Rebirth 07: Starting with Saving a Bankrupt Restaurant

One bite of the cold shredded salad completely whets the appetite.

Both lettuce and shredded radish are quite crisp and tender, and when combined with chewy glass noodles, the texture is simply amazing.

Cold mixed shredded vegetables is actually a fairly common dish. Not to mention restaurants, it's also something that people often make at home in the summer.

But I don't know why, the cold shredded vegetables I make at home taste so different from those at Zhou's Restaurant.

That makes sense, considering they own a restaurant.

However, as I ate, I felt something was missing. After all, I had tasted hand-shredded spicy chicken and sliced ​​beef and tripe in chili sauce before, and this purely vegetarian cold dish just didn't taste the same as those meat-based cold dishes.

It tastes good, but it lacks the satisfying feeling of eating meat.

If only the owner could make this cold shredded meat salad taste like those cold meat dishes, the customer thought, shaking his head and smiling.

What am I thinking?

If someone could really make vegetarian dishes taste like meat dishes, wouldn't the boss be a god?

However, it seems that people have become somewhat accustomed to the simple taste? If the taste is bad, then there is a big problem.

After taking another bite, the diner turned their attention to the condiments on the table.

The diner opened the jar of chili peppers on the table and added two spoonfuls of chili peppers to the shredded vegetables.

After mixing the chili peppers and shredded vegetables evenly, he took a bite and nodded, saying, "Hmm! The chili peppers the boss makes are really good. Adding these chili peppers makes the whole flavor different."

The chili peppers in the store are actually consumed quite quickly; a full jar of chili peppers is often emptied within a few days.

First of all, many of the dishes in the store can be paired with this chili sauce, and there is no waste. Even if there is waste, Shi Ying will stop it.

Secondly, because of the hot weather, many people often like to eat some strong-flavored foods to stimulate their appetite.

This phenomenon is actually not common in restaurants.

The condiments in other restaurants always feel sticky to the touch, and when you open them, the color is off or they seem to have been sitting out for a long time.

When the oil-splashed noodles arrived, a bite of the icy-cold shredded vegetables paired with a bite of the oil-splashed noodles bursting with the aroma of oil and chili was simply too comforting.

It seems like the happiest moment of my day is when I come to a restaurant to eat.

When the customers first entered the restaurant, they were surprised that the restaurant was introducing a new dish every other day, and they were worried that the taste might be affected by the frequent introduction of new dishes.

But it seems that such a thing does not exist at all.

Eating at the restaurant made me feel much more relaxed.

When I have a holiday, I'll get another takeout of sliced ​​beef and tripe in chili sauce, fried chicken skin, and roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) to take home with a beer.

Just thinking about that feeling is exciting.

Thinking about it, the fatigue of the day faded away without me even realizing it, and I was full of energy again.

When only a little bit of the shredded vegetables was left, the diners simply poured it into the oil-splashed noodles.

The oil-splashed noodles have a unique texture with the addition of shredded vegetables, making them a completely new and delicious dish.

The emergence of cold shredded vegetables also provides a good option for workers who are reluctant to spend money.

People like Li Lichun, who work in factories and earn a decent salary, and aren't considered migrant workers, often order extra dishes to satisfy their cravings.

In addition, the three shredded ingredients also include vermicelli, so it's a great choice for them. Two or three workers can share one portion, and then have a bowl of fried rice or fried noodles for seven yuan.

At this rate, the average cost per person would probably be just over ten yuan.

Two days have passed in the blink of an eye, and judging from the sales feedback, the hot dry noodles and cold shredded vegetables are performing relatively normally.

Cold shredded vegetables are better than hot dry noodles, since they are a cold dish and cheaper.

"Boss."

Zhou Wen, who was working in the kitchen, heard Shan Wei's shout and thought something was wrong. Shan Wei usually wouldn't call Zhou Wen unless there was something wrong, like a few days ago when he wanted to get an advance on his salary.

Zhou Wen put down his work and turned to look at Shan Wei.

"There's something I'd like to discuss with you," Shan Wei said, scratching the back of his head.

Perhaps noticing the somewhat complicated look in Zhou Wen's eyes, Shan Wei quickly said, "It's not about wages."

Zhou Wen nodded: "Just say what's on your mind."

"Um... I have a friend who wants to have lunch at the restaurant around noon."

Perhaps there was something ambiguous in what he said, so Shan Wei quickly tried to clarify.

"I'll pay you later, or you can just deduct it from my salary."

It's likely that Shan Wei talked to his friends about something, and as a young man, he probably made some promise on a whim while hanging out with them.

As someone who had been through similar experiences, Zhou Wen didn't want to offend Shan Wei.

Such a small thing is really no big deal; it's just a matter of having an extra pair of chopsticks and an extra bowl of rice.

"No need, it's just an extra set of chopsticks and a bowl," Zhou Wen said.

Upon hearing this, Shan Wei was overjoyed: "Thank you, boss."

Zhou Wen waved his hand.

Having benefited from this, Shan Wei worked exceptionally hard afterward, something Zhou Wen had become accustomed to.

The same applies to things like being late before, and the advance payment of wages these past few days.

After the restaurant closed for a break at noon.

"Has your friend not arrived yet?"

Shi Ying also learned that Shan Wei had a friend coming to the restaurant for lunch today.

Dan Wei picked up his phone and glanced at it, then looked outside the store and said, "I already sent a message, they'll probably be here in a bit."

After a few minutes, Shan Wei kept peeking out from the window.

Finally, he said, "I'm here."

After saying that, he quickly walked outside the store.

"Ren Xuan, you're here?" Shan Wei greeted her warmly.

The girl called Ren Xuan simply nodded coldly at Shan Wei's greeting, and then began to look around the Zhouji Restaurant.

"Shan Wei, is this the restaurant you're talking about?" The girl who spoke was of average appearance, but she knew how to dress well.

She wore a white patterned T-shirt on top and light blue jeans on the bottom. If you only looked at her from behind, she would definitely be a killer from behind.

"And why did you come out wearing only an apron?"

Shan Wei glanced at the slightly oily apron and explained, "I wear it when I'm working."

"It's quite hot outside, shall we go inside?"

The girl frowned, glanced at the restaurant, and said with some disdain, "How about we go to the nearby mall and find a McDonald's?"

Back in 07, McDonald's was indeed considered a somewhat upscale restaurant, both in terms of taste and ambiance.

"This place doesn't look very good to me. Or shall we go to that restaurant across the street? I glanced at it when I came here and it seemed quite crowded. I guess the food must be pretty good."

The restaurant Ren Xuan was referring to was Ruyi Hotel.