As soon as the box containing the red-braised pork was opened, even Zhou Kun, who prided himself on being knowledgeable, stared in amazement! He was much older than Zhou Yang and the younger generation and had been fortunate enough to visit some big restaurants while working with the Hunting Team, tasting the dishes there.
The exquisite taste was something he silently cherished after trying it once. Whenever he recalled it, he was filled with nostalgia. Unfortunately, his skills were too meager, and he never had the chance to return to those big restaurants again, occasionally visiting smaller eateries where the taste didn’t compare at all!
The small dishes in the bag just now weren’t impressive since the fragrance had faded after refrigeration, smelling delightful but nothing noteworthy for him. But this red-braised pork was different; freshly cooked, it was steaming hot, both in color and rich aroma, far surpassing what he’d seen in the small restaurants, reminiscent of the one he tasted many years ago!
Zhou Kun was both sentimental and wistful, almost instinctively rushing up to Zhou Yang and eagerly putting a piece of meat into his mouth. Zhou Yang and the others were dumbfounded by his sudden movement. Zhou Yang wanted to say something but seeing Zhou Kun’s unusual expression, the words got stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
Zhao Feng and the other two were also in a daze, aware of Zhou Kun’s odd behavior but unsure of what to say, simply keeping their mouths shut and watching him with concern.
Tasting the red-braised pork, Zhou Kun found the tender meat melting in his mouth, the rich flavor spreading, teasing his sensitive taste buds. After swallowing, the heat rushed down, making him sigh with pleasure and release the warmth outward.
"Good! Good! Good!" Zhou Kun repeated ’good’ three times, looking up at Zhou Yang with excitement, exclaiming, "This red-braised pork is better than any I’ve had before! Yangzi, was this cooked by Xiao Tang? This dish isn’t cheap, right?"
He was aware of the market; nowadays, not to mention famous big restaurants, even small local eateries had prices that ordinary people couldn’t afford. Even in their household, they dared not dine out recklessly, mostly cooking at home themselves. Tang Yiyi’s red-braised pork tasted really good, no worse than the one he adored, instinctively feeling it must be costly!
Upon his inquiry, Zhao Feng, Li Zheng, and Wu Tian suddenly realized, each slightly embarrassed. Zhou Yang had said he was treating them when buying the dishes, and they hadn’t thought much about it; now hearing Zhou Kun, they abruptly realized the small dishes Zhou Yang bought smelled delicious, surely not cheap!
Thus, they felt uneasy. After all, although the conditions of the Zhou Family were better than theirs, they weren’t affluent either. Furthermore, Zhou Kun often took care of them, generously sharing valuable experiences, yet they hadn’t treated him to a good meal; how could they let Zhou Yang treat them?
Zhao Feng, straightforward in nature, directly said, "Xiao Yang, we’re treating today. Tell me how much you spent, and I’ll transfer the credit points to you!" Li Zheng and Wu Tian also chimed in, not blaming Zhao Feng for acting on impulse.
Zhou Yang never expected the topic to escalate suddenly. Seeing the three poised to transfer money on their personal terminals, he quickly said, "Hey, what nonsense are you talking about! Are we not brothers? I said I’d treat today, and so I will. Don’t fight me over it!"
He continued, seeing the three on the verge of panic, "Don’t worry, Yiyi’s new shop offers fair prices; these dishes didn’t cost much at all. Besides, this red-braised pork was a gift from her without any charge!"
Zhao Feng was skeptical, eyeing him suspiciously, "Really? What’s your relationship with her to deserve free dishes?"
Seeing Wu Tian and Li Zheng sharing the same doubtful look, Zhou Yang hurried and pulled up the order to show them, "Why would I lie to you! She just opened her shop, and I was her first customer, naturally receiving special treatment!"
Zhou Kun also had his doubts but upon seeing Zhou Yang reveal the order, he checked it out. Zhou Yang hadn’t bought much, and he quickly made sense of the order, noticing the prices, he couldn’t help but lament, "Ah, Xiao Tang really... Business isn’t easy nowadays, setting prices so low, how will she make money later?"
Even saying so, he felt a subtle joy inside. Other restaurants were too expensive, so to save money, he dared not visit them, only cobbling together meals at home. Now that Tang Yiyi had opened a shop with tasty and reasonably priced food, he could enjoy such long-desired flavors regularly!
Zhao Feng and the other two nodded quietly, agreeing with Zhou Kun’s sentiment. Then, synchronously, they opened their personal terminals to bookmark the shop address, deciding to buy something themselves tomorrow!
Zhou Yang had indeed wanted to help promote Tang Yiyi’s business. Seeing their little motions, he began pitching for her, "Yiyi’s shop officially opens tomorrow, so she only prepared a few small dishes today. Be sure to taste them well later, and if they taste good, do support her business! Also, if you know anyone, you can introduce her to them as a favor to a brother!"
Zhao Feng and the others shared knowing smiles, feigning politeness with Zhou Yang while swiftly browsing the whole shop online, pondering what to order tomorrow.
Soon, Mrs. Zhou called everyone for dinner, having overheard the commotion outside the kitchen without chiding Zhou Yang for spending recklessly. Her culinary skills were average, but the six of them were satisfied with the meal. The dishes Zhou Yang bought were quite appetizing, causing everyone to unknowingly overeat.
Unfortunately, each dish had limited portions, shared among them making it even less. The conditions at Zhao Feng and the other two’s homes were worse than those at the Zhou Family, and the eateries they visited had rather mediocre tastes; such a delightful flavor was previously unheard of, making them hesitant to stop eating! But as guests at the Zhou Family, they couldn’t be too eager in front of Zhou Kun and Mrs. Zhou, holding back to avoid being rude.
After finally finishing the meal, the three almost craving more, left the Zhou Family heading straight to Sun Jian’s place, planning to buy some for a midnight snack!
By then, Tang Yiyi and Sun Jian had finished dinner; Tang Yiyi’s shop had received over ten orders, and she was preparing small dishes for sale tomorrow. Zhao Feng and the others knew Sun Jian’s address, and as soon as they knocked, they were hit by the rich aroma wafting from the kitchen, making their eyes almost turn green with longing!