1996: Starting from a bankrupt farmhouse restaurant

Chapter 144 Spicy Paste

"Why are you here?" Lu Yuan rode his bicycle to the riverbank and stopped next to Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan pouted and said, "Someone's only focused on making money lately, and hasn't had time to care about me!"

"Look at what you're saying, that's why I came to find you as soon as I made some money!" Lu Yuan leaned closer, looking at the direction Zhao Yan's camera was pointing, and asked, "What are you taking pictures of, so seriously?"

"I was trying to take pictures of the sunset, but I ended up with a pig's head!" Zhao Yan said irritably, then pointed towards the small bridge and said, "It's all your fault, we can't get a good shot now!"

The sun had already set halfway down, leaving only a sliver of its afterglow struggling to maintain its glow.

It's already late September, and summer, like the setting sun, is making its presence felt.

But the bleak autumn wind could not stop the remaining fallen leaves from being blown away, bringing a chill that grew colder day by day.

Zhao Yan was wearing a white shirt with an orange short-sleeved shirt underneath, and her long black hair was neatly draped over her shoulders.

The wind was strong by the river, and a cool breeze swept by, causing Zhao Yan to unconsciously hug her arms tighter.

The loose shirt was filled with a cool breeze, her long black hair fluttered in the wind, and the way she held the camera in her hand gave her a kind of artistic goddess vibe.

The wind grew stronger, and the stubborn Zhao Yan still wanted to find an angle to photograph the setting sun, but the wind blew her hair and she couldn't get it in place no matter what she did.

"It's too windy, let's go back first. I'll come with you to shoot again tomorrow," Lu Yuan said.

"No, you hold my hair down for me." Zhao Yan was a little unconvinced; the stronger the wind, the more she wanted to take this kind of photo.

Unable to refuse, Lu Yuan stood behind Zhao Yan, gathered her hair from both sides of her face, and pulled it down to her back.

Just as he gathered her hair, Lu Yuan's fingertips brushed against Zhao Yan's face. Her smooth, delicate, baby-like skin sent a shiver through Lu Yuan's fingers and made his heart skip a beat.

Click!

Zhao Yan finally finished taking the photos and smiled with satisfaction, a faint blush appearing on her face.

Lu Yuan loosened his hair and said, "Let's go, haven't you eaten yet? I'll make you something delicious!"

Lu Yuan pushed his bicycle over, stepped over the crossbeam, patted the back seat, and said, "Get on."

"Lu Yuan, ride carefully!" Zhao Yan took two steps back, aimed, and jumped onto the back seat of the bicycle.

Lu Yuan didn't ride. He turned around and looked at Zhao Yan with her legs spread apart, straddling the back seat. He said speechlessly, "Zhao Yan, it's embarrassing for me to sit like that. It makes me feel like your dad."

"Ouch!" Zhao Yan punched Lu Yuan's kidneys twice and said, "This is how I rode my dad's bicycle when I was little!"

'

"Isn't that just like your dad? What girl rides a bicycle like that?" Lu Yuan continued speechlessly, "Have you seen 'Sweet Honey'? You have to sit sideways, perpendicular to me at a 90-degree angle!"

"Why are you making such a fuss!" Zhao Yan said reluctantly, but her body still honestly adjusted so that her legs were on the same side, and she sat sideways on the back seat.

"That's more like it!" Lu Yuan chuckled and started pedaling his bicycle.

The wind was still howling, but with Lu Yuan blocking the way, Zhao Yan couldn't feel much wind. She thought to herself that this guy was so tall and strong, but he was still somewhat useful.

However, she suddenly remembered something and grabbed Lu Yuan's waist, asking, "Do you often bring girls in the back seat?"

Why is that?

"No, no, don't talk nonsense! You're going to ruin my innocence!" Lu Yuan yelled, riding his bike with jerky movements.

Suddenly, she bumped into a rock, and with the inertia, Zhao Yan pressed her whole body against Lu Yuan's, her hand that was gripping Lu Yuan's waist instinctively wrapping around his waist as well.

Zhao Yan's soft, delicate body made Lu Yuan's mind wander.

After Zhao Yan realized that her posture was not quite right, she tried to pull her hand back and create some distance.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yuan's dog-like paw directly grabbed the delicate hand on his waist, falsely accusing him: "Zhao Yan, how come you're so good at this? Confess honestly, how many boys have you sat on the back of?"

"You bad guy! Let me go!" Zhao Yan blushed as she felt her body rubbing against Lu Yuan's back.

