I'll Count to Three!

The customers had all left, and Zhao Hong had gone home too.

In the empty restaurant, Old Zhou was sweeping the floor.

Auntie Zhao leaned against the doorpost, rubbing her lower back. She hadn't noticed it while she was busy, but now that she had stopped, her waist started to ache.

"Mom, sit down. Momo will give you a massage." Zhou Momo brought over a little stool, pulled her down to sit, and raised her tiny fists to gently pound her back.

"Does it feel good?"

"Mm, my girl is really capable now. She even knows how to massage her mom's back." Zhao Tieying nodded with a smile. "It feels great."

Hearing that, Zhou Momo pounded even more diligently.

Zhou Yan simply stir-fried some greens and Two-Pepper Beef, then reheated the remaining beef intestines and beef tendon for dinner.

He had deliberately saved three liang of hanging tender. The customers had eaten their fill, but they couldn't let their own family go without, could they?

"So many customers wanted to order Two-Pepper Beef. Why did you hide away a portion?" Auntie Zhao asked with an amused glare as she watched Zhou Yan carry the Suihua Beef out of the kitchen.

"The customers want to eat, but we have to eat too." Zhou Yan smiled. "Isn't making money all about living better? Eating well is important too."

"We could've just stir-fried a vegetable dish and warmed up the soup. You're making such a fuss." Auntie Zhao got to her feet and led Zhou Momo over to sit down.

"How could that do? Momo's at the age where she needs to grow, and you work so hard every day. You definitely need to eat better." Zhou Miao came over after washing his hands. "I think Zhou Yan's right."

"Fine, fine, we'll listen to you two." Zhao Tieying nodded.

"Fine, fine, we'll listen to you two," Zhou Momo echoed in her babyish voice.

Everyone laughed.

Each of them served themselves a bowl of rice and filled their stomachs first.

"I never expected business to be this good on the first day. Those two factory directors really helped us out." Halfway through the meal, Zhao Tieying couldn't help sighing. "Deputy Director Lin really is our benefactor. He's helped us open up business again and again."

"Yeah, we should properly thank him when we get the chance." Zhou Yan nodded. Uncle Lin had invited Director Wang to dinner today, clearly intending to support and introduce him. That had surprised and moved him.

They weren't related, and the things they had given in return for Xia Yao's life-saving favor were already more than enough. He didn't feel that they still owed him anything.

"Should we send him something? We can't keep owing people favors." Zhao Tieying looked at Zhou Yan.

"Next time, we can pack him some pickled sour radish. His two sons seemed to like it quite a bit. He probably won't accept anything else." Zhou Yan smiled. "It's fine. We have plenty of time, and we'll have chances to repay him later. Favors only become meaningful when they go both ways."

"Sounds good." Zhao Tieying nodded, feeling that Zhou Yan had a point.

"Dad, I'll need twelve jin of brisket and seventeen jin of hanging tender tomorrow. If you don't have enough hanging tender, I already spoke to Brother Fei. He'll save some for me..." Zhou Yan placed an order with Old Zhou for beef and offal.

"That much?" Zhao Tieying was somewhat surprised.

"What happened today will definitely spread through the Textile Factory tomorrow. Our name is getting out there, so we have to seize the chance and snatch up all the customers who usually eat the Factory Canteen's stir-fries." Zhou Yan smiled.

He figured Wang Defa was probably furious right now, perhaps plotting something nasty.

But that was fine. Through Lin Zhiqiang's introduction, he had already connected with Wang Hongliang. From now on, they could exchange cooking tips as fellow foodies.

Zhou Yan could tell that Wang Hongliang genuinely loved cooking and highly approved of his dishes. A relationship like that wouldn't be tiring to maintain.

"Alright, we'll listen to you." Auntie Zhao smiled and nodded.

Even the factory director said Zhou Yan could be a good boss. He definitely could do it. She had always believed that.

Zhou Momo mixed up her Suihua Beef and buried her head in three bowls of rice. Only after drinking a bowl of soup did she put down her chopsticks with satisfaction and let out a full burp.

With her special little bowl, eating felt especially rewarding.

"Big Brother's cooking is so delicious! I'm all full!" The little girl grinned. A dimple appeared on her chubby cheek, her eyes curved into crescents, and two grains of rice still clung to the corner of her mouth. She was adorable and heartwarming.

"Good girl." Zhou Yan reached over and pinched away the rice grains at the corner of her mouth.

Zhou Momo scooted closer to him and asked curiously, "Big Brother, Little Brother just asked me, why does Qiaojiao Beef have to cross its legs? Do cows get tired too?"

Zhou Yan couldn't help laughing. He nodded with a smile. "Mm, cows stand all day, so of course they get tired. That's why they like to cross their legs and rest whenever they have time."

"Ah, I get it!" Zhou Momo nodded thoughtfully.

Auntie Zhao and Old Zhou laughed too.

The little girl really was the source of joy in their household.

