Chapter 6: My Eyebrows Are About to Fall Off!

As a native of Shanxi, Lin Zhiqiang absolutely loved noodles.

However, the noodles in Jiazhou were almost always made with alkaline water, which never quite captured the taste of the hand-pulled noodles from his hometown.

But the moment he took a bite of these noodles today, he found that familiar feeling.

It was the taste of home!

The hand-pulled noodles, made without alkaline water, had a pure, wheaty aroma. They were soaked in bone broth, making them chewy, smooth, and slippery.

Fresh! Fragrant!

Refreshing!

Lin Zhiqiang’s thoughts drifted back to his childhood—

At that noodle shop on the street, the Mediterranean-looking owner would tirelessly swing the dough every day. The bone broth pot on the coal stove would bubble incessantly, and the aroma would drift halfway down the street. His father often took him there for noodles, always adding plenty of vinegar.

After growing up, he went to Moscow for his studies, settled down in Jiangnan, and was later transferred to Jiazhou for work. His parents had since passed away, and he hadn't returned to his hometown in many years. Some memories had become blurred, but this bowl of noodles finally stirred up some ripples in his heart.

After finishing the noodles, he took a sip of the broth and nodded repeatedly.

Eating noodles without drinking the broth meant you hadn't truly finished the meal!

"These hand-pulled noodles don't use alkaline water, yet they are exceptionally chewy and smooth. Comrade Zhou Yan’s noodle-making skills are truly impressive; they rival the old noodle masters back in Shanxi," Lin Zhiqiang said, his face full of admiration. "And this broth must be beef bone soup. It’s delicious and rich in meat flavor. A sip in the morning warms the whole body—it’s a masterpiece!"

"I’ve eaten at every noodle shop in Suji, whether it’s the state-run restaurants or the factory canteens, and none of their beef noodles compare to this bowl."

"Of course, it would be even better if I could have a flask of Shanxi aged vinegar to go with it."

The surrounding workers laughed upon hearing this. They all knew Lin Zhiqiang was from Shanxi and had a soft spot for that specific vinegar.

However, it was clear he was very satisfied with this bowl of braised beef noodles. After offering his comments, he continued to slurp away, and a thin layer of sweat soon appeared on his forehead.

On the other side, Zhao Dong had also finished mixing his noodles. The spicy aroma of the double-pepper and the fragrance of the beef wafted up. The noodles were coated in oily broth and covered in minced beef topping. Based on his years of experience eating noodles, he knew this mixed noodle dish couldn't be bad.

*Slurp!*

As the mixed noodles entered his mouth, the numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors took center stage. The crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside beef bits, coated in the fresh spice of green and red peppers and the tangy aroma of pickled vegetables, intertwined on his tongue. The oily, refreshing noodles were exceptionally chewy—indeed different from alkaline noodles. The seasoning was perfectly balanced, providing an ultimate experience of texture and deliciousness.

Bite after bite, he couldn't stop.

In no time, a large bowl of mixed noodles was nearly half gone.

"Director Zhao, how are the mixed noodles?" someone asked impatiently.

"To be honest, I’ve eaten at Comrade Zhou Yan’s restaurant before, and his cooking was indeed lacking," Zhao Dong said, swallowing the noodles in his mouth and sighing with emotion. "But this double-pepper beef mixed noodle dish today really amazed me. He’s nailed the numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors—it’s so good I could swallow my own tongue."

"The shredded beef at the town’s state-run restaurant is good enough, right? But if you ask me, compared to this beef topping, it lacks both flavor and proper cooking. If this double-pepper beef mince were served as a standalone dish, I’d definitely order it. It’s truly top-notch!"

"And the portion of the beef topping is so generous. There must be at least an ounce of beef alone. Even after mixing such a large bowl of noodles, you can still get beef bits in every bite. Selling it for sixty cents a bowl is really not expensive."

"I won't say much more about the noodles; Deputy Factory Director Lin has already summarized it perfectly. They are indeed chewy and smooth, and they hold the broth well. If mixed noodles don't hold the broth, they aren't good mixed noodles."

After summarizing, Zhao Dong turned to look at Zhou Yan. "Little Zhou, give me another bowl of braised beef noodles. Seeing Deputy Factory Director Lin eating so heartily has made me crave more."

