Chapter 37: The Thank-You Banquet
The final condition of "Sugar Heart" is actually very simple, that is, let Hong Yanwu teach her how to cheat mahjong tiles.
Her intention is also very clear, that is, it is better to win a man's fish than to win a man's fish! She wants to get the biggest benefit!
This is actually a bit of a "spear to attack the shield of the son", since Hong Yanwu is unwilling to be her partner, and he keeps claiming that he does not gamble, then he can naturally teach her the technique, otherwise he is a duplicitous hypocrite.
This shows how shrewd she thinks!
It's just interesting to say, the relationship between the two parties in the transaction is sometimes very similar to housework between husband and wife.
Although the end result is that the negotiation between the two parties is to make the sale a deal. The husband and wife also quarrel in order to live a better life. But whoever takes the initiative feels like a different world, and the subservient party will always feel so awkward and unnatural.
Hong Yanwu feels like this.
Although he clearly knew this condition, he would not cause any trouble for himself, and he was quite happy to get it, and even looked forward to the contact with "Sugar Heart" in the future. But after all, this is being led by the nose by others, and the sense of humiliation is also particularly strong.
In fact, it's no wonder that when I met twice, I let people "take" it twice, and I was still a girl. What man can be calm? Not to mention that he is a man who has decades more experience and insight than his peers!
Therefore, it is inevitable that you will consciously associate something, such as "a handful of years old to live on a dog", or "perennial geese but let geese peck their eyes" and other common sayings.
Frankly speaking, he was completely and frowned. It looked like signing some kind of treaty that "humiliated the country".
As for "Sugar Heart", he can also be a man, as soon as he saw Hong Yanwu's face, he knew that he was not happy, and he would give a sweet date to eat immediately after slapping him.
"Let's go, I'll ask you to go down to the restaurant. Even if it's a thank-you banquet......"
But where is Hong Yanwu so easy to fool? Of course, he is also a little afraid of long nights and dreams, and he is not interested in this.
"Forget it, just give me the ticket, don't eat the meal. Anyway, what I promised won't change. ”
It's just that I didn't expect that the reason for "Sugar Heart" to treat was quite sufficient, she said that she was not only going to eat, but also taking him to see places. Mahjong tiles are not something that can be played above board, and you have to make an appointment with the time and place to meet.
In this way, it is not possible not to go......
When it was almost noon, "Sugar Heart" led Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan to the "Old Zheng Xing" at the front door.
In 1958, the prime minister approved the relocation of the old Huhai store to Beijing, because it is located in the most prosperous business district in Beijing, it has long been full of seats, and the crowd is buzzing. Almost every table has a few customers waiting on a stool behind the table.
This is also the scene of eating in the restaurant back then. Due to the lack of resources in the restaurant. In order to catch up with the meal, customers who want to eat as soon as possible have to use this method to wait for a seat. Boiled the people who ate them away, and the people who waited sat on them. Otherwise, you'll have to watch it all the time.
Naturally, like this, the dining environment is also picky. Most of the bones and vegetable scraps can be spit on the table and the ground at will, and when anyone eats them, they have to be watched by strangers.
It is not uncommon for waiting customers to deliberately sway under the stool because they are impatient to urge them to pick up people, or to quarrel between customers over stools and seats.
I'm afraid that only when they eat and drink like Hong Yanwu, everyone can see that the table is occupied by hooligans, and no one dares to harass them. From a certain point of view, this may be regarded as a kind of "welfare" exclusive to "special groups".
As soon as Hong Yanwu saw this situation, he didn't feel like he could find a seat, and he was about to suggest a different place. saw that the waiter who passed by took the initiative to say hello to "Sugar Heart", and he understood. I thought that "Sugar Heart" must be a regular customer who is used to coming here, and probably can always solve the seat problem through acquaintances.
But in fact, there is still a discrepancy between what he thinks and the facts. Because "Sugar Heart" neither asked people to help find a seat nor did he issue tickets, he took them straight to the back kitchen of the restaurant. Then she walked to the exclusive kitchen of the "white case" and found a woman about fifty years old called "Ji Niang".
The woman was quite rich, wearing a white coat, kneading dough, and at first glance she was the "white case" master here. When she saw "Sugar Heart", she smiled, and she was very affectionate.
What's even more surprising is that the two of them got together and actually spoke Wu Nong's soft language, which is difficult for people in the capital to understand. Then the woman threw down her work and led them to the second floor.
There were three private rooms specially prepared for the leaders, and the woman was in charge, and asked someone to open a window facing the street and the warmest sun, and arranged for them to enter.
At this time, "Sugar Heart" officially introduced the woman to Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan. Dare to love "Ji Niang" is the name of Huhai, in fact, it means "godmother", she is this woman's goddaughter.
"Tang Xin'er" also introduced that her "Jiniang" was the first batch of veterans of "Old Zheng Xing" to move to Beijing. Now he is also the best pastry chef here, and no one will know about "Aunt Bao" when he mentions "Aunt Bao" to a random person in the restaurant.
And her real intention is that in the future, Hong Yanwu will come here to meet her at noon on Tuesday and Thursday, and after they have dinner, they can teach art in the private room on the second floor. No one will bother.
