1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 360 is so sweet it's cloying, I can't bear to look! (6.4k words, two chapters combined)

“Old man, I can hear you. Although what you said is true…” Huang Ying leaned closer and looked at him: “But we’ve known each other since birth. How can you make this choice! Our friendship is over!”

Huang He smiled awkwardly but politely; his mother had really dug a good pit for him.

Fortunately, at that moment, the stage lights dimmed, the spotlight fell on the stage, the host appeared, and the textile factory's 1985 New Year's Day cultural performance officially began.

The first performance was a chorus of "Golden Shuttle, Silver Shuttle" sung by the female workers in the silk reeling workshop, dressed in their new work uniforms.
"The golden shuttle and the silver shuttle shuttle back and forth day and night, time flows like water, urging you and me on..."

The singing was melodious yet powerful.

This is a staple of the textile factory's cultural performances, sung every year.

The audience sang along on stage.

Almost every textile worker can hum a few lines.

A song enlivened the atmosphere, and everyone wore a smile.

Feeling the enthusiastic atmosphere around him, Zhou Yan couldn't help but smile.

Workers of this era have a light in their eyes and are full of happiness.

Today, everyone has dressed in their best clothes, carefully groomed themselves, and come to this annual gathering with great joy.

In this era, the pace of life is slow, the pressure is low, and factory benefits are good. The canteen, school, hospital... are all run by the factory, and the factory even provides housing.

A salary of a few dozen yuan may not seem like much, but meat costs only one yuan per kilogram, and vegetables are even less than a cent.

One person's salary is enough to support the whole family. You get paid on time, and state-owned enterprises won't fire you, so it's like having a secure job.

Many workers don't save money. They save for half a year to buy a bicycle, save for a year to buy a TV, and save for a month to buy a leather or wool coat.

This seems incredible to later generations, but it was a true reflection of the lives of most working-class families in that era.

While they are at work, the workers have a rich and varied leisure life after work. They play table tennis, basketball, sing, and dance. Although they don't have cell phones, their ample free time makes their cultural and sports activities quite fulfilling.

Look at the level of this workshop choir; they clearly practice a lot.

Every year at the city's workers' arts festival, their textile factory is always recognized as an outstanding collective.

Their sense of collective honor is off the charts.

After the chorus ended, the next performance was a skit about the printing and dyeing workshop. The skit was told in Sichuan dialect and was full of proverbs and witty sayings, which made the whole audience laugh non-stop.

"Giggle-"

Zhou Momo nestled in Wang Wei's arms, laughing like a goose.

Xia Yao studied at the university in Chongqing for more than three years. She can understand most of the Sichuan dialect, but the Jiaozhou dialect is a little beyond her level, and some slang is a real test of her listening comprehension.

Fortunately, Zhou Yan was right next to her. She leaned her head towards him and asked him if she didn't understand.

What does "抵拢倒拐" mean?

"It means going all the way to the end and then turning."

"Where's your trousers?"

"Pants."

"Old Huo?"

"serious."

Xia Yao initially didn't find it that funny, but after Zhou Yan explained it to her, she burst into laughter.

Next door, Ah Wei kept calling Huang Ying "Sister Ying" and had successfully gotten some of Huang Ying's snacks. He also shared some of the snacks that Zhou Momo had stored in his pocket with Huang Ying and Huang Bing.

As for Zhou Yan, he didn't even want to glance at him.

Tsk.

Their heads were practically touching!

Didn't see it.

Boringly sweet.

Huang Ying came to the restaurant to eat every day, and Huang Bing came to the restaurant to pick up braised meat every day. Awei eventually became a familiar face to everyone.

Huang Ying has a round, chubby face and a very cheerful and lovely personality. Although we hadn't met much before, it was quite fun watching the performance together.

During a break in the performance, Awei leaned close to Huang Ying's ear and whispered, "Your old man's nickname is Little Yellow Chicken, did you know that?"

Huang Ying paused for a moment, then laughed and nodded frantically.

She only found out about it recently.

"Is he famous? How do you know?" Huang Ying asked in a low voice.

Ah Wei said, "Everyone at Leming Hotel knows that when people talk badly about Feiyan Restaurant, they always say, 'That Huang Xiaoji guy...'"

"Pfft, hahaha..." Huang Ying burst out laughing.

Huang Bing, who was sitting next to him, overheard the gist of the conversation and was struggling to suppress his laughter.

