Chapter 40 Stir-fried Lettuce with Pork

As soon as Tang Yiyi turned around, her coworkers immediately picked up their chopsticks, and Zhao Nan couldn't bear to be left behind, feeling like he was starving.

The dishes were few in number, served in large white porcelain bowls, each bowl overflowing with a generous portion.

A fellow worker from the north remarked, "This quantity is truly impressive; even in the north, it would be among the best."

Looking at Zhao Nan, he asked, "Zhao Nan, could it be that you're a regular customer and the boss cooked extra for us?"

"No way!" Zhao Nan denied without hesitation. "The restaurant owner treats everyone equally. He doesn't give extra portions just because you're a regular customer. The portions are always the same."

"Alright, let's eat quickly."

Steaming hot food smells so good. Even if it's too hot to eat, people don't bother to blow on it and just pick up a piece of food and put it in their mouths.

Home-style dishes are common and nothing special, but this restaurant uses almost no seasonings, allowing you to taste the original flavor of the ingredients.

Moreover, it had a wonderful wok hei (wok aroma). They saw the owner stir-frying the ingredients over a high flame, unlike some other shops that simply take out a pre-packaged ingredient, heat it up, cut it open, pour it out, and then serve it to the customers.

The lotus root is soft and smooth, and the pork ribs are tender and chewy. It's very delicious and flavorful. The best part is how the soup is cooked. It's so fresh and delicious that it's a true treat for the taste buds!

This wasn't Zhao Nan's first time eating here, but he was still amazed. The lotus root and pork rib soup was incredibly delicious, the spicy chicken was fragrant and appetizing, the stir-fried pork with chili peppers was savory and delicious, and the stir-fried vegetables were refreshing and crisp. Together, they were an unbelievably perfect combination.

This was the best meal he'd had recently! The lively atmosphere and delicious food made for a very enjoyable dining experience for everyone.

Not a single vegetable was left; the plates and bowls were spotless. Everyone wiped their mouths with napkins, satisfied, and then rushed to pay the bill.

Zhao Nan then asked, "Boss, we do renovation and construction. Does your shop need any renovations? The walls are still made of cement."

Tang Yiyi thought about it carefully. She hadn't renovated the shop yet because she was afraid she didn't have enough money. Besides, she always felt that the taste was the most important thing. Only if the taste was good and authentic could customers be retained. She hadn't paid much attention to the decoration.

But one customer said, "I'll think about it; I might not have enough money for renovations."

Zhao Nan: "Boss, if you need renovations, just contact us, we'll give you a discounted price."

The other workers nodded in agreement. They all wanted the restaurant to stay open for a long time, otherwise what would they do if they couldn't eat at such a place in the future?

Upon hearing this, Tang Yiyi was overjoyed. "Thank you so much!"

Then the two exchanged WeChat contacts for easy communication.

After the guests left, Tang Yiyi took the dishes and chopsticks to the kitchen to wash them, then drained them and put them in the sterilizer.

At seven o'clock, Tang Yiyi was preparing their dinner when Hua Cheng walked over and casually asked, "Boss, what dishes do you still have on the menu?"

"Only spicy diced chicken and stir-fried vegetables are left."

The lotus root and pork rib soup sold so well today that some customers bought several servings at once.

"Okay, I'll take these two."

"Okay, just a moment."

When the shop is busy, they often postpone mealtimes. Tang Yiyi is just worried that if Xiaoyu is hungry, Song Man will overthink it.

But each time, Xiaoyu didn't say "I'm hungry," but instead went to the front desk to grab a plastic bag and packed things for the guests.

Song Man has never said anything.

The group worked together to entertain the guests and serve the food.

Hua Cheng looked up and examined the restaurant. How could such a small restaurant, only twenty or thirty square meters, keep so many customers?

Even the decor is mediocre. Can customers feel at ease dining here?

Less than ten minutes later, Tang Yiyi brought over two bowls of dishes and said to the guests, "Please enjoy your meal."

These spicy diced chicken pieces are all the same size, with bright red dried chilies that look very appetizing, and the aroma is irresistible.

Stir-fried greens are simply greens with a little minced garlic added, and they have a refreshing and pleasant taste.

Most importantly, the dish had a strong wok hei (the smoky aroma imparted by a hot pot), and was very fresh. I picked up a piece of diced chicken.

The chicken meat is firm and chewy, becoming more and more fragrant with each bite. The spiciness that follows is intense, a perfect blend of spiciness and aroma, making it an authentic and delicious dish to enjoy with rice.

Hua Cheng accidentally ate a bowl of rice. Wait, what is he doing at the restaurant?

They're not here to eat, they're here to find fault and criticize!

Without further hesitation, Hua Cheng swallowed a chunk of chicken, then slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

The few customers scattered in the shop, including Tang Yiyi, all looked over. Hua Cheng pretended to be angry and deliberately said, "This spicy chicken is not good!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a customer said, "No, it's very authentic spicy diced chicken. I think it's good. Could it be that the chef didn't do a good job?"

"It's definitely good, it's the best spicy diced chicken I've ever had!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yiyi quickly came over and asked, "Hello, what part of the food do you find unpalatable?"

His tone was calm, without a trace of anger; instead, he humbly asked the question.

Hua Cheng was a little embarrassed, but since he had already said that, he could only continue, "The diced chicken is too spicy, are you trying to kill me with the spiciness?!"

Yes, the only downside to the spicy diced chicken is that it's too spicy.

"So that's how it is," Tang Yiyi explained apologetically. "Spicy chicken cubes are supposed to be spicy. If guests can't handle spice, they can choose not to order it or let us know in advance so I know how much chili to put in."

"Yes, spicy diced chicken needs to be spicy to be enjoyable; you should definitely be careful when ordering the milder flavors," one customer couldn't help but say.

