At this hour, lazybones Zhou Momo was naturally still asleep.
She was the only one in the family who could stay on bed until the sun was high in the sky.
"I'll go see what your new house looks like."
The old lady put down the jar of rock sugar, not in a hurry to start working, and went upstairs for a look around.
Zhou Yan followed behind, turning on the stairwells light.
After bumping his head last time, Zhou Yan decisively installed a light in the stairwells, with a double switch, so it could be turned on and off from both upstairs and downstairs.
There was no other way, the stairwells had no windows, so even during the day it was dimly lit.
The stairwells wasn't painted white, but a thin layer of cement had been carefully scraped onto the surface. It wasn't exactly smooth, but it wasn't rough or scratchy either.
The lime used for painting now is not the putty or latex paint of later generations, this stuff leaves a white stain on clothes if you rub it on.
The stairwells are already narrow, and in winter, if you wear thick clothes, going up and down the stairs can turn black clothes into white.
As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, the light immediately brightened.
The old lady, hands behind her back, surveyed the empty living room and nodded. "This room is quite spacious. With the whitewashed walls, it looks much better than your old, dilapidated house. This is a new home!"
Zhao Tieying and Zhou Miao followed her upstairs and smiled upon hearing this.
"Is this the newly built room?" the old lady asked, heading towards the bedroom.
Zhou Yan quickly followed, helping to open the door.
The curtains weren't hung yet, and the sunlight streamed into the room, making it bright and airy.
The large room was empty except for a large bed made of wooden planks and long benches against the wall. There were two boxes next to the bed. A new quilt was laid on the bed, and Zhou Momo was sleeping soundly in the middle, smacking her lips as if dreaming, completely unaware of what was happening.
"A cozy little house is better than the imperial palace." The old lady nodded, then turned to look at Zhou Yan: "You're really good at handling things, arranging things perfectly for your mother and father."
"Of course." Zhou Yan replied with a smile.
"This building is warmer than the old house, and it's more convenient to stay in the shop without having to run around everyday." Zhao Tieying said with a satisfied smile.
"It's always good for the whole family to live together." the old lady nodded, her gaze falling on Zhao Tieying's ears. She smiled and asked, "New gold earrings?"
Zhao Tieying subconsciously touched her ears.
"I bought these for Tieying. I've never bought her any gold jewelry in all these years of marriage. Yesterday, I went to the department store in Jiazhou and asked Zhou Yan for an advance on my salary to buy her a pair of gold earrings." Zhou Miao said quickly, his slightly awkward smile tinged with affection.
"They look beautiful and make people look radiant. You both father and son have good taste." the old lady said with a smile. "Getting a wife isn't a real skill; being able to pamper your wife is the real skill."
After saying that, the old lady glanced at Zhou Yan and said, "Learn a little. When you get married in the future, you should also follow your father's example. People are all made of flesh and blood. Only sincerity can win sincerity."
"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded, keeping it in mind.
The old lady glanced at the new watch on Zhou Miao's wrist, then at the Shanghai watch Zhou Yan was also wearing.
"Zhou Yan bought one for himself to use for braising meat, and also bought one for his father, saying it would be more convenient for him to keep track of the time so he wouldn't have trouble sleeping at night." Zhao Tieying immediately explained..
"You're a good kid, you think of your mother and your father." The old lady lifted Zhou Yan's hand and looked at it. "How much did a watch cost this year?"
"Seventy." Zhou Yan replied.
"It's much cheaper now. Last year it cost a hundred, and the year before that it cost a hundred and twenty five. You can really get it for this price." The old lady nodded. "It looks good on you too. Wearing a watch on your wrist will make people look at you more respectfully when you go out to talk business."
"I'll get you a new one later." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
The old lady was highly respected in this family, not just because she had enough authority, but because she was never a spoilsport and always made people feel comfortable and respected.
"Mine is fine, it'll last another ten years without any problem." The old lady shook her head with a smile, walked to the bedside, looked at Zhou Momo, smiled, turned around and gently closed the door: "Come on, let her sleep, little babies need to sleep more to grow well."
Downstairs, Zhou Yan started busying himself with stir-frying the meat stew and toppings.
Comrade Old Zhou went to kill chickens and prepare pig's heads.
The old lady sat behind the stove helping with the fire, saying leisurely, "Your dad helps you out at the restaurant chopping the braised meat, it's really good. Killing cows and selling meat by himself is too much for him."
"That's right, he goes to help others kill cows once or twice a week now, his skills haven't deteriorated, and people still call him Master Zhou, which makes him happy." Zhou Yan replied with a smile.
