Chapter 5: The Old Bicycle 1

Chapter 5: The "28-Inch" Bicycle +1

The flow of traffic in front of the factory gate slowed down.

Customers at Wang Laowu’s noodle stall all turned their heads at the commotion.

Wang Laowu’s hand, which was grabbing noodles, paused. He stared in shock at Lin Zhiqiang shaking hands with Zhou Yan, the smile on his face frozen.

The year before last, when the silk factory imported foreign looms, Lin Zhiqiang was transferred in as the deputy factory director in charge of production technology. Over the past two years, the silk factory’s output and efficiency had climbed steadily, and he held considerable prestige within the factory.

"Zhou Yan saved Deputy Director Lin’s niece? How did that happen?"

"I heard from the lady next door yesterday that a city girl fell into the Bailatu section of the river and nearly drowned, and was later pulled ashore by a young man. Could it be Zhou Yan?"

"Bailatu?! The water there is deep and swift, with undercurrents at the bottom. Which year doesn't see a few people who know how to swim drown there? Zhou Yan certainly has guts!"

"Even though Zhou Yan’s cooking is terrible, I didn't expect him to be so righteous besides being handsome!"

The workers whispered among themselves, no longer in a hurry to enter the factory now that there was a spectacle to watch.

"Nonsense! That kid Zhou Yan can't swim at all; how could he possibly jump into Bailatu to save someone?" Wang Laowu muttered to himself, though he felt a bit doubtful.

He had heard some gossip while setting up his stall yesterday. Zhou Yan had been soaked to the bone when he returned, and he had assumed the boy was so depressed he’d tried to jump into the river. He never expected he’d actually saved Deputy Director Lin’s niece.

Zhou Yan was also a bit dazed as his hand was being shaken. He quickly recalled the girl who had fallen into the water yesterday. Was she really Deputy Director Lin’s niece?

The "intelligence center" of the small town—those older ladies—really were well-informed.

"You’re too kind. Anyone would have lent a hand in that situation," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"This isn't just about 'lending a hand.' I heard you don't know how to swim, yet you jumped into the treacherous and dangerous Bailatu without regard for your own life. We will never forget this debt of gratitude," Lin Zhiqiang said, gripping Zhou Yan’s hand tightly, his face full of gratitude.

Xia Yao was the daughter of his wife’s sister. She had come to Jiazhou with her teacher to sketch and was visiting relatives in Suji on the way.

Yesterday morning, she said she was going to the riverside to paint, but she accidentally fell into the water. When the news reached the staff quarters, both he and his wife had gone weak at the knees.

She was the only daughter of the old Xia family; if something had truly happened to her, they would have had to jump into the Qingyi River to atone for it.

Zhou Yan hadn't just saved Xia Yao; he had saved two families.

That was why Lin Zhiqiang had sent people to inquire about his benefactor yesterday and prepared a gift. This morning, he had brought Zhao Dong along to thank Zhou Yan.

"Is that young lady doing alright?" Zhou Yan asked with concern. When he saved her yesterday, he had just transmigrated, and his mind was a complete mess; he only remembered pulling her ashore.

"Xia Yao is doing okay. Your rescue was very timely, and she managed to cough up the water she inhaled. But she was frightened and her mood isn't very good; she can't eat and is quite weak. Once she recovers in a couple of days, I will definitely bring her to thank Comrade Zhou Yan in person," Lin Zhiqiang said with a look of relief, though there was still a hint of worry in his eyes.

"As long as she's alright, let her rest well. She must have been terrified yesterday."

Hearing that she was fine, Zhou Yan felt quite happy.

As an aspiring youth who grew up under the red flag, the satisfaction of being publicly praised for a heroic deed was no less than finding money.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, your noble quality of sacrificing yourself to save others is truly admirable!" Zhao Dong praised loudly, the admiration on his face completely genuine.

As a Jiazhou local, Zhao Dong had worked at the textile factory for over a decade. He would go swimming in the river during the summer, but he would never dare to enter the Bailatu section.

Zhou Yan’s act of jumping into the water to save someone was truly reckless, but it only served to highlight his noble character.

"Zhou Yan dared to jump into the water to save someone even though he can't swim! He’s so brave!"

"This is what you call sacrificing oneself for others. I wouldn't dare to do it, that's for sure."

"It’s a pity his cooking is so bad, otherwise I’d definitely come to his restaurant to eat often."

The female workers looked at Zhou Yan with eyes full of admiration and praise.

Lin Zhiqiang also looked at Zhou Yan with appreciation. The young man was talented, sunny, and handsome—he had the same air about him that he had in his youth. Moreover, he was humble, polite, and neither servile nor overbearing, unlike the factory cooks who were always very reserved when they saw him.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, this '28-inch' bicycle is a token of my gratitude. Please accept it," Lin Zhiqiang said, releasing Zhou Yan’s hand and pointing to the brand-new bicycle standing to the side, decorated with a red silk flower.

