The Huang siblings arrived a little later than yesterday, the factory workers had all gone to work before they even reached the restaurant entrance.
Zhou Yan was sitting at the entrance, cracking sunflower seeds and giving Comrade Old Zhou pointers on drifting techniques, when he saw Huang Bing and Huang Ying stop their bicycle, getting off with pained expressions, their faces contorted in agony.
He stood up with a smile, looking at the two limping figures, and asked, "What happened?"
"Did you fall on the way?" Zhao Tieying asked with concern.
Huang Ying, her face contorted in pain, said somewhat aggrievedly, "Auntie, I didn't fall, it's just that I rode back and forth three times yesterday, and my legs were so sore this morning..."
"They're sore and swollen, it feels like my legs aren't even mine." Huang Bing said, a bitter smile tinged with his own.
They had set off at 6:30 this morning, but the pain and discomfort of riding their bicycle this morning was unbearable. A journey that should have taken forty minutes yesterday had taken them over an hour.
They got up very early but arrived late.
"Boss Zhou, do you still have noodles?" Huang Ying asked Zhou Yan, her voice a mix of anticipation and trepidation.
"Is it sold out?" Huang Bing was also a little worried. He had witnessed how popular Zhou Yan's restaurant was last night. The only thing that motivated them to ride their bicycles was to eat a bowl of delicious noodles.
"Don't worry, I knew you were coming, so I saved a bowl for each of you." Zhou Yan said with a smile. "What do you want to eat today?"
"I want to try braised pork rib noodles today." Huang Bing said.
"I want double pepper minced beef noodles!" Huang Ying said without hesitation, she'd been drooling over Huang Bing's noodles yesterday.
"Okay, come in and sit down." Zhou Yan replied, turning to walk towards the kitchen.
After eating their noodles, the siblings went out.
"Let's go home." Huang Bing said, mounting his bicycle with a slightly pained expression.
"You go back, I'm going to play with Grandma, and I'll go home after dinner." Huang Ying said with a smug smile, "Anyway, I've already got my pocket money, but you can't, you have to go back and ride your motorcycle to get the braised meat."
"You... if you don't go back, my pocket money will be gone?!" Huang Bing was a little confused.
Huang Ying laughed and said, "Dumb, you're an important tool now, responsible for picking up the braised meat. This is working for the restaurant, what you get is wages, not pocket money. Mom will even fill up your motorcycle with oil.
If Mom asks, just say my leg hurts today and I really can't go back. I'll ride three more trips tomorrow when my leg is better. I bought her the pig's trotter yesterday so she'll forgive me."
"Okay." Huang Bing nodded. Not to mention Huang Ying, his leg hurt so much he didn't want to move. "Are you coming for lunch again?"
"Of course! 11:30, let's meet here on time. I'll bring Grandma too, so she can try the cross-legged beef." Huang Ying replied.
"Okay." Huang Bing nodded, got on his bicycle, and rode away.
Huang Ying frowned, gritted her teeth, climbed onto the bicycle, and rode shakily towards the textile factory's residential compound.
"These two siblings seem to have a pretty good relationship." Zhao Tieying said with a smile.
"It's not bad, is it..." Zhou Yan smiled, finding it hard to comment.
Around ten o'clock, Zhou Yan carefully scooped the thoroughly soaked braised meat from the braising pot and arranged them one by one on a large winnowing basket. The braised meat, a bright red color, was steaming hot and filled the air with its aroma.
Zhou Yan also arranged two pig heads, selecting only the best-looking pieces of meat, and placed them in a bamboo basket lined with gauze.
Two pig heads, which weighed about ten jin (5 kg) of meat, were a decent amount.
"Whoosh—"
The sound of a motorcycle came from the doorway.
"He's here?" Zhou Yan peeked out. A green Jialing 70 motorcycle was parked at the door, and the rider was Huang Bing.
