Chapter 78 : No Money, No Restaurant

Those who had plenty of money would go to Wang Zhenzhu to place their orders.  

“Hey, give me one serving of this too. What is this dish? It smells so good!”  

“I want one too. I saw the people at that table just now eating this. It looks spicy and crispy! It smells amazing. I’m drooling just sitting next to them!”  

“I want one too. I want one too. Give me two!”  

—

Looking at the crowds in front of her, all eager to eat the dishes made by Song Shiwei, Wang Zhenzhu was so furious that she felt like smoke was about to come out of her head.  

“What are you all fussing about? There are no more dishes! It’s just a fish. What’s so delicious about it? If you want to eat it, go home and catch one yourself!”  

If she had looked down on Song Shiwei before, now she was filled with deep jealousy!  

Yes! Jealousy!  

Who among all the people present didn’t praise the delicious food she cooked?  

Even Manager Zhou, coming out of the kitchen, couldn’t help but wipe the corners of his mouth, his eyes and eyebrows filled with smiles.  

Not to mention the table of the big boss, just as the third dish was served, it was instantly snatched up again.  

Everyone’s expressions relaxed as they ate.  

Wang Zhenzhu glanced toward the kitchen, gripping the pen in her hand tightly.  

The fourth dish, Song Shiwei’s Anglerfish with Sichuan Peppercorns, was made with fish fillets. This was the one advantage of a state-owned restaurant, it had almost all the seasonings that ordinary people rarely used, such as cooking wine, Sichuan peppercorns, and bean paste.  

To make this dish, she had to thinly slice the fish, marinate it in advance, and use some vegetables as the base.  

It was similar to Maoxuewang or Boiled Pork Slices.  

Once the oil was hot, she added Sichuan peppercorns to release their aroma, then stir-fried bean sprouts and bamboo shoots with a pinch of salt over high heat until they were cooked, placing them into a bowl. Then, she sautéed scallions and garlic slices with bean paste until fragrant.  

Next, she added water and cooking wine, removing any residue from the broth.  

She slid the marinated Anglerfish fillets into the pot, brought it to a boil, and quickly poured everything into a dish.  

Finally, she sprinkled chopped green and red peppers and Sichuan peppercorns on top before drizzling hot oil over them.  

The aroma was unforgettable!  

For the fifth dish, Song Shiwei used the belly of the Anglerfish  

Anglerfish Belly Omelette!  

She cut the freshly cleaned fish belly into thin strips and blanched them in 90-degree hot water. After taking them out, the fish belly remained chewy and bouncy.  

Leaving some oil in the pan, she stir-fried a little minced garlic until fragrant, then added chopped pickled mustard greens and the blanched fish belly, continuing to stir-fry until the aroma intensified.  

After adding soy sauce for color, she set it aside to cool.  

She beat four eggs in a bowl, added the stir-fried fish belly and some chopped green onions, and then poured the egg mixture into a hot pan.  

As soon as the eggs began frying, the fragrance filled the air, mingling with the rich aromas of fish belly, scallions, and pickled mustard greens.  

The combination of scents was irresistible!  

When these two dishes were served, another frenzy broke out.  

By this time, the kitchen entrance was already packed with people, all eager to see the chef responsible for such delicious dishes.  

They all assumed it must be an experienced master chef.  

So, when Song Shiwei took off her apron, washed her hands, and walked out of the kitchen, no one realized that she was the so-called “experienced old chef”!  

Zhou Cheng, Zhou Lin, and Xiao Zhang had been keeping an eye on the kitchen. The moment they saw Song Shiwei come out, the two children immediately ran to greet her.  

“Mom, you finally came out!”  

“Mom, the food you made is amazing! I never thought such an ugly fish could be turned into something so delicious!”  

Song Shiwei rubbed the two children’s heads apologetically.  

“Next time, when we catch Anglerfish, Mom won’t sell it. Instead, she’ll make something delicious for you!”  

Zhou Cheng and Zhou Lin had both grown up, unlike Zhou Wei and Xinxin. If the younger two had heard this, they would have clapped their hands happily. But Zhou Cheng and Zhou Lin just swallowed hard and shook their heads.  

“It’s better to sell it!”  

“Yes, it would be a waste if we ate it. We can trade this fish for warm cotton clothes!”  

Seeing how sensible the two children were, Song Shiwei felt a pang of sadness.  

It was almost noon.  

“Are you starving? What do you want to eat? Mom brought money and ration tickets today!”  

Besides, Xiao Zhang had been following her around and helping take care of the two children. She couldn’t let him go hungry, could she?  

And now that the issue of winter clothing was settled, she felt relieved.  

She led the two children to the food ordering counter where Wang Zhenzhu was stationed and smiled at them. “What do you want to eat? Order whatever you like!”  

When Wang Zhenzhu heard this, she glanced at the two children. They were good-looking, but they were dressed in clothes made from old military uniforms. It was obvious they weren’t from a wealthy family in Qingshi City.  

She couldn’t help but curl her lips in disdain.  

Zhou Cheng and Zhou Lin were reluctant to spend money recklessly and even more reluctant to eat expensive food.  

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Cheng said, “Mom, let’s just get some buns.”  

Even though Zhou Lin craved meat, he didn’t dare to say anything. When he heard his older brother’s suggestion, he quickly nodded. “Yes, Mom! I haven’t had meat buns in a long time! Let’s get meat buns!”  

At least meat buns had some meat in them!  

Even though their meals had improved a lot since Song Shiwei arrived, Qilian Island was still an island. It was hard to buy anything, let alone fresh meat. Even for Song Shiwei, there was nowhere to purchase it.  

The occasional meat available at the army’s service points was always snatched up in an instant!  

Yesterday, she had managed to buy some meat at the market and stewed it for the kids.  

But how could that be enough for Zhou Lin and the others? For children who had gone years without eating enough meat, a single meal like that only made them crave it more.  

Song Shiwei knew exactly what the two children were thinking. She didn’t want to disappoint them and she also had to consider Xiao Zhang.  

“Then I’ll take ten meat buns, one serving of braised pork, one serving of stir-fried pork with chili peppers, three bowls of noodles with meat, and a bowl of seaweed and egg soup!”  

She wasn’t sure how much Xiao Zhang ate, but since he trained all year round and burned a lot of energy, she figured he was similar to Zhou Tingyue. He should be able to eat at least four or five buns, right?  

These meat buns weren’t even as big as regular steamed buns! She guessed Xiao Zhang could eat seven or eight. The two little ones could probably eat three each. But they couldn’t just eat buns, so she ordered three bowls of noodles to make sure everyone was full.  

Any leftover buns could be packed up and taken home!  

The two children were overjoyed when they heard how much food was being ordered!  

Although Zhou Cheng felt it was a bit extravagant, he knew Uncle Xiao Zhang was with them, and they couldn’t let him go hungry.  

Xiao Zhang, on the other hand, looked a bit embarrassed.  

“I-I’ll just have a bowl of noodles!”  

Song Shiwei smiled and waved her hand. “How can I let you go hungry? Don’t worry, just eat!”  

Seeing the group huddled together in front of her, Wang Zhenzhu couldn’t help but sneer.  

“Why come to a restaurant if you don’t have money? Don’t think you can eat and drink for free just because you cooked a few dishes! Let me tell you, our state-owned restaurant doesn’t serve free food!”