Chapter 111 - 99: The Noodle Shop’s Grand Opening

Chapter 111: Chapter 99: The Noodle Shop’s Grand Opening

On Monday, the application for the upgrade was finally approved, and the new ingredient order was submitted to the supplier.

The next day, none of the three took a break, appearing together in the cafeteria. Ah Huai immediately took out the new sign and hung it up, while Ning He and Connie familiarized two trainees with the production process and division of labor for the new menu.

Skinny Winnie sidled up from the side again. He was just about to start cozying up to them when he saw the new sign on the stall window.

"...Wh-what’s going on?"

Ning He heard him from the back and poked her head out of the window. "Sorry, we’ve already swapped with Hai Hei, so we won’t be troubling you."

Skinny Winnie immediately grew anxious.

"Why did you decide on Hai Hei? I could’ve done it too!"

Ning He glanced in Wendy’s direction and smiled.

"I saw that your friend didn’t seem too happy about it, and I was afraid of putting you in a difficult position. It’s fine, we can cooperate next time there’s a chance. Oh, right, I’ll send a bowl of noodles over for you to try later. Remember to come and get it!"

After saying her piece, Ning He turned and went back to work. Skinny Winnie’s hopes were dashed. He couldn’t even be bothered with the free noodles and stormed off to find Wendy.

Soon, the intermittent sounds of an argument could be heard from that direction.

"Let ’em tear each other apart!" Connie said, feeling vindicated.

Ning He just smiled and continued to instruct the trainee on how to prepare the ingredients.

It was the noodle shop’s first day of business, so all production processes and labor divisions had to be rearranged and adapted. For now, the menu only featured two types of noodles: Oil-Splashed Noodles and Scallion Oil Noodles.

"...When you render scallion oil, you must use low heat and go slow. The tips of the thin scallion leaves can get slightly charred, but the lower green parts and the white parts only need to be fried until they turn yellow. Otherwise, the crispy scallions will be bitter, and the oil will taste bitter too."

"Okay, I understand."

Under Ning He’s hands-on guidance, the trainee rendered the first pot of scallion oil.

It was a compound scallion oil made from both onions and scallions, and its fragrance was so potent the entire cafeteria could smell it.

Everyone involuntarily stopped what they were doing.

It was simply too fragrant.

When they discovered the source of the aroma, everyone had a different expression.

Except for Hai Hei, who was kneading dough for sugar cakes and gave a slight smile, the eyes of the others held a trace of gravity.

This was especially true for Wendy. Her hand gripping the kitchen knife tightened subconsciously, her nails nearly digging into her palm.

Her plan had failed, which meant she would be forced into direct competition with Ning He.

And this aroma was practically a harbinger of her defeat.

Soy sauce and white sugar were added to the slightly cooled scallion oil and mixed evenly, and just like that, the scallion oil sauce was ready.

Scallion Oil Noodles weren’t demanding when it came to the noodles themselves; thin noodles made directly with a dough press and a noodle machine were sufficient.

Once cooked, the noodles were scooped out of the pot and drizzled with a spoonful of the scallion oil sauce. Tossed together, they were savory and slightly sweet, with a rich scallion aroma. Paired with a few incredibly crispy fried scallion bits, they were extremely palatable. The flavor appealed to all ages and, like fried dough sticks, it was a very mainstream taste.

Level 1 Stalls required a base-price dish of 3 original coins per serving, and these Scallion Oil Noodles were a perfect fit.

Although the soy sauce was expensive, the three of them had calculated that one jin of soy sauce could be mixed into five jin of scallion oil, enough for 125 servings of noodles. Even after deducting the cost of flour, scallions, and oil, their profit margin was still around twenty percent.

The Oil-Splashed Noodles were more trouble. After the machine kneaded the dough, it had to be shaped by hand into the thick, flat strips specific to this dish, then processed using noodle-pulling techniques. Ning He wasn’t particularly skilled at this part, but luckily they had Connie, who had been making handmade noodles for many years. She practiced for two days and mastered it, then guided another trainee with a good foundation in pasta-making, and their progress was smooth.

As for the seasoning of the Oil-Splashed Noodles, without meat-based spices, it was naturally impossible to achieve the same quality as a restaurant. So, Ning He made a few adjustments to the recipe.

She used two types of chili powder and sesame seeds to maintain the core flavor of the dish, then added a large amount of minced scallions and garlic to enhance the aroma. Although its flavor was a notch below what you’d find in a restaurant, when pitted against other noodles, its vibrant red color and rich taste could absolutely hold their own.

The plain Oil-Splashed Noodles weren’t expensive either, selling for 4 original coins per serving. For an additional 4 original coins, you could add a spoonful of stir-fried diced vegetarian trio—tomato, carrot, and zucchini—and two leaves of green vegetables. The choice was up to the customer.

On the first day, everyone was still finding their rhythm, figuring out the most efficient workflow for each process and machine. Fortunately, with only two types of noodles in total, they managed to complete all the prep work before mealtime.

Ning He also went over to Hai Hei’s stall to check on him, tasting his two snacks to ensure his first day went smoothly.

Meanwhile, Juno and their classmates finished their morning exercises. Famished, they lined up at the cafeteria entrance. Before they even stepped inside, they were hit by a tempting, rich aroma.

"I’m dying, what smells so good?"

"I bet it’s Sister Ning’s stall! They must have a new item!"

"They should have been able to upgrade, right? I wonder what new things they’ll be selling."