Two frames, both made of sheet metal, had been installed on the back of the motorcycle overnight. They were sturdy and had a mysterious feel to them, with a construction similar to Zhou Yan's 28-inch bicycle with two baskets on the back.
The Jialing 70's seat was a single piece, these two sheet metal boxes had clearly taken some effort to attach, and they looked quite difficult to remove.
This significantly reduces the riding experience in the back seat.
The cool and flashy new motorcycle has been completely relegated to being a delivery vehicle.
Huang Bing parked the motorcycle, and his expression upon entering the door was no longer that of the smugness and nonchalance he displayed when riding his new motorcycle. Instead, it held a hint of embarrassment.
In 1984, no one could simultaneously own a Jialing 70 and feel inferior.
Unless he had two metal boxes hanging on the back.
"Young Master Huang, delivering takeout?" Zhou Yan couldn't help but tease.
"Huh?" Huang Bing was taken aback, not understanding.
"It's nothing, the motorcycle is modified quite well, and it's very practical." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"My dad had someone modify it for me, and it looks ugly!" Huang Bing shook his head repeatedly, adding, "Luckily, it can be disassembled. It's a bit of a hassle, otherwise, I'd be too embarrassed to take any girls out with me."
"Isn't this great? One sits on each side, and you can even take two." Zhou Yan chuckled.
"Brother Yan, you're quite the talent!" Huang Bing exclaimed, speechless. He entered the restaurant and asked in a low voice, "Is the goods ready?"
"Selling braised meat shouldn't be like some kind of shady business." Zhou Yan was somewhat speechless.
Huang Bing scratched his head. "My dad said to be careful with transactions, don't let anyone see you, lest someone with ulterior motives causes trouble."
"Then he shouldn't have brought a Jialing 70 for you to pick up the goods. With those two containers, it's impossible not to notice." Zhou Yan laughed.
"Oh yes..." Huang Bing froze. On his way here, he'd received an incredible number of stares, even the dogs would turn their heads to look.
The vendors outside were all craning their necks to see him.
It's hard to avoid being noticed like this.
"So, what do we do?" Huang Bing asked, a headache forming.
Zhou Yan pondered for a moment and said, "Next time, park the motorcycle in a secluded spot downstairs at your uncle's house. Put two baskets on your bicycle, just like I did. Don't wear leather jackets, leather pants, or leather shoes. Wear something plain and low key. Put the braised meat back on the motorcycle before you switch to it. That way, you won't be easily noticed."
"That's a good idea!" Huang Bing's eyes lit up. He had just been considering switching to a bicycle, but that would mean four round trips a day, exhausting him.
According to Zhou Yan's method, he could conveniently ride his motorcycle along the way, and with a rev of the engine, he could deliver the braised meat back to the restaurant in twenty minutes.
"Brother Yan, it's always you! You're so quick-witted." Huang Bing said sincerely.
Zhou Yan smiled and handed over a round bamboo basket: "Here, this is today's braised meat. Eight jin of braised pig's head, one jin and two liang each of braised pig's ears and braised pig's snout, totaling twenty one yuan and seventy six cents. Twenty one yuan and seventy cents will do."
The bamboo basket was covered with a white gauze, both to keep out dust and to block the view.
"Okay." Huang Bing reached out and took it, without even glancing at it, directly pulling out two ten yuan bills and two yuan and handing them to Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan gave him thirty cents in change and even wrote a receipt by hand, listing the weight and price.
Huang Bing glanced at it and said, "Why don't you write down two more yuan?"
"Then what will I look like when your dad weighs those braised meat again?" Zhou Yan rolled his eyes at him.
"I was just kidding." Huang Bing laughed, carefully putting away the receipt, picking up the basket, carefully putting it into the tin box, and driving off.
Zhou Yan watched the deliberately slowed speed and nodded with a smile. Young Master Huang seemed to have some sense after all.
