Chapter 11: This girl is quite something

"I still want the pork rib noodles, but could you add an extra portion of ribs for me?" As soon as Xia Yao sat down, she looked up at Zhou Yan and said with a bright smile, "I'll pay extra for the topping."

"I'll have a bowl of braised beef noodles, two taels of noodles is enough," Meng Anhe said. Old Lin hadn't stopped raving about how delicious these braised beef noodles were in front of her yesterday. If it weren't for a last-minute business trip to Rongcheng, she definitely would have come to eat them this morning.

"I only want two taels of noodles as well," Xia Yao quickly added.

The portion size of that bowl of noodles yesterday was simply too generous; she had to be starving for a whole day to finish it. Usually, she didn't have such a big appetite.

"Alright," Zhou Yan replied, turning to walk toward the kitchen.

Zhao Tieying took their things to the back to store them, then went to busy herself pouring water for the two of them.

"His handwriting is actually quite good; it looks like he’s practiced. Why did Old Lin say he stopped going to school before finishing junior high?" Meng Anhe looked at the handwritten menu on the wall and remarked.

"It really is written quite well. Usually, if a boy's handwriting is that good, his grades aren't too bad either." Xia Yao was also a bit surprised as she looked at the writing on the wall, but she soon smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because he prefers being a chef. After all, the braised pork ribs he makes are so delicious."

Meng Anhe nodded slightly, but she still felt a sense of regret in her heart. No matter how well he made braised pork ribs, he would be trapped in this Suji town running a decent noodle shop for the rest of his life.

Nowadays, the country's policies were getting better and better, and every industry was flourishing. If he could get into university, his horizons and future would be completely different. With his personality and appearance, he might have had great potential.

Before long, Zhou Yan brought out two steaming bowls of noodles, accompanied by a small dish of pickled radishes.

Xia Yao's bowl was almost completely covered by the braised pork ribs on top. The smile on her face grew even brighter; she had been left wanting more after eating yesterday.

Meng Anhe looked at the bowl of braised beef noodles in front of her. Large chunks of beef, paired with diced dried bamboo shoots, were a deep, alluring red. The fragrance wafted over, making her mouth water.

Both of them had come on empty stomachs, so how could they resist? They picked up their chopsticks and started slurping the noodles.

Zhou Yan and Zhao Tieying tactfully walked behind the counter to avoid making them feel uncomfortable by watching.

A mouthful of noodles, a mouthful of meat, followed by a sip of hot beef bone broth—before long, a thin layer of sweat appeared on their foreheads. They were eating with great gusto.

Meng Anhe usually liked eating *chaoshou* and wontons and rarely ate noodles outside, as she wasn't used to the taste of the alkaline water.

But today, this bowl of braised beef noodles truly surprised her.

The beef was spicy, tender, and soft; the dried bamboo shoots were crispy and refreshing. Paired with the chewy, smooth noodles and the rich, fragrant beef bone broth, there wasn't a hint of any strange taste—just a lingering fragrance in her mouth.

She took another bite of the pickled radish; it was sour, spicy, and crisp, with a sweet aftertaste that reached the bottom of her heart.

After finishing the bowl of beef noodles, she had even unknowingly drank all the soup.

Her whole body felt warm; it was truly satisfying.

Only then did she realize that it wasn't that she didn't like noodles, but that she hadn't eaten good noodles before.

"Eating it for the second time, I'm still amazed by the braised pork ribs!" Xia Yao finished her breakfast with a piece of pickled radish, her smile full of satisfaction. "And these pickled radishes are so delicious, too."

Eating a double portion of braised pork ribs in one go was just too satisfying!

"Little Zhou, do you sell this pickled radish separately? I'd like to buy some to take back for my two sons to eat with their porridge in the morning," Meng Anhe asked, taking out her wallet and looking at Zhou Yan.

"The pickled radish is provided free of charge by the shop to help customers cleanse their palates. If you like it, I'll pack some for you to take home. Radishes aren't worth much; just come back and get more when you finish them," Zhou Yan said, grabbing a glass jar that had once held canned yellow peaches and scooping a jar of pickled radishes for Meng Anhe.

Getting on good terms with Mrs. Lin by giving away some pickles was well worth it.

Meng Anhe clearly wasn't a submissive little woman who relied on Lin Zhiqiang. Leaving a good impression would make things smoother if he ever needed to ask for a favor in the future.

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony." Meng Anhe smiled and took it. The glass jar was washed clean and bright, the red-skinned radishes were crystal clear, and he had thoughtfully included some pickle brine so it would last a few more days if the lid was tightened. The young man was very attentive.

"Let's settle the bill."

"This meal is on me. I've already received so many things from you, I feel quite embarrassed," Zhou Yan said quickly.

"That won't do. We came here specifically to eat noodles. If you don't take the money, we'll be even more embarrassed to come back next time," Xia Yao said, waving her hands repeatedly. "My portion had extra ribs, so just count it as two bowls of noodles."

"I think that's fair. You must take the money; Old Lin and I will be coming back to eat again," Meng Anhe nodded, pulling out one yuan and eight mao and handing it to Zhou Yan.

"Alright, then I'll accept it. But not one yuan and eight mao—one yuan and five mao." Zhou Yan smiled as he took the money and returned three mao. "An extra topping is three mao."

Meng Anhe put the money back into her wallet. This young man was natural and composed in his dealings with others, speaking neither servilely nor overbearingly, unlike the shy and dull young men from the countryside.

The new university graduates at her design institute often stuttered from nervousness in front of her; they weren't as good as him.

A sense of appreciation for his talent rose in her heart. She looked at Zhou Yan and asked, "Little Zhou, did you write the menu on the wall and the sign at the door yourself?"

