From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Chapter 1138 Rejecting Foreign Investment
Feng Zhengming pulled his daughter to his side and sat her on his lap.

"To be honest, the city approached me last year, hoping I could open a shop in Pudong. Moreover, the city didn't want a fast food restaurant like a dry rice shop; they wanted me to open a large store in Pudong."

Wang Lichun is a true native of Shanghai. She rose to prominence in the late 80s and early 90s by taking advantage of the booming foreign trade industry at the time.

Incidentally, Wang Lichun and Feng Zhengming's third uncle, Feng Jiandong, knew each other.

The two of them had even collaborated on several business deals back then.

Later, Wang Lichun made money through foreign trade and then began to move into the financial field.

He was once a prominent figure in the stock market.

Now, relying on the connections she built up in the past, she mainly does things that are similar to being a middleman.

In her own words to Feng Zhengming, she had been through thick and thin, and now she felt that being content with a modest life was just fine.

Today, she took the initiative to bring up the idea of ​​opening a store in Pudong to Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming guessed that she probably didn't want to invest and cooperate herself, but was still relying on her connections. She was probably trying to sound out Feng Zhengming's intentions on behalf of someone else.

After all, Wang Lichun brought a lot of business to his restaurant, so Feng Zhengming didn't hide anything from her.

Moreover, the city had already communicated with Feng Zhengming many times about opening a shop in Pudong.

Even the old man had approached him several times, subtly and overtly reminding him of this matter.

The city's intention was simple: they hoped Feng Zhengming could open a high-end restaurant in Pudong to boost the local catering industry.

After all, Pudong is now a financial center, but since Shanghai is known as the "Oriental Food Capital," it can't be that Pudong doesn't have any delicious food, right?

Wang Lichun hadn't expected that Feng Zhengming would respond so directly to her as soon as she opened her mouth.

She didn't react for a moment.

But then she thought about it again and smiled.

"Wow, as expected of Scholar Feng, even opening a new store in Pudong has attracted so much attention. The city government has even stepped in to urge you to go there?"

Feng Zhengming: "Sister, just tell me directly, who asked you to find me?"

Seeing that Feng Zhengming was so straightforward, Wang Lichun stopped beating around the bush.

"He's an old client of mine who lives upstairs. He used to live abroad. Last year, when we joined the WTO, he rushed to come to China to do some business, but he didn't know what to do."
We're having dinner tonight. He thinks Feng Zhuangyuan's cooking skills are amazing.

I mentioned to him that you might be opening a branch in Shanghai, and he wanted me to ask if he could invest in it.

Feng Zhengming: "Which country is he in?"

Wang Lichun: "Of course it's America from across the ocean."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "What kind of delicious food could there be? Why would he invest in me to open a restaurant? There are still many industries to invest in in China."

After saying this, Feng Zhengming saw that Wang Lichun hesitated and did not rush to speak.

Then Feng Zhengming suddenly realized, "I understand, he wants to invest in my company?"

Wang Lichun smiled awkwardly: "Feng Zhuangyuan, don't be angry. I just think that perhaps your restaurant company also needs some investment. Many companies in China are attracting foreign investment now."

Feng Zhengming: "Sister, I don't actually need it."

Wang Lichun: "Yes, you, Feng Zhuangyuan, probably don't need it, after all, you have a large and successful family now."

After saying this, Wang Lichun lowered her voice and leaned closer to Feng Zhengming to speak.

"But with overseas investment, wouldn't it be easier for you, Mr. Feng, to open your restaurant overseas in the future? He has a lot of overseas resources at his disposal."

Feng Zhengming smiled calmly.

"Thank you for thinking of me, but I don't have any plans to expand overseas for the time being. I really don't need any investment from others. I'm just a small chef running a restaurant. I'm already very satisfied with running my own restaurants in China."

Since Feng Zhengming had said that, Wang Lichun could naturally tell that he was firmly refusing.

Wang Lichun could only smile and apologize.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, Scholar Feng."

Feng Zhengming: "Sister, please don't say that. How about this, tonight I'll give your table a 20% discount."

Wang Lichun was taken aback: "This, this is too much trouble."

Feng Zhengming: "Sister, you've always been very supportive of my business, so giving me a discount is only right."

Then Feng Zhengming picked up his daughter and stood up: "Youyou, say goodbye to Auntie."

Feng Nuanyou waved her little hand obediently: "Bye-bye, Auntie."

Wang Lichun also stood up: "Okay, bye-bye, my dear girl."

