His Restaurant Was Far from Ordinary

Zhou Momo sat at the restaurant entrance eating noodles—clear-broth spare rib noodles. Bite after bite, she ate with great relish.

She was still too young. It was fine for her to occasionally taste a little, but Zhou Yan normally didn't add chili to the noodles or rice he made for her.

The noodles and soup came in a huge bowl. She took small sips and bites, drinking every last drop of the broth.

Zhao Tieying and Zhao Hong were chatting at the entrance, taking a break before going back to wash dishes.

Zhou Yan was also lying flat in a bamboo chair, ready to take a nap. He had gotten up far too early that morning.

"Mom!"

"Fourth Grandma!"

Two clear, ringing voices called out.

Zhou Yan opened his eyes and saw two boys, one older and one younger, running over.

The older one had to be about five foot three. He wore a blue imitation military jacket with a cloth satchel slung across his chest. His hair was cut short, his head round, and his large eyes bright and lively. He looked full of spirit.

The younger one looked six or seven, and he was practically identical to the older boy—a miniature version of him. His clothes did not fit properly, with both sleeves and pant legs rolled up several times. He was clearly wearing his brother's old clothes.

Zhou Lihui and Zhou Lifan were Zhao Hong's two sons—Zhou Yan's nephews.

The two ran quickly and reached the restaurant entrance in no time.

When they saw Zhou Yan, they called out crisply, "Uncle!"

"Huihui, Fanwa, did you run all the way here? You're covered in sweat." Zhou Yan sat up and smiled at them. Steam seemed to rise from their heads, and sweat still clung to their cheeks.

"Hehe." The two chuckled, sneaking glances toward Zhao Hong.

"Why the hell were you running? You got yourselves all sweaty. If you catch a cold, I'll skin you!" Zhao Hong grabbed one in each hand, took a towel, and dried their heads before wiping down their backs.

The brothers shrank their necks like quails and grinned foolishly, not daring to resist at all. They really did resemble their father in that regard.

Zhou Momo had already put down her chopsticks and hurried over. She tucked her little hands behind her back and waited until they had been dealt with before saying expectantly, "My turn, my turn!"

"What?" Everyone looked at her at once.

Zhou Lihui and Zhou Lifan had laughter in their eyes and delight written all over their faces.

"Call me. Huihui and Fanwa haven't called me yet." Zhou Momo beamed at them.

Zhou Yan froze for a moment, then could not help laughing. So the little thing had been waiting for this.

"Call her. Don't you even know to call your auntie?" Zhao Hong laughed as she gave both boys a light smack.

Zhou Lihui and Zhou Lifan scratched their heads, exchanged a look, and awkwardly said, "Auntie."

"Yes, good boys." Zhou Momo answered loudly, grinning from ear to ear.

Seeing Zhou Momo smile, the brothers smiled too.

Though Zhou Momo was only three and a half, she really was their auntie—and the cutest auntie of all.

"Huihui, Fanwa, have you eaten? If not, have your uncle cook you some noodles." Zhao Tieying looked at them and asked.

Zhou Lihui replied, "Fourth Grandma, we already ate. Mom saved us sweet potato porridge. The two of us ate half a pot and got really full."

"Mm, I'm full too." Zhou Lifan rubbed his belly.

"I'm full too. I'll take you to play on the seesaw." Zhou Momo took one of their hands in each of hers as she walked away, saying, "I've also got a super fun secret base..."

She really did have a bit of an auntie's bearing.

"Huihui, keep an eye on your auntie and Fanwa!" Zhao Hong called.

"Okay!" Zhou Lihui answered.

Zhou Lihui was fifteen this year and already practically grown up. Everyone felt quite at ease letting him take two children out to play.

Just as Zhou Yan was about to lie back down, he spotted a bus pulling up and stopping at the Textile Factory entrance.

The doors opened, and twenty or thirty young men and women stepped off. They were dressed rather fashionably. Leading them was a middle-aged man with glasses, wearing a black Zhongshan suit. He was thin, with a meticulous side-parted hairstyle and a scholarly air about him.

Several people from the Textile Factory hurried out to greet them. Lin Zhiqiang led the group, and the others were factory leaders as well.

"Look, isn't that Xia Yao?" Zhao Tieying had sharp eyes and spotted Xia Yao in the crowd at once.

"Looks like they're all college students from Sichuan Fine Arts Academy." Zhou Yan quickly noticed Xia Yao too. She was tall and fair-skinned, making her quite conspicuous among the crowd.

Xia Yao happened to be looking toward the restaurant. When her eyes met Zhou Yan's, the corners of her lips lifted slightly, and she gave him a faint smile.

Zhou Yan nodded slightly in greeting. He had not expected Xia Yao to return.

Lin Zhiqiang shook hands with the team leader, Su Jun, then said loudly, "Teachers and students of the Department of Arts and Crafts at Sichuan Fine Arts Academy, I am Lin Zhiqiang, deputy director of Jiazhou Textile Factory. Welcome to our factory for this study visit and research into university-enterprise cooperation..."

As the students listened to Lin Zhiqiang, their eyes could not help drifting toward Zhou Erwa Restaurant.

It smelled so good!

A large pot stood outside the restaurant, and a rich beef aroma drifted from the gaps beneath its lid.

Although they had already eaten breakfast in Jiazhou, the scent was simply too tempting.

Even the teacher leading the group glanced this way several times.

Besides the big pot, quite a few people noticed Zhou Yan sitting beneath the tree.

"Ah! Xia Yao, isn't that the lifesaver from your painting?" Deng Hong blurted out. "His name was Zhou... Zhou what again?"

