Chương 74: Zhou Yan, stop the car!!!

Zhou Yan paused, his eyes lighting up instantly. This game is something else! He hadn't even expected to complete the task; he couldn't possibly take away the old lady's old braising liquid. That would be too filial. Unexpectedly, the clever system could keep up with the progress and evaluate the task.

"What does 'Complete Collection of Braised Food (Incomplete)' mean?" Zhou Yan carefully put the jar down, glanced at the empty doorway, and selected to open the reward. In an instant, countless messages flooded his mind, swirling rapidly. In a daze, he saw that small, dark room again. In front of a large braising pot, he was putting various ingredients into it; the steam carrying a rich aroma of braising liquid wafted towards him, blurring his vision.

The next instant, Zhou Yan opened his eyes, his gaze clear again. His mind was now filled with various braised food recipes, covering all pork products: braised pig's trotters, pig's ears, pig's snout, braised pork belly, pig's knuckle, pig's tail, braised ribs, braised pork intestines… In addition, there was a series of braised vegetables: lotus root slices, potatoes, dried bean curd sticks, tofu skin, kelp, bamboo shoots…

Basically, all the classic vegetarian dishes were included, with lotus root slices, dried bean curd sticks, and bamboo shoots being his favorites. Then Zhou Yan also noticed the missing sections of the Braised Food Encyclopedia: braised duck products, braised chicken products, braised beef products, advanced braising liquid cooking methods, advanced braising liquid maintenance methods… Zhou Yan gritted his teeth; this system was too much!

He had already obtained half of the old braising liquid, yet so much was missing! And most importantly, the crucial "Advanced Braising Liquid Cooking Method" and "Advanced Braising Liquid Maintenance Method" were also missing. If it weren't for his reliable grandmother, even if he mastered the techniques for braising pork products and vegetables, he would be like a skilled cook without ingredients. Looking at the dull-colored chicken, duck, and beef products, Zhou Yan was genuinely tempted.

But then he thought better of it. Suji Town didn't have large-scale chicken and duck slaughterhouses, so they couldn't get fresh chicken feet, legs, or duck heads in bulk; they could only make braised chicken and duck. A single braised duck cost over three yuan, and selling three to five a day was considered good—not a sure thing. In comparison, the market for braised pork was clearly much larger, appealing to all ages. Braised pig ears and snouts were popular snacks with drinks.

As for braised beef, he could learn from Grandma Zhang Shufen; it was her specialty. The most important thing about braising food was the braising liquid, followed by the heat. He didn't need to worry about the braising liquid now; as for controlling the braising time and heat, Zhou Yan decided to buy a watch sometime. Experience was often less reliable than science. Zhou Yan went out for a stroll and brought back a strong man.

Zhou Hongwei, nineteen years old this year, is a generation younger than him and has to call him uncle. He's not tall, but very strong and muscular, wearing a vest. He dropped out of junior high school and started working with his father at the Suji Wharf, carrying and loading goods. He has a lot of strength.

"Hongwei, how much can you carry in one load?" Zhou Yan asked curiously.

"Three hundred and fifty jin, no problem. Even my old man might not be able to carry as much as me." Zhou Hongwei grinned, showing off his muscles to Zhou Yan, looking proud: "Now I'm not afraid of anyone at the wharf."

"Impressive." Zhou Yan was somewhat impressed by his strength. Zhou Yan was actually quite strong, and cooking was also physical work, but he couldn't compare to the porters. Their work was purely physical, and couldn't be simply described as physical labor.

"Zhou Yan, is that pickled cabbage in the jar?" Zhou Hongwei, sitting on the back seat with the jar in his arms, asked curiously. Although Zhou Yan was a generation older than him, they were only a year apart in age and had grown up together, only pretending to call him "uncle" in front of elders. Normally, even if he did call him that, Zhou Yan would be too embarrassed to respond.

"It's not pickled cabbage, it's old braising liquid." Zhou Yan carefully avoided the potholes and pebbles on the road. In those days, the village roads were still dirt roads, full of potholes and in terrible condition.

"You dare take Zhang Zuzu's old braising liquid! You didn't steal it, did you?" Zhou Hongwei's face turned pale upon hearing this.

"You... you stop, I won't help you carry it!" Zhou Hongwei, who was fearless at the dock, was now genuinely scared. Zhang Zuzu was a respected elder in Zhou Village, and everyone knew her braised dishes were top-notch. During the New Year, close relatives and neighbors would bring beef and pig heads to ask Zhang Zuzu to braise a pot for them. Zhang Zuzu didn't charge money, at most a pig's ear or a piece of beef shank as a processing fee.

His grandfather and grandfather's favorite treat every Chinese New Year was Aunt Zhang's braised pig's head and ears. They would divide it into several portions, eating it sparingly, and the two of them could enjoy it with wine from the first day of the new year to the fifteenth. Whenever Aunt Zhang needed anything, they would come running without hesitation. Zhou Hongwei didn't dare imagine what would happen if Zhou Yan really stole Aunt Zhang's old braising liquid.