Huang Bing cautiously returned to Feiyan Restaurant, parked the motorcycle at the back door, looked around to make sure no one was watching, then opened the box, picked up the braised meat, and quickly went inside.
"Dad!" he called out as soon as he entered the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Li Laosan was talking to several chefs and chopping board operators, all turning to look at him.
"Uncle Li, you're busy, don't worry about me." Huang Bing waved with a smile, noticing Huang He sitting in the dining area, and quickly went out.
"You brought it back?" Huang He had already gotten up and come over when he heard the noise.
"Yes." Huang Bing nodded, then leaned closer and whispered, "Two pig heads, ten jin and four liang, twenty one yuan and seventy cents, with a receipt."
Huang He nodded calmly and said in a low voice, "Keep the receipt for now, but don't take it out of the restaurant. In the future, when you take meat, just take it to the kitchen and say that it was taken from the old house. Don't take it outside the restaurant."
"Okay." Huang Bing nodded.
"Come with me." Huang He walked towards the kitchen.
Huang Bing quickly followed, carrying the meat.
"Boss." Li Laosan greeted Huang He.
Huang He looked at him and said, "Master Li, I'm preparing a few braised dishes today. I need to confirm the quantities and plating with you first."
"Braised dishes?" Li Laosan was a little surprised. He glanced behind Huang He, besides Huang Bing, there was no one else. "Did Boss hire a cold dish chef?"
Huang He smiled and said, "No, I didn't hire a chef. I tested my family's ancestral braised meat recipe, and it tastes much better than what those cold dish chefs make. From now on, we'll gradually restore the century old braising sauce of Feiyan Restaurant."
"Boss braised it himself?" Li Laosan's expression was slightly strange, in addition to his surprise.
He'd worked at Feiyan Restaurant for over ten years, and he knew Huang He's capabilities all too well. How could he possibly know how to braise meat?
He'd heard the rumors about Feiyan Restaurant's century old braising sauce since he arrived.
But he'd never seen it, nor tasted it.
Before, when the restaurant was state-owned, it was understandable that the boss kept the recipe secret.
But a couple of years ago, the restaurant returned to the Huang family, and regular customers would ask about the braised meat every few days, but the boss never seemed to serve any braised dishes.
Just recently, he'd been inquiring everywhere about a cold dish chef, and he'd even introduced him to a Junior Brother from Rongcheng. Apparently, they'd already discussed salary.
How did he suddenly manage to recreate the century old braising sauce himself?
However, he had to give the boss face, so he didn't dare ask.
"I don't have the time to braise meat myself. My cousin brother inherited the skill, and now he's finally mastered it. The Huang family's traditional skill is incomparable to any braised meat you find elsewhere." Huang He smiled with a hint of pride, then beckoned, "Huang Bing, bring the meat over here. Let the other chefs take a look, and we can discuss how to cut and arrange it."
Huang Bing stepped forward, placed the bamboo basket on the table, and lifted the gauze covering it, revealing piles of braised pig's head and ears inside, their bright red color and tempting sheen.
Li Laosan and the other chefs crowded around, their eyes lighting up.
"The color of this braised meat is so beautiful! A bright, glossy red, the caramel color is just right!"
"The aroma is so enticing, the spices are perfectly balanced, not that pungent smell."
"No wonder this is the boss's family's secret recipe passed down for a hundred years, it does look very different."
The chefs praised it, not forgetting to shower Huang He with compliments.
"It's truly exceptional, the presentation is stunning!" Li Laosan exclaimed in equal amazement. While his own braising skills weren't great, he was worldly wise and knew the difference between good and bad.
Huang He and his son Huang Bing raised their chins, their lips slightly upturned, their expressions identical.
They had such a smug air about them, as if they were the ones who actually made the braised meat.
Huang He smiled and said, "Come on, Master Li, let's decide on the cutting method and the quantity."
"Sure." Li Laosan nodded, and immediately an apprentice brought over his special cutting board and knife. He washed and dried his hands, then picked up a piece of braised pig's head from the basket.
