Chapter 21: How does it taste?

“Old Man Wang sells his noodles for thirty cents a bowl, and yet wasn't he driven out of business by me selling them for sixty cents?” Zhou Yan placed the oxtail bones at the bottom of the pot and said with a smile, “Besides, our soup pot uses generous ingredients. It’s not just offal; there’s beef too, and the Chinese medicinal herbs we add are quite expensive.”

“Of course, most importantly, the taste is good. It’s worth sixty cents.”

“Exactly! This soup pot Zhou Yan makes tastes absolutely superb; people will definitely flock to it!” Zhao Hong said as she carried two buckets of well water out and poured them into the large pot.

For the past two days, Zhao Tieying had been learning how to make Qiaojiao Beef, and Zhao Hong had been eating it with her, so she had quite a say in the matter.

Hearing this, Zhao Tieying also smiled and nodded. “Fine, we’ll do it your way. You’re the boss, you call the shots.”

By the time they opened for business in the morning, the beef bone soup in the large pot had already been simmering for two hours. The aroma of the beef bone soup, mingled with the fragrance of spices and Chinese herbs, seeped through the gaps in the wooden lid and drifted into the stream of bicycles heading to the textile factory.

“Smells so good! Is someone stewing beef soup this early in the morning?”

“It smells like beef soup, but the aroma is so unique. Smelling it this early is making me hungry.”

Following the scent, the workers began looking toward Zhou Erwa’s Restaurant.

A conspicuous large pot stood at the entrance of the restaurant. Everyone had noticed it over the last two days, but today, several large characters had been painted in red on the side facing outward.

“Qiaojiao Beef? What’s that?”

“It’s probably the soup pot from Zhou Village. Quite a few people from Zhou Village who slaughter cattle sell beef offal soup, but this smells different. It doesn't have that gamey, stinky smell like the one I had last time.”

“It’s written right there: beef offal soup stewed with Chinese medicinal herbs. It’s even an ancestral secret recipe.”

Some workers leaned in to take a closer look, while others were there just to eat noodles.

“Auntie Zhao, what exactly is this Qiaojiao Beef? Can we eat it this morning?” a female worker asked, looking at Zhao Tieying, who was standing by the door.

The workers also turned their gazes toward Zhao Tieying.

“Qiaojiao Beef is an ancestral medicinal dish from Zhou Village, where we slaughter cattle. Not only is it delicious, but it also has the effect of dispelling cold and dampness,” Zhao Tieying said with a beaming smile. “You can’t eat it this morning. This soup needs to simmer for eight hours. Come by after you finish work at noon, and you’ll catch the very first batch of soup. It’s at its freshest and most delicious then. You’ll know once you taste it.”

“Simmer for eight hours?”

The workers were somewhat tongue-tied upon hearing this.

However, Auntie Zhao had indeed piqued their curiosity.

A "medicinal dish"—it sounded quite high-end.

Even the customers who came in for noodles would ask a few casual questions.

Auntie Zhao answered every question, but she strictly followed the script Zhou Yan had trained her with over the last two days: she only mentioned "Qiaojiao Beef" and never used the term "soup pot."

This kept the customers' curiosity piqued.

The sale of Qiaojiao Beef at Zhou Erwa’s Restaurant gained its first wave of word-of-mouth publicity.

Once the morning service ended, they began preparing for the lunch rush.

“Auntie Zhao, well said!” Zhou Yan emerged from the kitchen and gave Comrade Zhao Tieying a thumbs-up.

“Get lost!” Zhao Tieying rolled her eyes at him, though the corners of her mouth were turned up in pride.

...

“Deputy Factory Director Lin, are you feeling unwell? I see you sneezing constantly.” Outside the textile factory conference room, Zhao Dong quickened his pace to catch up with Lin Zhiqiang, asking with concern.