"Haha, then I’ll have another bowl of double-pepper beef mixed noodles as well," Lin Zhiqiang added with a hearty laugh.

People in this era didn't have much fat in their diets; two strong men could easily finish two bowls of noodles each.

[Recognition from guest +1]

[Recognition from guest +1]

Zhou Yan caught the flashing notifications, and his smile grew even brighter.

[Ding! Side quest triggered: Lin Zhiqiang’s niece, Xia Yao, has lost her appetite due to the shock of falling into the water and hasn't eaten for a day. Lin Zhiqiang and his wife are very worried. Please help Xia Yao regain her appetite and return to a normal diet. Quest reward: Unknown. Accept: Yes/No.]

The system’s voice echoed in his mind.

Lin Zhiqiang had just mentioned Xia Yao’s situation, though it seemed even worse than he had described. He hadn't expected it to trigger a side quest.

Zhou Yan had just received the "28-inch bicycle" from the man, so he naturally couldn't ignore it, not to mention there was a recipe reward involved.

The fact that Deputy Factory Director Lin and Director Zhao were praising him repeatedly and even ordering seconds was the best proof of his success.

Several workers who had been crowding the entrance to watch the excitement immediately walked in.

"Boss, give me a bowl of double-pepper beef mixed noodles too."

"I want a bowl of braised beef noodles."

"It’s been a long time since I’ve had pork ribs; I want a bowl of braised pork rib noodles."

With people taking the lead, those who were still hesitating couldn't resist anymore. They filed into the shop, found seats, and started ordering.

In a short while, there were over a dozen guests in the shop, and more were still coming in.

Work started at eight, so they didn't have much time to think. If they sat down and ordered now, they could still eat; otherwise, they would have to wait until noon or evening.

Zhou Yan took a piece of paper, noted down the orders, and turned to walk quickly toward the kitchen.

Eighteen bowls of noodles ordered all at once—the celebrity effect was evident!

The endorsement from Lin Zhiqiang and Zhao Dong directly dispelled the workers' doubts and gave them a strong recommendation.

Leaders really are something else; they are talented and know exactly what to say.

However, he had to hurry and boil the noodles; he couldn't delay the workers from clocking in.

Many others wanted to enter the shop, but fearing they wouldn't have time, they had to go to the factory canteen for a quick bite and plan to come back at noon to try it.

There were over a dozen bicycles parked in front of Zhou Erwa’s restaurant, and most of the tables inside were occupied. Such a grand scene hadn't occurred in a long time, except for the first three days after opening.

"Is the food at Zhou Erwa’s really that good? Why is everyone going in?"

"It must be pretty good. If my noodles weren't already in the pot, I’d want to go try it too."

Wang Laowu listened to the guests, his expression turning sour. He said sarcastically, "How good could it be? The leaders are just too polite to refuse and are giving him face. The food Zhou Yan cooked before was something even dogs would despise; if you served it to pigs, they’d go on a hunger strike. How could he become a master chef in just two days?"

The thing he feared most had happened. Although he didn't think much of Zhou Yan’s cooking, with the Deputy Factory Director backing him and the workers willing to support him, Zhou Yan’s start in the noodle business was much better than he had anticipated.

However, when Zhou Erwa’s restaurant first opened, business was also good for three days. But a restaurant relies on reputation and taste; if it’s not good, it’s not good, and no amount of backing will help.

Just wait and see, this noodle shop won't last many days!

Not far away, Zhao Tieying was walking toward the restaurant, holding Zhou Momo’s hand.

"Mommy, look! There are so many bikes parked in front of Brother’s shop!" Zhou Momo said in her milky voice, shaking Zhao Tieying’s hand.

Zhao Tieying looked over and appeared surprised. "Why are there so many bikes parked there?"

Better business was a good thing. Zhao Tieying picked up Zhou Momo and quickened her pace. Upon entering, she saw over a dozen textile factory workers sitting in the shop. The two men eating at the entrance looked like leaders, while the other tables were still empty.

"Auntie Zhao, hurry to the back kitchen and help! We’re all waiting to finish our noodles so we can go to work," a female worker from Zhou Village who recognized Zhao Tieying said with a smile.

