose our conscience. Otherwise, people will talk behind our backs." Back in the kitchen, Zhao Tieying earnestly reminded Zhou Yan.

"Yes, I'll make sure the customers feel safer eating there than at home." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. [Ding, Wang Laowu has been arrested, the noodle stall has closed down, mission complete! A somewhat uneventful business battle. Reward: "Perfect Steamed Rice Steaming Guide"] If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. The system notification popped up. Zhou Yan glanced at the reward, frowned, and thought, "That's it?

Are there any special techniques for steaming rice?" Although Comrade Zhou's cooking skills sometimes resulted in undercooked rice or burnt rice at the bottom when steaming large pots of rice, the rice grains tended to stick together, and the aroma wasn't quite as strong... well, this perfect steamed rice guide is quite suitable for him. He's already preparing to sell braised beef, which definitely needs to be served with rice.

Rice steamed in a wooden steamer is the softest and sweetest, enhancing the flavor of the dishes. After he finishes his work today, he'll study this rice-steaming guide more carefully. With Wang Laowu arrested, the customers who had been watching the commotion with their noodles returned to the shop to continue eating, giving Zhou Erwa's restaurant a great advertisement. Many greedy workers, drawn by the aroma, entered the shop and ordered a bowl of noodles to try.

Zhao Tieying, straightforward and outspoken, hated evil, and her fiery temper won the favor of many young workers, who affectionately called her "Aunt Zhao." This delighted Zhao Tieying, and she always served a dish of pickled radish with her noodles. The sour, spicy, and crunchy pickled radish instantly became a favorite among the customers. After eating a few bites of noodles, it felt a bit greasy.

A bite of pickled radish, with its crisp texture, sour and spicy flavor, cut through the richness—a perfect match for the noodles! To get another plate of pickled radish, the customers called out "Aunt Zhao" even more gently. It was almost one o'clock when all the customers left the shop, and it was time for the factory to start work. Zhao Tieying hummed a little tune as she cleared the bowls, her steps unusually light.

"Aunt Zhao seems quite happy today," Zhou Yan said with a smile. We sold fifty-two bowls of noodles at noon today, making up for all the noodles we missed this morning. We'll definitely sell out the hundred portions of toppings we prepared.

"Of course, everyone enjoyed their meal. They all praised our noodles and the pickled cabbage, saying they'll come back next time," Zhao Tieying said with a smile.

"I've heard more compliments today than in my entire life, so of course I'm in a great mood."

"It's just that you've worked hard," Zhou Yan said, helping to clear the table. Hearing the customers' praise also put him in a very good mood. The role reversal—from a customer in his previous life to a restaurant owner—was indeed a new experience.

"Just carrying plates and washing dishes, what a tiring job," Aunt Zhao waved casually, glancing towards the door.

"But why are you so late closing up today, old man? Usually, you'll be sold out by now."

"Brother, I'm hungry," Zhou Momo said sweetly, tugging at Zhou Yan's trouser leg. Creak. A bicycle stopped in front of the restaurant. Zhou Miao stepped inside, swaying slightly at the doorway before grabbing the doorpost for support.

"What's wrong?" Zhao Tieying tossed aside her towel and rushed over to help Zhou Miao.

"Dad!" Zhou Yan hurried forward; Zhou Miao's complexion was pale, his lips were dry and chapped, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

"It's nothing. I caught a chill this morning from the cold wind. I'll be fine after a nap," Zhou Miao explained gently with a forced smile.

"Dad, are you sick?" Zhou Momo ran over, looking up at Zhou Miao.

"I'll take you to get a shot."

"My dear daughter, Dad's fine. I don't need a shot," Zhou Miao patted Zhou Momo's head and smiled.

"Come on, sit down first. I'll get you some water." Zhao Tieying helped Zhou Miao to the table.

"How about some beef bone soup? I added some Chinese herbs; it'll help dispel the cold," Zhou Yan suggested, hurrying towards the kitchen. The beef bone broth, simmering for eight hours on the honeycomb briquette stove, bubbled gently. Lifting the lid released a fragrant aroma of meat, a complex blend of spices and herbs, making it even more enticing. Zhou Yan took a ceramic bowl, ladled out a bowl of broth, sprinkled some chopped scallions, and placed a ladle in it.

"Dad, have some soup first, it'll warm you up and make you feel better," Zhou Yan said.

"I'll go get the soup pot, you can go upstairs for a nap after dinner."

"Okay," Zhou Miao replied. The aroma of meat wafted up with the steam, seemingly clearing his groggy head. Just as he picked up the ladle, he saw Zhou Momo climbing onto a stool beside him, the little girl gazing at the broth and swallowing hard.

"Momo, do you want some?" Zhou Miao asked, looking at her.

"You eat yours, I'll get her some," Zhao Tieying said, pressing down on his bowl.

"Daddy, eat first. Eating will help you get better. Momo isn't hungry." Zhou Momo shook her head and said earnestly, "I'll eat meat later."

"Okay." Zhou Miao replied, lowering her head to drink a sip of the hot soup. The soup was slightly hot on her tongue, and the umami flavor rushed to her head. The Chinese herbs and spices blended perfectly in the soup, enhancing the aroma and flavor without any strange taste. It tasted completely different from the soup made by Zhao Tieying. It was so much better, so delicious that it made her eyebrows fall off!

Ladle after ladle, blowing on it gently and drinking it in big gulps, the bowl of soup was gone in no time. Zhou Miao felt warm all over, her forehead and back were covered in sweat, and she felt indescribably comfortable.

"Is it good?" Zhao Tieying asked with a smile.

"Mmm, it's so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off." Zhou Miao smacked her lips, savoring the taste, then added, "It's almost the same as yours."

"Here it is." Zhou Yan carried a double-handled iron pot out of the kitchen and placed it in the center of the table. A bed of cabbage, topped with beef intestines and tendon, and then thinly sliced beef and tripe—a small pot overflowing with flavor. A sprinkle of scallions and cilantro garnished the top, making it look incredibly tempting.