Free Web NovelChapter 24: Chapter 18: Well Said, Mrs. Zhao
"C-Comrades, you must have made a mistake. How could I possibly use tainted pork..." Wang the Fifth stammered, his face deathly pale.
Wang Defa, who had been so arrogant just moments before, turned pale. He instinctively took two steps back, his eyes darting around as he looked for an escape route.
The customers at the noodle stall instantly erupted into an uproar.
"Tainted pork! Why has Wang the Fifth been buying tainted pork for so long?"
"What else could it be for? He must be using it to make the ground meat topping! That son of a bitch is rotten from head to toe—through and through!"
"He’s making us eat tainted pork for free! The man has no conscience!"
People had been willing to grudgingly forgive him for using leftovers, especially since he seemed so sorry.
But making toppings with tainted pork? Who could possibly stomach that?
And the key was that he’d been doing it for a long time, in large quantities!
In other words, Wang the Fifth’s noodle stall had been using tainted pork for its toppings all along.
Some of the noodle stall’s regulars already felt dizzy, their throats itching. They felt sick all over.
The onlooking workers all backed away, putting distance between themselves and Wang the Fifth’s noodle stall. Thank goodness the police had arrived in time!
’That was close! I almost sat down to eat!’
"It’s a mistake! It must be a mistake!" Liu Fen cried, her voice trembling.
"Knife Maker Wang Qi from the farmers’ market has confessed. You, Wang Dewei, are the first name on his list!" An officer stepped forward and slapped the silver bracelets onto Wang the Fifth’s wrists. "Confess and be treated with leniency, resist and be treated with severity!" he said sternly. "The two of you had better come clean when we get you to the station!"
"Ah—!" Wang the Fifth and Liu Fen cried out in shock, collapsing to the ground together. Their faces were masks of terror as their eyes instinctively flew to Wang Defa.
Wang Defa walked away without a backward glance, his legs pumping so fast he was just shy of breaking into a full run.
The commotion was so great that even the customers in Zhou Yan Restaurant, bowls of noodles in hand, crowded into the doorway to watch. They craned their necks and strained their ears, afraid to miss a single crucial detail.
Plenty of others had run out from the factory to watch the spectacle. It wasn’t every day you got to see the police arrest someone.
Wang the Fifth’s stall had been at the factory gate for a long time, and many people had eaten his noodles. When they heard he used tainted pork, the crowd erupted in fury.
"You son of a bitch! How dare you feed customers tainted pork! Earning black-hearted money! I hope you have a child born without an asshole!" Zhao Tieying shouted, taking the lead. With one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Wang the Fifth and his wife, she roared, "The Kitchen God himself will overturn your wok—and the Underworld’s ledger keeps a clear account!"
A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
"You tell ’em, Mrs. Zhao!"
Wang the Fifth and Liu Fen kept their heads bowed, not daring to look up. They were like a pair of hated street rats as they were hauled into the vehicle.
Zhou Yan stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. He was tall enough that the two rows of female workers in front of him didn’t obstruct his view of the drama in the slightest.
Wang the Fifth and his wife were getting what they deserved. He was, however, surprised by the health department’s efficiency. They’d tracked down Wang the Fifth by noon. ’My anonymous tip wasn’t for nothing,’ he thought.
He watched Wang Defa hurry away. The fat on Director Wang’s body trembled as he fled, a picture of pure panic. ’He just claimed Wang the Fifth’s pork was as good as the factory cafeteria’s. Don’t tell me the cafeteria also used Knife Maker Wang Qi’s tainted pork?’
Zhou Yan recalled his time as an apprentice in the factory cafeteria. His predecessor, Zhou, had a master, Xiao Lei. Xiao Lei had argued with Wang Defa over the poor quality of the pork the cafeteria was purchasing, and for that, he was demoted from head chef to a mere prep cook.
The young, hot-headed Comrade Zhou had raised a huge stink to stand up for his master and ended up getting fired.
’I know Wang Defa is a piece of work, but I don’t have any proof right now. It all depends on whether the police can pry something useful out of Wang Qi.’
