Chapter 65 With this braised beef here, today's...
When Teacher An called out Song Yu's name, his eyes lit up even more, looking like two big light bulbs.
He quickly stood up, a cute smile on his little face, and said in his childish voice, "I had a lot of fun this winter vacation, and it was my favorite Chinese New Year ever..."
While playing with her friends from the village at her aunt's house, Song Yu thought about her kindergarten friends, wishing they were all there.
In kindergarten, children can play games like bouncing balls, skipping rope, and number games. In the village, they can run all over the hills and fields, set off firecrackers, and blast water pits.
The games available in the two places are quite different, but both are very fun.
When Song Yu was playing with her friends in the village, she shared her experiences in kindergarten, and she wanted to share another kind of game with her classmates.
He speaks more logically than other children his age, but he still has some problems, such as a limited vocabulary. Sometimes he doesn't know how to express himself and can only ask Teacher An for help. Fortunately, Teacher An is very smart and can always come up with appropriate words and phrases to help him explain.
For example, some things are said in a rather verbose manner, repeating the same things over and over again...
Overall, his expression was very good and particularly engaging. The students in the classroom, who were initially a little distracted, gradually became attracted by his words and watched him with great interest.
Wu Yaoxuan even raised his hand to interrupt. Song Yu didn't know how to handle this interlude, so he looked at Teacher An.
Teacher An: "Wu Yaoxuan, what's the matter?"
Wu Yaoxuan's eyes sparkled with excitement: "Teacher An, can we set off firecrackers and fireworks in the kindergarten?"
He was clearly attracted by Song Yu's words, and looked eager to try them out.
Teacher An said sternly, "No!"
Wu Yaoxuan wasn't finished yet; he asked again, "Is it okay to feed puppies at kindergarten?"
Teacher An's face darkened: "No, there are no stray dogs in the kindergarten."
Wu Yaoxuan: "Song Yu, can I go home with Song Yu to play?"
Teacher An's expression darkened: "After class, ask Song Yu, and also your parents!"
Wu Yaoxuan thought he should ask his parents after school. If Teacher An was willing to give him a leave slip, he could go home during the break to ask. He was sure his grandparents would agree, and maybe he could go home with Song Yu to play today.
Unfortunately, before she could finish speaking, Teacher An interrupted her sternly, saying, "Alright, sit down."
Honestly, Teacher An thought to herself, after a winter break, Wu Yaoxuan seems to have reverted to his old ways. He's so active in class, and everything he says is irrelevant to the lesson!
However, Song Yu's story was nearing its end, and he concluded with a sentence: "This Spring Festival was my first winter vacation, and I had a lot of fun."
After he finished speaking, he even bowed to the students below in a very professional manner, which earned him a round of enthusiastic applause.
Yuanyuan was so excited that she clapped her hands until they turned red. She decided that she would spend next year's Spring Festival with Song Yu instead of going back to the city, because it wasn't fun there at all.
Teacher An was extremely pleased. Song Yu had made a great start, and his storytelling was interesting. He even used a general-specific-general structure!
After Song Yu left, the gloomy atmosphere in the class, which had been filled with the sound of children crying, almost dissipated, replaced by excitement and exhilaration.
Children's emotions are easily stirred up, whether they cry or laugh. Now, some students in the classroom are raising their hands, hoping to be chosen by Teacher An to tell their winter vacation stories, while others are looking at Song Yu expectantly, wanting to play fun games with him.
Teacher An breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile on her face became more genuine. The growing pains of the first day of school were finally over. She had been working in the kindergarten for several years and had never had such an easy time.
As soon as Song Yu returned to his seat, he was warmly welcomed by the students on both sides and in front and behind him. Although Teacher An was still in the classroom, everyone would whisper among themselves.
"Song Yu, did you bring firecrackers to school?"
"Song Yu, isn't your dog cute? Can I have it? I love puppies the most."
"Song Yu, when will you bring your mom's homemade meat to the classroom again? I really want to eat it."
...