Whispers broke out in the line, and everyone was silently swallowing their saliva.

With the instructor’s cry of "Dismissed!", the queue surged into the cafeteria like a tidal wave. Sure enough, the aroma was coming from exactly where they had expected.

Everyone rushed in the same direction.

The very first student at the head of the rush noticed the new sign at Ning He’s stall and shouted in pleasant surprise:

"It’s changed, it’s changed! It’s a noodle shop!"

"We’re having noodles! We’re having noodles!"

The trainees now had almost blind faith in Ning He’s products, lining up at the window without a second thought.

The noodles had to be cooked to order. Fortunately, the thin noodles cooked quickly and could be scooped out after just half a minute in boiling water. As expected, the Oil-Splashed Noodles were ordered slightly less frequently than the Scallion Oil Noodles, which gave Connie just enough time to pull the dough and toss it into the pot.

One person cooked the noodles, one pulled the dough, and one filled the bowls and took the money. It was a perfect job for three people.

Ah Huai couldn’t stay idle and helped out with odd jobs.

Ning He, on the other hand, observed their busy process from the side, looking for any steps that could be made more efficient.

(Actually, she was just slacking off.)

The oil needed for the Oil-Splashed Noodles was kept ready in a constant-temperature oil heater, available for use at any time, which was convenient and labor-saving.

The cooked noodles were placed in a bowl, sprinkled with the mixed seasoning powder, and then a ladle of hot oil was splashed over it in three separate pours, thoroughly releasing the aroma. This unique, smoky, and spicy fragrance managed to break through even the rich scent of scallion oil, worming its way into the nostrils of those nearby and tickling the craving beast in their bellies.

Two completely different rich aromas, two completely different color aesthetics—both tantalized the trainees’ appetites to the extreme. Some trainees even bought two bowls of noodles at once. After all, for people their age, a single bowl of that size would only leave them feeling a bit full for the moment.

Juno ordered a bowl of Scallion Oil Noodles. The seemingly plain and simple noodles exuded an incredibly rich scallion fragrance. Stirring in that spoonful of scallion oil with chopsticks coated every single strand evenly with the sauce.

The first bite was a savory umami from the sauce, with a subtle hint of sweetness.

This sweetness came from both the spoonful of white sugar and the sugars released by the scallions as they were fried.

It was faint, almost elusive.

Like a graceful maiden, it made one want to savor it, to chase it.

This savory-sweet flavor expertly balanced the slight greasiness of the scallion oil. Paired with the smooth noodles, a whole bowl down, everything felt just right.

Juno cupped their face in bliss, thankful for working so hard to help Sister Ning’s stall successfully upgrade. Only because of that could they eat such delicious noodles!

The trainees who ate the Oil-Splashed Noodles were just as satisfied.

In fact, they felt an even greater sense of hearty, uninhibited satisfaction.

A base flavor was created with a small amount of soy sauce and vinegar, which, combined with the domineering, complex aroma, instantly awakened the taste buds. Stomachs that had slumbered through the night began to churn violently, making one want to just chew and devour in big mouthfuls.

Even the noodles themselves were special. They were smooth on the outside but firm on the inside, chewy and substantial. The uneven thickness from being hand-pulled also added a richer texture.

Every chew was a trio of flavor, aroma, and texture, making it impossible to stop, one bite after another. The vegetable topping in the bowl was all but forgotten.

The first batch of trainees to eat the noodles had already given the best possible feedback, and the line in front of Ning He’s stall grew even longer instead of shrinking.

The large pot for boiling noodles bubbled continuously without a break. Ah Huai helped Connie pull noodles, and even Ning He opened a separate window to help serve.

Before long, the ecstatic sounds of people slurping noodles could be heard rising and falling throughout the entire cafeteria.

Ning He had prepared ingredients for 500 bowls of noodles. They sold out in half an hour, and there were still many trainees who couldn’t buy any.

It was foreseeable that the popularity of these two noodle dishes would last for some time.

In the midst of the rush, Ning He still found time to observe the sales at the other stalls.

The egg and meat dishes at the second and third-level stalls weren’t greatly affected; even trainees who bought noodles would also buy a fried egg or a couple of slices of bacon to go with them. Among the Level 1 Stalls, the ones most affected were those that also specialized in noodle or dough-based products.

Among them was Wendy’s stall, which sold vegetable buns.

Ning He estimated that her sales for the day had dropped by at least a third.

Surprisingly, the vegetable medley soup from the stall owner called Uncle Qin was selling even better than usual. It seemed his soup paired well with Ning He’s noodles.

’It makes sense when you think about it.’ Both of Ning He’s noodle dishes were dry-tossed. Eating a bowl of those followed by a bowl of soup—how satisfying and comforting would that be!

Hai Hei’s business was also doing well.

As Ning He had requested, he hadn’t raised his prices. The fried dough sticks and sugar cakes had already become a staple breakfast for many trainees. Even if they found it odd that the owner had changed, as long as the taste remained the same, the daily sales would remain stable.

Everything was going more or less as Ning He had predicted. Now, they just needed to get through a transition period. Once they all got used to the new preparation process, she wouldn’t have to worry much about the stall’s business.

Only after getting this side of things settled would she have the energy to arrange her new plans.

But before taking any concrete steps, she first had to find someone knowledgeable to consult with properly.

With that guy Gates around, Ning He didn’t want to expose her plans too early. In the end, on Wednesday evening, she asked Leitel and his group, who had just finished a hearty meal, to stay behind.