Chapter 124 Freshly Stir-fried Noodles with Toppings
For breakfast, I had stir-fried noodles with pickled pepper beef.
Fresh beef is sliced thinly, and stir-fried in hot oil in an iron wok until fragrant. Then, homemade pickled Erjingtiao peppers and pickled ginger are added, and the fresh, spicy, sour, and tangy flavors immediately emerge. The high heat locks in the juices, and after a few quick stirs, it's ready to serve.
In another hot pot, snow-white noodles were just cooked, and tender green leafy vegetables, freshly picked from the ground, added a touch of wheat flavor to the freshness of the vegetables, creating the most simple and natural aroma of food.
Pour the freshly stir-fried pickled pepper beef over the noodles, and the snow-white noodles are immediately coated with a layer of bright red, sour and spicy sauce. Each noodle is coated with the flavor without sticking together. The sour and fresh taste of the pickled peppers, combined with the spiciness, hits your nose and exudes a strong smoky aroma.
When the noodles were served, He Zhi had already swallowed hard several times: "Manager, please sit here!"
He specially reserved the head seat for Song Xinran, and felt quite embarrassed. How could a chef act like this, having the restaurant owner cook for him?
But how could anyone resist the sight of the steaming, enticingly fragrant toppings?
Song Xinran rarely eats breakfast at the store. She usually comes just before Song Ji opens, having already eaten breakfast at home. He Zhi usually prepares the staff meals at Song Ji.
Although He Zhi's dishes were impeccable in taste thanks to Song Xinran's guidance, the restaurant staff couldn't eat the same few dishes every day. They needed to change things up. However, whenever the dishes were changed, He Zhi's dishes lacked a certain something.
It was precisely because of this that He Zhi discovered that Song Xinran was actually a very easy person to take care of.
Logically, a top chef should have higher standards for food, but every time Song Xinran tasted his cooking, she would praise him: "Hmm, not bad, you've improved this time. Chef He, your cooking skills are getting better and better, your control of heat is perfect. Chef He, you have a real talent for cooking, you have a bright future ahead of you..."
He Zhi felt ashamed upon hearing these words.
When he worked at Rongxia Xiaochu, he was the one who cooked most of the dishes ordered by customers. However, the head chef often said that his cooking skills still had a lot of room for improvement and asked him to cook more, ostensibly to give him a chance to practice.
Whenever He Zhi compares Song Ji and Rongxia Xiaochu, he feels like he's living a life of paradise.
Given the current situation, how could he possibly leave Songji based on Gu Hong's few words or vague promises?
What a treat we are today! The manager actually cooked for us himself.
What are the differences?
He Zhi glanced furtively at Lin Jingyuan, who was just picking up a mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks. Lin Jingyuan's brows immediately relaxed, and his eyes seemed to brighten considerably.
He eats noodles in a way that can be described as elegant or bold. Unlike most people who slurp their noodles, he doesn't eat them in small bites. Instead, he eats them in big bites, which looks very appetizing.
"Manager Song, this pickled pepper beef is really good. The beef is tender and not dry, and it's juicy and flavorful. Are the pickled peppers homemade? The pickled peppers I've had outside don't taste as authentic as these."
Song Xinran said, "Yes, many dishes on the menu require kimchi for seasoning. Buying it from outside always feels a bit lacking. Making it yourself is simple and saves money."
Lin Jingyuan laughed and said, "I tried the kimchi when I ate at Song Ji last time. I could eat two bowls of rice even if I only ate kimchi."
"I didn't expect Mr. Lin to like the kimchi in the store so much. The pickled radishes I made last night should be cooked by now..."
Before Song Xinran could finish speaking, He Zhi immediately stood up: "I'll go get some kimchi to knead the dough."
Lin Jingyuan smiled at him: "Thank you, Chef He."
He Zhi picked up the noodles and rushed to the kitchen, not forgetting to nudge Fan Lei, who was engrossed in the noodles, with his elbow as he left.
Fan Lei followed him into the kitchen, still a little confused: "Chef He, is there something you need?"