When asked about these questions, Song Yu kept a straight face and looked very serious. She said in a low voice, "You can't talk in class."
Children like Zhu Guo, who are relatively shy and introverted in class, blushed and silently shut up, remaining quiet; they were still very well-behaved.
But how could someone as thick-skinned as Wu Yaoxuan be dismissed with a single sentence: "Tell me, and I promise I won't tell Teacher An."
Song Yu's eyes widened as she looked at Wu Yaoxuan in disbelief: "You, how did you get here?"
Wu Yaoxuan wasn't sitting behind him when he went on stage.
Wu Yaoxuan's lips curled up slightly: "I sat here secretly, Teacher An didn't even know."
His lowered voice carried a hint of pride and smugness.
Song Yu immediately had the urge to raise his hand and report to Teacher An that Wu Yaoxuan was running around the classroom again, but Teacher An had now selected the second student and was about to begin the new student's sharing.
Song Yu decided to ignore Wu Yaoxuan and focus on his studies.
Although a winter break has passed, it seems that nothing has changed in Class 1. Through their recounting of the winter break, everyone has gradually gotten used to kindergarten life.
On the other hand, at No. 3 Middle School, the adjustment period for junior high students is longer. However, they don't cry and fuss like kindergarten children. They are just not used to it in many ways, such as feeling sleepy in class, feeling rusty when doing homework, and feeling nauseous at the mere mention of the cafeteria.
You Tongtong wailed, "Help! I don't want to eat at the school cafeteria!"
My deskmate, Yuan Meng, whispered, "My mom made some pickled vegetables for me and brought them with me. We'll eat them together at noon."
You Tongtong leaned over and hugged her deskmate, deeply moved: "You're the best!"
Yuan Meng chuckled: "Just treat me to a bowl of oden this afternoon."
You Tongtong's eyes widened: "You actually had this in mind?! No way, the oden is all mine, I'm going to eat it all!"
As she spoke, You Tongtong made a heartbroken expression: "Do you know how I spent yesterday? I didn't want to come to school at all. Oden was the only thing I could think about. I don't even want to think about how I would get through the days without oden at the school gate!"
“Exactly!” You Tongtong’s words immediately drew enthusiastic agreement from the students in the front row. “Oden is the only thing I want to do when school starts again. It’s because the auntie doesn’t open during winter break and only sets up her stall when school starts.”
You Tongtong nodded in agreement: "I almost cried yesterday thinking about the start of school. When I thought of oden, tears almost welled up in my eyes."
The first week of school is always so hard to get through, but the days leading up to the start of school are even harder. As the start date draws ever closer, I get really irritable and have to rack my brains to come up with something to make myself feel better.
After all, junior high school is so long, with winter and summer vacations every year, so you should make yourself feel better.
As far as You Tongtong knew, some students in her class even found themselves a secret crush so they could convince themselves that they could look forward to the start of the new semester.
It's a case of finding joy in hardship, which is quite remarkable.
But You Tongtong felt that no matter how handsome her crush was, nothing was as good as oden. No kidding, she kept thinking about oden all winter break. She thought about it when she was eating snacks, and she thought about it when she was having New Year's Eve dinner at home. She always felt that nothing else was as delicious as oden.
On that dark day yesterday, oden was like a ray of light, making it easier for You Tongtong to come to school.
Ah! And it's not just oden, there's also Bo Bo Chicken. Aunt Song said she'll make Bo Bo Chicken again next year when the weather gets warmer.
Last year's next year is this year, but the weather is still quite cold now. Maybe we'll be able to eat Bo Bo Chicken again in another month or two.
As You Tongtong thought about it, she couldn't help but salivate. She was determined to eat her fill when Aunt Song made Bo Bo Chicken again!
Finally, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the afternoon. You Tongtong grabbed her deskmate's hand and rushed out of the classroom, heading straight for the school gate. Many other students were also heading to the same destination.
