Chapter 72 The opening is finally here!
As soon as he got home, Song Xinwen hurriedly asked, "What did the Ge family say?"
Song Xinran concealed the scene she had witnessed when she arrived, and only said, "They all agree. When the shop opens, I'll need to trouble you to pass on a message to Ge Xia."
Song Xinwen laughed and said, "Good, good, Ge Xia is also good. Although she is a bit introverted, her cooking is quite delicious. Everyone who ate at the pig-slaughtering feast said it was good!"
Song Yu ran back when it was time for dinner in the evening. Her little face was flushed from running. She had taken off her coat and put it on her arm. Underneath, she was wearing a cream-colored sweater.
Cai Yang followed behind him and poked his sweater with his hand: "Why are your clothes so fuzzy?"
Song Yu touched his sweater and said seriously, "It's not just fur, it's fluffy and very warm."
Cai Yang said, "I'll give you my sweater to exchange; it was knitted by my mother."
Song Yu shook her head: "I won't change it, and you shouldn't change it either. If you change it, your aunt will be upset."
Cai Yang looked blank, clearly not understanding what he was saying.
Song Yu looked up and saw Song Xinran, then ignored him and ran quickly towards her: "Mom, I jumped rope so many different kinds today! Xiaojuan said she'll take me to pick magnolias when they bloom..."
He always liked to tell Song Xinran about what happened around him and what he had done, and Song Xinran was always a very good listener.
Cai Yang followed them slowly home, glanced at them, and then went to find something to eat.
Cai Yongde, who had run away from home, returned at some point during dinner and started arranging for Song Xinran to eat, acting as if nothing had happened.
Song Xinran had grown accustomed to his family atmosphere and way of doing things, and was no longer bothered by anything.
After the meal, Song Xinran took Song Yu back to town. For the next few days, they continued with their usual routines: setting up a stall to sell oden and braised meat, checking on the renovation progress of the shop whenever they had free time, and even trying out mala tang. Before opening for business, she naturally had to fine-tune the taste and flavor, and only after it had passed the tests with friends and family would she offer it to customers.
There are many ways to make mala tang, and the seasonings are also different. Song Xinran chose the mala broth that best suits the local taste. After blanching the ingredients, she puts them into a large bowl, adds various seasonings, stirs them evenly, and then serves them.
She invited Lin Hexiang and Lei Hong to try it today, and Lei Hong, as a professional, can give more professional advice.
Lei Hong was slightly surprised when the mala tang was first served. It was a little different from the mala tang he had eaten before!
First, a rich and mellow spicy aroma fills the nostrils. Rapeseed oil is lighter and less likely to cause internal heat than beef tallow. The aroma of dried chili peppers and the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns make your mouth water. Especially in this flamboyant and domineering spicy aroma, the freshness of the bone broth is not masked.
The aroma unfolds in layers, making the flavor more complex; you can tell it's a good product just by smelling it.
The scene was even more lively when you got closer. The bright red broth in the bowl was still slightly wobbly because it had just been placed on the table. Finely chopped chili peppers and white sesame seeds floated on the surface. The slices of meat, soaked in the broth, glistened with oil. The bright green vegetables, golden bean curd sheets, and chewy noodles... every ingredient looked like it was coated with a bright and shiny color.
What are we waiting for?
Lei Hong couldn't wait to scoop up a bowl of rice and start eating. He first picked up a piece of bean curd skin, which was chewy and soft. The hot oil and soup inside the pores brought out a fresh and spicy flavor. He ate a bite of vegetables and then a bite of rice, feeling that the taste was better than heaven!
The slices of meat are first coated with a layer of starch and marinated. When you bite into them, you feel that they are very bouncy and tender. Then, the spicy flavor rushes to your taste buds. Even after you swallow the meat slices, you don't feel any rough meat fibers.
I felt like I could only eat a few mouthfuls of rice before it was gone. How could there be such a delicious dish that goes so well with rice?
Finally, I slurped up one last mouthful of noodles covered in red strips, and I felt that my life had been worthwhile.
Lei Hong let out a burp, and Lin Hexiang rolled her eyes at him, thinking, "How can you eat so much at someone else's house?!"
Lei Hong remained silent, watching his wife eat heartily and with great relish. He thought to himself that they were indeed a couple, even their eating habits were similar!