"Does your Leming Hotel often talk badly about our Feiyan Restaurant behind our backs?" Huang Ying asked Awei with a smile in her eyes.

Huang He, who was standing nearby, caught the key words, pricked up his ears, and moved a little closer.

"Well, as two giants in Jiaozhou's catering industry, occasional discussions are inevitable. Your Feiyan Restaurant must have criticized Leming Restaurant quite a bit."

"Of course, I never said I'm a sharp-tongued person. Besides, I'm a chef at Zhou Erwa's restaurant now, so what the chef at Leming Restaurant says has nothing to do with me," Awei said seriously. He understood the principle of "he who eats another's food is bound to him."

Huang Ying nodded: "That makes sense. When my old man is in a meeting, he'll say 'those bastards from Leming Hotel' all the time, and then he'll say 'I'll teach those bastards a lesson'."

“Look, they’re all the same,” Ah Wei laughed.

"You're a chef at Leming Restaurant, and you're almost old enough to graduate, so why did you come to Suji to work for Boss Zhou? Isn't Master Kong your grandmaster?" Huang Ying asked him curiously.

Ah Wei grinned: "Master Zhou is highly skilled. Learning from him is more reliable than learning from my master. Once I've mastered the craft, I want to become a famous chef in Jiaozhou like my uncles."

My mentor is getting old and busy teaching training classes; he's rarely in the kitchen. You can't make someone a master chef just by giving occasional pointers.

"You're quite clear-headed."

"Of course, the main reason is that Master Zhou gave so much."

"How much do you earn in a month?" Huang Ying asked curiously.

Ah Wei laughed and said, "Even if your Feiyan Restaurant offers double the price, I still won't go. I won't tell you."

"Tch, our Flying Swallow Restaurant has no shortage of people." Huang Ying scoffed.

"That's a bit disrespectful of me," Awei said, tilting his head.

"Then let's talk about it after you've learned Zhou Yan's cooking skills."

Ah Wei shrugged: "Then forget about it. Have you ever heard the poem, 'To repay your kindness on the golden platform, I would wield the jade dragon and die for you'?"

Huang Ying looked surprised: "Oh? You've been to school?"

Ah Wei: "..."

So insulting!
"Kukuku..."

Huang Bing covered his mouth and laughed, not expecting to see a skit during the break between the program announcements.

As expected, his sister is cute as long as she doesn't argue with him.

"You've got a tractor stuffed in your mouth?" Huang He rolled his eyes at him, glancing at Awei with a hint of wariness in his eyes.

"Do you know who the fourth-generation disciple of the Kong family is?" Zhao Shulan whispered to him.

Huang He said, "It must be Kong Guodong's apprentice. His face is exactly the same, and the horns on his head look like they could poke you."

Zhao Shulan couldn't help but laugh and punched him lightly. "How can you talk to a kid like that? You don't get along with Kong Guodong, what do you have to do with a kid? He has a square face and looks quite upright."

Huang He said, "From now on, we should keep Yingying away from him. That kid is glib and doesn't seem like a good person."

“You see, all the young people who get along with Yingying don’t seem like good people. Only Zhou Yan is someone you can stand,” Zhao Shulan said with a smile.

"Yingying is still young, only eighteen years old."

"Yes, I agree with that."

One program after another was presented, mostly group performances, creating a lively atmosphere.

There are many female workers in the textile factory, and many of them are young and beautiful, so their dancing is quite pleasing to the eye.

Zhou Yan was also watching with great interest, perhaps because his recent leisure life had been too boring, or perhaps because Xia Yao was sitting next to him, her arm seemingly brushing against his arm.

“Look at the third girl in the second row, she’s so pretty,” Awei pointed to Huang Ying.

"Look at that last one in the first row, he's so cute, he has such big eyes and such fair skin," Huang Ying pointed to him.

Zhou Momo sat on Wang Wei's lap for a while, then ran over to Huang Ying to eat snacks. Her little mouth never stopped, and her smile was radiant.

"The atmosphere is so lively! The workers' performances are completely different from the students' performances at school. They are more down-to-earth and closer to life and production, but just as vivid and interesting," Xia Yao said with a smile.

“Indeed, the programs were all prepared with great care,” Zhou Yan nodded.

Aunt Zhao and the others next to them were also very happy. Last year, Xiao Zhou brought them in to watch the cultural performance with tickets, but their seats were far back, away from the stage, and the viewing experience was not nearly as good as it was today.

