Chương 11: This girl is really nice.

"I still want to eat pork rib noodles, but could you give me an extra serving of pork ribs?" Xia Yao said as soon as she sat down, looking up at Zhou Yan with a bright smile.

"I'll pay for the toppings separately."

"I want a bowl of braised beef noodles, two liang of noodles is enough." Meng Anhe said. Yesterday, Lao Lin had been raving about how delicious the braised beef noodles were. If she hadn't gone on a business trip to Rongcheng, she would definitely have come to eat them this morning.

"I only want two liang of noodles too." Xia Yao quickly added. The portion of noodles she had yesterday was too much. She hadn't been able to finish it after a whole day of hunger. She doesn't usually eat that much.

"Okay." Zhou Yan replied and turned to walk towards the kitchen. Zhao Tieying put the food in the back and then went to pour water for the two of them.

"His handwriting is quite good, like he's practiced. How come Lao Lin said he dropped out of school before finishing junior high?" Meng Anhe said, looking at the handwritten menu on the wall.

"It's really well written. Boys who write that well usually don't have bad grades." Xia Yao looked at the writing on the wall with a bit of surprise, but quickly smiled and said, "Maybe it's because he prefers being a chef. After all, his braised pork ribs are so delicious." Meng Anhe nodded slightly, but still felt a little regretful. No matter how delicious his braised pork ribs were, he'd be stuck in this small town of Suji, running a successful noodle shop for the rest of his life.

Now, with increasingly favorable national policies and thriving industries, if he could get into university, his horizons and future would be completely different. With his personality and looks, he might have a bright future. A short while later, Zhou Yan brought out two steaming bowls of noodles, along with a plate of pickled radishes. Xia Yao's bowl was almost completely covered with braised pork ribs, and her smile grew even brighter. She had enjoyed her meal very much yesterday.

Looking at the bowl of braised beef noodles in front of her, Meng Anhe saw large chunks of beef paired with diced bamboo shoots, their bright red color incredibly tempting, and the aroma was irresistible, making her mouth water. The two of them had come hungry, and now they couldn't resist, picking up their chopsticks and starting to slurp the noodles. Zhou Yan and Zhao Tieying, understanding the situation, went behind the counter to avoid making others uncomfortable by watching.

A bite of noodles, a bite of meat, and a sip of hot beef bone broth—before long, a thin layer of sweat appeared on their foreheads; they were eating with utter satisfaction. Meng Anhe usually preferred wontons and dumplings, rarely eating noodles outside, disliking the alkaline taste. But this bowl of braised beef noodles was a pleasant surprise.

The beef was spicy and tender, the bamboo shoots crisp and refreshing, paired with chewy noodles and rich beef bone broth—there wasn't a single strange taste, just a lingering fragrance in her mouth. Another bite of pickled radish, sour and spicy, refreshing with a sweet aftertaste, it was so delicious it warmed her heart. She finished the bowl of beef noodles without even realizing it, even the broth.

Feeling warm and satisfied, she realized it wasn't that she didn't like noodles, but rather that she hadn't had any really good ones before.

"The second time I've had it, I'm still amazed by the braised pork ribs!" Xia Yao finished her breakfast with a pickled radish, her smile radiating satisfaction.

"And these pickled radishes are delicious too." Eating two servings of braised pork ribs at once was incredibly satisfying!

"Xiao Zhou, do you sell these pickled radishes separately? I want to buy some for my two sons to eat with their porridge this morning." Meng Anhe took out her wallet and asked Zhou Yan.

"The pickled radishes are provided free of charge by the shop to help customers cut through the richness. If you like them, I can pack some for you to take home. Radishes aren't expensive; you can always come back for more when you're done." Zhou Yan took a glass jar of canned yellow peaches and scooped out a jar of pickled radishes for Meng Anhe. Getting some kimchi to build a good relationship with Mrs. Lin is definitely worth it.

Meng Anhe doesn't seem like a subservient woman to Lin Zhiqiang; leaving a good impression will make things easier if she needs anything in the future.

"Alright, then I won't be polite." Meng Anhe smiled and accepted the kimchi. The glass jar was spotless, the red radishes were translucent, and it even contained kimchi brine, so as long as the lid was tightened, it would last for several days. The young man was thoughtful.

"Please settle the bill."

"This meal is on me, I feel bad accepting so much from you." Zhou Yan quickly said.

"No, we came specifically to eat noodles. If you don't accept the money, we'll feel even more embarrassed to come back for noodles next time." Xia Yao waved her hands repeatedly, "My portion of ribs was huge, just charge it for two bowls of noodles."

"I think that's reasonable. You have to take the money. Old Lin and I will definitely come back to eat here again next time." Meng Anhe nodded and handed Zhou Yan a dollar and eighty cents.

"Okay, then I'll take it, but not 1. 8 yuan, it's 1. 5 yuan." Zhou Yan smiled as he took the money, then returned 3 mao (0. 3 yuan) to his pocket.

"An extra topping is 3 mao." Meng Anhe put the money back in her wallet. This young man was naturally composed and spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, unlike the shy and sullen young men from the countryside. The new college graduate at their design institute often stuttered in front of her, unlike him. She felt a pang of appreciation for his talent and looked at Zhou Yan, saying, "Xiao Zhou, did you write the menu on the wall and the sign at the door yourself?"

"Yes, the menu is quite simple, so I just wrote it by hand." Zhou Yan nodded.