"Brother Lei, what do you think of the taste of the mala tang? Is there anything that needs to be adjusted?" Song Xinran asked the professional.
It's a pity that even Lei Hong, a professional, gave a less-than-professional opinion after eating the mala tang, giving a thumbs up and praising: "Delicious! Especially delicious! Very delicious! No need for adjustments, this is the best! I originally wanted you to work in a stir-fry restaurant, but now I realize how shallow my understanding was! You'd be very good at this too!"
Lei Hong was truly impressed. He thought to himself that, logically speaking, a chef should be proficient in one particular cuisine. His former master was the same way, generally only proficient in one cuisine, and his most outstanding dishes were only a few.
But how come everything Song Xinran makes tastes so delicious?
Snacks like Bo Bo Chicken and Oden are a breeze to make.
Home-style dishes like boiled sliced pork and twice-cooked pork are a piece of cake.
She can even handle fast food like mala tang with ease. Is there any kind of food she can't eat?
Lin Hexiang also said, "Xinran, don't worry, the taste is amazing. I'll definitely be a regular customer when you open your shop. You can give me a discount then!"
Lei Hong said, "Wife, didn't you used to say you'd never get tired of my cooking? Why don't you eat it anymore?"
Lin Hexiang married Lei Hong because she was attracted to his cooking skills and thought he was hardworking and diligent.
Lin Hexiang rolled her eyes: "Don't talk like you don't like it."
She told Song Xinran, "Don't worry, we'll definitely come and eat together!"
Lei Hong laughed loudly, "That's right! Sometimes business is so busy that we cook too much food at the shop and don't want to cook at home anymore. Luckily, Xinran, you opened a shop, so we'll have somewhere to go from now on!"
Song Xinran now understood that Lei Hong and his wife loved this hot pot to the extreme. She smiled and said, "Okay, I'll give you the lowest price when you come to eat it!"
Lei Hong recalled the spicy hot pot he had in the city last time and asked, "Xinran, how do you plan to set the prices?"
Song Xinran said, "Meat dishes cost eleven yuan per jin, and vegetable dishes cost three yuan per jin."
Lei Hong nodded: "This is even cheaper than in the city. I remember last time I went to the city with your sister-in-law Xiang, the meat dishes were 12 yuan and the vegetable dishes were 3.5 yuan. The two of us were full after eating 12 yuan."
Lin Hexiang added, "Twelve yuan and ninety cents."
Lei Hong said, "The price isn't expensive if you're eating out, and you can choose whatever you want to eat, which is convenient. Most importantly, there isn't any mala tang (spicy hot pot) in town yet. I guess a lot of people don't even know what it is. You're the first one in town, so there will definitely be a lot of people coming to see what's going on!"
People who come to the market like to join in the fun. If the prices aren't too high, they'll buy some to try. Vegetables in hot pot attract people with their low prices. When people see that vegetables are only three yuan a pound, and that a plate of stir-fried vegetables costs four yuan outside these days, they'll definitely want to buy some.
However, if you add meat dishes, especially since meat dishes take up a lot of space, the price goes up, and the restaurant makes a profit.
Even so, Lei Hong thought that customers who ate this plate of spicy hot pot would feel that their money was well spent, as the taste was absolutely top-notch!
The couple praised the mala tang (a type of spicy hot pot), and said they would definitely come when she opened, not to show their support, but because they wanted to eat it themselves.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "You're welcome anytime!"
The next day, Song Xinran made a milder version of spicy hot pot and invited Huang Yun's family over to eat.
Ding Sisi ate with great joy: "Aunt Song, I will definitely spread the word in my class so that everyone will not miss out on this delicious mala tang!"
"But..." the little girl hesitated, "Aunt Song, is mala tang expensive?"
If it's too expensive, her classmates won't buy it, since none of them have much pocket money.
Song Xinran said, "Vegetarian dishes are three yuan a pound, and meat dishes are eleven yuan a pound."
For elementary school students, ten yuan is a lot of money, but Ding Sisi completely ignored the meat dishes: "Yay, I'll call my classmates to come and eat vegetarian dishes. They definitely won't eat a pound, so can you sell half a pound, Aunt Song?"
Song Xinran laughed and said, "Sell!"
