A classic 28-inch roadster would be incredibly useful for him right now!

It would make buying ingredients or going home so much more convenient.

"Excellent." Lin Zhiqiang placed the bicycle’s handlebars in Zhou Yan’s hands.

Across the way, Wang the Fifth watched this scene, grinding his molars to dust. That was a classic 28-inch roadster!

"Wang the Fifth, your noodles are turning to mush," a customer watching the spectacle from beside the pot reminded him.

"Damn it!" Wang the Fifth looked down, his expression changing drastically. He quickly scooped out the noodles, sighed at the overcooked strands, and had no choice but to grab another handful to cook.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, I’ve already had them prepare the paperwork to nominate you as a ’Spiritual Civilization Pacesetter.’ Once it’s approved by the higher-ups, there will be all sorts of benefits," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile, patting Zhou Yan’s shoulder warmly. "If you run into any difficulties in your work or life, the organization can do its best to help you resolve them."

Zhou Yan hadn’t expected Lin Zhiqiang to be so thoughtful and was quite moved.

After a moment of thought, he spoke up, "Since you’ve offered, I won’t be polite. My restaurant was poorly managed before, which led to a bad reputation, and now it’s on the verge of closing down.

Now, after learning from that painful experience, I’ve decided to turn things around, starting with selling noodles. But there isn’t a single customer in the shop. Everyone’s afraid to give it a try.

I’d like to invite you, Director Lin, and Director Zhao, to come in for a bowl of noodles and give an honest evaluation of the flavor. It would set an example for the textile factory workers and help clear up their doubts. What do you think?"

"Well... of course, no problem. As it happens, I haven’t had breakfast yet." Lin Zhiqiang nodded without hesitation. Looking at the hundred or so textile workers gathered around, he said with a smile, "We should give our young comrade a chance, shouldn’t we? If none of you dare to eat, then I’ll taste it for everyone."

"Alright!"

The workers responded with a laugh.

Zhou Yan’s dishes were terrible, but who knew how his noodles were? If they were good, trying noodles made by a hero wouldn’t be so bad.

Zhao Dong looked troubled but couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

He was considered the textile factory’s resident foodie, often eating from the "small stove" at the cafeteria and occasionally treating himself to a meal at the state-run restaurant.

He had eaten at Zhou Yan Restaurant on its opening day, and it had been memorably awful.

"This way, please." Zhou Yan wheeled the 28-inch roadster into the shop, leaned it against the wall, and welcomed the two men inside.

"Let’s sit at this table by the door, so everyone can see just how your noodles are," Lin Zhiqiang said with a hint of a smile. "I’m from Jin Province, so I’m quite particular about my noodles."

"Alright. Please have a look at what you’d like to eat. The menu is posted on the wall over there." Zhou Yan smiled. ’The more particular and professional, the better.’

He had been racking his brain for a promotional strategy, but the arrival of Lin Zhiqiang and Zhao Dong had just given him the breakthrough he needed.

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

As long as they gave their approval, the workers would be willing to give it a try. This was exactly the kind of celebrity endorsement he needed.

Zhou Yan was very confident in his noodles. As long as enough people tasted them, his reputation would quickly grow.

"I’ll have the Braised Beef Noodles," Lin Zhiqiang decided after a brief glance at the menu.

Zhao Dong looked at the menu with surprise. The old menu, densely packed with all sorts of dishes, had been torn down. In its place was a new one featuring only three noodle dishes. It seemed much more practical.

However, a bowl of noodles cost sixty cents—twice the price of the cafeteria’s and ten or twenty cents more than Wang the Fifth’s stall. He wondered if the taste would justify the price.

He also made his choice quickly: "I’ll take the Double Pepper Beef Noodles."

"Alright, please wait a moment." Zhou Yan turned and walked towards the kitchen. ’Finally open for business!’

A low fire had been kept in the stove. He added a log of chestnut wood, gave the bellows a few powerful pumps, and the flames immediately ROARED to life. The water in the large pot began to bubble.