As an accomplice, he would be severely beaten after the matter was exposed! This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Zhou Yan, stop the car!!!" Zhou Hongwei shouted, his hands trembling as he held the jar.

"Don't scream. This old braising liquid was given to me by my grandmother to take to the shop. Am I crazy? To steal her old braising liquid? My mother and father would beat me to death." Zhou Yan laughed, "Hold on tight, or you'll be finished if you drop it or spill it."

"Huh?" Zhou Hongwei was still a little skeptical.

"Huh!"

"Okay, I believe you then. Ride slowly, don't shake me off." Zhou Hongwei hugged the jar tightly, believing Zhou Yan's words. Zhang Zuzu was too authoritative; even Zhou Yan, no matter how unruly, wouldn't dare to act presumptuously in front of her.

"Are you going to start selling braised food? Have you learned how?" Zhou Hongwei asked, his face showing more anticipation. Zhang Zuzu's braised food was delicious, but he could only snatch a few pieces from his father and grandfather during the New Year. If Zhou Yan learned how, he could buy it anytime!

"I guarantee I'll learn it. Come and try it next week," Zhou Yan said confidently with a smile. They returned to the restaurant without any major incidents. Zhou Hongwei carried the jar into the shop and placed it in the kitchen, shaking his slightly numb hands.

"Didn't you say you could easily carry 350 jin? Why are you grimacing while carrying a jar?" Zhou Yan laughed, picking up a bottle of Tianfu Cola he'd bought on the way and handing it to him.

"I was holding you so tightly, I was afraid you'd fall the whole way, my neck is a little numb." Zhou Hongwei took the Coke, took a sip, burped, and let out a long sigh of relief. Zhou Yan smiled and patted his shoulder:"You've worked hard, have lunch at the shop before you go."

"No need, it's still early for lunch. I'm going to the dock to unload goods anyway, and this place is closer. I'm leaving now, I'll come back for lunch next time." Zhou Hongwei took the Coke and walked towards the door, saying goodbye to Zhao Tieying and Zhao Hong.

"I'll walk you there." Zhou Yan moved the jar to a corner and followed him out.

"Walk my foot, it's just a short walk, you go about your business." Zhou Hongwei waved his hand and walked away without looking back.

"What did you ask Hongwei to bring back?" Aunt Zhao asked Zhou Yan, turning around as she skimmed the foam from the broth. Zhao Hong, who was mopping the floor, also looked at him.

"Grandma's old brine," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"What?"

"You stole it?!" they both exclaimed in unison. As daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law, they knew all too well how much the old lady treasured this pot of brine. They wouldn't even dare touch it, let alone use it; the old lady would really get angry. Zhou Yan had just brought it back like that?

"Quickly bring it back to your grandma! I'll go with you!" Aunt Zhao said anxiously, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Grandma gave me this half-pot of old braising liquid herself. She told me to bring it back first, and she'll come over tomorrow morning to help cook it." Zhou Yan smiled and stopped Zhao Niangniang, who was running towards the kitchen.

"She wants to pass on this skill to me." Zhao Niangniang was a little shocked after hearing this. She thought for a moment, but still didn't quite believe it: "Oh, right?"

"Oh, right." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile and let go of her hand.

"I'm not a fool. Would I do something like stealing old braising liquid? If you don't believe me, go back and ask Grandma yourself tonight."

"That's good." Zhao Niangniang breathed a sigh of relief. Her heart had been in her throat just now. She didn't dare to think about how to explain it to the old lady when she got back. Although the old lady never made things difficult for her daughters-in-law, her authority was undeniable, and they wouldn't dare to do anything that crossed her bottom line. Zhao Hong laughed, "That means Grandma trusts Zhou Yan's cooking skills, which is why she entrusted the braised dishes to him."

"Enough talk, I'll go boil this old braising liquid first. If it spoils in the next couple of days, Grandma will kill me." Zhou Yan went into the kitchen, took out the large aluminum pot that had already been boiled, and pondered how to make a makeshift stove.

After closing at noon, Zhou Miao and he used stones and bricks to build a makeshift stove on the riverbank, set up the large aluminum pot to boil the braising liquid, and then carefully carried it back to the restaurant, put it back into the jar to cool, and covered it with a gauze to keep out mosquitoes, not daring to touch it again.

"Now we're just waiting for Grandma to come and help boil the braising liquid." Zhou Yan rubbed his hands together. He couldn't help but look forward to Zhang's Braised Dishes being reborn and becoming famous again in Jiaozhou! Um… when doing the accounting, I realized I forgot one day, so I changed inviting the old lady the day after tomorrow to tomorrow. The previous chapter has also been patched. (End of Chapter)