"Alright, then I'll trouble you." Zhou Ming handed the tea leaves in his hand to Song Wanqing. "These are tea leaves picked from the ancient tea trees on the mountain behind our school. It's a small token of my appreciation. Please give them to the old gentleman to try."
Song Wanqing reached out and took the tea bag, nodding with a smile: "Okay, my grandfather happens to love drinking tea, I will pass on your thoughtfulness."
"Farewell." Zhou Ming cupped his hands in farewell.
"Goodbye, Teacher Zhou." Song Wanqing nodded with a smile.
Zhou Ming turned and walked towards Zhou Yan, the door slowly closing behind him.
"Brother Ming, I think there's a good chance you'll succeed in this." Zhou Yan said with a smile on the way back.
"I can't even get a chance to see him, I think it's unlikely." Zhou Ming sighed and said, "I asked around before, and Song Changhe once said that the spear technique is only passed down to the Song family. He has two sons, and neither of them is interested in practicing martial arts."
"Then you need to change your mindset and find a way to become a member of the Song family, then this matter will be resolved, won't it?" Zhou Yan said, turning his head.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Zhou Ming was a little confused.
"That Teacher Song Wanqing from just now, isn't she a teacher at No. 1 Middle School? And now you've been transferred back to No. 1 Middle School." Zhou Yan stopped his bicycle, turned around and looked at him seriously, "If you can't get the door open at No. 8 Dongfeng Lane, why don't you try to get Teacher Song's heart open? That way, Song Changhe will definitely be happy to teach you spear technique, and Third Aunt's wish for today will come true."
Zhou Ming was stunned. He scratched his head and said, "I want to learn the skills, how can I be thinking about that girl? That's not right!"
Zhou Yan chuckled and said with a smile, "May be Junior Sister Song still has her eye on you, Senior Zhou. Anyway, if you want to learn Song Changhe's spear technique, you'll have to find a breakthrough with Song Wanqing. But, whatever you do, don't be a simp. You have to maintain your martial arts champion's cool image and not ruin your persona."
"What is a 'simp'?" Zhou Ming asked seriously.
"It's when you know you can't have her, but you still treat her well. That's called a simp." Zhou Yan said, looking at him earnestly. "Also, don't keep saying 'she's different.' Simps often do that too."
Zhou Ming said quietly, "Old Mr. Song is different."
"Look, you know you can't have him, yet you still treat him well. Isn't that just being a simp?" Zhou Yan shrugged.
Zhou Ming fell silent.
"You can't do that to Teacher Song." Zhou Yan said earnestly, "Otherwise, you'll never be able to keep up."
"Damn! Let's go home!" Zhou Ming patted him on the back, unable to suppress a laugh.
Zhou Yan chuckled as he pedaled away on his bicycle. He didn't understand romance, but he couldn't stand simps.
He didn't want the Zhou family, full of loyal martyrs, to produce a Gotham madman.
But Teacher Song, judging from her level, is much higher than Brother Ming. Those repeated calls of "Teacher Zhou" must have confused him.
Back at the restaurant, everyone was already seated inside.
Some were playing cards around the table, while others were chatting on the benches by the door. The children were having a great time playing in the open space by the door.
The old lady and Zhang Zhengping sat and chatted at the door.
When Zhang Zhengping saw Zhou Yan and Zhou Ming return, he greeted them, stood up, and said with a smile, "I'm going back tomorrow. I'm going to visit Ji Hongtao."
"Granduncle, why don't you invite Dr. Ji over for dinner tonight?" Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"It's a family gathering, inviting him isn't appropriate." Zhang Zhengping shook his head.
"What's inappropriate? He's your student, and he's family too." Zhou Yan stepped forward and lowered his voice a bit as he looked at his granduncle. "Dr. Ji is the vice president of the factory hospital. The treatment conditions at the factory hospital are better than at the health center. Granduncle, you can introduce him to us. If there's any emergency at home in the future, we can find someone we know, right?"
Zhang Zhengping smiled upon hearing this, and looked at Zhou Yan with considerable satisfaction, saying, "Your Old Zhou family has produced someone who can use his brain. Alright, I'll go over and take a look. If he's not busy, I'll bring him over later."
"Okay, then I'll go prepare the dishes first." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.
Some things needed to be said frankly. Given the relationship between his granduncle and grandmother, he certainly wouldn't refuse.
Zhou Yan was certain of this, so he spoke very directly.
With elderly people and children in the family, minor ailments like headaches and fevers are inevitable.
Opportunities to be friend the vice president of the factory hospital are rare, but with his granduncle, this mentor, acting as a go between, maintaining the relationship on a daily basis becomes much easier.
Zhou Yan planned to become a familiar face so that if he ever ended up in the hospital, he could find someone to help him.
