sbdcsierra Chapter 75: Uncle Ding's granary collapsed; Xu Liang brought relief grain to help.
Chapter 75: Uncle Ding's granary collapsed; Xu Liang brought relief grain to help.
The sun slowly rose.
The small restaurant was bustling with noise.
Before us was a bustling scene.
Since the potato crispy rice was officially launched, the restaurant's customer traffic and popularity have soared to new heights.
Inside the kitchen, they were already completely familiar with the entire standardized process.
Washing potatoes, cutting them into chunks and marinating them, controlling the heat, and cooking the rice for a set time—all of this involves...
Each step was executed smoothly and seamlessly, essentially completed in one go.
The heavy cast iron can rested steadily on the special support for the gas stove, with a small blue flame smoldering at the bottom.
The aroma of rice and lard, along with the unique flavor of Tongchuan small potatoes, are locked away in the airtight tin can.
In the front hall, Sun Zhonglei was busy at both ends, never having a moment's rest.
He wrote down the names of noodle shops, home-style restaurants, roadside snack stalls, and breakfast shops.
This is to prepare in advance for future distribution cooperation of high-quality small potatoes from Tongchuan.
Xu Liang didn't stay in the kitchen the whole time, nor did he stay at the counter.
He leaned against the doorframe of the restaurant, his expression calm and his gaze serene as he looked at everything before him.
The restaurant was packed, and almost every table had a bowl of steaming hot potato rice.
Golden and crispy rice crust, and oily and soft rice.
These small potatoes from Tongchuan, paired with the restaurant's complimentary homemade chopped chili peppers and refreshing pickled vegetables.
A simple bowl of staple food has captured the hearts (and stomachs) of everyone in the town.
The sounds of diners praising the food filled the air.
The compliments made Xu Liang happy.
"Boss Xu's little restaurant really knows how to cook. I could eat this potato rice crust every day and never get tired of it."
"That's right. Other people's rice is dry and crumbly, but theirs is so warming."
"The key is this potato. It's completely different from the local ones. It's powdery and soft, and it melts in your mouth. It's amazing."
Hearing these words, Xu Liang felt exceptionally at ease.
Starting with simple home-style rice bowls, they managed to gain a foothold among the many restaurants in the old street.
Later, they launched a wildly popular potato snack that became a hit throughout the entire street.
Now, relying on their exclusive custom-made cast iron cans, they have developed a unique potato rice crust dish that is the only one of its kind in the town.
Steady progress and gradual improvement
Holding Tongchuan selenium-rich potatoes, a high-quality ingredient that no one else can replicate, paired with a special rice cooker, and a mature recipe accumulated over a lifetime.
Xu Liang knew that his small restaurant had long been competing with those restaurants on the old street that only knew how to compete by offering low prices.
Ordinary restaurants with highly homogenized dishes have quietly created a world of difference.
Once the potato distribution network is fully established, the family will have another stable and long-term source of income.
His future development will only become more and more stable.
Just as Xu Liang calmed his thoughts and quietly looked outside the small restaurant.
A chaotic commotion erupted from the middle of the old street, instantly shattering the lively atmosphere of the entire street.
"It's collapsed! It's completely collapsed!"
"My God, how could a perfectly good barn just collapse like that!"
"Thank goodness no one went inside. If someone had been inside, it would have been a fatal disaster!"
"It's all over! All the grain in the house is buried inside, it's completely ruined!"
The chaotic murmurs drew the attention of all the shopkeepers and passersby on the street.
Pedestrians who were strolling leisurely on the street all stopped and craned their necks to look in the direction from which the sound came.
Shop owners on both sides of the street also poked their heads out, their faces full of doubt and surprise.
"Where did this happen? It sounds pretty loud."
"It seems to be in the middle of the old alley; it sounds like someone's house collapsed."
"Old mud-brick houses from this era are prone to problems as they age and can't withstand wind and rain."
Discussions arose, and curiosity drew many passersby to the scene of the incident.
Xu Liang frowned slightly, glanced in the direction of the noise, and had a vague guess in his mind.
That alley is home to many long-time residents of the old street, including some acquaintances he knew.
That was Uncle Ding's family.
Uncle Ding was a native of the area. He was honest, simple, and hardworking all his life, supporting his large family by farming and doing odd jobs.
He was kind and honest, never argued with his neighbors, and would often pass by small restaurants.
