Chapter 39: Boss, We Heard Your Noodles are Super Delicious, So We’re Here to Try Them
At the dinner table.
When they saw the beef noodles and stir-fried shredded potatoes, Li You’s mom and dad were relatively calm.
But Li Zhong and Chen Jiyin were utterly stunned.
It was simply unbelievable.
They both exclaimed, "Xiaoyou, did you really make this? When did you learn to cook like this?"
Li You smiled. "I just figured it out over time."
Li Zhong added, "I never would’ve thought you had a talent for this. These noodles, this beef, these shredded potatoes... you can tell they’re going to be delicious just by looking at them."
Li You said, "Then hurry and try some, Uncle Zhong. Aunt Chen, Dad, Mom, you all dig in. Everyone, please, eat."
They all picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.
After the first bite, his mom and dad were overjoyed. The delicious Yangchun Noodles their son had made before were no fluke.
With skills like these, they wouldn’t have to worry about the restaurant’s business.
Li Zhong and Chen Jiyin were even more effusive with their praise, both saying they never imagined beef noodles and shredded potatoes could be so tasty.
Afterward, Li Zhong added, "Xiaoyou, no wonder your restaurant is doing pretty well. I was wondering how a restaurant in this location could attract so many customers. Now I finally get it. It’s because the food is just too delicious. With flavor like this, business is bound to be good. It’s only going to get better and better from now on."
Li You said, "I hope you’re right, Uncle Zhong."
Li Zhong replied, "I’m sure of it."
The group chatted as they ate.
After they had finished their meal, Li You asked if everyone was full. If not, he would go make more.
Li Zhong said, "I’d love to eat more, but I’m truly full. That huge bowl of noodles, plus all those potatoes... I’m completely stuffed. A little too stuffed, even."
Li You nodded. He told them to rest while he took the bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen to wash.
After resting for a bit, Li Zhong and Chen Jiyin said their goodbyes and left.
「The next day.」
In the morning, after breakfast, Li You and his father went over to Li Zhong’s house.
Li Zhong was already starting to dig up the two pear trees.
When Li You and his father saw this, they hurried over.
"Uncle Zhong, we can dig them up ourselves. We couldn’t possibly trouble you to help."
Li Zhong said, "It’s nothing. I’ve got nothing else to do anyway."
Li You said gratefully, "Why don’t you rest for a bit? I’ll take over."
Li Zhong nodded.
Li You took the hoe and continued digging.
With the three of them working together, it took less than an hour to get both pear trees out of the ground.
Next, they needed to transport them to the restaurant.
They needed a three-wheeled vehicle.
Li Zhong had an electric tricycle with a large cargo bed, which would have no problem carrying the two trees.
They lifted the trees into the cargo bed one by one and secured them.
Li Zhong drove the tricycle.
Meanwhile, Li You and his father went back home. Li You got on his motorcycle with his father on the back, and they set off.
After catching up to Li Zhong’s tricycle, they followed him slowly to the parking lot of Jiulong Gorge Restaurant.
Li You first unlocked the restaurant’s doors.
Then, the three of them worked together to carry the two trees into the orchard area.
They chose a good spot and planted them.
Now, he was only one type of fruit tree away from completing his current side quest.
’Victory is just around the corner.’
Li You walked his father and Li Zhong around the orchard.
The two of them paid special attention to the four types of fruit trees that had been planted the day before.
They both commented that 3,500 yuan for delivery, planting, and a survival guarantee was truly a bargain.
By now, it was almost 12:00 PM.
A few motorcycles and electric scooters pulled into the parking lot one after another.
His father and Li Zhong were both pleasantly surprised. They asked, "Are those customers?"
Li You said, "Probably. Since they came on motorcycles and scooters, they’re likely from town."
"Who cares where they’re from? As long as they’re customers, it’s great! You rascal, what are you waiting for? Get back to the restaurant! Hurry, hurry!" his father added.
"Okay."
Li You replied with a smile.
’Dad’s so eager!’
Just then, the group in the parking lot finished parking their motorcycles and scooters.
They glanced toward the restaurant.
Then, they started talking as they walked over.
"So there really is a new restaurant here. When Teacher Chu told me about it, I thought she was joking. Who would open a restaurant in a place like this? But here it is."
"It’s one thing to open a restaurant here. But the key is that Teacher Chu said the beef noodles were super delicious, unbelievably so. She must have been exaggerating, right? Given the restaurant’s location, how good could the beef noodles possibly be?"
"Who knows? But since Teacher Chu recommended it so strongly and even said we’d definitely regret it if we didn’t come, we might as well give it a try. It’s not far, anyway."
"Right, let’s try it. We have to eat somewhere, and coming here isn’t much different from eating in town. Besides, since Teacher Chu was so insistent, it must at least be better than the beef noodles in town."
"Let’s hope so! As long as it’s better than the noodles in town, this trip won’t have been for nothing."
...
It turned out this group of six—two men and four women—were all teachers from Wenxian Town Central School.
After Chu Yiwei returned to school the day before yesterday, she had enthusiastically recommended Li You’s restaurant to her colleagues.
She told them the beef noodles here were incredibly delicious and that they would absolutely regret not trying them.
The teachers hadn’t really believed her.
However, this morning, these six teachers had discussed it and decided to come over for lunch to see for themselves.
Seeing how earnestly Chu Yiwei had spoken, they figured it had to be at least better than the beef noodles in town, right?
And it wasn’t far to come eat here—only a ten-minute ride.
So, there was no harm in giving it a try.
’What if we’re in for a surprise?’
Just as the six of them reached the entrance, Li You also returned to the front of the restaurant.
They saw him and all thought the same thing, ’This young man must be the owner, right?’
Teacher Chu had said the owner was very young.
One of the male teachers, who was wearing glasses, said, "Hello, Boss. We were recommended by Teacher Chu Yiwei to come try your beef noodles. She said they’re fantastic."
’So that’s how it is.’
’Looks like Chu Yiwei really did as she said and strongly recommended this place to her colleagues after she got back to school.’
Li You felt a surge of gratitude.
He then smiled and said, "Thank you for Teacher Chu’s recommendation. And a warm welcome to all of you. Please, come in and have a seat. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed."
"You’re too kind, Boss."
The teachers said as they walked into the restaurant and found a table.
The teacher with the glasses spoke again, "Boss, we’d like two large bowls of beef noodles and four small bowls."
Li You nodded. "Alright. Please wait just a moment, everyone. It’ll be ready soon."
With that, he turned and went into the kitchen.
Back in the orchard, Li You’s father and Li Zhong were overjoyed when they saw the group actually walk into the restaurant.
They really were customers.
To think that even people from town were willing to ride all the way out here to eat—this was fantastic!
Li Zhong chuckled. "Xiaoyou’s restaurant might actually become a huge success."
A wide smile spread across his father’s face. "That would be great, just great," he said.