Song Xinran and Chen Jingfang stood in front of their stall, ready to welcome their little customers whom they hadn't seen for a month. Everyone lined up as they walked out of the school gate and ran over without stopping for a second.
The scene was spectacular, almost like a wild boar bursting out of its cage. They looked like they were participating in a 400-meter race at a school sports meet, but while participating in a sports meet might not be so enjoyable, their faces radiated genuine joy and excitement.
You Tongtong rushed to the familiar stall. Upon smelling the familiar sweet aroma, she was so excited that tears almost welled up in her eyes. She took out a ten-yuan note and exclaimed excitedly, "Aunt Song, I want ten yuan's worth of oden, all of it!"
Song Xinran responded with a gentle smile and asked casually, "Can Tongtong finish ten pieces today?"
You Tongtong was extremely surprised. After a whole winter break, Aunt Song still remembered her. She knew that she wasn't just in love with oden. They missed each other and used oden as a way to remember the new school year. This was dozens of times better than just having a crush on someone else!
She nodded excitedly: "I can finish it! I'll treat my tablemates to it too. We get lucky money during Chinese New Year, and I have money now!"
She looked every bit the part of a wealthy young woman.
Song Xinran smiled and divided the ten-yuan oden into two bowls, handing them to her: "Eat slowly."
You Tongtong nodded quickly.
The oden, freshly ladled from the pot, emitted a cloud of white steam. Taking a deep breath, she felt her head spinning with its aroma. This was the taste she had been craving!
Yu Tongtong couldn't wait to share it with her deskmate. The two of them ate with tears in their eyes, feeling that the discomfort and irritability of the first day of school were all soothed by this bowl of sweet and warm oden.
Yuan Meng was extremely touched: "Tongtong, you're so kind! I'll treat you to some barbecue skewers!"
You Tongtong ate a few bites in a row, a faint look of satisfaction on her face: "Keep the money, we'll come back for oden again tomorrow."
Students from the Central Primary School are dismissed ten minutes later. When they arrived at the gate of the Third Middle School, they found that there was already a long queue and the place was packed with people.
The elementary school students wailed on the spot. Ever since the stall became popular, they had never had the chance to buy it right away. They remembered the first time they came, it was selling Bo Bo Chicken. It had been more than ten minutes since the Third Middle School let out, and there was still no one at the stall.
As soon as they bought some, all the older students from No. 3 Middle School flocked over, and now they have to queue up if they want to eat there.
Immediately, a sixth-grade student turned to Ding Sisi and said, "Ding Sisi, why don't you talk to Aunt Song and ask her to set up a branch stall at the entrance of the elementary school?"
Ding Sisi didn't have time to respond at all; as soon as she saw the oden stand, she quickly ran over to join the queue.
What a joke, wasting a second here might just mean another person has to wait in line.
Yao Xu was puzzled by Ding Sisi's eagerness: "Aren't your mother and Aunt Song good friends? Why do you need to wait in line? Just go directly to Aunt Song. You'll definitely have enough to eat this winter vacation. Unlike me, I drool over it every night and can only eat in my dreams."
Yao Xu's words also had a sarcastic tone.
Ding Sisi said, "You're overthinking it! I didn't get to eat any at all. Aunt Song didn't make oden during the winter break, and she was going to visit relatives for the New Year. My mom and I were also going, so we didn't have much time together at all!"
After listening to Ding Sisi's complaints, Yao Xu felt much better and was no longer jealous. He grinned and said, "Looks like we're about the same, haha. I thought you had some special privileges. Eat more later!"
Ding Sisi chuckled and deliberately said, "There are definitely some special privileges. Aunt Song cooked at home and invited us over to eat. There was braised rabbit, dry pot ribs, steamed fish... so many dishes that you can't buy with money!"
Yao Xu's smile vanished instantly; he was now even more sour, practically bubbling with jealousy. He stubbornly retorted, "I ate at a fancy hotel during the New Year; they had all of this. I've had my fill!" Ding Sisi scoffed, boasting, "It definitely can't compare to Aunt Song's cooking. You don't know what it tastes like, tsk tsk..."