"It's nothing." Seeing Fan Lei about to leave, He Zhi quickly grabbed him, exasperated, "What are you going out for? To be a third wheel? Can't you see the store manager and General Manager Lin chatting so happily?"
Fan Lei is a year older than He Zhi, but he is less adept at social skills than He Zhi. After all, He Zhi had been trained at Rongxia Xiaochu before, and even the most clueless person would have become shrewd.
He Zhi could only explain to him in detail: "When have you ever seen Manager Song let a stranger eat at his restaurant? Especially not during business hours."
Fan Lei said, "President Lin is not a stranger; he is a supplier that Songji partners with."
He Zhi: "When we cooperated with Chengrun Foods before, did Manager Song ever invite people to stay for a meal?"
Fan Lei thought about it carefully and realized that there really wasn't any, but the store manager hadn't even come to work when Chengrun Foods delivered the vegetables.
"So when are we going out?" Fan Lei finally asked.
"Let's wait a bit, let them chat a bit more." He Zhi glanced outside and saw Song Xinran and Lin Jingyuan eating noodles and chatting. The atmosphere was never quiet, with Lin Jingyuan doing most of the talking, discussing how this bowl of pickled pepper beef could be made so delicious.
He Zhi also admired this person quite a bit. Logically speaking, it shouldn't look very good to talk while eating noodles, but from his angle, Lin Jingyuan's profile was quite handsome.
He clicked his tongue lightly, "He's really got it."
Turning his gaze away, He Zhi lifted the lid of the container used for making pickled radishes and other pickled vegetables, scooped some out, and placed it on a plate.
He ate a piece first; it was crisp and refreshing, with a perfect balance of saltiness and blandness, making it incredibly appetizing. Then he took a bite of the noodles with toppings; the noodles were smooth and chewy, with layers of sour, spicy, and savory flavors intertwined, spicy but not overpowering—it was simply amazing.
In the lobby, Song Xinran couldn't help but tease, "President Lin is asking such detailed questions, is it because you also want to make noodles with toppings?"
Lin Jingyuan nodded, adopting a very serious expression: "Yes, you can't get this bowl of noodles anywhere else except Song Ji. If you crave it in the future, you can make it yourself."
Song Xinran also said in a serious tone, "Then I can't tell President Lin too much detail. If President Lin does everything at home from now on, Song's business will suffer."
Lin Jingyuan laughed and said, "Manager Song really overestimates me. Even if I made it a hundred times, I still couldn't replicate this taste."
"Mr. Lin is too modest. I can tell you have a lot of insights into cooking." When she was chatting with Lin Jingyuan earlier, Song Xinran could tell from his words that he must be someone who cooks often.
Lin Jingyuan said, "No, I just know how to cook two home-style dishes. After graduation, I started my own business, but I didn't attract much investment. In order to save money and win over employees, I claimed that the company provided meals, but I actually cooked them all myself."
Song Xinran was quite surprised: "President Lin looks really energetic."
She knew that starting a business wasn't something that could be accomplished with just a few words; it involved many aspects. Lin Jingyuan wasn't a rich second-generation heir whose parents could provide much assistance. In the early stages of starting a business, she would definitely have to handle everything herself, including preparing meals for the employees, which was not something an ordinary person could do.
It is said that those who achieve great things have a lot of energy, and sleeping two or three hours is equivalent to others sleeping a whole night. She felt that Lin Jingyuan was such a person.
Looking at her expression, Lin Jingyuan couldn't help but laugh: "It's not as tough as you think. They say it's to win over employees, but actually there's only one person they want to win over. You know him, he's the guy who came to Songji with me the other day, my friend Zhong Wei. He's both an employee and an investor. He doesn't have any other hobbies, he just likes to eat."
No wonder Song Xinran said her intuition was right. She said, "It seems that President Lin must have a lot of knowledge and experience in cooking. In that case, I can't possibly pass on the secret to making topping noodles to you."
