Chapter 24: Surpassed a Hundred!

“I don't know, maybe a long time from now.” Zhou Yan shook his head with a smile.

Xia Yao was a college student at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. If she returned to Chongqing, there was no telling which year she might visit this small town again.

Having experienced the terror of nearly drowning, she likely wouldn't have a great impression of the town; it was possible she wouldn't come back at all.

“How long is 'a long time'?” Zhou Momo asked, her face full of innocence.

Zhou Yan smiled but didn't answer, because he couldn't give her an answer either.

“Zhou Yan, two bowls of noodles!” Zhao Tieying's voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Coming!” Zhou Yan responded and turned toward the kitchen.

...

“Xia Yao, we’re going to Suji tomorrow. Is there anything fun to do in that town?”

“Yao Yao, didn't you fall into the water there before? Are you scared to go back?”

In a temporary dormitory converted from a residential house, two girls chattered away at Xia Yao, who was sitting at the table drawing.

Their leader, Teacher Liu, had just announced at noon that they would visit the Jiazhou Textile Factory tomorrow for a study trip.

Since Xia Yao had just been to Suji, they both wanted to get some information from her first.

“I'm not scared. It was just an accident. The Jiazhou Textile Factory is huge, and Suji is very beautiful. There’s lots of delicious food and many local specialties.” Xia Yao put down her pen and smiled at her two roommates. “And the best braised pork rib noodles in the world.”

“Is this handsome guy a Suji specialty too?” one girl asked with a gossipy look, pointing at Xia Yao's sketchbook.

“You've been drawing him whenever you have free time these past two days. Is he your sweetheart?” the other girl asked with a grin.

The tall, thin girl was named Zhu Yuyu, while the shorter, rather plump girl was Deng Hong.

They were roommates at school and, after living together for over three years, they were close friends who shared almost everything.

“His name is Zhou Yan. He’s my lifesaver. If it weren't for him, I’d be dead. The noodles he makes are delicious.” Xia Yao was quite open about it as she flipped to a new page in her sketchbook. “And this is his sister, Momo.”

“So cute!” The two girls' eyes lit up.

“He’s handsome and a hero who acted bravely. Yao Yao, has your heart fluttered even a little bit?” Deng Hong asked with a smile.

“Yeah, yeah, did your heart flutter?” Zhu Yuyu chimed in.

“Go away, go away! We have a pure revolutionary friendship.” Xia Yao waved them off with a serious face, though her ears were tinged with crimson. “I'll take you to eat noodles tomorrow!”

“Yay!”

“Can you also take us to meet your lifesaver? We want to see if he's as handsome as you draw him.”

“Get lost!”

...

Just as Zhou Yan had anticipated, the hundred portions of Qiaojiao Beef prepared were not entirely sold out; thirty-one portions remained.

However, this far exceeded his expectations from this morning.

As for the remaining beef, Zhou Yan sent twelve portions to the security department of the neighboring factory for the staff on duty.

The Security Chief, Luo Weidong, was on duty today. Seeing Zhou Yan enter with a tray, he waved his hands repeatedly. “Little Zhou, you shouldn't have. Keep them to sell for money.”

The steaming Qiaojiao Beef released its aroma, making the eyes of all the guards light up.

“Chief Luo, it’s almost dark. If we don't sell it, we won't be able to finish it ourselves. Everyone works hard on the night shift; a bowl of Qiaojiao Beef would be a nice treat.” Zhou Yan smiled as he set the tray down. “Our family doesn't sell leftovers, and it would be a waste to throw it away. This is our new Qiaojiao Beef; I wanted everyone to have a taste. With you all here, I can run my shop with peace of mind.”

Hearing this, Luo Weidong stopped declining and nodded. “Alright, then we’ll accept your kindness. I'll have them return the bowls to you after they eat.”

“Sure, please carry on with your work,” Zhou Yan replied with a smile.

“Little Zhou, if you ever run into trouble, just come to the security department. Your shop is renting space from the textile factory, so the security department can look after you,” Luo Weidong said.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan’s smile grew even brighter as he turned to leave.

“Little Zhou is a good comrade—a hero who acted bravely. You guys look after his restaurant in the future,” Luo Weidong said to the other guards as he picked up a bowl of beef.

“Yes, sir.”

“Smells so good!”

“So fresh!”

“So tender!”

Praises rang out one after another in the security office.

Zhou Yan also delivered ten portions to the workers on the night shift—those who were regulars and would greet Zhao Tieying familiarly when passing the restaurant.

Of the remaining eight portions, half were given to Zhao Hong to take home for dinner, and the other half were kept for them to eat.

“You're giving me so much meat to take back, I feel bad,” Zhao Hong said, waving her hands as she looked at the lunch box Zhao Tieying handed her.

“Take it back and eat with the two kids so you don't have to cook. It would be a shame to let it go to waste.” Zhao Tieying tucked the lunch box into Zhou Yan's hands. “Hang it on your brother's bike.”

“Will do,” Zhou Yan replied, heading out with the lunch box.