"I'm going backstage to prepare now, see you later." During the Sichuan opera face-changing performance, Xia Yao handed her bag to Zhou Yan, got up, and crouched down to walk through the side passage into the backstage area.

"Brother, is Sister Yao Yao going to perform?" Zhou Momo asked curiously.

“Yes, it’s her turn soon.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. Up until now, he still didn’t know what song Xia Yao was going to sing.

The Sichuan opera face-changing performance was further enhanced with fire-breathing, bringing the atmosphere to a small climax.

The next program was a storytelling performance. The director of the textile factory's office was a funny, balding middle-aged man who loved Li Boqing's storytelling. After practicing diligently for several years, he was able to tell the story quite vividly, making the entire audience burst into laughter.

Zhou Yan had lost interest in listening to the storytelling and was just waiting for Xia Yao to come on stage. He found the ten-minute storytelling session rather long and tedious.

The storytelling ended, and applause rang out.

The host took the stage with a smile and said, "Next, Xia Yao, an intern from the marketing department, will perform a solo song, 'The Moon Represents My Heart.'"

"Xia Yao from the marketing department! She was the one who just told Zhou Yan that they were together."

"I really love listening to Teresa Teng's song 'The Moon Represents My Heart'! I've copied the cassette tape at home so many times that the sound is a bit blurry now."

"Popular songs from Hong Kong and Taiwan! This is the first time anyone has sung them at a cultural performance!"

The workers were talking excitedly, their faces full of anticipation.

On the model team's side, Sun Na stood with her arms crossed, her face dark.

Having been rejected by Zhou Yan and then having her claim to Xia Yao's dominance made her lose face.

She was quite a prominent figure in the textile factory, and many men were infatuated with her. But today, she stumbled on Zhou Yan, the guy who had written her love letters.

"Hmph, of all the things she could sing, she had to sing Teresa Teng's erotic songs. How could such decadent music be allowed on our arts festival stage?! I could tell at a glance that she's no good girl!" Sun Na mocked.

“Exactly! A vixen.” A close friend chimed in.

“Sun Na, what you’re saying is a bit much. The government loosened its control over cassette tapes and videotapes last year. Now you can buy Teresa Teng’s tapes in department stores. There’s no such thing as ‘pornographic songs’ anymore!” “Exactly. Xia Yao is a college student. She’s dating Zhou Yan openly and honestly. What kind of vixen is she? Some people who cheat on their partners behind the scenes are the real vixens.”

Someone in the modeling team immediately spoke up, saying that it wasn't that everyone was indulging Sun Na.

Many people disapprove of what Sun Na has done over the years.

Sun Na snorted and said sarcastically, "Teresa Teng's songs are not so easy to sing. An intern dares to sing them solo. He's got some nerve."

"Sister Yao Yao! Sister Yao Yao!" Zhou Momo had already run up and sat on Zhou Yan's lap, and I waved my little fists and shouted.

Zhou Yan and his group sat up straight, intently watching the stage.

Meng Anhe had already taken out her camera, ready to snap a photo.

The lights slowly dimmed, and footsteps could be heard.

The spotlight shone again, and Xia Yao, dressed in a flowing white dress, stood in the center of the stage. Her long hair was styled in an updo, with a few fluffy bangs framing her forehead. Her almond-shaped eyes were round and smiling, and she wore pearl earrings. She had a slender waist, a straight back, and a dignified and elegant posture, exuding a gentle and beautiful temperament.

"Wow--"

"This girl is so pretty! This dress really suits her!"

"My goodness! This is exactly what I imagined Teresa Teng would look like!"

There was an uproar in the audience.

Almost everyone was amazed by Xia Yao's appearance.

Even the model team members showed expressions of amazement.

Sun Na clenched her fists, her teeth itching with anger. She hadn't expected her to be so cunning, wearing such a beautiful dress under her wool coat.

Zhou Yan's eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

is it beautiful?
His girlfriend!

The accompaniment sounds.

"You ask me how deep my love for you is, how much I love you..."

Xia Yao's sweet and gentle voice rang out, clear and warm, like moonlight falling on earth.

The room quickly quieted down as everyone listened intently, their expressions a mixture of amazement and rapt attention.

Zhou Yan looked at her, the stage spotlight shining on her, as if she were glowing.