Even now, Ding Sisi's expression is still blissfully dreamy as she recalls it: "It was the best dish I've ever eaten in my life!"
She swallowed hard just thinking about it: "Aunt Song is even better than the hotel chef!"
Yao Xu couldn't keep up the stubbornness and started making a wish: "I wish Aunt Song would open a restaurant someday, I want to eat there too."
Ding Sisi said, "My mom said that even if Aunt Song were to open a restaurant, she would open it in a big city, sell very expensive food, and make a lot of money!"
Yao Xu gritted his teeth: "I have quite a bit of New Year's money too. I'll save it for now, and I'll go eat there when Aunt Song opens her shop!"
Before they knew it, it was their turn. Yao Xu, still provoked by Ding Sisi, pulled out his money and said, "Aunt Song, I want ten yuan's worth of oden. I can eat it!"
Although Ding Sisi received a considerable amount of New Year's money, she believed in saving it gradually and only took out three yuan: "Aunt Song, three yuan is enough for me."
Yao Xu asked, "Aunt Song, when are you going to make Bo Bo Chicken?"
Song Xinran said, "We'll do it when the weather gets a little warmer."
Remembering Ding Sisi's description, he was very tempted: "Aunt Song, have you ever thought about making other snacks?"
Song Xinran smiled and thought it was appropriate to reveal something: "Yes."
Yao Xu and Ding Sisi's eyes widened instantly, and they asked, "What? What is it?"
Ding Sisi added, "Is it expensive?"
It's too expensive; she probably can't afford it.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "The price isn't expensive. Take as much as you want. Have you ever had mala tang (spicy hot pot)?"
Yao Xu exclaimed with delight, "I've tried it! I love it!"
"However..." he said somewhat hesitantly, "For mala tang (spicy hot pot), you have to choose your own vegetables and cook them with rice. Aunt Song, are you going to open a new branch?"
Before Yao Xu could even recommend a spot near the elementary school, Song Xinran said, "I'm planning to open a shop there. You're all welcome to come and try it out."
Yao Xu immediately clapped his hands: "Great! It's such a loss that oden doesn't come with rice! When I take it home to eat, it always feels a bit cold, and it doesn't taste as good as when it's freshly scooped out."
Ding Sisi said happily, "I want to go eat there when Aunt Song opens her shop!"
She was still thinking about how she would help Aunt Song promote her food, just like she did at the beginning. But now that Aunt Song's food had become famous, there would definitely be a lot of people coming.
On the first day of school, the oden business was booming. Song Xinran had anticipated this, and she prepared more food than before the holiday, but it still sold out within an hour of school ending, and didn't even last until the end of evening self-study.
Chen Jingfang pulled the shopping cart, making three trips back and forth, and took out all the vegetables for the evening.
After an hour of work, both of them were drenched in sweat. Chen Jingfang couldn't stop smiling: "These students are so adorable. Doing business with them is much better than with adults!"
Adults haggle and pick and choose, while students, used to oden, simply hand over the money and let them fill their bowls however they like, appearing very casual.
But while the students were casual, the staff were not. They made sure to scoop out roughly the same amount of each food item, and they were also meticulous about the price.
Song Xinran once said that doing business with students is the simplest; they don't have many tricks up their sleeves. But there's one thing: you can't cheat them just because they're young. Once a student has been fooled, they won't buy from you again.
They placed their trust in her, and she, as a businessperson, should not betray such a rare and precious trust.
Chen Jingfang always remembered Song Xinran's words. She felt that when her child grew up and went to school, if there was a snack stall like this at the school gate, she would feel at ease letting her child buy from it.
She personally cleaned and cut the oden, watching Song Xinran prepare it step by step, so she was absolutely assured about its hygiene.
Song Xinran said, "You've worked hard today. We won't be setting up our stall tonight once we've sold everything. Go home and get some rest. There will be plenty of work tomorrow at the market."
Chen Jingfang agreed.
