1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 287 New Product Launch: Seasonal First Taste! (Bonus Chapter 785 for Monthly Tickets)

The shop rental deal went smoothly. Wang Wei was a regular customer of the restaurant and they had a camaraderie from when they worked together to bring down Wang Defa. As the deputy director of the factory canteen's finance department, she directly handed over the contract to him.

The monthly rent is still fifteen yuan, and it is paid every month.

Wang Wei, holding the seal, looked at Zhou Yan and said, "By the way, the company's finance department has decided that starting from January next year, the rent for all shops in the textile factory will be increased by 20%. For example, the rent for these two shops you rent will increase by three yuan per shop. Can you accept that?"

"Will this standard remain the same for the entire next year? Or will it change every month?" Zhou Yan asked.

"The rent will remain the same for the entire next year, and we will decide on the rent for the year after next based on market changes at the end of the year."

“Okay, since it’s a uniform increase, I agree.” Zhou Yan nodded. Eighteen yuan a month’s rent was, without a doubt, the cost-effectiveness for his turnover.

Wang Wei then stamped the seal, handed the contract to Zhou Yan, and stood up, saying, "Come on, I'll take you to get the keys. If you want to change the layout inside, such as combining the two shops, you need to report it in advance. This is the property of the textile factory. If you don't want to rent it anymore, you have to restore it to its original state."

“Then I’ll just report it today. I need to open two doors for easy entry and exit and for serving vegetables.” Zhou Yan nodded.

“Okay, I’ll take you there later.” Wang Wei walked out, but when she reached a secluded spot, she suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Zhou Yan, and her eyes lit up.

"Claws?" Zhou Yan paused, feeling a little uneasy under her gaze.

"I'm curious about something, and since no one's around right now, I'd like to ask you for an answer," Wang Wei asked him with a smile, "Are you and Yao Yao dating?"

"Who said that?" Zhou Yan asked, puzzled.

“Everyone’s saying that she comes to your shop to eat every day, ties Momo’s hair, and you wait for her downstairs at the girls’ dormitory every day to run together. People have even seen you holding hands.” Wang Wei stared into his eyes. “Doesn’t this count as being in a relationship?”

"Really? That's just a rumor." Zhou Yan shook his head. He wouldn't dare agree to that, as it concerned Xia Yao's reputation.

"Really not?" Wang Wei looked at him.

"No." Zhou Yan shook his head, his gaze unwavering.

"Never mind, I can't explain it to you. I'll ask Yao Yao myself next time we eat together." Wang Wei smiled and turned to continue walking forward.

Zhou Yan remained silent, pondering Wang Wei's words.

Xia Yao washed Momo's face and tied his hair, came to the store to eat, ran with him, watched a movie together, and even held hands.

So what is their relationship?

Meal buddies? Running buddies? Best friends?
He laughed at Ming for being clueless about romance, but when it came to himself, he was a little confused.

fall in love?
I don’t think so.

After all, they didn't confess their feelings, didn't establish a relationship, and there wasn't anything too ambiguous between them.

Forget it, making money is more important than finding a partner!

He's only twenty years old, and the government hasn't even approved his marriage yet!

After paying the money and completing the formalities, Zhou Yan took the keys and returned to the store.

"Is it rented?" Aunt Zhao asked Zhou Yan as she was skimming the foam off the large pot.

“Yes, it’s still fifteen yuan a month. Starting next year, the rent will increase by three yuan each month.” Zhou Yan showed the key in his hand and walked towards the shop next door.

Unlock the somewhat rusty door lock, push the door open, and dust falls in a flurry.

Zhou Yan stood at the door for a while before entering.

The shop is the same size as his restaurant; it used to be a temporary warehouse and has been empty for over a year.

The situation was better than he had expected. Apart from a thick layer of dust on the floor, the walls were smooth and there were some cobwebs on the ceiling. He just needed to do a simple tidying up, paint it white, and install a few light bulbs.

Zhou Yan spent over a thousand yuan on his restaurant, with the majority of the money, aside from tables and chairs, going towards renovating the kitchen and buying various pots, pans, and cookware.

