Afterwards, Su Zhu sent Chenchen to play in the yard. She calmed her mind and found the ancestral secret manual Compendium of Varied Classical Arts in a dusty cabinet. This ancient book was left by the Shu Family ancestors, and on its cover, in a simple, archaic font, was written: Compendium of Varied Classical Arts.
When Su Zhu was a child, she couldn't make out any content in this manual. Who would have thought that on such a gloomy day, she would finally see the first page titled Ultimate Noodle Craftsmanship.
Now, Su Zhu had already mastered the Ultimate Noodle Craftsmanship in culinary arts by relying on the family's secret techniques.
As for how to unlock other skills, the first page of the manual also had clear instructions — earn praise! When diners genuinely compliment the food Su Zhu makes, she accumulates praise points. Upon reaching a certain level of compliments, the next page will unlock. Presumably, it was because Chenchen truly loved the hand-pulled noodles she made that this first page was unlocked.
Besides, there was no way to ask for help, because the family's secret techniques explicitly required that the two key processes — kneading the dough and simmering the soup — must be done personally by a Shu Family heir in order to make the ultimate delicacy.
Su Zhu wanted to sell 1,000 bowls of noodles a day, but it was beyond her ability. Kneading dough was extremely exhausting; 200 portions a day was already her limit.
Just as Su Zhu was worrying, she suddenly noticed a faint glow flickering from the inner pages of the manual. A line of golden words slowly appeared: "In recognition of the heir's first use of the inheritance, triple constitution and internal power granted."
Isn't that exactly what she needed? Without hesitation, Su Zhu recited the mantra according to the manual's instructions. In an instant, a warm current surged from her Dantian and spread throughout her body. She clenched her fists; her joints made crisp sounds, and she felt full of strength.
At this moment, even if Su Zhu had to knead noodles all night long, she wouldn't feel too tired.
What was she waiting for? Let's do this!
With that thought, Su Zhu hurried up her cleaning. It was already six o'clock, and she still had to cook for Chenchen. When Chenchen was at the mall, she had kept asking for tomato sauce noodles.
…
Half an hour later, Su Zhu carried two bowls of noodles, one large and one small, to the dining table in the yard. The noodles were as thin as strands of hair, shining with a pearl-like luster under the dim sky.
On the table, a pot of sauce was already prepared. Golden egg bits mixed in the bright red tomato broth, and Su Zhu had sprinkled some chopped scallions. Just looking at it made one's appetite grow.
This was Su Zhu's first time using the family's Ultimate Noodle Craftsmanship. She had just tasted the sauce and was almost enchanted by it. If not for her self-control, she might have finished the whole pound of hand-pulled noodles in one go.
"Chenchen, come wash your hands and eat," Su Zhu smiled and called out to Chenchen, who was holding a Peppa Pig toy playing house nearby.
"Coming, Mom! Peppa, I'm going to eat now, you play by yourself, okay? Be good." After telling Peppa Pig, Chenchen bounced happily to the sink to wash her hands.
Then, next to the sink, Chenchen's soft childish voice sounded:
"Two good friends, hand in hand,"
"You carry me, I carry you."
"Here comes a little crab, little crab,"
"Raising two big claws, big claws..."
Watching the little girl standing on a stool, washing her hands while shaking her head and singing, Su Zhu gently poured the sauce over the noodles. Her eyes were full of affection. Chenchen had an excellent memory; Su Zhu only taught her the "seven-step hand-washing song" once, and Chenchen had learned it perfectly.
"Mom, I'm done washing. Let me help you get the chopsticks." After saying this, Chenchen picked up the chopsticks from the table and handed them to Su Zhu.
"Thank you, Chenchen."
"You're welcome, Mom."
"Eat quickly, or the noodles will clump." Su Zhu patted Chenchen's little head and called her to eat.
"Wow, it's so delicious, Mom! You're amazing!"
After just one bite, Chenchen happily gave Su Zhu a thumbs up. She loved the tomato sauce noodles that Su Zhu made the most.
"Hehe, eat up." Su Zhu smiled.
Chenchen lowered her head and started eating the noodles in big bites.
