60s: I have a store

Chapter 658 Wangfujing

After resting for a short while, Zhou Yimin, as if by magic, pulled an oil paper package from his canvas bag. Inside were several neatly arranged soda crackers, still carrying a faint aroma of wheat.

He handed the oil paper package to Zhang Yan: "I brought a little extra, just enough to tide you over."

Zhang Yan's stomach had been rumbling for a while. Climbing the Great Wall had taken a lot of effort, and the smell of biscuits immediately made her eyes light up. Without hesitation, she picked up a biscuit and stuffed it into her mouth, crunching it with relish.

Seeing her wolfing down her food, Zhou Yimin smiled and quickly said, "Yanzi, don't rush, eat slowly, there's more here."

As he spoke, he handed over the water bottle: "Eat slowly, don't choke."

Zhang Yan, her mouth full of biscuits, mumbled a response without looking up, and reached for a second one.

Perhaps she ate too quickly, a crumb of biscuit got stuck in her throat, and her face immediately turned red. She coughed violently, almost coughing up tears.

"Slow down, slow down." Zhou Yimin quickly patted her back and handed the water bottle to her.

Zhang Yan quickly unscrewed the cap, took a big gulp, and finally swallowed the biscuit crumb stuck in her throat with the flow of water.

She was panting, and smiled shyly at Zhou Yimin, her cheeks flushed like ripe apples: "I was so hungry just now, I couldn't resist."

"Eat more if you're hungry," Zhou Yimin said, gently tucking a stray hair behind her ear. His voice was full of affection.

"But you have to be careful, no one's going to take it from you."

Zhang Yan lowered her head, took a bite of the biscuit, and ate it much slower this time, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but keep turning up.

After finishing all the biscuits in the oil paper package and drinking most of the water in the kettle, Zhang Yan patted her bulging belly and a satisfied smile appeared on her face, all the fatigue from before gone.

She stood up, stretched her arms and legs, and said to Zhou Yimin, "Brother Yimin, let's keep climbing. I want to see the view from even higher up!"

Zhou Yimin also stood up, patted the dust off his clothes, and said, "Okay, but this time we have to climb slowly and not be as reckless as before."

"Okay!" Zhang Yan playfully stuck out her tongue and took the first step.

The two slowly climbed the steps of the Great Wall. This time, Zhang Yan did not run all the way, but carefully observed everything around her as she walked.

She reached out and gently stroked the smooth bricks worn smooth by time on the inner side of the city wall, feeling the profound sense of history they conveyed.

"Brother Yimin, look at this city wall. It's all built with such huge stones. It must have taken so much effort!" Zhang Yan looked up at the towering city wall, her voice full of amazement.

Zhou Yimin followed her gaze and nodded: "Indeed, the wisdom and ability of the ancients are truly astonishing."

"The Great Wall is such a massive project that even today, it would require a huge amount of manpower and resources, and we now have so many advanced mechanical tools."

"But the ancients had nothing, they just used their own hands to build the Great Wall. It's incredible to think about."

“Yes,” Zhang Yan agreed wholeheartedly.

"Just transporting these large stones to such a high mountain is difficult enough, let alone assembling them one by one so neatly and firmly, so that they can stand firm despite so many years of wind and rain."

As they climbed, the two chatted back and forth. Every now and then, Zhang Yan would point to the blurry carvings on the city wall and ask Zhou Yimin curiously if they were left by the ancients.

Zhou Yimin would tell her some historical stories about the Great Wall, such as how ancient soldiers transmitted military intelligence on beacon towers and how they resisted foreign invasion.

Sunlight streamed through the crenellations, casting dappled shadows at their feet.

Occasionally a breeze blows by, carrying the fresh scent of the distant mountains and forests.

The sound of their footsteps and voices echoed on the silent Great Wall, blending into the ancient architecture, as if they were having a dialogue across time with people from a thousand years ago.

When they reached a beacon tower, the two stopped to rest. Zhang Yan leaned against the wall of the beacon tower, gazing at the distant rolling mountains and the winding Great Wall, her heart filled with admiration for the ancients.

Standing beside her, Zhou Yimin looked at her focused profile and felt a surge of emotions.

The Great Wall is not only a magnificent military defense project, but also a symbol of the wisdom and perseverance of the ancients, worthy of being remembered and admired by future generations forever.

Zhou Yimin raised his hand to look at his watch. The hour hand had already quietly slipped toward eleven o'clock. He patted Zhang Yan on the shoulder: "Yanzi, look at the time, it's almost noon."

