Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 24
Song Shi’an wasn’t particularly afraid of snakes but was concerned that a poisonous snake might enter and pose a threat. Quickly assessing the situation, he realized it was a little boy from the farmer’s neighbor, using a branch to playfully scare the granddaughter with an eel.
Seeing the frightened little girl in tears, Song Shi’an couldn’t tolerate the boy’s antics. He walked over, took the eel from the boy, and reassured the little girl that it was not a snake.
“This is an eel, not a snake. Why are you scaring your sister with this thing? The sister is scared to tears. What should you do?”
The short boy was stunned, sweating and holding the corners of his clothes.
The little granddaughter, peeking out from behind Song Shi’an, looked at the boy with curiosity. Bullied by the neighborhood kids before, this was the first time someone had supported her.
“Don’t cry. I won’t bully you. Is that okay?”
The little granddaughter nodded, saying, “Hu- ge-ge, you can’t go back on your word, and you can’t catch bugs to scare me again. Bugs frighten me!”
“I’m sorry, I regret it! My mother bought me a little clay figurine from the town. I’ll give it to you tomorrow, and I’ll apologize to you!” The little boy immediately admitted his mistake and promised not to be arrogant.
Satisfied with the quick resolution, Song Shi’an smiled, knelt down, and said, “A man should protect the girl. You’re a good boy for acknowledging your mistakes. How about I use this eel to make delicious food for you?”
However, when Song Shi’an talked about he remembered something else, “Where did you get this eel?”
The boy mentioned, “I found them in the canals full of loaches, eels, and water snakes in the paddy fields.”
As soon as a water snake was mentioned, the little granddaughter trembled and grabbed Song Shi’an’s arm to hide herself.
Song Shi’an pondered, “If we get more eels, we could make eel noodle.”
The boy was curious, “Xu Fulang, what is eel noodles? Is it made with eel? Is it good?”
Children usually called a married shuanger, Fulang with the husband surname. For Song Shi’an this title was like a primary student calling someone who just entered a college. Like a teenage aunt, it was respectable but uncomfortable too.
This was the local custom; he had no choice but to adapt them.
If you want to make eel noodle, you must use heavy ingredient to make sure it tastes delicious. Otherwise, the earthy smells would make people hard to swallow.
Song Shi’an reminisced about the popularity of eel noodles in Jiangcheng, despite their high prices. He noted that most noodle restaurants were hidden in farmers’ markets and old residential areas, with bowls ranging from thirty-eight to fifty cents, attracting a constant stream of diners.
“Of course, I have a way to make it delicious. If you don’t believe it, catch a few more eels for me to try!”
The playful eight-year-old child, accustomed to catching eels in the paddy fields, ran off without looking back upon hearing Song Shi’an’s challenge.
With some free time, Song Shi’an took out five copper coins, asked the farmer’s wife to buy white noodles, and began preparing the noodles. Initially the farmer’s wife wasn’t sure about his cooking abilities due to his town origin, but she was considerate, ensuring he had a comfortable place and providing water to drink.
Unexpectedly, Song Shi’an rolled up his sleeves and worked neatly, showcasing impressive knife skills. His precise cuts amazed the wife, who claimed no other daughter-in-law in Chenliu Village could match his skills.
“It’s rare for you to come here. How can you pay for this little rice and noodles?” The wife refused payment, but Song Shi’an insisted, putting the copper coins into her coat pocket, leaving her smiling shyly.
.
Upon waking from a brief nap, Song Shi’an found the little boy had returned with a wooden bucket filled with water, containing around twenty panicked eels. Song Shi’an happily examined them, noting their fatness and length.
“Just wait; I’ll serve you a big bowl!” he exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Xu Zhongyue, occupied with menial tasks and curious about the kitchen, approached to see what was happening.
“What are you busy with? Do you want help?” he asked.
Song Shi’an, holding a thick, struggling eel, looked back and smiled. “I want to kill the eel. Will you help me?” he requested.
The farmer’s wife had set up a nail board, and with Xu Zhongyue’s assistance, they aimed to disembowel the eel and clean its internal organs.
Xu Zhongyue’s fair face turned slightly blue, and his eyes drifted to the side as he stepped on the nail board. The long iron nails, borrowed from the blacksmith, were essential for the swift and efficient process. Just one stroke along the nail, and the eel would be ready for cleaning.
“Are you afraid of eels or snakes?” Song Shi’an asked, finding amusement in the unexpected revelation that Xu Zhongyue, typically perceived as omnipotent, harbored a fear of these creatures.
