Vengeful spirits? Let's get out of the dungeon first!

Chapter 42 Goodbye Old Zhang

Fan Qiusheng, who had just stepped into the door, immediately noticed the change in himself.

The jacket was gone, replaced by an apron, and the clothes underneath were the ones her mentor had bought for her when she first started dating.

I feel much lighter, as if I've returned to the age of eighteen.

Zhang Cheng, standing next to him, suddenly looked much shorter, as if he had just started elementary school.

"Qiusheng, go wash your hands, the guests will be arriving soon!"

"Yes, Master!"

No one paid any attention to Zhang Cheng on the ground. He was still wearing the same clothes as before, with the oversized collar almost revealing his belly.

He didn't dare to complain; he simply tied his coat in a knot, pulled up his trousers, and sat down on the stool.

Fan Qiusheng, who had just washed his hands, walked into the kitchen and saw his master kneading dough. A large bag of flour was poured directly into the basin, and water was added in batches until the basin became smooth.

"Boss, a bowl of beef noodles, with an egg!"

"Okay, sit down and wait a bit!"

Zhang Yuanchao kneaded the dough into a long strip, then picked up a kitchen knife and cut off a piece of dough from one end.

Fan Qiusheng, who was standing to the side, clearly noticed the problem.

"Master, this is too much. It's not just two ounces."

"No, this is two liang (a unit of weight), calculated by flour, not by dough. Water is not grain."

The soup pot is still empty; it will take some time to simmer the broth.

The side dishes were already mixed, and worried that diners would be impatient while waiting, Zhang Yuanchao first served a plate of shredded kelp.

"I'm sorry, it may take a while."

"It's okay, but I didn't order any cold dishes."

"It's a gift, so please feel free to eat it."

The water in the pot gradually boiled. Zhang Yuanchao didn't look at the notes in his notebook; he just added ingredients as usual.

Large chunks of butter, angelica leaves, and pre-fried oil—each item was far more than the recorded standard.

Fan Qiusheng didn't ask any more questions, but just watched Zhang Yuanchao make his move, just like when he had just come from his hometown.

Once the soup pot boiled, Zhang Yuanchao took the rested dough out from under the basin.

"Bang, bang, bang."

The sound on the cutting board was like drumming, rhythmic and energetic.

Once the dough had been stretched into silvery strands and the water for cooking the noodles was bubbling vigorously, Zhang Yuanchao pinched the noodles in his hand and threw them into the pot.

Zhang Cheng, standing outside the kitchen, felt a pang of heartache watching this. If things had gone according to his plan, he could have sold so many noodles to two people.

The cold dishes on the table were only half finished when Fan Qiusheng placed a bowl of noodles in front of the guests.

There were plenty of large chunks of beef, and the glossy red fat was incredibly fragrant. Garnished with cilantro, it was so tempting that it made your mouth water.

"Hey bro, wanna have a bowl of noodle soup?"

"No, please, just a bottle of soda will do!"

Seeing his master's look, Fan Qiusheng walked to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of frosted soda, and placed it on the table. Just as he was about to turn around, twenty yuan was handed over.

"Wait a moment, I'll give you your change."

The guest sitting there simply smiled and picked up disposable chopsticks from the side.

Zhang Cheng was already feeling a bit bored. This was just a scene from his childhood, what was so special about it?

Fan Qiusheng, who had just received change, seemed to have realized something and returned to the kitchen once again.

Just as I was about to ask something, four more guests walked in through the door.

"Egg fried noodles!" "Beef noodle soup!"

"Potato and beef over-the-top noodles!" "Special price noodles!"

With a swift movement, Fan Qiusheng cut four pieces of dough into a wok, which was then quickly ignited.

"Okay, almost done!"

This time, Fan Qiusheng didn't just stand there dumbfounded. He prepared the scrambled eggs in advance and put the toppings for the noodles into the iron basin.

"Too few."

Before Fan Qiusheng could even start, Zhang Yuanchao scooped a spoonful of pre-fried potatoes into the iron basin.

Four portions of noodles were cooked at the same time, but two portions were placed in two separate funnels.

