Sales Champion Physique

"Got it." Zhou Yan replied with a smile, putting the cigarettes into the cabinet. He did not smoke, but they were indeed good gifts, and could fetch over twenty yuan on the black market.

Carefully laying Zhou Momo on the bed, Zhou Yan noticed that she was wearing a blue sweater today. The sleeves had been rolled up three times, and the hem nearly reached her knees. It was clearly styled for a little boy.

It was not strange to wear hand-me-downs from older brothers and sisters. Back when Zhou Yan had been at the orphanage, none of the clothes he wore had ever fit properly.

But the Old Zhou family was not badly off. Zhou Momo, the youngest daughter, was especially doted on, and his father was a complete daughter slave. Even if his own clothes were covered in patches, he would still buy new clothes for his daughter.

Ever since Little Comrade Zhou had opened this restaurant, the family's quality of life had truly plummeted in a straight line.

His parents' clothes had plenty of patches too.

Pulling over the quilt to tuck Zhou Momo in, Zhou Yan silently made up his mind as he went downstairs. Once he had paid off their outside debts, the first thing he would do was buy everyone in the family a new set of clothes, inside and out!

Zhou Yan had asked for several extra beef bones today. He split them open to expose the marrow, soaked them in cold water to draw out the blood, then lit a separate coal stove and set a soup pot over it to simmer beef bone broth for Qiaojiao Beef.

The essence of Qiaojiao Beef lay entirely in this pot of broth. As long as the broth was good, the Qiaojiao Beef could not be bad.

Besides the beef bones, beef intestines and oxtail had to be added to the pot and stewed together. Their rich fats melted into the broth, making its flavor fuller and more mellow. The spices and Chinese medicinal herbs were wrapped in gauze and added to the pot, then simmered for a full eight hours. Only then would the broth be ready.

"You're quite particular about simmering stock." Zhao Tieying watched from the side.

She had also set up a stall selling soup pots before. She had learned the craft from her mother-in-law: fill a pot with water, dump in the bones and spices all at once, put on the lid, and leave it alone.

For soup pots that sold for two or three cents a bowl, who had the time for so much fuss? The dockworkers doing hard labor only wanted something hot. Whether it was soft or tough, no one would say a thing.

"What skilled chefs control is the details. Brother Jie and the others can sell more than a hundred bowls a day, while you can only sell twenty or thirty. The difference is right there." Zhou Yan smiled.

"If you want to learn, you'll have to put in some hard work. In the future, I'll be busy inside making noodles and stir-frying dishes, so you'll have to watch over this pot of Qiaojiao Beef. Let's strive to sell a hundred bowls of soup pot a day too."

"A hundred bowls!" Zhao Tieying perked up. "Can that really be done?"

Even during winter, when her business had been at its best, she had only sold fifty or sixty bowls—and that had to be during festivals or market days, when there were lots of people.

"At noon, I'll make some for you all to try, and let you, an old soup-pot master, judge whether it works." As Zhou Yan skimmed off the foam, he said, "See this foam? Use a ladle to skim it all away. That makes the broth clearer, and it tastes better too..."

Qiaojiao Beef was actually very simple to make. It was a craft passed down from their ancestors, and all the cattle butchers in Zhou Village knew how to make it. The difference lay in that packet of spices and medicinal herbs. Differences in quantity and ingredient selection gave each finished pot of broth its own distinct flavor.

Of course, attention to detail during the cooking process could also add a great deal of brilliance to a pot of soup.

While the broth simmered slowly over low heat, Zhou Yan began stir-frying toppings, kneading dough, and preparing the noodles they would sell today.

At present, the restaurant's best-selling dish was Double-Pepper Beef Tossed Noodles. Yesterday, several customers had wanted it, but the topping had already sold out, so they had no choice but to order other noodles.

So today, Zhou Yan added an extra jin of chuck flap, enough for ten more bowls of Double-Pepper Beef Tossed Noodles.

By the time the preparations were finished, daylight had fully broken outside.

Zhou Yan and his mother briefly ate a bowl of noodles before opening for business. Zhou Momo had missed breakfast today, and she was the only one in the family who could leisurely sleep until she woke on her own.

