"Uncle, is this restaurant good? I don't think the state-owned restaurants in Suji are any good at all." A plump girl, wearing a floral dress, sat on the bicycle at the far end. She looked about eighteen years old and weighed at least 180 jin (About 90 kg). She was Huang He's daughter, Huang Ying.
Huang Ying was about the same size as Huang He, with a round face and fair skin. She was quite pleasing to the eye, but her voice was a little high-pitched, didn't quite match her size. She looked at Zhao Dong expectantly.
"It must be good, that's why Uncle brought you all here." Zhao Dong replied with a smile. He then looked at Huang He and said, "Brother in law, let me tell you, don't let the small decor of this little restaurant fool you. The owner's cooking is really good. The food is much better than the state-owned restaurants. If you don't like it, I'll give you that badge."
Hearing about the badge, Huang He became interested: "Really?"
"Yes." Zhao Dong nodded with a smile.
"Then let's try it. If we all think it's not as good as the state-owned restaurant, the badge is mine." Huang He said, "If it's really as good as you say, I'll treat you and I'll also buy you a bottle of 52% Wuliangye."
"Okay!" Zhao Dong nodded immediately.
His brother in law was rich and generous, for something so sure of success, earning a bottle of Wuliangye liquor was a piece of cake.
Zhao Shulan looked at her husband and brother, shaking her head helplessly. What else could she say?
"Where's Bingbing?" Old Mrs. Zhao looked around and asked.
"Mom, don't worry about that brat. I told him to come here. If he dares not to come today, I'll deal with him when I get back." Huang He said with a smile.
"Yes, give him a good beating!" Huang Ying said gleefully, clenching her chubby hand.
"Whoosh—"
A motorcycle roared from afar.
Everyone turned around and saw a military green motorcycle approaching and stopping in front of the restaurant.
"A motorcycle!"
Many customers in the restaurant turned to look at the entrance, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"It's a Jialing 70! I didn't expect to see this kind of motorcycle in Suji! It has all the parts imported from Japan, and it seems to cost more than 2,500 yuan!"
Those who recognized it marveled.
Even Zhou Yan, hearing the noise, couldn't help but peek out from the kitchen.
The motorcyclist was a young man in his early twenties, wearing bell-bottoms, slicked-back hair, canvas shoes, a floral shirt tucked into his pants, a black leather jacket over it, and sunglasses. He was riding a military green motorcycle.
This outfit is definitely a trendy look for men in this era.
And he's also a wealthy and trendy guy.
Zhou Yan had been to Jiazhou twice and occasionally seen motorcycles on the road, but they were usually Jialing 50s, far inferior to the Jialing 70 he was riding.
In an era when the average factory worker's monthly salary was only around thirty yuan, what did it mean to ride a motorcycle costing over two thousand yuan?
A typical rich second generation heir driving a luxury car.
He was tall and thin, with somewhat compact features and a pale complexion, looking like he had kidney deficiency.
"Grandma!" Huang Bing stopped his motorcycle, pulled his sunglasses down to his nose, and looked at the old lady with a smile, saying, "Look at my new motorcycle, want me to take you for a ride?"
"Don't mess around, you'll make your grandma uncomfortable." Zhao Shulan punched Huang Bing's arm.
"Who are you wearing sunglasses?" Old Mrs. Zhao frowned as she looked at Huang Bing.
"It's me, Bingbing! Don't you remember me again?" Huang Bing's smile faded, replaced by a hint of melancholy.
"You're talking nonsense. My Bingbing is only this big." The Old Mrs. Zhao gestured with her hand, indicating how big it was, up to her armpit.
"Brother, I want to ride your motorcycle! Can you take me for a ride?" Huang Ying stopped the bicycle and ran over with her eyes full of anticipation.
"You can't. The motorcycle will lurch upwards when you get on, and I won't be able to control it." Huang Bing immediately turned off the engine, pulled out the key, and shook his head decisively.
"You..." Huang Ying was furious, then turned to Huang He and complained in a coquettish tone, "Dad! Didn't you say you were going to teach this brat a lesson? Hurry up and do it, I'll help you catch him!"
"Uncle, Aunt, Cousin Brother, Cousin Sister." Huang Bing ignored her and greeted Zhao Dong and his wife and his two cousins. Looking up at the signboard and the small restaurant in front of him, he wondered, "Having lunch here? It's Grandma's birthday, isn't it a bit… too small?"
"Stop talking nonsense! It's not like you're paying for this, why are you being so picky!" Huang He flicked his forehead, his face full of disdain: "Look at the pants you're wearing! All you do all day is hang out with your bunch of scoundrels. You'll start working at the restaurant tomorrow and earn your own salary. I'll make sure your mom doesn't give you a single penny of pocket money!"