Zhang Yan moved closer, stared at the hands on the clock face, and her stomach rumbled in agreement.

She smiled sheepishly: "No wonder, all those cookies I ate earlier were used up while climbing the Great Wall."

“That’s right,” Zhou Yimin chimed in.

"It's getting late, let's find somewhere to eat!"

He kept his surprise for Zhang Yan in his heart, not mentioning the real purpose of his outing today, thinking he would tell her at a suitable time later. Girls always like sudden joy.

Zhang Yan was feeling hungry, so she naturally didn't refuse and nodded vigorously: "Okay, I'm starving."

The two slowly walked down the path they had come from, their steps much lighter than when they had come up.

After descending the Great Wall, Zhou Yimin started his motorcycle and drove around slowly on the nearby roads with Zhang Yan on the back, looking around to find a suitable restaurant.

But the area is really remote; apart from a few scattered farmhouses, there isn't even a small restaurant in sight.

Zhou Yimin reluctantly stopped the car and turned to Zhang Yan, asking, "Yanzi, there aren't any decent restaurants around here. How about we go to Donglaishun for hot pot?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan subconsciously frowned, feeling a pang of regret for the expense. She knew the reputation of Donglaishun; it was a famous old brand in Beijing, and a meal there would cost at least several yuan, enough to cover her family's expenses for several days.

But then she thought about it again, and realized that the weather was perfect for hot mutton, and the thought of eating with Brother Yimin filled her with a sweet feeling. So she didn't hesitate any longer and nodded, "Okay!"

Zhou Yimin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she agreed, and started the motorcycle with a smile: "Hold on tight, let's go and try Donglaishun's cooking."

The motorcycle turned around and headed towards Donglaishun in the city, the wind seeming to carry a hint of anticipation.

Before long, the antique-style signboard of Donglaishun appeared before our eyes.

Zhou Yimin parked his motorcycle at the entrance and led Zhang Yan inside. The restaurant was warm and inviting, filled with the delicious aroma of mutton. The staff bustled about, calling out their wares.

The two found a small table by the window and sat down. The waiter quickly set out a copper pot, bowls, and chopsticks, and asked with a smile, "What would you two like to order? Our hand-cut fresh mutton and mutton shoulder are our signature dishes."

Zhou Yimin took the menu, glanced at Zhang Yan, and ordered with a smile: "Two catties of hand-cut fresh mutton, a serving of lamb tripe, a serving of frozen tofu, cabbage and vermicelli, and two plates of sesame sauce."

Zhang Yan, who was listening nearby, saw that he had ordered so much, and quietly tugged at Zhou Yimin's sleeve, whispering, "Brother Yimin, you don't need to order so much. There are only two of us, we can't finish it."

She thought to herself, "Boiled mutton is different from stir-fry. If you can't finish a stir-fry, you can pack it up and reheat it. But you can't pack raw mutton to take home with you, that would be such a waste."

Zhou Yimin glanced at the menu, then at Zhang Yan, and understood that the two of them couldn't possibly eat that much. He then told the waiter, "Bring me everything I ordered, except for two jin of hand-cut fresh mutton." The waiter replied, "Okay," and turned to place the order.

Zhang Yan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Zhou Yimin: "That's about right, enough for us to eat."

Zhou Yimin smiled and nodded: "I'll listen to you."

Soon, the copper pot was brought out, the charcoal fire crackling and burning, and the water in the pot quickly boiled.

Plates of fresh mutton, tripe, frozen tofu, cabbage, and vermicelli were served one after another, filling the table to the brim.

The hand-cut fresh mutton is as thin as a cicada's wing, glistening with a pinkish sheen under the light; the sesame paste exudes a rich aroma that makes one's mouth water.

The two were starving and didn't bother to talk. They picked up their chopsticks and started cooking.

Zhou Yimin picked up a few slices of mutton and put them into boiling water. They were cooked in no time. He dipped them in sesame sauce and put them in his mouth. They were tender, juicy, and fragrant.

Zhang Yan followed his example, picking up pieces of mutton to cook in the broth. She grimaced from the heat, but ate with great relish.

For a moment, all that remained around the small table was the bubbling sound of the copper pot boiling, the clinking of chopsticks picking up food, and the satisfied chewing sounds of the two people.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm smiles on their faces. The hot pot of mutton made them feel especially comfortable.

Zhou Yimin first used serving chopsticks to pick up a strand of vermicelli and put it into the boiling pot. The vermicelli swirled in the boiling water and quickly became crystal clear.

