Chương 2: Double Pepper Beef Noodles

Zhou Yan began to survey his restaurant. The restaurant was 200 square meters. Excluding a large kitchen, the dining area was about 130 square meters, enough to comfortably accommodate twenty square tables. Electrical wiring provided eight light bulbs. A large portion of the opening cost went towards these tables and chairs, made of high-quality materials. There was also a large open area extending to the riverbank, which could accommodate dozens more tables. The kitchen was quite spacious.

Zhou Yan, who had learned to cook in the factory canteen, had planned the kitchen well, with separate areas for washing, chopping, and cooking vegetables, as well as a separate cold dish preparation area. All kinds of knives and utensils were readily available. A three-burner earthen stove held two large iron pots and a soup pot. Neatly stacked half-person-high split oak logs stood beside the stove.

A three-tiered condiment station was on the stove: the top tier held oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar; the middle tier contained dried spices like Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers; and the bottom tier held fermented bean paste and pickled peppers—everything was provided. There was an empty area next to it, with great potential for expansion. This is exactly why there are so many stationery items for struggling students. A huge sum of over 1300 yuan was spent here.

Most small business owners just start out by setting up a stall; they don't need rent or equipment, focusing on saving money wherever possible. But Zhou Yan really liked this kitchen. These two large iron pots could not only be used for stir-frying, but also for cooking noodles. [Ding! Main Quest Issued: Restaurant Influence Reaches 100 (Gain 1 influence point for each customer's approval) Accept: Yes! No! Quest Success Reward: One random recipe!] A new quest suddenly appeared, and Zhou Yan decisively accepted.

Zhou Yan went out and brought in an eight-immortal table, placing it on the empty space to the right of the entrance. The cypress wood table was still brand new, the planks joined perfectly with dovetail joints, the tabletop planed to a mirror-like smooth surface—Wang the carpenter's craftsmanship was excellent. This was his noodle-making area; a work surface was essential for making handmade noodles.

He took a bag of flour from the cupboard, weighed out a pound, added an appropriate amount of salt and water, and began kneading the dough. Kneading dough was something Zhou Yan had absolutely never done before, and neither had he ever handled pastries. But as soon as he placed his hands on the dough, he unconsciously began kneading it, pushing and pulling with practiced ease. The wrinkled dough was transformed in his hands, becoming smooth and soft in no time.

He covered the dough with an enamel basin, letting it rest for a while before continuing to knead. After three rounds of this, the kneaded dough was ready to be stretched into noodles. While waiting, Zhou Yan checked the shelf next to him. There were still a dozen or so eggs, two handfuls of wilted green and red peppers, and some ginger, garlic, and potatoes that would keep longer. The restaurant hadn't been open yesterday, so naturally, they hadn't prepared any ingredients.

The restaurant didn't have a refrigerator, and the October weather wasn't cold enough yet, so the meat was bought fresh every day. Zhou Yan put his meat coupons and money in his pocket, preparing to go out and buy some beef to make a topping, to try out the vegetables first.

"Brother! Brother! Open the door! It's Momo!" Just then, a knock sounded, accompanied by a soft, sweet little voice, spoken in a Sichuan accent. Zhou Yan's heart skipped a beat. He reached out and pulled the latch, the door opened, and a little bundle of joy rushed in, about to fall to the ground. Zhou Yan reacted quickly, grabbing her by the back of her collar and lifting her up. She was tiny, with delicate, round, chubby cheeks, her face still plump, her cheeks softer than dough, making you want to pinch them.

Zhou Yan looked at the three-and-a-half-year-old girl in front of him. This is... my sister? So cute!

"Eh?" Zhou Momo kicked her short legs a couple of times, realizing she hadn't fallen, and looked up at him expectantly, grinning, "Brother, you're so amazing! You caught me."

"Next time you fall, I might not be able to catch you." Zhou Yan reached out and pinched her cheek; it was indeed soft. But this little one was a beat slow to react, adorably clumsy. His parents had their daughter late in life, this youngest sister, the only daughter in the Zhou family, with five older cousins—truly the darling of the family. Holding Zhou Momo, Zhou Yan looked at the two people standing outside the door.

The tall, thin middle-aged man on the left had dark skin, wore a dark blue Zhongshan suit, his back was straight, the patches on his elbows were neatly stitched, his clothes were old and faded but clean, and his calloused hands carried a piece of beef weighing over a pound.

The middle-aged woman on the right was not tall, wearing a blue and yellow floral polyester shirt, her skin was fairer than that of the average country woman, and although there were many fine lines around her eyes, her cheeks were rosy, making her look radiant. The woman's eyes, like Zhou Momo's, were big and bright, and she looked at Zhou Yan with a smile. Zhou Yan opened his mouth, but the words "Dad" and "Mom" were completely unfamiliar to him. He had never called them that in his past life.