The crowd let out a gasp of surprise upon hearing this.

He was giving a "28-inch" bicycle as a thank-you gift!

The looks everyone gave Zhou Yan were filled with even more envy.

The textile factory had been doing well over the past two years. A frontline worker’s salary could reach 38.6 yuan, plus seniority pay and bonuses. Senior technicians and management earned even more, so many people were saving up to buy bicycles.

But a 28-inch bicycle wasn't cheap—150 yuan each—and you needed a bicycle coupon to buy one. The black market price was even over 300 yuan.

An ordinary worker would have to save for a year or a year and a half to afford one.

"This bicycle must be the reward Deputy Director Lin received for the Provincial Technological Progress Award a while back, right?"

"It really is! Deputy Director Lin is truly generous."

"Zhou Yan risked his life to save someone; he deserves it!"

Zhou Yan’s eyes lit up when he saw the 28-inch bicycle, but he quickly shook his head. "This bicycle is too valuable; I cannot accept it."

"Comrade Zhou Yan, you saved the life of a young girl in the prime of her youth. There is nothing more valuable than a life," Lin Zhiqiang said, looking at Zhou Yan with a serious expression. "Have you heard the story of Zilu accepting an ox? This bicycle is not just a thank-you to you, but also an encouragement for others to do good."

Zhou Yan had certainly heard of Zilu accepting the ox. Since Lin Zhiqiang had brought up a classic allusion, refusing further would seem insincere. He nodded immediately and said, "Then I will accept this bicycle. Thank you, Deputy Director Lin."

A 28-inch bicycle was incredibly useful to him right now!

It would be much more convenient for buying ingredients or going home in the future.

"That’s great." Lin Zhiqiang handed the handlebars of the bicycle to Zhou Yan.

Across the way, Wang Laowu watched this scene, his back molars nearly grinding to dust. That was a 28-inch bicycle!

"Wang Laowu, your noodles are getting mushy," a customer standing by the pot watching the spectacle reminded him.

"Oh no!" Wang Laowu looked down, his face changing drastically. He hurriedly fished out the noodles, sighed at the overcooked mess, and had no choice but to grab another handful of noodles to boil again.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, I have already asked them to prepare the materials to report you as a 'Model of Spiritual Civilization.' Once the higher-ups approve it, there will be all sorts of benefits," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile, patting Zhou Yan on the shoulder kindly. "If you have any difficulties in your work or life, the organization can also try to help you resolve them."

Zhou Yan hadn't expected Lin Zhiqiang to be so thoughtful, and he felt quite moved.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Since you put it that way, I won't stand on ceremony. My restaurant was poorly managed before, leading to a bad reputation and the threat of closure.

"Now, I have learned from my mistakes and am determined to transform, starting with selling noodles. But there isn't a single customer in the shop; everyone is afraid to try.

"I would like to invite Director Lin and Director Zhao to come inside and have a bowl of noodles, and give an honest evaluation of how they taste. It would set an example for the textile factory workers and dispel their doubts. What do you think?"

"This... of course, no problem. As it happens, I haven't had breakfast yet." Lin Zhiqiang nodded without hesitation. Looking at the hundreds of textile factory workers watching, he said with a smile, "We should give young comrades a chance to learn from their mistakes. If everyone is afraid to eat here, then I’ll be the first to try it for everyone."

"Good!"

The workers responded with smiles.

Zhou Yan’s cooking was terrible, but they didn't know how his noodles were. If they were good, it wouldn't be bad to taste the noodles made by a hero.

Zhao Dong looked troubled but couldn't find a way to refuse.

He was a bit of a foodie at the textile factory, often eating special meals in the cafeteria and occasionally going to the state-run restaurant for a treat.

He had eaten at Zhou Erwa’s restaurant on its first day of business, and it was impressively terrible.

"Please, come in, both of you." Zhou Yan pushed the 28-inch bicycle into the shop, parked it against the wall, and welcomed them inside.

"We'll sit at this table by the door so everyone can see how your noodles really are," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile. "I’m from Shanxi Province, so I’m a bit particular about noodles."

"Alright, please take a look at what you'd like to eat. The menu is posted on the wall over there," Zhou Yan smiled. The more particular and professional they were, the better.

He had been racking his brain for promotional methods, and the arrival of Lin Zhiqiang and Zhao Dong had given him a way to break the deadlock.

A deputy director in charge of technology and a foodie workshop director held a certain status and authority in the hearts of the textile factory workers.