"Dad, I may be a bit of a prankster, but I never cause you any trouble." Huang Bing grinned, hiding behind Zhao Shulan and whispering, "Mom, give me a hundred yuan for oil."
"I..." Huang He glared.
"Old Huang!" Zhao Shulan stepped forward, her face darkening, and pinched his waist. "If you have something to say, say it back home. Don't embarrass me in front of everyone! I'll deal with him when I get back!"
Huang He winced in pain, nodding repeatedly.
Zhao Shulan glanced over, and Huang Bing dared not laugh anymore, shrinking behind the old woman.
Zhao Dong smiled and said, "Come on, let's go inside and have a seat. I've already ordered the dishes. This is the first time the owner has opened on Sunday."
The group followed him inside.
"Director Zhao, you're here! Please find a seat." Zhao Tieying greeted them with a smile.
Zhou Momo, hearing the commotion, also ran out, bypassing the crowd to look at the motorcycles outside. She exclaimed in amazement, "Wow! A big motorcycle!"
The little one was tiny and adorable, making it hard not to take a second look.
"So tiny and cute!" Huang Ying had already approached, her eyes shining as she looked at Zhou Momo.
The sudden shadow cast made Zhou Momo instinctively take a half step back. She looked up at Huang Ying with a shocked expression: "What a big older sister... so amazing!"
The Old Zhou family wasn't lacking in tall, strong men, but Zhou Momo had never seen such a large older sister.
Zhao Hong was rather stocky, but she worked hard, so her flesh was firm, making her appear less large.
Huang Ying was plump and would never walk if she could ride a bicycle. She wore a loose-fitting cotton dress that concealed her flesh. When she suddenly got close, from Zhou Momo's perspective, she looked like a mountain.
The little one's world was still untouched by adults' concepts of beauty and ugliness.
Therefore, she was shocked by Huang Ying's robust physique and genuinely thought she was amazing.
Huang Ying paused for a moment after hearing this, then couldn't help but laugh.
Because she saw admiration in Zhou Momo's eyes, a pure and heartfelt thought.
She hadn't seen that kind of look in other people's eyes for a long time, most of all, she saw disdain and contempt, and mocking laughter from behind.
But this girl actually said she was amazing!
Spoil her! Spoil her well!
Huang Ying opened her small pink crossbody bag, grabbed a handful of candy, and smiled as she handed it to Zhou Momo: "Here, big sister will give you some candy."
Besides fruit candies, there were also coin-shaped chocolates.
Zhou Momo's eyes lit up, but she didn't reach out to take them. Instead, she turned to look at Aunt Zhao.
Her mother told her that she shouldn't accept food from strangers.
"Sister give you, just take it." Aunt Zhao nodded with a smile.
Zhou Momo then held out her two small hands, accepting the candy from Huang Ying, and sweetly said, "Thank you, sister!"
"You're welcome!" Huang Ying shook her head with a smile.
Huang Bing, watching from the side, chuckled foolishly. He rummaged through all his pockets, only to find a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, which he silently stuffed back into his pocket.
"This motorcycle is mine. Do you want to ride it for a spin?" Huang Bing said, patting the motorcycle. She had just come out to exclaim in amazement.
Zhou Momo nodded, then quickly shook her head: "No."
"Why? This is the latest Jialing 70 model. It's incredibly fast." Huang Bing persisted, thinking no child could refuse his new motorcycle.
"My Guo Guo said I can't just ride in other people's vehicles, especially motorcycles." Zhou Momo shook her head resolutely.
Everyone laughed upon hearing this.
"See? Even a three years old knows you're not a good person." Huang He added mercilessly.
"Your older brother has a lot of problems." Huang Bing retorted, unconvinced.
"Is this Huang Ying? How come she's gotten so small again?" Old Mrs.Zhao looked at Zhou Momo, smiling and beckoning, "Come, let Grandma take a look."
"Grandma, I'm Huang Ying!" Huang Ying quickly went over, grabbed the old lady's hand, and said with a smile, "Look, I've grown so much!"
"Oh my god, how did Shulan feed you? She's feeding you so well!" The old lady grasped Huang Ying's hand, her face beaming with joy.
"Sit here." Zhao Dong gestured, and everyone took their seats.
The Huang family of four and the Zhao family of five could barely fit at one of the eight people tables, it was a bit cramped.
Huang He glanced at Huang Bing, who had been squeezed to the side by Huang Ying, and then turned to Zhao Tieying and said politely, "Boss, could you put another table together for us? It would be more comfortable for us to sit and eat."
"Sure." Zhao Tieying replied, calling Zhou Miao to bring over a table from the side to join the table.
It's more spacious now, but with two eight people tables joined together, it's not so easy for people sitting at either end to reach for food.
This made Zhao Tieying realize that to handle such large gatherings, they still needed to prepare several large round tables seating ten people each.
