Chapter 69: Signature Dish. Late Night Thief.
As the sky grew darker, Zong Anji first sent them home, and then went to Liuyang Village alone.
He explained his purpose and thanked his mother-in-law for her kindness. "Mom, I understand what you mean. Don't worry, Yueyang and I are husband and wife, and we won't have any rifts over this. Besides, I'm overjoyed. The fact that she's thinking about me this much shows she cares about me."
Liu's mother didn't expect him to say this, but these words made her feel very relieved.
"Mom, my second brother also stayed in the town. With him taking care of him, Big Brother Liu will be fine. Big Brother Liu will be back tomorrow." Afraid that the Liu family would worry, Zong Anji couldn't help but say a few more words.
Liu the Butcher came into the yard and happened to hear their conversation. He always had a cold face, and Zong Anji was a little afraid of him.
But he was sweet-talking, and when he saw the person coming, he immediately called out, "Dad."
"Yeah." Butcher Liu nodded at him, then went into the kitchen. After a while, he came out with a large piece of pork belly with fat and lean parts.
He handed it to Zong Anji and said, "Take it home and eat it. The meat at home will go bad if it's kept too long."
A piece that big must have weighed at least four or five pounds, and if it were sold, it would have fetched over a hundred copper coins. Zong Anji was unwilling to take it.
"Just take it. The restaurant will open the day after tomorrow. Your father and I will go there to support you." Mother Liu looked at her son-in-law with increasing satisfaction.
She personally escorted him out of the hospital and told him to be careful on the road.
After the people had gone far away, Butcher Liu cursed in the yard, "This boss is also useless. He was asked to do something and he got drunk. Isn't it shameful?"
"How can you talk like that as a father? Dalang has conveyed my message. I think it's a good idea." Mother Liu smiled and looked towards the room where Yueyang used to live. She said, "It's a good thing that the children are motivated and hardworking. I think we should go to the town to have a look. We can't let Dalang and Erlang stay in the mountains forever."
Butcher Liu snorted, neither agreeing nor refutating. "We'll talk about it the day after tomorrow when we get to town."
-
At night, Qiu Xuan slept alone on the kang. She was used to Zong Xiao sleeping next to her, so she was a little uncomfortable with the sudden empty space next to her.
But even though she wasn't used to it, she felt even more sleepy. Yawning, she pulled the quilt up, and soon she fell asleep as the quilt warmed up.
She slept very soundly. In her dream, she not only bought the shop but also opened several restaurants in the town. She even hired people in each shop.
You don’t even have to cook, and the money is in your pocket as soon as you open your eyes.
When she had more money, she bought a house and land, and everyone in the village envied her.
Qiu Xuan smiled happily in her dream. This is how life should be.
Little did they know that at this time in the town, Tian San and a few others were picking the lock in front of the shop.
"How come it hasn't been opened for so long?" Tian San rubbed his hands with cold. He couldn't swallow the anger he felt today and thought of destroying some things in the shop.
Anyway, it’s so late, there must be no one in the shop.
The lock picker was not very old and his skills were not very good. It took him a stick of incense to finally pry open the lock.
The three of them entered the shop in the dark, found the oil lamp inside and lit it without thinking.
"Third Master, what do you think we should do? Should we dismantle the stools or chairs, or throw pig blood?"
"You also brought pig blood?" Tian San looked at him.
"No...but if Third Master needs it, I'll go home and get it now."
Tian San waved his hand, "No need, running back and forth will only delay things."
Tian Sanben had no intention of throwing pig blood, as the fishy smell was difficult to clean. He also wanted to use the shop himself in the future.
"Then, Master San, what shall we do?" The man who picked the lock looked at Tian San in confusion. It was impossible for him to spend so much time just to come in and take a look.
"Go to the kitchen and take their pots and firewood away. As for the other things, take whatever you like. They are all yours." Tian San didn't care about any of them. These things were not as expensive as those in the shop.
When the two heard this, they ran over with joy. The iron pot was expensive, of course, and they both wanted it.
Firewood is also a good thing. Now that spring has not yet arrived, every household burns firewood, and a bundle costs several coins.
They all wanted to get more, and they scrambled for it, making a lot of noise.
