Chapter 121 - 109: New Home! Our New Home
Chapter 121: Chapter 109: New Home! Our New Home
He Zhiyuan was stunned. It all made a lot of sense, yet something still felt a little off.
But he understood one thing clearly: when writing about Kneeling Beef, he had to focus on the key points!
For a writer like him, Zhou Yan’s words were a wake-up call.
Since he wanted to unearth the history of Kneeling Beef, explore the culinary culture behind it, and tell the story of its heritage, that was exactly what he should focus his writing on.
If he were to get bogged down in the specific cooking methods, techniques, and recipe, he would be missing the forest for the trees.
Besides, Zhou Yan’s stance was crystal clear: the recipe was not for sale. It was a family trade, the very thing that put food on their table.
He Zhiyuan wasn’t a stubborn man. He had the courage to ask, but he never pushed his luck.
He had encountered this sort of thing far too many times. He’d gone from initial frustration to eventual acceptance and understanding. Now, he didn’t let it bother him at all.
What’s more, this trip had been incredibly fruitful.
Jiazhou was so close to Rongcheng that he visited more than ten times a year, having traveled to nearly every town and village.
Discovering such an iconic dish in Suji was a source of genuine excitement for him.
Even better, he had met a fascinating chef.
Zhou Yan was truly a character.
"Comrade Zhou Yan, your suggestions are excellent. I’ll mull them over carefully when I get back and use them as a serious reference. I’ve learned so much. Thank you, thank you." He Zhiyuan clasped his hands in a gesture of respect toward Zhou Yan, a sincere smile on his face.
"Not at all, not at all." Zhou Yan returned the gesture.
He Zhiyuan added, "Before you open for lunch tomorrow, I’ll bring Li over to take a few photos for the article. Would that be alright?"
"Of course, no problem. Whatever you need, Chief Editor He, just ask." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. ’Great! This is working out perfectly!’
He Zhiyuan’s gaze swept across the restaurant. He then stared at Zhou Yan for a moment before saying, "Tomorrow, let’s move a table to the doorway to take close-ups of the Kneeling Beef. The natural light outside is brighter. The lighting in your shop is too dim; the pictures won’t look good."
"Oh, and it would be best if you could change into a newer chef’s uniform. You have a good look, and you’re tall. I can take a full-body shot of you standing in front of that big pot, with the Kneeling Beef sign in the frame. The effect is sure to be great."
"Okay, I’ll do whatever you say." Zhou Yan nodded.
’Now *this* is what you call professional!’
He Zhiyuan stood up and walked to the stove. He picked up an earthenware bowl from a nearby basket, frowning as he examined it. He shook his head. "These earthenware bowls are practical, but they really aren’t very photogenic. The color is too dark. It won’t capture the clarity of the beef broth, the pinkness of the beef, or the glistening tripe. If we could use a brighter, cleaner-looking large bowl, the effect would be much better. It might even get you on the cover."
"A bowl..." Zhou Yan followed him over. "How about I go to the co-op tomorrow morning and see if they have anything suitable? We really only have these earthenware bowls in the shop."
Zhao Tieying spoke up. "No need to buy one. Your grandmother has a set of blue-and-white porcelain bowls. They’re beautiful. Just go over tomorrow morning to borrow a large one and return it to her after you’re done."
Hearing this, Zhou Yan’s eyebrow shot up. ’Blue-and-white porcelain? A family heirloom passed down through the generations?’
Their family had an impeccable working-class background and many sons, so no one had dared to cause trouble for them during the turbulent years. ’The old lady might really have some nice things stashed away.’
"That would be wonderful!" He Zhiyuan’s eyes lit up. He said with a smile, "A couple of years ago, when the Little Japanese from the *Friend of Women* magazine came to shoot the *Collection of Chinese Dishes*, our comrades went so far as to borrow furniture and antiques from a museum to enhance the visual effect of the dishes. The photos turned out fantastically!"
"Those Little Japanese really have a knack for photography. They made our Sichuan Cuisine look exquisite and appetizing. We were in charge of accompanying them and translating, and we learned a lot just by watching."
"After we launched our magazine, we started shooting our food articles to that same standard, and the reader response has been excellent."
Speaking of which, He Zhiyuan grew animated. "Do you know how much a set of the *Collection of Chinese Dishes*—all nine volumes—sells for?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"The astronomical price of 1,800 yuan!" He Zhiyuan’s voice rose. "Damn capitalist countries! One issue of our *Sichuan Cuisine* is only forty cents! That’s just one yuan and sixty cents for a whole year!"
The crowd gasped in unison.
1,800 yuan for a set of books!
You could build a house in the countryside with that kind of money!
’Damn capitalist countries!’
Everyone cursed inwardly along with him.
’It’s simply too decadent and extravagant! It ought to be harshly criticized!’
Seeing that his audience was listening with great interest, He Zhiyuan shared a few more amusing anecdotes about the *Friend of Women* magazine’s photoshoot in Sichuan, peppering his stories with critiques of Little Japan in a surprisingly witty and entertaining way.
This little chat session lasted for an hour before it finally wrapped up. He Zhiyuan confirmed the time with Zhou Yan, then rode off on his bicycle with Huang Chen and the others.
"These educated folks sure are interesting to listen to," Zhao Tieying said with a smile, her opinion of He Zhiyuan having improved.
She could see that Zhou Yan had smooth-talked him. The man wasn’t a fool, but he didn’t seem to mind and was still willing to photograph and promote Zhou Yan.
Getting into a magazine was just like getting in the newspaper—it was a great honor that would make the family proud!