There's really no secret to this topping. The key is to stir-fry it over high heat to bring out the wok hei (wok aroma), along with various seasonings. She didn't hide anything from others when she was cooking.
Lin Jingyuan said seriously, "Manager Song is too late. I've already learned it."
He said, "I'll go back and think about it. Next time, I'll let Manager Song try my cooking, but that would be like showing off my skills to an expert."
"Sure."
After chatting for a few more minutes, Song Xinran suddenly remembered the kimchi and glanced into the kitchen: "Chef He, are the pickled radishes not ready yet?"
"It's cooked, it's cooked. I'm scooping it out now, almost done," He Zhi replied immediately.
Just a minute later, He Zhicai slowly walked out carrying kimchi, a knowing smile on his face that made Song Xinran feel very strange.
He Zhi is usually very efficient, so what's wrong with him today?
*
The ingredients delivered by Yuanben Xunwei received unanimous praise from the kitchen staff. Fan Lei said that the vegetables felt different when he cut them, and they were very crisp and tender. He Zhi said that the vegetables looked really good when they were cooked, and they were very fresh.
Not only do the kitchen staff like it, but customers also prefer to order stir-fried vegetables, and Su Hang is one of them.
Since filming a program at Songji, Su Hang has fallen in love with the taste of Songji and often comes to the restaurant to eat. Pang Ru and Zou Xiaoguang have gradually calmed down from their initial excitement.
After all, celebrities are precious because they are rare, so Su Hang, who comes to Song Ji's restaurant from time to time, is no different from an ordinary customer.
However, Pang Ru behaved differently when receiving her idol, specifically by speaking more gently and blushing more easily.
Su Hang was aware of Pang Ru's attitude, so he chatted with her more casually: "Where do you buy the water spinach in your store? The water spinach I eat at home doesn't taste the same at all."
Stir-fried vegetables is a very simple dish. The taste is not much different between restaurants and home cooking. The only difference is that restaurants have a better wok hei (wok aroma), which makes them taste more fragrant.
But Song Ji's stir-fried vegetables are completely different from what we make at home. The leaves are bright green and tender, and the stems are crisp and refreshing. With a little minced garlic, it perfectly brings out the simple flavor.
Pang Ru lowered her voice and said, "Our restaurant has changed its ingredient supplier, and everyone says the new supplier's ingredients are better."
Pang Ru couldn't hide her pride; it was she who recommended Yuanben Xunwei to the store manager back then.
"No wonder," Su Hang remarked. He wanted to ask which supplier it was, but then felt that asking might be considered prying into someone's trade secrets, and not wanting to put Pang Ru in a difficult position, he kept quiet.
He ordered a lot of dishes today, and Pang Ru said, "There are too many dishes for one person to finish."
Su Hang laughed and said, "I came here today not only for a meal, but also to take pictures!"
He waved the camera in his hand.
Pang Ru's eyes flashed, and an idea instantly formed in her mind. She immediately told Song Xinran about it: "Manager, Su Hang is here again. It seems like he's going to film our restaurant again!"
Pang Ru couldn't hide her surprise and excitement. Su Hang's last visit to Songji brought a huge influx of customers, and now Songji has a great reputation.
If Su Hang comes to film again today, Song Ji will definitely reach a new level.
How could she not inform Song Xinran about such an important matter? Pang Ru hoped that the store manager would appear on TV again to build up popularity.
It's worth noting that Song Xinran's fame soared along with Song Ji's after she appeared on "Food Detective." Many other programs wanted to interview her, but Song Xinran declined them all. She is very low-key, and when customers come to the store wanting to get to know her, she always declines by saying she's too busy.
Rarely appearing in public, her fame has naturally declined. Pang Ru hopes that the store manager can become the next star, and she believes that the store manager has the ability to do so.
Upon hearing this, Song Xinran's first reaction was to refuse; she genuinely didn't want to appear on camera or on television programs anymore.
He told Pang Ru that he would pay attention, but in reality, he stayed in the kitchen and didn't go out.