When Zhou Yan opened the restaurant doors, he saw that Wang Laowu's noodle stall across the street had a new signboard. It read: Large Braised Beef Noodles, 40 cents! Large Spare Rib Noodles, 40 cents! Large Minced Meat Dry Tossed Noodles, 40 cents!...

Standing before his noodle pot, Wang Laowu shouted loudly, "More food, same price! More food, same price! Over one liang of meat in every bowl, only forty cents a bowl! Forty cents a bowl!"

At his call, some customers who had originally been heading toward Zhou Erwa Restaurant really did turn and head for Wang Laowu's noodle stall.

More than a liang of meat in a bowl of noodles—was that any less meat than Zhou Erwa Restaurant gave? And it was two cents cheaper. It was worth trying.

Affordable prices were always the ultimate killing move.

Wang Laowu's noodle stall had customers again.

"What sort of tricks is that idiot Wang Laowu pulling now? Does he not want to make money anymore?" Zhao Tieying stood at the entrance with her hands on her hips, staring across the street.

"Looking at his posture, even if he doesn't make money himself, he doesn't want us making any either." Zhou Yan smiled. The commercial war over noodles had begun escalating, entering the price-war stage.

"That little bastard doesn't do human things! Chasing a tiger with his pants off—shameless and reckless! Watch me tear that damned mouth of his apart!" Zhao Tieying rolled up her sleeves like a general preparing for battle.

"Forget it, forget it. Low prices can attract some bargain-hunting customers, but taste is what keeps people's hearts and makes a business last." Zhou Yan smiled and held Comrade Old Zhao back. "We win on flavor. If he keeps this up, he'll be finished in two days."

As they spoke, a customer came in.

Zhao Tieying immediately put on a smiling face to greet the customer and stopped paying attention to the other side.

Wang Laowu had been watching them the whole time. Seeing Zhao Tieying's furious, flustered appearance, the smile on his face grew even brighter.

This had been the idea Wang Defa gave them after he and his wife went to seek Director Wang's advice last night.

Didn't Zhou Yan attract customers by giving generous portions of toppings? Then he would give more too—more than Zhou Yan's restaurant! His prices would be even lower than Zhou Yan's, and customers would naturally come to them.

It did not matter if they made no profit. As long as they broke even, that was enough.

But if Zhou Yan's restaurant lost its customers, how long could he hold out under fifteen yuan in monthly rent, various management fees, and the pressure of his outside debts?

Once Zhou Erwa Restaurant collapsed, he could raise the noodle prices again and keep making money as usual. He had still earned some money over the past two years; he had the funds to grind Zhou Yan down.

Just as Zhou Yan was about to go inside, he saw a balding, burly middle-aged man stop his bicycle in front of Wang Laowu's noodle stall. His steps halted.

He recognized that bald bastard. It was Wang Defa, the director of the Factory Canteen—the one who had fired Little Zhou.

The pressure of his debts had been one reason he jumped into the river before, but getting blasted point-blank by that dead bald bastard the day before had been the fuse.

"Director Wang! What an honored guest! What an honored guest!" The moment Wang Laowu spotted Wang Defa, he called out loudly and hurried over, his face piled high with ingratiating smiles.

His shout drew the attention of quite a few workers. When they saw the signboard, their interest grew.

"Laowu, I heard your noodles are good. I came especially to try them today." Wang Defa laughed heartily.

"Then please, have a seat inside. Your presence truly makes my humble noodle stall shine like a thatched cottage graced by a noble guest." Wang Laowu continued flattering him.

"All right." Wang Defa replied, then glanced back toward Zhou Erwa Restaurant. He happened to see Zhou Yan's retreating back as he turned into the shop, and his brow furrowed. Why was this kid not getting worked up today?

Zhou Yan was not Little Zhou, that hot-blooded young kid. Life had long since worn away his youthful fervor; he would not lose his composure just because some old fool provoked him.

A gentleman's revenge could wait ten years. He had remembered this grudge on Little Zhou's behalf, and sooner or later, he would make Wang Defa pay the price.

