The noodle shop was indeed about to open, and Shen Miao had been so busy with the preparations that she hadn’t had time to set up her stall at the bridge market.
Shen Miao had ordered four sets of square tables and benches from Old Man Yang, which had just been delivered.
She arranged the tables and chairs in two rows in the middle of the shop.
Along the walls on both sides, she had Old Man Yang nail extended wooden planks to create two rows of long tables, each capable of seating five or six people on small stools.
When crowded, the shop could accommodate quite a few people.
The shop wasn’t large, so Shen Miao decided against setting up a separate L-shaped counter.
Instead, following a more modern approach, she removed half of the wall connecting the shop to the kitchen, creating a half-wall window.
The lower half of the wall was covered with thick wooden planks, serving as both a serving window and a counter, saving a lot of space.
To accommodate this, Shen Miao also made some adjustments to the kitchen layout.
The makeshift dining table and cabinets were moved to the newly built front porch in the courtyard.
Previously, the kitchen had four old-fashioned stove burners along the wall, with a long wooden work table in the middle.
The corners were cluttered with baskets and miscellaneous items, making the workflow inconvenient and messy.
Now, Shen Miao had He Daizhao add two soup stoves between the four burners and combined the four burners into a single platform.
This arrangement allowed her to cook while boiling water, saving both firewood and time.
On the far end, she added a clay pot stove made from four combined burners, perfect for cooking specialty rice noodles and noodles in clay pots.
The eight-tier bamboo steamer for buns and the low soup stove were moved to the corner, making room for steaming rice, buns, and other steamed dishes, as well as simmering broth and braised dishes.
The original wooden worktable in the middle had been burned beyond recognition, so Shen Miao had Old Man Yang make a new one.
It was made by combining two worktables, providing a spacious surface for prepping and chopping vegetables.
Underneath, she had a basket weaver custom-made four large baskets that fit perfectly, used for storing kitchen utensils, rags, and brushes.
On the other side of the kitchen, two rows of wooden shelves were installed along the wall, also paired with baskets for storing fresh vegetables.
Next to the shelves was the entrance to the Shen family’s cellar.
It was only after cleaning up the kitchen that Shen Miao discovered the cellar!
And it wasn’t small-it was quite deep, requiring a ladder to descend.
However, it had long been emptied, with nothing left inside.
The cool cellar could be used to store perishable meats and vegetables, serving as a natural refrigerator.
Finally, she built two vegetable-washing sinks with bricks.
The sinks were connected by bamboo pipes, and a hole was drilled in the corner to extend the bamboo pipe’s outlet outside, allowing wastewater to drain directly into the rain gutter, which then flowed into Bianjing’s extensive sewer system.
The only downside was that the bamboo pipes lacked elbows, so the two bamboo sections were joined at a right angle using mortise and tenon joints.
This required regular cleaning to prevent clogs.
Nevertheless, this was an innovative design that no other kitchen in the city had.
Most kitchens had water channels dug into the ground, which often led to sewage flowing everywhere.
If the owners were lazy and didn’t clean daily, the kitchen would inevitably stink.
When He Daizhao was building the stoves, he was stunned when Shen Miao gestured to him, asking not only for two brick sinks but also a drainage pipe.
Next to the sinks, she placed two large water jars she had previously bought, planning to buy two more later.
Not having a well at home was inconvenient, but digging a well wasn’t an easy task.
Not only was it expensive to dig, but it also required official approval from the government, with a permit called “Zeyu Zhunhuo” needed before starting.
No one in Willow East Alley had a well at home.
According to Aunt Gu, obtaining such a permit would cost at least fifty strings of cash, mostly for bribing government officials.
That was the price years ago, and it was unclear what it would cost now.
Shen Miao had neither the money nor the means to dig a well.
Fortunately, the water house wasn’t too far away.
In any case, Shen Miao’s renovated kitchen was quite similar to modern kitchen standards.
Typically, such kitchens would also have cabinets, fans, and high-powered range hoods, but those weren’t feasible at the time.
For a small shop like hers, Shen Miao felt that after arranging the seasonings, pots, and utensils, she could manage everything on her own.
Next to the kitchen there was an empty space next to the counter. After standing for a moment, Shen Miao decided to ask Old Ian Yang to make a wooden drinks cabinet.