Zhou Momo lay across her stool, carefully placing her left foot on the ground first. Only after making sure her toes touched down did she lower her right foot. Then she walked over to take Zhou Yan's hand. "Big Brother, take me out to play. I want to ride the seesaw."

"It's almost dark. What seesaw are you going to ride? Come back tomorrow morning and play then!" Zhao Tieying issued her divine decree.

"No, I want to play. Just for a little while..." Zhou Momo shook Zhou Yan's hand and acted cute.

"I'll count to three! One, two..."

"Fine, I'll play tomorrow..." Zhou Momo pursed her lips, but in the end, she backed down.

Zhou Yan smiled without saying anything, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.

Auntie Zhao didn't spoil the fun, but she didn't indulge Zhou Momo in everything either.

It would be completely dark soon, and cycling home wouldn't be safe or convenient.

Kids were like that. Whether there were dates on the tree or not, they would cry twice and see if someone gave in.

Zhou Momo wasn't especially stubborn. The ones who rolled around on the ground were the real headache.

Zhou Yan took the initiative to handle the dishes. When he saw them out, he noticed a pedicab parked at the stall across the street. Zhou Liangliang and Wu Guihua were loading things onto it with dejected faces.

"When other people need toilet paper, you hand them straw. When other people are eating, you lick their plates. You set up your stall so nicely, yet you went under in a single day. That was impressively fast." Auntie Zhao said with a smiling face.

Zhou Liangliang and Wu Guihua's faces darkened further. They wished they could crawl into a hole.

Zhou Miao pedaled away with the mother and daughter, a smile on his face as well.

Zhou Yan smiled and shook his head. When it came to damage, Auntie Zhao's sarcastic remarks always landed critical hits.

After locking up, he still ran a lap along the riverbank. Once he had worked up a sweat, he jumped into the river for two laps before heading back.

The stall outside had returned to its original state, empty except for two piles of stove ash.

That couple had come in a rush and left in a rush.

Actually, Zhou Yan rather admired their ability to act.

The moment they saw a business opportunity at the Textile Factory entrance, they immediately moved their stall over and added noodles to the menu.

The moment they realized the money wasn't easy to earn and they could barely even open for business, they packed up and left overnight.

With that kind of decisiveness, they were ahead of over ninety percent of people. Their judgment was just a little poor, their brains a little lacking, and their approach to business far too idealistic.

After taking a shower, Zhou Yan did the accounts.

Today, they had sold eighty bowls of noodles and one hundred bowls of Qiaojiao Beef. Including the braised dishes and stir-fries, their total revenue was 160.8 yuan.

Their revenue had hit another record, even higher than the day Sichuan Fine Arts Academy students had come for a group meal last Saturday.

The profit margins on the stir-fries and braised dishes were relatively lower, but Qiaojiao Beef had high margins. Total profit came to around eighty-six yuan, close to fifty percent.

He tied the loose change into bundles of ten yuan with string and tossed it all into the cash box.

They had already repaid 180 yuan of debt and still owed 678.52 yuan. He currently had 144.24 yuan in cash on hand.

If business tomorrow met expectations, Zhou Yan figured he could pay off all their outside debts this week.

This Sunday was his cousin Zhou Hao's wedding banquet, when the Zhou family, young and old, along with the villagers of Zhou Village, would all gather together.

He wanted to clear the debt so Auntie Zhao and Old Zhou could hold their heads high in front of everyone and properly enjoy the village banquet.

Opening this restaurant had brought them no shortage of gossip and pointing fingers.

Now, the restaurant had come back to life and established itself through its reputation.

As long as they could gradually take over the Factory Canteen's stir-fry market share, their family would have a prosperous year.

"We must've sold at least one hundred and fifty today. So many customers wanted food but couldn't get any, and they were even fighting to order two-yuan Agastache Carp. How did business suddenly become so easy? It feels like a dream!" Auntie Zhao said with a smile, wrapping her arms around Old Zhou's waist.

"It shows that Zhou Yan grew up well under your guidance," Zhou Miao said with a smile.

"Mm, that really does make sense. He can handle things on his own now." Auntie Zhao nodded, her smile growing brighter. "You didn't hear how that factory director praised Zhou Yan today. He even called him Master Zhou. The workers in the restaurant were stunned when they heard it."

As she spoke, her mood dropped again. She sighed. "That child must have suffered a lot while learning to cook. Otherwise, how could he make food that delicious?"

"He learned your hardworking spirit. You set a good example as his mother." Zhou Miao smiled. "Boys should suffer a little. Otherwise, they won't amount to anything or be able to get things done."

"Oh my, when did you get so good at saying sweet things? You never even open your mouth like this in front of outsiders." Auntie Zhao patted Zhou Miao's stomach and laughed coquettishly.

"I only say sweet things for you to hear. I don't need to care about anyone else." Old Zhou said solemnly.

"Mm, good awareness. Go fishing tomorrow."

"Alright."