Zheng Xiangyang wanted to bring out some liquor, but Li Xiangqian firmly refused, saying he had to report to the leaders at the Prefecture Seat, so drinking was out of the question.
Then they would just enjoy the noodles. Although many people in later years would order extra noodles, most people eating latiaozi preferred to take their time at first, then tip the extra noodles straight in when they arrived. If extra noodles were available right away, mixing them in from the start was best.
Eating noodles in two rounds meant the second round never tasted as good as the first. So, as he served them, Old Chen stood beside the pot asking how much each person wanted and dishing out that amount. That way, they could eat their fill without coming back for more.
The two main dishes were served in basins, and everyone could help themselves. They smelled delicious, and a cook stood there in the kitchen specifically to shoo away the flies.
When Li Long came over, Big Old Chen fetched him several peeled garlic cloves to eat with his noodles.
Most of them were young, and saying they wolfed down their food was no exaggeration. They were already tired, the stir-fried dishes were fragrant, and the hand-pulled noodles were springy, soft, smooth, and fine rather than hard. They were satisfying to eat.
So practically everyone finished a large enamel plate of noodles in under ten minutes, then rinsed the plate with noodle water, let it cool, and drank it. That was that.
They ate quickly, but honestly, it was thoroughly enjoyable. Even Li Long felt he had not enjoyed a meal this much in ages-perhaps because he had not been this tired in ages either.
Still, to be honest, the big brooms this Company made were