Zhou Yan moved to the square table, pinched off a ball of pre-kneaded dough, and with a few pulls and flicks of his hands, it quickly transformed into a handful of noodles, which he dropped into the boiling pot.

He took two large bowls and prepared the base seasoning in each.

When the noodles were about seventy percent cooked, he grabbed a few small bok choy leaves and blanched them in the pot.

The noodles were ready. He uncovered the stockpot in the middle and ladled a scoop of rich, white beef broth into the large bowl on the left. He then lifted the noodles out, dividing them between the two bowls. The bok choy leaves all went into the soup noodle bowl, while for the dry noodles, he first mixed the base sauce and noodles together evenly.

A scoop of braised beef and bamboo shoots went on top of the soup noodles, and a scoop of double-pepper minced beef went on top of the dry noodles.

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

’It’s manageable with few customers, but if it gets busy, there’s no way one person can stoke the fire, cook the noodles, serve the food, and clear the tables. Hiring staff is something I’ll have to consider next.’

"These noodles aren’t cheap, are they? Sixty cents a bowl. You can get two bowls of beef noodles at the cafeteria for that."

"They’re not. And there aren’t many options, either—just three kinds. Even Wang the Fifth’s stall has six or seven types of noodles."

"The higher price is understandable, though. The rent for this storefront can’t be cheap. Wang the Fifth doesn’t have to pay rent for his stall."

"It’s fine if they taste good. But if they don’t, who would want to be a sucker and pay for it?"

The workers craned their necks to see the menu, their chatter filling the air.

When they saw Zhou Yan emerge with the noodles, all eyes turned to him.

Zhou Yan placed the two bowls on the table. The large bowls made the portions look very generous.

The soup noodles were topped with braised beef and bamboo shoots. There were five or six large chunks of beef and plenty of bamboo shoots. The red meat sauce mingled with the milky-white broth, glistening with oil and looking incredibly appetizing.

The dry noodles were topped with a scoop of double-pepper minced beef. The vibrant colors of the green and red peppers stir-fried with the minced beef, and the rising steam carried the fragrant, meaty aroma out the door.

GULP.

For a moment, the sound of swallowing saliva was heard all around.

"So fragrant! That braised beef smells amazing!"

"And look at that topping! The beef chunks are huge, at least three times the size of what Wang the Fifth gives you! And there’s dried bamboo shoots, too. It looks delicious!"

"That Double Pepper Beef Noodles looks absolutely incredible! It looks way more appetizing than minced pork sauce, and the portion is generous, too."

"I thought sixty cents a bowl was a bit expensive at first, but looking at the amount of meat, now I’m worried the owner is going to lose money."

The workers chattered among themselves. People from the Ba and Shu Region are very particular about their food; they can tell if something is good or not just by looking at it and smelling it.

Lin Zhiqiang’s eyes lit up as he looked at the soup noodles before him. In terms of appearance alone, it was flawless. The bone broth had been simmered until it was a rich white, and it was slowly blending with the beef sauce, releasing a fragrant, meaty aroma that washed over him.

He first picked up a piece of beef. His chopsticks sank into the tender meat, causing juices to well up. With a gentle bite, the marbled beef brisket melted in his mouth, yet it didn’t fall apart completely. The soft, chewy texture of the sinew provided a delightful contrast. The flavor was rich and savory, with a sweet aftertaste following the spice. That one bite was incredibly satisfying!

Next, he tried a piece of dried bamboo shoot. Having soaked up the beef tallow and meat juices, it was a delightful mix of crisp and chewy, rich yet refreshing. It was a pleasant surprise!

"This braised beef with bamboo shoots... the beef is succulent and not dry at all, and the bamboo shoots are crisp, chewy, and refreshing. Delicious! Truly delicious!" Lin Zhiqiang couldn’t help but exclaim in praise.

Then, he stirred the noodles and lifted a chopstick-full to his mouth. Instantly, a look of delighted surprise appeared on his face.