As soon as the bell rang, Zhan Chunlan picked up her handbag and walked out of the office. She had dressed up specially today, taking off her work clothes to reveal a light blue polyester shirt tucked into black polyester pants, the belt around her waist making a crisp "clack-clack" sound with her steps.
"Xiuxiu! Hongying!" As soon as she came downstairs, she ran into the two people waiting below and greeted them happily: "How come you're here so fast? I thought I was already being proactive enough."
Li Xiuxiu smiled and took her arm: "Of course, it's not easy to get a good meal from a big spender, so we have to be enthusiastic, right?"
The three walked side by side toward the state-run restaurant. The early autumn wind carried the dampness of the river, dispelling the lingering sweet smell of flour that perpetually lingered in the factory. Fan Hongying was carrying a net bag containing three bottles of orange soda, the glass bottles clinking against each other, making a "clink-clink" sound like a pre-recorded melody.
The state-run restaurant was a two-story building made of blue bricks, with a faded red lantern hanging at the entrance. Seeing them enter, the waiter lazily looked up: "How many?"
"Three of you!" Zhan Chunlan said in a light voice, "The table by the window!"
They sat down, and Fan Hongying slammed the soda on the table. "Today, our Comrade Zhan is treating, so I'm eating my fill!"
Li Xiuxiu chimed in, "Let's start with a plate of twice-cooked pork! We haven't had any oil in a long time, we have to thank our clerk Zhan."
Zhan Chunlan smiled, looking at the menu on the wall and pointing: "Twice-cooked pork, tofu pudding with egg white sauce, stir-fried cabbage..." She paused, glanced at the two sisters, and said, "And a serving of spicy diced chicken?"
"Wow, struck it rich?" Li Xiuxiu winked. "Even though we've been promoted, we can't just keep eating like this."
Zhan Chunlan smiled and said, "I'm happy. I got promoted ahead of schedule and will get two more months of extra salary." She didn't mention the rewards from the pastry factory and the food factory, as it would sound like she was showing off.
Recalling the recent discussions in the office, Fan Hongying jokingly added, "I've been hearing the section chiefs mention you a lot lately. They say several departments are eyeing you and want to transfer you out of the logistics department."
"I haven't heard of that," Zhan Chunlan said, somewhat surprised. "Section Chief Tian even told me to do a good job in the logistics section."
Li Xiuxiu leaned closer and lowered her voice: "We in the finance department have also heard about it. The production department has been wanting to transfer you there for a long time, but Section Chief Tian has been refusing to let you go. However, I heard from our section chief that she probably can't keep you, hehe!"
Zhan Chunlan smiled and said calmly, "I don't really care, but I quite like the logistics department right now. Everything is in good order, and I just need to follow the steps. Don't be fooled by how much I've made a name for myself these past few times. If I were actually transferred there, I probably wouldn't be doing as well as I am here."
Li Xiuxiu smiled and gently nudged her: "Don't be modest. I've also heard that the main problem right now is that you're not experienced enough. Otherwise, we would have set up a new department for you, specifically responsible for developing new products and designing packaging."
Zhan Chunlan shook her head, her tone clear: "Don't take it seriously. It's because I'm not experienced that they say that. When I'm truly qualified, they won't say that anymore."
Fan Hongying nodded in agreement: "That's right, that's what my parents said too. Some things are just said to sound nice."
Just then, the newly arrived guests at the next table caught their attention. A familiar female voice said, "One serving of Kung Pao Chicken and tofu pudding with chili oil is enough. We can skip the shredded pork with garlic sauce; the two of us can't eat that much."
The male voice responded, "Then let's replace the tofu pudding with shredded pork with garlic sauce, I'm afraid you won't like it."
"How could that be? You've forgotten, I love tofu pudding the most, especially when it's sprinkled with seaweed and chopped green onions, it's so fragrant!"
The boy hesitated for a moment, then finally chuckled and said, "...Okay, then let's try Jiangcheng's tofu pudding."
You could also detect a hint of teasing in his tone.
Zhan Chunlan couldn't help but turn around, and sure enough, it was Su Menghua and her boyfriend, whom she had met at the dock yesterday. She thought for a moment, but decided not to go up and greet them, lest she make the young couple feel uncomfortable.
Li Xiuxiu cast an inquiring glance at her, and Zhan Chunlan explained softly, "We met at the dock yesterday."
The two understood each other and unconsciously lowered their voices considerably.
The dishes arrived quickly. The twice-cooked pork on the enamel plate was perfectly marbled with fat and lean meat, and the fermented bean paste, glistening with a dark red from the hot oil, made the garlic sprouts look especially green.