Xu Zhongyue maintained his composed demeanor. “How could that be? When I encounter a poisonous snake in the mountains, I can kill it with one arrow. In the past few years, I have eliminated many disasters,” he declared, omitting the fact that he refrained from handling snake gallbladders.
The cold and sticky touch of a snake… ugh!
“Oh~” Feigning innocence, Song Shi’an swiftly presented another eel, observing Xu Zhongyue’s increasingly uncomfortable expression.
Suppressing laughter, he suggested, “Are there people out there? I seemed to heer someone calling, go ahead and I’ll tell you when it’s ready.”
Xu Zhongyue, eager to distance himself from the eels, hastened away, seemingly reluctant to eat it when dinner was served.
Xu Zhongyue said in his heart that he wouldn’t eat those things, eventually he broke his promise when dinnertime arrived.
But, no one could blame him. Song Shi’an expertly prepared shredded eel noodles, generously sharing them with the farmer’s family. The aromatic and flavorful dish, consisting of snow-white noodles soaked in yellow eel soup with tender and tasty shredded eel, proved to be a hit.
Even the young neighbor, the little boy Hu, found himself sweating while enjoying a large bowl of the spicy noodles for the first time. It made his belly swells.
Grateful for Xu Fulang’s generosity, the farmer’s family devoured the shredded eel and noodles, leaving no trace of the delicious meal. The remaining noodle soup was mixed with overnight whole-grain rice and consumed as well.
In a hushed discussion with Xu Zhongyue, Song Shi’an proposed a plan for their store. “In our store, I want to slowly introduce private banquet noodles upstairs. On the first floor, we’ll sell eel noodles and braised loach rice bowls for ten cents each. What do you think?”
Considering the bustling area of Rouge Road and the moderate pricing, Song Shi’an aimed to attract a diverse customer base. Xu Zhongyue nodded in agreement, recognizing the potential success of the idea, given Song Shi’an’s exceptional craftsmanship and the popularity he had already garnered.
Ordinary people might not be able to afford a table with good noodles like in the Bai Heju’s. But if you could buy it in the store for only ten cents and ate it warmly, then it should sell well.
The price was reasonable, the soupy noodles, and rice bowls were quick to consume, and the turnover rate was high. This not only ensures modest profits and swift turnover but also hastens the establishment of a reputation among affluent customers.
Xu Zhongyue nodded, “This sounds promising; it should work.”
In Qingjiang Town and the surrounding countryside, there was no tradition of eating loach and eel. However, Song Shi’an’s culinary skills were so impressive that even everyone enjoys them with gusto, eliminating concerns about not being able to sell it.
“I plan to gather loaches and eels directly from Chenliu Village and transport them back in buckets. What size do you think would be appropriate for a bucket?” Song Shi’an inquired about local prices during his first visit to the countryside.
Xu Zhongyue thought for a moment, handed a hundred cents to the farmer’s family, and said, “Brother Chen, the eel tastes excellent today. I’d like to take some back to town to sell. Ten cents of these hundred are for you. I trust you; please help me check it. Both loaches and eels cost three cents per bucket. Store them in the water and your yard. Anyone with free time, including your children and the neighbors’ kids, can catch them. If barrels are scarce, use some money to ask the village carpenter for more. I’ll return in five to seven days; have around twenty barrels ready for collection.”
Upon hearing this, the eldest brother of the Chen family pondered for a while, his face slowly brightening.
Besides Ni’er, the Chen family had three young men aged 12 to 14, capable of assisting during busy farming periods and available in their free time. Rich peasants often hired such energetic young men. With this new venture, the family could potentially earn nine cents daily by catching three buckets of eels and loaches.
Liu Hu, squatting nearby, exclaimed, “I’ll catch them too! I caught the eel Xu Fulang cooked, he praised them all for being long and fat!”
The little granddaughter added, “If you don’t bully me and give me a small clay figurine to play with, you can go catch them!”
“I’ll fetch them for you now!” Liu Hu grinned.
With the plan set, the Chen family and their neighbors brought rice wine for Xu Zhongyue and Song Shi’an to enjoy. After a few bowls, Song Shi’an’s face turned red, and his eyes were moist. Xu Zhongyue guided him to rest, and the Chen family provided a clean room for the night, along with a bucket of quality feed for the mules.
As the village cooled down after nightfall, Xu Zhongyue embraced Song Shi’an from behind. Song Shi’an’s back was pressed tight to the man’s powerful and solid chest, he could feel the strong heartbeat of the man’s heart.
He was wrapped in his husband’s arms and felt at ease in a new and unfamiliar place.