The braised pig's head was perfectly cooked, tender but not mushy, trembling slightly, yet with a certain chewiness.
Pig's head meat shouldn't be too soft, things that lack chewiness are not suitable for drinking with alcohol.
"The braised pig's head meat should be cut five centimeters wide and one qian (approximately 5 grams) thick. One serving is about four liang (approximately 200 grams). This plate should be just right." Huang He said, selecting a white porcelain plate and placing it next to the cutting board.
"Okay."
Li Laosan agreed, his knife flashing as he sliced off thick pieces of braised pig's head, each as thick as a copper coin. He used the knife to scoop them up and arrange them on a plate, piling them in a circle towards the center. The glossy red pig's head, soaked in the braising liquid, had an amber color and looked quite beautiful when stacked.
"Good! Do it to this standard!" Huang He clapped his hands in satisfaction.
Li Laosan truly lived up to his reputation as a top tier chef, his knife skills and plating were exceptional. He understood everything immediately and even exceeded expectations.
Huang He continued, "Braised pig ears are counted at three liang per serving, roughly one ear per plate. They need to be sliced thinly, almost translucent, and cut evenly to ensure consistent texture."
Upon hearing this, Li Laosan first made two cuts, picking up two ear slices of slightly different thicknesses. "Which one meets the standard?" he asked.
"I think..." Huang He looked left and right, then simply ate both slices, nodding, "The slightly thicker one. It's thin enough to be translucent, but it also has some chewiness. Otherwise, you can't feel it in your mouth, and that's not quite right."
Li Laosan nodded, quickly slicing the pig ear into even, thin slices. He spread them out on a white porcelain plate, immediately highlighting their bright red color, they looked quite appealing.
Soon, the pig snout was also sliced and plated.
Three plates of braised meat were placed on the table, and it certainly looked classy.
"The color of these braised meats are so beautiful. The braising heat is perfectly controlled, the braising liquid has seeped into the meat, turning it an amber color. It's so much better than those braised pig heads sold outside." Li Laosan exclaimed.
This wasn't flattery of the boss, just genuine praise for the superior quality of the braised meat.
He knew the quality of the meat just by slicing it.
The whole pot of braised meat was cooked to perfection, the braised pig ears had a crisp texture, unlike the soft and mushy pig head.
"Master Li's knife skills are excellent, and the plating is superb." Huang He nodded repeatedly, quite satisfied.
Li Laosan smiled upon hearing this, the boss's words were always pleasing to the ear.
If he had hired another chef, he certainly wouldn't have been so dedicated to cutting and plating the food, and he'd also have to worry about his skills being stolen.
But since it's homemade by the boss, there's nothing more to say. Showing off his knife skills appropriately will help solidify his position in the boss's eyes and increase his salary in the future.
Huang He said to a short, stout young man beside him, "Sun Zhou, you have good knife skills, so I'll entrust the task of cutting braised meat to you. From now on, cut and plate it according to Master Li's standards, and there can be no mistakes."
"Boss, my knife skills are still not as good as Master Li's. I can cut it myself, but you'll have to ask Master Li to give me more pointers." Sun Zhou nodded.
"Master Li, what do you say?" Huang He asked with a smile.
Li Laosan was very pleased with Sun Zhou's words and nodded with a smile, "Okay, I certainly won't hold back."
Huang He asked Huang Bing to bring over a bucket of chopsticks and called to everyone, "Come on, everyone, try it. If any regular customers come today, I'm going to start promoting it and see how reasonably the price of this braised meat is."
The tasting session was exactly what everyone was looking forward to.
Li Laosan was the first to pick up his chopsticks, taking a piece of braised pig's ear. He chewed it, the cartilage making a crisp crunch that echoed in his mouth. The ear was thin and soft, with an excellent texture. The braised aroma grew stronger with each chew, leaving a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth after swallowing.
