Braised Pork Rib Noodles + Fish-flavored Tofu + Yellow-braised Chicken
Both of them looked bewildered.
Grandpa Liu was even more bewildered than they were. "Didn't you two ask your daughter to inquire if the third-floor apartment is for rent?"
Renting a house was no small matter for a family these days. Grandpa Liu subconsciously assumed it must have been the adults' idea to have the child go and test the waters.
As it turned out, looking at the couple's reaction, they clearly didn't have a clue?
Three pairs of eyes turned toward Ye Congxi simultaneously.
Ye Congxi's expression remained calm. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Since Zhang Apo's neighbor moved out, I thought that area seemed very quiet and the environment was nice. I want to move there."
Lin Qiujiao hesitated slightly. "The rent over there won't be cheap, will it?"
Ye Congxi said, "It'll definitely be more expensive than where we are now."
They had rented this apartment for seventeen or eighteen years. The rent had only increased once back in 1980. Not long after, the landlord went abroad and told Ye Daxian to deposit the rent into a bankbook every month.
To this day, they hadn't seen the landlord again, and the rent had never been raised since.
Lin Qiujiao lowered her voice. "Then… can we afford to rent it?"
Ye Congxi smiled and said, "Why couldn't we? No matter how expensive it is, it's only a hundred or so a month. Mom, look at our business now. Is earning a hundred or so a difficult thing? Here… pack this pancake."
A customer was already pressing them, so Lin Qiujiao hurried to get a bag.
Ye Daxian stood up in a daze and took back the spatula.
…If they moved to the side of the River Yong, their monthly expenses would be much higher than they were now.
His daughter would be starting school next month. He couldn't keep letting her come out to man the stall; she had to study.
The family still had to rely on him to hold things up.
Selling Potato Thread Pancakes was a flexible job with no boss to answer to, and it earned more than doing odd jobs at the factory.
He had to master the technique. Even if his other stir-fried dishes weren't great and he couldn't run the Lunch Box business without his daughter's help, he could still make a decent living just with these pancakes as a fallback.
As Ye Daxian thought this, he worked even harder at frying the Potato Thread Pancakes.
After closing the stall, Ye Daxian heated water in the courtyard.
Lin Qiujiao was scrubbing the wok. As she scrubbed, she let out a wide yawn.
Ye Daxian smiled. "Sleepy? Once the water is hot, go take a bath and head to bed."
Lin Qiujiao rinsed the suds off the wok. "Let Xiao Xi wash first so she can get to sleep early."
Ye Daxian went into the house and came back out, his voice slightly lower. "She said you should wash first. She still needs to study."
Lin Qiujiao poked her head into the house and leaned against Ye Daxian’s back. "Being young is so good. After a whole day, she still has the energy to study. Why am I so tired?"
Ye Daxian massaged her shoulders. "It's tiring, but we’re making good money. Did you see how much we made today just from the Potato Thread Pancakes?"
Lin Qiujiao pursed her lips, feeling a little like crying.
They seemed to have earned a lot, but she didn't have much of a real sense of it yet.
Other than their three daily meals tasting better than before, not much else had changed. In fact, things used to be a bit more relaxed.
Early the next morning.
The street outside was noisy with people.
Lin Qiujiao rolled over. She slept right by the window and was woken by the footsteps and voices of passersby.
After getting out of bed, Lin Qiujiao heard the low sound of reciting coming from the room.
She gently pushed the door open a crack and saw her daughter with two cotton balls stuffed in her ears, buried in her books.
Lin Qiujiao's heart softened, and she quietly closed the door.
Once Ye Daxian was up, Ye Congxi closed her books and followed her father to the vegetable market.
At the pork stall, the owner was butchering meat, the sound of the knife falling crisp and clean.
Ye Congxi picked out a rack of ribs and then went to the next stall to buy a bag of Handmade Noodles.
She had everything planned: "We're having Braised Pork Rib Noodles for breakfast."
