Chương 81: Chapter 82 : Wealth and Honors Don't Lead to Homecoming

This menu was drafted by the previous village chef, centered around three steamed dishes and nine braised dishes, featuring nine large bowls. Stuffed bowls, salted braised pork belly, stuffed pork with red bean paste, steamed pork with rice flour, Dongpo pork knuckle, pig's ears, pig's head meat… indeed, they were all pork-based. There was also a fish dish, boiled carp with sauce poured over it. The main focus was on large portions to fill you up, and the steaming process allowed for quick service.

Just looking at the menu, it did seem a bit monotonous and greasy. However, as soon as Zheng Qiang said this, the other four people all looked at him. The eldest uncle and second uncle hesitated, their gazes unconsciously drifting towards Xiao Lei.

"Chef Zheng's suggestion is excellent. If we could add a camphor tea duck, and also Kung Pao chicken and braised carp, so that the guests could also taste the flavors of a Chengdu restaurant that are usually reserved for foreign guests, then everyone would definitely give it a thumbs up," Xiao Lei said with a smile.

"Yes, that makes sense." Zheng Qiang nodded, his lips already beginning to curve upwards.

"But when we host a rural banquet, we can't just think about having a lavish variety of dishes; we also need to consider the host's budget," Xiao Lei continued with a smile.

"Look at this menu. Everything on it, from the pig's head to its belly and trotters, is utilized. Once that big, fat pig is slaughtered, we'll have almost all the nine dishes for these thirty tables of rural banquet."

"If you also need to get thirty ducks and thirty servings of chicken legs for Kung Pao Chicken, do you think that will increase the cost?"

"Furthermore, Kung Pao Chicken and braised carp have very high requirements for cooking time and timing. Can you guarantee that all thirty servings can be served within a similar timeframe?" Zheng Qiang stopped smiling. His smile shifted to Zhou Yan's face. Zhou Yan was beginning to understand what "academic style" meant. Spending too much time in high-end restaurants had made him a bit out of touch with the common people. The old man and his second uncle, standing nearby, nodded in agreement.

Weddings cost a lot, and a rural rural banquet with nine dishes, allowing guests to eat their fill of meat, was a very respectable feast. They knew Zheng Qiang was knowledgeable, having worked in a large restaurant in Rongcheng, but when it came to understanding large-scale banquets, it had to be Chef Xiao. Zheng Qiang understood Xiao Lei's words and sensed the complicated looks in his uncle's and second uncle's eyes. He stammered for a long time, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

Wait, what was the logic behind calling him Chef Zheng while simultaneously lecturing him like a master?

"Master, change the dry-frying to braised, deep-fry the fish first, then cook it in two large pots together, and finally reduce the sauce and pour it over the fish. I think it might taste better than just boiling it in water," Zhou Yan suggested.

"That's what I was thinking too." Xiao Lei nodded, looking at Zheng Qiang and said, "Chef Zheng, you can make this dish tomorrow, is that alright?" Zheng Qiang straightened his back, regaining some confidence: "No problem, this is my specialty, ten fish in one pot, I can handle it."

"That's great, let everyone try the braised fish with Rongcheng restaurant style, they will definitely rave about it." Xiao Lei praised with a smile, then added, "This afternoon you will be in charge of chopping the meat sauce and slicing the meat. You need to make stuffed dishes, braised pork belly, and steamed pork with rice flour, which require very good knife skills. The helpers we found in the village are not good at knife skills, so such an important task should be done by Chef Zheng."

"Sure, I'll do it." Chef Zheng nodded with a smile, confident and decisive. Zhou Yan pursed his lips and silently turned his face away, afraid that he would laugh out loud. He suddenly understood a little. His master used to scold him often, and it was strange that he would occasionally praise him. After praising him, he would do whatever he was told, without minding the dirt or the hard work, as if he had been injected with chicken blood. Now this trick was being used on Chef Zheng.

After Xiao Lei's brief arrangement, everyone who had been called in to help got to work, slaughtering pigs, butchering chickens, tending the fire—each doing their job efficiently and methodically.

"Zhou Yan, your chef is really something! No wonder you're the head chef, no wonder you're a national second-level chef!" Uncle Er pulled Zhou Yan along, his smile radiating satisfaction.

"If it weren't for you today, things wouldn't have gone so well."

"It's only right for Brother Hao's wedding." Zhou Yan smiled and pulled a wad of money tied with rope from his bag, handing it to Uncle Er.

"Uncle Er, this is what I borrowed from you before opening the shop. Brother Hao's wedding has many expenses, so I'm returning the money."

"Return what? Didn't we say we'd return it next year? You focus on running the restaurant well; we don't need this hundred yuan." Uncle Er waved his hands repeatedly, refusing to take the money. Zhou Yan smiled and stuffed the money into his pocket: "I'll only pay you back if I have the money. Keep it safe, don't forget anything. Count the money later, and let me know if it's missing anything."

" You little rascal..." Uncle Er couldn't help but smile, nodding with satisfaction: "Okay, then I'll take it. I'm even happier that you've earned money." Zhou Yan chatted with him for a few minutes, then slung his bag over his shoulder and went to find the other creditors. His uncle, third uncle, and several close relatives were all gathered today. Zhou Yan went around and paid them all back.