Someone else said, "This person looks familiar. Am I seeing things?"

Upon hearing this, Hua Cheng blushed slightly and then sat down stiffly.

He'd said it, but what the customer thought was beyond his control!

Not wanting to waste money and let the restaurant owner profit, Hua Cheng insisted on finishing all the dishes and even ordered two more bowls of rice.

Hua Cheng, who finally left the restaurant with his pregnant belly, was speechless.

He never wants to eat again in his life!

Tang Yiyi also felt that the guest looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had seen him before, so she stopped worrying about it.

The next morning, Tang Yiyi woke up on time and breathed in the fresh air.

After washing up, I went to the kitchen and found a bowl of rice noodles that had been soaked the night before.

Tang Yiyi went to get two eggs and a sausage. She cracked the eggs into a bowl and stirred them, while slicing the sausage.

Heat the pan, pour in the oil and then the egg mixture; everything proceeds smoothly.

Xiaoyu was sleeping soundly in bed when he smelled a delicious aroma. Thinking he was dreaming of food, he muttered, "I want to eat~"

As the aroma grew stronger, Xiaoyu suddenly opened his eyes. He wasn't dreaming; his sister must be cooking something delicious in the kitchen.

I put on my shoes and ran over there.

The steaming hot fried rice noodles were served in a ceramic pot. She added a spoonful of chili sauce to one of her bowls. The rice noodles glistened with an enticing sheen of oil, exuding a wonderful wok aroma.

Turning around, I saw Xiaoyu peeking in from the doorway. "Xiaoyu, go wash up and eat fried rice noodles."

"Uh-huh."

Tang Yiyi didn't put too much oil in the fried rice noodles, worried that she would feel nauseous in the morning.

Xiao Yu sat next to her, picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

I opened my mouth slightly and blew air, then scooped up a lump of hot rice noodles and put it in my mouth. The rice noodles were chewy and had a light rice aroma. At the same time, the egg was fresh and the ham was slightly salty. Everything was just right.

Xiao Yu ate heartily, his cheeks bulging out, looking very cute.

The chili sauce smelled wonderful. Tang Yiyi stirred it with chopsticks to mix the chili with the rice noodles thoroughly. She felt more at ease with the chili she made herself than the ones she bought outside. The ingredients were fresher and cleaner. The chili she chose was very fragrant and delicious without being pungent, leaving a lasting impression.

Tang Yiyi began to enjoy her meal.

The weather changes so quickly; it started raining just as I finished breakfast.

Moreover, the rain was getting heavier and heavier, which was quite worrying.

Xiaoyu put on his close-fitting raincoat, and Tang Yiyi took her umbrella and went out.

I took Xiaoyu to the market because it was raining and it wasn't easy to ride a bicycle.

The sudden rain kept some stalls closed at the market.

As Tang Yiyi walked around, she saw some lettuce at a stall, asked the price, and bought a bag.

The lettuce stalks are stir-fried with meat, while the leaves are simply stir-fried.

In addition, the store was out of soy sauce and light soy sauce, so she went to buy some other condiments.

Back at the restaurant, the rain hadn't stopped.

It's Sunday and it's raining again, so business might not be so good.

Tang Yiyi put the eggs in the rice cooker to cook. When she saw Song Man coming over, she put her umbrella aside and complained, "Damn rainy day, my pants and shoes are all wet."

She doesn't really like rainy days, but prefers sunny days.

Tang Yiyi picked off the lettuce leaves, discarding the rotten ones and keeping the tender ones, as they would taste better when stir-fried.

Peel and shred the lettuce, then put it in a bowl.

Xiaoyu raised his chin and said, "Sister, I want to pick vegetables too."

"Come on, Xiaoyu," Tang Yiyi said, pleased that he wanted to do some work.

The peeled lettuce shreds are bright green and beautiful. After washing them thoroughly, they are placed on the stove.

To her surprise, quite a few customers came to buy breakfast, including familiar faces such as Wang Juan.

When they arrived, they brought Liu Xiaobao with them.

Wang Juan folded her umbrella and came inside. "I really didn't want it to rain. I got soaked just going out to buy breakfast."

Then Liu Xiaobao suddenly said, "Mom, I want to eat tea eggs."

Thinking about how I got soaked in the rain just to get some tea eggs, it didn't matter.

Wang Juan: "Boss, six tea eggs, please. Do you have anything else to drink?" She had rushed over, sweating profusely, and was very thirsty.

“Only soy milk and mineral water are available,” Tang Yiyi replied.

She put water and soy milk in the freezer these past two days.

"Then give me two bottles of soy milk."

As soon as Wang Juan received the tea eggs and soy milk, she quickly found a seat.

Hot tea eggs are so fragrant. A deep brown tea egg is as exquisite as a work of art, exuding a rich aroma of savory sauce.

It tastes even better; it's not dry but rather moist, the egg white is soft and tender, and the yolk is creamy and smooth.

After finishing a tea egg, she sipped soy milk through a straw, thoroughly enjoying herself. The soy milk had a strong soy flavor and seemed to contain no additives. Moreover, the ingredient list looked quite clean.

Several more groups of guests arrived afterward, and the rain did not dampen their enthusiasm.

At 10 a.m., Tang Yiyi received a takeout order, which included stir-fried shredded lettuce with pork and stir-fried lettuce leaves.

Heat oil in a wok, add the meat chunks and stir-fry, then add scallions, ginger, and garlic, followed by shredded lettuce. Add a little salt and light soy sauce, stir-fry for two minutes, and then remove from heat.

Stir-fried lettuce leaves are even simpler to make. Sauté minced garlic in oil until fragrant, then add lettuce leaves and stir-fry continuously until fragrant.

The meal was served in seven or eight minutes.