Bonnie's uncle's restaurant is all set up. The ingredients were ordered from Dayang Village a day in advance, and everything else has been booked. They're preparing to open for business this weekend.
Liu Jiu and her friends didn't go to English class that day, as Teacher Zhai and Professor Gao were also coming to join in the fun. Han Ye's family, Li Hongjun, Qian Limin, and Liu Zi all came with their families.
Gu Xuanyu also returned from school, along with Mu Nanfang and Zheng Jun, saying they were there to support Liu Jiu.
When the auspicious hour arrived, firecrackers crackled and popped, signaling the opening of Uncle Lin's restaurant.
Gu Ye and his group sat at one table, Liu Jiu and her group sat at another, and the rest of them waited for customers to arrive.
Uncle Lin and Lin Nan were busy in the kitchen, Aunt Lin was in charge of settling accounts, and they also hired a young man as a waiter. Ding Xiang was a pastry chef and was also busy in the kitchen.
It wasn't even noon yet, and the aroma was already wafting out of the kitchen.
"Bonnie, your uncle's cooking is amazing! The taste is so good, my mouth is watering just thinking about it."
Sister-in-law Wei Hong isn't very good at cooking, but she likes to eat.
"Yes, my uncle worked as a restaurant chef for over ten years. He passed the exam himself. He just loves cooking. My grandmother is a good cook; she probably inherited some talent from him."
Bonnie couldn't help but laugh at the thought of her uncle secretly cooking, but she was afraid her grandfather wouldn't approve.
"Let's try some Shandong cuisine today. Although it's also available in Beijing, it's been modified and isn't quite authentic anymore."
Han Ye and Zhou Weihong are indeed a couple, as they have a passion for food.
Qian Limin and Li Hongbing didn't have much research to do; they just hadn't gotten together like this in a long time, so they chatted about their recent situations and the current state of various industries.
At Liu Jiu's table, there were Xu Yi and his brother, Mu Nanfang and Zheng Jun, Xuan Yu and Xuan Yi, and the two children from the Han family. There were quite a few people, young and old, chattering about the latest movies and songs popular on the market.
"The food's here, everyone move aside, don't get it oily."
The young man serving the food was a former educated youth who had returned to the city. He lived nearby and had been back for two years without a suitable job, so he volunteered for the job.
"Nine-Turned Intestines".
Braised sea cucumber with scallions.
"Braised carp".
"Stewed Meat,"
...
One after another, authentic Shandong delicacies were served, their aroma filling the air.
"Wow, Liu Jiu, your great-uncle is amazing! This cooking is just as good as anything at a big restaurant in Beijing. I'll go back and tell my family to come and try it. This braised sea cucumber with scallions is so delicious!"
Xu Yi practically swung his chopsticks around, tasting every dish and liking every single one.
"It's different from the local dishes in Beijing; the flavor is lighter."
Mu Nanfang also thought it was delicious. He had thought that his grandfather's cooking skills were very good when he was on the island, and that he would be popular in Beijing.
The other kids didn't have time to talk. Such good food, why not eat it quickly? What's the point of commenting? Are they stupid?
Gu Ye and his group also thought it was delicious and authentic after trying it.
Around lunchtime, customers gradually come in, look at the menu on the wall, choose one or two dishes they like, and it's enough for a few people.
Finally, Dingxiang's noodles received unanimous praise. Paired with the signature fried dough twists, everyone was stuffed.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, except for Bao Ni and Gu Ye who stayed to help, everyone else left. Liu Jiu and the others also went back; there were too many people and they couldn't move around much.
Bonnie and Gu Ye helped clear the table, and more and more people were drawn in by the aroma. Some were groups of two or three ordering two dishes together, while others were individuals ordering a bowl of noodles and a fried dough twist...
On the first day of opening, there was a lot of customers, and the crowd didn't stop until around 1 p.m.
"Uncle, Aunt, take a break. The first day is pretty good, isn't it? I see quite a few people."
Bonnie didn't know what constituted a bustling business or what meant making money.
"Well, I didn't expect so many people on the first day. A good start is half the battle, and I'm full of confidence now."
Bonnie's uncle slurped up a mouthful of noodles, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
Nothing much happened in the afternoon, so Bonnie and Gu Ye went home, telling them to call home if anything happened.
"You guys should go back now. There's nothing much to do before dinner. You've been busy all morning."
Bonnie's uncle told them to go home and come back for dinner that evening.
"Uncle, Aunt, we're going back now. We won't be coming over tonight. We'll come back once things are sorted out here."
Bao Ni and Gu Ye went to the courtyard house; the autumn vegetables were all dried and ready to be stored in the cellar. Xiang Jie was off today, and Bao Ni and the others planned to make steamed buns with radish and pork for dinner. Xuan Yu also happened to be back.
"Bonnie, there must be quite a few fish in this pond. I can even see them floating on the surface."
"Yes, there are quite a few fish fry released last year and this year. I told my uncle to come and catch them; it's better if they're fresh and we can make sure they're clean. We'll give them the market price, and we'll still have some income. There's too much for us to eat. We'll keep some of the bigger ones for New Year's gifts."
Bonnie released quite a few fish fry, and the survival rate was quite high.
"Yes, my wife really knows how to manage a household."
Gu Ye felt that his wife was full of good qualities and good in every way.
The two put cabbage, radish, squash, carrot, potato... into the cellar, and then turned over the empty land again, so they could continue planting next spring.
Since the opening of Bao Ni's uncle's restaurant, many military family members have come to visit. Mu Nanfang's parents came discreetly, as did the Xu family, the Zheng family, and other families that had connections with Bao Ni.
Some shrewd individuals, seeing so many high-ranking officials coming to dine, assumed there was some special connection and followed suit. Later, although they learned there was no real connection with the officials, the uncle's culinary skills still attracted a group of repeat customers.
Gradually, most people in the residential compound learned that a restaurant called Lin's Restaurant had opened near the market, serving authentic Shandong cuisine, and its reputation slowly spread.
Bonnie had specifically told her uncle that no matter what, she wouldn't accept credit, not even from any company. She'd heard about the "IOU" phenomenon. Although she didn't know when it started, she wanted to be on the safe side.
Bonnie's uncle listened to advice and took it to heart. The shop was doing well; it could prepare large banquets for several people, as well as noodles for one person, catering to both large and small customers.
With Gu Ye and his group coming over from time to time, the local thugs didn't dare to provoke them easily, and Uncle Lin and his group were able to establish a foothold for the time being.
Time flies by, the leaves have all fallen, and snowflakes are fluttering down; winter has arrived.
Sister-in-law Gu sent over a new cotton-padded coat. The style was somewhat like a modern-day bread coat. It wasn't as lightweight, but it was very warm.
Each of the four children, plus Gu Ye and Bao Ni, received one gift. As for the Shen family, Gu's eldest sister-in-law only sent one gift to each of her parents, and also sent one to Grandma Gu at the retirement home. Gu's eldest sister-in-law was more thoughtful than Bao Ni in matters of social interaction, aiming for a gift that no one could fault.
Looking at the two cotton-padded coats, the Shen family understood that Shen Jiaqi and her family had truly become estranged.
Especially when Sister-in-law Shen saw that Bao Ni was wearing the same cotton-padded coat, she felt extremely jealous, but there was nothing she could do.
In human relationships, it is through give and take that relationships can last.
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