He would occasionally come in for a bowl of cheap noodles or fried rice, but Uncle Ding was a kind and honest man, recognized throughout the old street.
In Uncle Ding's backyard, there is a separate old-fashioned mud-brick warehouse, which is quite old.
The walls are all made of rammed earth by hand in the early years, specifically used to store a family's food for the whole year.
Rice, corn, miscellaneous grains, and dried vegetables were all piled up in that barn.
That was the livelihood of an ordinary farming family throughout the year.
Thinking of this, Xu Liang didn't dare to delay and called out to the small restaurant.
"Zhonglei, you and Aunt Lu keep an eye on things. I'm going to go see what's going on up front."
Sun Zhonglei was busy clearing the table when he heard this and immediately looked up and responded.
"Alright, boss, go ahead. The small restaurant is fine; the two of us can manage."
Aunt Lu also poked her head out from the kitchen and quickly said.
"Go ahead and don't worry. The kitchen procedures are all set. I'll oversee the rice crust and make sure nothing goes wrong."
Relieved by their reply, Xu Liang nodded and strode quickly toward the middle of the old street.
The further you go, the clearer the noise becomes, and the larger the crowd grows.
The alleyway entrance was completely blocked by three layers of people.
Xu Liang pushed through the crowd and squeezed to the very back.
He saw the scene before him, and sure enough, the incident occurred in Uncle Ding's backyard.
The old mud-brick warehouse that had been with the Ding family for many years was now completely collapsed.
Half of the earthen wall collapsed, and broken wooden beams were crookedly stuck in the ruins.
The rotten wooden frame, scattered yellow earth blocks, broken straw, and rotten adobe bricks were piled together in a mess, a scene of utter desolation.
The roof had mostly collapsed, dust was flying everywhere, and gray debris was still falling down in a continuous rustling sound.
The grain sacks that were originally neatly stacked inside the granary were crushed under the collapsed earthen wall.
Some sacks were ripped open by sharp broken pieces of wood, while others were deformed and cracked by clods of earth.
Rice as white as white jade, golden corn kernels, and dried grains were scattered all over the ground.
Mixed with thick gravel and dust, perfectly good grain.
In an instant, it was completely ruined and could no longer be eaten directly.
Directly in front of the ruins, Uncle Ding sat blankly on the ground, his legs weak, his face pale, and his hands trembling slightly.
His eyes were lifeless as he stared intently at the collapsed barn and the destroyed grain scattered on the ground, his lips trembling.
Unable to utter a single word, he felt as if all his strength had been drained away in an instant, his entire being radiating despair and helplessness.
Aunt Ding squatted to the side, her shoulders shaking incessantly as she quietly wiped away tears. Her eyes were red and swollen. Looking at the food rations scattered on the ground, stained with mud, she trembled with heartache, tears streaming down her face.
The neighbors who stood around looked regretful, shaking their heads and sighing.
"What a tragedy! A perfectly good granary of grain, all ruined."
"It rained for several nights in a row recently, and the adobe walls were soaked through by the rain. They were already soft inside and would collapse sooner or later."
"Luckily, no one went in to get anything during the day. The wall collapsed so badly that it could have hit someone and caused serious damage."
"The greatest blessing is that everyone is safe and sound. If we run out of food, we can save it up slowly."
Everyone offered words of comfort, one after another.
The words were well-intentioned, but everyone knew that this comfort was far too pale and powerless.
In this small town in the 1990s, food was the lifeblood of ordinary farmers.
Against the backdrop of rampant production increases without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Every grain of rice in this granary is the result of hard work and dedication, cultivated over half a year, with people facing the loess soil and their backs to the sky, enduring scorching sun and rain.
Every household strives for a stable life, carefully managing their finances and saving every penny.
Moreover, they would rather split a single grain of rice in half to eat, and stock up on food for the whole year in advance so that they can get through the lean season when food is scarce.
Uncle Ding's family was not wealthy to begin with; they had meager assets and the whole family relied on this granary for their livelihood.
The barn collapsed overnight, and most of the grain was destroyed and rendered unusable, which is tantamount to cutting off the family's food supply. It is undoubtedly a disaster that has struck them like a bolt from the blue and made their already difficult situation even worse.
It took Uncle Ding a long time to regain his strength before he slowly spoke.