Song Xinran went to bed early that night because she had to get up early the next day to make braised food. She put some ingredients that needed to be simmered for a longer time in the pot tonight, but if chicken feet and duck necks were simmered for too long, they would become too salty, and the meat would fall off the bone or even disintegrate when picked up, resulting in a loss of texture and flavor. So she had to get up early the next day to make them fresh.
Song Yu lay on the bed in a light yellow nightgown, tucking the blankets in tightly, her chin sticking out of the blankets as she excitedly told Song Xinran about what had happened at kindergarten.
Having been around Song Xinran for a long time and being pampered, his childlike nature has become more apparent. He said with a tone that was both tattling and proud, "Today, Yuanyuan and I went to class and found that many children were crying, but I didn't cry at all!"
"Teacher An was the first to pick me to tell a story about winter vacation. Everyone liked it. Wu Yaoxuan wanted to come home with me, but I didn't agree because the motorcycle can only carry two people, so I had to go back with my mom."
Wu Yaoxuan was quite unhappy when Song Yu refused, and asked him, "Does that mean we won't be friends anymore after winter break?"
Song Yu said, "Of course, but my aunt's house is too far away. It takes a long time to get there by car. I'll take you back when I grow up and buy a motorcycle."
He said earnestly, "Friends will always be friends, no matter how much time has passed."
Wu Yaoxuan was easily appeased by his words, his lips curving upwards in a smile. He immediately followed up with, "Why do you want to buy a motorcycle? It's cold on a motorcycle. You want to buy a car."
Song Yu had also ridden in a car before; it was when he and his mother hitched a ride with Yuan Yuan's father on their way to the city.
The car is indeed better; it runs faster and is more spacious inside. He can even play games with Yuanyuan in the back seat, which is not possible on a motorcycle.
However, cars are so expensive. Song Yu only has two yuan in savings now because he gave all the money in his piggy bank to his family to buy a house. These two yuan are his newly saved savings.
If you want to save money to buy a car, it might take many hundred years.
Song Yu said, "A motorcycle is enough; it's not that expensive."
Wu Yaoxuan patted his chest and said confidently, "When I have money, I'll buy you one!"
His family has a new car, which was traded for an old one. Since his dad could trade it in, he felt that he could definitely buy one when he grew up.
Song Yu was stunned. He quickly shook his head, feeling that it was inappropriate to accept such an expensive gift: "I'll just buy a motorcycle."
Wu Yaoxuan said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely make a lot of money when I grow up. My parents and grandparents all say so. Then you can take me home to set off firecrackers, haha."
He couldn't help but laugh happily when he recalled the scene of himself holding firecrackers in one hand and fireworks in the other.
Song Yu felt that was a very, very distant future matter, and reluctantly agreed.
However, Song Yu told her mother the truth: "I think it will be difficult for Wu Yaoxuan to buy a car." Because cars are very expensive.
His eyes shone brightly as he looked at Song Xinran: "When I grow up, I'll buy Mom a toy car!"
Song Xinran couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, then I'll wait patiently for Xiao Yu to grow up."
Song Yu hummed in agreement, held up four fingers, and said in a still childish voice, "Mommy, I'll grow up quickly, I'm almost four years old!"
On the first day of school, Song Yu also expended a lot of energy at kindergarten. After promising to buy this and that when she grew up, she fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, while Song Yu was still asleep, Song Xinran got up to prepare braised meat. When she heard a knock on the door, Song Xinran thought it was Chen Jingfang, but when she opened the door, it was Song Xinwen.
Song Xinran quickly welcomed her in, and said in surprise, "Why did you come so early, sister? It's not even dawn yet."
Song Xinwen said, "I was thinking that school started yesterday and today is the market day. You're busy selling braised meat and oden, so I came to see if there's anything I can help with."
Seeing the chill emanating from her, Song Xinran felt a slight stirring in her heart. Knowing Song Xinwen's personality, she smiled and said, "Of course, sister. It's a good thing you came, otherwise I would have been busy for much longer."