"Zhou Yan!" Zhu Yuyu added. "He's even more handsome in person than in the painting! He looks so tall too."

The students heard their words and all turned to look at Zhou Yan.

They had all heard that Xia Yao had suffered an accident a few days ago, though they did not know the details. From the sound of it, that young man had something to do with it.

Zhou Yan wore a white chef's uniform. His features were deep and defined, and he looked clean-cut and handsome—quite unlike the chefs they usually saw.

Hearing this, Su Jun looked toward Zhou Yan as well. Lin Zhiqiang had just finished his speech, so he asked, "Deputy Director Lin, is this a restaurant run by your factory?"

Lin Zhiqiang smiled as he introduced it. "Zhou Erwa Restaurant is privately operated. Its owner, Zhou Yan, is an outstanding young man responding to the call to develop the private economy. Their noodles and Qiaojiao Beef are both delicious. If the opportunity arises, the students should give them a try."

"Qiaojiao Beef? What kind of dish is that? A Suji specialty?" Deng Hong leaned close to Xia Yao and whispered.

She was a foodie. After going to college in Mountain City, she had gained ten pounds in a year.

"I don't know either. That dish wasn't there when I came last time." Xia Yao shook her head. She was curious what kind of dish it was too.

"Good. We can try it if we get the chance. It certainly smells wonderful." Su Jun nodded with a smile, staring at the stove outside the restaurant for a while.

Zhou Yan became thoughtful. So they were college students here for a study visit.

In his eyes, they were thirty new opportunities to earn recognition.

What a pity the Textile Factory would surely arrange the reception at the Factory Canteen. It would be hard for him to win over customers like these.

What a pity, truly!

"College students really do have a different kind of presence. Every one of them looks so fashionable." Zhao Hong spoke in a low voice, her eyes full of admiration.

"Exactly. Educated people even speak differently." Zhao Tieying nodded along.

Lin Zhiqiang led the Sichuan Fine Arts Academy group into the factory, showing them the plant buildings, workshops, and exhibition area.

He had proposed this visit after reporting it to the factory director, who took it very seriously and arranged a fairly high-level reception.

Jiazhou Textile Factory produced silk goods. Last year, it had introduced imported automatic silk-reeling machines, putting its technology among the top tier in the country. Its products were mainly sold overseas, and its foreign exchange earnings accounted for sixty percent of Jiazhou's foreign trade.

Although overseas sales were doing well for now, the old factory director agreed with Lin Zhiqiang's proposal on brand building and extended an invitation to the Department of Arts and Crafts at Sichuan Fine Arts Academy, which was gathering inspiration in Jiazhou.

The invitation had been sent to Sichuan Fine Arts Academy at the beginning of the month, but they had not received a definite reply until the day before yesterday.

Talents who understood brand building and GG were too rare. Lin Zhiqiang had been somewhat surprised that the department's teachers and students were willing to come, and he naturally wanted to seize this chance to establish cooperation.

That morning, he had chartered a bus to Jiazhou to pick up twenty-seven students and three accompanying teachers and bring them to the Textile Factory.

The tour lasted the whole morning.

At eleven thirty, the workers were nearly off duty, and it was time for lunch.

Lin Zhiqiang led everyone toward the Factory Canteen. The factory had approved a meal allowance for the teachers and students—two yuan per meal, a very generous standard.

Wang Defa, the Factory Canteen director, was already standing at the entrance. His superiors had informed him that college students from Sichuan Fine Arts Academy would be received at noon, and the kitchen had made extensive preparations.

Business for the canteen's stir-fried dishes had declined recently. He planned to use these college students as a GG: College students all say it's good! He hoped to win back some customers.

When he saw the group approaching, Wang Defa straightened his collar and went forward with a broad smile. "Welcome, teachers and students of Sichuan Fine Arts Academy, to the Factory Canteen."

Su Jun stopped walking, and the students behind him stopped as well.

"Deputy Director Lin, has our morning visit concluded?" Su Jun asked Lin Zhiqiang.

"Yes." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile. "It's lunchtime now, so I brought the teachers and students to the Factory Canteen for lunch. The factory has approved meal allowances for everyone."

"Our Factory Canteen has made preparations as well. We have pork belly, Salted Braised Pork, steamed pork ribs with rice flour, fish-fragrant shredded pork, and all kinds of stir-fries, all personally cooked by our veteran chefs. We guarantee the students will eat with peace of mind and enjoy their meals." Wang Defa smiled as he picked up the thread, preparing to usher the students into the dining hall.

Su Jun did not respond to him. Instead, he looked at Lin Zhiqiang and asked, "Deputy Director Lin, can this meal allowance be used anywhere, or must it be used at your Factory Canteen?"

"Uh..." Lin Zhiqiang paused, then said, "Of course it can be used anywhere. Director Su, you don't wish to eat at the Factory Canteen? If you would like to eat at a state-run restaurant, I can have the bus take you there."

Wang Defa grew a little anxious at that. It was just about quitting time, and the workers coming to eat were all curiously watching this group of college students.

If the department director led the students away from the canteen to eat at a state-run restaurant, would that not be a slap in his face? It would make it seem as though the Factory Canteen's food was no good.

After that old fellow Xiao Lei became a chopping-block assistant, the remaining chefs really were a bit worse than those at state-run restaurants. But this was their first time in Suji; they should not know about that, should they?

"There's no need to make things so troublesome. We'll have lunch at Zhou Erwa Restaurant right outside the entrance. We still have a seminar this afternoon, so it'll be more convenient." Su Jun smiled. "That restaurant is far from ordinary. I plan to teach my students a lesson there."

"Huh?"

A wave of surprised voices immediately rose outside the Factory Canteen.