The grandmother and grandson chatted idly.
Zhou Lihui didn't have to tend the fire today, after fetching water, he watched Zhou Yan cook attentively.
"Huihui, you've been here so many days, have you learned a single dish?" the old lady asked, looking at him.
"Grandma, I've learned half of it." Zhou Lihui grinned. "I can season the noodles now. I'm in charge of seasoning the base for all the noodles in the restaurant."
"Then you've really learned a skill." the old lady nodded, then asked, "What about your studies? Didn't you have an exam the two days ago? How did it go?"
Zhou Lihui stopped laughing, clenched his hands, lowered his head and said embarrassedly, "It's very stable, still third from the bottom."
"That's fine too, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Poor grades don't mean you're incapable. Look at you, you always come in first in running, you're the anchor in tug-of-war, and nobody can beat you in arm wrestling. On average, you're still pretty amazing." the old lady said with a doting smile. "As long as you're hardworking and diligent, you can do whatever you want in the future. Look at your uncle, he didn't even finish junior high school, but now he's a successful chef and he's doing fine."
Zhou Lihui glanced at Zhou Yan and nodded with a smile, "Yes, I understand, Grandma."
Zhou Yan: Don't look at me like you are seeking comfort, I'm a legitimate public university student from a second tier university!
The ingredients were ready, and customers started arriving one after another.
Zhou Yan was pulling noodles, and the old lady watched with great interest, occasionally asking a question.
She had eaten Zhou Yan's noodles last time and thought they tasted better than store-bought noodles, so she specifically wanted to learn how to make them today.
"Kneading the dough and pulling the noodles is too much work, Grandma, if you want to eat, just come to the restaurant." Zhou Yan said.
"It's too much trouble to make a special trip to town just to eat a bowl of noodles. I can easily stretch enough noodles for two people at home. When I was young, I could carry 150 jin (75 kg) of braised meat on one shoulder!" The old lady rolled her eyes at him. "Demonstrate again how you stretch and fold this noodle..."
The old lady's talent for braised dishes was absolutely top notch, and she was also quite adept at homestyle cooking.
She could also make steamed buns and mantou. After watching Zhou Yan pull noodles for half an hour, she pinched off a small lump of dough and went to practice herself. She managed to pull noodles successfully after only a few tries.
"Here, you cook this bowl of noodles for me later, I'll eat it myself." the old lady said to Zhou Yan with a smile, grabbing a handful of noodles.
"Grandma, you're a genius!" Zhou Yan couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
Aside from being a little uneven in thickness, some flat and some round, the old lady's first attempt at pulling noodles looked quite impressive.
The older generation certainly had some talent.
"What genius? Just a few haphazard attempts are nothing special." the old lady laughed, waving her hand. "As long as it's edible, it's fine. I don't need to make it for customers. This level of quality is enough."
Zhou Yan smiled and nodded, using a bamboo strainer to cook the noodles separately for the old lady.
The braised beef and pig's head for today's banquet were already in the pot. This first batch needed to be braised early, soaked long enough, and delivered ahead of time so his Master and the others could arrange for cutting.
The customers eating noodles gradually left the shop. Zhou Yan glanced around, not seeing the Huang siblings, and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.
It seemed asking them to cycle half an hour from Jiazhou for breakfast was too much to ask. Neither of them seemed like they could manage it.
It was a good thing he had saved them two extra servings of noodles, so they wouldn't have made a long trip only to miss out.
Outside, two bicycles slowly came to a stop.
Huang Ying gripped the handlebars, drenched in sweat. Her round face was flushed, and her bangs were plastered to her forehead with sweat. Large drops of sweat trickled down her face and onto her chin. Her sweat-soaked clothes clung to her body, revealing three "spare tires" around her waist. She was panting heavily, completely disregarding her appearance.
Beside her, Huang Bing slumped over the handlebars, looking utterly dejected. His face was pale and bloodless, as if his body had been completely drained.
He stayed up all night drinking with his buddies yesterday, and this morning Huang Ying dragged him out of bed. He was completely dazed when he rode his bicycle out the door.
He had no choice, his mother had given him a strict order: if he wanted to get three ten yuan bills today, he had to accompany Huang Ying to and from Suji for meal three times.
Before he even got the money, he'd already figured out how to spend it.
One bill for oil for his motorcycle.
One bill for a box of face cream for his girlfriend whom he had just met yesterday.
And one bill for drinks for his buddies that evening.
His plans were perfectly laid out.
Young Master Huang was highly respected outside, but getting pocket money at home was a real struggle.
To be respected in public, one must first suffer in private.