Although his memories and remaining emotions made him feel close to them, the words were stuck in his throat and he couldn't utter a sound. At this moment, Wang Laowu, who sold noodles at a stall near the factory gate, came up and glanced into the restaurant, muttering, "Didn't they say that Zhou Erwa's restaurant couldn't stay afloat and he jumped into the Qingyi River?" Zhao Tieying's smile immediately turned cold.

She turned around, stared at Wang Laowu, and pointed at him angrily, cursing, "You little devil, you look like a toad, always looking for trouble, useless and crooked, shameless enough to hang yourself!"

"Two eggs hanging under your eyebrows, all you can do is blink but you can't see, why are you making up stories about my son for no reason?"

"You... you woman..." Wang Laowu's face turned red from the scolding.

"You son of a bitch, you never show your face when things are good, but you're all smiles when things are bad! If I hear you say another bad word about my son, I'll tear your mouth apart!" Zhao Tieying continued his barrage of insults. Wang Laowu clenched his fists, about to rush forward. Zhou Miao stepped forward, blocking Zhao Tieying's path, his face cold, a corner of his Zhongshan suit lifted to reveal a boning knife at his waist.

Wang Laowu paused, chuckling awkwardly, "Fourth Brother, your wife is really too crooked." He turned and walked away. Who dared to mess with Zhou Laosi from Killing Cow Village?

"Get the hell out of here!" Zhao Tieying spat at Wang Laowu's retreating back.

"Get out of here!" Zhou Momo also clenched her little fists, calling out in a childish voice. Zhou Yan, feeling a surge of warmth in his heart from being protected for the first time, had always been bullied alone in his past life. He had never experienced such family affection before, and blurted out,"Dad, Mom, what brings you here?" After chasing away Wang Laowu, Zhao Tieying turned around and looked Zhou Yan up and down, saying, "Come see a hero! I heard a hero jumped into the Qingyi River to save a girl.

Zhou Yan, I never knew you had such abilities!" Well, the Sichuan-Chongqing tyrant had transformed into an Onmyoji. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I just happened to be passing by and saw it. I couldn't just stand by and watch someone die," Zhou Yan said, scratching his head.

"Erwa did a good deed too. It's good that she's alright," Zhou Miao chimed in. Zhao Tieying glared at him, but before she could speak, Zhou Miao turned and said, "Your mother is right." Zhou Yan:??? Zhao Tieying clearly had a firm grip on the family hierarchy.

"You could have sculpted a huge Buddha out of mud, but you can't even swim, how dare you jump into the Qingyi River to save someone…" Zhao Tieying's words trailed off, her eyes already red, her voice choked with emotion. Zhou Yan felt a warmth and affection from her that he had once longed for but could never attain. He could imagine how Zhao Tieying and Zhou Miao had rushed to find him upon hearing the news. Their son, 'Zhou Yan,' was dead.

From this day forward, he, inheriting 'Zhou Yan's' memories and some of his emotions, was their son. With both parents alive and a lovely younger sister, Zhou Yan's resentment towards the transmigration completely vanished at this moment.

"Mom, you're right. Next time, I'll definitely act within my capabilities." Zhou Yan nodded earnestly.

"You dare to do it again? I'll break your legs!" Zhao Tieying brandished her fist.

"No, no, not at all." Zhou Yan immediately admitted defeat, putting Zhou Momo down and taking the beef from Zhou Miao's hand, saying, "I was just about to cut some beef to make the sauce. You guys probably haven't had lunch yet, right? I'll make you some double-pepper beef noodles."

"Okay, okay! Momo loves noodles!" Zhou Momo followed Zhou Yan to the kitchen." Yes, we haven't had lunch yet, but when did you learn to make noodles?" Zhao Tieying followed in, looking puzzled.

"I learned a long time ago, I just didn't make any for you before," Zhou Yan said casually. When Xiao Zhou was learning to cook, he lived and ate at the factory and didn't go home often. Zhao Tieying and Zhou Miao didn't really know much about his cooking skills, otherwise they wouldn't have lent him so much money to open this restaurant. Zhou Miao closed the door behind him, pondering for a moment before saying, "Why don't you save this beef for the guests? We're family, we can just make some simple noodles."

"Yes, it's such a good piece of beef brisket, your dad specially saved it for you. We can't afford meat these days," Zhao Tieying nodded in agreement.

"I'm planning to switch to selling noodles starting tomorrow. I should have people try it before I start selling, otherwise I won't feel at ease," Zhou Yan said with a smile. Zhao Tieying and Zhou Miao fell silent upon hearing this. They glanced at the empty wall again; the original menu was gone, leaving only a few glue marks.