This storefront doesn't need major renovations. A thorough cleaning, opening two more doors to connect it to the restaurant, and some wall finishing are all that's required.

"It's alright. Apart from being a bit dusty, it's pretty clean overall." Old Zhou followed him in and looked at Zhou Yan, saying, "I was chatting with Zhou Hai the other day, and he said that a friend of his has a batch of old tables that he wants to get rid of. Do you want to ask him about it? It might be more cost-effective than buying new ones."

Zhou Yan's eyes lit up upon hearing this: "Really? Then I'll go talk to Brother Hai this afternoon. If the table is still in good condition, using an old one is fine too."

He carefully left the shop to avoid getting dusty.

I was too busy this morning to tidy up.

He locked the door again and went back to the kitchen to make braised dishes.

The uncle who delivered lotus roots to him today brought him bad news: starting tomorrow, there will be no more lotus roots.

The weather is too cold to withstand the water, so we will continue digging lotus roots next spring when it gets warmer.

This means today is the last day to sell braised lotus root.

Lotus root slices, a star product among braised vegetarian dishes, are beloved by female factory workers and children for their crisp texture. The discontinuation of braised lotus root will likely sadden many.

"The weather is getting colder and colder. Apart from potatoes, which can be stored for a long time, there really aren't any vegetables left in the field that can be braised." Aunt Zhao peeled lotus root and said with some regret, "Many girls like to eat our braised lotus root. Some even buy it by the half-pound or a pound. So the sales of braised vegetables will probably be affected to some extent."

Zhou Yan pondered and said, "It's a seasonal vegetable, there's nothing we can do about it. But recently the winter bamboo shoot production has increased, and the price has dropped a lot. How about we make some braised winter bamboo shoots?"

Wan Laoliu now delivers ten catties of good quality winter bamboo shoots to his shop every day. The price of peeled winter bamboo shoots has dropped from 50 cents a catty when they first came on the market to 35 cents a catty.

"Braised winter bamboo shoots must be delicious! They're crisp and tender, a much more affordable alternative to braised lotus root!" Aunt Zhao's eyes lit up, then she pondered, "But the cost is a bit high, isn't it? How much should we sell them for per pound?"

Zhou Yan thought for a moment and said, "Winter bamboo shoots cost 35 cents a pound. If you want a lot, you should be able to get them down to 3 cents a pound during this period. There will still be some losses, so you should be able to sell them for at least 80 cents a pound, and you can make a profit of half."

“Eight cents a pound.” Aunt Zhao thought for a moment and nodded. “I think it’s a good deal. Everyone knows that winter bamboo shoots are expensive. They certainly can’t be compared with potatoes or lotus roots. If you make them taste good, there will definitely be customers willing to buy them to try them.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try today.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Just then, a strong voice rang out from outside the door: "Little Zhou! The winter bamboo shoots are here for you!"

"Here he comes!" Zhou Yan got up and went out, and saw an old man with gray hair standing at the door with two baskets of winter bamboo shoots at his feet and a carrying pole across them.

There was also a separate basket next to it, filled with peeled winter bamboo shoots, all of uniform size, golden yellow in color, and of excellent quality.

"Uncle Wan, you had a good harvest today, digging up such a big load of winter bamboo shoots." Zhou Yan took out his cigarette case, handed one to the old man, and then took out a match to light it for him.

Wan Laoliu took a puff of his cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring, and said with a smile, "Not bad. This isn't all. My son also packed two baskets and took them to Jiaozhou to sell."

“I see that winter bamboo shoots have been coming out in large quantities these past few days; they’re being sold everywhere,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“There’s been a lot of bamboo shoots coming out recently.” Wan Laoliu nodded, then quickly added, “However, their winter bamboo shoots may not be as good as the ones I sent you. Look at the quality, they are all carefully selected. They dig up a few by luck, they can’t select them for you.”