Lin Zhiqiang sniffled, his nose rubbed red by tissues. He couldn't hide the fatigue on his face, but he forced a smile. “I’ve been traveling all over the province these past few days, and having two days of meetings in Chengdu has indeed been tiring. I caught a bit of a chill last night, but it’s nothing serious.”

As he spoke, he turned away to cover his nose and mouth and let out a sneeze.

“You don't look like you're 'fine.' Go to the infirmary to get some medicine and go home to rest. Health is important,” Zhao Dong urged.

“I can't. There’s a technical sharing session this afternoon; I can't delay it.” Lin Zhiqiang shook his head and smiled. “Come on, let’s go to Zhou Yan’s for noodles. I haven't had his noodles for several days, and I've been craving them terribly. I'll get medicine after I eat.”

As he spoke, he patted his black briefcase. “I brought something good.”

Zhao Dong’s eyes lit up, but he then lowered his voice with a look of hesitation. “During working hours... is that really okay?”

“What do you think it is?” Lin Zhiqiang laughed and pulled a glass bottle from his briefcase. It was labeled 'Donghu Vinegar.'

“Vinegar?” Zhao Dong scratched his head awkwardly. “I thought it was liquor.”

“This is authentic Shanxi aged vinegar. A fellow townsman brought it to me. They say this is the same vinegar used in state banquets.” Lin Zhiqiang put the vinegar back into his briefcase as if it were a treasure.

“I can't stand that sour taste. I need chili to make it right. If I don't eat spicy food for a day, I feel restless,” Zhao Dong said, shaking his head.

“I am quite the opposite. If I don't have vinegar for a day, I feel restless too,” Lin Zhiqiang joked.

The two walked toward the main gate chatting and laughing. It was currently the noon break, so many workers were heading toward the factory gate, planning to eat something else at the stalls outside.

“Why is there a stove set up at the entrance?” Lin Zhiqiang spotted the stove standing in front of the restaurant at a glance. His gaze shifted downward, and he said with surprise, “Qiaojiao Beef? A new dish?”

“Looks like it. The soup pot from Zhou Village has always been quite famous. There’s a place called Zhou’s Soup Pot near the docks that’s decent, and Zhou Yan is from Zhou Village. It smells quite fragrant,” Zhao Dong said. He had come for a bowl of noodles the day before, but the sign hadn't been on the stove then.

The aroma of the high-quality broth, simmered for eight full hours, drifted along with the steam, whetting the appetite.

“An ancestral medicinal dish from an old TCM practitioner that can dispel cold and dampness? Interesting.” Lin Zhiqiang finished reading the small print below and teased, “I’ll order a portion later to see if it really works. If it’s effective, I won't even need to go to the hospital.”

Zhao Tieying, standing behind the stove, had seen them long ago. She greeted them with a smile, “Welcome, leaders. Please, come inside and sit.”

“Alright,” Lin Zhiqiang responded. He and Zhao Dong entered and found an empty table to sit at.

The workers sitting in the shop also greeted them one after another.

Lin Zhiqiang was the technical leader of the factory. Although he was the Deputy Director, he lacked any sense of official airs and was highly respected by the workers.

“Leaders, what would you like to eat today?” Zhao Tieying stepped forward. Seeing Lin Zhiqiang’s red nose and pale complexion, she asked with concern, “Have you caught a cold?”

Zhao Tieying had a very good impression of Xia Yao; Lin Zhiqiang’s family was unpretentious and grateful, making them very easy to get along with.

“It’s nothing, just a bit of a chill.” Lin Zhiqiang managed a smile. “I saw that new Qiaojiao Beef you launched can dispel cold? Give me a bowl, and also a bowl of braised pork rib noodles.”

“I’ll have a bowl of double-pepper beef tossed noodles,” Zhao Dong said.

He didn't rush to order the Qiaojiao Beef. He had eaten the soup pot before; the Zhou’s place at the docks was only slightly more expensive at forty cents a bowl. Sixty cents was a bit of a rip-off.

