Chapter 16: Lu Ji's Cold Noodle Shop Opens, Offering Free Drinks and Pastries...
Before they knew it, it was noon, and the meat porridge they had eaten for breakfast was quickly gone. Seeing that the shop was tidied up, they decided to start a fire there and familiarize themselves with the layout of the kitchen.
The newly bought pot needs to be seasoned first. Lu Qiong scooped water and washed the pot, while Lu Xuan added firewood underneath to heat the pot over a low flame. She poured in some oil and spread it on the pot. It can be washed clean again when needed.
Seeing that Sister Yang was still wiping the table legs, and had wiped them countless times, almost stripping the wax off the wood, Lu Qiong simply called her over: "Sister Yang, do you know how to knead dough?"
Yang Jie'er's thin hands were still clutching the wet coarse cloth. When she met Lu Qiong's gaze, she lowered her head timidly, pursed her lips, and whispered, "I know a little."
Lu Qiong had also considered this. She took out the flour from under the stone slab, scooped a spoonful into the basin, and said with a smile, "I don't have enough strength in my hands today, so you can knead the dough and make one of your specialties."
This was also to see how capable Yang Jie was, since she and Lu Xuan could manage entertaining guests on their own. However, there were times when she wasn't at the shop, so they would have to hire someone else to help with the cooking. If Yang Jie was a good cook, that would be the icing on the cake.
Upon hearing this, Sister Yang immediately raised her head. Although women nowadays can work in all walks of life, most of them in restaurants and taverns do odd jobs. Those who can cook are experienced professionals.
Women hired as cooks by wealthy families are skilled in cooking, specializing in frying, slicing, dried meat, pickling, and braising. They can earn a lot of money and are often envied.
Yang Jie'er was no exception. Now that she had the opportunity, she naturally wanted to seize it. She nodded to Lu Qiong, casually stuffed the coarse cloth into her waistband, walked to the water vat that was half a person tall next to the stove, fetched water to wash her hands, and then prepared to knead the dough.
Next to her were the newly bought seasonings. She first took a small spoonful of salt and sprinkled it on the flour, then added water little by little, stirring it into dough flakes. When she saw that the flour had not dispersed, she began to knead the dough.
Lu Qiong was also busy at work, rinsing the newly bought steamer and basin several times with water. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Sister Yang, who seemed very hardworking, kneading the dough without getting tired. Her technique clearly showed that she was someone who kneaded dough often. She felt relieved and even a little happy, since she wouldn't have to get up early to knead dough anymore.
Lu Qiong washed the last pair of wooden chopsticks, then huffed and puffed as she carried a bunch of things to the table to dry.
Sister Yang was a diligent worker and didn't notice anyone watching her. She spread out a smooth, flat wooden board next to her so she could easily knead the dough. Kneading dough with cold water requires a lot of effort; you have to knead and slap the dough to get it to absorb water and increase its elasticity.
While the dough was resting, she took out some scallions and garlic, chopped them into small pieces, and put them in a wooden bowl for later use. She also placed oil, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and some green vegetables aside.
Kneading dough should result in three smooth surfaces: a smooth dough, a smooth bowl, and smooth hands. Seeing that the dough had risen to a smooth and soft consistency, Sister Yang rolled it out into a thin sheet with a wooden stick, then spread a layer of flour on top, folded it into three layers, and quickly cut it into distinct strips.
After Lu Qiong finished taking stock of her belongings, she sat down at the table. She noticed that Lu Xuan looked listless and could barely open her eyes, which amused her. Just as she was about to say something to tease her, she smelled a delicious aroma.
Lu Xuan squinted and wrinkled her nose, just like Xue'er when she was greedy for food. Following the aroma, she saw Yang Jie'er bring over a bowl of noodles, which was still steaming. She couldn't help but exclaim, "It smells so good!"
On the tray was a bowl of noodles topped with golden sauce and sprinkled with chopped green onions. It not only looked delicious but also smelled of scallion oil. Lu Qiong remembered the scallion oil noodles she had in her previous life, and her mouth watered. She stared intently at the bowl of noodles.
As it was Yang Jie'er's first time demonstrating her skills to strangers, she was still a bit awkward. She said in a hesitant voice, "My specialty is scallion pancake soup, and I added some sugar. I don't know if it suits your taste."
There were two bowls on the stove, and this bowl was given to Lu Xuan. Lu Qiong wasn't afraid of burning her hands, so she picked up the bowl directly from the bottom without using a tray, and before she had even sat down properly, she picked up a piece with her chopsticks.
The evenly thick noodles, coated in sauce, clung smoothly to her chopsticks, steaming hot. She slurped one up, feeling as if her soul had been cleansed. Not only were the noodles she kneaded chewier than hers, but the sauce was also savory and delicious. If it had peanut butter, it would be absolutely divine. But right now, it was truly fragrant and delicious!
Lu Xuan is a little glutton, needless to say. After moving to Bianjing, she always cared about her image. Even with oily sauce on the corners of her mouth, she still wouldn't stop eating and devoured the food. In no time, she had finished half of it.
She also praised it highly: "Sister Yang's cooking is amazing!"