"He is interesting. Not arrogant at all, just full of passion for food," Zhou Yan agreed with a smile.
It was already dark, so Zhou Yan skipped his run for the day. Instead, he and Comrade Zhou brought back the wooden planks that had been drying in the sun.
"The sun was strong today. They’re completely dry. We can set up the bed and sleep on them tonight," Zhou Miao said, testing the weight of a plank in his hand.
"No, they need another day in the sun, or the dampness will ruin the quilts," Zhao Tieying said, shaking her head. "Planks that were soaked in the rain all night don’t dry that easily."
"It’s fine, I can just sleep downstairs for one more night," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "But we’re going to have to work overtime tonight to clear out the second floor. I’ve already arranged for a bricklayer to bring bricks over tomorrow to build a wall and make you a proper room."
Zhao Tieying said, "What do we need a room for? Why waste the money? It’s just family living here. You can take the small room, and we can just put our bed against the wall and sleep."
"Your mom’s right," Zhou Miao added with a nod.
"No, that won’t work. It’s a huge room, almost two hundred square meters. In the winter, the wind will whistle through the cracks and freeze you solid." Zhou Yan shook his head, his tone firm. "I’ll have a room built for you on the outer side, with a window facing the river. The view is nice, everyone gets a bit of private space, and it’ll be more comfortable to live in."
"You’re not just here for a temporary few days’ stay. Life should have a little quality to it. It makes you feel much happier."
Mrs. Zhao and Comrade Zhou were just approaching forty. In an era with little entertainment, they would have certain... adult needs.
’If I build two rooms upstairs with brick walls, the soundproofing won’t be bad. It’ll save everyone from potential embarrassment.’
’They can have one side, I’ll take the other, and the area in the middle can be left empty. Later, when we have money, we can put in a sofa and a TV, and won’t that just be a living room?’
Zhou Yan had already drawn up the design last night. A large, nearly two-hundred-square-meter flat. He’d start by planning a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout. Other than being a bit spacious, there was absolutely nothing wrong with it.
"Well..." Zhao Tieying looked hesitant.
"This time, I think we should listen to Zhou Yan," Comrade Zhou Miao declared, switching sides.
"Let’s go! Time to work." Zhou Yan grabbed a broom and dustpan and headed for the stairs.
"Work time!" Zhou Momo chirped, scurrying happily behind him with a feather duster in her hand.
Seeing this, Zhao Tieying and Zhou Miao also grabbed their tools and went upstairs.
Zhou Yan’s room was right at the top of the second-floor stairs. It was small, only a dozen or so square meters. Luckily, he didn’t have much: just a bed, a clothes rack, a nightstand, and now two wooden crates, which actually made it feel more spacious.
After a thorough cleaning by Mrs. Zhao yesterday, the room was now spotless and tidy. Even the quilt was folded into a neat square, like a block of tofu.
The self-discipline of a model militiawoman was no joke.
This was a prefab building constructed by the textile mill. The second floor even had a concrete floor, which was considered quite good for the era.
But since it hadn’t been used in a long time, a layer of dust had settled on the floor, and the walls and ceiling were covered in cobwebs and grime.
Comrade Zhao Tieying first assessed the "battlefield" and quickly made a decision. "Zhou Momo, go downstairs and play with your doll. There’s too much dust."
"I want to help work!" Zhou Momo declared, raising her feather duster to show her determination.
"I don’t feel like washing your hair in the middle of the night, so you’d better be a good girl and go downstairs to play. You can come back up after we’ve swept up all the dust." Zhao Tieying looked back at her. "I am the Shu Dao Mountain... One... two..."
"Okay! I’m going! Playing house with my doll is my favorite thing anyway!" Zhou Momo shoved the feather duster into Zhou Yan’s hand, turned, and scampered away.
Zhou Yan couldn’t help but laugh. The little one always wanted to be in on the action, but with all the dust they’d be kicking up, it really wasn’t a good place for her.
Mrs. Zhao rummaged through a crate, found an old cloth, and wrapped it around her hair and face, leaving only her eyes exposed.
Comrade Zhou had already brought up a basin of water and sprinkled it around to keep the dust down, then started sweeping with a bamboo broom.
Being tall, Zhou Yan was in charge of using the feather duster to clear the dust and cobwebs from the walls and ceiling. After just a few swings, the second floor was immediately filled with flying dust that got in his eyes and mouth. He rushed to the window and coughed for a while before he could catch his breath.
’Mrs. Zhao is just too experienced. She saw this coming a mile away.’
The three of them were efficient. Within an hour, they had swept up all the dust. They opened the windows on both sides to create a cross-breeze and blow out the remaining particles.
The floor’s original color was revealed. It was a simply polished concrete surface, which looked much more comfortable than a packed-earth floor.
Zhou Momo had already come back upstairs. She ran back and forth in the large space, overjoyed, chanting, "New home! Our new home!"
Zhou Yan walked over, using the feather duster to gesture as he explained, "Look! I plan to build two walls in this corner for you, with the door right here. The room will be about twenty-five square meters. We can put a wardrobe and a couple of nightstands inside, so it won’t feel so empty."
"Over here, I’m planning to make a small study. You can see the river and get plenty of sunlight. It’ll definitely be comfortable to sit here and read."
"The middle will be a huge living room. When we have the money, we can put a sofa against the wall, build a TV wall here, and put the television right there. Then, in the evenings, our whole family can sit here and watch TV together."
A look of longing appeared in Zhao Tieying’s and Zhou Miao’s eyes, and they couldn’t help but smile.
Yes, a home.