"Uncle Wan, since we're so familiar, I'll be frank. Winter bamboo shoots are cheap lately, and I'd like to make braised winter bamboo shoots. I might need more winter bamboo shoots in the future. Do you have any discounts available?" Zhou Yan got straight to the point, without beating around the bush.

"Do you want a lot?"

"I'll order five extra pounds today to try it out. If it sells well, I'll order ten extra pounds starting tomorrow."

Wan Laoliu thought for a moment and said, "If you can afford twenty catties, then I'll charge you three cents a catty, and I'll even pick out the best ones for you. You're an honest young man when it comes to business, so I'm happy to sell to you. No haggling, and you'll pay me off quickly."

Zhou Yan nodded and said, "Sir, you're so generous. I'll still buy these fifteen catties of winter bamboo shoots today at the price of 35 cents. In the future, if it's less than twenty catties, it'll all be the same price."

"Okay." Wan Laoliu smiled broadly and began to pick out winter bamboo shoots from his basket. With a small knife in his hand, he peeled the bamboo shoots one by one.

Zhou Yan paid the money, carried the winter bamboo shoots into the kitchen, and made room for the old man in the bamboo basket.

"I'm off, come back tomorrow." Grandpa Wan called out, then picked up dozens of kilograms of winter bamboo shoots and left.

Braised fresh bamboo shoots are considered a top-quality braised vegetarian dish. Zhou Yan had previously considered buying high-quality dried bamboo shoot tips to braise, but had not been able to find suitable quality ones.

Winter bamboo shoots are a bit of a luxury, but fortunately, the price of mountain products was not high in those days, so there was room for profit.

Zhou Yan first braised the meat in the pot before starting to prepare the winter bamboo shoots.

Winter bamboo shoots don't have the astringent taste of spring bamboo shoots, so they don't need too much processing. Just wash them clean, cut off the older parts of the roots, and slice them into thick pieces for later use.

Winter bamboo shoots are generally smaller, and the ones Wan Laoliu picked out for him were all of uniform size, but compared to spring bamboo shoots, they were only the size of the tip.

Its crisp and tender texture and sweet taste are unmatched by spring bamboo shoots.

Zhou Yan had never braised winter bamboo shoots before, but the book "Complete Guide to Braised Vegetarian Dishes" covered the process of braising bamboo shoots, and he knew exactly how to braise them and how long it would take.

After the meat was braised, it was left to cool and soak in the braising liquid. In a separate pot, Zhou Yan began to braise vegetables.

Braised vegetarian dishes sell very well and have a very considerable profit margin, making them a flagship product for restaurants today.

Nowadays, half of the restaurant's revenue comes from braised dishes.

Ms. Zhang Shufen's pot of old braising liquid is no exaggeration to call it a treasure trove for restaurants.

He's been too busy lately and hasn't been back to the village to see his grandmother. He'll have to find some time to go back in a couple of days. Zhou Momo has been talking about it several times, saying she wants to go back to see her grandma, Hua Hua, and Da Bai.

One batch of braised dishes was added to the pot and then removed from it. Winter bamboo shoots were added. Zhou Yan glanced at his watch, noted the time, and then wrote a new announcement:

Braised lotus root will be discontinued tomorrow due to the cold weather!
New braised winter bamboo shoots are now available: seasonal introductory price - 80 cents/jin!
Zhou Yan placed the notice at the door and then saw a car slowly driving towards them in the distance.

In the car, Zhuang Huayu, sitting in the back, tightened his down jacket and looked out the window.

"Old Zhuang, even that chef doesn't want to go to Hong Kong, so why are you coming to his restaurant? Just for a meal?" Yao Licheng sat next to him, turned his head to look at him, and asked with some doubt.

"His braised dishes taste so good, they're the kind of flavor I've never had in Hong Kong. I want to try his other braised dishes." Zhuang Huayu said with a smile, "I can't force him to go to Hong Kong to be a chef, but if I can buy his braised dish recipe and recreate it when I get back, then the trip will be worthwhile."

　Seven consecutive days of extra chapters! Please vote with your monthly tickets!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)