"Rest assured, everyone!" Gao Tianlei announced to the crowd. "We will get to the bottom of this, and the criminals will pay for what they’ve done!" His gaze drifted toward the restaurant, where he spotted a tall, slender figure from behind. It looked vaguely familiar. freewebnovel.cσ๓
"Officer, I’ve been eating at Wang the Fifth’s for months. What if I get sick from this?" Wang Jianming stepped forward, his face etched with worry. He was one of the stall’s most loyal customers.
"Same here," Liu the Eighth added, his face a mask of misery.
Many other victims were just as distraught, wondering if their health had already been compromised.
Gao Tianlei held up a hand to quiet the crowd. "Please, everyone, don’t panic," he said in a loud, clear voice. "I’ll have Zheng here take down all of your names and details..."
Wang the Fifth and his wife were led away. The remaining basins of toppings were taken by the health department for analysis, and the police confiscated the noodle stall.
And just like that, Wang the Fifth’s noodle stall was finished—the very same stall that, only this morning, had grandly challenged Zhou Yan Restaurant, vowing to drive Zhou Yan out of business.
Selling leftovers was something you could only condemn on a moral level, assuming no one got sick. His offer of free noodles had even managed to win back a good deal of trust and public favor.
But selling tainted pork was different. From this day forward, every worker in the textile factory would know that Wang the Fifth’s noodle stall used tainted pork for its toppings. Who would dare to eat there now?
Besides, long-term, large-scale purchasing of tainted pork for noodle toppings... That crime alone would be enough to keep Wang the Fifth and his wife in hot water for a long, long time. Who knew when they’d get out.
"You can’t be like Wang the Fifth," Zhao Tieying said, giving Zhou Yan a serious reminder back in the kitchen. "We can earn less money, that’s fine, but we can’t lose our conscience. Otherwise, people will curse us behind our backs for the rest of our lives."
"Yes," Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. "I’ll make sure our customers feel even safer eating here than they do in their own homes."
[Ding! Wang the Fifth arrested, noodle stall shut down. Mission complete! A somewhat anticlimactic business battle. Reward received: Perfect Steamed Rice Guide.]
A system prompt appeared. Zhou Yan glanced at the reward and frowned. ’That’s it?’
’Are there really special techniques for steaming rice?’
Although, he had to admit, with Comrade Zhou’s current skill level, his large batches of rice would occasionally turn out half-cooked or burnt on the bottom. The grains tended to clump together, and the fragrance wasn’t quite as rich as it could be...
’Okay, maybe the Perfect Steamed Rice Guide is exactly what I need.’
He was already planning to start selling Kneeling Beef, and that would definitely need to be served with rice.
Rice steamed in a traditional wooden steamer was the fluffiest, sweetest, and most fragrant, capable of elevating any dish it accompanied.
’I’ll study the guide carefully after we close up for the day.’
With Wang the Fifth arrested, the customers who had been watching the spectacle with their noodle bowls in hand returned to the restaurant to finish their meals. They had just given Zhou Yan Restaurant some fantastic, free advertising.
Drawn by the delicious smells, many intrigued workers who had been watching from afar came into the shop to order a bowl of noodles for themselves.
Zhao Tieying was blunt and outspoken, and she hated injustice with a passion. Her fiery, T-rex-like tirade, typical of someone from the Sichuan and Chongqing region, had won the admiration of many young workers. They all started calling her affectionately, "Mrs. Zhao."
This delighted Zhao Tieying to no end. Whenever she served a bowl of noodles after that, she added a complimentary saucer of pickled radish.
The sour, spicy, and crunchy pickled radish instantly became the new darling of the customers.
When the noodles started to feel a bit rich after a few mouthfuls, a bite of the pickled radish was the perfect remedy. Its crisp texture and sour-spicy flavor cut right through the grease. It was a match made in heaven for the noodles!
To get another saucer of pickled radish, the customers called out "Mrs. Zhao" in even sweeter, more endearing tones.
The last of the customers didn’t leave until nearly one o’clock, when it was time for the factory’s afternoon shift to start.
Zhao Tieying hummed a little tune as she cleared the tables, a new spring in her step.
"Mrs. Zhao is in a good mood today," Zhou Yan remarked with a smile.
They had sold fifty-two bowls of noodles during the lunch rush, more than making up for the slow morning. At this rate, the one hundred portions of toppings they’d prepared would definitely sell out.