However, Song Xinran felt that Su Hang's visit this time was probably not for filming a program. The "Food Detective" program has been running for so long, and no restaurant has ever been featured twice. Moreover, Pang Ru said that Su Hang came alone, but Song Xinran did not want to take any risks.
However, Su Hang still found her and asked her about cooking and the source of ingredients.
While being questioned, Su Hang was also taking pictures with his camera, all of which were of the dishes and the restaurant environment, without showing the faces of any of the people.
Song Xinran knew that Su Hang was not a boring person, so she asked him why he was taking pictures.
Su Hang frowned slightly, looking somewhat conflicted.
Song Xinran guessed what was going on and asked directly, "Is there some problem with Songji's online?"
Su Hang's pupils dilated slightly, utterly astonished: "Manager Song, how did you know? Did you also see the post on the forum? That poster is specifically trying to smear Song's restaurant!"
Song Xinran: "Yes, I understand now."
Su Hang: "...So you didn't know just now?"
Song Xinran laughed: "You made it very obvious. You come to eat here often, but this is the first time you've brought a camera to take pictures. I asked you what you were taking pictures for. If it was a good thing, you would have told me. Your hesitation means it's not a good thing. You're definitely not taking pictures for people in real life to see. Otherwise, you would have just brought them to Song Ji to see for yourself. It must be something that happened online."
Song Xinran remembered that blogs and forums were developing quite rapidly at that time, and she guessed that Su Hang's answer just confirmed her guess.
Su Hang was even more shocked when he heard what she said: "Manager Song, to be honest, you're a chef and store manager by profession, but your side job is actually that of a detective, right?"
Hearing the titles Su Hang mentioned, a string of inappropriate phrases popped into Song Xinran's mind: "Golden Left Cheek," "Writer and Singer," and so on.
She was slightly embarrassed: "No."
Quickly change the subject: "Did they say anything on the forum?"
Su Hang, as expected, said indignantly, "It's a local forum that said Song Ji's dishes don't live up to their name, taste mediocre, and they even found insects in them. But my friend is the moderator, and I've already asked him to delete the post. I'll post a food recommendation thread with pictures and proof when I get back!"
Hearing these words, Song Xinran suddenly felt as if she were being protected, just like when she was in high school, when online forums were very popular in her class, and a classmate would often say, "I know the forum administrator."
It felt so impressive back then, but looking back more than a decade later, all I feel is the youthful pretentiousness of my younger days.
Therefore, her gaze towards Su Hang unconsciously took on a touch of kindness, as if she were looking back on her own high school days.
"Su Hang, thank you," she said. "This meal is on you."
Su Hang's pupils trembled slightly again; this time he was truly flattered.
Free meal?!
This privilege wasn't even given when the production crew came to film; they only gave us a plate of braised pork at the end.
Moreover, Song Xinran actually called him by his name; before, she always referred to him as Host Su.
It felt like the distance between us had suddenly shortened considerably.
Su Hang scratched his head, momentarily speechless: "Um, thank you... thank you Manager Song, oh, thank you, Song Xinran."
Since the other party has already called me by my name, it seems a bit inappropriate for him to still address me as "store manager".
He has the personality of talking non-stop when he's a little nervous: "I also suspect that the comments on the forum saying that Song Ji's dishes are not worth the price were premeditated. The local forum isn't very active, but as soon as that post was published, it quickly got several replies, all saying bad things about Song Ji. But it doesn't matter, my friend has a lot of power, he can delete and ban them all at once. They are definitely doing it on purpose. I've eaten at Song Ji so many times, don't I know how good Song Ji's food is?"
"Hey! Don't worry..."
Only after he finished speaking did he feel annoyed. Su Hang hadn't originally planned to tell Song Xinran these things, but he really needed to change his habit of talking nonstop when he was nervous.
Song Xinran couldn't help but laugh, her eyes crinkling into a smile: "Okay, I'm not worried. I'm waiting for you to help us get our store officially recognized."
Su Hang's eyelashes fluttered, and he lowered his head slightly: "Then, I'll go back first."
He grabbed the camera and ran away.
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