Chương 47: All Fished into Upturned Mouths

Wang Hongliang and Li Meiling looked at Zhou Yan upon hearing the voice, both somewhat surprised by his youth. Zhou Yan was wearing a white cotton shirt, tall and thin, with short, neat hair, looking about eighteen or nineteen years old, still with a youthful air. Most young men like this were still apprentices in the factory canteen. They never expected him to already be the owner of a private restaurant.

Seeing that Zhou Yan's clothes were clean and tidy, without any old grease stains, and his nails were trimmed very short with clean crevices, Li Meiling felt a bit more favorably disposed towards him. Many chefs spend all year in the kitchen, giving off a greasy feeling, their fingers either yellowed from smoking or full of grime, making them unpleasant to look at.

"Factory Director, this is Xiao Zhou. He's the one who treated the teachers and students from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute last time. The university students ate there twice and said it was delicious," Lin Zhiqiang introduced with a smile.

"Then your cooking must be excellent to make those kids want to eat there again after just one meal," Wang Hongliang said with a smile.

"Factory Director, you flatter me. It's my honor that the students and teachers are here. I'm also happy that they enjoyed the meal," Zhou Yan said with a smile. Wang Hongliang nodded. Zhou Yan spoke humbly and politely, and his poise and generosity made him feel more favorably disposed towards him. Many young people of his age in the factory were so nervous around him that they couldn't speak coherently. Zhou Yan then greeted Lin Zhiqiang and Meng Anhe.

Lin Zhiqiang called him "Uncle Lin," and Meng Anhe called him "Sister Meng." Lin Zhiqiang didn't react much, but Meng Anhe's face lit up with a smile. Who doesn't like being called younger, especially when adults call her "Auntie"? It always makes her feel old. Little Zhou, indeed, is a good person—sweet-talking and sensible. As everyone entered, Wang Hongliang first looked at the stove near the entrance. He had previously noticed the sign "Qiaojiao Beef" on the stove.

The large pot, about a meter in diameter, was half full of broth, clear in color, but the aroma of beef was exceptionally rich. The stove was spotless, without a single water stain.

"This 'Qiaojiao Beef,' is that your Zhoucun hot pot?" Wang Hongliang paused, looking at Zhou Yan and asking. He had worked at the Jiaozhou Textile Factory for over twenty years, and he was very familiar with Zhoucun hot pot.

"This is our Zhoucun family's ancestral hot pot. I researched the secret recipe passed down from my ancestors and made a few minor innovations. I simmer it for eight hours with more than ten kinds of Chinese herbs and spices to create this broth, which is a bit different from other places. You'll know once you try it." Zhou Yan explained with a smile, "Hot pot, also called 'Qiaojiao Beef,' is a name that has been used for a long time, but I think this name is more distinctive."

"It sounds more intriguing than 'hot pot,' making us want to try it." Wang Hongliang nodded. Zhou Yan didn't try to be mysterious.

"Young people, you're quick-witted." Everyone sat down at an octagonal table with long benches. Two people could sit on each side without feeling cramped, and it was just right for the four adults and three children. The seats Zhou Yan had arranged for them were perfect for seeing the wooden menu hanging on the wall. The restaurant was simply decorated, but clean and tidy, making people feel comfortable.

"Your menu is quite interesting; it's the first time I've seen one like this in Suji. It's just that there are only five dishes, a bit few," Wang Hongliang said, looking up at the menu.

"Yes, that's quite common in Chengdu restaurants," Meng Anhe added, noting that the menu was different from the one she'd seen last time.

"We just started selling stir-fried and braised dishes today, so the menu is still relatively small. We'll gradually add more later," Zhou Yan explained with a smile.

"Right now, I'm the only one in the kitchen. If we add more dishes, we won't be able to handle it all. My mom says that if you sculpt a big Buddha out of clay, you have to make sure every dish is delicious and the customers are satisfied."

"Hmm, you only know if someone is a good chef after you've tasted them, but having this kind of awareness shows he could be a good boss," Wang Hongliang said, looking at Zhou Yan with admiration. Meng Anhe also glanced at him a few more times; Zhou Yan's demeanor was indeed much better than that of an average chef, and he seemed more mature and reliable than his peers.

"Factory Manager, since there aren't many dishes anyway, why don't we order one of everything to try?" Lin Zhiqiang suggested, also very satisfied with Zhou Yan's performance.

"Alright, we'll go with the flow," Wang Hongliang nodded.

"Please have a seat, everyone. The dishes will be served soon," Zhou Yan said, turning and going into the kitchen. By this time, many workers had already noticed Wang Hongliang and Lin Zhiqiang sitting in the restaurant. These were the factory director and deputy director; they hadn't expected to eat at Zhou Erwa's restaurant together. The textile factory managers saw them and came over to greet them, then sat down in the restaurant as well.

Since both factory directors were eating there, they wanted to try it out and see if this small restaurant was any good. This made Zhao Tieying very happy; she had been worried that the dishes she had prepared today wouldn't sell. However, no one ordered the braised crucian carp with mint; everyone was waiting for the factory directors' table to try it first. It cost two yuan a serving, not cheap.

While the adults were ordering, three little boys had already set their sights on the little girl sitting on the high stool behind the counter, their faces full of curiosity and their eyes shining.