She struggled for a moment, but when she realized she couldn't free her hand, she used her other hand to grab Lu Yuan's waist.

"Ouch!" Lu Yuan cried out in pain and finally released Zhao Yan's hand.

Once free, Zhao Yan immediately grabbed Lu Yuan's waist with both hands and twisted it hard.

Lu Yuan immediately started crowing like a rooster all the way back.

When the car stopped in front of Xiao Lu's farmhouse restaurant, Lu Yuan finally finished his ordeal and immediately gasped for breath.

"Zhaoyan, if I ruin half my life, you have to take responsibility!" Lu Yuan's voice was weak.

"Dream on! Go cook for me!" Zhao Yan glared at Lu Yuan angrily and went back to her room to put away her camera.

Lu Yuan was a little confused. It was clearly his back injury that made her angry.

Lu Yuan rubbed his kidneys and returned to the kitchen to prepare today's special dish: spicy hot pot.

Spicy porridge is a unique snack from northern China, and this is the name it was given after the standardization of its name in later generations.

Now there are also things called spicy skewers, mala skewers, and cold skewers—a wide variety, but the form has changed.

It has become relatively unified.

The most distinctive feature of spicy porridge is that it contains no oil. Of course, some people in later generations invented ways to make it with oil, but that is considered heretical and has deviated from the spirit of spicy porridge.

Making the base for the spicy paste is also very simple. Just grind local chili powder, spice powder, nut powder, salt, and seasonings into powder in the right proportions.

Because it doesn't contain oil, a lot of spicy paste base needs to be added to maintain a rich flavor, which results in the soup not being clear enough and having a sticky, greasy feel.

So the broth is like a thick paste, which easily clings to the skewers, which is why everyone calls it spicy paste.

Also because it's oil-free, spicy porridge is a great way to satisfy cravings during a weight loss period. The only thing to note is that it's high in sodium.

The simplest form of spicy broth is sold on street tricycles carrying a large pot containing spicy broth and cooked skewers, which can be bought and eaten on the spot, making it very quick.

In later generations, people in the northern regions would sell spicy stew together with oden and fried skewers.

It is sold in the same way as oden, cooked in square grids, and can be eaten as you buy it.

This way of eating can be done hot or cold. Another way is to cook the skewers and coat them with sauce, then put them in a bowl and take them as you go. This way, you get the spicy and numbing flavor of cold skewers.

The most complex form is spicy hot pot.

It's eaten the same way as hot pot, but the ingredients in spicy hot pot are mostly skewered on bamboo sticks.

Because most of the side dishes for spicy broth are vegetables, they cook quickly and are easy to put into the pot and take out with bamboo skewers.

The most classic ingredients for spicy soup include potato slices, bean curd sheets, bean curd sticks, and beef tendon noodles, especially beef tendon noodles, which have many holes and absorb the soup well, making them very delicious.

Since there were no induction cookers available these days, Lu Yuan took out the charcoal-fired copper stove he had bought before.

After adding enough charcoal, pour the spicy broth base into the pot, followed by their signature stock.

The spicy broth base was something he had casually prepared beforehand, which was no secret in later generations.

He also has a secret weapon that he learned from a shop owner who specializes in spicy porridge years ago.

Add milk powder!

The soup base will have a more pronounced thick consistency, and the milk powder will add a rich aroma.

Lu Yuan started the pot to heat up, and while he was at it, he went to the hot pot restaurant and got a lot of skewers, saving him the trouble of cutting them himself.

It has to be said that all the shops in the row are owned by the family, so it's very convenient to eat whatever you want.

However, when he was getting the skewers, the old lady teased him a bit: "You've been secretly giving Teacher Xiao Zhao special treatment again, haven't you? Xiao Yuan, why don't you bring a bottle of Erguotou and just make it a done deal? Such a pretty girl would be wonderful to have as a wife in our village!"

The old woman's outrageous words made the other women giggle, and Lu Yuan could only flee the scene in a sorry state.

Hearing this kind of talk too often can really get to you.

The only shop in the village was run by my great-uncle, and getting a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) was a piece of cake.

Back at Xiao Lu's farmhouse restaurant, Zhao Yan was staring curiously at the bubbling soup.

Zhao Yan changed into a dark green tracksuit and wore a headband, instantly switching from an artistic goddess style to a girl-next-door style.

"What is this? It smells delicious, but it doesn't taste like hot pot," Zhao Yan asked curiously.