Wonderful!
With a plate of braised pig's ears like this, wouldn't you want to drink a few more glasses of liquor?
Then he tried a piece of braised pig's head meat. The pig's head meat, as thick as a copper coin, had a richer texture than the pig's ears, with a soft and chewy mouthfeel. It was half lean and half fat, infused with the aroma of the braising sauce. With each bite, a burst of flavorful broth exploded in his mouth, filling it with a rich, savory aroma.
Delicious! So delicious!
This bite truly delighted him.
The braised pig's snout was also good, but he preferred the pig's ears and the pig's head meat.
Li Laosan ate another piece of braised pig's head meat, put down his chopsticks, and said, "Boss, this braised meat is amazing! This braising liquid must have been used for many years, right? The taste is absolutely incredible! I think this serving of braised pig's head meat is worth two yuan, and this serving of braised pig's ears can be 50 cents more."
His initial doubts had completely vanished. He couldn't find better braised meat in Jiazhou.
It was a taste in a league of its own.
The presentation is excellent, once it's arranged on a plate and served, it's worth the price.
"It's really delicious! So fragrant, absolutely perfect with alcohol!"
"This braised pig's head meat is so fragrant! It's fatty but not greasy. One bite and my mouth is filled with meaty flavor. I wouldn't mind paying two yuan for it!"
"Two yuan is a bit expensive, isn't it? A jin of pig's head meat only costs two yuan and fifty cents outside. I think selling it for around one yuan and sixty cents would probably attract more customers, and it would also match the prices on our restaurant's menu."
"I think Chef Zhang is right. One yuan and sixty cents for pig's head meat, two yuan for pig's ears and snout."
Everyone chimed in, offering their suggestions and opinions.
In the kitchen of Feiyan Restaurant, Huang He was ultimately in charge, so everyone dared to express ideas different from Li Laosan's.
These braised meats are delicious and that's a consensus among all the chefs.
Fortunately, it was made by the boss's family, so it didn't threaten their position or their jobs.
"Okay, okay, I've got it all. I'll discuss it with Shulan later and then finalize the price." Huang He listened attentively, nodding repeatedly, then pointed to the three plates of braised meat and said, "If everyone likes it, share it. But these in the basket will have to be left for the guests."
"Sure!" everyone responded with smiles.
Huang He and Huang Bing exchanged a glance and walked out of the kitchen.
Zhao Shulan had just come downstairs when she heard the sound and looked towards the kitchen.
Huang He quickly came over, beckoned Huang Bing to join him in a private room, and closed the door.
"The braised meats are here?" Zhao Shulan asked.
"Yes, it is. I also had Li Laosan finalize the cutting standards and plating. I had everyone try it, and they all said it was excellent." Huang He couldn't hide his excitement: "Even the chef praised it highly! If we launch these braised meats, the customers will definitely be very satisfied!"
Zhao Shulan smiled upon hearing this. She was equally confident in the braised meats and asked, "How should we price it?"
Huang He relayed everyone's suggestions.
Zhao Shulan took out paper and pen and calculated for a while, then said, "I think 1.6 yuan for braised pig's head meat and 1.8 yuan for braised pig's ears per serving wouldn't seem so drastically high.
Focus on dine in service. If customers want takeout, still charge by the serving, not by weight. This way, the gross profit can be over 50%."
Huang He pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, let's do it your way."
"Buying at this price and still make double the profit?" Huang Bing, listening from the side, was somewhat surprised.
"A restaurant's profit margin is barely half, it'll have to close down in half a month." Zhao Shulan rolled her eyes at him, then continued, "Do you know how many employees we have? How much wear and tear do we have every month on all kinds of tableware, kitchen utensils, tables, chairs, and benches? And then there's managing relationships, maintaining customers..."
Huang Bing, feeling drowsy, waited until Zhao Shulan finished, then asked expectantly, "Then I'd like to set up a stall selling braised meat. What do you think?"