Hong Yanwu couldn't help but nod in agreement. For this arrangement of "Sugar Heart", he not only couldn't find any fault. It can even be said that it is very admirable.
Because as long as you are a discerning person, you don't have to think too much about it, you can see that the benefits of this place are endless.
First of all, the hotel is a public place, and it is not easy for them to arouse the suspicion of others when they meet here. Secondly, in addition to eating and drinking, it is rare that it is also quiet and quite private. What's more, "Sugar Heart" chose here, she did not have to expose her whereabouts, but also occupied the "home" advantage, in any aspect, she can ensure her safety to the greatest extent.
It's really comprehensive, and it's not missing!
Now that the business is settled, it's time to eat.
"Sugar Heart" said please, please really please. In order to avoid Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan from competing with her, she didn't even order the dishes, so she directly took out five "Great Unity" cards and stuffed them to "Aunt Bao", and asked her to help buy the banquet.
Don't forget, in the first ten years, a whole table of "shabu mutton" for ten people was only fifteen yuan, and the last time Hong Yanwu and the others came back from Xiangshan, it only cost eight people more than 40 yuan to eat a roast duck.
I can't help but say that "Sugar Heart" is really dignified, which shows sincerity.
As for the authentic signature dish of "Lao Zheng Xing", it should be famous for its herring cuisine. Examples such as "paddling", "frying", "chin", "crotch", and "bald lung" refer to all parts of herring.
Among them, "bald lung" is the most precious, because it refers to the liver of herring, and it takes six herring fish to be killed alive to make a dish. This practice was also pioneered by "Lao Zheng Xing".
It's a pity that herring belongs to the southern fish species, and it is rare to see in Beijing. Like in the past, Hong Yanwu often followed Gao Ming to the "Lao Zhengxing" branch on Baiguang Road, and he was only fortunate to eat "boiling paddling" once.
On weekdays, these signature dishes are often only written on the menu, but they don't want to order them.
But this time it's different. Under the care of "Aunt Bao", their table not only put on the famous dish of the town store "herring chin throwing water", but also "fried shrimp kidney", "Babao hot sauce", "drag yellow croaker" that others can't order, and the valuable "fried eel paste", "braised river eel" and "crab roe tofu".
This is all the craftsmanship of the "head stove" master, and it is the most typical "local cuisine" dish.
The staple food didn't ask for rice, and "Sugar Xin'er" preferred her "mother" craftsmanship the most, and asked for a bowl of "Yangchun noodles". In addition, Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan also asked for "tiaotou cake" and "rice balls".
These are also unique Huhai dim sum, and they are specially made for them by "Aunt Bao". No other diner than them had this kind of taste.
Not to mention, this table is full of dazzling array and the taste is absolutely authentic!
When Hong Yanwu tasted it, it tasted better than the "Huhai Old Restaurant" he had been to. It can be seen that it has nothing to do with it in these years, and the treatment is completely different.
Although Chen Liquan is not very good at taste, he also eats quite beautifully. He likes the taste of "Babao Hot Sauce" the most, and thinks that this assorted dish made by "Kung Pao Chicken" by Huhai people is more suitable for his tongue than the original prototype.
This is also enough to prove a history of food, and the people of Beijing in this year are not very spicy.
The only thing that doesn't go well with the dishes is the drinks. Hong Yanwu originally wanted to drink some "rice wine", but he didn't expect "Sugar Heart" to take the initiative to ask for two bottles of "Fenjiu".
This time, Hong Yanwu is not good for women to look down on, and secondly, he remembers that Chen Liquan only loves liquor, and that's it.
Surprisingly, it is the appearance of "sugar heart" drinking. Don't look at her posture is very particular, hold the wine glass with her hand, and then only take her mouth to sip, if you don't pay attention, you can't see her drinking movements.
But she didn't drink slowly, first toasted Hong Yanwu three cups, then toasted Chen Liquan three cups, and then accompanied her unhurriedly. After a while, the bottle of liquor went down a lot, and Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan both saw that her alcohol consumption was definitely not shallow.
And just when the two of them were secretly surprised, Hong Yanwu lost his mind and touched his chopsticks.
And just when he reacted and lowered his head and was about to pick it up, he didn't know that "Sugar Heart" didn't even look at it, but actually stretched out his hand from the side, "brushed" and clamped the chopsticks that were about to fall to the ground, and the action was so dexterous that you thought she was performing acrobatics.
This time it was not only Hong Yanwu, but even Chen Liquan was stunned. They could see that she was completely subconscious, and it was not kung fu, she walked in another way, and her level was far beyond all the "Buddhas" they had ever seen.
Hong Yanwu couldn't help but blurt out. "Sisters, are you 'catching points'?"
"Sugar Heart" looked at his stunned face and smiled again. The answer was even more striking.
"You don't know yet, hey, isn't that normal? Before you don't play mahjong, I have to eat. By the way, do you know Nancheng's 'Thorn Mei'? Her two hands are taught by me......"
"Thorn Plum"?
That's right, that girl's nickname really has another explanation, also called "rubbing it is nothing"......