Chapter 34: First Official Day at Work, Lots of Customers

Yu Jianguo took a bite and was immediately impressed—the taste was simply too good. Having gotten used to the food in the military canteen, he’d never been picky about meals, but even he had to admit that this bowl of knife-cut noodles was far better than anything they served in the canteen.

And this was just breakfast!

He noticed the condiments on the table and decided to try adding a bit. The chili oil wasn’t too spicy but incredibly fragrant, instantly elevating the flavor of the entire bowl of noodles.

The driver sitting across from him was wolfing his food down—he had never eaten such a rich and delicious breakfast in the military.

Being a loner, he usually ate at the army canteen. Unlike the political commissar, who, even though he ate at the canteen too, sometimes went home to his wife who would cook for him.

While Yu Jianguo occasionally had chances to eat something better, he had never tasted anything like this. He used to think his wife’s cooking was decent—until he tried Ye Muqi’s food and realized just how big the difference really was.

The two men kept their heads down and soon finished the large bowls of noodles, even drinking the soup down to the last drop.

“Your cooking is amazing. I haven’t had such a good breakfast in a long time,” Yu Jianguo praised Ye Muqi as she came over to clear the bowls.

The driver nodded in strong agreement beside him.

“How much? I’ll pay you,” Yu Jianguo said, pulling out a small wallet.

“I already told you—it’s on me,” Ye Muqi shook her head, unwilling to take the money.

Not to mention they had given her a lift earlier—she had already said she would treat them.

“Meat isn’t cheap, and you didn’t skimp on it either. I can’t take advantage of a young girl like you,” Yu Jianguo said, shaking his head and placing two yuan on the table.

“You don’t need to pay! And it’s not even worth that much!” Ye Muqi tried to push the money back.

But Yu Jianguo wouldn’t let her. He left the money and walked out with the driver, not giving Ye Muqi a chance to return it.

“…”

Ye Muqi sighed and had no choice but to accept the money, resolving to find a way to return the favor later.

After cleaning up the dishes, she took out pen and paper and wrote up a new menu. She added knife-cut noodles and hand-pulled noodles, along with three side dishes and their prices, then posted the updated menu.

The stove in the breakfast shop was placed near the entrance, surrounded by glass, with open windows on both sides—making the interior clearly visible from outside.

She placed the three side dishes into small bowls and simmered them on a small stove. As soon as a customer came in, they would see them right away.

All three side dishes contained meat and looked very appealing. Ye Muqi set a modest price—only 0.3 yuan to add a side dish, and 0.5 yuan for a plain bowl of noodles. Anyone who wasn’t extremely poor would likely choose to add a side dish.

But then again, people who could afford to eat out at breakfast shops probably weren’t that poor to begin with.

After preparing the side dishes, Ye Muqi also portioned out a few sets of condiments and placed them on every table.

The shop, owned by Cai Dongmei, wasn’t very big. It only had four tables with chairs, seating around twenty people in total.

But Cai Dongmei thought that was more than enough—rarely did the shop ever get full.

“When I have time, I’ll make some pickled vegetables and set up a long table opposite the window. I can place the pickles and condiments there for people to help themselves,” Ye Muqi said, pointing to a spacious spot on the floor as she returned to the kitchen.

Just like modern breakfast shops—variety and good service were the key. In this less competitive 1980s era, those alone could create a standout experience.

“Sounds good, sounds good. Just do whatever you think is best,” Cai Dongmei nodded. She had just finished a bowl of noodles herself—without leaving a single bite—and was now full of admiration for Ye Muqi’s cooking skills.

Ye Muqi smiled and went back to kneading dough. She preferred to prepare it in advance so that when customers arrived, the dough was ready to use without delay.

As the side dishes heated up, the aroma that had slightly faded before suddenly surged back, spreading through the windows and wafting outside.

The fragrance caught the attention of passersby, who instinctively turned their heads toward the shop.

With more people looking, naturally, some couldn’t resist and stepped inside. Once they saw the stewed side dishes and the modest prices on the menu, they were tempted to give it a try.

“I’ll have a bowl of pork rib hand-pulled noodles,” a young man said as he walked in and looked at the menu.

“Okay, okay! Please have a seat,” Cai Dongmei responded with a smile, recognizing him as a regular customer.

Ye Muqi took a piece of dough, kneaded it lightly on a floured table, and began pulling the noodles. Her movements were smooth and practiced, and with her good looks, even the noodle-making process seemed artistic.

The customer who had intended to sit down ended up staying by the window, mesmerized by her noodle-making.

Even aside from the aroma of the side dishes, just watching Ye Muqi hand-pulling the noodles made him think they had to taste amazing.

In no time, the lump of dough transformed—almost like magic—into long, thin noodles, which she tossed into the pot.

Once cooked, the noodles were served with savory pork ribs and two bright green vegetables. Just the sight of it whetted one’s appetite.

“There are condiments on the table. Feel free to add them to your liking—they’re all free,” Ye Muqi said with a smile as she handed over the bowl.

“Okay,” the customer nodded and grinned as he carried his bowl to a table.

Cai Dongmei was a little stunned. She had been planning to help serve the noodles once things got busy, but Ye Muqi actually let the customer take it himself—and he looked happy about it?

She didn’t have time to dwell on that, though. The fragrance had already attracted a small crowd, and after watching the noodle-making process and seeing the final product…

A meaty bowl of noodles—not just a tiny bit of meat, but a generous portion—for such a cheap price, how could people not be tempted?

It was obvious just by looking: this bowl of noodles would be delicious!

“Please form a line, one at a time. If it’s too chaotic, I can’t hear the orders,” Ye Muqi called out, trying to organize the crowd.

Luckily, people were polite, and since everyone wanted to eat, they quickly lined up in an orderly fashion.

“Granny Cai, after someone places an order, please collect the money and help tidy up the tables outside. I’ll handle the kitchen,” Ye Muqi said to Cai Dongmei as she began working again.

“Okay!” Cai Dongmei saw the crowd and quickly jumped into action.