The tofu pudding was served in a blue-rimmed bowl, its snow-white flesh floating in a pale yellow broth. It trembled slightly as the waiter placed it down, looking incredibly tempting. Beside it was a small dish of chili oil; the chilies, charred and with charred spots and a strong, pungent aroma, were ground into coarse pieces along with Sichuan peppercorns. The first bite was bursting with spicy flavor, yet also crisp and chewy. Adding scallions, ginger, and garlic, and then pouring hot oil over them, creates a sizzling sound, instantly releasing all the trapped aromas – this is the soul of the dish.
Stir-fried cabbage is the most rustic dish. The cabbage stalks are cut wide and thick, with slightly browned edges and two or three peppercorn shells that can be vaguely seen. You have to be extra careful of the "peppercorn assassins" when eating it.
The spicy diced chicken was served last. Zhan Chunlan craned her neck and saw golden chicken pieces coated in a dark red sauce, garnished with a few dried chilies—completely unlike the later version where you had to "find the chicken among the chilies." She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. The chicken first burst with oily aroma, then a slight numbing sensation rose, like someone gently brushing the tip of her tongue with a goose feather—there were only five or six peppercorns, and the chilies were cut into thin, long pieces, yet the flavor was surprisingly fresh.
The three of them were enjoying their meal when they suddenly heard Su Menghua exclaim from the next table: "Ah~ this is what tofu pudding with bile is like? Why is there nothing on top of this tofu pudding? This should be called plain tofu pudding."
Her boyfriend patiently explained, "This is Jiangcheng's tofu pudding. It's always eaten with chili sauce. It tastes pretty good. You can try it."
The commotion at the next table made Zhan Chunlan and the other two slow down their chopsticks at the same time.
Su Menghua stared at the bowl of snow-white tofu pudding, her brows furrowing slightly. She hesitated before carefully picking up a piece of tofu pudding with her chopsticks.
"Are you really going to dip it in this?" She looked at the dish of chili oil in front of her, her tone clearly hesitant. The burnt smell of the chili hit her nostrils, causing her to unconsciously lean back.
Seeing that she was really going to dip it in chili, her boyfriend stopped her: "Try the original flavor of the tofu first. I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it if you dip it in chili right away."
"Hmph~" When Su Menghua saw that he had stopped her, she knew that he had just wanted to make a fool of her in the first place. She glared at him coquettishly and then stuffed the tofu into her mouth.
"Huh?" Her eyes widened slightly. "It seems...not bad? Although it has no flavor, it has a rich bean aroma and a slightly sweet aftertaste. Not bad!"
Seeing that she was hesitant to speak, the boy took the initiative to complete her sentence: "If it were like Haicheng's, with a little soy sauce, seaweed torn into small pieces, a pinch of dried shrimp, and finely chopped pickled mustard greens, and finally a few chopped green onions and a few drops of sesame oil, it would be even better."
Su Menghua nodded emphatically: "Yes!"
After saying that, she picked up a small piece of tofu pudding, carefully dipped it in a little bit of chili water, and wanted to taste what this Jiangcheng way of eating tasted like.
Li Xiuxiu nudged Zhan Chunlan with her elbow and winked: "You two are quite sweet together." Zhan Chunlan shrugged and didn't look again, but then she heard the voices at the next table suddenly lower—
"What's wrong? Is it too spicy?" The boy panicked and rummaged through his pockets for a handkerchief to wipe her tears, while simultaneously taking the dish of chili sauce away: "If it's too spicy, we won't eat it."
Looking at the girl crying, Zhan Chunlan suddenly felt a tremor in her heart. She felt that she and the girl were like the same kind of people. She easily saw through her disguise. It wasn't because of the spice. She had just suffered a lot of grievances but couldn't cry out. This was the only way she could vent.
Su Menghua took the handkerchief he handed her and wiped away her tears: "Well, then I won't eat it. Actually, it tastes good even without dipping it in water."
Looking at her red eyes, the boy asked helplessly, "Did they fight again?"
Su Menghua lowered her head, and from Zhan Chunlan's angle, she caught a fleeting glimpse of tears in her eyes: "My mother brought my younger brother to make a scene, demanding that I give up my job, saying that girls will eventually belong to someone else's family..."
Her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible. "A group of foreign businessmen happened to be visiting the factory at the time, and things almost escalated to the point where they had to confront us. If they had succeeded, my own situation would have been a minor issue compared to the impact on exports. That same day, my supervisor suspended me from my duties to reflect on what? Reflect on the fact that I'm not a man?"
Hearing her words, Zhan Chunlan felt truly heartbroken. Although there is no true empathy in the world, she could feel the despair in her, the despair that she could not escape no matter how hard she tried.
She had been wondering how she could find time to travel so far away at this time of year, especially since her department was so busy. Turns out…
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