1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 294 Old ginger is spicier (6.2k words, two chapters combined)

The old lady's clarity and open-mindedness surprised both Zhuang Huayu and Zhou Yan.

Zhuang Huayu was prepared to reason with her, appeal to her emotions, and even use money to break the old lady's obsession with not passing on her family's traditional craft.

But the old lady's words were concise and clear: if the price is right, everything is negotiable.

If a problem can be solved with money, then it is not a problem.

Zhou Yan pursed his lips. He hadn't expected the old lady to be so open-minded. When he heard that Zhuang Huayu wanted to buy the formula, his first instinct was to refuse.

The only thing that comes to mind is that this recipe was passed down from the old lady's maternal grandfather. It was a skill that allowed him to make a living and support his entire family during those chaotic times, which was of great significance.

But since the old lady said she was selling, he had nothing more to say.

Comrade Zhou and Aunt Zhao went upstairs for their afternoon nap. A simple bed made of wooden planks was set up in the corner of the living room on the second floor, where Li Lihua and Zhao Hong could also lie down and take a nap.

I get up early in the morning and have a lot of work to do, so I really can't stay awake without taking a nap at noon.

"Grandma, how much do you think is a suitable price for this recipe?" Zhuang Huayu asked the old lady.

“If you want to buy, name your price first.” The old lady leaned back in her chair and said slowly, “You’ve seen this business. In this small town, he can sell more than a hundred catties of braised meat and more than a hundred catties of braised vegetables every day. Once he opens a shop in the city next year and his reputation spreads, the business will be unpredictable.”

Zhuang Huayu had done business with many people, but this was the first time he had done business with an old lady from a small town.

But it was precisely this old lady who, sitting calmly on that bamboo chair with its armrests gleaming with oil, gave the seasoned businessman, Mr. Zhuang, a sense of pressure.

That's right. When she became the number one seller of braised food in Jiaozhou, he was still playing in the sand in Shek O.

When it comes to doing business, she's a veteran.

He's dealt with far more people from all walks of life than he has, and his eyes are as clear as a mirror.

After considering for a moment, Zhuang Huayu said, "The recipe costs 10,000. What do you think? That's enough to buy a nice house in Rongcheng."

Zhou Yan glanced at the old lady. Ten thousand was not a low price. Nowadays, people with ten thousand yuan were indeed rare everywhere.

The old lady didn't rush to answer, but looked at Zhou Yan and asked, "Zhou Yan, how much will it cost you to repair your house in Jiaozhou?"

Zhou Yan held up his index finger and thumb: "Eighty thousand."

“Okay, then it’s 80,000.” The old lady said to Zhuang Huayu.

"Eighty thousand?" Zhuang Huayu's tone rose a few decibels, and he shook his head repeatedly: "Too high! Too high! When we do business, we can ask for whatever price we want and then bargain on the spot, but it can't be this outrageous! For eighty thousand, I could buy the secret recipe for Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."

The old lady looked at him and waited for him to finish speaking before smiling and saying, "Then why don't you try to bargain?"

Zhuang Huayu: "..."

Why don't you just explain why it has to be 80,000?
Zhou Yan pursed her lips, pressing the corners of her mouth down.

Zhuang Huayu thought about it carefully for a while and said, "The maximum is 40,000, but I want the exclusive formula rights in Hong Kong. You can't sell the formula to people in Hong Kong and compete with me."

"Okay, forty thousand it is." The old lady nodded.

"Huh?" Zhuang Huayu was stunned. He agreed so easily?

He was so pleased that he felt he had overreacted by saying he would cut it in half.

Zhou Yan's eyes widened slightly. It had to be an old lady! Forty thousand!
That's a huge sum of money!

"Don't worry, integrity is our top priority in business. Once we sell it to you, we definitely won't sell it to another Hong Konger." The old lady added, "We guarantee you'll learn how to do it. Chinese people don't cheat Chinese people."

Zhuang Huayu smiled upon hearing this and nodded, saying, "Alright, I'm relieved to hear that."

Sure enough, ginger is still spicy.

Forty thousand was a hefty price, but it was within his expectations.

