Chapter 3: It Will Definitely Work This Time

Zhou Yan moved to the side to the pastry area, lifted the enamel basin, and sprinkled a handful of flour onto the table. He took half the dough, pulled it out to both ends, and gave it a flick. The dough stretched out evenly, and with a gentle shake, it naturally coiled into a twist shape. He repeated this several times until the dough was formed into a long, uniform strip.

Once the dough was ready, he grabbed both ends and began to pull with force. He stretched it to the limit of his arms, then folded it back to continue stretching. With every flick and pull, the long dough transformed into thin, round noodles.

This scene made the eyes of Zhao Tieying and the other two light up.

Zhou Yan’s technique was incredibly skillful. The dough flipped up and down in his hands; before they could even look closely, it had turned into thin, long pulled noodles. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, leaving them dazzled.

"Wow! Can Ge-ge do magic? He turned the dough ball into noodle strips!" Zhou Momo’s mouth was wide open, completely shocked.

"Erwa’s noodle-pulling technique is much better than that Old Wang’s. I didn't expect him to have this trick up his sleeve," Zhou Miao praised. *That’s my son for you.*

"This craft is not bad at all. It seems he didn't spend his time in the cafeteria in vain," Zhao Tieying nodded repeatedly. Pastry-making was the one thing she was least skilled at.

While they were talking, Zhou Yan had already finished pulling the noodles. The thin, uniform strands looked plump and smooth. Having achieved this level on his first try, he was quite pleased himself.

He pinched off the small clump of dough at the ends and dropped the noodles directly into the pot of boiling water nearby.

As the noodles hit the pot, he lined up three large bowls and one small bowl on the stove and began preparing the base.

Sichuan peppercorn powder, MSG, soy sauce, and a spoonful of chili oil.

With the base seasoned, the noodles floated to the surface of the rolling water.

He scooped them out with a large bamboo strainer, gave them a shake, and poured the noodles into the bowls. He then ladled a spoonful of the freshly stir-fried double-pepper beef topping over them. A bowl of double-pepper beef mixed noodles was ready.

Zhou Yan had been hungry for half the day, and he couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

Even by his standards, this bowl of double-pepper beef mixed noodles was excellent. Most noodle shops wouldn't bother with the time and effort to make handmade pulled noodles.

Since they were family, there was no need for formalities. Zhou Miao and Zhou Yan each carried two bowls of noodles out of the kitchen and placed them on the table.

Zhou Momo trotted along behind them. The little one wasn't even as tall as the table; she tried to climb onto the long bench, but after struggling for a while, she still couldn't make it up. Her two little braids swayed back and forth, making her anxious.

Zhou Yan effortlessly lifted her up and let her sit beside him.

Zhao Tieying picked up her chopsticks and stirred the bowl. The white noodles were immediately stained with red oil and coated in the topping. The steaming aroma of the noodles, mixed with the scent of meat and spice, drilled straight into her nose. It was a feast for both the eyes and the senses.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh my, these noodles look so much better than the ones Old Wang makes."

"Give it a try," Zhou Yan said with a smile, his face full of anticipation.

Double-pepper beef noodles have to be eaten dry-mixed!

One jin of flour could make 1.2 jin of noodles.

Since Zhou Momo was only three and a half, he only served her a small bowl; the other three bowls contained about four taels of noodles each.

In this era, people didn't have much fat in their diets, so they could work hard and eat heartily. Naturally, he couldn't shortchange his own family.

*Slurp!*

Zhao Tieying picked up a mouthful of noodles. The strands were coated in sauce and topping, glistening with oil. She fed them into her mouth and slurped them down.

The numbing, spicy, and savory flavors exploded on the tip of her tongue. The chewy noodles were mixed with crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside minced beef, while the spicy millet peppers and the unique flavor of pickled peppers and ginger added layers of complexity.

Delicious! It was absolutely delicious!

Their family ate plenty of beef—she often kept the leftover scraps from the butcher shop for their own meals—but the beef she made was never as good as what Zhou Yan had prepared.

This topping wasn't just good for noodles; if used over rice, it would surely be a masterpiece!

Mouthful after mouthful, it was so good she couldn't stop.

Although the noodles were dry-mixed, the topping was rich in oil, making the noodles feel very moist and smooth. It wasn't dry at all; it was incredibly satisfying to eat.

"These noodles are really well-made, even better than your smashed cucumber," Zhao Tieying said, looking at Zhou Yan after swallowing a mouthful. "If you decide to open a noodle shop, I’ll fully support you. With just this bowl of noodles, there isn't a single competitor in our commune. It’s bound to succeed."

Since the restaurant opened, people in the commune and the village had spent quite some time mocking Zhou Yan and the couple.

Zhao Tieying was known far and wide as a tough woman; her fists were as formidable as her tongue. When she was young, people nicknamed her the "Iron Lady." She had endured all the gossip lately.

But they could talk about her; they just couldn't talk about Zhou Yan.

If anyone dared to badmouth Zhou Yan to her face, she would truly tear that foul mouth apart!

She knew Zhou Yan was under a lot of pressure and hadn't been in a good mood lately, and she was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle the gossip.