Sure enough, Song Xinwen laughed upon hearing this: "I told you to call if you needed anything, you're too kind!"
A short while later, Chen Jingfang also arrived, and the three of them got busy with their own tasks.
With three pots in hand and the ingredients already prepared yesterday, the three of them quickly made the braised meat. The rest of the time, they just needed to let it marinate in the braising liquid.
Around six o'clock, the butcher delivered the freshly slaughtered beef shank to Song Xinran.
As soon as Song Xinran opened the door, the beef vendor smelled a very rich aroma of braised meat. He already knew that Song Xinran sold braised meat at her stall, and now he was so captivated by the smell that he couldn't resist stopping in his tracks. He smiled and said, "Sister Song, your braised meat is ready? Can you sell me two pounds?"
If you want to buy it on the street, you have to queue up, and if you go too late, it will be sold out. But how could they, who set up stalls like this, possibly abandon their stalls just to eat?
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Okay, I'll pack some for you to try, but it's best to let it soak for a while before eating it, it will taste even better."
She packed it in a takeout box, added two spoonfuls of braising sauce, and handed it to the beef vendor.
The beef vendor smiled broadly: "I feel at ease eating your food. This beef was just slaughtered and is still warm."
Song Xinran thanked him, and the two parties settled the bill. The beef vendor happily left with the braised meat. It was still early, before dawn, and the market hadn't opened yet. The beef vendor planned to take the braised meat home and have some noodles with his wife before setting up his stall again.
As soon as I brought it home and opened the lid, my wife, who was cooking noodles, smelled it and came out with chopsticks: "What did you buy? It smells so good! Weren't you delivering goods?"
The beef vendor said, "I gave it to Ms. Song, who runs a braised meat stall. I just happened to see her braise something, so I bought some."
My wife also knows the name of Mr. Song, the owner of the braised meat stall. With one extortion incident and another incident involving customers queuing up, the braised meat stall is known to everyone in the town.
They've bought it before, and it does taste really good.
The daughter-in-law glanced into the takeout box and exclaimed with delight, "Oh, there's even braising sauce! The color is beautiful. We won't even need any other seasonings for the noodles later; we can just use this to mix with the noodles."
Once the noodles are cooked and served, pour a spoonful of gravy over them. The glossy, dark brown gravy immediately coats the snow-white noodles with a sheen. Stir it a couple of times, and the aroma is so enticing it makes your mouth water.
The couple didn't want to say much and quickly started eating their noodles. As soon as they took a bite, they gave each other a thumbs up.
There's no need for formalities or empty praise when eating at home, but this bowl of noodles is just so delicious that my wife said, "It tastes even better than what you get in restaurants!"
The beef vendor said, "No wonder Mr. Song's business is so good! His food is delicious and he's generous!"
The daughter-in-law said, "It's only because you have business dealings with Boss Song that you get this treatment."
Ordinary people rarely get to eat freshly braised, steaming hot braised food. Boss Song even ladled out two spoonfuls of braising liquid for them.
They said that even if this braising sauce were sold separately, it would be in high demand and delicious, whether used to make noodles or rice.
The beef vendor thought to himself that he had to maintain this business well. Fortunately, the beef shank he gave to Boss Song today was the best piece of beef.
On the other side, Song Xinran gave the beef shank a quick rinse. Judging from its pattern and color, it was top-quality. It would be perfect for serving the leaders of the Municipal Bureau of Culture after it was braised.
She first marinates the beef shank, a crucial step that requires sufficient time and regular turning and kneading to ensure the best texture and flavor after braising.
Because she was making braised beef, Song Xinran asked Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang to help her set up the stall: "Sister, it's a good thing you came today, otherwise Jingfang and I would have been too busy."
Song Xinwen couldn't hide his smile, but said with a straight face, "I came here by myself today. You must call me next time. Don't be afraid of the trouble."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "I understand."
She trusted Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang completely. Her main focus today was on the braised beef shank; the price offered by the guesthouse was secondary, and Zhou Jianfeng's connections were the most important thing.
