Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 29
The shop, formerly a teahouse furnished with tables, chairs, and benches, only requires a thorough cleaning, scrubbing, repairing of chipped paint and worn corners, hanging up the plaque, and completing the wood filling with gold paint.
Once the giant dragon was installed, it could be opened on a selected date.
Xu Zhongyue transported the prepared materials to the shop in advance. As the loach and eel buckets were heavy, he enlisted the help of a few friends. Facing the hot sun, a group of young men ran inside carrying wooden barrels with their left and right hands.
Some men, in the scorching sun, removed their upper body clothes, exposing bronze chests and highlighting muscle lines. Unmarried young girls and shuangers shily avoided direct gazes, while sisters-in-law from the Rouge Road observed and commented.
Melon seeds cracked, and one remarked, “A group of them are all braised pork ribs in soy sauce. Only Butcher Xu looks like a white jade ginkgo.”
Song Shi’an’s face darkened. He walked into the store and helped Xu Zhongyue pull up his coat.
Close up, Song Shi’an’s fleshy face embedded with big eyes stared fiercely at Xu Zhongyue, like a Persian cat guarding its food. Xu Zhongyue’s friends, familiar since his butcher days, were idle young men with no family background.
They formed a circle, teasing Song Shi’an and Xu Zhongyue.
Seeing this, Song Shi’an blushed, coughed, and returned to work. As the business owner, knowing details was crucial—rent, labor expenses, water, electricity costs, and dishes. With family ownership, most rent was eliminated, and Song Shi’an planned to work with Xu Zhongyue initially, postponing additional hires until the business started.
In ancient times without electricity, families saved on lamp oil and candles. Song Shi’an prepared two bundles of candles and ten oil lamps for nighttime use.
For the restaurant stove, hotter than home, he bought three taels of good charcoal in advance, transported by friends. Song Shi’an surveyed the setup, walked to the door, and suddenly had an idea.
“Xu-gege, this door is quite spacious. How about adding a high stove facing the street, setting up a shelf, and displaying braised meat and kebabs on the street?”
The most popular internet celebrity snack shop on Jiangcheng Food Street was a kebab shop with three transparent glass panels separated by an electric oven. Beef and mutton skewers, pork skewers, chicken legs, and more were grilled at any time and then sprinkled with cumin powder, pepper powder, chili powder, peanut powder, and sesame seeds, attracting a constant queue of customers.
“We can also offer hot and sour noodles and baked French fries during breakfast and lunch. After all, this is the thoroughfare of nine provinces, and business travelers have tasted countless delicacies. To make a name for ourselves, innovation and variety are essential.”
“Yeah,” all the young men agreed eagerly. Xu Zhongyue, a hard worker, nodded, reminding them not to be lazy and asking one of them to buy bricks two blocks away.
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As they left, Uncle Sun and Yun Ge’er approached.
Uncle Sun, collaborating with a woodcarving expert friend, had completed the dragon carving for Song Shi’an, receiving a generous remuneration. The lifelike dragon, with wide-open eyes and a fluttering head, was so large that two donkey carts were hired to transport it. Passers-by were captivated by its bright colors, and some even inquired about the new restaurant.
Uncle Sun happily promoted the restaurant, saying, “It’s from the newly opened place on Rouge Road called ‘Dragon Looks Back’. When it’s installed, go have a look. I guarantee it will look even better!”
Song Shi’an was thrilled, appreciating the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient times.
Offering to help, Song Shi’an was declined by Uncle Sun, who insisted that heavy work was not suitable for shuanger.
Yun Ge’er, with a smile, presented a bag of items, revealing an extremely gorgeous robe embroidered with flowers and a jade crown.
“It’s for you! Your store will open soon. As a big boss, shouldn’t you dress up better?” Yun Ge’er, whom Song Shi’an treated well, often received advance tastings of breakfast.
As that Yun Ge’er was learning to cook, Song Shi’an provided him with several portions of prepackaged marinated ingredients, and he gave him a big bowl of spicy marinade. Last time he and his husband came down from the mountain, he gave him many fruits and a jar of sweet honey, bringing a smile to Yun Ge’er’s face.
