Zhou Yan set aside two crucian carp for dinner. Everything on the wall menu was marked as sold out, and business was over for the day.

There weren’t many customers toward the end of the day, so Zhao Hong had some free time and washed most of the bowls. Once the last stack was brought into the kitchen for Mrs. Zhao to help finish, she clocked out and rode home on the back of Zhou Fei’s bicycle.

"I just asked Zhou Fei. He said all the guys are giving a standard ten-yuan red envelope, and Zhou Hai and the others feel the same way." Zhou Miao entered the kitchen and watched Zhou Yan pan-fry the fish. "They talked it over and decided that since you’re the youngest brother, you don’t need to give one. I didn’t think that was right, so I told them you would."

"You’re right, Dad. Hao’s getting married, so of course I have to give a red envelope. Otherwise, what would his wife think?" Zhou Yan flipped the fish and smiled. "I can afford ten yuan. What about you two? How much are you planning to give?"

"As the elders, we can’t get away with giving less than twenty yuan, based on the current going rate." Mrs. Zhao, who was feeding the fire behind the stove, chimed in. "Your second aunt’s family isn’t skimping on this wedding. It’s going to be a big expense, so we have to show our support. Besides, when it’s your turn in a few years, they’ll return the favor."

"Do you two have twenty yuan on hand?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.

Mrs. Zhao paused in the middle of stuffing firewood into the stove. The smile on Comrade Zhou’s face grew a little awkward.

What little savings they had were all invested in Zhou Yan’s restaurant. Even Comrade Zhou’s secret stash had been completely emptied.

Old Zhou had managed to save a little money from butchering and selling beef recently, but the bulk of it was reserved for buying new cattle. It was working capital that couldn’t be touched.

"I’ll get you the twenty in a bit," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "You can count it as part of what I owe you."

"The restaurant needs the money. We’ll figure something out ourselves," Old Zhou said, shaking his head.

"I have it," Zhou Yan countered simply.

Hearing this, Old Zhou and Mrs. Zhao didn’t refuse again. Business at the restaurant had been good the past couple of days; Zhou Yan certainly had twenty yuan.

Zhou Yan carried the Huo Xiang Carp out of the kitchen, fished two "Great Unity" bills out of the cash box, and handed them to Mrs. Zhao. "I’ll pay you back the rest all at once next month."

"Pay us back? Don’t be silly. We gave you that money to open the restaurant; we never expected to get it back. You should save it. You’ll have plenty of expenses when you get married in the future." Mrs. Zhao said with a smile, clutching the two "Great Unity" bills. "This twenty is enough. Your old man makes money from butchering."

"No, that won’t do. When I opened the restaurant, I said it was a loan. Once I make enough money, I’m definitely paying it back. If you don’t take it then, I’ll just give the money to my old man," Zhou Yan said with a grin.

"He’d dare!" Mrs. Zhao’s eyebrow shot up.

"Honey, you take it, you take it." Comrade Zhou immediately waved his hands in surrender and shot a glare at Zhou Yan. "And you, remember this: in this family, only your mother is allowed to manage the money."

’Some son you are, trying to get your old man in trouble!’

’Slipping me ten or five yuan for pocket money is one thing...’

’Five hundred!’

’Even if Zhou Yan dared to give it to me, I wouldn’t have the guts to take it.’

Mrs. Zhao didn’t nod, but she was delighted on the inside, a smile playing on her lips.

"Brother, if they won’t take it, I will!" Zhou Momo, who had already finished her dinner and was playing nearby, had been listening. She stretched her little hand out toward Zhou Yan. "I’ll buy candy to eat."

"Here’s a mao for you. You can go buy some yourself." Zhou Yan placed a one-mao coin in her hand, calling it a dividend on her initial investment.

"Thank you, Brother!" Momo took the money, leaned in to plant a loud, smacking kiss on Zhou Yan’s face, then turned to run out the door.

"Where do you think you’re going?" Mrs. Zhao called out.

"To the little shop to buy candy," Zhou Momo answered.

"You stop right there!" Mrs. Zhao said sternly. "It’s almost dark and you’re going out to buy candy? You’ll be crying your eyes out when Granny Xiong comes and snatches you away."

Zhou Momo stopped in her tracks, a look of fear on her face. "Mama, is Granny Xiong real?"