Lu Yuan explained, "This is called 'Spicy Hu Hu.' You can find this kind of snack outside schools in Saibei City. It'll give you a taste of what student life is like in Saibei!"

As Lu Yuan spoke, he stuffed all the skewers into the pot.

He then used his chopsticks to push the part of the tail that wasn't submerged in the soup forward a little more.

Zhao Yan looked at the bubbling pot, her eyes gleaming with envy, and asked, "Why is it called Spicy Stew?"

Lu Yuan smiled knowingly: "You'll know once you try it. Come on, eat!"

Lu Yuan scooped up a skewer of beef tendon noodles and handed it to Zhao Yan, who took it in surprise and said, "So fast?"

"They're already cooked, just blanch them and you can eat them." Lu Yuan didn't rush to eat them, but kept turning the skewers over.

The white beef tendon noodles, after being bathed in a spicy broth, are coated with a thick, red sauce.

Zhao Yan put it to her lips and blew on it twice before eagerly putting it in her mouth.

"Hot! It smells so good!" Zhao Yan slurped and chewed the beef tendon noodles vigorously.

The smooth texture and the incredibly spicy flavor made her want to take another bite despite the heat.

The taste of spicy broth and hot pot is actually quite different. The flavor of hot pot is mainly reflected in its rich, oily aroma.

Spicy porridge, on the other hand, has a more direct savory flavor. Although it doesn't contain oil, it's not bland at all.

Seeing that Zhao Yan had finished eating the beef tendon noodles, he placed a string of boiled quail eggs on Zhao Yan's plate.

"The quail eggs are very hot inside, so don't eat them too quickly," Lu Yuan advised as he turned the skewers.

Zhao Yan nodded vigorously and obediently blew on the quail egg.

"Eat this first, the quail eggs won't cool down if you blow on them." Lu Yuan then handed the tofu skin to Zhao Yan.

"Okay!" Zhao Yan took the tofu skin and then put the quail eggs aside.

Lu Yuan cooked it perfectly, the tofu skin was not mushy at all, and it maintained its sufficient elasticity.

After being soaked in broth, the beany smell of the tofu skin is completely suppressed, leaving only the beany aroma that comes through in the spicy flavor.

And so, Zhao Yan waited expectantly, like a kitten waiting to be fed, for Lu Yuan to put the skewers on her plate.

Her little mouth was all red from eating. Suddenly, Zhao Yan pointed to her mouth and said, "Now I know why it's called 'spicy gruel.' Look, my mouth is almost grueled up."

Zhao Yan pouted and leaned forward to let Lu Yuan see.

Lu Yuan looked at it carefully, picked up a tissue, and wiped the sauce off Zhao Yan's lips.

Hmm~ It looks better this way!

"You're so annoying, this doesn't taste good at all!" Zhao Yan pouted, pulled back her lips, picked up another potato slice, and started eating.

Lu Yuan suddenly smiled mysteriously and said, "What you ate before was just an appetizer. Now you're about to witness the true soul of this spicy stew!"

Lu Yuan picked up a packet of instant noodles, opened it, took out the noodle cake, and put it into the soup base.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Yan looked at her with disdain and said, "Didn't you say that you can't eat instant noodles in restaurants?"

Lu Yuan immediately declared righteously, "Is this instant noodles? This is the soul of spicy goodness!"

"You're the one who says it right or wrong, you always say the nice things!" Zhao Yan still looked at her with disdain.

Lu Yuan ignored her, instead picking up a mouthful of instant noodles with his chopsticks and asking aloofly, "Want some or not?"

"Eat, eat, eat!" Zhao Yan's eyes immediately lit up with excitement as she looked at the instant noodles covered in red broth.

Instant noodles are too greasy if you put them in a hot pot, but they're perfect when you put them in a spicy soup.

The spicy stew had been simmering for a long time, and the surrounding area was already filled with steam. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Zhaoyan's forehead.

Lu Yuan got up, grabbed two bottles of iced cola, and handed one to Zhao Yan.

As Zhao Yan unscrewed the switch, she said, "We have a 3-day holiday for National Day. I'll ask for another day, and then add the 2 weekend days, for a total of 6 days. I need to go back to the capital then."

Lu Yuan placed his opened can of cola in front of Zhao Yan, then took the unopened one from her hand and said, "Okay, give me your ID card."

Zhao Yan asked warily, "What? You won't let me leave?"

"I'll buy you a plane ticket, but you're in class, how would you have time to buy one?" Lu Yuan said speechlessly, glancing sideways at her. "You, Zhao Yan, I treat you to good food and drink, and this is all you think about me!"