Zhou Jianfeng attached great importance to this reception, and Song Xinran also knew that this inspection and research was of great significance to the development of the town. She also wanted to do her best to make this braised beef dish better, so every detail was especially important.
Both marinating and braising require sufficient time and massage to tame the beef. Then, blanching removes excess salt and sauce from the meat, draining the internal odor and blood foam. Finally, it is braised in a braising pot.
The braising liquid in the pot is not the same liquid used to braise chicken feet or similar ingredients. It is made by adding seasonings to the old braising liquid, which makes the beef taste purer, more natural and mellow.
Song Xinran was busy in the kitchen for a long time, making sure to adjust the heat precisely, knowing when to use high heat and when to use low heat.
Actually, the requirements for heat control in braising are not as high as those for stir-frying. At other times, Song Xinran usually just glances at the fire and goes about her business. However, today she has to be more careful because the people she is serving are different.
When Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang returned after selling the braised meat, she was still busy in the kitchen. Zhou Jianfeng said that the group from the city would have dinner at six o'clock sharp in the afternoon, so Song Xinran had to calculate the time carefully, whether it was the time to braise the meat or the time to take the beef to the guesthouse.
This way, the dish will be perfectly cooked when served, ensuring it reaches its optimal flavor.
In short, perfecting a dish requires precise calculations, but for everyday home cooking, you don't need to be so careful.
Song Xinwen was astonished when he saw her holding her watch to keep track of time, but he didn't say much. He only said, "Xinran, I took a look at your shop when I came over. There are already workers working on it."
Song Xinran nodded and said, "Yes, I hired workers as soon as the property certificate was issued, and I want to renovate it as soon as possible so that it can be used."
Song Xinwen said, "Then you stay home and do your work, I'll go to the shop and keep an eye on things for you. Renovations can't be left unattended, otherwise the workers will cut corners."
Song Xinran thought it was a good idea, so she took out her design drawings and showed them to Song Xinwen, telling her what she wanted the shop to look like: "Then I'll have to trouble you, sister. Once the shop is renovated, you can come to town to help me."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinwen couldn't help but smile: "Okay, I'll go take a look right now!"
She was so eager to go that she walked very fast and with big strides.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Song Xinran took the beef out of the water. It was coated with a layer of glossy amber-colored gravy, which shone with a warm luster under the light. The color was extremely tempting, and the aroma was rich but not greasy.
Song Xinran was very satisfied with this piece of braised beef. Next, she placed it on a wire rack to cool naturally for an hour. The surface of the meat would dry, and the beef fibers would shrink, locking in the braising liquid and making the meat firm and elastic. However, it wouldn't be cold and hard; it would still have a slight warmth left when you ate it.
This is the best flavor.
A little after five o'clock, Song Xinran delivered the beef to the guesthouse. She entered through the side door. The guesthouse was quite lively today, with a banner hanging up to welcome XX for his visit and guidance.
She saw him off and left without lingering, leaving the slicing and plating to the guesthouse chef.
The guesthouse chef was also very nervous, as this was the first time he had ever hosted such a high-ranking leader. But Director Zhou was even more nervous than them, searching everywhere for delicious food, and now several dishes had been sent over.
Chef Fang thought Director Zhou's approach was correct. It's impossible for a chef to be proficient in every dish, but each chef has one or two signature dishes. Bringing together everyone's signature dishes and specialties will definitely make the diners more satisfied.
Not only were some delivered, but others were made by hand at the guesthouse.
In contrast, Chef Fang prefers the latter, believing that freshly cooked dishes are the best.
However, the plate of beef that the waiter brought over changed Chef Fang's mind. The moment he saw it and smelled it, he knew it couldn't be wrong.
The color and aroma are something only an expert with decades of experience could produce.
Director Zhou really went all out for this reception.
Chef Fang changed the cutting board when slicing the beef to prevent other flavors from affecting the braised beef.