"Yes, the menu is quite simple, so I just wrote it out by hand," Zhou Yan nodded.

"Your handwriting is really good. Did you take the college entrance exam?" Meng Anhe asked again.

Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan, her face also showing curiosity.

Zhao Tieying, who was wiping the table nearby, gradually stopped her movements. She also glanced at the menu on the wall. The previous menu had been written by a fortune teller in their village, and Zhou Yan's handwriting had been like chicken scratch—how did it suddenly become so good?

This kid, he's bragging!

"No, my grades were always bad. I dropped out in the second year of junior high, so how could I take the college entrance exam?" Zhou Yan shook his head, looking quite calm about it.

Comrade Little Zhou's educational level was only slightly better than an illiterate person's; he couldn't even figure out addition over one hundred.

Without a junior high diploma, the path for Zhou Yan to change his fate through the college entrance exam was basically blocked.

Zhou Yan wasn't anxious about this. This era was full of opportunities; grabbing just one was enough to turn things around. He had already decided to take root in the catering industry and run the restaurant well.

He was the type who was content with a small fortune. He couldn't be a trendsetter of the era, and he had no ability to gallop through the business world. His life ideal was to open a few restaurants and eateries in the future, have a wife and children, and live a cozy little life.

"Your handwriting is quite good; you can keep practicing." Meng Anhe didn't pursue the topic further.

Dropping out in the second year of junior high and being away from school for four or five years—one could imagine how poor his foundation was.

However, just as Xia Yao said, he cooked so well that his talent was clearly in the kitchen. He was bold and meticulous; perhaps he could make a career for himself in the future.

"You're right," Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Xia Yao reached out and patted Zhou Momo's head, smiling, "Momo, sister will bring you something delicious next time."

"Sister!" Zhou Momo's eyes lit up. She grabbed Xia Yao's hand and acted spoiled, "Then you must come!"

"Alright, alright, I'll definitely come." Zhou Momo's chubby little hand shook, and Xia Yao's heart nearly melted. She finally pulled her hand back and waved at Zhou Yan, "Goodbye, Comrade Zhou Yan."

"Goodbye, Comrade Xia Yao," Zhou Yan nodded slightly.

Their eyes met, and both couldn't help but smile.

A somewhat strange form of address.

It felt like a sense of mission born from a revolutionary friendship.

"That girl is really nice," Zhao Tieying said, watching the bicycle ride away, unable to help but sigh, "If only she were my daughter-in-law."

"You're dreaming," Zhou Yan laughed, turning to walk toward the counter.

"True, she's a university student, a city girl, and her family background must be good. How could she look at us country folk?" Zhao Tieying sighed and followed him inside. "Your Auntie Liu has mentioned it several times—she wants to introduce you to someone. When are you going to meet her?"

"I'm only twenty, why would I go on a blind date!" Zhou Yan's hand, which was counting money, paused. His scalp tingled a bit, but he quickly added, "Or you can tell Auntie Liu the truth about our family's situation and see who she'd introduce to me then."

Zhao Tieying wilted immediately upon hearing this. Their family had originally been well-off, and Zhou Yan was tall and handsome, so matchmakers had often kept him in mind.

But now, they had emptied their savings to open this restaurant and still owed over eight hundred in debt. What girl would be willing to come here? They couldn't even afford the bride price.

Having blocked Zhao Tieying's mouth, Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief. It was the first time in two lifetimes he had been pressured to marry. Being worried about by others was a novel and heartwarming experience.

However, he wasn't in any rush. A man should prioritize his career. He wouldn't accept marrying a woman introduced by a matchmaker who didn't share his values or have a common language.

"Sister Yaoyao is nice," Zhou Momo leaned against Zhou Yan's leg and whispered, "It would be good if Sister Yaoyao became my sister-in-law."

"You're dreaming even bigger," Zhou Yan reached out and flicked her nose.

This morning, they sold 52 bowls of noodles, with an income of 31.5 yuan. It was all in one-jiao and five-jiao bills, a thick stack in his hand.

Zhou Yan had been busy all morning, and he felt all his fatigue dissipate at this moment. This sense of harvest was just too great.

"Business is getting better and better. It looks like we might sell ninety bowls today," Zhao Tieying said, her face beaming as she looked at the money in Zhou Yan's hand.

Previously, the restaurant's daily turnover wasn't even enough to buy ingredients; money was flowing out like water. These past two days, they had finally seen some profit, and business was getting better every day. Customers said it was good, and the reputation was clearly building up.

During this time, the pressure on the couple was no less than on Zhou Yan. They hadn't dared to say anything harsh in front of him, fearing he wouldn't be able to handle the stress. They had already prepared for the restaurant to close and for them to pay off the debts.

They hadn't expected that after the kid jumped into the river to save someone, he seemed to have suddenly had an epiphany and revived the restaurant by selling noodles. Seeing business get better and better—selling ninety bowls a day meant fifty-four yuan!

With a monthly income of over a thousand, after deducting costs and rent, there was a profit of several hundred yuan!

Zhao Tieying had been selling beef for years and knew how to calculate; this was more than what Old Zhou made from slaughtering cows!

There was hope for the future!

"It's clear that everyone is willing to spend a little more money to eat better," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

The customers were sharp. Although their noodles were one or two mao more expensive than others, the meat portion was double that of other places. When you did the math, it was actually more cost-effective and tasted better.

Once the reputation was established, business naturally wouldn't be bad.

However, having sold 52 bowls of noodles this morning, the system task should have been over-completed, right?

Zhou Yan glanced at it, and sure enough, a task bar popped up.

【Ding! Main quest: Restaurant influence reached 100! Completed! Reward: Recipe for Qiaojiao Beef.】