Young Master Huang wasn't having an easy time either.
"Girl, are you both here for noodles?" Zhao Tieying was clearing the table when she saw the two of them and asked with a smile.
"Sister Huang Ying! You're here!" Zhou Momo, who had just finished breakfast, ran out upon hearing the sound and called out enthusiastically to Huang Ying.
"Yes, Auntie, we've come to eat noodles." After catching her breath, Huang Ying pulled at her clothes, temporarily smoothing out the wrinkles on her stomach, and put on a smile, looking at Zhou Momo and saying, "Momo, I'm here!"
"Call me too." Huang Bing said, looking at Zhou Momo expectantly.
Zhou Momo hide behind Zhao Tieying, shaking her head: "Guo Guo said to stay away from people who look fierce."
"Am I fierce? I'm clearly very gentle..." Huang Bing looked hurt.
"Yes, stay away from people like that, they're not good people." Huang Ying smiled brightly, stopped the bicycle, and took a lollipop from her small bag, handing it to Zhou Momo: "Here, this is a candy for you."
"Thank you, sister." Zhou Momo took it, "I like you so much!"
"You're welcome!" Huang Ying took her little hand and led her into the restaurant.
"Can just one candy make her that happy?" Huang Bing stopped the bicycle, a thoughtful look on his face, deciding to cut some of his budget for drinks with his buddies that night and buy ten candies instead!
Ten "Brother Huang" calls from his buddies wouldn't compare to one "Guo Guo" from this cute little girl!
Zhou Yan happened to come out of the kitchen, somewhat surprised to see the two of them covered in sweat.
These two siblings were complete opposites.
One was so fat she was out of breath after a few steps, the other so weak he had to support his back after just a few steps.
It's really asking too much of them to ride their bicycles all the way from Jiazhou to Suji for breakfast so early in the morning.
"Boss Zhou." Huang Ying brushed her bangs aside, then quietly pulled her clothes down a bit, and greeted Zhou Yan with a smile.
Huang Bing also straightened his back and said in a deliberately serious tone, "Brother Zhou."
Huh?
Why did he automatically call him "brother"?
"We were almost closed this morning, I thought you two weren't coming." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"I said I'd come, so I definitely came!" Huang Ying said with a smile, her gaze shifting to the menu beside her as she looked at it intently.
"My mom gave me an order: unless it rains knives, I have to eat three meals a day, not a single one can be missed." Huang Bing took out a cigarette from his pocket, put one in his mouth, and was about to light it when he saw Zhou Momo cover her mouth and retreat to Zhou Yan's side. He paused for a moment, then silently broke the cigarette and put it back in his pocket.
Oh well, it's not like he can't go without one.
"I'd like a bowl of braised beef noodles and a bowl of double pepper beef noodles." Huang Ying said, turning to Zhou Yan.
"You two are late, so I only left you two bowls, one for each of you." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"Only one bowl?" Huang Ying felt like the sky was falling.
She had ridden her bicycle for almost half an hour on an empty stomach that morning, and now she was so hungry she felt like she could eat a whole cow.
After hesitating for a moment, she clenched her fist and said, "Then... I want braised beef noodles!"
"I want a bowl of double pepper beef noodles." Huang Bing decided immediately.
"Okay." Zhou Yan replied, turning to walk towards the kitchen.
Zhao Tieying took two large bowls, poured hot water into herbal tea, and served one to each of them: "Have some warm water."
"Thanks, Auntie." Huang Ying said sweetly.
"Thanks, Auntie." Huang Bing echoed.
The two picked up their bowls and gulped down the tea.
The water temperature was just right, and the mint leaves in the herbal tea made it incredibly thirst quenching.
After finishing a bowl of water, they immediately felt much better.
However...
They felt like they'd only drunk about half a bowl of water.
They weren't as hungry anymore.
Zhou Momo leaned over to chat with Huang Ying. The little girl was a chatterbox, one topic after another popping up, especially after her trip to the city yesterday, which broadened her horizons and made her talk about even more diverse topics.
Huang Ying had a gentle personality and was very patient, always responding to every sentence, though not always correctly.
Huang Bing sat beside her, listening and laughing.
"Huang Bing, what are you laughing at?" Huang Ying glared at him.
"You childish rascal, talking nonsense to fool kids." Huang Bing pouted.
"Mind your own business!" Huang Ying snorted, ignoring him and continuing her conversation with Zhou Momo.
Huang Bing turned his head away, but perked up his ears to listen, continuing to laugh.
He hadn't noticed before, but Huang Ying was still as funny and silly as when they were little, the little sister in his memory seemed unchanged.
