Chapter 5 28-Inch Bicycle

Traffic slowed in front of the factory gate.

Customers at Wang Laowu's noodle stall turned to look over at the noise.

Wang Laowu paused, his hand still grasping the noodles. He stared in surprise at Lin Zhiqiang shaking hands with Zhou Yan, his smile frozen.

Two years ago, the textile factory imported foreign looms, and Lin Zhiqiang was transferred to become deputy director, in charge of production technology. Over the past two years, the textile factory's output and profitability have steadily increased, and he has gained considerable prestige within the factory.

"Zhou Yan saved Deputy Director Lin's niece? What happened?"

"I heard from the lady next door yesterday that a city girl nearly drowned in Bailatuo and was rescued by a young man. Could it be Zhou Yan?"

"Bailatuo?! The water there is deep and fast, with undercurrents. How many good swimmers have drowned there every year? Zhou Yan is quite courageous!"

"Zhou Yan's cooking may be terrible, but besides being handsome, he also has a strong sense of justice!"

The workers murmured, not rushing back into the factory because there was something exciting to watch.

"Nonsense! Zhou Yan can't even swim. How could he have jumped into Bailatuo to save someone?" Wang Laowu muttered, but he was also a little suspicious.

He'd heard some gossip while setting up stall yesterday. Zhou Yan came back soaking wet, and he'd thought he'd lost his mind and jumped into the river. Who knew he'd actually saved Deputy Director Lin's niece?

Zhou Yan was a bit stunned when his hand was held, and he quickly thought of the girl who'd fallen into the water the previous day. Was she really Deputy Director Lin's niece?

The old lady at the town intelligence center was incredibly well-informed.

"You're welcome. Anyone in this situation would lend a hand," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"This isn't just about helping out. I heard you can't swim, yet you bravely jumped into the turbulent, dangerous Bailatuo to save someone. We'll never forget this life-saving favor." Lin Zhiqiang squeezed Zhou Yan's hand tightly, his face filled with gratitude.

Xia Yao, the daughter of his wife's older sister, had come to Jiazhou with her teacher to sketch, and had stopped by Suji to visit relatives.

Yesterday morning, she'd said she was going to the river to paint, but she'd accidentally fallen into the river. When the news reached the family compound, the couple's legs went weak.

This was the only daughter of the Xia family. If anything had happened, they'd have to jump into the Qingyi River to apologize.

Zhou Yan not only saved Xia Yao, but also saved two families.

So yesterday, Lin Zhiqiang had someone inquire about his benefactor's situation, prepared a thank you gift, and this morning had Zhao Dong bring him to Zhou Yan to express his gratitude.

"Is that girl okay?" Zhou Yan asked with concern. He had just come across this timeline yesterday when he rescued someone, and his mind was a blur. He only remembered pulling the person ashore.

"Xia Yao is fine. Your rescue was timely. She vomited the water she choked on. But she's frightened and isn't in a good mood. She can't eat and is a little weak. After she recovers in a couple of days, I'll bring her here to personally thank Comrade Zhou Yan." Lin Zhiqiang looked relieved, but there was still a hint of worry in his eyes.

"I'm glad she's okay. Let her rest well. She must have been frightened yesterday."

Zhou Yan was happy to hear she was okay.

As an aspiring young man raised under the red flag, the feeling of being publicly praised for his bravery is no less satisfying than finding money.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, your noble qualities of sacrificing yourself to save others and acting bravely are truly admirable!" Zhao Dong praised loudly, his face filled with genuine admiration.

A native of Jiazhou, Zhao Dong had worked in a textile factory for over a decade. He would swim in the river during the summer, but he would never dare to do so in the Bailatuo section.

Zhou Yan's act of diving into the water to save someone was indeed reckless, but it also further demonstrated his noble character.

"Zhou Yan, who can't swim, still dared to jump in to save someone! He's truly brave!"

"That's called sacrificing oneself to save others. I wouldn't dare do that anyway."

"It's a pity the food was so bad, otherwise I'd definitely eat at his restaurant often."

The female workers looked at Zhou Yan with admiration and praise.

Lin Zhiqiang also looked at Zhou Yan with admiration. The young man was talented look, sunny and handsome, with the charm of his youth. He was also humble and reasonable, neither servile nor arrogant, unlike the factory chefs who were very reserved when they met him.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, this 28-inch bicycle is a thank you gift from me. Please accept it." Lin Zhiqiang released Zhou Yan's hand and pointed to the brand new bicycle with a red flower hanging on the side.