The three people living in the backyard all woke up from their naps. They quietly left the house, each holding a stick.
I just prepared this thing today, fearing that someone would cause trouble. I didn't expect it to come in handy.
"Boss, shall we go in or not?" Sanshui's heart was in his throat. This was too exciting.
"Tread lightly, let's go in." Zong Xiao's right shoulder had not healed yet, so he could only hold the wooden stick with his left hand. Fortunately, he was good at working, so he could use his left hand to exert strength.
The three of them opened the small door leading to the shop and walked in together.
They went straight to the kitchen and beat anyone they saw.
Howling sounds rang in their ears, and the two men, holding the things, were too late to dodge and were both hit by several sticks.
Tian San, who was sitting in the front hall, knew something was wrong as soon as he heard the noise. He ran out of the shop quickly without paying any attention to the two men.
"Tell me, who asked you to come?" Zong Xiao sat on the stool, looking at the two people who were tied up, and already had a guess in his mind.
"It's Tian San."
"Yes, it's him." The two of them did not hide anything and explained the whole thing in just a few words.
Tian San was still determined to take over the shop, but he was just a scoundrel, with no one behind him except for his shamelessness.
And these little brothers of his help him because they can make some money by following him. That's why they all help him.
Tian San had said that if they just came to the shop to make some noise, he would take them out for drinks the next day, so the two of them came without a second thought. But who knew that there would be someone in the shop so late at night?
"Zong Xiao, what are you going to do?" Liu Zhong had woken up from his drunken nap. He was filled with anger and wanted to send the man to the yamen right away.
"Let them go." Zong Xiao saw that the two men were wearing thin clothes and guessed that their families were probably poor. If they were poor, it would be easy to deal with them.
If he is sent to the yamen, he will be detained for two days at most and then released. These two people might even resent him.
Might as well let them go, though.
Zong Xiao had conditions. He said calmly, "You two can go, but if Tian San comes to cause trouble again, you two must come and tell us in advance and let us know."
"This shouldn't be difficult for you two."
"This...Tian San is watching closely, we can't get out." The man who picked the lock stammered.
Under the candlelight, the man's hands were rusty. Zong Xiao immediately guessed that he must be the one who picked the lock, otherwise they would not have been able to get in.
He raised his eyebrows and said in a cold tone, "Well, in that case, we can only send you two to the government office. I heard that the government office is arresting someone now. They say that the thief can pick locks and seems to have committed a murder."
The man who picked the lock was scared out of his wits. He had committed a few petty thefts before, but he had never killed anyone.
He looked at the other person for help, signaling him to agree quickly.
"Okay, we'll listen to you."
Zong Xiao looked at the two of them with a half-smile: "It would have been better if you had agreed earlier. It took you so long."
The two people on the ground lowered their heads, and no one dared to look him in the eye.
For some reason, in the dim candlelight, that scarred face was so scary.
Sanshui directly sent them out of the shop. As for the ropes tied on the two men's hands, he deliberately did not untie them.
He thought that these two people must suffer so that they would learn their lesson.
Because of this incident, no one was sleepy that night. Fortunately, there was someone here today. If Sanshui was alone, the pots in the shop would have been stolen.
"That Tian San runs faster than a rabbit. What a coward."
Liu Zhong stretched out his arms, looking as if he could beat ten people by himself.
"That's good. Now we know his background. People like him are easier to deal with." Zong Xiao had something to ask, so he asked directly, "I wonder if Brother Liu is free these days?"
"Very free." Liu Zhong guessed what he wanted to do. Without waiting for Zong Xiao to say anything, he agreed: "I'll stay here for the next few days. I want to see who dares to come again."
"By the way, how did you know the government was arresting thieves recently? Why haven't I heard of any murders?"
"They lied to me."
Sanshui, Liu Zhong: ...
-
The next day, Qiu Xuan and her group arrived early in the morning.
They steamed buns at home, but rushed to town without even having time to eat them.
The buns were in the bamboo drawer, still steaming when I opened it.
"Mom made these dumplings early in the morning. They're made with chives and lard. You should try them." Qiu Xuan asked everyone to sit down. There were plenty of steamed dumplings so that everyone could have a full meal.