"Coming." Zhou Yan brought out two bowls of noodles, along with a dish of pickled radishes.
The two, both starving, were immediately drawn to the noodles.
The braised beef noodles were topped with a layer of beef and bamboo shoots, with a layer of red oil floating on top. It looked incredibly appetizing, the aroma of beef wafted up with the steam, and Huang Ying couldn't help but swallow.
So fragrant!
She glanced at Huang Bing's bowl of double pepper beef noodles. He was stirring it with chopsticks, the bits of beef and pepper evenly coating the noodles, garnished with green and red peppers—it looked quite tempting too.
"Three yuan, I'll buy this bowl of noodles." Huang Ying said.
Huang Bing, who was about to put a mouthful of noodles in his mouth, paused, glancing at his sideways: "How much?"
"Three yuan! Five times the original price." Huang Ying held up five fingers.
"Who are you looking down on? I came all this way just to eat this bowl of noodles, and you think you can buy it for three yuan!" Huang Bing immediately put the noodles in his mouth, his eyes lighting up.
Delicious!
Yesterday's double pepper minced beef rice had left him craving more, and today's noodles were even better.
The chewy noodles were coated with crispy on the outside, tender on the inside chunks of beef, infused with the spiciness of green and red peppers and the tangy aroma of pickled cabbage. One bite, and it was incredibly satisfying—a delightful explosion of flavors on the tongue.
One bite after another, it was impossible to stop.
A large bowl of noodles was quickly devoured, almost half gone.
Two words: Absolutely amazing!
Huang Bing doesn't usually like noodles, preferring steamed buns and fried dough sticks.
But today's double pepper minced beef noodles had completely changed his perception of noodles.
So, the noodles could be this delicious!
Huang Ying couldn't resist either, picking up her chopsticks and slurping them down.
These noodles smell so good!
Soaked in broth, they were incredibly flavorful, smooth, and chewy.
The red oil on the noodles looked vibrant, but the spiciness wasn't overpowering. Instead, the aroma was richer, and it wasn't greasy at all.
Then, take another bite of the tender, large chunks of beef brisket—it's so satisfying!
Slurp, slurp!
She couldn't stop eating.
She'd sip the soup every now and then the broth was so fresh and delicious, it was absolutely amazing!
The fatigue and resentment from cycling for half an hour to Suji that morning vanished instantly after that first bite of noodles.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely!
Zhou Momo didn't disturb Huang Ying's meal. Seeing Zhou Yan resting, she immediately ran over and climbed onto his lap, starting to call out, "Guo Guo... Guo Guo..."
Zhou Yan was dizzy from her questions, so he played a game of lifting her up high for a while, making her giggle.
After finishing a bowl of noodles, Huang Bing's pale face regained some color, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. He still felt like he could eat another bowl.
Huang Ying finished her soup in one gulp.
She put down the bowl and glanced at Huang Bing: "Huang Bing, are you still hungry?"
Huang Bing rolled his eyes: "Look at other people's little sisters, so cute, and they even call their brother 'Guo Guo'. Unlike you, all you do is yell 'Huang Bing! Huang Bing!' The first thing you say is 'Hungry!'"
"Then why don't you look at other people's brothers? Handsome, great physiques, and they can even lift their sisters up high." Huang Ying crossed her arms and looked at Huang Bing: "Then I'll call you 'Guo Guo,' and you can lift me up high."
Huang Bing looked at her silently for a moment, then sighed: "It's okay, I think it's fine if you call me Huang Bing..."
"Hmph, skinny dog!" Huang Ying pouted.
"Fatty!" Huang Bing grinned.
Huang Ying ignored him, turning to Zhou Yan with a pleading expression. "Boss Zhou, are you really out of noodles? Half a bowl would be fine…"
"We're really out of noodles." Zhou Yan said with a smile. "Besides, you were already full from that bowl of noodles, but you ate too fast. Your brains haven't had time to process it all. You'll feel full after a while. Eating too much is a burden on your body and bad for your health."
"Okay, then we'll come earlier next time." Huang Ying nodded, then asked, "What time do you open for business at noon?"
"The factory closes at 11:30 am, so our opening time is also 11:30 am." Zhou Yan said.
"Okay." Huang Ying nodded, took out a wallet from her pink bag, counted out sixty cents, handed it to Zhou Yan, and smiled. "He can pay for his own."
"Huh?" Huang Bing's eyes widened, a little flustered. He reached into his pocket, his hands were empty, and his heart felt empty too.
"Sister, you paid for me too." Huang Bing whispered, leaning closer to Huang Ying.
