This Girl Is Really Nice

"I'd like braised spare rib noodles again, but could you give me an extra serving of ribs?" Xia Yao said as soon as she sat down, looking up at Zhou Yan with a radiant smile. "I'll pay separately for the topping."

"I'll have a bowl of braised beef noodles. Two liang of noodles will be enough," Meng Anhe said. Old Lin had gone on and on yesterday about how delicious the braised beef noodles were. If he had not suddenly left for Chengdu on a business trip, he definitely would have come for breakfast today.

"I only want two liang of noodles too," Xia Yao quickly added.

Yesterday's bowl had been far too generous. She had only managed to finish it because she had gone hungry all day. Normally, she did not eat nearly that much.

"All right." Zhou Yan answered and turned toward the kitchen.

After Zhao Tieying put the things away in the back, she went to pour water for the two women.

"His handwriting is quite good. It looks like he practiced. Why did Old Lin say he dropped out before finishing middle school?" Meng Anhe asked as she looked at the handwritten menu on the wall.

"The writing really is good. Usually, boys with handwriting that nice do not have bad grades." Xia Yao was also a little surprised by the writing on the wall, but she soon smiled. "Maybe he simply preferred being a chef. After all, his braised spare ribs are so delicious."

Meng Anhe nodded slightly, but she still felt somewhat regretful. No matter how delicious his braised spare ribs were, he would spend his life trapped in this small town of Suji, running a noodle shop with decent business.

The country's policies were getting better and better, and every industry was thriving. If he could get into university, his horizons and future would be entirely different. With his personality and looks, he might have achieved great things.

Before long, Zhou Yan brought out two steaming bowls of noodles, along with a small plate of pickled radish.

Xia Yao's bowl was nearly covered with braised spare ribs, and the smile on her face grew even brighter. She had been left wanting more yesterday.

Meng Anhe looked at the bowl of braised beef noodles before her. Large chunks of beef were paired with diced dried bamboo shoots, all glistening red and incredibly appetizing. The aroma hit her straight in the face, making her mouth water.

The two women had arrived hungry to begin with. How could they possibly resist now? They picked up their chopsticks and started slurping noodles.

Zhou Yan and Zhao Tieying tactfully moved behind the counter so they would not make the women uncomfortable by watching from nearby.

A mouthful of noodles, a mouthful of meat, followed by a sip of piping-hot beef bone soup—before long, a thin sheen of sweat had formed on both their foreheads. They ate with complete satisfaction.

Meng Anhe usually liked dumplings and wontons, and rarely ate noodles outside. She was not used to the alkaline taste in most noodles.

But this bowl of braised beef noodles truly surprised her.

The beef was fragrant, spicy, tender, and soft. The dried bamboo shoots were crisp and refreshing, while the noodles were chewy and smooth, and the beef bone broth rich and aromatic. There was not a trace of any strange flavor, only lingering fragrance in her mouth.

Then came a bite of pickled radish—sour, spicy, crisp, and refreshing, with a sweet aftertaste. It delighted her to the core.

After finishing the bowl of beef noodles, she had unknowingly drunk every last drop of the soup.

Her entire body felt warm, and she was utterly satisfied.

Only then did she realize that she did not dislike noodles. She simply had never eaten truly delicious noodles before.

"Even the second time around, I'm still amazed by the braised spare ribs!" Xia Yao finished her breakfast with a strip of pickled radish, her face full of contentment. "And these pickled radishes are so delicious too."

Eating two portions of braised spare ribs at once was simply too satisfying!

"Little Zhou, do you sell these pickled radishes separately? I'd like to buy some to take home for my two sons to have with their porridge in the morning," Meng Anhe said, taking out her wallet and looking at Zhou Yan.

"The pickled radishes are free for customers, meant to cut through the richness. If you like them, I'll pack some for you to take home. Radishes are cheap anyway. Once you finish them, just come back and get more," Zhou Yan said as he took out a glass jar that had once held canned yellow peaches and filled it with pickled radish for Meng Anhe.