Huang He glanced at him and said disdainfully, "With your knife skills, you shouldn't waste such good stuff. You can cut the pig's ear as thick as a cutting board, it's a complete waste."
Huang Bing glared: "Dad! What you said is even more outrageous than Huang Ying's!"
"It just shows that my daughter and I are of one heart." Huang He laughed.
"Ugh! I'm going to find Sun Zhou to practice my knife skills! I refuse to believe I can't even cut up a pig's head!" Huang Bing stormed off.
Huang He and Zhao Shulan exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised.
"Did the sun rise in the west? This guy actually wants to practice his knife skills?" Huang He wondered.
"It's even stranger that he'd want to sell braised meat to earn money himself." Zhao Shulan said with a smile. "Has he changed his mind? Could it be that seeing Zhou Yan, who's the same age as him, already earning his own money and spending it, has spurred him on?"
"A sparrow that has been taught to sing cannot sing well, and a hen that has been pinned down will not lay eggs! We couldn't get him to do anything we asked him to before, so I wonder if he's really made up his mind this time." Huang He stroked his chin, a hint of anticipation on his face.
…
After closing at noon, Zhou Yan put a bag of braised meat and a book in his bicycle basket and slowly headed towards the library.
At the library entrance, Grandpa Wang leaned back in his recliner, eyes closed, gently rocking back and forth.
The sound of a storyteller came from a nearby tape recorder: "Shan Xiongxin slapped him on the shoulder: 'I'll give you three hundred liang! And a fur coat to keep you warm!' Amid the uproar of the onlookers, Qin Qiong looked up at this hero he had just met. The wind and snow blurred his vision, and he only felt the golden mace in his arms burning faintly..."
Zhou Yan stopped the bicycle.
"Finished reading 'Fortress Besieged'?" Grandpa Wang didn't even open his eyes before he knew it was Zhou Yan.
"Yes, I've finished reading it. I came to borrow a new book from you today." Zhou Yan listened to the sound coming from the radio and smiled, "Is it 'Heroes in Sui and Tang Dynasties'?"
"Yes, it's quite interesting, and easy on the eyes." Grandpa Wang sat up, looking at Zhou Yan with a smile, "You're quite knowledgeable, you knew which book it was after just a few sentences."
"I guessed." Zhou Yan laughed. He hadn't listened to many episodes of the "Heroes in Sui and Tang Dynasties" storytelling, but he had loved watching "Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties" since childhood.
"I brought you some braised meat to go with your liquor." Zhou Yan handed over the braised meat wrapped in oil paper.
"Your braised meat tastes really good. Last time I had that bag with four liang of liquor, but I usually only drink two liang." Grandpa Wang took the meat, smiling, and asked, "How much? I need to calculate the cost for you."
"Master, just pick out two books for me, why bother with money? Knowledge is priceless." Zhou Yan smiled and waved his hand, taking the book of "Fortress Besieged" from the bicycle basket, adding, "My dad wants to read 'Water Margin', he asked me to bring it for him."
Grandpa Wang smiled upon hearing this, and after a moment's thought, said, "The Water Margin is the fifth book on the right side of the third row of the second bookcase when you enter. You can look at the fifth bookcase this time, the second row, the last one. It's written by a young author, and I think it's worth reading for you young people."
"Okay." Zhou Yan entered the library with the book, first putting "Fortress Besieged" back in its place, then finding "Water Margin". Following the old man's directions, he found the last book in the second row.
The cover, mostly light blue, featured only a small flower and three words:
"Life" – by Lu Yao.
A small book.
Zhou Yan came out with both books and put them in his bicycle basket.
Old Man Wang had already opened the oil paper bag, and a glass of liquor was beside him. Looking at Zhou Yan, he smiled and asked, "Have you learned how to make braised beef? Of all the braised dishes from Zhang Ji's, the braised beef is still the one I remember most vividly."