Maybe He Really Would Become Her Uncle-in-Law Someday

Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile, "While you were in Chengdu these past few days, you probably didn't know that Zhou Yan's restaurant has already upgraded. It doesn't just sell noodles now—it also serves Qiaojiao Beef, stir-fries, and cooked dishes."

"His noodle business had only just started picking up. Why was he in such a rush to expand again? Didn't you say that when he sold stir-fries and cooked dishes before, he nearly ran the restaurant into the ground?" Meng Anhe frowned slightly.

"I don't think his expansion was blind. His noodle business was good in the mornings, but not many people ate there at noon or in the evening. Once he added Qiaojiao Beef, business got even better. Now he sells noodles in the morning and Chinese dishes at noon and in the evening, so he can cover both."

Lin Zhiqiang analyzed, "The dishes he sells are simple too: Braised Spare Ribs, Beef Braised with Dried Bamboo Shoots, and Two-Pepper Beef. Those are toppings and minced-meat sauces. Qiaojiao Beef has been selling well, and he only added one extra dish—Agastache Carp."

After thinking it over, Meng Anhe nodded. "He's planning to snatch away that group of diners who eat stir-fries at your Factory Canteen."

"Funny enough, the Factory Canteen kicked up a fuss at noon today. Zhao Dong led the charge and nearly smashed the place up..." Lin Zhiqiang told Meng Anhe all the gossip about the trouble at the Factory Canteen that afternoon.

Meng Anhe was thoroughly amused after hearing it. Then she suddenly asked, "So you're planning to introduce Zhou Yan to Director Wang?"

"That's right. If Zhou Yan's cooking can satisfy the director, I'll definitely introduce him." Lin Zhiqiang nodded. "Back then, Zhou Yan got into a conflict with Wang Defa at the Factory Canteen. He was young and hotheaded, injured Wang Defa in a fight, and caused a bad scene. Since he was only an apprentice, he was fired."

"Wang Defa is petty and no good person. With all that commotion at the Factory Canteen today, Liu Yusheng was bound to give him an earful. The Factory Canteen's stir-fries were Wang Defa's proudest achievement since taking office. Now that Zhou Yan has stolen his customers, he definitely won't take it lying down."

"Zhou Yan's little restaurant may look prosperous, but he's renting a storefront from the Textile Factory. In this small town, Wang Defa has plenty of ways to make trouble for him."

Meng Anhe could not help laughing. "You've put quite a lot of thought into him. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were his uncle-in-law."

"Isn't that only right? He's Yaoyao's lifesaver. We can never repay what Zhou Yan did for us." Lin Zhiqiang smiled broadly. "Besides, maybe I really will become his uncle-in-law someday."

"What do you mean by that?" Meng Anhe raised an eyebrow, suddenly wary. "Did something happen during that study visit a few days ago?"

"No, I was just saying." Lin Zhiqiang quickly shut his mouth.

"Spit it out. Don't make me pinch you!" Meng Anhe grabbed the soft flesh at his waist.

"No, no, no, it really was nothing. I just think Zhou Yan is handsome, and he's dependable in both his words and actions..."

Their two sons trailed behind them eagerly. The older one was in third grade, the younger in first. Both were refined-looking, with thick brows and big eyes, inheriting the best features of both parents.

The two of them were excited to be eating out today.

Lin Zhiqiang was busy with work, but Meng Anhe was even busier. At least five days a week, she worked at an architectural design institute in Chengdu, only returning to Suji to see her husband and children once a project was finished.

The children were usually left in the care of the auntie next door, who picked them up and dropped them off at school and let them eat at her place. A little money for food each month was enough; they were basically left to fend for themselves.

"Mom, is the cute little sister Yaoyao mentioned at the restaurant we're going to?" Lin Jingxing asked.

"Did their family make the pickles? We finished the ones we brought back last time. Can we ask for some more?" His younger brother, Lin Bingwen, was more concerned about the sour radish he ate with rice porridge in the mornings.

"Yes, the little girl is called Zhou Momo. She's still very young, so don't scare her when you see her later." Meng Anhe turned back to remind them. "I'll ask the owner for some more sour radish in a while."

"Okay." The two little boys nodded obediently.

It was quitting time, and bicycles poured out of the Textile Factory gates like water released from a floodgate, packed tightly together.

The vendors at the entrance immediately perked up and hurriedly began shouting to hawk their goods.