He would let Lin Zhiqiang try it first; if it was good, it wouldn't be too late for him to order.

“Alright, I’ll make them for you right away.” Zhao Tieying walked toward the large pot, adding, “Speaking of dispelling cold, my husband caught a chill a couple of days ago. He had a bowl of Qiaojiao Beef, broke a sweat, and was better the same day. It’s very effective.”

The menu on the wall had already been updated with the new dish: Qiaojiao Beef, sixty cents a bowl.

The price was equivalent to a bowl of noodles.

If one wanted it as a meal, they had to add ten cents.

The price wasn't cheap.

Consequently, none of the customers had ordered it yet; they were all ordering noodles.

Hearing that Lin Zhiqiang had ordered the Qiaojiao Beef, everyone turned to look at him with expectant expressions.

Someone had to be the brave pioneer to taste it for everyone.

Sensing the gazes, Lin Zhiqiang smiled and said, “It seems no one has much confidence in this new dish. In that case, I’ll taste it on your behalf. If it’s good, you can order it.”

“Great!” the workers responded with smiles.

Zhao Tieying, who was usually quite happy when business was good, felt a surge of nervousness. This was a crucial opportunity to open up new sales!

She picked up a pair of tongs and blanched a handful of cabbage in a strainer. From the bubbling high-quality broth, she scooped out an intestine and a piece of beef tendon, chopping them into small segments. She placed the blanched cabbage at the bottom of a ceramic bowl and topped it with the intestine and tendon.

She then grabbed a handful of tripe, swished it through the broth a few times, and placed it directly into the bowl. She took three thin slices of tender beef, poached them in the broth for a few seconds, and pulled them out.

Using a large ladle, she poured a scoop of the broth into the bowl, sprinkled some chopped green onions, placed a soup spoon inside, and served it directly to the table.

“Here is the dipping sauce. Qiaojiao Beef tastes even better when dipped,” Zhao Tieying said, placing the sauce on the table before smiling and stepping aside.

The customers craned their necks to look, their eyes brightening.

“That bowl of Qiaojiao Beef looks like it has quite a lot of meat! Looks like at least three *liang* (approx. 150g) or more.”

“Other places use cheap offal like liver and lungs as the main ingredient, but they are using intestines, tripe, tendon, and even beef tenderloin!”

“I just don't know how it tastes, though it smells very fragrant.”

Lin Zhiqiang also studied the bowl of Qiaojiao Beef before him. The broth was clear, free of unnecessary impurities. The thinly sliced beef was pink and visibly tender. The aroma hit him instantly—a complex, aggressive blend of spices and Chinese herbs.

He picked up his spoon and took a sip of the broth first. The moment it hit his mouth, his eyes lit up.

This soup was incredibly fresh!

The beef bones and offal had been simmered together, and the flavor had been perfectly balanced by the spices and herbs. There wasn't a hint of gaminess, only an extreme, heightened savory deliciousness.

This was different from the umami produced by MSG; the high-quality broth drawn from long-simmered beef bones left a clean aftertaste.

He took several consecutive sips, and his body warmed up instantly. A light sweat broke out on his forehead, and his original fatigue was significantly lifted.

“This soup is truly delicious!”

Lin Zhiqiang praised aloud. He picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a piece of the pink beef. The beef was sliced very thin, comparable to the beef found in the Lanzhou pulled noodles he had eaten while on business trips.

He dipped it into the sauce, which immediately coated it in chili powder. The taste stunned him.

The beef slice was large, thin, and soft—it was incredibly tender!

The chili powder was the finishing touch; the layered spiciness was driven by fragrance, making it a perfect match for the beef.

Intestine, tripe, tendon—he tasted them one after another, taking several large gulps of the soup in between.

Beside him, Zhao Dong couldn't help but swallow several times. Lin Zhiqiang was eating with such gusto that he couldn't help but ask, “How is the taste?”