"Auntie's cooking skills are really good. No wonder there were so many people when she set up her stall before." While eating the buns, Liu Zhong missed the soup dumplings again.
The soup dumplings were expensive, so he only bought them once...
The person who could do it was right in front of him. How could he resist asking, "Erlang's family?"
As soon as he finished shouting, he realized that this was not a good name.
"Brother Liu, just call me Qiu Xuan."
"Hey, great! Sister Qiu Xuan, are you still selling those soup dumplings?" He asked politely, but everyone in the room understood what he meant.
"It's hard to say." Qiu Xuan said honestly, "The ingredients for the soup dumplings are easier to make when the weather is cold. They'll be harder to make when the spring comes and the weather warms up."
Then she added, "But I will make some in the next two days. Brother Liu, don't leave. Remember to stay here and try it."
"No, no, I'll stay here for the next few days."
Liu Yueyang couldn't stand it anymore. When did his elder brother become so greedy that he had to live here all the time just for food?
She raised her foot and stepped on Liu Zhong with quite a bit of force, causing him to hiss in pain.
"Girl, what are you doing!" Liu Zhong hurriedly moved to the side. He couldn't afford to offend his own little sister.
Zong Xiao sat aside, afraid that the misunderstanding would deepen, and quickly told them what happened last night.
"Brother Liu means well. He should leave two more people here," Zong Xiao explained.
Qiu Xuan guessed that something would happen, but she didn't expect Tian San to be so impatient and act so quickly.
Fortunately, nothing serious happened last night, otherwise she wouldn't dare to think about it.
"It opens tomorrow, and I'll stay tonight too." Qiu Xuan nodded at Zong Xiao, signaling him not to worry.
"Then I'll stay too!" How could Zong Anji be missing at this time?
"No." Qiu Xuan, Zong Xiao and Liu Zhong spoke at the same time.
Zong Anji cried out in grievance: "Why can't I stay!"
Qiu Xuan: "There's no place for you."
Zong Xiao: "You have to drive Yueyang and Huaixue back."
Liu Zhong: "Can you fight with your small body?"
Zong Anji was unable to refute what was said, and finally went to the next table dejectedly to complain to Sanshui.
"Young shopkeeper." Sanshui comforted the man with a few words, "Please don't stay here. What if you get hurt? You are the head chef of our restaurant. If you get hurt, our restaurant won't be able to open!"
Zong Anji thought about it and it seemed to make sense.
He instantly became less listless and finished the bun in his hand in two or three bites.
Since the shop will open the next day, a group of people started working after dinner.
Some were wiping the tables, some were sweeping the floor, and some were buying food.
Qiu Xuan has made up her mind to sell stir-fried dishes tomorrow to see how people respond. If the response is average, she will then sell noodles.
"Second sister-in-law, buy less pork." Zong Anji brought down the mountain the pork that Liu's mother gave him yesterday intact. The meat was not old or young.
"I understand." Qiu Xuan and Zong Xiao left the shop together, without taking anyone with them.
As the two of them walked down the street, Qiu Xuan asked him about his wound.
They spoke so easily last night, but Qiu Xuan didn't feel that way.
"Is there any injury? Let's go to the clinic and let the doctor take a look and prescribe some medicine."
Qiu Xuan forgot to take medicine when she went down the mountain, so now she can only go to the clinic first.
"I'm using my left hand, it's not a problem." The two walked side by side. Without Huai Xue between them, Zong Xiao finally got his chance.
He held Qiu Xuan's hand contentedly.
Qiu Xuan couldn't break free and had to let him hold her hand.
The two of them first went to the clinic to buy medicine, and then went to the rice and flour shop to buy rice and flour. These things were heavy, so they naturally couldn't take them back.
Fortunately, the shop assistant saw that they bought a lot and the place was nearby, so he agreed to help deliver it.
"Tianjin Restaurant?" The waiter was stunned and asked unsurely, "The one on Fangtong Street?"
"Yes. That's it." Qiu Yu didn't forget the opportunity to promote. "The shop will open tomorrow. Everyone can come and try it."
When the other people in the shop who were buying rice and flour heard this, they all looked over.
They had indeed heard that the shop had been rented out, but they didn't expect it to be the two people in front of them.