Feng Zhengming left first with his daughter in his arms, and Wang Lichun went upstairs afterward.

Back in the private room, she explained the situation to the other party.

Those who had returned from overseas and wanted to invest in Feng Zhengming's restaurant company were clearly unhappy.

However, he didn't say anything, but still expressed his gratitude to Wang Lichun.

Feng Zhengming watched them leave, holding his daughter and pondering his next move.

"It seems that after China's accession to the WTO, many large foreign companies will want to enter the Chinese market, and there will certainly be many foreign catering companies as well."

"If you want to make a splash in our market, Shanghai is indeed a very suitable entry point."

Feng Zhengming knew that a large number of overseas fast food companies would gradually enter the Chinese market.

Many more Western-style restaurants will also open in Shanghai.

It can be said that these events have had a significant impact on the domestic catering market.

Especially in Shanghai, people have been fond of Cantonese cuisine from Hong Kong, as well as Taiwanese and Japanese cuisine.

On the contrary, they don't really like many domestic cuisines, and may even consider them unsophisticated.

Just like before Feng Zhengming emerged, people had a stereotypical impression of Shandong cuisine as "dark and sticky".

Therefore, in Shanghai, it's not really a joke to say that Chinese cuisine has been defeated by the cooking styles of other countries.

The next phase will be a time when overseas catering companies enter the market in large numbers.

Feng Zhengming is no longer afraid of this.

He actually hoped that overseas restaurant groups would come in.

Once they settled in Shanghai, all sorts of their shops opened up there.

Feng Zhengming feels that his recommendation guide could have more interesting sections added.

For example, we could do a review of different burger joints.

Or perhaps we should conduct a Chinese-standard review of various Western restaurants?

It also allows for a unique comparison between Chinese and foreign fast food restaurants.

Thinking of these things, a smile unconsciously appeared on Feng Zhengming's face.

When Feng Nuanyou saw her father smile, she reached out her little hand and gently touched his face.

"Dad, why are you laughing?"

Feng Zhengming kissed his daughter's little hand: "Because Daddy thought of something happy."

Feng Nuanyou pressed, "What's the happy thing?" Feng Zhengming replied, "Dad is thinking, what if those foreign chefs come all the way here to open restaurants, and then we go and evaluate their dishes to see if they're delicious and if it's interesting?"

Feng Nuanyou looked a little confused; she clearly hadn't understood what her father was saying.

Feng Zhengming explained it more simply: "They wanted to compete with Dad, but Dad no longer participates in competitions; he's now a judge."

It took Feng Nuanyou a long time to finally understand what her father meant.

"Oh, I see. Dad is a judge, so he can score other people's performances and watch their competitions. He doesn't have to compete himself anymore, right?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and gently pinched his daughter's little nose.

“That’s right. They all thought Dad was going to compete against them, but Dad didn’t compete against them at all. When they came to compete, Dad just sat on the judges’ panel and watched them compete.”

Feng Nuanyou: "Hehehe, Daddy is so amazing, let them compete for Daddy."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, let them cook for Dad, let them compete with each other to show Dad, isn't that fun?"

Feng Nuanyou: "Happy, happy! Dad, will you still cook?"

Feng Zhengming: "The one who cooks? Doesn't Dad cook in our family restaurant?"

"Hehehe, Dad's cooking is the best!"

When his daughter hugged his neck and praised him, Feng Zhengming smiled and kissed her.

After the restaurant closed, Feng Zhengming drove his daughter home.

His wife told him this as soon as he got home.

"Your sisters-in-law have returned to Jinan safely, so you can rest assured."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, I'm relieved that my sisters-in-law and children have returned to Jinan safely."

The wife added, "My sisters-in-law called and said that my fellow students are all blaming you for wasting money on them in Shanghai, dressing them up in fancy clothes, and trying to sow discord between their husbands."

Hearing his wife's words, Feng Zhengming was left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"That must have been said by my third senior brother, right?"

Luo Qing laughed too: "You really guessed it, it really was Third Brother who said it."

Feng Zhengming: "I knew it. Only Third Brother would say something like that."

At this point, Feng Zhengming looked at his wife: "Didn't you tell Third Brother that the idea was actually yours?"

Luo Qing stuck out her tongue: "How could I possibly say that? I've already told my sisters-in-law that we'll go back and say it was you who instigated it."

Feng Zhengming was both amused and exasperated: "How can you say that?"

Luo Qing laughed: "Was it you who invited your sisters-in-law to bring their children to Shanghai for fun back then?"