Although she felt the pinch of the money spent, she felt even more for her son.

Eight hundred yuan—at worst, she and her husband could scrimp and save for a few years to pay it back.

But what mother doesn't want her son to be successful and capable?

This bowl of noodles far exceeded her expectations, and it finally gave her hope that Zhou Yan could make a living this way.

After saying this, she lowered her head and took another big bite, holding back the tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Let me try, too." Hearing this, Zhou Miao took a big bite, and his eyes lit up instantly.

Zhou Miao loved noodles. Usually, when he slaughtered cattle, he started in the middle of the night and would find a noodle stall in the morning to have a bowl. In terms of eating noodles, he was half an expert.

Dry-mixed noodles usually used pork topping; the half-fat, half-lean pork was naturally oily, so it didn't take much oil to fry.

Noodles usually required lye water and salt to make them chewy, but some people couldn't stand the taste of the lye.

But the noodles Zhou Yan made were different. Not only were they chewy and smooth, but they were also refreshing and delicious. There wasn't a hint of a strange taste, and if you chewed carefully, you could taste the sweet fragrance of the flour. Most noodle shop owners wouldn't be willing to use such high-quality refined flour.

The base seasoning was perfectly balanced. And of course, the highlight was the double-pepper minced beef topping—numbing, spicy, and savory, crispy yet tender. It clung to the noodles perfectly; a quick mix and it fused with the strands, and even when lifted, the meat bits stayed attached.

In many noodle shops, the topping and the noodles were separate, and you only got to taste them together in the last few bites.

This bowl of noodles was definitely the most delicious mixed noodles he had ever eaten!

Zhou Miao took a few more bites and praised, "Erwa, these noodles are so delicious. From now on, whenever I come to the market, I’m coming here for a bowl of double-pepper beef mixed noodles."

"Isn't that a given?" Zhou Yan chuckled.

[Recognition from guest +1]

[Recognition from guest +1]

Two notifications flashed across his vision.

It seemed the system only recognized diners and didn't care if they were family. That was very user-friendly.

Seeing his parents eating, Zhou Momo was still struggling to mix her noodles with her chopsticks, looking quite anxious.

Zhou Yan simply helped her mix them. Zhou Momo smiled and took the bowl, "Thank you, Ge-ge!"

She then impatiently shoveled a few noodles into her mouth, and her little eyes lit up instantly.

She couldn't spare a word; she buried her little head and started slurping frantically!

So delicious!

Fragrant and spicy, with little bits of meat clinging to the noodles—it was so good!

She loved noodles!

From now on, she loved Ge-ge's noodles the most!

[Recognition from guest +1]

Zhou Yan looked down at Zhou Momo, who was swinging her short legs in delight, and his smile grew even brighter.

*My little sister is super cute!*

Zhou Yan began to eat his own noodles. If there was anyone at the table who knew noodles best, it was him.

He had eaten all kinds of mixed noodles; the weirder the name, the more he wanted to try them. Double-pepper beef mixed noodles were common, and they were something he ate quite often.

But this was the first time he was eating his own version; before, he had only ever mixed instant noodles.

When eating noodles, the noodles themselves were paramount.

If the noodles weren't good, even the best topping would be a waste.

Most places in Sichuan used lye noodles, which had a distinct flavor. He could accept it, but his former roommate from Shanxi had scoffed at it, believing that adding additives to noodles was heresy and that true masters only used water.

The pulled noodles he made today used only water, relying on the technique of kneading to achieve the texture.

These noodles had no lye taste, yet they were just as chewy and smooth. They also held the sauce perfectly; coated in the seasoning and topping, they didn't slip off when lifted. One bite, and it was truly satisfying!

Of course, the double-pepper beef was the real masterpiece!

The beef was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, numbing and spicy, having absorbed the unique flavor of the pickled peppers and ginger. It was oily and fragrant—better than any double-pepper minced beef he had ever eaten!

Forget about the resource-scarce 1984; even in 2025, Zhou Yan would definitely make a video raving about this single dish of double-pepper beef mixed noodles!

Delicious!

The best of the best in mixed noodles!

Zhou Yan mentally drafted a five-hundred-word rave review, but after waiting for a while, no system notification appeared.

*Sigh, what a waste of anticipation. It seems the system doesn't count me as a guest. Maybe it doesn't even count me as a person.*

With the hot, spicy bowl of noodles in his stomach, his cravings were satisfied and his hungry stomach was soothed. The family of four was sweating and feeling thoroughly refreshed.

After finishing the noodles, Zhao Tieying took the bowls into the kitchen to wash them.

Zhou Yan didn't rush to do the dishes. He brewed a cup of tea for his father and sat down opposite him: "Dad, there's something I’d like to ask of you."

Zhou Miao took a sip of tea, set the cup down, glanced toward the kitchen, and whispered, "Out of money again?" He already started reaching into his pocket.

"It's not about money. I plan to sell noodles for a while. But I won't just be selling this one dish; I also plan to sell braised beef noodles and braised pork rib noodles. Those are soup noodles, so I need to boil bone broth, and I'll be using more beef. So, I want to arrange to get meat from you and Uncle." Zhou Yan said with a smile.