This was the first time he had heard Xia Yao sing, and he hadn't expected her to sing so well. Every word was clear, her breaths were silent, and her tone was clean and clear.

Xia Yao's gaze pierced through the crowd and found Zhou Yan. Her eyes were gentle, smiling, and full of affection.
"Think about it, look at it, the moon represents my heart..."

Zhou Yan didn't usually like listening to old songs, but today he suddenly fell in love with this song, which gently and softly touched his heart.

As the verses ended, the audience erupted in applause and cheers.

Even the factory leaders in the first and second rows clapped until their hands were red.

Teresa Teng's songs have swept the globe in recent years, crossing mountains and seas. Wherever there are Chinese people, there is her voice. The more it is banned in China, the wider it spreads.

If you can't buy it at the supply and marketing cooperative, go to the black market. If you can't buy it at the black market, borrow someone else's tape to copy it. The sound of the copied tape is different, but I still love listening to it.

But a cassette tape and a live performance are completely different experiences.

Xia Yao's performance was a feast for both the eyes and ears, captivating everyone.

Many people turned their gaze toward Zhou Yan.

There was envy, there was jealousy, but there were also smiling blessings.

Ah Wei consciously moved aside, making way for Zhou Yan, and said to Huang Ying with schadenfreude, "If looks could kill, Master Zhou would be riddled with arrows by now. He must be terrified."

Huang Ying glanced at him: "Sister Yao Yao sang this song for him. Look how happy he is, so pleased with himself. Awei, you don't understand."

"Yao Yao sang so well! I feel like she could compete for best performance tonight!" Wang Wei clapped until her hands were red, her expression excited. She turned to look at Zhou Yan, "Zhou Yan, you really have to treat her well, you've struck gold!"

"I will." Zhou Yan smiled and nodded. This was his treasure girl.

"Sister Yao Yao sings so well~~ Sister Yao Yao, I love you!!" Zhou Momo was very happy and shouted along in her childish voice.

The singing resumed, and the venue quickly quieted down again as everyone listened attentively to her voice.

After the song ended, Xia Yao nodded slightly: "Thank you."

The scene fell silent for a moment, then erupted in applause. Many people stood up to applaud her, and cheers rose in waves.

Almost everyone was captivated by her singing.

"Hmph...Hmph..." Sun Na hummed twice, but couldn't say anything else. Her previous words were like a boomerang that slapped her across the face.

Xia Yao is not only beautiful and capable at work, but she also sings so well!

In comparison, she's like a joke.

Looking at the thunderous applause from the audience, Xia Yao smiled, lifted a corner of her skirt, and bowed slightly in thanks, elegant and beautiful.

This scene tonight will likely be etched in the minds of many, and they will never forget it.

Click!Click!
Meng Anhe pressed the shutter button repeatedly, her face full of a proud smile.

Xia Yao slowly walked off the stage, the spotlight following her all the way.

Without a doubt, she was the brightest singer on stage tonight.

The host came on stage and began announcing the next program.

After a while, Xia Yao put on her wool coat and came out from backstage to return to her seat.

As she walked along, countless eyes were on her, and many people greeted her.

She simply nodded slightly, sat down next to Zhou Yan, and then smiled, asking in a slightly coquettish voice, "Was I off-key? Did it sound good?"

"It sounds wonderful. I thought it was Teresa Teng herself singing it," Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

"Giggle..." Xia Yao covered her mouth, her laughter already distorted by Zhou Momo.

"Sister Yao Yao, you sing so well!" Zhou Momo looked at her with admiration, her eyes revealing a clear naivety.

"Thank you, Momo. I'll sing for you again next time~" Xia Yao smiled and pinched Zhou Momo's cheek.

Wang Wei looked at her admiringly and said, "Yao Yao, you're amazing! You sang so well. If I could vote, I would definitely vote for you as the best performance tonight."

"Your grandpa should have a key vote," Zhou Yan chimed in, his voice laced with encouragement.

"I'll go right away!" Wang Wei readily agreed and was about to get up.

"Weiwei, don't listen to him. Everyone's performance was wonderful. We need to be fair and just." Xia Yao quickly pulled Wang Wei back, gently patted Zhou Yan's leg, and said seriously while suppressing her laughter, "Shh, don't do that."

"Oh." Zhou Yan nodded obediently.