If Lu Qiong hadn't been there, Lu Xuan would have said that Yang Jie'er's cooking was even better than her older sister's.
Seeing that they were all satisfied, Sister Yang finally felt relieved. She smiled and replied to them, then sat down next to Lu Xuan on a stool to eat soup dumplings.
The portions were very generous, and Lu Qiong and the other woman couldn't help but rub their stomachs after finishing their meal. Yang Jie'er, who should have been the most tired, was much more reserved than them, obediently putting away the bowls and chopsticks and sitting upright to the side.
Lu Qiong sighed, "You're good enough to be someone's cook, it's a waste of your talent to be with me!"
These days, which cook isn't young, beautiful, and with excellent culinary skills? The best cooks charge over a hundred taels of silver for cooking banquets, and even a regular cook charges over a hundred coins a day. Yet she only gives people three hundred coins a month.
She shook her head as she sipped her freshly brewed flower tea, thinking how comfortable life was.
Sister Yang placed her hands together in front of her waist, feeling more confident than before in her area of expertise, yet she remained humble, smiling as she said, "You flatter me, young lady. If you hadn't given me this opportunity, I wouldn't have been able to show off my skills."
Lu Qiong also appreciated her unpretentious attitude. After all, she would have to entertain guests in the future and learn to read people's expressions and be quick-witted.
Since Sister Yang's cooking skills were truly impeccable and she enjoyed the meal, she simply handed over the cooking duties to her. In this way, their shop not only offered boiled water and pastries, but also soup noodles, which could meet the needs of different customers.
Thinking this, Lu Qiong nodded in satisfaction: "Try making any other soup dumplings you're good at, and let the customers try them as soon as we open tomorrow."
Sister Yang understood what she meant, and quickly thanked her with a smile. Without daring to delay any longer, she went to make several more kinds of soup dumplings. The more she kneaded the dough, the stronger her hands became, and the knife slicing away, shaping the dough into various forms: hutuo (a type of flatbread), cold noodles, plum blossom soup dumplings...
Lu Qiong and Lu Qiong tried them one by one, and their favorite was the cold noodles, which are similar to cold noodles. After the noodles are cooked, they are rinsed with cold water, making them cool and chewy. They are served with a seasoned sauce that is sweet and sour and refreshing. Those who like it stronger can add more peppercorns. The flavor is rich but not greasy, making it a must-have summer food at the time.
"Sister Yang's cold noodles with locust leaves are so smooth, and with the addition of shredded cucumber and radish, the taste is refreshing. Even with the sauce, it doesn't taste bland. It's truly top-notch!" Lu Qiong was also getting into the groove, savoring the dish attentively and making no attempt to hide her praise for Sister Yang.
Lu Xuan kept repeating "delicious," "tasty," and "excellent" as she ate, until she was at her wit's end, but her expression showed that she was thoroughly enjoying herself.
Without disagreement, "Locust Leaf Cold Noodles" was chosen by the two as Lu Ji's signature dish. Lu Qiong also increased Yang Jie'er's pay to forty coins a day, several times higher than before, which made Yang Jie'er even more motivated.
Since one bushel of flour can make about thirty bowls of noodles, and considering labor, firewood, and rent, the cost of a bowl of plain noodles is roughly four or five coins, they decided to price a bowl of noodles at ten coins. Adding more noodles would not increase the price, but adding meat would cost an extra five coins. Boiled water and pastries would remain at the original price of five coins per serving.
In the afternoon, a maid from the Xie family sent word that the Xie family had something to attend to and that there was no need to prepare food for her mistress. Lu Qiong was happy to have some free time and went back to rest with Lu Xuan.
On the day she made the contract with Sister Yun, she also went to the street office to register and pay taxes, so that the public certificate of Zhouqiao would not be renewed.
In addition, Lu Qiong also commissioned people to build a simple decorated pavilion and gate using bamboo, wood and colorful silk, with exquisite patterns and designs carved on it. Although it could not compare to the scale of a restaurant, it was still festive and lively, and it was a sight to behold.
There are also light boxes on both sides of the gate, which will attract guests at night when candles are lit.
I had originally planned to find someone to print the "promotional leaflets," but the wood carving would take some time, and with the time spent on printing and inking, it would be too late, so I had to give up.
As night fell, the streets and alleys of Tongjifang became quiet. A sliver of moonlight shone into the main room, where Lu Qiong knelt before the hall, pen in hand. On the table were stacks of about ten sheets of paper with advertising slogans written on them: "New store opening, complimentary pastries... Lu's Food Shop is located next to Zhouqiao Bridge, near Xiangguo Temple. Welcome to come and try our food!"
Fortunately, Lu's Food Shop wasn't a breakfast shop. Lu Qiong had stayed up all night and didn't get up until dawn. On her way, she stopped by Hu's Steamed Bun Shop and bought four or five vegetable buns and two meat-filled steamed buns.
Entering the shop through the back door, one could see that Sister Yang had already lit a fire and prepared bayberry juice and mung bean water as instructed by Lu Qiong. The water was steaming and the whole room was filled with a sweet aroma.