"We've been repairing the walls of this barn every year. I thought it would last for a few more years, but who would have thought that a heavy rain one night would cause it to collapse..."
"It's full of last year's autumn harvest. The whole family is counting on this grain to last until the autumn harvest in the second half of the year. Now... what are we going to do?"
In the end, this honest farmer, who had worked hard all his life and never easily admitted defeat, spoke with a tone full of helplessness.
The aunt wiped away her tears and choked out her words.
"Our family was never well-off to begin with, and we didn't have much savings. The barn collapsed and we have to rebuild it, and the grain was destroyed and we have to replace it. We have to spend money everywhere. How are we going to get through this?"
The conversation between the two caused the surrounding neighbors to fall silent.
Everyone understands the difficulties, but these days, no one is well-off.
If one has to carefully calculate their own food intake and barely make ends meet, who would have the extra rice and flour to help others?
Having the will but lacking the power to act is nothing more than a sigh of vain.
Just when the atmosphere was oppressive and everyone was at a loss, a calm and clear voice came from behind the crowd.
"Uncle Ding, Auntie, don't worry."
Hearing the sound, everyone turned around and saw Xu Liang walking slowly towards them, and they instinctively made way for him.
Uncle Ding and his wife heard the voice, slowly looked up, and saw that it was Xu Liang. A hint of surprise flashed in their eyes.
Uncle Ding forced a bitter smile and greeted him.
"Xiao Liang, what brings you here? Isn't the restaurant busy?"
"There's such a commotion on the street. I heard the noise and came to check it out."
Xu Liang walked up to the two of them, his gaze sweeping over the mess before him, then looking at the grain ravaged by mud on the ground, and asked in a calm tone.
"Is everyone alright? Are the elderly and children at home safe?"
"It's okay, everything's fine."
Uncle Ding nodded slowly, and said with lingering fear.
"This morning, the whole family was doing chores and feeding the livestock in the front yard. No one came to the back yard. The barn suddenly collapsed. We were lucky. If it had happened a little later, when people went in to get the grain, I don't want to think about the consequences."
"It's a blessing that no one was hurt."
Xu Liang spoke in a relaxed tone, as if after a major event.
"A house can be repaired if it collapses, and food can be replenished if it is destroyed. As long as the family is safe and sound, there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome."
Uncle Ding gave a wry smile.
"That's true, but how easy is it for ordinary farming families like ours to make up for it? This grain is our family's only hope for the whole year."
"If our hopes are dashed, we'll rebuild them."
Xu Liang looked at him and said sincerely.
"Uncle Ding, we're all neighbors living in this old street. We see each other all the time, and we've always been kind and polite to each other. Now that your family is in trouble, I can't just sit idly by."
Upon hearing this, everyone present was stunned and turned to look at Xu Liang.
The onlookers looked surprised; no one had expected this.
This young Xu Liang actually said such a thing.
Clearly, they intend to offer their help.
Uncle Ding waved his hand hurriedly, looking uneasy.
"Xiao Liang, I appreciate your kindness, but you really don't need it."
"You run a restaurant business, and it's not easy for you. You have to work from dawn till dusk every day. The capital expenditure is high. How can we burden you with our own difficulties and make you spend this money?"
"Yes, Xu Liang, don't worry about us. There are ways to live even when you're poor. At worst, the whole family can just cut back on food and make do with coarse grains."
Aunt Ding quickly echoed, unwilling to owe others a favor for no reason.
In this day and age, personal relationships are more important than money. If you accept help from others without a reason, you will never be able to hold your head high for the rest of your life.
Upon hearing this, Xu Liang gently shook his head.
"Uncle Ding, you can't say that."
"Neighbors in the old neighborhood should help each other out. Who hasn't had an unexpected accident? If I lend a hand when you're in trouble, we'll help each other out when I'm in trouble in the future. That's what neighborly affection is all about."
"Besides, just getting by isn't a long-term solution. We have elderly parents and young children at home; we can't let them go hungry and cold."
He paused, his gaze falling on the damaged grain scattered on the ground, and continued speaking.
"The collapsed barn, with its aging walls and rainwater seepage, was already a potential hazard. The sooner it collapses, the sooner it should be repaired to prevent even bigger problems from arising in the future."
"As for food, you don't need to worry."
"My small restaurant keeps a large stock of goods on a daily basis. The warehouse has ample reserves of rice, grains, and dried vegetables. We have plenty of surplus that we can use to help you."