"Your handwriting is really good. Did you take the college entrance exam?" Meng Anhe asked again. Stolen story; please report. Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan, her face also showing curiosity. Zhao Tieying, who was wiping the table nearby, gradually stopped and glanced at the menu on the wall. The previous menu was written by the fortune teller in their village, and Zhou Yan's handwriting was like scribbles. How did it suddenly become so beautiful? This kid, is he bragging!

"No, my grades have always been bad. I dropped out in the second year of junior high, so how could I take the college entrance exam?" Zhou Yan shook his head, quite frankly. Little Zhou's education level was barely above illiterate; he couldn't even do addition above 100. Not getting a junior high graduation certificate basically blocked Zhou Yan's path to changing his fate through the college entrance exam. Zhou Yan wasn't anxious about this.

This era is full of opportunities; seizing one could turn his life around. He was determined to settle down in the catering industry and run his restaurant well. He was content with modest wealth; he couldn't be a trendsetter, nor did he have the ability to conquer the business world. His ideal life was to open a few restaurants and eateries, have a wife and children, and live a comfortable life.

"Your handwriting is quite good; you can continue practicing." Meng Anhe didn't elaborate on the topic. Having dropped out in the second year of junior high, it had been four or five years since he left school; his foundation was obviously very weak. However, as Xia Yao said, he cooked so well; his talent lay in cooking. He was bold and meticulous; perhaps he could achieve great things in the future.

"You're right," Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. Xia Yao reached out and patted Zhou Momo's head, smiling sweetly, "Momo, I'll bring you something delicious next time."

"Sister!" Zhou Momo's eyes lit up, and she grabbed Xia Yao's hand, pleading, "Then you have to come!"

"Okay, okay, I'll definitely come." Zhou Momo's chubby little hand swayed, melting Xia Yao's heart. She finally managed to pull her hand back, then waved to Zhou Yan, "Goodbye, Comrade Zhou Yan."

"Goodbye, Comrade Xia Yao." Zhou Yan nodded slightly. The two exchanged glances and couldn't help but laugh. It was a rather strange way of addressing each other. There was a sense of mission in having forged a revolutionary friendship.

"That girl is really something," Zhao Tieying remarked, watching the bicycle disappear into the distance.

"I wish she were my daughter-in-law."

"You're dreaming," Zhou Yan chuckled, turning to walk towards the counter.

"True, she's a college graduate, from the city, her family must be well-off. Why would she be interested in us country folk?" Zhao Tieying sighed and followed him inside.

"Your Aunt Liu has said several times she wants to find you a partner. When are you going to meet them?"

"I'm only twenty, what kind of blind date is this!" Zhou Yan paused, a chill running down his spine, counting his money. He quickly added, "Or you could tell Aunt Liu the truth about our family situation and see what kind of person she can introduce me to." Zhao Tieying immediately deflated. Their family was well-off, and Zhou Yan was tall and handsome; matchmakers had been eager to find him. But now he's emptied his savings to open this restaurant, and he still owes over 800 yuan in debt.

What girl would want to come here? He can't even afford the bride price. Shutting Zhao Tieying down, Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief. This was the first time in his two lives he'd been pressured to get married. Being urged about marriage was a novel and heartwarming experience. However, he wasn't in a hurry at all. A man should prioritize his career; he wouldn't accept marrying a woman introduced by a matchmaker whose values clashed with his and with whom he had no common ground.

"Hello, Sister Yaoyao," Zhou Momo whispered, leaning close to Zhou Yan's leg.

"Sister Yaoyao would be great as a sister-in-law."

"You're dreaming," Zhou Yan said, playfully flicking her nose. This morning, they sold 52 bowls of noodles, earning 31. 5 yuan—all in one-jiao and five-jiao bills, a thick wad in his hand. Zhou Yan had been busy all morning, and all the fatigue seemed to vanish in that moment. The sense of accomplishment was amazing.

"Business is getting better and better. Looks like we can sell all ninety bowls of noodles today." Zhao Tieying beamed as she looked at the money in Zhou Yan's hand. Before, the restaurant's daily revenue wasn't even enough to cover the cost of ingredients; money was just flowing out. But these past few days, they've finally seen a return on their investment, and business is getting better every day. Customers are all saying how good it is, and word-of-mouth is building up quickly.

During this time, the pressure on the couple was no less than Zhou Yan's. They didn't dare say anything harsh to him, afraid he wouldn't be able to handle the pressure. They were prepared for the restaurant to close down and them to come and pay off the debts. Unexpectedly, this young man's act of jumping into the river to save someone seemed to have a sudden epiphany. He switched to selling noodles and revitalized the restaurant. Business is booming; selling ninety bowls of noodles a day means fifty-four yuan!

That's over a thousand yuan a month. After deducting costs and rent, there's still a profit of several hundred yuan! Zhao Tieying has been selling beef for years and knows how to do the math; this is more than Old Zhou earns from butchering cattle! There's hope for the future!

"It's clear that everyone is willing to spend a little more money to eat better," Zhou Yan said with a smile. His customers are all savvy; although their noodles are a few cents more expensive than others, they have twice the amount of meat, making it more cost-effective and tastier overall. With word-of-mouth spreading, business is naturally booming. But selling 52 bowls of noodles this morning—the system task should be over-fulfilled, right? Zhou Yan glanced at it and sure enough, a task bar popped up. [Ding! Main Task: Restaurant Influence Reached 100 (Completed!) Reward: Braised Beef with Pork Knuckle Recipe.]