Upon hearing this, everyone exclaimed in surprise.

A 28-inch bicycle as a thank you gift!

Everyone looked at Zhou Yan with a touch of envy.

The textile factory had been doing well over the past two years. Frontline workers earned 38.6 yuan, plus seniority and bonuses. Senior technicians and managers received even higher salaries, so many people had saved up to buy bicycles.

But a 28-inch bicycle wasn't cheap, costing 150 yuan, and you needed a bicycle ticket. The black market price was over 300 yuan.

The average worker would have to save for a year or two to afford one.

"This bicycle must have been a reward from Deputy Director Lin for winning the Provincial Technological Progress Award a while ago, right?"

"Indeed! Deputy Director Lin is truly generous."

"Zhou Yan risked his life to save someone; he deserved it!"

Zhou Yan's eyes lit up as he looked at the 28-inch bicycle, but he quickly shook his head. "This bicycle is too valuable; I can't accept it."

"Comrade Zhou Yan, you saved the life of a young girl. Nothing is more precious than life." Lin Zhiqiang looked at Zhou Yan with a serious expression. "Have you heard the story of Zilu receiving the ox? This bicycle is not only a token of gratitude, but also an encouragement for others to do good."

Zhou Yan had, of course, heard of the story of Zilu accepting an ox. Lin Zhiqiang had even cited the allusion, so any further refusal seemed disingenuous. He nodded immediately and said, "Then I'll accept this bicycle. Thank you, Deputy Director Lin."

A 28-inch bicycle was truly useful to him right now!

It would make it much more convenient to buy groceries or get home.

"Great," Lin Zhiqiang handed the bicycle handle to Zhou Yan.

Wang Laowu, who was standing across from him, watched this scene with his back teeth nearly clenched. This was a 28-inch bicycle!

"Wang Laowu, your noodles are overcooked," a customer standing by the pot, watching the excitement, warned.

"Oh no!" Wang Laowu looked down, his face darkening. He quickly fished out the noodles, sighed at the overcooked appearance, and had to re-cook them.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, I've had them prepare the materials and submit them for your nomination as a Model of Spiritual Civilization. Once approved by the higher-ups, you'll receive various preferential treatment." Lin Zhiqiang smiled, patted Zhou Yan on the shoulder, and said kindly, "If you have any difficulties in your work or personal life, the organization will do its best to resolve them for you."

Zhou Yan was surprised by Lin Zhiqiang's thoughtfulness and was deeply touched.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "If you say so, then I won't be polite. My restaurant was not well managed before, resulting in a bad reputation and facing bankruptcy. Now, I've learned from my mistakes and decided to start my business by selling noodles. But the shop isn't even open to customers; no one dares to try. I'd like to invite Director Lin and Director Zhao into the shop for a bowl of noodles so can give me an honest evaluation of how they taste. You'd like to share a sample with the textile factory workers to allay their concerns. What do you think?"

"That...of course, I haven't had breakfast yet." Lin Zhiqiang nodded without hesitation. Looking at the hundreds of textile factory workers gathered around, he smiled and said, "We should give young people a chance to try and make mistakes. If you all are afraid, I'll try it for you all."

"Okay!"

The workers smiled in agreement.

Zhou Yan's cooking is terrible, so wonder how his noodles are. If they're good, it would be nice to try hero's noodles.

Zhao Dong hesitated, but he couldn't refuse.

He was considered a gourmet at the textile factory, often eating in the cafeteria and occasionally enjoying a bite at the state-owned restaurant.

He had dined at Zhou Erwa Restaurant on its first day, and it was incredibly bad.

"Please come in, both of you." Zhou Yan pushed his 28-inch bicycle into the shop, parked it against the wall, and welcomed the two into the restaurant.

"Take a seat at the table by the door, so everyone can see how your noodles taste." Lin Zhiqiang said with a hint of a smile, "I'm from Shanxi Province, and I'm quite particular about noodles."

"Okay, you two can take a look at what kind of noodles you'd like to order. The menu is on the wall over there." Zhou Yan smiled. The more meticulous and professional, the more better.

He had been racking his brains for promotional tactics, but the arrival of Lin Zhiqiang and Zhao Dong gave him a breakthrough idea.

A deputy factory director in charge of technology and a connoisseur workshop director held a certain status and authority among the textile factory workers.