Moreover, having reached the level of vice president, he would have some connections within the city hospital, which would often be far more effective than him running around aimlessly like a headless fly.
Hearing their conversation, the old lady's lips curled into a slight smile.
Zhang Zhengping's words made sense, the men of the Old Zhou family were all stubborn and inflexible, lacking adaptability.
Zhou Yan is different. Since he started doing business, his mind has become more agile, and now he even proactively maintains relationships.
This is something his father and his brothers haven't been able to learn.
"Zhou Yan, do you need any help?" Zhou Jie put down his cards and asked Zhou Yan.
"There are only three tables, no need to help, you can play your cards." Zhou Yan said with a smile. Normally, all twenty tables are full and they have to turn over tables, but it's only 3:30 now, and the braised meat was prepared in advance this morning, so he can prepare the dishes at his own pace, no rush at all.
"Little Uncle, I'll help you!" Zhou Lihui followed him into the kitchen.
"Okay, you can wash the vegetables and start the fire." Zhou Yan said with a smile, not refusing the young apprentice.
He wasn't in a rush to stir-fry the dishes. He first stewed the beef brisket and ribs in the pot. He believed that braised dishes required preparation in advance and slow simmering over low heat to bring out the best flavor.
Then he began preparing the ingredients.
Preparing ingredients in a restaurant kitchen is actually quite a workload, comparable to stir-frying.
Zhou Yan prepared many small plates. The dishes had to be portioned into serving sizes in advance to ensure efficient serving.
In big restaurants, tasks like chopping ingredients and preparing food are usually handled independently.
Zhou Yan had no choice but to take on the job himself for now.
"The kitchen helpers are a very important assistant to the chef. They are responsible for connecting the chopping board operators and the chef in this process. They need to prepare the ingredients required for each dish, thereby improving the chef's efficiency in serving food." Zhou Yan called Zhou Lihui over and began to explain to him the amount and distribution methods of some dishes.
A chef's ability to control the amount of ingredients is a fundamental skill. An excellent chef is also an excellent chopping board operator and kitchen helper, especially in smaller restaurants, where one person basically has to take care of the whole process.
Zhou Lihui listened attentively and began to divide the dishes according to Zhou Yan's instructions.
He now comes to the restaurant every morning to help out, and the work he does is actually similar to that of a kitchen helper.
He was in charge of seasoning the noodles and ladling the toppings. He became more and more skilled at it, which allowed Zhou Yan to have more energy to make noodles, greatly improving the efficiency of noodle serving.
This kid has a talent for seasoning, and he's hardworking and reliable. He gets up early everyday to help out at the restaurant, and he never complains about being tired or overworked. He always comes in full of energy every morning.
Time flew by, and it was already five o'clock.
Zhou Yan lifted the lids of two small pots beside him. Beef brisket and ribs were bubbling away, releasing a fragrant aroma. He picked up a piece of beef brisket, the glistening red beef trembled, and the translucent tendons were stained with the clear broth.
"Try it." Zhou Yan handed it to Zhou Lihui.
Zhou Lihui opened his mouth and took it, wincing from the heat, breathing out warm air. After a while, he chewed and swallowed, nodding and saying, "It's soft! The taste is just right, delicious!"
Zhou Yan nodded with a smile: "I know, I just wanted you to try a piece first."
Zhou Lihui grinned.
Zhou Yan put the lid on the bottom of the honeycomb briquette stove, turned the fire down to a low flame, and placed the pot on top to keep it warm. He estimated that it would be ready to be plated and served soon.
"Master, is it really appropriate for me to go? I just got off work empty-handed, I'd be so embarrassed." A middle-aged man followed beside Zhang Zhengping, smiling and spreading his hands.
"It's nothing, just a simple meal, no need to bring gifts." Zhang Zhengping paused, looked at him and said, "You're always so busy, even working Sundays. I finally managed to come all the way to Suji, so you have to have a meal with me, right?"
Ji Hongtao said with a guilty look, "Of course! I didn't treat you well this time. I'll definitely go to Niu Hua to see you and your wife next month when I'm on vacation, and have a good drink with you."
Zhang Zhengping waved his hand and said, "No need to wait until next month. Tonight, you and I, master and apprentice will have a good drink. Anyway, you don't have to work tonight."
"Okay, I'll do whatever Master says." Ji Hongtao nodded with a smile and continued walking forward, asking curiously, "Is that restaurant by the factory gate owned by your grand-nephew? I've heard my colleagues talk about it a few times, saying the food is good, but I haven't tried it yet."
Zhang Zhengping looked at him and said, "You're just too serious about your work. You only care about your work and don't pay enough attention to your life. I bet you eat three meals a day in the cafeteria all year round."
"No, not really. I still go home for meals on Sundays when I'm not on duty. I also have a few days off during the Chinese New Year to go back to Rongcheng. My mum is a great cook." Ji Hongtao said with a smile.