After buying their breakfast ingredients, she bought some wood ear mushrooms, chili peppers, and tofu.
They had served Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes as the vegetable dish for two days straight. Fearing the customers would get bored, she decided to change things up today with Fish-flavored Tofu.
The potatoes at home couldn't go to waste either. Ye Congxi picked out several large chicken drumsticks and decided on Yellow-braised Chicken for the meat dish.
In later years, almost all Yellow-braised Chicken on the market would be pre-prepared, but the version she made in restaurants was always freshly stir-fried with fresh chicken. it was incredibly popular; many customers would order it even when the boss priced it at sixty-eight yuan a portion.
Back at home, Ye Congxi first blanched the ribs and stir-fried them to produce a Caramel Color. She splashed in light and dark soy sauce to release the aroma, adding Star Anise and Bay Leaves to braise. Once the ribs were tender, she scooped out the spice filter bag.
The rib broth in the pot gave off a dark, brilliant, and inviting savory aroma. She tossed in the half-cooked Handmade Noodles to finish cooking in the broth, then ladled them out and sprinkled them with chopped Scallion and Coriander.
With a toss of the chopsticks, the scallions mixed with the rib broth, not only cutting through the richness but adding an extra layer of fragrance.
She took a large, slurping mouthful of noodles. They were chewy and springy, coated in rib broth, savory with a sweet finish, and carrying the meaty flavor released from the long-simmered ribs.
Ye Daxian took a slurp. The rib noodles were fragrant and piping hot, making him squint his eyes with pleasure. "These noodles are just too delicious."
Lin Qiujiao didn't even have time to speak. She ate until she was covered in sweat and went back for seconds.
After breakfast, they went to find Zhang Apo.
Grandpa Liu was there too. "Old Li left a spare key with me. He said you should check out the apartment first, and we'll talk if it's suitable."
The factory had money, so the building materials were solid, and the stairwells were spacious. There were two units per floor. The apartment was over a hundred square meters, south-facing, with one side facing east. It had three bedrooms and two bathrooms; the entire place was large and bright.
It certainly couldn't compare to a modern Large Flat, but for this era, it was an excellent home. There was also a six or seven-meter-long balcony facing the River Yong. When the wind blew, it was exceptionally cool.
The moment Lin Qiujiao walked in, her mouth hung open. She whispered, "This place is so big and beautiful."
And it was truly quiet, with only the sounds of cicadas and birds.
For some reason, Lin Qiujiao remembered the image of her daughter studying with cotton in her ears this morning, and her heart felt a pang of sadness.
Their current rental faced the street and was indeed too noisy. Moreover, it never got a bit of sun all year round; clothes had to be air-dried. Recently, with all the cooking, there was a lot of oil smoke. They had to wash the clothes at night and bring them in before cooking the next day, or else they’d smell like grease.
This place was different. Sunlight could reach the living room. If they moved here, Xiao Xi would be able to focus more on her studies.
"Three bedrooms," she counted on her fingers. "We could each have our own room. I’ve lived this long and never had a room to myself."
Could she really live in a place like this?
The more Lin Qiujiao thought about it, the more excited she became. A fire seemed to be burning brightly in her heart.
Ye Congxi was also very satisfied. "Grandpa Liu, how much did they say the rent was?"
Grandpa Liu said, "One hundred and fifty a month. But you won't be able to move in until next month. There are still some things in the house, and they'll be back at the end of the month to sign the contract."
It was a hundred and thirty more expensive than their current rent, but it was reasonable.
However, Ye Congxi first looked at her parents to hear their thoughts.
Before Ye Daxian could speak, Lin Qiujiao nodded excitedly. "We'll rent it!"
If it were to rent right now, Lin Qiujiao might have hesitated since the family didn't quite have enough money yet. But if it was next month, what were they waiting for?!
Rent it!
Back at home, Lin Qiujiao pulled up a small stool and sat by the washbasin to wash chili peppers. "Starting tomorrow, let's prepare more food. We can make at least sixty Lunch Box portions now. If they don't sell out, I'll take them over to the Toy Factory. I'm familiar with that place; I can sneak in and sell them."