"Tomorrow is the first day of opening, and we'll be giving away some snacks. If you're interested, you can come and try it. It's still a stir-fry restaurant, but if you want noodles, we also have them."
Qiu Xuan stopped there and didn't say anything more.
When it comes to restaurant business, no matter how much you say, it’s better for everyone to come and taste it for themselves.
On their way back, the two of them looked around the street. There were indeed quite a few restaurants in this area, but where there were more restaurants, there were also more people. Qiu Xuan didn't think her cooking skills were bad; she was excited and looking forward to the opening of the shop tomorrow.
At noon, after everyone finished their meal, no one went to rest.
Sanshui has worked in Jinwei Restaurant for many years and is most familiar with the cuisine.
He said, "The most popular dish here used to be the crucian carp and tofu soup. It was so delicious. Almost every customer who came here would order it."
However, crucian carp is hard to find at this time of year. Qiu Xuan waved her hand, signaling him to continue.
"If we're talking about seasonal dishes, stir-fried chicken with bamboo shoots and chicken with mushrooms are definitely a must." Seeing no one responding, Sanshui tentatively asked, "Boss...but this dish can't be made?"
The name sounds simple, but Qiu Xuan has never tried it.
She thought about it and said honestly, "I have never made these dishes before."
"Does the shopkeeper have any special dishes?" Sanshui pursed his lips, not daring to listen any further.
Qiu Xuan said, "Sautéed pork liver, spicy fried rabbit, braised pork, tofu meatball soup, stewed pork elbow with ham...all of these are fine."
Everyone else felt a little hungry after hearing this, because the names of these dishes were all meat dishes!
Just hearing the name makes it delicious.
Sanshui swallowed his saliva and asked again, "Boss, what are you best at here?"
Qiu Xuan wanted to say that she was good at all of these, but they were a little troublesome to make.
"Spicy stir-fried rabbit! Braised pork!" Zong Anji interrupted, "I'm good at these two."
"Then we can make these two our signature dishes." Sanshui actually didn't have much faith in Zong Anji's cooking skills. Although the dishes he cooked that day tasted really good, they were not the main dishes.
The most important thing for a good chef is to have a dish that he can show off.
"Okay, then let's make these two dishes today, let everyone try them and give some suggestions." The meat that Qiu Xuan bought was instantly put to use.
Unfortunately, there were no rabbits. They went outside again but still couldn’t buy any. In the end, they had to settle for stewing ham pork elbow.
Ham is a pickled pork leg. Qiu Xuan bought one with a wave of her hand.
This thing can be stored without worrying about it breaking.
In the kitchen, they each occupied a stove. The ingredients were ready, just waiting for them to show their skills.
"Let's have the braised pork first, one dish at a time." Both dishes took a lot of effort, and Qiu Xuan regretted making this her signature dish.
But everything is ready, so there is no chance to regret.
The two of them finished the two dishes until the evening.
The fragrance wafted out, and the people sitting in the shop instantly became alert.
"Aunt, are you okay?" Huaixue was the first to run into the kitchen. She stood beside Qiuyun and asked happily.
"Okay, serve it and you can eat it." Qiu Xuan was about to raise her hand to wipe the sweat off her face when a cloth had already landed on her forehead.
Qiu Xuan took the handkerchief and looked at Zong Xiao with a smile: "You came at the right time."
In order to allow everyone to express their true feelings, Qiu Xuan specifically did not let them watch the serving of food.
Only she and Zong Anji knew which one they did.
On the dinner table, two identical dishes were placed in front of everyone.
Qiu Xuan finally took a break. She sat at an empty table and drank tea. She said lightly, "You guys try it first and see how it tastes. This dish takes too much time to make. If we open the restaurant tomorrow, we can't make them one by one."
The elbow and braised pork should be cooked in a big pot together, which is fragrant and saves time.
Just when everyone had divided their bowls and chopsticks and was ready to eat.
There was a knock on the door.
I saw the owner of the tavern next door standing in front of the door, holding a small white porcelain bowl in his left hand and a few coins in his right hand.
"Well... our two shops are close to each other, and I just smelled the aroma. Are you selling this dish today? I want to buy some to try."
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