Yun Ge’er, aware of the principle of reciprocating kindness, had a jade crown made, embroidered all the flowers on his clothes, and gifted them to Song Shi’an.
“Does it look good?” Yun Ge’er asked Song Shi’an eagerly, stretching out his arms, wanting to hang the robe on him to see the effect.
“This…” Song Shi’an tried to find a way to refuse Yun Ge’er’s kindness without hurting his feelings.
Unexpectedly, his husband’s calm voice intervened: “Very good-looking.”
Xu Zhongyue, unaware that Yun Ge’er was Song Shi’an’s second choice, expressed approval, and Yun Ge’er quickly put the jade crown on Song Shi’an, giving Xu Zhongyue an approving look that said, “You are very discerning.”
Xu Zhongyue nodded, immersed in the beauty of his wife.
The young man behind him blushed when he looked at Yun Ge’er’s fair, round face and round eyes. Fortunately, his dark skin concealed it.
The men divided into two groups, helping Uncle Sun install the huge coiled dragon and assisting Xu Zhongyue in building the stove and smoothing the joints between the bricks with glutinous rice lime mortar.
Song Shi’an went to the backyard and cooked a large pot of eel noodles and a large pot of stewed chicken with mushrooms.
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Once the men finished their work, he and Yun Ge’er served the food on the table.
After a day’s work, the happiest moment was a good dinner.
The men ate with gusto, savoring the plump and chewy chicken and delicious shredded eel.
After the meal, everyone headed home with full stomachs, expressing envy for their Brother Xu’s capable wife and marveling at the culinary skills of the Song family’s shuanger.
Yun Ge’er, satisfied with the delicious meal, looked at the stars and made a wish: “I don’t need to be rich in life, as long as I can find someone who can cook like An Ge’er. I’m satisfied with a man who can make delicious food.”
Uncle Sun: “…” ‘Is this silly kid expressing the wrong sentiment?’
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On the auspicious day of the opening, amidst the sound of firecrackers, Xu Zhongyue unveiled the red cloth on the plaque. Song Shi’an had prepared four-color pastries, fresh peaches and apricots, and lettuce and pork heads for the Kitchen God worship.
Merchants on the Rouge Road, hearing the loud firecrackers, emerged from their businesses to witness the excitement. Although they had some extra money at home, they were hesitant to dine out daily. The newly opened store was splendidly decorated, featuring a huge dragon roaring down from the second floor, its head facing the entrance.
The majestic dragon head intimidated guests, keeping them from entering for fear of high prices. The three floors near the entrance were crowded with onlookers, and no one ventured inside just yet.
The boss, slender and adorned with a unique hair crown and a gorgeous jade-colored robe, stood in front of the blast furnace, focused on boiling noodle soup. As the aroma of fish wafted from the pot, a curious girl in the crowd spoke up.
“Boss, what is this?”
Song Shi’an glanced at the little girl, Liu Lu, who had come to show her support. Tied with chirps and silk flowers by Aunt Liu, Liu Lu appeared as cute as water.
“This is eel noodles made with fresh fish soup base.”
“It smells so good. How much for a bowl?” Liu Lu asked sweetly, drawing the curiosity of others, who made way for her to approach the store.
“Ten cents a bowl, good white noodles, full of shredded eel meat, and an extra bowl of noodles.”
Liu Lu counted out ten copper coins from her small cloth pocket and extended her chubby hand to Song Shi’an.
“I want a bowl!”
Everyone watched as the little girl struggled to hold the large, hot noodle soup. Inside was white noodles, thick snow-white soup, and green onions. The boss had added a generous spoonful of shredded eel, almost covering the noodles.
Song Shi’an attempted to help, but Liu Lu took a deep breath and said, “I’ll do it myself.”
Sitting on the table at the store entrance, she blew on the hot soup and eagerly took a big bite of eel.
Someone inquired, “Little girl, is it delicious? Isn’t the shredded eel fishy?”
After several bites, Liu Lu replied inarticulately, “It’s not fishy, it’s so fresh, it’s so good!”