Feng Zhengming was speechless after his wife said that.

What could he say?

Who told him to step forward and persuade his fellow disciples?

My sisters-in-law brought their children to Shanghai for a visit, and I arranged and hosted them all myself.

So even if the senior brothers could roughly guess that it was Luo Qing who encouraged the wives to dress up, perm their hair, and buy all kinds of fashionable clothes, they would still blame Feng Zhengming for it.

Who made us half-brothers?
Feng Zhengming didn't dare say much in front of his wife.

He had no choice but to obediently take the blame for his wife.

After thinking for a moment, Feng Zhengming simply took out his phone and called his third senior brother directly.

When the call connected, Yang Bin simply said "Hello" on the other end.

Feng Zhengming immediately spoke first.

"Third brother, what are you doing? Your wife and the others finally came to visit, and I heard you even complained about her when you got home? Can't your wife dress up a bit?"
Your sister-in-law has worked hard for you all these years, taking care of your children. Why can't you stand it when she buys a few new clothes or gets her hair permed?

Let me tell you, this is not the right thing to do. A woman as beautiful as my sister-in-law should wear makeup, perm her hair, and wear pretty clothes.

You can't interfere, and you also need to support your sister-in-law.

Yang Bin hadn't expected that it would be so late. He had just finished working in the kitchen of his old shop and was about to change his clothes and go home.

Suddenly, my junior brother called me.

Before he could even open his mouth, his junior brother launched into a long explanation of himself over the phone.

This made Yang Bin feel instantly depressed.

"Wait a minute, you encouraged your sister-in-law to dress like that, tell me what your intentions were?"

Feng Zhengming didn't answer, but instead asked, "Tell me, isn't your sister-in-law beautiful?"

Yang Bin: "Don't give me that crap. Whether your sister-in-law is beautiful or not is none of your business."

Feng Zhengming: "You answer me first, am I beautiful or not?"

Yang Bin: "She is beautiful, but how can she work like that? If she takes her child to school looking like that, won't the other parents laugh their heads off?"

Feng Zhengming: "Who dares? My sister-in-law is so beautiful, who has the right to laugh at her? If anyone dares to laugh, I'll have someone knock their teeth out."

Yang Bin: "Hey kid, you're getting cocky, aren't you? You want to knock someone's teeth out? You think you're so tough now? You've made some money and you don't know who you are anymore, huh?"

Feng Zhengming: "Third brother, you should care more about your wife and give her opportunities to show her charm."

Yang Bin: "How old are you? How old is your nephew? Still trying to show off your charm."

Feng Zhengming: "I understand. Third brother, you're feeling inferior. You're worried that you're not good enough for your sister-in-law and that she'll dump you."

Luo Qing had come over to take her daughter's hand, intending to pull her away from her husband.

But upon hearing this, she couldn't help but gently pat her husband.

"What nonsense are you spouting? How dare you talk to Third Brother like that?"

Upon hearing Luo Qing's words, Yang Bin on the other end of the phone immediately began to criticize Feng Zhengming.

"Look, even your sister-in-law is criticizing you, isn't she? I think I'll have to talk to our senior brothers about it later. You're getting more and more glib in Shanghai, and you don't respect us senior brothers at all."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, okay, Third Brother, I was wrong. I apologize to you. I didn't disrespect you."

Listening to his third senior brother's words, Feng Zhengming knew that his third senior brother was joking on purpose.

But he still wanted to give his third senior brother a way out.

"Third brother, I just want to say that if the sisters-in-law have a good time, you husbands should also enjoy it with them. As for the matter of their clothes and appearance, you shouldn't blame them."

If anyone's to blame, it's me, okay? Don't let this little thing affect your relationship.

Yang Bin laughed on the other end of the phone: "You little rascal, this whole thing is your fault."

Then the third senior brother assured him, "Don't worry, your sister-in-law and I have a great relationship. How could I possibly blame her? Your sister-in-law is happy. I was just saying it; I won't really be angry with her."

Hearing his third senior brother's assurance, Feng Zhengming chuckled, "That's good, that's good. When you have time in the future, you and your wives can come over together. I'll arrange a photographer for you in Shanghai to take some wedding photos for you."

"Alright, alright, you're so full of tricks. You should talk to your senior brothers about this yourself, don't tell me."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, I'll tell my eldest brother that my third brother has already agreed."

Before his third senior brother could say anything, Feng Zhengming hung up the phone.

(End of this chapter)