Huang Yun gave her daughter a reproachful look: "Don't go around bothering your Aunt Song with your shabby appearance. It takes her a lot of resources and time to cook a bowl of soup for you!"
Song Xinran said, "There is no waste. When doing business, you are always welcome to customers. There is no minimum charge in my store."
Moreover, there are some little rich kids in Ding Sisi's class. She knew this all too well when she sold oden. Several of the kids had no less than five yuan in pocket money and were very generous when buying snacks.
After finishing their meal, Huang Yun and her family praised the oden, saying that she had never thought of opening a mala tang (spicy hot pot) restaurant before, so that they would have a suitable place to eat when they didn't want to cook at home.
Two groups of people praised the mala tang to the skies. Song Xinran originally wanted to adjust the flavor of the mala tang in minor details, but now she felt that these minor details did not seem to have much impact, so she decided to make it according to this flavor.
Of course, the people who have tasted the most mala tang are Chen Jingfang and Song Xinwen. They come to the stall to help out every day, making it the most convenient place for them to eat mala tang.
After the ingredients were cooked again, Song Xinran called out, "Sister, stop busy, come and have some spicy hot pot."
Song Xinwen asked in surprise, "Didn't you just do it yesterday? Why are you doing it again today?"
Song Xinran said, "The flavor is even stronger today. Try it and see which one tastes better."
"They're all right, they're all good!" Song Xinwen said. "Xinran, you're just too meticulous and particular. Everyone else is pretty much set on the exact amount of food they eat, but what you've made is already perfect!"
Having lived in the town for a while, Song Xinwen has also learned some advanced vocabulary.
She thought the mala tang was really delicious and cheap. Even if it wasn't run by Song Xinran, she would still buy it to try when she went to the market.
While eating, Song Xinwen started talking about things in the village: "Xinran, Ge Xia hasn't gone to school this week. She's been cooking at home, saying she wants to train and hone herself. I think this girl is resilient, persistent, honest, and knows how to repay kindness. She's great!"
Song Xinran looked at her with a puzzled expression. Just a few days ago, she had said that Ge Xia was not talkative, but now her reputation had completely changed, and she kept praising her.
"Sister," Song Xinran said, "how did you know that Ge Xia wasn't going to school and was practicing her cooking skills at home?"
Song Xinwen smiled sheepishly: "Last night, Aunt Ge brought me two dishes, both made by Ge Xia. I must say, that braised chicken was really delicious, much better than what I make!"
Song Xinran chuckled, wanting to say something but then shut up. She planned to have Song Xinwen and Ge Xia both work at the mala tang shop in the future. It would be a good thing for them to interact now and leave a good impression on each other.
*
Perhaps because Song Xinran frequently visited the shop to check on the renovation progress, and Song Xinwen kept a close eye on it, the renovation project was completed two days ahead of schedule.
After Song Xinran asked Lei Hong to come and inspect the property, and confirmed that there were no problems, she paid the remaining balance.
Afterwards, she stood in the shop for a long time, looking at the white walls, bright lights, clean kitchen, and brand-new attic, feeling an indescribable emotion welling up inside her.
After the renovation was completed, Song Xinran immediately had someone put all the things she had kept in her living room into the shop, gradually filling the empty shop with life and vitality.
Those large items like freezers and refrigerated display cases form the framework. The refrigerated display case is placed against the wall near the kitchen entrance. Its exterior has been washed very clean, looking brand new. The interior is brightly lit. Although it hasn't been officially put into use yet, its capacity will definitely be enough to store a lot of food in the future.
The freezer was placed in the corner of the kitchen, opposite the countertop, on which was a deep stainless steel basin and below which was a honeycomb briquette stove.
We've just opened, so we need to cut costs as much as possible. We'll switch to gas stoves once we start making money.
On the shelf next to it were all kinds of seasonings, bottles and jars arranged neatly and in a dazzling array.
The six long wooden tables in the lobby have a great feel to them; they're secondhand items I found in a big restaurant in the city, and they're better than some cheaper wooden tables and plastic benches.
Song Xinran carefully inspected the newly renovated shop, trying to find any areas that needed improvement. In the end, she confirmed that everything looked good and was ready to be put into use.
She couldn't help but feel excited; her first shop was finally about to open!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