"She's so small!" If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"So cute!"

"Cuter than the girls in our class!" Li Meilin followed her grandson's gaze and her eyes also lit up. Zhou Momo was tiny, with a delicate, sculpted face, big, round eyes, and still-chubby cheeks that looked softer than dough, making you want to pinch them. She was tilting her head, staring at them, so cute and playful that you couldn't help but exclaim, "Such a sweet girl!"

"Pretty Auntie!" Sliding down the chair leg, Zhou Momo ran over and approached Meng Anhe, calling out in a clear voice, "Where's Sister Yaoyao? Did she come?" She remembered this pretty auntie; Sister Yaoyao had come to eat noodles with her last time. Meng Anhe hadn't expected the little one to remember her. She smiled and pinched Zhou Momo's cheek; it was indeed soft and cuddly, making her heart flutter. She shook her head and said, "Yaoyao didn't come. She'll come next time."

" Oh..." Zhou Momo was a little disappointed. However, she still greeted the adults at the table. Calling them "Grandma" and "Grandpa" made Li Meilin and Wang Hongliang incredibly happy; their grandson was well-behaved, but his voice wasn't as sweet as the little girl's.

"These parents have raised them well; both kids are poised and polite," Wang Hongliang said with a smile. Meng Anhe nodded slightly in agreement. Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen had already come over from either side, stretching out their little fingers, wanting to poke her chubby little face.

"Guoguo," Zhou Momo looked at the two and asked in confusion, "What are you doing?" The two paused, somewhat embarrassed, and withdrew their hands. Wang Hao also slid off the stool and joined them:"I'm Guoguo too, you should call me that too." Zhou Momo turned to look at him and nodded,"You're Little Pot."

"Yes, yes, yes." Wang Hao nodded, took three candies out of his pocket, and stuffed them all into Zhou Momo's hand,"Little sister is giving you candy, all of it is for you!"

"Thank you, Little Pot." Zhou Momo smiled sweetly. The adults watching this scene all burst into laughter.

"He finally managed to get three candies from his mom before leaving home, and he treasured them so much. He didn't even want to eat them on the way. Just one 'little pot' and he emptied his pockets. I wonder what kind of girls will swoon over him when he grows up," Li Meilin said, beaming.

"I have candy too!"

"I also have a chocolate." Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen eagerly reached into their pockets. Soon, Zhou Momo held out her two little hands, which were filled with snacks. The four children quickly started playing together.

"Is Xiao Zhou Master Xiao Lei's apprentice?" Wang Hongliang asked Lin Zhiqiang.

"Yes, Xiao Zhou learned his skills from Master Xiao," Lin Zhiqiang replied.

"Xiao Lei's cooking skills are not bad," Wang Hongliang nodded, no longer having high expectations. His family had been cooks for generations. He had been a cook in the army when he was young, and after being discharged, he went to work on the production line in a textile factory. When Xiao Lei was an apprentice in the canteen, he was already a production line foreman.

Among his fellow apprentices, his talent and culinary skills were considered decent, but still a step behind his master, and he was only a level two chef. After Wang Hongliang became a factory leader, he frequently traveled for work, eating at famous Sichuan restaurants like Rongcheng Restaurant, Rongleyuan Restaurant, and Yulong Restaurant. He had witnessed the culinary skills of level one chefs, and even master chefs, so his horizons had naturally broadened.

Xiao Lei's culinary skills were quite good for a level two chef, and if he could make further progress, he would have a chance to be promoted to level one chef in a couple of years. But Zhou Yan was too young. He estimated that Zhou Yan had only been learning from Xiao Lei for two or three years. In that short time, he might not even have mastered knife skills, let alone learned much of Xiao Lei's culinary skills.

He knew that Zhou Yan had saved Lin Zhiqiang's niece and intended to give him some pointers, which Wang Hongliang completely understood. Moreover, he also liked young Zhou Yan's heroic act of risking his life to save someone, as well as his humble attitude today. Giving young people some tolerance and opportunities was something he was always willing to do. However, he was quite particular about food. Over the years, unless there was an emergency at the factory, he always ate at home.

His wife would buy the groceries, and he would cook. His son, daughter-in-law, and grandson all loved his cooking, saying it was better than the state-run restaurant in town. He would definitely give a good critique of today's meal, as a way of giving the younger generation some pointers. He was quite skilled at cooking, easily qualifying as a second-level chef. The group chatted idly.

Lin Zhiqiang and Wang Hongliang discussed cooking techniques enthusiastically, while Meng Anhe and Li Meilin talked about the latest clothes at the Rongcheng Department Store. Zhao Tieying, while eating tripe, listened intently to Meng Anhe's conversation. When she heard that her wool coat cost 120 yuan, she couldn't help but gasp. So expensive! Zhou Miao would have to slaughter nearly two months' worth of cattle to afford one. But it was undeniably beautiful!

On Meng Anhe, with her big, wavy hair, it looked incredibly stylish and gorgeous. Zhao Hong brought out a tray, and the first dish on their table was stir-fried beef with two kinds of peppers, placed in the center with a ladle on the side. Wang Hongliang immediately sat up straight, looking at the bright, oily, green and red stir-fried beef, sniffing it, his eyes lighting up: "Wow, this stir-fried beef looks pretty good!" (End of Chapter)