Wang Laowu's low-price strategy brought a fierce wave of traffic to his noodle stall, which had been on the verge of closing, and it also snatched away half of Zhou Erwa Restaurant's customers.

However, Zhou Erwa Restaurant had already made a name for itself these past two days. Customers who had eaten there spread the word by mouth, thoroughly whetting other customers' appetites. As more and more workers arrived for work, quite a few bicycles still stopped outside the restaurant.

[ Ding! Side quest issued: Wang Laowu has launched a commercial war against you. A true God of Cooking fears no challenge. Accept the challenge and crush Wang Laowu's noodle stall! Quest reward: Unknown; Accept quest: Yes/No ]

Zhou Yan was pulling noodles when he saw the system quest pop up. With a thought, he chose to accept it.

Wang Laowu and Wang Defa were clearly birds of a feather. Since the other side had made the first move, there could be no peaceful ending anyway, so naturally he would not back down.

Besides, the system had rewards. So far, every reward the system had given him had been excellent. How could he let this one slip past?

The chatter of customers in the restaurant woke Zhou Momo. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, the little girl came to the kitchen doorway, looked up at Zhou Yan, and said in a soft, milky voice, "Big brother, hungry, noodles."

"All right, I'll make them for you right away." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Zhou Yan made Zhou Momo a bowl of spare rib soup noodles, while Zhao Tieying wiped her face with a hot towel. Her chubby little face was kneaded out of shape by the towel, and a stool was placed at the entrance for her to sit on and eat her stool-side noodles.

The hot towel had rubbed the little girl's face rosy red. Two silly strands of hair stuck up from her uncombed hair, while her plump little hands gripped the chopsticks. She buried her head in her noodles, slurping away as she ate with great relish.

Passing workers could not help taking a few extra looks. The little girl was simply adorable, and the way she ate was truly tempting. The braised spare ribs slipped off the bone with one bite, while she gulped down the rich bone broth in big mouthfuls.

Workers who had not intended to eat noodles somehow found their bicycles turning toward the restaurant entrance.

"Big sister, are you here to eat noodles too?"

Even while eating, the little girl did not forget to look up and ask.

Once customers met her innocent gaze, how could they possibly have the heart to leave? They could only stiffen their scalps and go inside for a look. Seeing the customers inside slurping down noodles, they could not help ordering a bowl too.

Mm, it really was delicious!

Just by sitting at the entrance and eating noodles, Zhou Momo helped close several orders. She had been born with the Sales Champion Physique.

Xia Yao came out carrying her drawing board to look for inspiration. Passing the factory gates, she saw Zhou Momo sitting outside the restaurant with a huge bowl in her hands, drinking soup. Every passing worker turned to look at her. Xia Yao's lips lifted unconsciously, and she felt that she had found the best scene of the day. She immediately set up her drawing board and took out her pencil.

Only after Zhou Momo had drunk the soup clean did she put down her bowl. Rubbing her slightly rounded belly, she let out a deeply satisfied burp. "All full~"

She quickly spotted Xia Yao. Her eyes lit up, and she immediately sprang from the stool and ran toward her, shouting, "Sister Yaoyao!"

Xia Yao put down her pencil. There was only a rough sketch on the paper so far. Looking at Zhou Momo toddling toward her, she smiled, opened her arms, and caught the little girl in a hug. "Momo, did you miss me?"

"Yes." Zhou Momo nodded again and again.

"Such a good girl." Xia Yao released her, took a glass bottle from her pocket, and smiled. "Have you ever had cola?"

"Cola?" Zhou Momo tilted her head at the glass bottle and shook her head.

"I'll open one for you. Go sit back down nicely and let me draw you a picture, all right?"

The glass bottle glimmered in the sunlight, bubbles rising inside as though it possessed some mysterious magic. Zhou Momo nodded without a second thought.

Pssh!

Xia Yao took out a bottle opener and opened the cola. Bubbles surged to the mouth of the bottle with a fizzing sound, and she handed it to Zhou Momo.

Zhou Momo held the bottle in both hands, took a sip, and her eyes lit up. "So many bubbles! It's sweet, it's yummy!"

Then, holding her cola, she obediently returned to sit at the entrance.