Once this half hour was over and everyone had left, they would have to wait until tomorrow.

Not to be outdone, Zhou Liangliang raised his ducklike voice and shouted, "Come on, come on! Grand opening specials, super-low prices! Noodles for thirty cents a bowl, with one liang of meat in every bowl! Zhou Village hot pot is thirty cents a bowl too! Thirty cents a bowl..."

His booming voice did draw some glances, but they were all tinged with disgust.

"Again? One liang of meat for thirty cents a bowl? Just hearing that scares me!"

"Who knows where he got diseased pork from this time? Wang Laowu left, and now Wang Laoliu has come along?"

"Hot pot for thirty cents a bowl—just getting close, you can smell how foul it is. It's all the gamey stink of beef offal. It's nothing like the Qiaojiao Beef at Zhou Erwa Restaurant."

The workers rode past on their bicycles, shaking their heads repeatedly.

"Look at that. He can't even sell it for thirty cents. If he can't sell all this stuff today, it'll stink by tomorrow. I believed your nonsense, and now I deserve this bad luck! Look how booming their business is!" Wu Guihua looked dejected as she watched more and more bicycles stop outside Zhou Erwa Restaurant across the street, her eyes reddening.

Zhou Liangliang grew anxious too. Looking at the beef offal and noodles he had prepared, he gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and shouted again, "Noodles at rock-bottom prices! Hot pot at rock-bottom prices! Twenty cents a bowl! Selling at a loss! Selling at a loss! I'm losing my pants here! Just twenty cents a bowl!"

"Twenty cents a bowl? Has Zhou Liangliang gone crazy?" Zhao Tieying found it absurd. He could still break even on the hot pot, but the noodles would definitely be sold at a loss.

"A cornered dog will jump over a wall, but it won't help." Zhou Yan smiled. "Once bitten by a snake, people fear a rope for ten years. The cheaper it is, the more frightened the workers will be."

Sure enough, after Zhou Liangliang shouted that, the workers pedaled even harder without looking back.

The incident with Wang Laowu's diseased pork was still fresh in their minds. When it came to food, there was some money that could not be saved.

Noodles for twenty cents a bowl with one liang of meat did not seem appealing at all. Instead, they felt frightening.

"Don't... don't go..." Zhou Liangliang slumped onto a stool as if all his strength had been drained away.

If he shouted that price down at the docks, plenty of people would immediately crowd around.

The Textile Factory workers were so well-off, so why would they not eat noodles or hot pot that cost only twenty cents a bowl?

Then why did Zhou Yan's hot pot, at sixty cents a bowl, sell so well?

Zhou Liangliang racked his brains but still could not figure it out.

"This should be Zhou Erwa Restaurant." Wang Hongliang stopped his bicycle outside the restaurant, glanced up at the signboard, and said with a smile, "I pass by here every day, but this is my first time eating here."

Li Meilin climbed down from the back seat, first lifting her little grandson off the crossbar of the Twenty-Eight Bicycle. She looked into the restaurant and smiled. "Why did Lin Zhiqiang pick a private restaurant? Didn't you say they sold noodles? Are we having noodles tonight?"

"Don't underestimate this little restaurant. The university students from Sichuan Fine Arts Academy ate noodles here for two days in a row a few days ago, and every one of them said they were good." Wang Hongliang said with a grin.

"Director Wang, Sister-in-law." Lin Zhiqiang hurried forward to greet them.

"Director Wang, Sister Meilin." Meng Anhe greeted them with a smile, then reached out and patted the grandson's head. "Haohao has grown taller again."

The two children greeted them politely.

"Zhiqiang, Xiao Meng, and the children are here too." Wang Hongliang nodded with a smile.

"Xiao Meng, that wool coat looks lovely. You bought it in Chengdu, didn't you?" Li Meilin smiled at the two children as well. "Jingxing and Bingwen are growing so fast. They'll definitely be as tall as their father someday."

Inside the restaurant, Zhao Tieying had already hurried to call Zhou Yan.

Both the director and deputy director had come. They were major leaders, and she felt a little intimidated.

"Let's go in, then. I had Xiao Zhou save us a table." After exchanging greetings, Lin Zhiqiang spoke.

"Alright." Wang Hongliang nodded.

Just then, Zhou Yan came out to greet them with a smile. "Director Wang, please come inside. We reserved seats for you."