This braised food is really quite good. I'll take the recipe back and slowly cultivate a pot of old braising liquid. Sooner or later, I'll be able to earn it back.

It was during this bargaining process that he felt like he was stepping on the old lady's rhythm with every step, a feeling of powerlessness like punching cotton.

Never mind, I'll just consider it payment for the fish I had for lunch today.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

“Let’s draft a contract and settle this matter,” Zhuang Huayu said to the old lady.

The old lady said leisurely, "You should sign with Zhou Yan. Young people know better than me. I can't even read three characters. You were going to buy from him anyway. I'm just an old woman helping him set a price."

“Okay.” Zhuang Huayu looked at Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan felt a warmth in his heart. The old lady was planning to give him the money from selling the formula. He stood up and said, "Mr. Zhuang, please come in."

Zhuang Huayu followed him into the shop.

Zhou Yan took out two sheets of drawing paper from the cabinet, folded them in half and cut them to A4 size, and took out a pen from his chest and unscrewed the cap.

"This Parker pen is really beautiful. I have one too," Zhuang Huayu exclaimed.

“Xia Yao gave it to me,” Zhou Yan said, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Mr. Zhuang, what do you think we should do with this contract? I’ll write it.”

Zhuang Huayu pondered for a moment and said, "The Zhang Family Braised Food Recipe Transfer Agreement..."

The contract was made in duplicate, and the terms were relatively simple, but they basically covered the requirements that Zhuang Huayu had previously mentioned.

Zhuang Huayu carefully read the contract twice and exclaimed, "Your handwriting is excellent, with delicate brushstrokes, reminiscent of Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy."

"I did some copying in my early years, but I can only say I learned the basics, and it's passable," Zhou Yan said with a smile. He took out the inkpad, opened the lid, and handed the pen in his hand to Zhuang Huayu. "Mr. Zhuang, let's sign it then."

"Okay." Zhuang Huayu signed his name, and after the ink dried, he pressed his fingerprint on the paper.

Zhou Yan also signed and affixed his seal.

"Write down the formula first. When Lao Yao comes out, I'll have him give me 40,000 yuan to tide me over. I'll give you the money, and then you give me the formula. We'll settle the payment and the goods in one go," Zhuang Huayu said to Zhou Yan, holding one of the contracts in his hand.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded, without objection.

"What kind of house are you going to build in Jiaozhou that will cost 80,000?" Zhuang Huayu asked Zhou Yan curiously.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "I plan to build a restaurant opposite the Jiaozhou Wharf, buy an old house, demolish and rebuild it, and build a small courtyard next to it for my own residence."

"So, I've already given you half of the funding?" Zhuang Huayu said with a smile.

"You could say that. The original plan was to earn money while building, which would take about six months." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. "With this money, we can start preparations this month and begin construction after the New Year. The progress will be faster than originally planned."

“That’s good. Money is hard to earn in the mainland, but it goes a long way. Forty thousand dollars in Hong Kong might not even be enough to rent a good shop. You’re quite good at planning. You’ve reached your limit in the town, and you’re immediately moving to the city.” Zhuang Huayu’s smile revealed a hint of emotion.

He saw his younger self in Zhou Yan, who started from a small fishmonger's stall, seized every opportunity, and has now built a business empire spanning multiple industries.

Zhou Yan possesses a tenacious spirit, as well as a vision and courage that most people lack.

Most people would treat a restaurant that earns 10,000 yuan a month as a cash cow, but he has already bought land in Jiaozhou to build a restaurant.

No wonder he repeatedly rejected his offer of employment; he was building his restaurant empire.

"A person should still have some aspirations, shouldn't they?" Zhou Yan smiled, holding the heavy contract in his hand—it was worth forty thousand yuan!
They work from dawn till dusk every day, and only earn 10,000 yuan a month.

The old lady's words solved half of his funding for building the restaurant.

After chatting for a while, Zhuang Huayu went to the doorway to warm himself by the fire, catching up with the old lady and Zhou Momo.

Zhou Yan put the contract back in the cabinet, took out a new sheet of paper, and copied the recipe that the old lady had written for him before.