He knew Zhou Miao had often secretly given him money in the past—a few yuan at a time. Although it wasn't much, for a henpecked husband, it was a huge risk.

"How much beef and beef bone will you need every day?" Zhou Miao asked.

Zhou Yan thought for a moment and said, "I plan to prepare enough for thirty bowls a day to start. One jin of ribeye, one jin of brisket, one jin of pork ribs, and ten jin of beef bones."

"Beef bones aren't worth much, but six jin of meat for sixty bowls? Isn't your cost a bit too high?" Zhou Miao asked in surprise. "How much do you plan to sell a bowl for? Can you make a profit?"

"The cost of meat is 2 yuan per jin, so 3 jin is 6 yuan. Flour is 0.17 yuan per jin; one jin of flour makes 1.2 jin of noodles. A bowl uses 3 taels of noodles, so that's 7.5 jin of flour, which is 1.3 yuan. Plus the cost of oil, side dishes, spices, and firewood—roughly speaking, 2 yuan is more than enough. The total cost is 9.3 yuan," Zhou Yan said calmly. "I plan to sell them for 0.6 yuan a bowl. Selling thirty bowls brings in 18 yuan. After costs, I’ll make 8.7 yuan. If I sell more later, I’ll make even more."

Zhou Miao calculated it carefully in his mind. Although he hadn't had much schooling, he had been slaughtering cattle and selling meat for years, so he could still do the math.

Currently, beef bought with meat coupons was 1.2 yuan per jin, but coupons were hard to come by. You could get lucky with brisket, but you couldn't even dream of buying ribeye with coupons. The price of beef in the market was double that, starting at 2.5 yuan per jin. Pork ribs were about the same, and you had to have connections to even get them.

But at six mao a bowl, even he would have to think twice before ordering. A bowl of bone broth noodles at a street stall only sold for three mao—this was double the price.

However, the noodles at the stalls weren't as good as Zhou Yan's, and the meat was pitifully scarce—you couldn't even find a few bits of minced meat. Zhou Yan planned to give one tael of meat per bowl. If customers tasted Zhou Yan's noodles, they would definitely be willing to pay a little more.

"You've certainly calculated it clearly," Zhou Miao said with a gratified smile. "You don't need to bother your uncle for just a few jin of beef; I'll set it aside for you. When I go back later, I'll tell Zhang Laosan at the bridge to set aside a jin of pork ribs for you every day. You can just pick them up when you get the beef."

"Deal!" Zhou Yan beamed. This was his own connection. He added, "Dad, we have an agreement: I'm buying this beef from you, so you have to take the money."

"It's just a few jin of beef, you and I..."

"No, if you don't take it, I'll buy it elsewhere." Zhou Yan was firm. If his dad gave him two jin of beef every day, he wouldn't just be working for free; he'd be losing money.

With the beef supply secured, he felt much more confident.

Zhou Yan had been a food blogger for three years and had spent a year preparing to open a restaurant; running a restaurant was the thing he was most adept at right now.

The most troublesome part of starting a business was earning the first pot of gold; going from 0 to 1 was much harder than going from 1 to 10.

Little Zhou had managed to borrow the first pot of gold through his own efforts and had even left him with a stable supplier—it was much better than starting from scratch.

"Fine, I'll just charge the cost price. There's no reason for a father to make money off his son." Zhou Miao took his hand out of his pocket and stuffed a few crumpled one-yuan bills into Zhou Yan's hand, lowering his voice. "Don't let your mom know."

"Dad..." Zhou Yan looked at the money in his hand, his heart stirred. In his previous life, every cent he earned was through his own desperate struggle; he had never experienced the feeling of someone stuffing money into his hands like this.

"Ge-ge, I have money too! I'll give it all to you." Zhou Momo came over, dug into her pocket for a long time, pulled out a crumpled five-fen coin, and solemnly handed it to Zhou Yan. "I want to eat noodles again next time!"

"Deal." Zhou Yan smiled, gripped the money, and reached out to ruffle her hair.

Zhao Tieying came out after cleaning the kitchen, still holding the remaining half-bowl of beef topping. "Zhou Yan, where should I put this?"

"Momo likes it, take it back for her to have with rice. I'll make a fresh batch tomorrow morning," Zhou Yan said.

"Such good topping," Zhao Tieying said, looking hesitant.

"Yay! Yay!" Zhou Momo jumped up and down happily; she loved this beef so much.

Zhao Tieying smiled and patted her head: "Alright, I'll pack it up for you, you little glutton."

Handing the basket with the topping to Zhou Miao, Zhao Tieying reached into the inner pocket of her jacket, pulled out a folded square cloth, unfolded it to reveal a stack of banknotes, and stuffed them into Zhou Yan's hand.

"Mom, this is..." Zhou Yan was stunned.

"This is what your dad and I saved up last month, thirteen yuan and four mao in total. You take it first for the shop's expenses." Zhao Tieying clutched the cloth, looking at him with a gratified smile. "Mom believes you can definitely do it this time!"