Zhou Hai and Zhou Jie were helping to scrape pig bristles and couldn't help, so Zhou Yan paid back the money to their two sisters-in-law. He withdrew the cash from the morning and noon sales, making a total of 160 yuan, which was just enough to pay off all the debts. The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Zhou Yan walked to the courtyard gate, slowly raised his hands, and stretched his whole body. Ah— this is what it feels like to be debt-free! So refreshing!

"Zhou Yan is really capable! In just three months, he's paid back all the money he borrowed!"

"This young man not only knows how to earn money, but he also knows how to save it. Look at Zhou Yan, he's a role model. He saved up and paid back the money he borrowed first. What a good kid!"

" Of course! We've watched him grow up. He's always been obedient and sensible. Tie Ying is so lucky." The praise from the helpers drifted out of the yard on the wind. Zhou Yan's lips curled into a smile. This was the feeling of returning home in glory. It was a pity that Aunt Zhao wasn't here. He couldn't share this wonderful moment with her. Old Zhou was the surgeon. After bleeding the pig, he had the younger ones scrape off the bristles. He would come back later to cut open the pig's belly and cut the meat.

He had been resting on the long stone slab by the door for a while. He heard everything about Zhou Yan paying back the money and the discussions in the yard. The smile on his face was impossible to hide, and he even asked in a fake manner, "All paid back?"

"Yes, all paid back." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile, "Now there's only your five hundred left."

"Your mother said you don't need to pay it back."

"No, you have to pay it back." Zhou Yan glanced at Old Zhou's patched cloth shoes and casually said, "Your feet are the same length as mine."

"That's right, your mother originally made these shoes for you, but you didn't wear them, so they fit me perfectly." Old Zhou stamped his foot and laughed, "Look how comfortable they are. Your mother's craftsmanship is excellent, even better than what you buy at the supply and marketing cooperative."

"Yes, yes, your wife is the best." Zhou Yan said with a smile. Whenever he talked about his mother, Old Zhou's eyes would soften. A pig only has two ears, and one pig's head is definitely not enough for thirty tables. Uncle Er and his family have already placed an order with the butcher and will pick it up from each household first thing tomorrow morning. Zhou Jie has already taken on this job; he will go to get the pig's head first thing tomorrow morning and deliver it to Zhou Yan's shop along with the beef.

Zhou Yan is in charge of braised pig ears, braised beef, braised pig's head meat, and a cold chicken salad—a total of four cold dishes. To be precise, the cold chicken salad is prepared by the old lady; there are four roosters in the cage, which haven't been raised as long as hens, so their meat is more tender and suitable for cold dishes. He has no work today.

"Then I'll go back to the shop and get busy. I'm going home tonight, so you don't need to pick me up; just eat here," Zhou Yan said to Old Zhou.

"Okay." Old Zhou glanced in the direction of the butcher's bench and got up to get busy as well. Zhou Yan greeted his master, glanced at Master Zheng, who was sitting on a small stool diligently peeling garlic, smiled, and turned to leave. On the way back to the hotel, Zhou Yan stopped at a clothing and general merchandise stall near the bridge and haggled with the vendor, buying a pair of "83" leather shoes for 20. 2 yuan. He tried them on; they fit perfectly.

While not exactly more comfortable than his cloth shoes, they looked shiny and made him look much more energetic. The department store price was 19 yuan, but you could only buy them in Jiaozhou, and Zhou Yan didn't have time to go there today; the department store there would be closed after work. Zhou Yan then picked out a pair of women's leather shoes, and after some haggling, he got them for 26. 5 yuan.

"You're such a good haggler, sir! These two pairs of shoes are practically free; I'm not making a single penny profit," the vendor said with a wry smile as he put the shoes in Zhou Yan's basket.

"Thank you, boss. You're so generous; may you make a fortune," Zhou Yan said, paying and pushing his cart towards another stall. The vendor definitely made a profit; Zhou Yan had haggled from the department store price, getting about a yuan more. Business owners, you know, never tell the truth. They just want you to feel like you're getting a good deal, so you'll come back to buy shoes from them next time. Department stores these days have very reasonable prices, with very low profit margins.

These two pairs of leather shoes are high-end goods from Shanghai; they are indeed a bit pricey, but the leather is breathable and more comfortable than wearing canvas shoes. Tomorrow is the wedding banquet, and Zhou Yan doesn't have enough money to buy Aunt Zhao and Old Zhou a new outfit, so he can only buy them leather shoes first. After browsing a few stalls, Zhou Yan bought Zhou Momo a pair of tiger-head cloth shoes for eight mao (0. 8 yuan).

The red uppers and tiger heads sewn with gold thread look cute and adorable. The local auntie sewed them by hand, earning only a small fee. Zhou Yan rode his bike to the restaurant, it was almost time for the factory to close. Aunt Zhao sat waiting at the door, her eyes filled with anticipation, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Zhou Yan.

"Why did you take so long? I was thinking you weren't coming back to cook." Aunt Zhao stood up, concerned.

"Are your second aunt and the others managing?"

"My master took care of everything perfectly, no problems at all." Zhou Yan pushed the car into the restaurant, then took out the pair of women's leather shoes and handed them to Aunt Zhao, who had followed him in.

"Try them on and see if they fit. If not, I'll exchange them."

"Leather shoes?" Zhao Tieying looked at the shoes Zhou Yan handed her. The black leather was smooth and delicate, and the buckles were made of brass, gleaming with a golden light. She hesitated for a moment and asked softly,"You... bought me leather shoes?"... (End of Chapter)