"Sister Yao Yao, I think you can be a singer or a star." Huang Ying leaned closer and looked at Xia Yao, saying, "Otherwise, it would be such a waste of your beautiful face and clear, melodious voice."

Huang Ying is an absolute fan of Hong Kong and Taiwan music. She has a whole box of cassette tapes at home, and her father always manages to buy her the latest ones. Her favorite music is Teresa Teng.

Xia Yao's performance today was truly astonishing.

"Celebrities and singers are out of the question. I still prefer drawing and being a designer," Xia Yao said with a smile, her tone confident.

Meng Anhe and Zhao Tieying also showered them with praise, their faces full of pride.

After the acrobatic performance, the final act was a fashion show by the textile factory's model team.

This team of twenty models was selected from more than two thousand female textile workers; each of them is tall, beautiful, and charming.

They were wearing the new clothes that the textile factory was about to release in 1985, including winter styles and spring/summer styles for the following year, mainly cheongsams, which perfectly showcased the girls' figures.

Photographers and videographers from various newspapers and television stations in Jiaozhou set up their cameras and took a series of shots, while the textile factory's own videographers also secured good positions and captured many photos.

The annual cultural performance also serves as a new product launch.

Today, besides factory leaders, customers are also sitting in the front row. The fashion show is the highlight of the entire cultural performance.

"That purple cheongsam is so beautiful, the style is really nice." Meng Anhe pressed the shutter.

“Hmm, purple has a lot of charm,” Lin Zhiqiang said. “That’s a new summer product this year. I’ll go to the production department and see if they have your size. I’ll buy one for you through the internal purchase program.”

"Old Lin, you're so kind," Meng Anhe said happily, then turned to Zhao Tieying, "Sister Ying, do you see if there are any styles you like? I'll ask Old Lin to help you ask around. With your figure, you'd definitely look good in a cheongsam."

“I…I can’t, I’ve never worn a cheongsam before. My calves are thick, they don’t look good on me, but your calves are thin and straight, they look good on you.” Zhao Tieying waved her hands repeatedly, then whispered in her ear, “And the slits are so high, I’m a little embarrassed to wear them.”

"Actually, Sister Ying, your calves aren't thick at all. They're more like athletic and powerful legs." Meng Anhe smiled and pointed to the stage, saying, "Look at that burgundy, modified long cheongsam. It covers half of your calves, and the skirt is loose with no high slits, so it's easy to move around in. It should really suit your skin tone."

It looks like a thicker version, suitable for layering in winter. You could wear it underneath a wool coat, and it would look great.

"She's really quite pretty." Zhao Tieying looked up and her eyes lit up.

"Zhiqiang, can you buy me one? I'll pay you back later," Zhou Miao said.

“Okay, the winter styles are in stock; several batches have already been shipped.” Lin Zhiqiang nodded.

"Your husband is still pretty good, isn't he?" Meng Anhe teased.

"Hmm, his mouth is a bit wooden, but he's still reliable when it comes to getting things done." Zhao Tieying nodded, his upturned lips revealing his smugness.

The models finished their fashion show to thunderous applause.

The models are beautiful, and the clothes they wear are a display of the work achievements of all the textile factory employees.

The applause was for the model team, but also for all the textile factory workers.

Next up is the awards ceremony for tonight's cultural performance.

The programs that received the loudest applause tonight were mostly successful.

The most prestigious award is for Best Program, with the suspense kept until the very end. In previous years, the award was usually won by models walking the runway.

"The winner of tonight's program of the night is..." The host paused.

"The moon represents my heart!"

"Xia Yao!"

"Fashion show!"

The audience's voices rose and fell, each expressing their own favorite performance, with "The Moon Represents My Heart" being the most popular.

The model team had just received an award for outstanding team, and they all looked a little nervous standing offstage.

The Best Performance award is not only the highest honor in the arts festival, but also comes with a 50 yuan prize and a mystery gift.

The textile factory was doing well, and the prizes were quite generous. Last year, their model team won the best performance award, and the prize was a set of high-end skincare products for each person, which made everyone very happy.

Xia Yao remained calm, her hand hanging by her side tightly gripping Zhou Yan's hand, clearly still somewhat expectant.

After building up everyone's anticipation, the host announced loudly, "Best performance: Xia Yao's solo, 'The Moon Represents My Heart'!"

　No extra update today. I couldn't sleep all night last night. I'll go to bed early tonight and update earlier tomorrow!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)