Free Web NovelChapter 33: Chapter 27: Comrade Zhou Yan, Is This Your Idea?
"Zhou Yan Restaurant?"
Wang Defa’s mouth hung open, his face a mixture of shock and confusion that quickly curdled into indignant fury.
He had already mentally prepared himself for them to go to the state-run hotel for dinner. It was understandable that teachers and university students from the big city would have a better impression of the state-run hotel.
But he never imagined they would choose Zhou Yan Restaurant! freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
What was the difference between this and slapping him across the face?
Wang Defa’s lips trembled. ’Motherf—’ The curse was on the tip of his tongue, but he remembered Lin Zhiqiang’s warning from that morning and forced himself to swallow it back down.
In the crowd, Xia Yao’s mouth was slightly agape. She looked at Su Jun’s back with some surprise, not expecting the director to choose to eat at Zhou Yan’s place.
’This is definitely a good thing. There are thirty of us; we can fill up half of Zhou Yan’s restaurant in one go.’
’Zhou Yan and Mrs. Zhao will definitely be thrilled.’
Xia Yao was also happy. She had no desire to eat at the factory canteen. On her first day, her aunt and uncle had taken her to try the canteen’s stir-fry, and its quality was far worse than her school’s cafeteria.
She wanted to eat Zhou Yan’s braised pork ribs and try his new Kneeling Beef.
"These university students aren’t eating at the canteen; they’re going to Zhou Yan Restaurant? They know what’s good, don’t they? They know where the good food is."
"Besides being expensive, Zhou Yan’s noodles and Kneeling Beef are way better than the canteen’s food!"
"The canteen gets worse every day. If it weren’t so cheap, even a dog wouldn’t eat it!"
"I had the stir-fry yesterday. The pork liver was cut as thick as a chopstick, and the stir-fried liver was all watery and tough. And they didn’t wash the pork intestines properly, nor did they cook them until they were tender. I nearly spat it all out."
"Back when Master Xiao was the Head Chef, even the food from the big pot was delicious. But to make his own relative the Head Chef, that guy made Master Xiao, a Second-level Chef, work as a chopper. Now the stir-fry is inedible."
"He’s a real piece of work. I’m spending money to eat, and he still manages to disgust me. The one shitting is getting bullied by the one eating shit."
The passing workers murmured among themselves, casting scornful glances at Wang Defa.
Wang Defa was the director of the factory canteen, which made him a manager of sorts at the textile factory.
But in this era, the workers had backbones. They weren’t afraid of a mere canteen director. Some of them had been at the factory since it was built, making them more senior than Wang Defa.
They were already unhappy about the bad food at the canteen and had cursed him out plenty in private.
Today, with the university students refusing to eat at the canteen and the vice director present, how could the Yin-Yang Masters resist making a couple of sarcastic remarks?
The university students couldn’t hold back their laughter. He wasn’t their school director, so if they wanted to laugh, they would.
’A canteen mocked like this by its own workers must truly have nothing worth eating.’
’The director’s idea was brilliant. He’s the director for a reason.’
Wang Defa heard every single word clearly. His face flushed red, then turned pale, yet he had to pretend not to care.
His gaze drifted toward Lin Zhiqiang, hoping he would stand up and say a few words in defense of the factory canteen.
"No problem. We’ll go to Zhou Yan Restaurant," Lin Zhiqiang decided on the spot, smiling. "Let’s all go together. I’ve been craving their noodles, too."
Zhao Dong had told him about the feud between Zhou Yan and Wang Defa.
The young man had been a bit reckless in standing up for his master, but Lin Zhiqiang admired Zhou Yan’s youthful sense of justice.
The quality of the canteen’s food had been declining for the past two years, and even the stir-fry was becoming a half-hearted effort. Wang Defa, as the director, couldn’t escape the blame.
The factory canteen wasn’t under his jurisdiction, so he couldn’t discipline Wang Defa.
So, for reasons both personal and logical, he sided with Zhou Yan without a moment’s hesitation.
’It’s not easy for the kid to run a restaurant.’ Since it was Su Jun’s request, all he had to do was cooperate.
Lin Zhiqiang led the group of teachers and students toward the factory’s main gate.
"Vice Director Lin..." Wang Defa watched Lin Zhiqiang’s departing back, his mouth opening and closing. He couldn’t help but stomp his foot. "That brat, Zhou Yan, is so damn irritating! I’ll get you back for this, sooner or later!"
The workers laughed boisterously as they left, feeling like they had finally vented their frustration.
Even a plague like Wang Defa could have a day where he was thwarted.
Led by Lin Zhiqiang, the thirty university teachers and students marched majestically toward Zhou Yan Restaurant.