As long as they praised his dishes, the workers would be willing to try them. This celebrity effect was what he was looking for.

Zhou Yan was confident in his noodles. As long as more customers tried them, word of mouth would quickly build.

"I'll have the braised beef noodles," Lin Zhiqiang said, glancing at the menu and deciding.

Zhao Dong looked at the menu with a look of surprise. The original menu, densely packed with dishes, had been torn off, replaced by a new one. It only had three noodle dishes, looking much more down-to-earth.

However, these noodles cost 60 cents per portion, double the price at the cafeteria and a couple of cents more than Wang Laowu's noodle stall. He wonder how they'll taste.

He quickly made his choice: "I'll have the double pepper beef noodles."

"Okay, wait a moment, both of you." Zhou Yan turned and headed for the kitchen. Finally, business was open!

The stove had been kept low. He added a piece of oak wood and pumped the bellows vigorously a few times. The flames immediately surged, and the hot water in the large pot began to bubble.

Zhou Yan walked over to the square table, grabbed a ball of pre-kneaded dough, and with a flick of his hand, quickly transformed it into a handful of noodles, which he then dropped into the bubbling pot.

Taking two large bowls, he prepared a base sauce.

When the noodles were cooked through, he scooped a ladle of thick white beef broth into the large bowl on the left. He scooped the noodles into two bowls, placing the greens in the bowl with the broth. For the dry noodles, he mixed the base sauce with the noodles first.

A spoonful of braised beef and bamboo shoots was placed on the broth noodles, and a spoonful of beef with double peppers was placed on the dry noodles.

Holding the two large bowls on a tray, Zhou Yan carried the noodles out of the kitchen.

It's fine if there are few customers, but if there are more, one person will definitely be overwhelmed trying to keep the fire going, cook the noodles, serve the food, and clear the tables. Recruiting staff is Zhou Yan's next concern.

"Aren't these noodles cheap? Sixty cents a bowl, enough for two bowls of beef noodles in the cafeteria."

"Yes, they are not cheap. And there aren't many varieties, only three. Even Wang Laowu's stall has six or seven."

"It's understandable that it's a bit expensive. After all, the rent for this shop isn't cheap, and Wang Laowu doesn't have to pay rent for his stall."

"If it's delicious, that's fine. But if it doesn't taste good, who wants to be taken advantage of?"

The workers peeked over the menu and chatted.

Seeing Zhou Yan come out with noodles, everyone looked at him.

Zhou Yan placed two bowls of noodles on the table. The large bowls looked generous.

The noodles were topped with braised beef and bamboo shoots. There were five or six large chunks of beef and quite a few bamboo shoots. The red broth blended with the milky white liquid, creating a glistening, enticing dish.

A spoonful of double pepper ground beef was poured over the dry noodles. The minced beef, stir-fried with green and red peppers, was vibrant in color, and the steam, carrying the aroma of the meat, wafted out the door.

"Gulp."

For a moment, the sound of gulping saliva echoed.

"Smells so good! This beef smells so good!"

"There's so much toppings, too. The beef is in huge chunks, more than three times as much as at Wang Laowu's noodles. There's also dried bamboo shoots. It looks delicious!"

"This double pepper beef noodles looks amazing! It's much more appetizing than the pork stew, and the portion is generous."

"I thought 60 cents a bowl was a bit pricey, but with the amount of meat, I'm worried the boss is losing money."

The workers were buzzing with discussion. People in Sichuan and Sichuan are very particular about food; they can tell whether something is delicious just by looking at it or smelling it.

Lin Zhiqiang's eyes lit up as he looked at the noodle soup in front of him. Just from the presentation alone, it was impeccable. The bone broth, simmered until thick and white, slowly blended with the beef broth, sending the aroma of meat wafting through his face.

He first picked up a piece of beef, his chopsticks sinking into the tender, juicy meat. With a gentle bite, the fat and lean brisket unraveled in his mouth, yet remained perfectly mushy. The soft, glutinous texture of the fascia adorned the dish, creating a rich, fragrant sauce and a sweet aftertaste amidst the spiciness. It was incredibly satisfying!

He then sampled a piece of bamboo shoots. Soaked in the beef oil and gravy, they were a delightful blend of crisp and sticky, moist and refreshing.

"This beef and bamboo shoots stew—the beef is moist and not dry, and the bamboo shoots are crisp and glutinous. Delicious! Truly delicious!" Lin Zhiqiang couldn't help but exclaim.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***