"Alright!"

Zhao Tieying agreed, put Zhou Momo down, glanced at the brand-new bicycle parked against the wall, took an apron from behind the counter, tied it on, and hurried into the kitchen.

Zhou Yan was busy pulling noodles and was surprised to see Zhao Tieying enter. "Mom, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be selling beef?"

"Your dad was worried you’d be too busy with the noodles, so he sent me to check. It’s a good thing I came," Zhao Tieying asked with a smile, "Why are there so many guests today? And what’s with that new bicycle in the shop?"

"Mom, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you slowly after I’m done with the rush." Zhou Yan dropped a large handful of noodles into the pot and said with a smile, "Add two pieces of firewood; they’re all in a hurry to get to work."

"Alright!" Zhao Tieying replied, stopped asking questions, and went behind the stove to add firewood.

"Brother, I’m here!" Zhou Momo ran into the kitchen, stood on her tiptoes to grab a piece of wood from the pile, and huffed and puffed as she carried it to Zhao Tieying’s feet, her little face turning bright red.

"Momo is so capable," Zhou Yan said with a smile. The little one wasn't even as tall as the wood, yet she already wanted to help.

"Hehe." Momo shook her head proudly when praised, her pigtails swinging back and forth.

Zhao Tieying looked at Zhou Yan with some surprise. This boy didn't use to like his little sister much; it was rare for him to praise her today.

"Little sister, you come and watch the fire." Zhao Tieying closed the stove door and sat Zhou Momo down on a small stool. "Don't move around. Call me if the fire gets too small."

"Okay." Momo nodded obediently, then turned to the stove and instructed seriously, "Stove, you have to be a good boy and burn the fire too!"

Eighteen servings of noodles were boiling in two large pots. Zhou Yan lined up the large bowls on the counter and began seasoning them.

Zhao Tieying didn't say much; she just stood by and watched carefully, observing the order and amount of seasonings Zhou Yan used. She did whatever Zhou Yan asked her to do.

The nickname "Iron Lady" wasn't just because Zhao Tieying was fierce when scolding people; she was also a hard worker. Back in the production team, she always earned the most work points and kept the house neat and tidy.

She learned how to mix noodles and scoop toppings just by watching once. Although she was illiterate, as long as Zhou Yan told her which table ordered which noodles, she never mixed them up.

Bowl after bowl of noodles was quickly served to the guests' tables. The high efficiency relieved the workers who were worried about being late for work.

Throughout the shop, the sounds of slurping and exclamations of praise rose one after another.

[Recognition from guest +1]...

And Zhou Yan, in the kitchen, was reaping a stream of positive reviews.

"With these three bowls of noodles, Little Zhou’s restaurant will definitely stay open," Zhao Dong said while eating his second bowl, feeling a bit puzzled. "Why didn't he just open a noodle shop from the start?"

Lin Zhiqiang smiled and said, "I don't think Little Zhou’s cooking is as bad as you said. The braised beef with dried bamboo shoots and the double-pepper minced beef could easily be standalone dishes. Perhaps he was just trying to do too much before. It’s rare for a young man to have the ability to correct his mistakes."

"You’re right, this young man is indeed quite good," Zhao Dong agreed with a smile.

The workers finished their noodles quickly, paid, and hurried off to work.

"Boss, your noodles are truly top-notch!"

"The pork ribs are so fragrant, better than what they make in the canteen!"

"The broth is so fresh, it’s delicious enough to make your eyebrows fall off!"

As they left, the workers didn't forget to offer a few words of praise.

"Walk slowly, come back again next time," Zhou Yan said, holding a handful of change and sending the guests off with a beaming smile.

"Comrade Little Zhou, come and collect our money too," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

"I’ll do it, I’ll do it," Zhao Dong said, hurriedly taking out his wallet from his pocket.

"Deputy Factory Director Lin, Director Zhao, this meal is on me today. If it weren't for the two of you helping to promote it, my little shop wouldn't have been able to open for business today," Zhou Yan said, waving his hand, and then suggested, "Would you like to take a portion of pork rib noodles home for your niece to try? The pork rib noodles are a bit lighter; maybe she’ll have an appetite for them."

(End of chapter)