That's right, he earned 40,000 yuan by copying just one page of paper.

No wonder those people on Douyin used to love taking on apprentices; that money comes much faster than selling braised meat by the pound.

Of course, only a few people can afford to pay a price like Zhuang Huayu.

Zhuang Huayu ate a roasted sweet potato, then got up and went to find Yao Licheng.

Zhou Yan sat down on the stool and looked at the old lady, saying, "Grandma, why did you agree so readily?"

"Haha, you're still not selling for 40,000? How much braised meat would you have to sell to earn 40,000?" The old lady peeled off the charred skin of the sweet potato, revealing the golden sweet potato, and handed it to Zhou Momo, smiling as she said, "The last time I sold the recipe was in 1942. I sold it for 100 silver dollars. A restaurant owner in Yibin bought it, and I even gave him a jar of old braising liquid as a gift."

Zhou Yan's mouth dropped open. Good heavens, so this wasn't the first time the old lady had sold a recipe!
He thought she had been sticking to the recipe left by her grandfather.

The old lady smiled and said, "I've been selling braised food for decades, and I haven't been able to sell it in Jiaozhou. So why are you worried about how someone from Hong Kong, thousands of miles away, might get the recipe and it would affect your business? If it weren't for the distance, I would definitely send him a jar of old braising liquid."

“That makes sense.” Zhou Yan nodded. The old lady’s open-mindedness and clarity were worth learning from.

The old lady looked at Zhou Yan and gently instructed him, "Don't tell anyone about selling the formula. Use this money to repair the restaurant and the courtyard so you can marry Xia Yao obediently. In this family, someone has to make a name for themselves first."

"Grandma..." Zhou Yan's voice was a little choked up, but her heart was warmed.

The old lady still showed him some favoritism; after all, it was 40,000 yuan.

"You sold it with your own ability, so I just gave my approval. It's your right to earn it." The old lady said with a smile, "I'll go and see the house you bought later. It's the Qiu family's old house. I have to go and see it before it's demolished."

"Ming-ge is becoming an apprentice this weekend. Should Grandma go to Jiaozhou to witness it?"

“I must go, it’s a big deal. Song Changhe knows your grandfather, so I’ll go and meet him.”

Zhou Yan hurriedly said, "Then I'll take the keys with me, and I'll have my mom and dad take you around first."

"Okay." The old lady nodded with a smile.

Zhou Momo held a half-peeled roasted sweet potato in her hands, her face already smeared with makeup like a little kitten. She looked up at him and said in a childish voice, "Brother, can I go to Jiaozhou with Grandma too?"

“Okay, I’ll take you with me.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

The old lady wasn't in a hurry to go back. She waited until after dinner to go home with Zhou Weiguo, thus saving Old Zhou the trouble of taking her home.

Comrade Zhou Weiguo has already proven his driving skills; there's no need to worry, he's very reliable.

"Forty thousand? Well, how should I put it... if you think it's worth it, then it's not expensive." Yao Licheng and Zhuang Huayu walked out of the textile factory side by side, smiling as they spoke.

Zhuang Huayu smiled and said, "As long as we can replicate the flavor and cultivate a pot of old braising liquid, it's worth it." Yao Licheng nodded, "That's good. Your shop doesn't lack this kind of talent. I don't have that much cash on me right now. I can only give you the money when I get back to Jiaozhou. Why don't you have Zhou Yan come to Jiaozhou to pick it up tomorrow?"

“I’ll still need your help when I get back to Jiaozhou, so I’ll have Zhou Yan come to the guesthouse to pick it up tomorrow.” Zhuang Huayu waved his hand, then asked curiously, “Has Miss Xia Yao been successfully recruited?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiqiang, who was following behind a step behind, immediately perked up his ears.

Yao Licheng smiled and shook his head: "It's not decided yet, we're waiting for her reply."

How much salary did you pay her?

"Ten thousand."

"You didn't even agree to 10,000 on the spot?" Zhuang Huayu was somewhat surprised, then sighed, "Sure enough, it's still hard to recruit talent."