A bicycle was parked at the entrance. A stout man wearing a tank top was squatting by the bike, watching Zhou Momo play with a woven grass grasshopper in her hands. His fleshy face crinkled into a smile, making his eyes turn into slits.

“Brother Fei,” Zhou Yan greeted him with a smile, hanging the lunch box on the handlebars. The woven rope handle made it quite convenient.

“Hey, Zhou Yan.” The man looked up and stood up with a smile.

“Brother, look! Brother Fei made this grasshopper for me! It's so cute!” Zhou Momo held up the grasshopper, proudly showing it off to Zhou Yan. “There's only one, you don't get one!”

The smile on Zhou Fei's face widened.

“Your Brother Fei spent all of yesterday evening weaving this. This is the best one he made; even Fanwa didn't get one.” Zhao Hong followed them out, smiling. “He hid it to give to Momo.”

Zhou Momo turned around and hugged Zhou Fei's leg. “Brother Fei, you're the best!”

“Next time, Brother Fei will make you a sparrow,” Zhou Fei said with a laugh.

“Brother Fei, you're my best big brother!” Zhou Momo jumped up happily.

Zhou Fei watched her, chuckling foolishly, his joy written all over his face.

Zhou Yan couldn't help but laugh; Zhou Momo was truly the darling of the Zhou family.

Both Zhou Fei and Zhou Hai were straightforward and honest men, but despite his large build, Zhou Fei had skillful hands. He had learned grass weaving from his mother and could use rattan and grass to weave various insects that looked incredibly lifelike.

“Why don't you two have a daughter too? Look how much Zhou Fei loves little girls,” Zhao Tieying and Zhao Hong teased.

“Fourth Sister, we can barely afford to support two sons. Besides, the policy doesn't allow it,” Zhao Hong shook her head repeatedly. “If we had another son, it would be the death of us. The chance of the Zhou family having a son is just too high! Who could handle that?”

As Zhou Fei rode Zhao Hong home, the Zhou family ate dinner at the shop.

“The textile factory is closed the day after tomorrow, so our shop will take a day off too. From now on, we'll have one day off per week,” Zhou Yan said to his mother.

“A day off?” Zhao Tieying's chopsticks paused. “Won't anyone come to eat on Sundays?”

“Ninety percent of our customers are factory workers. When the factory is closed, the workers aren't at work, so there won't be much business. If there are only a few scattered customers, it's hard to prepare the food—too much is a waste, and too little will make them complain.” Zhou Yan shook his head with a smile. “Besides, we need to rest too. We work so hard from dawn till dusk; one day off a week isn't too much.”

“Yes, it's important to balance work and rest.” Zhou Miao placed a piece of beef in Zhao Tieying's bowl. “Don't let yourself get worn out.”

Hearing this, Zhao Tieying smiled and nodded. “Alright, then we'll take a day off.”

“By the way, since we aren't open the day after tomorrow, take Momo to see your grandmother. I ran into Old Fifth yesterday, and she said the old lady has been missing you two siblings for a long time. Go make her a meal,” Zhou Miao said to Zhou Yan.

“Remember to bring some things with you. Your grandmother dotes on you two so much,” Zhao Tieying added.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded and continued eating, an image of an old lady with white hair appearing in his mind.

Two meals of alcohol a day—two ounces of wine with two ounces of meat, and she could still eat two bowls of rice.

She had raised five sons on her own and kept four daughters-in-law perfectly disciplined.

The First Generation Sichuan-Chongqing Tyrant.

Beside him, Zhou Momo was buried in her food, oblivious to the world, focused entirely on the meal before her, her hands and face glistening with oil.

She looked like she was enjoying her food immensely.

“In the future, when the weather is good, let Momo eat breakfast and lunch at the entrance. Just looking at her appetite, anyone would want to come in and see what we're cooking,” Zhou Yan joked.

“I think that's a good idea. Those young girls love her. She's sweet-talked and good at storytelling; she's better at attracting customers than I am.” Zhao Tieying looked at Zhou Momo with doting affection.

“By the way, we sold a hundred portions of noodles today, sixty-nine portions of Qiaojiao Beef, and fifty-two bowls of rice. Our turnover reached 106.6 yuan. We successfully broke the hundred mark!” Zhou Yan announced.

“A hundred!” Zhao Tieying was a bit stunned.

Over a hundred!

They had made over a hundred yuan!

Their restaurant was truly picking up.

They could keep more than half of that hundred yuan as profit. After running the restaurant for three months, they were finally seeing a return on their investment.

“This is just the beginning! In the future, we won't just earn a hundred! We'll earn a thousand! Even ten thousand!” Zhou Yan smiled and picked up a soup bowl. “Come, let's toast to our successful opening of the Qiaojiao Beef business!”

“Cheers!” There was a light in Zhao Tieying's eyes and a smile on her face, full of drive.

“Cheers.” Zhou Miao raised his bowl.

“Cheers~!” Zhou Momo raised her bowl with both hands.

The four bowls clinked gently together.

Every face was radiant with smiles.

(End of Chapter)