Slicing it piece by piece, the cross-section reveals clear textures. The lean yet tender red meat is interspersed with translucent tendons, without a single loose fragment. This demonstrates the chef's terrifyingly precise control over the braising heat.
The aroma slowly wafts out, lingering on the tip of the nose. When sliced and plated, the aroma becomes more subtle, clinging to every fiber.
After the piece was cut, the chef tasted it, intending only to sample the flavor, but his eyes lit up the moment he took a bite.
He had been a chef for over twenty years and this was the first time he had ever tasted such delicious braised beef!
Only a highly experienced chef could make such tender, flavorful braised beef.
Are there any chefs in Lingde Town with such extensive experience?
Chef Fang had never heard of him in the town for many years. He thought to himself that perhaps Director Zhou had found him from out of town.
At this moment, Chef Fang was full of confidence. With this dish, today's reception work was a sure thing.
that is……
Chef Fang frowned. There was too little beef. Although there was about two pounds of beef, Chef Fang knew that people could never have enough of delicious food. They might not even be able to eat enough!
*
After handing over the braised beef, Song Xinran felt much more relaxed. She was happy to know that she still had a piece of braised beef at home to eat by herself. She had made extra to save for Song Yu to enjoy together when he came back.
However, Song Yu hadn't gone home yet, but the oden stall was already set up, so she decided to go check it out first.
At this moment, a group of young people in their twenties were also strolling around the town. The townspeople could tell at a glance that they were not locals. Locals would not wear such nice clothes or be in such good spirits. Two of them were even carrying backpacks.
They look like students, but how can a student be this big? Could they be a college student?
The townspeople were speculating about what was happening, since Lingde Town was relatively remote and rarely visited by outsiders.
At this moment, several students were discussing: "My back and waist are aching from the long bus ride. I wish we could have visited the Zhang Family Ancestral Hall sooner."
"Yes, Teacher Ming always says that time is money. We're already here, why don't we go and do some on-site surveying and investigation?"
"You don't understand, do you? Teacher Ming has to have dinner with the leaders; it's a matter of social etiquette."
"I wonder what they ate. Teacher Ming even said she would bring us some good food back." A girl carrying a backpack said with great anticipation.
He was immediately mocked by another boy: "What good food can you find in this small town? There are so many options near the school gate, have you tried them all? Even if you have, there's still this big provincial capital!"
The girl immediately retorted, "Who says there's no good food in small towns? Those century-old establishments and family-run businesses are only truly authentic in remote towns."
"Ignore him, Xiaomeng, let's go check out the school gate. Generally speaking, the food near schools is the best." Clearly, the speaker was someone with a lot of culinary experience.
Xu Meng nodded: "Let's go look for it. If we can't find it, we'll go back to the guesthouse to eat. But I'd rather not eat at the canteen."
Teacher Ming and the leaders definitely ate special meals, while the students who came to do hard labor naturally ate communal meals.
The town wasn't big; the four of them only walked halfway around before finding the town's third middle school. Even before they got close, they could smell the aroma of street food.
Xu Meng's face lit up with joy, and she quickly ran over. Looking up, she saw that there were all sorts of things for sale: fried skewers, barbecue, potstickers, fried noodles, and so on. It was a lively scene.
Xu Meng chose the nearest guokui stall and ordered a pork guokui. It was quite thick and only cost one yuan. The price moved Xu Meng to tears.
She took a bite and exclaimed with delight, "It tastes alright!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Zhu, who was also a foodie, took out her money and bought one.
Suddenly, Xu Meng smelled a fragrance that was hard to describe. It was unique among the various snacks and smoky aromas, and it immediately whetted her appetite.
Xu Meng has the keenest sense of smell. She sniffed the air, immediately determined the direction, and followed the scent.
His body trembled slightly.
Wait, what are they selling at the far end over there?
Why are there so many students in line?!
Something that people are willing to queue for must be good, so Xu Meng quickly tugged at her companion: "Let's go check it out over there!"
Holding a flatbread in her hand, she couldn't wait to run off.
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