"How did you learn to make this?"
Wontons are not common here, let alone with such an authentic taste. People from the south and Hai Shi eat them more often.
"I saw an old educated youth make it when I was out before, and I learned it. If you like it, I'll make it for you every day."
"Thank you."
This time, Lin Wanwan didn't refuse, which put Xie Sui in a great mood. His efforts over the past few days had not been in vain. One day, he would climb into his wife's bed.
Xie Sui's ultimate goal was that simple: for his wife to accept him, to be a real couple, a good husband, father, and son.
It sounded easy, but how many could truly achieve it?
There was a commotion outside. Zhang Wenfeng and the others had returned. None of them were slow-witted or dull. After a couple of tries, they had mastered the balance and were riding around with ease.
The female workers came to help, laughing and teasing them. The entire village instantly came alive.
"Wenfeng, going out?"
Zhang Wenfeng went home to fetch his mule cart. This time, he was following Wang Tie Zhu. His fish had already accumulated to over a hundred jin, kept in a water tank. It was just the right time to sell them. If they all sold, he could earn over thirty yuan.
Wang Tie Zhu was full of confidence. He could also support his family like Xie Sui.
This time, they brought all the samples. They would first let Gu Lei and the others take them to explore the market. Products with printed trademarks would be launched later.
They went to the state-run restaurant first to sell the wild game. However, they couldn't take all of Wang Tie Zhu's fish. They only bought a little over ten jin. If they took the rest, they would surely die. Wang Tie Zhu's face drooped like a mule's, but he was helpless.
Xie Sui offered a cigarette, "Can I borrow your kitchen? I'll pay for the seasonings and coal. Two yuan, how about it? It won't interfere with your cooking."
"Alright. It's also my fault for not explaining clearly. We can only process this much fish per day. Without leaders coming to eat, ordinary people won't be eating rich meals every day."
Chef Fang also felt a bit embarrassed. Xie Sui was a frequent visitor and had good relationships with several factory leaders, so he was willing to help him out.
"It's fine. We can't trouble you. Tie Zhu, hurry up and help."
Xie Sui asked Zhang Wenfeng to get the plastic packaging bags. Together with Wang Tie Zhu, they cleaned all the fish, then coated them with flour and eggs, and fried them in oil until golden brown.
They scooped them out into a basin, then started the wok again, adding bean paste, soy sauce, light soy sauce, and other seasonings. They simmered all the fish for an hour. The fish fragrance gradually wafted out.
The fragrant braised fish was ready. They placed it in a basin and garnished it with cilantro. It looked appetizing.
Chef Fang was surprised, "I didn't expect you to have such good cooking skills."
"When we men do something, we do it well. If we don't, we don't. If we do, we're better than women. It's also because the seasonings are not enough that it's not quite right. I can do better."
Xie Sui was not being modest. He was very confident in his cooking skills. Both the heat control and the seasoning ratios were no less than those of the current chefs. It was just that the stew was in a large pot, not delicate enough, and his true abilities were not displayed.
They gave two fish to the restaurant staff to taste. Borrowing their white hats and white aprons, they set up a stall outside the restaurant to sell fish.
"Fragrant braised fish! Only one yuan per jin! Come early, or it's gone!"
Xie Sui shouted. The state-run restaurant had an excellent location in the county center. Many factory workers passed by after work. When people saw someone selling fish, they would stop to take a look.
"One yuan a jin? That's too expensive! Live fish is only thirty cents. You're making several times more!"
Wang Tie Zhu lowered his head, too embarrassed to speak. He also felt it was a bit expensive, more than triple the price.
"Hey, brother, that's not how you put it. Go to the state-run restaurant and see. A portion costs two yuan, and it's not even as much fish as one of mine. Live fish is thirty cents, sure, but do you have to kill it? You don't have to fry it, stew it. Doesn't the coal cost money? Doesn't your cooking time cost money? A worker earns two yuan a day, and I've worked hard all day, just earning some money for my labor."
"That's true!"
"I'll add some extra fish soup for you. Whether you eat it with noodles or rice, it's more than enough and very nutritious. This one is at least one jin and three liang. It's opening day, so I'll charge you one yuan. Take it home to add a dish for your children and improve their diet."
Xie Sui spoke fluently, and the person bought the fish without hesitation.
They didn't need lunchboxes. When they got off work, they all carried rectangular aluminum lunchboxes, the kind used by workers in this era.
He packed the fish directly into the lunchbox, added two spoonfuls of fish soup, and thus began the business.
"Tie Zhu, when doing business, you can't keep your head down. Be generous. We worked hard to make this. We're not stealing, not robbing, not breaking the law, so there's nothing to be ashamed of. You're burying your head so low, it's like you've sold yourself. If you can't get past this hurdle, you'll be farming at home your whole life."
Xie Sui could help him once or twice, but he couldn't help him forever. When his own business got busy, who would pay attention to his small matters?
"I know."
"Then you sell them next. Shout out to them."
Wang Tie Zhu hesitated, still unable to speak.
Everyone understood the logic, but when it came to actually doing it, their mouths felt as if they were weighed down by lead, and they couldn't open them.
"If you don't shout, I'm leaving immediately. I have an appointment with someone, and I have a lot of things to do. You're so timid, are you even a grown man?"
Xie Sui provoked him, his words burning Wang Tie Zhu's face with embarrassment. He held back his voice and shouted, "Braised fish for sale!"
His voice was so loud that Xie Sui himself cupped his ears. Damn it, he didn't tell him to shout so loud!
Not only him, but a cyclist passing by was startled and almost fell off his bike, "What the hell are you shouting about? If you scare me, can you afford it?"
Wang Tie Zhu's courage instantly evaporated. He instinctively apologized, "Sorry..."
Xie Sui pulled him and waved his ladle, "I'm selling fish, damn it! Who can control me from selling fish? If you were scared, it's because you're timid. Why are you so aggressive?"
"Hey, you..."
This was the first time he had encountered such an arrogant fish seller. The young cyclist was amused by his anger. When he saw Xie Sui's face clearly, his anger dissipated, "Isn't that Brother Xie? Why are you selling fish again? Aren't you working at the factory anymore?"
Xie Sui looked him up and down and recognized him. He was someone who had eaten with Gu Lei once. He didn't know his name, but he remembered his face. He wasn't blessed with a photographic memory, but he remembered everyone he had met.
"He's one of us, a neighbor's brother. He caught fish and wanted to sell them to the state-run restaurant, but they couldn't take so many. I'm helping him sell them so they don't all die. It's not easy for folks from the countryside to earn money. Where are you off to?"
Xie Sui offered him a cigarette, showing no embarrassment of a big boss selling fish. He was genuinely helping out and not lying. He was genuinely curious.
"Brother Xie is righteous. I'm taking food to my mom. Perfect timing, I'll buy one."
"No, this is for Auntie. Consider it my token of appreciation. Taking money would be slapping me in the face. Tie Zhu, give this brother the biggest one."
Wang Tie Zhu was an honest person. He gave him the biggest one. Xie Sui almost wanted to hit him. He just said it casually, and he actually gave him the biggest one?