The noodles should be on the firmer side. Take them out of the pan beforehand, throw them into the wok, add the scrambled eggs, and cook for a few seconds before serving.

But Zhang Yuanchao stopped Fan Qiusheng, who was about to serve the dishes, and quickly prepared the remaining three dishes, placing them on the same tray.

"The noodles are ready, please enjoy."

The four bowls of noodles were served almost simultaneously, with only slight differences depending on the distance between the seats.

The four of them didn't say anything, started eating after the noodles were served, and paid the bill and left shortly afterward.

Zhang Cheng, who was sitting in a chair, had already leaned against the wall and started to doze off. For some reason, he looked sleepy.

Zhang Yuanchao turned both soup pots to the lowest heat, then quickly washed the wok and came over carrying two large bowls.

"Xiao Cheng, look more energetic! Didn't you sleep well last night?"

"Of course not, Dad, you don't know, lately I..."

Before he could finish speaking, chopsticks were handed to him.

"Eat your noodles first, we can talk later."

The familiar aroma filled his nostrils, and Zhang Cheng, who hadn't had much of an appetite, suddenly felt his stomach rumble. Without anyone urging him, he broke open his chopsticks and started eating.

The noodles were just the most ordinary discounted noodles, with only vegetables and a poached egg, but they tasted delicious.

Fan Qiusheng has never liked making this noodle dish; it's laborious and doesn't make much money, so his master has always cooked it for him.

For so many years, I never knew the detailed recipe; I only knew that it contained green vegetables and poached eggs.

"Dad, why does your cooking taste so good, but my brother Fan can't make it?"

"Qiusheng, can you taste it?"

Fan Qiusheng, who had just taken a sip of noodle soup, dared not answer easily, for fear of recalling how angry he had become last time.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuanchao also rubbed his scalp in pain.

Back then, this kid was quick to learn, and Fu Hongxia didn't want him to be too tired, so he always only had a superficial understanding of things, which was not as good as the fake "Fan Qiusheng".

"Is it noodle soup? No, this is just regular noodle soup, not beef broth!"

"It's lard! I put a small spoonful of lard at the bottom of the bowl!"

"You used to be a very smart child, didn't you?"

Zhang Cheng, sitting opposite him, didn't listen at all and tilted his head back to drink the noodle soup clean.

He only cares about costs and profits; making big money is the only goal!

Fan Qiusheng suddenly realized why he could only taste the aroma but not the greasiness; he had tried using beef broth or butter before, but it was too greasy.

The most important thing is to increase costs.

Since lard wasn't expensive, Zhang Yuanchao would shamelessly ask for extra lard whenever he went to buy meat, unless the price of meat was too high.

I thought it was going to be a side dish made with pork cracklings, but I didn't expect it to be placed here.

"Master, what if a guest doesn't eat pork?"

"Our restaurant is not halal. Those customers who say they don't eat pork are just worried about the cost."

There's a hospital across the street. People who come to our house aren't here just to eat their fill; they're already happy just to have enough to eat.

At times like this, the oil in the noodle soup will definitely make them want more.

They'll definitely come back once they've recovered.

Zhang Cheng, who had put down his bowl, only half understood what he was hearing, remembering only "money," "more," and "not enough."

Fan Qiusheng stopped eating and was about to take out his notebook to write something when he realized that he had changed his clothes.

I had no choice but to memorize it first, and then quickly write down the recipes after I went out.

Seeing that Brother Fan across from him seemed to have gained something, Zhang Cheng was unwilling to linger any longer. He got up and prepared to ask Ma Ye to let them out, fearing that staying any longer would mean charging them an extra penny.

The shadow at the doorway caught the attention of Zhang Yuanchao and Fan Qiusheng, and the two got up and walked towards the door.

Zhang Cheng also struggled to move his body. As soon as he turned around, he saw an old woman with a sallow complexion standing at the door, looking nervously into the house.

"Boss, could I have a bowl of noodle soup?"

"Auntie, come in and sit for a while. I'll get you a bowl right away. I just need to heat up the water in the pot!"