Chapter Ten: Ancient Methods and Modern Technology

After leaving the antique culture street, Chen Zhou headed straight for the Binhai City Comprehensive Service Center.

The business tips he had purchased for three points mentioned that the optimal time to visit Window No. 8, where he needed to file his "Food Vendor Registration Application," was between 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM.

Chen Zhou arrived just at 10:00 AM. He figured the clerk at that window would be at the peak of their work efficiency.

Upon entering the lobby, the slogan "Let the public run fewer errands" was prominently displayed on the wall. Aside from that, there were signs indicating the various services provided at each window and their operating hours.

"Morning hours are nine to twelve?"

These hours differed slightly from his "Business Tips." Still, it made sense; when Chen Zhou was at work, he was usually thinking about lunch by the time it neared noon.

He took a number and waited. There weren't many people at Window No. 8 today; only two people were in line ahead of him. Judging by their conversation, they were fellow vendors in the food business, just like him.

Following the application tips, Chen Zhou had prepared his one-inch blue-background photo, his ID card, and the paper application form he had printed online in advance. The two vendors ahead of him, however, were not as well-prepared. It wasn't that a staff member was verifying materials one by one; it was simply that the man in front of him had a very booming voice:

"Oh, boy! I have to bring my ID card too?"
"Oh, photos? I guess my ID card photo should work, right?"
"Wait, what? A registration form? What’s that for? Don't they provide those inside?"

Chen Zhou realized that for every "Oh, boy" the man uttered, his own wait time would increase by another five minutes. Out of a desire to be helpful and expedite the process, Chen Zhou tapped the man on the shoulder.

"Look, sir, to save you the trouble of having to come back later, let me tell you exactly what materials you need."

"Oh! That’s wonderful, thank you, friend!"

As it happened, the person currently being served was also asking about the process. A dynamic slowly formed in the queue: the staff member explained from inside, while Chen Zhou explained from outside. By the end, even the man in front had turned around to listen to Chen Zhou explain how to save a PDF file to his phone.

"Like this: once you’ve downloaded the form, just send it to someone via WeChat at a print shop, and have them print it out for you."

After Chen Zhou finished speaking, the line went quiet for a few seconds. The young woman behind the window blinked her large eyes. She broke the silence by saying to the person at the front of the line, "Just do exactly as he says; he explained it better than I could."

Because the "Oh, boy" gentleman had run off to get his one-inch photo taken, Chen Zhou was able to process his paperwork quickly. The young woman at the window finished all the registration almost without a word, her keyboard clattering rhythmically. As she slid the documents back through the window to Chen Zhou, she thought to herself:

'If only everyone were like this, things would be so much easier.'
'Chen Zhou, thirty years old... this photo must be from a while ago, right?'

People who ran street stalls came in all varieties. There were those like Chen Zhou—educated, experienced in the workforce, and turning to street vending as a startup after nearing unemployment. Then there were those like the older gentleman ahead of him, who struggled with basic smartphone operations.

After leaving, Chen Zhou edited a photo-and-text video, sharing his detailed experience of the registration process on Douyin.

"Maybe whoever comes across this can save themselves some trouble."

...

Chen Zhou spent the afternoon sleeping soundly before picking up his wife and daughter to go out for dinner. At the restaurant, Tao Tao insisted that her father feed her. Chen Zhou pinched his daughter’s little cheek and said, "You’re five years old already; you need to eat by yourself."

"No, no~"

The little girl buried her head in Chen Zhou’s arms. Her dark hair brushed against his chin, making him itch. Although the attack was low-damage, it was highly effective. The doting father had no resistance and obediently entered "feeding mode."

Reflecting on it, Chen Zhou realized this was the first time the whole family had eaten dinner together since he started his street stall. He silently reminded himself, "Even though I have the intel now, I can't just focus on making money..."

It was security guard Xiao Liu’s night shift again. As Chen Zhou drove past, he rolled down the window to say hello. Seeing Chen Zhou, Xiao Liu asked curiously, "Brother Chen, have you moved your bun stall?"

"No, I was just handling some business paperwork. I'll be back tomorrow."

Hearing this, Liu Song felt an inexplicable sense of relief. "I thought I wouldn't be able to eat them anymore."

Chen Zhou laughed. "I pickled some cucumber and preserved vegetables. I'll bring you some to try tomorrow. Will you be here in the afternoon?"

"Yes, yes! I can swap shifts, but I can't take them for free."

Chen Zhou didn't want to overthink it. He nodded at Xiao Liu and said, "Then I'll sell the buns and give the pickles as a gift!"

"You got it, Brother Chen! Watch out to the west; a car just pulled out."

...

Back home, Chen Zhou began preparing to pickle the cucumbers according to the ancient methods from the *Suiyuan Shidan*. Knowing the price of vegetables would rise slightly in a few days, he had bought enough cucumbers to nearly fill the refrigerator.

Of course, they weren't in there yet. He simply cleaned them and left them in a cool, shaded place to dry off the surface moisture.

Next, he had to trim the ends of the cucumbers and split them in half. Using a knife, he scraped away the tender seeds in the middle, then sliced them into appropriate segments. Finally, he salted them to draw out the excess moisture, ensuring the pickles would remain crisp.

Salt was a necessity of life that had been strictly controlled by the government in every dynasty throughout history. Nowadays, it was only two yuan a bag. It occurred to him that these pickled cucumbers probably weren't a common dish for ordinary families in the past.

Chen Zhou put on sanitary gloves and tossed them in a basin. As he mixed, the salt crystals gradually dissolved on the surface of the cucumbers, and a pool of greenish liquid appeared at the bottom of the basin. He drained the liquid and set them aside.

Then came the aromatics. Ginger, garlic, and chili were chopped into small bits and spread at the bottom of a storage container. He layered the cucumbers, sprinkling a little brown sugar between each layer to enhance the flavor. He poured in aromatic vinegar, cooking wine, and light soy sauce until the top layer was submerged. Finally, he added a few drops of sesame oil to seal the surface.

Chen Zhou picked up the container and fanned the air with his hand, sniffing the aroma.

"I have to say, that smells pretty good."

The scent of the vinegar was most prominent, mingled with the mellow richness of the sesame oil, a hint of wine, and the pungent fragrance of ginger and garlic. For now, these seasonings masked the fresh scent of the cucumbers, but he trusted that time would meld them all together.

Although modern technology allowed all sorts of foods to enter every household, Chen Zhou didn't believe for a second that the ancient methods left behind by his Chinese ancestors weren't delicious.

However, when it came to the step of "storing in a cool place," Chen Zhou still had to rely on modern technology. A refrigerator's preservation capabilities were far superior to a simple shaded corner.

"It will be ready to eat tomorrow. I can put it on the stall tomorrow."

Chen Zhou stuffed the small containers into the fridge, barely managing to squeeze them into the last bit of available space.

"The kitchen at home is still a bit too small."