Their procession attracted a great deal of attention along the way.
It was lunchtime, and many workers followed them to see the spectacle, some even coming from the canteen.
In this era, university students were a rare sight.
A group of twenty or thirty students from a prestigious university, including a professor, was a rarer sight in this small town than a giant panda.
There were no customers at Zhou Yan Restaurant yet. Zhou Yan stood in front of the earthen stove by the entrance, confirming with Zhao Tieying the number of sirloin slices for each serving of Kneeling Beef today.
Yesterday, it was three thin slices per serving, just enough for a taste.
Today, he had ordered an extra kilogram of sirloin. The total cost increased by three yuan, but each serving of Kneeling Beef would now have six slices of beef. Placed on top at the very end, it would look like a much larger portion.
Zhou Yan was proactively digging a deeper moat. With the absolute advantage in flavor, he was now using high-quality beef to increase the dish’s value.
Zhou Yan had sliced the beef himself. With his exquisite Knife Skills, the slices were both large and paper-thin.
"They’re here!" Zhao Hong, standing at the restaurant entrance, suddenly exclaimed.
"What?" Zhao Tieying and Zhou Yan looked at her.
"So many people are here! All those university students from this morning came!" Zhao Hong said, her voice filled with excitement.
As she spoke, Lin Zhiqiang and Su Jun led the group of over thirty people to the entrance of Zhou Yan Restaurant.
"Zhou, the teachers and students from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Department of Art and Design will be having lunch at your restaurant. You need to be a good host," Lin Zhiqiang said to Zhou Yan with a smile.
Zhou Yan’s eyes lit up. He never expected Lin Zhiqiang to bring this group of university students to his restaurant. Glancing at the workers who had followed to watch, he realized this wasn’t just thirty new approvals, but a live advertisement.
’As expected of Lin! He’s practically a real uncle to me!’
"Teachers, students, please come in and have a seat," Zhou Yan said with a smile.
The students all looked at him. They were about the same age, and Zhou Yan was tall and handsome, which made him instantly more likable.
"He’s so tall, about the same as Ma Xingye. And he has peach-blossom eyes! I bet he looks deeply affectionate even when he’s looking at a dog," Zhu Yuyu whispered. "Yaoyao, your drawing was so accurate."
"But I think Ma Xingye is a bit more cheerful. Of course, he’s very handsome too," Deng Hong also whispered. "Yaoyao, what do you think?"
The two of them flanked Xia Yao, but she didn’t respond.
Lin Zhiqiang was right in front of them. If she said anything and it reached her aunt’s ears, she would definitely get another lecture.
Ma Xingye, the captain of the department’s basketball team, was standing not far behind them. If she really had to compare, Xia Yao thought Zhou Yan was better looking.
Besides, he was very comfortable to be around.
"Not so fast. Students, first take a look at this earthen stove at the entrance and the text on it," Su Jun said. "What do you see?"
Hearing this, the students all began to seriously examine the large pot, which was over a meter in diameter, and the earthen stove.
The lid of the pot had already been removed, and a rich, beefy aroma billowed out with a wave of hot steam, making everyone swallow hard. They could feel their mouths starting to water.
This pot of broth had been simmering since they arrived this morning, a full eight hours. Who knew how incredibly savory it would be!
The stove was a bit taller than a normal one. The side facing outward was painted white with lime, and on it were brushed the three large words "Zhou’s Kneeling Beef" in red paint. The characters were neat yet fluid, and their large size made them very conspicuous and visible from a distance.
Only by getting closer could one see the several lines of text written below in black brush calligraphy, telling a short story about the origin and benefits of Kneeling Beef.
"It’s an advertisement."
"He has packaged Kneeling Beef, turning it into a medicated dish with special properties."
"Building the stove at the restaurant’s entrance means the drifting aroma itself is also a form of advertisement, attracting more customers."
"This Kneeling Beef must be delicious. The broth smells so savory..."
The students chattered amongst themselves, with a foodie’s comment mixed in.
Zhou Yan stood to the side, enjoying the show. It was quite interesting to be analyzed as a case study.
Zhao Tieying, on the other hand, was a bit flustered. It was the first time he’d been watched and studied by a group of university students, and he didn’t even know where to put his hands.
"Using a conspicuous stove as a signboard, providing an origin story and packaging for the Kneeling Beef, and using aroma to expand its influence, thereby achieving the effect of widespread publicity." Su Jun began to summarize after listening to the students’ discussion. "This is actually a very representative case of brand building."
Su Jun looked at Zhou Yan and smiled. "Comrade Zhou Yan, was this your idea?"
The teachers, students, and Lin Zhiqiang all turned to look at Zhou Yan.