Uncle Ding was completely stunned, staring blankly at Xu Liang, unable to believe his ears for a moment.
"Xiao Liang, are you... are you serious?"
"Of course it's true, I have no reason to joke about something like this."
Xu Liang smiled faintly.
"I've prepared plenty of high-quality rice, cornmeal, and dried grains and vegetables for you to eat every day."
"These things are enough for your whole family to eat until the autumn harvest in the second half of the year, so you won't go hungry at all."
"In addition, the reconstruction of the barn requires timber, adobe bricks, and labor. If you are short of funds, just let me know, and I will definitely help if I can."
His words were frank and open, without a trace of boasting.
Xu Liang's help was all genuine.
The courtyard fell silent instantly, and everyone looked at Xu Liang with admiration in their eyes.
"Xu Liang is such a kind-hearted and loyal child."
"So young, yet so visionary. If it were any other boss, they'd at most offer a few words of comfort; who would be willing to give away the livelihood of an entire family for free?"
"No wonder their restaurant is thriving. The food is good, the staff are quick-witted, and the people are kind and honest. It's hard for it not to be popular."
The whispered praises from the neighbors reached my ears clearly.
But Uncle Ding had no time to care about any of that at the moment.
He looked at the young and steady man in front of him, his eyes gradually reddening, and his rough hands clenched tightly together.
Uncle Ding's throat bobbed, a thousand words stuck in his chest, and for a moment he didn't know what to say to express his gratitude.
After a long silence, Uncle Ding finally spoke.
"Xiao Liang, our family will remember your kindness for the rest of our lives."
"There's no need to remember any favors."
Xu Liang waved his hand, his tone relaxed.
"They're all neighbors, it was just a small favor."
"You can rest assured and wait at home. I'm going back to the restaurant now to have someone prepare the food immediately."
"It will be delivered directly in a short while. I guarantee that it will all be clean, intact, and of good quality, ready to eat. I won't try to fool you with inferior stock."
After saying that, Xu Liang didn't linger any longer.
He turned and quickly left Uncle Ding's backyard, heading towards Xu's Restaurant.
Watching Xu Liang's departing figure, the aunt's eyes reddened, and she sighed softly.
"What a good child. Heaven has eyes; good people will always be rewarded."
The onlookers also sighed with admiration, their goodwill towards Xu Liang increasing even more.
Meanwhile, Xu Liang quickly returned to the restaurant.
As soon as you enter, the rich aroma of potato rice crust wafts out, and the restaurant is still packed with customers, indicating booming business.
Aunt Lu stayed in the kitchen, diligently cooking the crispy rice at the bottom of her stomach, controlling the heat perfectly.
Sun Zhonglei was busy running around.
Upon seeing Xu Liang return, Sun Zhonglei immediately asked.
"Boss, what's going on upstairs? What's all the noise about?"
"Uncle Ding's old granary in the backyard collapsed, destroying most of the grain stored for a whole year. The family is now in a difficult situation," Xu Liang explained simply.
"The barn collapsed?"
Sun Zhonglei was taken aback.
"Are Uncle Ding and his family alright?"
"Everyone is alright, thankfully no one was inside."
Xu Liang nodded and then began to arrange the important matters.
"Zhong Lei, stop registering merchants now and go to our warehouse where supplies are stored immediately."
"We select clean and plump high-quality rice and fine cornmeal, and then mix them with soybeans, red beans and other grains that can be stored for a long time, and then package them in a unified manner."
"The amount should be calculated based on the number of people in Uncle Ding's family, enough for half a year's worth of food."
"Also, bring two cans of rapeseed oil, a jar of our homemade pickled vegetables and chopped chili peppers, and send them over together. They can be used for seasoning in daily cooking."
Upon hearing this, Sun Zhonglei immediately understood his boss's meaning and nodded in agreement.
"Understood, boss! I'll get it done right away, and I'll make sure to pick the best and freshest ones, no cheating."
"Aunt Lu, when the kitchen is a little quieter later, could you go over and help with the inventory and sorting? Pack them up neatly so they're easier to move." Xu Liang then looked towards the kitchen.
"no problem!"
Aunt Lu responded immediately.
"Leave this to me. I can sort things out clearly. I'll separate premium grains from everyday grains and deliver them cleanly."
With the arrangements made, the two immediately got to work.