He picked up a few more slices of hand-cut fresh mutton, laid them flat in a strainer, and gently shook them in the boiling water. In just over ten seconds, the edges of the mutton curled up, and the color changed from pink to an enticing light brown.

He put the cooked mutton into Zhang Yan's bowl: "Eat quickly, the freshly cooked mutton is the most tender."

Looking at the steaming mutton in the bowl, Zhang Yan quickly scooped up a spoonful of sesame paste, mixed it on, and stirred it well with chopsticks.

The rich sesame paste coats the tender lamb, and the moment it enters your mouth, the aroma rushes straight to the top of your head.

She squinted, chewing slowly, unaware that there was some sesame paste on the corner of her mouth, and mumbled, "Brother Yimin, this mutton is so delicious!"

Zhou Yimin also cooked a few slices of mutton, dipped them in sesame sauce, and ate them. The piping hot meat slid into his stomach, making him feel warm all over.

Seeing that Zhang Yan was enjoying her meal, he put the tripe into the pot. The tripe tumbled in the boiling water and quickly rolled into small rolls.

"The tripe needs to be cooked for a while, otherwise it'll be too tough to chew." He said, stirring the tripe in the pot with his chopsticks.

Zhang Yan wasn't idle either; she picked up a few pieces of frozen tofu and put them into the pot.

The frozen tofu, soaked in the broth, was plump and juicy. When you took a bite, the scalding broth burst in your mouth, so delicious it made your eyebrows fall off.

She added some more cabbage to the pot. The cabbage leaves softened in the boiling water, carrying the fresh aroma of mutton, making it refreshing and not greasy.

The two chatted back and forth, occasionally putting food on each other's plates.

Zhou Yimin would always put the cooked meat into Zhang Yan's bowl first, while Zhang Yan would push the softened cabbage and vermicelli towards Zhou Yimin.

The steam rising from the copper pot blurred their features, but it couldn't hide the smiles in their eyes.

Halfway through the meal, Zhang Yan felt a little thirsty, so she picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. Just as she put down the teacup, Zhou Yimin put another piece of mutton on her plate.

"That's enough, Yimin, I'm almost full," she said with a smile, her belly already round and full.

"Eat some more. This mutton is tender and won't fill you up," Zhou Yimin said, adding some more vermicelli to her bowl.

"The glass noodles are delicious too, have more."

Zhang Yan couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she picked up her chopsticks again.

The two ate slowly, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility. The copper pot continued to bubble and boil, as if providing accompaniment for this delicious lunch.

The dishes on the table were gradually dwindling, and the soup in the copper pot was becoming increasingly rich and flavorful.

Zhou Yimin put down his chopsticks, patted his round belly, and let out a satisfied burp.

Zhang Yan also put down her chopsticks, leaned back in her chair, and looked satisfied with her meal.

Zhou Yimin waved to the waiter: "Check, please."

The waiter quickly ran over and reported the bill: "Five yuan in total for the two of you, plus three jin of meat coupons."

Zhou Yimin took out money and meat coupons from his pocket and handed them over. The waiter took the money and coupons, smiled, and said, "Take care."

He then turned around and went off to do his work.

The two got up and walked out. As soon as they stepped out of Donglaishun, Zhang Yan looked at the ground and muttered to herself, "This meal cost fifteen yuan and three jin of meat coupons."

She was secretly astonished. She knew that most workers only earned twenty or thirty yuan a month. This meal cost almost half a month's wages, plus the three jin of meat coupons. Her family would have been frugal with their food, enough to last them for a long time.

Zhou Yimin heard her words, smiled, and ruffled her hair: "It's okay to eat out once in a while. You study hard, you should make up for it."

Zhang Yan looked up at him, said nothing more, but felt a warmth in her heart.

Zhou Yimin started the motorcycle, helped Zhang Yan sit down, and then said, "I'll take you somewhere."

Zhang Yan asked curiously, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there," Zhou Yimin said mysteriously, then slowly drove away on his motorcycle.

Before long, the motorcycle turned into a bustling street.

The streets are lined with shops and bustling with people.

Zhang Yan looked around and her eyes lit up: "Is this Wangfujing?"

Zhou Yimin nodded: "Okay, I'll show you around Wangfujing."

Although Zhang Yan found it a little strange that she had come to Wangfujing, her girlish love of shopping made her not pay much attention to it.

After Zhou Yimin parked the motorcycle, he went inside with Zhang Yan.

(End of this chapter)