Lu Qiong put the steamed buns on the table and called Yang Jie over: "I guess you haven't had breakfast yet, so I bought some for you too. Take whatever you like."
After spending time together yesterday, Sister Yang was no longer as reserved as before. After thanking her, she took a vegetarian steamed bun to eat. It was still steaming hot from the oven, and swallowing it made her hungry stomach feel much better.
As expected of Hu Ji, even the bun skins are sweet, and the more you chew, the more fragrant they become!
The filling for the pastries was still steaming in the pot. Lu Xuan took the initiative to go to the stove to watch the fire. Holding a meat bun in her hand, she sat down next to the low stool. When she saw that it was about time, she reduced the firewood and let it simmer for a while before it was ready to be taken out of the pot.
During this time, Sister Yang kept looking for work to do. First, she moved things, and then she volunteered to mash the yams. Lu Qiong was usually afraid of burning her hands, so she would wet the yams before handling them, but Sister Yang didn't even blink. She took out several pieces of yam with her bare hands, then put them into a container and pressed them down. Her movements were swift and efficient, and both Lu Xuan and Lu Qiong admired her for it.
Today's yam portion is quite generous; including the one given to the guests, it's enough to make over a hundred pastries. The remaining mung bean cake, osmanthus cake, and mini steamed rice cake are lighter in flavor and will make about half the amount of yam cake.
Before the shop opened, Lu Qiong took the "promotional leaflet" she had painstakingly written the night before and went to the street. She saw three or five people gathered under the Zhou Bridge, who looked to be no more than eleven or twelve years old. One of them was handsome and was telling stories to others. He could earn two coins for each story and seemed to have a good business sense.
Lu Qiong called him over, bent down, and smiled, "Where did you hear this story from?"
Du Zai stuffed the copper coin given to him into his waistband, when he heard someone calling him. It was a pretty young woman. He then bowed to Lu Qiong in the manner of a scholar, saying, "You can remember almost the whole story just by listening to someone tell it."
That memory is amazing; even Lu Qiong was a little envious.
Thinking that she still had "flyers" to hand out, she simply handed the job over to Du Zai and even agreed to give him ten coins as payment. If there were many customers, she could come to the shop again at noon to collect an additional ten coins.
Du Zai looked clever; he took the money and went to do his job. Lu Qiong was happy to be a hands-off manager, humming a little tune as she leisurely went back.
Sister Yang had already started kneading the dough, and the steamer was filled with pastries, cut into neat squares and of uniform size. The powder was delicate and looked soft and fluffy. Lu Qiong arranged them a little and prepared to open for business.
As soon as the wooden door opened, the aroma from inside wafted into the street.
In less than a quarter of an hour, a large crowd had gathered. The young man from last night had indeed brought people with him, making a total of three young men. Lu Qiong even promised to give them two extra portions of pastries, which pleased the young men greatly. Seeing something still cooking in the pot, they asked what it was.
Lu Qiong took out three portions of yam and jujube paste cakes, placed them on oiled paper, and covered the food box before saying, "I've made soup noodles, and there are also 'bo tuo' (a type of flatbread), scallion oil noodles, and locust leaf cold noodles..."
As she spoke, Sister Yang ladled out a bowl of scallion oil noodles. The aroma was so enticing that it made everyone's mouths water. Lu Xuan also went around to the stove and carried the bowl of scallion oil noodles on a tray to the diners.
The young lady who was tasting the soup dumplings blushed when she noticed everyone watching her. Her husband, mindful of etiquette, dared not stare directly at her, but the other ladies asked, "Young lady, is this soup dumpling delicious?"
The young woman had no choice but to nod.
Lu Qiong noticed her discomfort and took the initiative to ease the tension: "Dear customers, don't just look at what others are eating. You can only know if it's delicious by trying it yourself. Today is our opening day, and the first customers to arrive can also enjoy a free bowl of boiled water!"
Upon hearing what she said, the young man immediately ordered a bowl of cold noodles and two bowls of scallion oil noodles. It was because the soup noodles were so delicious, and it wasn't that he wanted to take advantage of her!
Lu Qiong also put it in the account, and after receiving thirty coins, he asked Lu Xuan to lead the person to a spot by the wall and brought several bowls of boiled water. The other diners also ordered dishes.
"I'll have a bowl of scallion oil noodle soup too!"
"Two servings of 'bo tuo' and a small steamed rice cake."
"Okay, remember them all." Lu Qiong was so busy that she could barely get a word in edgewise. She didn't even bother to count the money she received before putting it directly into the money box. She finally understood what it meant to receive so much money that her hands were sore.
After running the business for a while, she also discovered the shop's drawbacks—the lack of a menu. Customers didn't know the dishes and prices, and had to ask repeatedly, which took up a lot of time. However, her priority at the moment was to serve the customers, and she could deal with the rest later.
Sister Yang's men were all working like lightning, serving bowl after bowl of soup noodles...
Everyone was so busy that they were dizzy, serving tea and water, clearing away bowls and washing dishes. They didn't even have time to eat lunch. Only when the guests gradually left around noon could they take turns eating some soup noodles.
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