Zhao Yan immediately waved her hand, her face slightly flushed: "Lu Yuan, you've really misunderstood. In my heart, you've always been a good person!"

"Pah!" Lu Yuan immediately stopped him. "So you're starting to insult me ​​now, aren't you?"

Zhao Yan was completely confused and explained, "I was originally planning to drive back!"

Lu Yuan said irritably, "Are you stupid? Driving back takes four days round trip, and you're just going to stay home for two days?"

These days, the highways aren't even finished yet. Lu Yuan calculated for her for two days, and that's assuming she didn't get lost.

At this moment, Zhao Yan suddenly lowered her head and whispered, "I'm just out of money!"

Lu Yuan felt a little dizzy listening to this, thinking to himself that this girl was too honest and might even be going back to ask for money.

So he tentatively asked, "You gave me all the money to open the cafeteria, didn't you keep any for yourself?"

"A little, but not enough to buy a plane ticket!" Zhao Yan hunched over, scooping up vegetables that had escaped from the bamboo skewers in the pot.

Lu Yuan found that he couldn't stand Zhao Yan's pitiful appearance, so he got up and went to the front desk to get a wad of cash and a notebook.

Lu Yuan counted out 20 blue bills and handed them to Zhao Yan. Then he opened his notebook and placed it in front of her: "Take this 2000 yuan and use it on your way. Then write down your account information. I'll return the money I used to open the cafeteria to you. I'll take care of the cafeteria's expenses from now on."

Zhao Yan accepted the 2000 yuan, but quickly closed the notebook and pushed it back to Lu Yuandao: "This won't do. The cafeteria is called Zhao Yan Charity Cafeteria. What does it have to do with you? And it's not just the 15 yuan; I'll be managing it until this school ceases to exist!"

Then Zhao Yan flicked the banknotes in her hand and said with a smile, "Consider this a loan from me. Your sister is rich, don't worry about it!"

After the meal, Zhao Yan handed her ID card to Lu Yuan, and the ID card truly amazed him.

Because her looks are so stunning, even without makeup and in direct shots, she looks flawless.

In the room, Zhao Yan looked at the stack of money on the table and felt a warm glow in her heart.

She didn't expect that Lu Yuan would immediately give her a wad of cash after learning about her situation.

It's undeniable that it's heartwarming to have your needs met so quickly.

No wonder when she was in college, she often heard about which girl was being kept by a boss.

If someone who is not short of money is moved, it's not surprising that girls who are short of money would offer themselves to him.

In the spice shop in the county town, Lu Hua peered out the window of the inner room, carefully watching every passerby.

In the past few days, he and other villagers have taken turns going to Tangguan Village to find out who the new people who took over the shop are.

The man whose mask was pulled down that day was named Guan Wu. He and his cousin took over Wang Facai's shop.

I've been struggling to figure out how to make stir-fried lamb lately, because everyone goes to Lu's restaurant specifically for this dish.

If he can't make this dish, then he's essentially taken over the restaurant for nothing.

Fortunately, through a series of messages, Guan Wu learned that the reason why the Lu family's restaurant was able to make this dish was because of a certain ingredient that they bought from a spice shop in the county town.

This made him extremely happy. He thought to himself that Lu Yuan was really cunning. No wonder he had been wandering around the town for so many days without being able to get any information out of him.

Suddenly, Lu Hua saw Guan Wu and another person coming out of a spice shop and walking this way, and immediately called out to them.

"They're here, get ready!"

As soon as Guan Wu entered the spice shop, he heard the owner and two customers having a heated conversation.

The customer said, "Boss, please be kind and sell it to me! How can you sell seasonings in quantities of 100 jin or more?"

The shopkeeper flatly refused, saying, "Stop wasting your breath. These are seasonings I supply exclusively to Luwangtan Village. People usually buy them in quantities of 100 jin (50 catties) or more. Why would I bother if you only take a tiny bit?"

Guan Wu's eyes lit up when he heard the words "Lu Wang Tan Village," and he immediately leaned closer to eavesdrop.

The customer pleaded again, "I spent 10,000 yuan to learn how to stir-fry lamb from the villagers of Luwangtan Village. How can I afford to buy 100 jin (50 catties)?"

After hearing this, the boss impatiently said, "Get out, get out! If you don't have money, don't delay my business."

The owner then warmly asked Guan Wu, "What would you like to order, sir?"