"Eat slower, don't choke, no one's going to snatch your food." Watching the little girl gobbling down the noodles, Su Zhu pretended to be angry.
"I know, Mom." Although she said so, Chenchen's speed didn't slow down at all.
"You little rascal..." Su Zhu gave up saying more. This taste — not just kids, even she herself found it hard to resist.
"By the way, Mom," Chenchen suddenly looked up while eating, staring at Su Zhu, "do you want a husband?"
Su Zhu was startled by Chenchen's question. "What do you mean?"
Chenchen frowned slightly. "Your husband is about to divorce you, that's so sad, so I found you a new husband!"
Su Zhu was stunned. "You found a husband for me?"
"Yep!" Chenchen nodded firmly.
Su Zhu laughed, thinking Chenchen was joking. She asked, "Then tell me, what kind of husband did you find for Mom?"
"Uncle Ouyang Yunjian!"
"When I was in the hospital, I secretly asked Uncle Ouyang Yunjian!"
Su Zhu shivered — that little troublemaker!
The Ouyang Yunjian Chenchen mentioned was a hematologist at Zhonghai City First Hospital and Chenchen's attending doctor during her hospital stay. He was highly skilled and handsome, the ideal type for many single female doctors at the city's first hospital.
"How did you ask him?" Su Zhu asked.
Chenchen didn't notice that Su Zhu's face had turned red and spoke on her own: "I asked, 'Uncle Ouyang Yunjian, do you have a girlfriend?' Uncle Ouyang Yunjian said no."
"I said, 'My mom will soon be without a husband, so why don't you be my mom's husband? My mom makes the best Hand-pulled Noodles, so you can eat her noodles every day, and it won't cost you anything, isn't that great?'"
"What did Uncle Ouyang Yunjian say?"
"Uncle Ouyang Yunjian said he would think about it!"
"You…"
Su Zhu really wanted to lightly smack Chenchen's little bottom! Kids don't understand anything, and she absolutely could not let Doctor Ouyang Yunjian think it was her idea. That would be so embarrassing!
As for Doctor Ouyang Yunjian saying he would think about it, it was obviously to avoid hurting Chenchen's feelings.
"Mom, are you very touched?" Chenchen asked Su Zhu seriously.
Su Zhu was both annoyed and amused, nodding: "Yes, Mom is very touched. Thank you, Chenchen!"
"Eat your noodles quickly!"
"You're welcome, Mom. It's my duty!" Chenchen's eyes curved like crescent moons, as if she had done a great deed.
"By the way, Chenchen," Su Zhu thought for a moment and asked, "Don't you miss your dad?"
Chenchen shook her head: "No!"
Then she pouted, "Uncle Ouyang Yunjian is nicer to me than he is. I like Uncle Ouyang Yunjian more!"
Su Zhu rubbed her head and didn't say anything more. Kids are pure; they only get close to those who treat them well.
After Chenchen finished eating and digested for a while, Su Zhu saw it was late. She helped her bathe and coaxed her to sleep. Then she paid the internet bill on her phone and set up the newly bought home surveillance camera before closing the door and stepping out.
The kitchen was clean, but the front hall was still messy. Tonight had to be fully cleaned so they could open for business in the morning.
After shopping at the mall and buying ingredients for making Hand-pulled Noodles, Su Zhu only had three thousand yuan left. She had to hurry to earn money!
The Hand-Pulled Noodle House was not large — just forty square meters with fifteen tables. It hadn't operated for a month, and dust covered the tables and floor.
After cleaning, Su Zhu started preparing ingredients for tomorrow's business in the kitchen. She first filled a large aluminum bucket with water and heated it, then added various seasonings according to the family recipe proportions.
After adding the seasonings, Su Zhu pounded the cleaned beef shank with a rolling pin. When the water temperature was about forty degrees Celsius, she put in the beef, sprinkled in various spices, and covered the pot.
This way, the braised beef would be lean but tender and taste excellent! The whole stewing process took six hours. It was now eight p.m., so the beef wouldn't be ready until two a.m.!
Tonight, Su Zhu wouldn't sleep at all! She hadn't planned to rest anyway — there was too much to do!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。