"Daxian, let's prep another basin of shredded potatoes tonight. One basin can earn us over ten yuan. I'll help you wash the potatoes."
Ye Daxian looked horrified. "Are you still my wife? Before, you’d never stand if you could sit, and never sit if you could lie down!"
Now she was actually volunteering for more work? Something was wrong, very wrong!
Lin Qiujiao knew exactly what he was thinking and gave him a reproachful look. "I’m just thinking about selling more and saving up so we can rent that apartment sooner. That place is so nice; I’ve already started imagining life after moving in. I’ve never lived in a multi-story building in my life."
Ye Congxi gave a thumbs up. "Mom, this is a great mindset. Renting is just the first step. In the future, we'll buy a place—the kind with an elevator, where we own an entire floor."
Now it was Lin Qiujiao's turn to look horrified. "An… an Elevator Building? We could live in an Elevator Building?"
She knew about elevators. There was a Large Building over in Luohu that had them; they were very convenient.
Since this was an era where even ordinary people could dream big, Ye Congxi decided to keep painting the vision. "If you lived the way you did before, definitely not. But if we work hard to make money, we will definitely live in one!"
Lin Qiujiao looked at her daughter with shining eyes.
She felt that after her heartbreak, her daughter had become so, so… she didn't know how to describe it. Just very charming and reliable, providing more of a sense of security than even Daxian did!
Today's dishes didn't require much Knife Skills. Ye Daxian had finished all the cutting early on.
The tofu was fried until golden on both sides, then drizzled with the prepared sauce and simmered for a few minutes to let the tofu soak up the flavor. Finally, green and red chili slices and wood ear mushrooms were added, tossed a few times, and thickened with a bit of Starch slurry.
Fish-flavored Tofu made this way was top-tier in both appearance and taste.
The chicken drumstick meat went into the pan skin-side down. The pan sizzled as the chicken fat rendered out, and the surface of the meat slowly charred to an oily, glossy sheen.
Scallions, garlic, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns were tossed in and stir-fried until fragrant. Ye Congxi nimbly poured in the sauce. Once the water boiled, she added potatoes and green and red chilies, sprinkled in a few pieces of rock sugar to enhance the freshness, and turned the heat down to let it simmer slowly.
When the time was up and the lid was lifted, the room was filled with fragrance.
The neighbor's child was practically driven to tears by the smell.
That wasn't hyperbole; a child actually started crying.
The couple outside the courtyard were a cobbler and a facial threader.
They had brought their son from their hometown for the summer break. When the boy smelled the fragrance wafting from the courtyard, he clamored to eat.
With no other choice, the man knocked and came in to ask. He said with a smile, "Your food smells so good, my kid is clamoring for a taste."
Ye Congxi nodded. "We make Lunch Boxes. Would you like to buy one?"
The man had to ask, "How much?"
"Two yuan fifty."
The man frowned immediately. "It's just for a child. How about a one-yuan portion? Just a small one."
Ye Congxi shook her head. "No. We only have the two-fifty ones."
She had set this price firmly. You couldn't just change your word on a whim in business.
The man's expression soured. He wanted to say more, but seeing the tall, yellow-haired Ye Daxian staring at him from the courtyard, he didn't dare.
The child beside him wailed even louder, "I want to eat! I want to eat!"
The man grabbed his son and slapped his bottom several times. "What do you want? They won't sell it to you, what's the use of crying? Crying won't get you any! Still crying?!"
If he had encountered someone soft-hearted, they might have relented out of pity for the child.
But Ye Congxi simply closed the door.
He wasn't her child; why should she feel bad?
A moment later, there was another knock. This time it was the child's mother.
The woman pulled out two yuan fifty. "Give me one. The kid's crying is giving me a headache."
Ye Congxi handed out the Lunch Box. Before the door was fully closed, she heard the man grumbling, "Two yuan fifty for this? They're making a killing."