"Of course! Everyone was so happy with their food. They all praised our noodles and our pickled vegetables, and said they’d be back again," Zhao Tieying said, beaming. "I think I’ve received more compliments today than in the first half of my life combined. How could I not be in a good mood?"
"It’s all thanks to your hard work," Zhou Yan said, helping her clear the bowls. Hearing the customers’ praise put him in an excellent mood as well.
’Switching roles, from a mere diner in his past life to a restaurant owner in this one, was certainly a novel experience.’
"Just carrying plates and washing bowls? What’s so hard about that?" Mrs. Zhao waved a dismissive hand and glanced toward the door. "But why is your dad packing up so late today? He’s usually sold out by this time, isn’t he?"
"Brother, tummy’s hungry," Zhou Momo cooed, shuffling over and tugging on Zhou Yan’s pant leg.
CREAK.
A bicycle stopped at the restaurant entrance.
Zhou Miao stepped inside, but his body swayed as he reached the doorway, and he reached out to steady himself on the doorframe.
"What’s wrong?" Zhao Tieying tossed aside the towel in her hand and jogged over to support Zhou Miao.
"Dad," Zhou Yan said, rushing forward. Zhou Miao looked pale, his lips were dry and peeling, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead.
"It’s nothing. I was out in the cold wind this morning, probably just caught a little chill. I’ll be fine after a nap," Zhou Miao explained, forcing a faint smile.
"Daddy, are you sick?" Zhou Momo scampered over, looking up at Zhou Miao. "I can take you to get a shot."
"My sweet girl, Daddy’s fine. No need for any shots," Zhou Miao said, mustering a smile as he patted Zhou Momo’s head.
"Come on, go sit down. I’ll get you a glass of water," Zhao Tieying said, helping Zhou Miao to a nearby table.
"Why not have a bowl of the beef bone broth? I added some medicinal herbs that are perfect for fighting off a chill," Zhou Yan suggested before hurrying into the kitchen.
The beef bone broth, which had been simmering for eight hours on the briquette stove, was bubbling gently. When Zhou Yan lifted the lid, a rich, meaty aroma instantly filled the air, mingled with the subtle, complex fragrance of spices and herbs. It was incredibly enticing.
Zhou Yan grabbed a ceramic bowl, ladled it full of broth, sprinkled some chopped scallions on top, and set a spoon in it.
"Dad, drink this first. You’ll feel better once you’re warmed up," Zhou Yan said. "I’ll get the hot pot ready. After we eat, you should go upstairs and rest."
"Alright," Zhou Miao agreed. The meaty aroma, carried on the steam, seemed to clear his muddled head a bit. He had just picked up the spoon when he noticed Zhou Momo had climbed onto the stool next to him. The little one was staring at the broth, swallowing hard.
"Momo, would you like a taste?" Zhou Miao asked.
"You eat yours. I’ll ladle some for her," Zhao Tieying said, pressing his bowl gently back onto the table.
"Daddy eats first. You have to eat so your sickies go away. Momo’s not hungry," Zhou Momo said, shaking her head seriously. "I’ll eat the meat later."
"Okay," Zhou Miao replied. He lowered his head and took a sip of the hot broth. It was just hot enough to tingle on his tongue, and a wave of pure, savory flavor seemed to rush straight to his brain.
The medicinal herbs and spices were perfectly balanced in the broth, enhancing its fragrance and umami without a hint of any odd aftertaste. It was completely different from the hot pot Zhao Tieying made—this was leagues better. It was so savory it could make your eyebrows fall off!
Spoonful after spoonful, he blew on the broth to cool it before taking large gulps. In no time, the entire bowl was gone.
Zhou Miao felt a pleasant warmth spread through him. A light sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead and back, and an indescribable sense of comfort washed over his entire body.
"Good?" Zhao Tieying asked with a smile.
"Mhm. Eyebrow-droppingly savory," Zhou Miao said, smacking his lips. Then he quickly added, "Almost as good as yours, of course."
"Coming through!" Zhou Yan emerged from the kitchen carrying a two-handled iron pot, which he placed in the center of the table. It was layered with cabbage on the bottom, topped with beef intestines and tendon. The surface was artfully covered with large, thin slices of beef and tripe. The small pot was brimming, garnished with a sprinkle of scallions and cilantro, looking utterly irresistible.