Using some pickles to build a good relationship with Mrs. Lin was more than worth it.

Meng Anhe clearly was not the kind of little woman who depended on Lin Zhiqiang. Leaving a good impression on her would make things easier if he ever needed a favor in the future.

"All right, then I won't stand on ceremony." Meng Anhe smiled as she accepted it. The glass jar had been washed clean and gleamed brightly. The red-skinned radishes inside were crystal-clear, and he had thoughtfully added pickling liquid too, so they would keep for several more days as long as the lid was screwed on tight. The young man was attentive.

"Please settle the bill for us."

"This meal is on me. You brought me so many things, and I'd feel bad taking your money," Zhou Yan quickly said.

"That won't do. We came here specifically to eat noodles. If you don't take our money, we'll be even more embarrassed to come back next time," Xia Yao said, repeatedly waving her hands. "My bowl had a ton of ribs, so just charge us for two bowls of noodles."

"I think that's right. You have to take the money. Old Lin and I still plan to come back next time," Meng Anhe said with a nod, taking out one yuan and eighty fen and handing it to Zhou Yan.

"All right, then I'll take it, but not one yuan and eighty fen. One yuan and fifty fen." Zhou Yan accepted the money with a smile, then gave thirty fen back to her. "An extra serving of topping costs thirty fen."

Meng Anhe put the money back into her wallet. The young man was natural and composed in the way he handled people, neither humble nor overbearing. Unlike ordinary rural young men, he was not shy or dull.

The new university graduates at their design institute often got so nervous around her that they stuttered. They were not as good as him.

A trace of appreciation for talent arose in her heart. Looking at Zhou Yan, she asked, "Little Zhou, did you write the menu on the wall and the signboard outside yourself?"

"Yes. The menu is simple, so I just wrote one out myself," Zhou Yan said with a nod.

"Your handwriting is very good. Did you ever take the college entrance exam?" Meng Anhe asked again.

Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan as well, curiosity showing on her face.

Zhao Tieying, who had been wiping tables nearby, gradually stopped moving. She also glanced at the menu on the wall. The previous menu had been written by the fortune-teller from their village, and Zhou Yan's handwriting had looked like chicken scratch. How had it suddenly become so pretty?

That brat was bluffing!

"No. My grades were always poor. I dropped out in my second year of middle school. How could I have taken the college entrance exam?" Zhou Yan shook his head, completely at ease.

Comrade Zhou's education level was only slightly better than illiteracy. He could not even figure out addition involving numbers over a hundred.

Without a middle school graduation certificate, Zhou Yan's path to changing his fate through the college entrance exam had basically been cut off.

Zhou Yan was not anxious about it. Opportunities were everywhere in this era, and catching just one could turn his life around. He had already decided to put down roots in the food industry and run his restaurant well.

He was the sort who was content with modest prosperity. He could not become a trailblazer of the times, nor did he have the ability to dominate the business world. In the future, opening a few restaurants and banquet halls, with a wife, children, and a warm bed at home while living a comfortable little life—that was his ideal life.

"Your handwriting is good. You can keep practicing," Meng Anhe said, not pursuing the subject further.

He had dropped out in his second year of middle school and had been away from school for four or five years. It was easy to imagine how weak his academic foundation was.

Still, as Xia Yao had said, his cooking was so delicious. His talent was all in the kitchen. He was bold yet careful, and perhaps he might still make something of himself someday.

"You're right." Zhou Yan smiled and nodded.

Xia Yao reached out and patted Zhou Momo on the head, smiling brightly. "Momo, big sister will bring you something tasty next time."

"Big sister!" Zhou Momo's eyes lit up. Holding Xia Yao's hand, she said coquettishly, "Then you have to come!"

"All right, all right, I'll definitely come." Zhou Momo's chubby little hand swung back and forth, nearly melting Xia Yao's heart. With some difficulty, Xia Yao pulled her hand away and waved to Zhou Yan. "Goodbye, Comrade Zhou Yan."