The woman nudged him with her elbow. "Keep your voice down. I think it’s fine. There’s meat and vegetables, and it smells so good… Oh, son, eat slowly, don't choke."
…
Once all the lunch boxes were packed, they had their own meal.
Ye Congxi first tried a bite of the Fish-flavored Tofu.
She didn't make this dish often. Previously, she had pan-fried the tofu, but today was her first time trying deep-frying. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the perfect balance of sour, sweet, and spicy.
She nodded in satisfaction; deep-fried was indeed more fragrant than pan-fried.
After lunch, it was time to head to the stall.
The sun was fierce outside; even the factory guard dogs didn't want to come out.
But in order to be the first to get a Lunch Box, Song Yu dragged her colleague to wait under the Great Banyan Tree as soon as work finished.
Sweat beaded on her forehead and she had two mosquito bites on her shins, but she finally saw them arrive.
Ye Congxi already recognized Song Yu. She pulled out the lunch boxes and crossed their names off her notebook. "We changed the dishes today so you wouldn't get bored. The vegetable is Fish-flavored Tofu, and the meat is Yellow-braised Chicken."
When Song Yu heard the Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes had been replaced, she felt a bit dejected.
She really wanted to shout that she wouldn't get bored—she could eat those potatoes for the rest of her life!
Despite her sadness, Song Yu dutifully placed her order for tomorrow as well.
Maybe they’d switch back to the potatoes tomorrow; she couldn't risk missing out.
When Song Yu and her colleague returned to the canteen, she lifted the lid of the Lunch Box, and her disappointment vanished instantly.
The tofu was cut into triangles, the surface a light golden-brown and glistening with an oily, savory sauce. Combined with the colorful peppers and wood ear mushrooms, her mouth watered at a single glance.
Song Yu first picked up a piece of piping-hot tofu. With a soft crunch, the appetizing aroma of sour and slightly spicy flavors emerged, followed by the solid, toasted scent of the tofu. The fried exterior had a slight chewiness, while the inside was scalding and silky. It was unfairly delicious.
Aside from stinky tofu, Song Yu didn't usually like tofu; she found it tasteless.
But this Fish-flavored Tofu was different. The sour, sweet, and spicy flavors clung tightly to the crispy, fragrant tofu, with no hint of beaniness at all. It was so good she could have died.
It was even more satisfying than the texture of deep-fried stinky tofu!
The wood ear mushrooms were crunchy, and even the chili peppers in the garnish went perfectly with the rice.
Goodbye, Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes! Fish-flavored Tofu was now her favorite vegetable dish!
After finishing the tofu, Song Yu tried a piece of the Yellow-braised Chicken.
The ingredients for this dish were very similar to yesterday’s Steamed Chicken with Mushrooms—both featured chicken and mushrooms.
But the cooking method was different, and the resulting flavor profile was entirely distinct.
The chicken pieces were fried until the skin was crispy and the meat tender, with a fatty fragrance rendered out by the hot oil. The chicken was slippery and smooth, braised with the mushrooms until the flavor penetrated deep. The fragrance was layered, making for a very rich taste.
Song Yu chewed the chicken bones until they were nearly crushed before she was willing to spit them out.
She then ladled some of the Yellow-braised Chicken over her rice. The thick, savory sauce seeped bit by bit into the rice. She took a mouthful of rice along with a heavy, juice-filled mushroom; the combination filled her mouth with a perfect savory-freshness.
In the blink of an eye, Song Yu had finished the entire large Lunch Box. she leaned back against her chair in bliss.
Outside.
There were so many repeat customers for the lunch boxes that it attracted the attention of passersby.
Grandpa Liu could barely squeeze his way in.
Ye Congxi picked up two lunch boxes and said to Grandpa Liu, "This one with the checkmark is yours. The Fish-flavored Tofu in this one is pan-fried, not deep-fried. You can eat it without worry."
After handing him the lunch boxes, she asked, "Grandpa Liu, could I ask you for a favor?"