Chapter 608 Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Chapter 608 Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

The dust has settled, and the hand, foot and mouth disease epidemic in the community has gradually subsided under the full prevention and control of medical staff. Brother Shanji's restaurant has regained its vitality. Neighbors admire his adherence to the right path and come to support him, and the business is getting more and more prosperous. He also set up a public welfare bookshelf in a corner of the restaurant, put some children's books and health manuals, and make them available for free reading, hoping to add warmth to the community. Qi Tongwei officially joined the community legal aid team and regularly gave small classes on legal knowledge. From neighborhood disputes to rights protection, he patiently explained everything in detail and used his personal experience to persuade everyone not to go astray.

Time flows slowly, and the stormy waves of the past have become indifferent stories on the lips. On a summer evening, in front of the restaurant, Brother Shan Ji, Qi Tongwei and their family sat together to enjoy the cool air, the children laughed and chased each other, and the popsicles in their hands dripped with sweet syrup. Brother Shan Ji looked at the lights on the street and the harmonious neighbors, and said with emotion: "Brother Qi, our journey has been too difficult, but fortunately we have not lost our original intention and have kept this peaceful life." Qi Tongwei nodded and smiled: "Yes, those twists and turns are all tests. For the rest of my life, I will guard these ordinary fireworks and watch my children grow up. It is better than anything else."

Shan Ji Ge's restaurant is like a tenacious seed, taking root in the soil of the community, with branches and leaves gradually growing, and business is booming like flowers in midsummer. Every morning, when the sky first breaks, he dives into the kitchen, puts on an apron, and the smoke rises, and the pots and pans play a busy prelude. Fresh ingredients are neatly arranged on the chopping board, and the kitchen knife rises and falls with a brisk rhythm, cutting out new edges and corners of life. Neighbors come here to smell the fragrance, and the elderly like to sit by the window, order a plate of soft and glutinous snacks, and chat slowly with free tea; office workers hurriedly pack up and take away, wrapped in satisfaction, and rush to their busy daily lives.

Qi Tongwei saw it all and felt warm in his heart. The seed of his "restaurant dream" quietly sprouted in his heart. He calculated his family's savings and looked for a suitable store, and finally found an old shop on the corner of the street. The place was not big, and the rent was affordable. The key was that it was close to the school and the community square, so the flow of people was stable. On the day of signing the lease, his hands trembled slightly. This small world carried a heavy expectation for a stable future.

Preparation for the opening was like a tough battle. The store needed to be renovated, so Qi Tongwei rolled up his sleeves and personally scraped the wall and painted. His sweat soaked his clothes, mixed with white lime, and became a unique "battle armor". He took great pains to select tables and chairs. He ran through the flea market, stroking every tabletop and pressing every chair back, just to find those that were solid, durable and reasonably priced. The menu design was even more brainstorming. He wanted to have both home-cooked specialties and some novel and creative dishes. At night, he would light a lamp, look up recipes, write and draw, and the doodles on the paper were all ideas for a new life.

On the eve of the opening, Brother Shan Ji came with his staff to help, sent unused kitchen utensils from his restaurant, and taught some "business tips": "Brother Qi, you have to choose fresh ingredients, because customers are picky; you have to keep up with the service, greet people with a smile, and don't think it's troublesome." Qi Tongwei nodded repeatedly, full of gratitude. On the opening day, red silk fluttered and firecrackers rang crisply. Although there was no fanfare, it attracted many neighbors to stop. The first table welcomed the community's lonely old man Li. Qi Tongwei cooked himself and served steaming hot braised pork. Seeing the old man eating happily, his eyes were a little moist. This was the sweet taste of the dream starting.

As the restaurant operation gradually got on track, problems also came one after another. During the peak summer vacation, students flocked in and ordered meals in batches. The kitchen was in a mess for a while, and several dishes went wrong, causing students to grumble and complain. Qi Tongwei hurriedly apologized and sent drinks to appease the students. He went back and reviewed and improved with the waiters, optimized the process, and appointed a special person to prepare dishes and check the order to ensure that everything was foolproof. At the same time, the food suppliers raised the price, the cost soared, and the profit was meager. He gritted his teeth and ran around the surrounding farms and markets, discussing cooperation with each family, comparing quality and price, and finally found a stable and reliable source of goods, which solved the urgent problem.

In order to make the restaurant unique, Qi Tongwei used his brain. He used legal aid to build up his network and invited art lovers to perform on weekends. The violin was melodious and the storytelling was passionate. Diners seemed to be immersed in a small feast. He also set up a "food for knowledge" activity to encourage children to exchange their reading experience and learning tips for free desserts. The restaurant gradually became a community cultural nest, where the fragrance of books and ink blended with the aroma of food.

Brother Shan Ji and Qi Tongwei often visit each other's restaurants to exchange experiences. In the late summer evening, when the heat has dissipated a little, the two sat opposite each other in the backyard of Qi Tongwei's restaurant, with a few small dishes on the table and two glasses of ice beer with water droplets condensing. Brother Shan Ji chewed peanuts and said with a smile: "Brother Qi, look at our restaurant, doesn't it look like a small castle we guard, enclosing all the peaceful days." Qi Tongwei raised his head and took a sip of wine, looking at the clouds in the sky: "Yes, I used to think that life was full of storms, but now I understand that this steady stream is the real thing. Let's be down-to-earth in this fireworks and stew our days fragrantly."

Children often come to the restaurant to help out during holidays, serving plates and washing dishes, their little faces flushed. Shan Jige's son is clever, learning to keep accounts and counting, the beads on the abacus clacking; Qi Tongwei's daughter is well-behaved, arranging flowers and green plants in the corner to make the restaurant warm. Family gossip and diners' interesting stories become daily condiments, and ordinary days are like slow-cooked porridge, bubbling out a heart full of happiness. Occasionally, old acquaintances pass by, surprised at the changes in the two. Qi Tongwei hands over the menu and greets them with a smile: "The past is over, now I'm just guarding this stove, hoping that everyone will enjoy their meals."

During the New Year, restaurants are decorated with lanterns and the Chinese character "福" is hung high. The two families gather together to make dumplings with coins and red dates hidden inside, which means good luck and sweetness in the coming year. At the stroke of midnight, fireworks are set off, illuminating two smiling faces with traces of time. Looking back, the road ahead is full of thorns; looking forward, the fireworks are endless.

The festive atmosphere of the New Year is like thick honey, soaking the restaurant inside and outside with warmth. In the restaurant decorated with lights, the word "Fu" shines brightly under the red candles, as if to pour out all the auspiciousness accumulated for a year. The two families sat around the table, laughing and talking, with the dumpling wrappers flying in their hands, wrapped with not only delicious fillings, but also the hot expectations for the coming year. Qi Tongwei watched his daughter secretly stuff red dates into the dumplings, with a smile on his face, and occasionally intervened to correct the folds of the dumplings. His serious look was like carving a work of art. In his eyes, the ordinary scene at this moment was a rare gift from life.

The midnight bell rang loudly, and fireworks instantly soared into the sky, illuminating two smiling faces that were also engraved with the years. Brother Shan Ji patted Qi Tongwei on the shoulder and laughed gruffly: "Brother Qi, another year has passed, and our little restaurant has also withstood all the ups and downs." Qi Tongwei looked up at the colorful sky, his eyes far-reaching: "Yes, there are still many days to come, and I hope that the fireworks will be as prosperous as this year after year."