"Goodbye, Comrade Xia Yao." Zhou Yan nodded slightly.

Their eyes met, and they both could not help laughing.

It was a rather strange way to address each other.

It gave them a sense of having formed a revolutionary friendship.

"That girl is really nice," Zhao Tieying remarked as she watched the bicycle ride away. "It would be wonderful if she were my daughter-in-law."

"You're dreaming big." Zhou Yan smiled and turned toward the counter.

"That's true. She's a university student, a city girl, and her family must be well-off. How could she possibly take a fancy to rural people like us?" Zhao Tieying sighed as she followed him inside. "Aunt Liu has mentioned several times that she wants to introduce you to someone. When are you going to meet her?"

"I'm only twenty. Why would I go on blind dates?" Zhou Yan paused while counting money, his scalp tingling. Then he quickly added, "Or tell Aunt Liu the truth about our family's situation and see what kind of match she can introduce me to."

As soon as Zhao Tieying heard that, she deflated. Their family had originally been fairly well-off, and Zhou Yan was tall and handsome, so matchmakers had often had their eyes on him.

But now they had emptied their savings to open this restaurant and still owed more than eight hundred yuan outside. What girl would be willing to marry into that after hearing it? They could not even afford the betrothal gifts.

Having silenced Zhao Tieying, Zhou Yan let out a breath. This was the first time in both his lives that someone had urged him to get married. Having someone worry about his marriage was a novel yet heartwarming experience.

But he was not worried about it at all. A man should focus on his career. He would not accept marrying a woman introduced by a matchmaker when they had incompatible values and nothing in common.

"Big Sister Yaoyao is nice." Zhou Momo moved close to Zhou Yan's leg and whispered, "Big Sister Yaoyao would make a good sister-in-law."

"You're dreaming even bigger." Zhou Yan reached out and flicked her nose.

They had sold fifty-two bowls of noodles that morning, bringing in thirty-one yuan and fifty fen. It was all one-fen and five-fen notes, making a thick stack in his hands.

After working all morning, Zhou Yan felt every bit of his exhaustion vanish at that moment. The feeling of reward was incredible.

"Business is getting better and better. Looks like we'll sell out all ninety bowls of noodles today." Zhao Tieying beamed as she looked at the money in Zhou Yan's hands.

Before this, the restaurant's daily revenue had not even covered the cost of ingredients, and money had been pouring out like water. These past two days, they had finally started seeing money come back in. Business was getting better by the day, customers all said the food was good, and their reputation was clearly taking off.

During this time, the pressure on her and her husband had been no less than Zhou Yan's. They had not dared to speak harshly in front of him either, afraid he would be unable to handle the stress. They had already prepared themselves for the restaurant to close and for them to repay the debts.

Who would have thought that after the boy jumped into the river to save someone, it was as if he had suddenly come to his senses? He switched to selling noodles and brought the restaurant back to life. Business was visibly improving, and selling ninety bowls of noodles a day meant fifty-four yuan!

That was more than a thousand yuan in monthly revenue. After deducting costs and rent, there would still be several hundred yuan in profit!

Zhao Tieying had sold beef for years and knew how to do the math. This was even more profitable than Old Zhou's cattle slaughtering business!

There was hope for their lives now!

"You can tell people are willing to spend a little more to eat better," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

Customers were shrewd. Their noodles cost ten or twenty fen more than elsewhere, but they gave twice as much meat. In the end, they were actually a better deal, and they tasted better too.

Once word of mouth spread, business naturally would not be bad.

But they had sold fifty-two bowls of noodles this morning. The system mission should have been completed beyond the requirement, right?

Zhou Yan glanced over and, sure enough, a mission panel popped up.

[Ding! Main mission: Restaurant influence reaches 100—completed! Reward obtained: Qiaojiao Beef recipe.]