"How did it turn into a noodle shop again?" Zhou Miao whispered.

"Who knows?" Zhao Tieying scoffed.

"Only the head of the household knows the cost of oil and salt. If we don't bother with all that fancy stuff, we can lose less money selling noodles. But does this kid really know how to make noodles? There's no shortage of noodle shops in our town." Zhou Yan carried the beef into the kitchen, kneaded the dough again after it had risen, covered it again to let it rise, and then started processing the beef.

The grass-fed yellow beef was of excellent quality, and the brisket was a very sought-after cut, suitable for stir-frying or blanching; you couldn't get any at the supply and marketing cooperative. His father was a butcher in Zhoucun, and Zhoucun was famous for its butchering in the Jiaozhou area. There were five brothers, four of whom were butchers. Because he was the fourth, he was known as Zhou Laosi (Fourth Brother Zhou). He was skilled and had a good reputation. Butchers make a living with their skills.

His father could earn sixty or seventy yuan a month butchering cattle, more than an ordinary worker in a silk factory. The family was well-off, so they could afford to give him five hundred yuan in savings to open a shop and raise their chubby little Zhou Momo. Zhou Yan opened this restaurant, which drained his and his wife's savings and left them with a debt. He'd certainly experienced firsthand what it meant to be a "daddy's boy."

However, having a butcher as a father made buying beef much easier, and the prices were more reliable than on the black market. A pound of beef cost 1. 2 yuan at the supply and marketing cooperative, but 2. 8 yuan on the black market—more than double the price. Meat from the cooperative was hard to get with ration coupons; even queuing at dawn didn't guarantee you'd get the cut you wanted. The beef was first cut into strips, then into small cubes.

A handful of pickled peppers and ginger from the pickling jar were also diced. Peeled garlic was smashed and then chopped to ensure a textured feel. Bright red chili peppers and vibrant green Erjingtiao peppers were sliced into rings and then chopped, then placed in a bowl for later use. Zhou Yan's knife skills were indeed quite good now; his hands could easily keep up with his brain.

"He's amazing!" Zhou Momo pulled up a small stool to watch, exclaiming in amazement, providing plenty of emotional support. After preparing the vegetables, Zhou Yan kneaded the dough again, until it became soft and smooth. Two pots were lit simultaneously, one for boiling water and the other for stir-frying vegetables. Zhou Momo couldn't sit still any longer. She ran to the side, grabbed a piece of oak wood almost as tall as herself, and trudged back, looking at Zhou Yan proudly: "Brother, look how capable I am!"

"Impressive," Zhou Yan praised with a smile. Praised, Zhou Momo became even more energetic, carrying the wood into the stove, muttering, "I'll feed the stove." Once the pot was hot, she poured in a ladle of rapeseed oil, then Zhou Yan scooped a small ladle of white lard from an enamel basin and added it to the pot. Zhao Tieying stood at the kitchen door, craning her neck to watch, and immediately looked pained:"This kid, two ladles of oil are enough for our family to cook for a week!"

"More oil makes the vegetables more fragrant. Home cooking is definitely different from a restaurant. Erwa is a professional chef, after all," Zhou Miao said with a smile.

"Professionalism? My twice-cooked pork isn't even as fragrant as yours," Zhao Tieying muttered.

"That's right," Zhou Miao nodded hurriedly. Zhou Yan's mind was completely focused on the wok in front of him. He knew exactly how to make double-pepper beef, but since it was his first time doing it, he was still a little nervous. The oil was hot, and the ground beef was added first. The wok sizzled, and the spatula quickly separated the meat pieces, instantly releasing a rich aroma. The ground beef quickly changed color in the hot oil.

When the ground beef was slightly browned, pickled ginger, pickled peppers, and minced garlic were added, along with a little soy sauce and oyster sauce. The aroma was immediately released.

"Glug." Zhou Momo swallowed loudly, standing on tiptoe and trying to peek at the stove, peeking out half her head.

"It smells so good!"

"Don't get splashed with oil," Zhao Tieying quickly picked her up, also unable to resist peeking into the wok. The aroma was truly tempting; Zhou Yan's cooking never tasted like this before. Season with salt and a little MSG, then add chopped millet peppers and Erjingtiao peppers, stir-fry evenly, and pour into a clay bowl. A plate of double-pepper beef topping is ready.

The glistening green and red peppers are vibrant in color, the slightly browned minced meat is distinct, and the spiciness and meaty aroma blend together, making it extremely tempting. Even Zhao Tieying and Zhou Miao, who had been busy all morning, couldn't help but swallow hard. This topping looks really good! I wonder what it tastes like?