"Boss, you can ask Zhou Yan to cook now." Zhao Dong said to Zhao Tieying with a smile.
"Okay." Zhao Tieying replied, turning into the kitchen.
"The tables aren't very professional. There isn't a single round table. It's common for two families to have more than ten people eating together. This will prevent many guests from coming to eat." Huang He said in a low voice, looking around. "The main hall is actually quite large. Why are there so many eight people tables? Can it always be full?"
"Not only will it be full, but if you come late, you often have to queue." Zhao Dong said with a smile. "Usually, the customers are factory workers, usually in groups of three or five. In that case, rectangular tables are more practical than round tables. This restaurant isn't usually open on weekends, this is the first time. I guess they'll change things up later."
"Queue?" Huang He was a little surprised to hear this. He looked around the restaurant. The walls were painted white, the floor was cement, and the ceiling didn't even have a false ceiling. Ten incandescent lights were hung up, making it look rather shabby.
The menu on the wall was quite interesting. It was a wooden sign with the names and prices of the dishes.
The variety of dishes is quite rich, including noodles, braised dishes, stir-fries, braised food, and cold dishes, but the selection of food is pitifully small.
The braised dishes consisted of braised pork ribs and beef with dried bamboo shoots, the stir-fries included minced beef, twice-cooked pork, and spicy stir-fried pork liver, along with a crucian carp with perilla leaves and the braised food were simply braised pig's head and trotters. These are all common dishes found in small restaurants.
The menu is not as extensive as that of a typical small restaurant.
There was a dish called "Cross-legged Beef" that looked unfamiliar. His ancestors were from Suji, and he had never heard of this dish before.
The prices were reasonable, a bit more expensive than a state-owned restaurant and a bit more expensive than a typical Sichuan restaurant.
And this is what makes textile factory workers line up to eat here?
Huang He thought Zhao Dong was exaggerating.
"What dishes did you order?" Huang He asked.
"Braised food, cold chicken dish, and cross-legged beef aren't available today. I ordered one of everything else. My mother loves braised pork ribs and twice-cooked pork, so I ordered an extra portion." Zhao Dong said.
"Just these few dishes? No braised food or cold dishes?" Huang He looked at him with surprise, glancing around at the other customers in the restaurant. Eight tables had been reserved for this meal?
Zhao Shulan's fingers traced across the table as she smiled and said, "The restaurant isn't big, and the environment is simple, but it's quite clean. The tables and chairs aren't greasy at all, they feel clean and refreshing to the touch. That's rare in busy small restaurants."
"That's true. Restaurants that look simple usually have a poor environment. They're just cheap and the food is okay, but the customers aren't that picky." Huang He nodded. The empty tables and benches were also neatly arranged, making it comfortable to look at.
"However, I think the chef at this small town restaurant is definitely not as skilled as Li Laosan's at our restaurant." Huang He said with a hint of pride. "Li Laosan's Senior Brother is a chef who was been featured in 'Sichuan Cuisine', and Li Laosan just got his first level chef certificate last year. His culinary skills are second to none in Jiazhou. Many customers come to our Feiyan Restaurant specifically for his cooking."
"I don't think so. I've tasted Li Laosan's cooking more than once or twice. Just looking at the dishes on the menu, he definitely doesn't cook them as well as Zhou Yan." Zhao Dong said with a smile, unconvinced.
"Zhou Yan? Does Suji have such a chef? Is he from out of town?" Huang He frowned, looking at Zhao Dong and asking, "How many years has he been a chef? What level of chef? Where did he learn his skills from?"
Zhao Shulan and Huang Bing also looked at Zhao Dong, unconvinced. Feiyan Restaurant is now one of the top restaurants in Jiazhou. Li Laosan is their head chef, a first-class master chef specializing in hot dishes, with exceptionally high skill levels.
Zhao Dong actually said that the chef at this small restaurant is better than him?
"Uncle, you can't exaggerate too much just for my dad's wuliangye." Huang Bing teased.
"Exactly! If his cooking is better than Li Laosan's, then the number one restaurant in Jiazhou should be Zhou Erwa Restaurant." Zhao Shulan added with a laugh.
Huang Ying looked on expectantly: "Uncle, is it really even better than Uncle Li's?"
"When have I ever lied to Yingying?" Zhao Dong said with a smile. "Zhou Yan is only twenty years old this year. He apprenticed under Xiao Lei, the former head chef of our textile factory. His Grandmaster was Kong Huaifeng, a famous chef in Jiazhou. Brother in law should know him, right? As for his skill level, I don't know. He probably hasn't taken the exam yet."
"Twenty years old? You're quite humorous." Huang He raised an eyebrow, then couldn't help but laugh: "Looks like that badge of yours is mine! I've been begging for it for so many years, but this time you've give it to me yourself."