Lin Zhiqiang listened from the side, looking shocked.

Σ(⊙▽⊙"a
How many?

Ten thousand! For a month?
He was the deputy director of a textile factory, and his basic salary was only 180 yuan a month.

It seems Yao Licheng is planning to poach Yao Yao with a high salary!
The key point is, Yao Yao has such great self-control!
He didn't even agree to 10,000 a month on the spot.

"Director Lin, shall we have dinner at Zhou Yan's shop tonight? Or should we invite Miss Xia Yao to join us?" Yao Licheng said to Lin Zhiqiang after finishing his conversation with Zhuang Huayu. "I think we get along quite well. How about we have a drink tonight?"

“No problem, I’ll drink with you two until you’re satisfied.” Lin Zhiqiang nodded and said with a smile, “Let’s not invite Yao Yao. She’s a designer, she doesn’t drink, and she’ll feel uncomfortable eating at the same table with us. Her aunt will scold me later.”

Yao Licheng and Zhuang Huayu paused, looking at Lin Zhiqiang with surprise.

"You belong to Xia Yao..."

"Uncle." Lin Zhiqiang said with a bright smile.

"No wonder you knew she won the championship in the junior group of traditional Chinese painting. It turns out she's her uncle." Yao Licheng suddenly realized and hurriedly explained, "Let me make it clear first, I admire Miss Xia Yao's talent, but I have absolutely no intention of having her come to accompany me for drinks. Just like I admire Zhou Yan's cooking skills, I am happy to get to know these talented young people."

“I understand, you do have a very good eye.” Lin Zhiqiang nodded.

Yao Licheng looked at him and said, "Since you are Miss Xia Yao's elder, I will not hide anything from you. I would like to invite Miss Xia Yao to join our Licheng Group."

“Licheng Group has a good reputation and is a good employment option. However, employment is a big deal. Xia Yao has always been a very independent girl, and I believe she will make a choice that suits her.” Lin Zhiqiang smiled and said, “Her parents respect her choice very much and have given her a lot of confidence.”

"Are her parents painters?" Zhuang Huayu asked curiously.

"Meng Zhilan, a renowned master of traditional Chinese painting who has risen to fame in recent years, I wonder if Mr. Zhuang has heard of her? She is Xia Yao's mother," Lin Zhiqiang said.

"Huh? Meng Zhilan is her mother?" Zhuang Huayu looked surprised. "I just bought one of her paintings last month, and it's hanging in my study now. Doesn't that mean Master Meng Hanwen is her maternal grandfather? His landscape paintings are my favorite."

"Yes, he's my father-in-law." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile.

Zhuang Huayu said earnestly, "Why don't we invite Miss Xia Yao over? We don't have to drink tonight."

"Are her mother and grandfather very famous?" Yao Licheng asked curiously, seeing Zhuang Huayu's expression.

"When talking about modern Chinese painting, one cannot ignore the figures who are famous enough?" Zhuang Huayu said with a touch of emotion, "Two masters from one family. Master Meng Hanwen is as famous as the Four Masters, and his daughter Meng Zhilan became famous for her painting 'West Lake in the Mist.' No wonder I find Miss Xia Yao's paintings so full of spirit; she takes after her mother. If she continues to delve into Chinese painting, perhaps in another ten or twenty years, she will become another master."

Yao Licheng doesn't know much about traditional Chinese painting, but he understands the value of it.

No wonder Xia Yao was so relaxed about her 10,000 yuan salary; it turns out her family really wasn't short of money.

Being hailed as a master by Laozi and Zhuangzi, her works command high auction prices—that's the source of her confidence.

"Director Lin, do you have any of your father-in-law's calligraphy at home?" Zhuang Huayu looked at Lin Zhiqiang with anticipation. "Master Meng Hanwen has had very few works enter the market in the past two years. Those guys are holding on tight and are unwilling to release them."

Lin Zhiqiang nodded: "My wife has collected a few of them."

Zhuang Huayu's eyes lit up: "Really? Can I come to your house to take a look? I can pay a high price, according to the auction house's market rate."