Sun Zhonglei grabbed the keys and hurried to the warehouse.
The warehouse was well-stocked, dry, and the grain was perfectly preserved, without any dampness, mold, or sprouting.
Bags of white rice, plump and translucent, cornmeal fine and dry, and various grains neatly stacked, all in good condition.
Following Xu Liang's instructions, Sun Zhonglei carefully selected, weighed, and packaged the items.
Before long, all the relief supplies had been sorted out.
Rice, grains, oil jars, pickled vegetables.
They were neatly stacked on the small cart, heavy and substantial, looking very real.
Aunt Lu also took some time to come over and help organize and pack, checking everything carefully to make sure there were no problems.
"Everything's all set up, perfectly settled. Enough for Uncle Ding's family to live a peaceful life."
Aunt Lu dusted off her hands and began to speak.
Sun Zhonglei pushed a small cart.
"Boss, shall I deliver it now?"
"Okay, send it over."
Xu Liang nodded.
"Take it to Uncle Ding's backyard and help unload it."
"Okay!"
Sun Zhonglei pushed a cart full of supplies, his steps light and quick, heading straight for Uncle Ding's house.
At this moment, the crowd in Uncle Ding's backyard had not yet dispersed, and everyone was waiting for what would happen next.
When Sun Zhonglei pushed the fully loaded cart over, he unloaded all the grain and other miscellaneous items from the cart and arranged them neatly.
All the onlookers were stunned.
It's really good grain, a huge pile of it.
Not only was the portion generous, but the delivery was also very timely.
Uncle Ding was stunned when he saw the mountain of rations piled up in front of him.
He stepped forward, looked at the intact bags of rice, and his eyes welled up with tears.
Sun Zhonglei said with a smile.
"Uncle Ding, this is the food that our boss arranged to be delivered. Rice, grains, oil, and pickled vegetables are all prepared. Please accept it with peace of mind and live a good life."
Just then, Xu Liang also walked over slowly.
Uncle Ding quickly stepped forward, stretched out his rough hands, and tightly grasped Xu Liang's hands.
He gripped it tightly, his voice choked with emotion.
"Xiao Liang, thank you so much. I've lived most of my life and I've never met such a kind-hearted child as you."
"Without this food, my family really doesn't know how we would have survived these days. You have truly saved our family from a crisis."
Xu Liang gently patted the back of his hand, his tone mild.
"Uncle Ding, there's no need to be so polite."
"We're all acquaintances living on the same street, so helping each other out is only natural. Keep the food safe; don't feel guilty."
"We'll find someone to rebuild the barn slowly. There's no rush. We'll get through this difficult time soon."
The woman stepped forward and thanked her repeatedly.
"Thank you so much, Xiao Liang. You're such a kind-hearted kid. Please come visit us often when you have time so we can thank you properly."
"Definitely."
Xu Liang smiled and agreed.
The neighbors around them nodded in approval as they watched the scene unfold, their gazes toward Xu's Restaurant becoming increasingly friendly.
"Xu Liang is a kind and magnanimous young man; he will definitely be able to accomplish great things in the future."
"It's no wonder that this kid's business is booming."
"From now on, we old folks should all patronize Xu Liang's small restaurant more often."
Warm words filled the courtyard, and the oppressive and desperate atmosphere completely dissipated with the arrival of this truckload of real relief food.
Although the collapsed granary was dilapidated and the destroyed grain could not be restored, the Ding family's life remained bleak.
Thanks to Xu Liang's help, hope was rekindled.
It takes a return to human kindness.
After settling things here, Xu Liang instructed Uncle Ding to properly arrange the grain and get some rest.
He then took Sun Zhonglei back to the small restaurant.
Back at the store, business was still booming.
Bowls of potato rice crust were continuously served, their rich aroma filling the air and whetting the appetite.
Xu Liang's act of helping his neighbors out of kindness.
In just one morning, the news spread throughout the entire old street of the town.
Everyone knows that Xu Liang, the young owner of Xu's Restaurant, not only has an exceptionally good cooking ability, but is also kind and generous.
On one hand, they have firmly established themselves in the town's catering market by relying on their dishes, and on the other hand, they have a kind heart and warm the hearts of their neighbors.
He firmly grasped both the warmth and coldness of human relationships and business opportunities.
The small town in the mid-1990s belonged to Xu Liang.