"At twenty years old, being able to do a good job as a chopping board operator in the kitchen is a testament to hard work and dedication. No wonder there are only a few dishes on the menu. I know Master Xiao, he is indeed skilled at cooking fish, spicy stir-fried pork liver, pork kidney, and crispy pork intestines, but his other dishes are rather ordinary, not as good as his Senior Brother, Xu Yunliang."
"Master Kong Huaifeng and my father were very close back then. His skill level was extremely high, he excelled at braising, stir-frying, and steaming, especially his braised fish, which was absolutely superb. When we entertain distinguished guests at Feiyan Restaurant, we would even ask him to help cook a few dishes."
"Even if his grand-disciple is highly talented, he's only twenty years old. I don't believe his skills can surpass his master's. Even his master wouldn't dare to say he's better than Li Laosan in cooking."
As the third generation owner of the restaurant, Huang He knew the famous chefs of Jiazhou like the back of his hand, he clearly knows the apprenticeships and his ancestors having frequent connections with them.
He was forty eight years old this year, having grown up in the restaurant industry, he had seen countless chefs, many of them geniuses, who later went to Rongcheng, and some even went to America.
He knew the skill level of a twenty years old chef perfectly well.
"I'll add another bottle of Maotai, the one you saw last time you came." Huang He said to Zhao Dong. "If you lose, give me the other badge too. I'll take the loss, it's no big deal."
"You said it, right? You can't cheat in front of the kids." Zhao Dong's eyes lit up. He could only drink Maotai at Huang He's house during the Chinese New Year. He couldn't afford it at other times
"I said it, I absolutely won't cheat you." Huang He patted his chest to assure him, his smile exceptionally bright.
He wasn't worried at all about things that were a sure thing.
"I'll be your witness! It's absolutely fair and just!" Huang Ying raised her hand and said with a smile, "Uncle, don't worry, if my dad tries to cheat, I'll just steal it from his liquor cabinet for you."
"Yingying, you're even siding with outsiders." Huang He was both amused and exasperated, feeling somewhat helpless towards his precious daughter.
"My own niece, how can she be considered an outsider?" Zhao Dong said smugly.
Everyone at the table laughed along.
Old Mrs. Zhao also chuckled, it had been a long time since they'd had such a lively atmosphere.
At this moment, Zhao Tieying brought the dishes to the table. First came two servings of braised pork ribs and one serving of beef with dried bamboo shoots.
Following that was a small wooden bucket filled with rice, with a wooden rice spoon inside.
The Huang family's eyes immediately fell on the two dishes.
This wasn't just a gamble with Huang He's two bottles of liquors, but also the honor of their Feiyan Restaurant!
Is the food prepared by a twenty years old chef in a small restaurant in Suji Town really better than that of their restaurant's top chef?
"Gulp." Huang Ying swallowed first, staring at the plate of ribs closest to her, and said, "These braised pork ribs smell so good! They look so tempting too, they seem even more appetizing than Uncle Li's."
After saying this, she picked up a piece of braised pork rib and placed it in Grandma Zhao's bowl, smiling, "Grandma! It's your birthday today, you eat first!"
"Okay!" Grandma Zhao nodded with a smile, picked up the rib with her chopsticks, and with a quick bite, the meat fell off the bone.
The old lady had only a few teeth left, so she pursed her lips and swallowed it in a few bites, nodding with a smile, "Mmm, so good! It's cooked perfectly! The taste is great too."
"Then I'll eat too!" Huang Ying couldn't wait any longer. She picked up a piece of braised pork rib, trembling slightly, coated in a glistening red sauce, steaming hot—it looked incredibly tempting.
She put it in her mouth, took a gentle bite, and the tender, flavorful meat immediately burst open between her teeth, juices flying everywhere—it was so delicious!
She sucked the bones clean before finally spitting it out.
"Delicious! Much better than Uncle Li's!" Huang Ying immediately gave her evaluation, her delicate eyebrows raised. "About a hundred times better!"
"Indeed, very fragrant!" Huang Bing also exclaimed.
Huang He's expression turned serious upon hearing this. He picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of braised pork ribs. The ribs were cut into uniform pieces, coated in an amber sauce, and looked incredibly appetizing, even on the cheapest white plate.
The aroma was irresistible—the fragrance of meat infused with the sauce, without a trace of any gamey smell.
The ribs entered his mouth and the meat easily separated from the bone, the fat melting in his mouth, the lean meat tender and flavorful, and the small pieces of cartilage chewy and springy. The texture was incredibly layered, and the rich juices burst in his mouth—absolutely wonderful.
Spitting out the bones, the fragrance lingers on the lips and teeth.
Huang He stared at the plate of braised pork ribs in front of him in silence for a moment, then looked up at Zhao Dong through gritted teeth:
"Damn it!"
"You're saying this was cooked by a twenty years old chef?"