"We still need to find some joy in life, like going out to find some good food. After eating, our mood will improve all day." Zhang Zhengping said earnestly, "As doctors, we see too many scenes of life and death, so our mentality is a bit not good. We need to learn to adjust ourselves."
"I understand." Ji Hongtao nodded, following behind Zhang Zhengping, feeling as if he had become the greenhorn who had just started his internship at the hospital.
"Your granduncle and the others are here! We can start serving the dishes now." Zhao Tieying said as she quickly walked into the kitchen upon seeing them at the door.
"Okay, let's start with the braised dishes, one plate per table." Zhou Yan nodded and put the last piece of braised beef into the plate.
Zhao Hong followed her into the kitchen and began serving the dishes.
"Huihui, start the fire and get the wok ready!" Zhou Yan said as he plated the dishes.
"Okay!" Zhou Lihui responded, immediately went behind the stove to start a fire. The match ignited the straw, and the fire quickly got going.
After this period of training, he has become a qualified fire starter.
Zhang Zhengping led Ji Hongtao into the restaurant, introduced him to everyone, and sat down at a table with the old lady and the five Zhou brothers.
The children sat at one table, and the cousins and their wives sat at another.
Zhou Yan brought out two plates of braised pork ribs.
Zhang Zhengping smiled and introduced to Ji Hongtao, "This is Zhou Yan. He owns this restaurant. He and Zhou Ming caught four thieves two days ago."
Ji Hongtao looked at Zhou Yan with some surprise: "You're so young and accomplished. You've opened such a big restaurant at such a young age. I've often heard my colleagues say that your food is delicious. I didn't expect the owner to be so young and handsome."
That's the truth, he always thought the restaurant's reputation stemmed from having a seasoned chef in the kitchen.
But, he was surprised to find that he was a handsome young man when he met him today.
Such a young chef, can he really cook well?
The hospital cafeteria and the factory cafeteria are separate. They have a small canteen where the chef is around forty years old, and his skills are only average.
Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Dean Ji, you flatter me. I often hear my granduncle mention you, saying you're his prized student."
Upon hearing this, Ji Hongtao smiled broadly and said, "It's good enough that I didn't embarrass my teacher."
"You guys sit down and eat first, don't wait for me. The food will get cold quickly in this weather, and it won't taste as good without being hot." Zhou Yan said with a smile, putting down the ribs in his hand and glancing at Zhou Momo, who was already sitting in the main seat at the children's table.
The little one slept all afternoon, but woke up promptly at meal time.
"Okay!" everyone responded with smiles.
Zhou Yan returned to the kitchen and busied himself, stir-frying twice-cooked pork on one side and frying crucian carp on the other, working on both at the same time.
"The ribs are so delicious!"
"So fragrant!"
"Little Uncle is amazing!"
The children at the table were already eating, their childish exclamations of surprise making everyone laugh.
Zhou Yan had prepared two plates of braised pork ribs for them, both with extra portions, to prevent them from fighting over a single rib.
Over here, Zhou Miao had already poured liquor for everyone, small cups, each containing about three liang, almost all of them full, including the old lady's.
The old lady picked up her chopsticks and said, "Don't rush to drink, eat some food first."
Everyone nodded and smiled.
"Try Zhou Yan's cooking. Don't let his young age fool you, his skills are just as good as the master chefs at the Rongcheng big restaurants." Zhang Zhengping said to Ji Hongtao with a smile.
"I think this braised beef is pretty good." Ji Hongtao picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of braised beef. The beef was cut as thick as a coin, with a bright red color and tendons like amber on it. It looked very appealing.
He put it in his mouth, chewed it, and the braised beef had a firm texture, not dry or tough, but with a rich, fragrant braised flavor that intensified with each chew. The beef flavor was exceptionally prominent!
After finishing one slice, Ji Hongtao's eyes lit up.
Delicious!
This braised beef tastes amazing! It's completely different from any braised beef he's ever had before. The braising liquid is incredibly fragrant! The texture is also fantastic!
"Delicious! This braised beef is truly amazing, the taste is unbeatable." Ji Hongtao nodded, then picked up a piece of braised pig's head meat and put it in his mouth.
Compared to firm braised beef, braised pig's head meat has a softer and more tender texture. The half-fat and half-lean braised pig's head meat is fatty but not greasy, and the aroma of braising permeates the meat. When he chew it, his mouth is full of meaty and braising flavors, making his mouth water and leaving a long-lasting aftertaste.
Ji Hongtao couldn't resist raising his small cup and saying with a smile, "This braised beef and braised pig's head meat are so delicious with alcohol. Come on, let me first toast my master, the old lady, Minister Zhou, and all Zhou brothers. Thank you for inviting me to such a special family dinner."
Everyone laughed and raised their small cups to clink, taking a sip of liquor.
