Traveling back to 1966, starting by living in a cowshed.

Chapter 183 Eating Peking Duck

Lin Zhou inquired in detail about the project's quality and living conditions. He then picked up the construction drawings on the table and discussed with the technical staff present several optimization plans for the building's exterior details after its completion. He also put forward his own requirements and suggestions.

Judging from his perspective in his later years, the so-called modern buildings of today seem so ordinary. Therefore, Lin Zhou could see the key shortcomings of the building even with his eyes closed. His proposed solution was both practical and efficient, which made the staff present secretly admire him.

After learning about the project's progress, Lin Zhou convened a brief working meeting in the project department's conference room, attended by the project department's core personnel.

At the meeting, he affirmed everyone's work achievements over the past period, while also emphasizing the importance of project quality and construction safety.

"This Zhonghua Building is an important project for our group in Beijing. We must strive for excellence and not be careless in the slightest. Quality is the bottom line for everyone in our work, while safety is a red line that none of us can be careless about and no one can cross."

His words were forceful and resounding, making everyone present feel a chill and nod in understanding.

The meeting was brief but efficient and pragmatic, identifying key priorities and implementation plans for the next phase of work, and resolving several minor issues encountered in the project's progress.

When the meeting ended and I walked out of the project office building, the sun was already high in the sky. With the sunlight shining on me, I would be sweating profusely in no time.

I raised my wrist to check the time; it was already noon.

Lin Zhou recalled the appearance of his family when he left home that morning, and on a whim, he went to Liu Yaolong's office and drove his Crown sedan over.

This car is spacious and comfortable, and it also has air conditioning, making it perfect for a family trip in this weather.

Driving back to the courtyard house, his wife and father-in-law had already packed up, while his son, who had been eagerly anticipating the trip, cheered and ran over as soon as he saw Lin Zhou's car.

Lin Zhou smiled and opened the car door, letting his family get in and fasten their seatbelts before driving towards Qianmen Street.

The place he was taking his family to was Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, a famous old brand in Beijing. It had been renamed once for some reason when the wind picked up, but now it had been changed back to its original name.

Moreover, this restaurant's roast duck is famous far and wide, with crispy skin and tender meat, rich but not greasy. It is a specialty of old Beijing. Since it was the first time our family had come here, we naturally wanted to eat something good and famous.

As you drive along the street, the old buildings on both sides are arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner, and pedestrians come and go, creating a strong local atmosphere.

The son clung to the car window, curiously looking at everything outside, occasionally asking questions that made the whole family burst into laughter.

Before long, the car stopped in front of Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. As soon as you get out of the car, you can see the antique-style plaque at the entrance of the restaurant. The three big characters "Quanjude" are vigorous and powerful, revealing the heritage of a century-old brand.

When the waiter at the door saw that it was a customer driving a car, he immediately greeted them with a smile and warmly led them into the store.

The restaurant is decorated in an antique style, with mahogany tables and chairs, carved beams and painted rafters, and various calligraphy and paintings and old photos hanging on the walls, exuding the charm of old Beijing. The hall is full of diners, lively and orderly, and the air is filled with the rich aroma of roast duck, making people's mouths water.

Lin Zhou was ushered into a private room, a quiet and elegant space with a touch of privacy. Once the family was seated, a waiter presented the menu. Lin Zhou took it, then smiled and handed it to his father-in-law and wife, letting them order their favorite dishes.

The father-in-law pushed the menu aside and said with a smile, "You can order, I'll benefit from it." The wife also nodded with a smile, letting Lin Zhou make the decision.

Lin Zhou didn't refuse, after all, this was his first time eating roast duck here in both his lives, so he could only order according to the video guide on his phone.

He composed himself and then ordered the restaurant's signature roast duck, along with several other Beijing specialties such as mustard greens, tripe, and noodles with soybean paste. He also ordered a few desserts that his son liked. The meal was a perfect blend of meat and vegetables, and it looked and smelled delicious.

The waiter asked him to choose a duck, marked it, and then asked him to wait a while while the other dishes were served.

Not long after the other dishes were served, a waiter pushed in a food cart with a freshly roasted duck on it. The duck was a deep reddish-brown color, glistening with oil, and emitting an enticing aroma.

The duck carver skillfully slices the roast duck with a thin knife. With each stroke, evenly sliced ​​pieces of duck meat are removed, the skin crispy and the meat tender, glistening with oil, instantly filling a plate.

The waiter brought over lotus leaf buns, shredded scallions, cucumber strips, and sweet bean sauce. Hearing that they were speaking with a regional accent, he smiled and introduced the dishes:

"Dear guests, this is our restaurant's signature roast duck. We recommend eating it wrapped in lotus leaf pancakes for the best taste."

Lin Zhou picked up a lotus leaf pancake, spread it in his palm, added a few slices of roast duck meat, some shredded scallions and cucumber strips, spread sweet bean sauce on it, gently rolled it up, and handed it to his father-in-law, saying:

"Dad, have a taste." He then rolled one for his wife and son, and finally rolled one for himself.

One bite reveals the softness of the lotus leaf pancake, the crispness of the roast duck skin, the tenderness of the duck meat, the refreshing taste of scallions and cucumber strips, and the sweetness of the sweet bean sauce. The flavor is rich and layered, not greasy at all, and leaves a lingering fragrance that makes you want to keep eating.

My father-in-law ate the roast duck, nodded, and praised, "This is the first time I've ever tasted roast duck from such a time-honored brand!"

The son, his mouth greasy and his little face full of satisfaction, mumbled something indistinctly:

"Dad, this roast duck is so delicious! It's even better than the roast goose from Hong Kong!" This made the whole family burst into laughter.

The aroma of roast duck filled the air at the dining table. The family ate and chatted, talking about everyday things and funny stories. The father-in-law talked about the local customs and traditions of his hometown.

Lin Zhou was telling some stories from later generations, while his wife would wipe their son's mouth from time to time, reminding him to eat slowly. The small private room was filled with laughter and a warm atmosphere.

The refreshing and palate-cleansing mustard greens, the chewy and delicious tripe, and the rich and mellow flavor of the fried sauce noodles—each dish has its own unique taste, making it a truly enjoyable meal.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the whole family ate to their heart's content, with satisfied smiles on their faces.

As they walked out of the Quanjude roast duck restaurant, their son, holding Lin Zhou and his wife's hands, skipped and hopped along in the middle. Suddenly, he looked up and asked Lin Zhou a question.

"Dad, when can we come here again? This roast duck is so delicious, I want to eat it again!"

"Okay, then we'll eat it again in a few days, but we still can't eat too much, otherwise we'll get tired of it."

No matter how large or wealthy a business empire is in Hong Kong, it cannot compare to the joy and warmth of this moment of reunion.

Throughout his life, from having nothing when he transmigrated to holding a business empire, he has weathered more than a decade of storms and experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships. Only his family has been his eternal harbor and the driving force for his progress.

After getting into the car, Lin Zhou drove towards the courtyard house. Inside the car, his son was leaning against his wife's chest, already half asleep, while his father-in-law was leaning against the car window, resting with his eyes closed.

Lin Zhou gripped the steering wheel, his gaze gentle, thinking to himself that he must spend more time with his family in the future and appreciate this simplest yet most precious happiness.