"Mom gave you ten yuan yesterday, I saw it." Huang Ying said, staring at him. "You must have been drinking with those hooligans again. You have money for drinking but not for food? Then you can stay and wash dishes for the boss."
Huang Bing gritted his teeth and said, "I'll pay you back double when I get back."
"You said it! If you don't pay me back, I'll tell Mom you've changed girlfriends again." Huang Ying pulled out her wallet.
"Wait, how did you know?" Huang Bing stared at her, shocked.
He just changed girlfriends yesterday, who leaked the news?
"It doesn't matter, just pay me when we get back." Huang Ying paid and left with a smug look on her face.
"I'm leaving now." Huang Bing said goodbye to Zhou Yan and quickly followed.
The siblings rode their bicycles away from the textile factory, then stopped in front of a noodle shop in Suji Town, as if on cue.
They exchanged a glance.
"Another bowl?"
"You're treating?"
"Come on!"
They sat down and each ordered a bowl of noodles.
The noodles arrived shortly.
They both picked up their chopsticks, took a bite, and fell silent.
"Why do I suddenly not feel hungry?" Huang Ying asked in surprise. This shouldn't be the case; she usually eats at least two bowls of noodles like this.
"Huang Ying, Huang Ying! Something's wrong with you! You were just starving, how come you can't eat now! Have you been bewitched?" Huang Ying tried to find the reason.
"I'm not hungry anymore..." Huang Bing rummaged through his bowl of noodles. He took a bite, and the difference in taste was indeed quite significant.
The pork stew was too watery, not fragrant, and even had a slightly gamey smell. The noodles were overcooked, a bit mushy, and didn't hold the broth well.
Although it was twenty cents cheaper per bowl, it was definitely far inferior.
The two exchanged a glance, paid, and left.
The owner came to collect the bowls, looking at the almost untouched noodles with a puzzled expression: "Strange? Why did they only take one bite and leave? Is there something wrong with today's noodles?"
He even took another pair of chopsticks and tasted a bite, looking even more puzzled: "There's nothing wrong with it."
"Zhou Yan is amazing! He said we were full, and we really couldn't eat anymore. Wasting a bowl of noodles like that last happened three years ago!" Huang Ying said admiringly as she leisurely rode her bicycle.
"Back then you only weighed 120 jin, one bowl of noodles was enough for a meal." Huang Bing said with a laugh as he rode alongside her. "But Zhou Yan's noodles were really delicious. It would be so much better if we were in Suji, it's such a hassle to go back and forth just to get a meal.
Huang Ying slammed on the brakes and nodded. "You're right! Going back and forth is too much trouble. I'm going to find a place by the river to have some tea, take a nap in a deck chair, and then go straight to the restaurant for lunch. That would be so comfortable!"
"No way! Mom said we have to come home to report to her after every three meals before she'll give me my pocket money. You have to come back with me." Huang Bing said anxiously.
"That's you, what does it have to do with me? I have plenty of pocket money." Huang Ying said smugly.
"You're not coming back, huh?" Huang Bing sneered. "Fine, then I'll go back and unpack all your chocolates, heat them up, and pour them all into the toilet!"
With that, he started his bicycle and sped away.
"Huang Bing, you dare! I'll kill you!" Huang Ying chased after him on her bicycle.
...
"Grandma, if we divide this pot of braising liquid in two, won't the flavor be too bland?" Zhou Yan asked the old lady, taking out the second aluminum pot.
"No problem. You braise seven or eight pig heads and more than a dozen pig trotters a day now, which is a lot. The braising liquid in this pot is also concentrated enough. Divide it into two pots. Just make sure to add enough spices, caramel coloring, and salt." The old lady brought over the jar she had brought in the morning: "Come on, today I'll teach you how to make caramel coloring."
The first pot of braised meat is ready. The beef, pig's head meat, and pig's ears have been soaked for a sufficient amount of time, then taken out and placed in a basket lined with clean gauze. Comrade Old Zhou is responsible for delivering it to the door.
Zhou Yan washed the aluminium pot, then went over to take a look. The jar contained rock sugar, weighing about four or five jin.
"Why are those two kids so different? One's chubby, the other skinny. Does their family favor girls over boys?" the old lady asked casually.
Zhou Yan smiled and said, "That shouldn't be the case. Their family owns a restaurant, the Feiyan Restaurant in Jiazhou City. It's said to be one of the four major restaurants in Jiazhou."
"Feiyan Restaurant?" The old lady looked at him. "Could it be Huang Silang's Feiyan Restaurant?"
Zhou Yan: Huh?