"Zhou Yan has truly mastered our mother's braised dishes, the taste is so good, I can't even tell the difference." Zhou Qing exclaimed.
"The ribs are cooked perfectly, they fall off the bone with just a touch, and they smell wonderful." Zhou Ze said with a smile as he placed a piece of rib in the old lady's bowl.
This was his first time eating at Zhou Yan's restaurant. He had only ever tried Zhou Yan's braised dishes before, and Zhou Jie had told him that Zhou Yan's twice-cooked pork was delicious, but he had never had the time or the confidence to go and eat there.
After tasting the braised pork ribs today, he immediately understood the feeling Zhou Jie had been describing.
Zhou Yan's cooking is truly different!
He'd never tasted ribs that delicious!
Upon hearing this, Ji Hongtao couldn't resist picking up a rib and putting it in his mouth.
The tender rib melted in his teeth, the sauce and meaty aroma exploding in his mouth, the texture was so incredibly soft and lingering!
After swallowing, a slightly sweet aftertaste lingered, with a persistent fragrance.
These ribs! Absolutely amazing!
In comparison, the braised pork ribs made by the cafeteria chefs are often still attached to the bone and are too salty and spicy, making them completely inferior.
Pork ribs are not commonly eaten because they have little meat.
But today, this braised pork ribs dish was emptied in no time after it was served.
The usually composed family even felt a sudden urge to grab food from the children's table.
"Don't go crazy, those kids only have one non-spicy dish." Wu Haiyan glared at Zhou Jie.
"Mom, I was just kidding, I would never do such a thing." Zhou Jie laughed awkwardly.
Fortunately, the braised beef with dried bamboo shoots made up for the missed dish, drawing gasps of amazement once again.
"These dried bamboo shoots have soaked up all the beef broth, they taste even better than the meat itself!" Ji Hongtao had already filled his rice bowl, ate a piece of dried bamboo shoot, shoveled a big mouthful of rice into his mouth, and exclaimed in admiration.
He picked up a piece of beef and put it in his mouth. The beef brisket with alternating layers of fat and lean meat melted in his mouth with a bite, with soft and tender tendons scattered throughout. The rich sauce had a hint of spiciness, and the meat was oily and refreshing. One bite was so satisfying.
He wanted to apologize to Zhou Yan now.
He had underestimated him before.
Cooking skills have nothing to do with age!
A genius chef can create amazing dishes at twenty.
That's right, just like Zhou Yan.
Twice-cooked pork, spicy stir-fried pork liver, and Mapo Tofu were served one after another.
It wasn't just Ji Hongtao who was amazed, the entire Old Zhou family was too.
Everyone's usually busy, and even Zhou Jie and Zhou Ming, who had eaten here once or twice, had only tried a limited number of dishes.
The others had never tasted Zhou Yan's culinary skills other than his braised dishes.
Today, Zhou Yan served everyone according to the menu, one specialty dish after another, leaving everyone amazed.
Ji Hongtao finished two bowls of rice and filled his second cup of liquor.
"Master, I finally understand what you mean by 'fun' now. Enjoying delicious food really does make people feel good." Ji Hongtao looked at Zhang Zhengping and said with a smile, "I can't even get to eat such delicious food at a banquet! Every dish has its own unique flavor, and the taste is simply amazing."
The atmosphere at today's meal was even more lively than at a banquet.
The children didn't need to be fed, they grabbed their bowls and ate eagerly, which made things much easier for their parents.
The aunties and sisters in law were both happy and a little disappointed. They usually cook ordinary home-style dishes, and their skills are not bad. They rarely eat out, so they don't think their cooking skills are bad.
But after eating Zhou Yan's cooking today, everyone ate in complete silence.
Every family slaughters a cow, who doesn't have beef brisket?
But who can cook beef brisket and dried bamboo shoots to taste this good!
Especially twice-cooked pork, which everyone considers their specialty.
But Zhou Yan's twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts tastes and feels completely different!
The skin is fragrant and chewy, the fatty meat melts in their mouth, and the lean meat is not dry at all, with a springy texture. It's fatty but not oily, fragrant but not greasy!
It completely won over a group of housewives.
"Tieying, you must ask Zhou Yan to teach me how to stir-fry this twice-cooked pork later. Even just a rough guide will do. It tastes so good!" Wu Haiyan said sincerely, holding Zhao Tieying's hand.
"Fourth Aunt, we want to learn too!" all the cousins chimed in.
"Okay, I'll have Zhou Yan explain the key points and techniques to you all later." Zhao Tieying nodded with a smile.
"What do you all want to learn?" Zhou Yan came out carrying a tray and said with a smile, "Here, the last dish, Yu Xiang Shredded Pork."
Everyone's eyes lit up!
[A perfect serving of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork]
...