She planned to collaborate with the tofu shop in the alley to sell simple soy milk.
She also intended to work with Mei Sanniang to offer mung bean soup and sour plum soup, and with the Gu family to sell small jars of wine.
These drinks could be stored in double-handled clay jars and placed in the cabinet alongside various jars of wine, allowing her to sell them alongside the food.
The biggest change in the shop was that Shen Miao had laid bricks.
Although they were plain bricks she had bargained for from He Daizhao gray and unadorned, with many bearing burn marks they were cheap and practical.
Laying bricks made cleaning and maintenance much easier, especially on rainy days, ensuring customers wouldn’t track mud inside.
All these preparations cost over four thousand coins, nearly five strings of cash.
The opening date was repeatedly postponed, and by the time everything was ready, it was already late May, well past the Dragon Boat Festival.
But as Shen Miao looked at the small yet orderly shop, she felt that all the effort and investment were worth it.
In business, you have to invest to see returns.
Fortunately, she had saved quite a bit from her stall, and of course, she was grateful to the Xie family for buying two of her pastry recipes.
Otherwise, she might not have been able to afford the renovations until next year!
Early that morning, after hanging the peach charms and cleaning the shop, Shen Miao wiped down the tables, chairs, floor, and counter.
Looking at the bare white walls, she thought of having Jfer write out two menus with simple illustrations of the dishes though most people couldn’t read, it would serve as a nice decoration, making the walls less plain.
Moreover, it would give the shop a scholarly atmosphere.
Shen Miao stood proudly in the nearly finished shop, hands on her hips, thinking,
“Which small noodle shop has so many words on its walls?”
A hand-drawn illustrated menu is a cultured little eatery!
Not only that, Shen Miao bought two potted pine trees to place at the entrance and six ox-horn-shaped oval copper lamps to hang from the ceiling.
She also went to the fireworks shop and bought forty or fifty firecrackers, stringing their fuses together with hemp rope.
She cut red paper into decorative shapes and hung them on the pine trees with red strings as streamers.
She bought a foot of red cloth, tying a flower to the tail of the family dog and a big red bow around Leiting’s neck.
A red cloth rosette was also hung on the signboard.
Shen Miao even went to the blind fortune-teller on Golden Beam Bridge to choose an auspicious date and time.
Then, amidst the crackling of firecrackers and the rising smoke, the shop officially opened.
At the time, there was no custom of sending flower baskets or setting off firecrackers for restaurant openings, so Shen Miao’s actions were quite novel.
The sound of firecrackers, usually reserved for New Year celebrations, could be heard throughout the entire street.
Even the dog, startled by the firecrackers, ran around with a big red flower on its tail, attracting quite a crowd.
Curious onlookers approached and noticed the two potted pine trees at the entrance, their branches adorned with festive paper cutouts.
An old man in a long robe came closer and saw shapes like gourds, diamonds, squares, and flowers, with words like “wealth,” “happiness,” “fortune,” and “good luck” written on them.
The writing seemed to be done by a child-not particularly skilled, but earnest and with a child’s touch.
It was quite charming.
Many neighbors from Willow East Alley came in to look around.
Aunt Gu praised everything she saw, while Aunt Li found fault with each detail.
However, no one could deny that Shen Miao had made the shop exceptionally clean and pleasant to look at.
Aunt Gu, holding Shen Miao’s arm, whispered,
“Why didn’t you replace the signboard? It’s all blackened and full of wormholes. Why not have Old Man Yang make you a new one?”
Shen Miao looked up.
The signboard indeed looked weathered, out of place with the freshly renovated shop.
The signboard had been found in a crevice behind the stove.
After Shen Miao’s parents died tragically, the signboard had been taken down, nearly chopped up for firewood by the merchant who rented the shop.
When it was first found, it was covered in soot.
After cleaning, the once vibrant redwood had turned completely black.
Shen Miao scrubbed and washed it but couldn’t restore its original luster.
In the end, she sent it to Old Man Yang, who planed away the uneven surface and repainted it.
Though it looked better after being returned, the scars on the wood couldn’t be completely hidden.
Shen Miao and Ji’er stood silently before the signboard for a long time.
Finally, Shen Miao said nothing, only asking Jier to bring ink and a brush to retrace the characters.
