The next day, everyone except Zhao Qiming, who was selling tofu at home, went to clean the shop in town. The previous tenant had emptied the shop when he left, so now it was empty and bare. The shop had probably been vacant not long ago, so there wasn't much dust. A simple sweep and scrub would be enough.
Leaving Amo Yuge'er and the others to clean the shop, Lin Yan and Zhao Shiyun planned to go to the carpenter to see if there were any suitable tables and chairs.
The carpenter's shop was located right at the end of South Street, occupying a large area. As the two entered, the shop was filled with a faint woody fragrance. Tables and chairs of various styles were arranged in an orderly manner. The carpenter, a simple and honest middle-aged man, greeted them warmly upon seeing them enter. After Lin Yan explained his purpose, the carpenter took them to look at the tables and chairs. The tables ranged from sturdy eight-person tables to small, exquisite square tables; the chairs ranged from armchairs to ordinary wooden stools.
Zhao Shiyun had his eye on a set of carved tables and chairs, but judging by the style, they were expected to be quite expensive. Sure enough, after asking the craftsman, he was told the set would cost five taels of silver due to the intricate carvings. Lin Yan preferred simpler tables and chairs; after all, they had just opened their shop, and everything needed to be budget-conscious. So the two of them walked around the shop several times, carefully selecting and comparing items. Finally, Lin Yan settled on a few simple, sturdy square tables and matching benches. While they looked plain, they offered excellent value for money. He then selected a counter for easy cashiering.
After some bargaining with the carpenter, they finally reached a price that satisfied both parties. Lin Yan paid the deposit and agreed on a delivery time. Then, the two of them left the carpenter's shop satisfied and headed back to their own shop.
The shop had been cleaned spotlessly by Li Yuemei and Yu Ge'er. The stove was at the back of the shop, and one had to pass through it to reach the backyard. Considering that they might stay here in the future, they had left one of the rooms empty, putting a bed in it and then going home to bring in the bedding. The other room was used as a storage room.
After the carpenter delivered the tables and chairs, the few of them put them in place and planned to go home. After all, they still had to discuss the shop matters.
The Qingming Festival was just a few days away. According to local custom, five-colored glutinous rice was to be made to honor the ancestors. Lin Yan stopped by the grain store and bought a few pounds of glutinous rice. The plants for dyeing could be harvested in the mountains when the time came.
After a busy morning, everyone was tired and hungry. Lin Yan planned to make some sauerkraut and shredded pork noodles to reward everyone.
I still had some pickled cabbage at home, so I just scooped it out, washed it, and chopped it. When I was about to get the meat, I realized I only had lamb, not pork. So, I had to settle for eggs and make some noodles with egg sauce.
The sauerkraut had already been cut, so Lin Yan simply fried it and ate it with porridge. It would also be delicious to add some to noodles.
When stir-frying sauerkraut, just add garlic slices, ginger slices and chili segments and stir-fry until cooked. Lin Yan also likes to add a spoonful of lard, a spoonful of chili powder and a spoonful of salt for seasoning.
Zhao Shiyun came in to help knead and roll the dough. Lin Yan picked up a few eggs from the basket and beat them, adding a small amount of salt and white wine to remove the fishy smell.
Pour an appropriate amount of lard into the wok. Once the oil is hot, add the beaten eggs. Once the eggs have solidified, stir quickly with a spatula until they are scrambled and serve. Add a little more oil to the wok and sauté chopped green onions and minced garlic. Then add the chili sauce and stir-fry over low heat until the sauce's aroma is released. Return the scrambled eggs to the wok and mix thoroughly with the sauce. Add a small amount of water and simmer over low heat for a few minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking.
The egg sauce was almost ready. Lin Yan asked Zhao Shiyun to boil a pot of water. While the water was boiling, he cut the noodles into noodles and shook them apart. When the water boiled, he added the noodles. Once cooked, he scooped them out with a colander, drained them, and placed them in a large bowl. With two men who could eat, Lin Yan made extra.
He brought the noodles and egg sauce to the courtyard and invited everyone over. "Take as much as you want." Lin Yan took half a bowl of noodles, added a spoonful of egg sauce, and a spoonful of pickled cabbage, and stirred thoroughly until every noodle was coated in the sauce.
"Hulu~" Zhao Shiyun, standing next to him, was already slurping down his noodles. The egg sauce her husband had made was truly delicious. Seeing his brother enjoying the meal, Yu Ge'er quickly picked up his chopsticks. He followed Lin Yan's lead, picking up some noodles and tossing them with egg sauce and pickled mustard greens. The moment they took a bite, his eyes lit up. "Mom, these noodles are so delicious!" Li Yuemei smiled and nodded, slowly eating as well.
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