Mrs. Zhao said in a spooky voice, "If you don’t believe me, go ahead and see for yourself. I’ve heard she’s vicious when she eats children’s fingers. One by one, just like eating fava beans... CRUNCH. So crispy. She waits until dark to come out and snatch little children who are all by themselves."

"WAAAH! I’m not going..." Zhou Momo threw herself into Zhou Yan’s arms and buried her face. "Brother, I’m scared."

"Don’t be scared. Granny Xiong won’t dare to come as long as a grown-up is around." Zhou Yan smiled and patted her head. "Little kids can’t go out by themselves at night. A grown-up has to be with you, understand?"

"Mmm-hmm." Zhou Momo lifted her head, her eyes welling with tears. She looked pitiful. "Then... then I’ll buy some tomorrow."

"Deal. Mama will take you to buy some tomorrow," Mrs. Zhao said, also smiling and patting her head.

"Okay," Momo nodded, then turned to dive into Mrs. Zhao’s arms. "I want a big bunny candy."

Granny Xiong was likely the boogeyman of many people from Sichuan and Chongqing. Zhou Yan had heard his local roommate in Rongcheng talk about her once when he was in college.

She was basically the Sichuan and Chongqing version of the Big Bad Wolf disguised as a grandmother. It was no longer enough to scare college students, but it was perfect for a three-and-a-half-year-old toddler.

This era was far from innocent.

The "Strike Hard" campaigns of the past two years were a response to an soaring crime rate and social chaos. After several sensational cases shocked the nation, the government had to resort to drastic measures to restore order.

Cases of roadside robbery and the trafficking of women and children had been rampant. After a year of the crackdown, public safety improved significantly, and most of the local hooligans and gangsters had settled down.

But just last month, a child in the next village was abducted right from their own doorstep.

As soon as it got dark, no one dared let their children out of their sight.

A cute child like Zhou Momo would be a prime target for traffickers.

It was only in situations like this that Mrs. Zhao would bring out her ultimate weapon, Granny Xiong, to keep a restless Zhou Momo in line.

’Every generation has their own Granny Xiong,’ Zhou Yan thought. It was a good way to make children a little more cautious about the world, which wasn’t always as wonderful as it seemed.

’The sweet and naive were too easily taken advantage of.’

Even though Zhou Momo was only three, Zhou Yan was already thinking about how he’d have to fend off unworthy suitors in the future.

"Oh, right," Mrs. Zhao asked. "That... what did they call it... rice with toppings. Are you planning on selling that?"

"I think we should sell it," Zhou Yan said. "The customer base for rice with toppings is even larger than for stir-fries. Plus, it’s quick to plate, so table turnover is faster. It’s the same principle as serving noodles. But we need to finalize the portion sizes, side dishes, and prices before we add it to the menu. We have to make sure customers feel like they’re getting a good value and leave satisfied."

Mrs. Zhao didn’t fully understand, but she nodded anyway. "Alright then. If you want to do it, go ahead. Just tell me what you need me to do."

"Will do." Zhou Yan nodded. He would need to spend some time thinking it over properly.

’Rice with toppings could be a new category on the menu. It would be perfect for solo diners or those who want to ensure they get a full meal for the money they’re spending, rather than sharing.’

’Most workers aren’t looking to treat colleagues to a meal during their lunch break.’

’For a work lunch, being delicious and affordable is key.’

After dinner, it was already getting dark.

As business at the restaurant steadily improved, their closing time kept getting later and later.

"Starting tomorrow, let’s eat our meal before we open for business, so we don’t end up starving," Zhou Yan said to Mrs. Zhao, who was sitting on the back of his bike.

"Good idea," Mrs. Zhao agreed. "I really was getting hungry tonight."

After seeing Mrs. Zhao and his father off, Zhou Yan locked up, grabbed a jar of pickled radishes, and headed out for a run.

When Zhou Yan arrived at the family residential compound, Lin Zhiqiang was already warming up. He looked like he’d been at it for a while; his head was covered in sweat.

"Ah, Zhou, you’re here," he said with a smile when he saw Zhou Yan.

"Uncle Lin, have you been waiting long?" Zhou Yan jogged up to him with a smile. "I brought some pickled radishes for Jingxing and Bingwen. Didn’t Meng say last time that the two of them love it? I figured they’d probably finished the last batch, so I brought some more."