They then hung it back up on a high ladder.
Almost all of Shen Miao’s parents’ belongings had been destroyed, but this sign board remained, carrying memories of the time when Ji’er and Xiang’er were still under their parents’ care, living carefree lives.
On the opening day, Shen Miao held Jier and Xiang’er close, standing amidst the crackling firecrackers, looking up.
The blind fortune-teller on Golden Beam Bridge had some real skill—the day was exceptionally clear, with bright sunlight shining unobstructed on the five large characters of “Shen’s Noodle Shop.”
Though the redwood signboard was scarred, it was bathed in a subtle, ancient glow.
“From now on, we truly have a home.”
Shen Miao lowered her head, holding her siblings tighter.
Xiang’er buried her face in her sister’s chest, while Ji’er continued to gaze up at the familiar yet unfamiliar signboard, his eyes inexplicably moist.
Who would have thought that one day, he and Xiang’er would have a place they could call home again?
It was truly unbelievable.
Before his sister returned, he hadn’t even dared to dream of such a thing.
Amidst the sound of firecrackers and the rising smoke, he couldn’t find the words to express himself, finally only managing a hoarse “Mm.”
On the opening day of Shen’s Noodle Shop, not a single bowl of noodles was sold in the morning. Instead, the shop was bustling with neighbors from the alley coming to congratulate her.
Though these neighbors often gossiped behind her back, on such a big occasion, they were all very enthusiastic, arriving early to offer their congratulations and see the spectacle.
Shen Miao received many gifts-bowls, rice, flour, tofu, eggs, and even a few pounds of fresh meat-quickly filling the small front porch in the backyard.
Aside from the neighbors, the first to congratulate her were Mei Sanniang and Miss Mi, who sold sweet drinks on Golden Beam Bridge.
Shen Miao happily accepted their gifts-two large jars of jujube sweet soup and perilla drink, as well as two wooden carvings of magpies on branches and spring flowers and led them inside by hand.
“You didn’t have to bring gifts,” Shen Miao said, beaming.
“From now on, whenever you come for noodles, I’ll give you half off.”
“How stingy! I thought you’d say it’s on the house!” Mei Sanniang exclaimed dramatically.
Shen Miao looked at them, somewhat shyly. “I’ve spent all my money opening this shop. Once I start making a profit, I’ll treat you to three days and nights of noodles, free of charge, no questions asked!”
Mei Sanniang rolled her eyes. “Do you think Miss Mi and I have three stomachs? What a cruel heart-you’re probably plotting to stuff us to death to save on noodle money.”
“You’re killing me with your accusations! If you keep this up, I’ll have to go to the Kaifeng Prefecture to file a complaint!”
The two bantered while Miss Mi covered her mouth, laughing.
After the teasing, Mei Sanniang looked around seriously, increasingly impressed.
“Your shop has a unique charm.”
She walked around, finding everything fresh and new, especially praising the locked drinks cabinet next to the counter.
She said that when she saved enough money to rent a teahouse, she would also make such a cabinet to store expensive teas and tea sets, both attractive and enticing to customers.
Then, she asked with concern,
“Now that you’ve opened this shop, won’t you be making your steamed buns and baked buns anymore? That would be such a shame.”
Shen Miao pointed to the small cart parked in the backyard and smiled.
“I’ll keep the stove underneath and the steamer on top, placing it at the shop entrance. I’ve even made a tall bamboo stool so Xiang’er can watch over the cart.”
She had already planned to make the buns and steamed buns the night before, steaming them in the morning when the shop opened.
This way, she could sell buns and steamed buns in the morning and noodles for lunch and dinner, making full use of the cart without wasting it.
Additionally… Shen Miao poured tea for the two and whispered to Mei Sanniang,
“As the weather gets hotter, the shop needs refreshing drinks. But I’m running this shop alone, making buns, steamed buns, and noodles—I’m afraid I won’t have enough time. I have an idea: why don’t I order some cool, thirst-quenching tea from you?”
“You can deliver them early each morning, saving me time and giving you a steady income. But there’s one condition: you can’t charge me the usual price. You have to give me a profitable rate, and the drinks must be made with real ingredients and kept clean.”
“What do you think? If you’re not interested, I’ll ask other tea shops.”
Mei Sanniang’s plump face lit up with joy and said,