Journey 1995:Non-Stop

Chapter 185 A Meal
The arrival of family members, seemingly a scene from a novel, is actually quite common in reality. Families are inherently business communities, and are best suited to supporting each other. This is about showing outsiders that our family has the strength and ability to deliver on its promises.

My cousin's connections are undeniable. Within a day, many people in the market knew that Boss Yan's family was coming and had booked the entire Anhui cuisine restaurant.

This Anhui cuisine restaurant is considered a high-end establishment near the market, with daily revenue approaching several thousand yuan. Despite being Anhui cuisine, it's definitely not affordable for the local timber workers in the market. Those who frequent this place are primarily business owners. The restaurant's level is similar to the one owned by Mr. Teng.

The bag shop is quite impressive!
People from southern Fujian like to put on a show.

There were quite a few people watching the spectacle in the market, and the Anhui cuisine restaurant was packed the next day, with many people talking about what would happen the next day.

At this time, those who can afford to eat at Anhui cuisine restaurants are already wealthy people, and who wouldn't want to prove themselves?
On the third day, around 11 a.m., some idlers started loitering around the area, but nothing happened.

The restaurant was closed for lunch; the tables in the brightly lit hall had been moved to the sides, and they were no longer serving other customers.

Occasionally, individual customers will come, but they can only go to other restaurants.

...

Around 4 p.m., all three cars arrived together.

Leading the group was a Mercedes-Benz with a Fujian license plate containing four 8s, followed by two Toyota Crowns, also with Fujian license plates.

It's obvious that this was brought over specifically from Fujian Province.

The boss immediately led all the waiters out to greet them, and Yan Hui, his cousin, and Lao San were already waiting there.

Today is a family dinner, but my cousin's friends are also here, so my third brother can also sit at the table, just on the side.

"Brother, is there some big project you're here for?" Yan Hui asked after arranging for everyone to sit down and exchanging pleasantries for a while. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

“We’re going to Luoyang. My family has a business deal with a glass factory there, so I’m bringing my partner and team. We just happened to be passing through Jianye, so we came here to see you alone,” my cousin explained.

"That's so far? That must be too much trouble. Brother, let's get everyone seated first. I've also asked the company to arrange a hotel, but I don't know if that'll be enough. I've reserved ten rooms." Yan Hui was also somewhat excited for some reason.

It feels so different when guests come to visit.

"Thank you for your help," my cousin said, clearly pleased. "Let me introduce you..."

Three of the people my cousin brought were also family members, one of whom Yan Hui knew, though they were from a more distant relationship.

Besides my cousin's own people, there were three drivers and another shareholder.

The shareholder, named Li Wei, is the owner of a well-known alkali plant in Fujian Province and a supplier to Yaofu Glass Group.

Upon hearing the name of this glass company, Yan Hui felt a deep sense of respect, having seen the company featured in the magazine "Business World"!
“We are a supplier of quartz sand, and Mr. Li is a supplier of soda ash and also a shareholder of ours. This trip to Luoyang is to discuss the raw material supply for the glass factory there,” my cousin explained briefly.

“I know that glass production requires quartz sand, but I didn’t know that it also requires soda ash?” Yan Hui knew that his uncle’s business included sand, but he didn’t know that it was quartz sand.

Yan Hui had heard the story of his uncle's sand quarry being seized and then withdrawing at the right time a long time ago, but at the time Yan Hui thought it was only related to the construction industry, not that it was related to the glass industry. "Sodium carbonate can lower the melting point of quartz sand, and in glass production, the amount used exceeds 10% of the quartz sand," General Manager Li explained.

"I see! I've learned something new!" Yan Hui exclaimed in amazement.

"Mr. Li is a real business tycoon, Xiao Hui. Although your business is starting to improve, you must learn more from Mr. Li!" his cousin instructed him privately.

Yan Hui could tell from the seating arrangement that Mr. Li was the most important guest today.

"Mr. Li, I'm only 19 years old. I've been out in the workforce for three and a half years and am just starting out on my own. Please give me some guidance." Yan Hui quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

"19 years old! Your Yan family really produces talented people," President Li said. He knew Yan Hui was young, but he didn't expect him to be so young. "I was thinking of keeping things simple this time, but I didn't expect you to book the whole restaurant. It's too much trouble!"

As he spoke, President Li looked at Yan Wenxuan and said, "Wenxuan, your dad never told me that your family has such an outstanding young man. I wonder if he's engaged or married yet?"

At Mr. Li's level, he doesn't need to look at people a second time; he only glanced at Yan Hui and thought he was good enough.

"Not yet." Yan Wenxuan laughed heartily. "What's wrong, Mr. Li? I remember you only have two sons!"

"No rush, no rush, I'll tell you slowly later." Mr. Li knew that he was just a guest today, so he didn't elaborate.

Today's meal cost Yan Hui over 2000 yuan, even though the restaurant didn't have such a high standard of dining, Yan Hui could still make the reservation.

Lobster and abalone are the easiest to cook; as long as you order the ingredients, the restaurant can definitely make them.

Halfway through the meal, Yan Hui sent his third brother away, instructing him to upgrade the hotel accommodations for these people to a higher standard. He couldn't afford to embarrass his cousin.

The meal was a pleasant one for both host and guests, and Yan Hui learned a great deal, especially some experience in building a business, which is something that cannot be found in books.

After finishing his meal, Yan Hui approached the restaurant owner and gave him an extra 500 yuan, asking him to assign one waiter to each car to take all the guests to the hotel. The owner readily agreed. Yan Hui's spending of that 500 yuan astonished even the owner; he was incredibly generous!
There were three cars and three waiters. The boss gave each of them 50 yuan, so the waiters were all eager to go. After looking around for a while, the boss chose the three smartest people who knew the way best to go with them, and gave the leader an extra 20 yuan for taxi fare on the way back.

There was no second round scheduled today. Yan Hui drank quite a bit and went home to rest early.

The restaurant bill was 2000 yuan, the food was 2600 yuan, the drinks were 1700 yuan, the service fee for seeing someone off was 500 yuan, plus the hotel expenses, so the day cost about 10,000 yuan.

My cousin was really excited. The next day, he kept praising Yan Hui, saying that Yan Hui's arrangements this time were so perfect and made the Yan family look so good that Yan Hui was speechless. He may not have eaten pork, but he's seen pigs run. President Li has probably seen this kind of arrangement many times before! Last night, the sincerity was enough, which was actually the most important thing.

Last night, Brother Wenxuan spent half an hour talking to Yan Hui about the business, asking if Yan Hui needed any funds. Yan Hui said no. Brother Wenxuan told him he could contact him if needed. This was Yan Hui's real gain; it was the first time he had received recognition from his family elders.

The next day, the details of the meal spread throughout the neighborhood.

Yan Hui had no idea how the news spread; he had already embarked on his journey back to Northeast China.

(End of this chapter)