As long as they said it was good, the workers would be willing to try it. That was the "celebrity effect" he needed.

Zhou Yan was very confident in his noodles. As long as more customers tried them, his reputation would soon be built up.

"I’ll have a bowl of braised beef noodles," Lin Zhiqiang decided after glancing at the menu twice.

Zhao Dong looked at the menu with surprise. The original menu, densely packed with various dishes, had been torn down and replaced with a new one. There were only three types of noodles, which seemed much more pragmatic.

However, a bowl cost sixty cents, twice as expensive as the cafeteria and ten or twenty cents more than Wang Laowu’s stall. He wondered how they tasted.

He quickly made his choice: "I’ll have the double-pepper beef mixed noodles."

"Alright, please wait a moment." Zhou Yan turned and walked toward the kitchen. Finally, he was open for business!

The stove had been kept on a low flame. He added a piece of green oak wood and pumped the bellows a few times; the flames immediately roared to life, and the water in the large pot began to bubble.

Zhou Yan turned to the square table, pinched off a piece of pre-kneaded dough, and with a pull and a flick, it quickly turned into a handful of noodles, which he dropped into the boiling pot.

He took two large bowls and prepared the base seasoning.

When the noodles were seventy percent cooked, he grabbed a few small greens and blanched them in the pot.

The noodles were ready. He uncovered the soup pot in the middle, ladled a spoonful of thick, milky beef broth into the bowl on the left, and fished out the noodles into the two bowls. He put the greens into the soup bowl, while for the dry mixed noodles, he stirred the base seasoning and noodles together evenly.

A spoonful of braised beef with bamboo shoots covered the soup noodles, and a spoonful of double-pepper minced beef covered the dry mixed noodles.

Using a tray, Zhou Yan carried the two large bowls out of the kitchen.

It was fine if there were few customers, but if there were many, he would definitely be too busy doing everything himself—tending the fire, boiling noodles, serving, and clearing tables. Recruiting staff was something Zhou Yan would have to consider next.

"These noodles aren't cheap, are they? Sixty cents a bowl; you could eat two bowls of beef noodles at the cafeteria."

"It’s not cheap, and there aren't many types of noodles—only three. Even Wang Laowu’s stall has six or seven types."

"It’s understandable that it’s expensive; the rent for this storefront isn't cheap, after all. Wang Laowu doesn't have to pay rent for his stall."

"It’s fine if they taste good, but if they don't, who wants to be a sucker?"

The workers leaned in to look at the menu and discussed it among themselves.

Seeing Zhou Yan come out with the noodles, everyone looked toward him.

Zhou Yan placed the two bowls on the table. The large bowls looked like they had a very generous portion.

The soup noodles were topped with braised beef and bamboo shoots. There were five or six large chunks of beef, and plenty of bamboo shoots. The red meat broth blended with the milky white soup, glistening with oil, looking very tempting.

The dry mixed noodles were topped with a spoonful of double-pepper minced beef. The minced beef, stir-fried with green and red peppers, was brightly colored, and the heat carried the aroma of meat out of the shop door.

"Gulp."

The sound of people swallowing saliva rose one after another.

"So fragrant! This braised beef smells so good!"

"And there’s so much topping! The beef chunks are huge—more than three times the amount at Wang Laowu’s place. And there are bamboo shoots too. It looks delicious!"

"This double-pepper beef mixed noodle looks like the real deal! It looks much more appetizing than pork mince, and the portion is generous too."

"I thought sixty cents a bowl was a bit expensive, but with this much meat, I’m worried the boss is losing money."

The workers discussed it animatedly. People in the Bashu region were quite particular about food; they could tell if it was good just by looking at it and smelling the aroma.

Lin Zhiqiang looked at the soup noodles in front of him, his eyes lighting up. In terms of presentation alone, it was impeccable. The bone broth had been boiled until milky white and slowly blended with the beef broth, the aroma of meat wafting toward him.

He first picked up a piece of beef. His chopsticks sank into the tender meat, and the juices overflowed. With a light bite, the fatty and lean brisket melted in his mouth without turning into mush. The chewy texture of the fascia was interspersed within, the sauce was rich, and there was a hint of sweetness after the spice. This bite was incredibly satisfying!

He then tasted a piece of bamboo shoot. The bamboo shoot, having absorbed the beef fat and meat juices, was a mix of crisp and tender, oily and refreshing. It was truly a pleasant surprise!

"This braised beef with bamboo shoots—the beef is oily and tender, not dry, and the bamboo shoots are crisp and refreshing. Delicious! Truly delicious!" Lin Zhiqiang couldn't help but exclaim.

Next, he stirred the noodles, picked up a mouthful, and sent it into his mouth. Instantly, a look of surprise appeared on his face.