Lin Zhiqiang waved his hands repeatedly: "You can look at it, but I wouldn't dare sell my father-in-law's painting so easily, especially since it's a gift to my wife."

"Is your wife also a painter?" Yao Licheng asked curiously.

“No, she is the vice president of the provincial architectural institute and an architectural designer. She works in Chengdu.” Lin Zhiqiang shook his head with a smile. “There are two insurmountable mountains in her family, so she chose a new path. Xia Yao is actually very similar to her aunt. She has outstanding professional skills and strong execution ability.”

Yao Licheng nodded slightly, agreeing with this point.

Zhuang Huayu's interest remained undiminished: "It's fine to take a look. I'll give you a price later and leave my contact information. If your wife is willing to sell when she comes back, you can contact me again, and I'll arrange for someone to come and take over."

"Okay." Lin Zhiqiang nodded.

Zhuang Huayu immediately became much warmer towards Lin Zhiqiang. He really didn't expect to meet Master Meng Hanwen's son-in-law and granddaughter in this small town.

He started getting into calligraphy and painting when he opened his first restaurant. During his most anxious times, he calmed himself by writing and painting. Now, more than 20 years later, he has been doing this.

Of all the masters of traditional Chinese painting, his favorite was Meng Hanwen. He once went to Hangzhou to visit him, but was turned away and failed to meet him.

Yao Licheng listened from the side, occasionally interjecting a few words.

Even though they knew Lin Zhiqiang was deliberately saying some things to them, their approval of Xia Yao had increased dramatically, and they felt more and more that if they missed out, they might miss out on a talented person.

Yao Licheng actually has a good impression of Lin Zhiqiang.

Unlike those factory leaders who love to talk in official jargon, Lin Zhiqiang is in charge of technology. He studied abroad in his early years, graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, and has the mindset of an engineering student. He is reliable in both his words and actions.

The reason we were able to finish the talks and finalize the order this afternoon is because Lin Zhiqiang has been pushing things forward and is quite capable.

The textile factory hadn't closed for the day yet, so the three of them went into Zhou Yan's restaurant, where Zhou Yan and his colleagues had just finished dinner and were cleaning up.

"Uncle Lin," Zhou Yan stepped forward to greet, "Mr. Zhuang, Mr. Yao."

"Xiao Zhou, do you have any liquor in the store? Moutai? Wuliangye?" Lin Zhiqiang asked Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan shook his head: "Uncle Lin, I really don't have any of these wines in my shop. I only have wine from Old Zhang's house at the bridgehead."

"Let's drink this. I think it's pretty good for lunch. It tastes good and doesn't give you a headache," Yao Licheng said.

“Okay, then I’ll treat you to a drink.” Zhou Yan nodded. Old Zhou occasionally drinks a glass or two, and the shop really has plenty of this wine, and the price isn’t expensive.

Everyone smiled and nodded upon hearing this, and no one declined.

Zhuang Huayu approached Zhou Yan and lowered his voice, saying, "Boss Zhou, Lao Yao doesn't have that much cash on him. Why don't you come to room 206 at the guesthouse tomorrow, and I'll give you the money?"

"How about 2 PM? I'm really busy in the morning and can't get away," Zhou Yan said.

"Okay, I'll wait for you. Remember to bring a sack to carry the money," Zhuang Huayu nodded and said with a smile.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded. “I’ll bring the recipe up to you tomorrow.”

The three sat down and ordered food. Zhou Yan brought them a bottle of wine and three wine glasses.

"One serving of spicy pork liver, please. I'd also like another serving of braised pork intestines. You guys can order the rest," Yao Licheng said.

"Try the crucian carp with agastache. I've heard so much about it, but I've never had it before." Zhuang Huayu turned to Lin Zhiqiang: "Director Lin, you can arrange the rest."

Lin Zhiqiang smiled and said, "Zhou Yan's twice-cooked pork is superb. You probably can't find twice-cooked pork with pickled mustard greens outside of Sichuan and Chongqing. Order one. Also, order a steamed dish, braised pork belly with pickled mustard greens, which is also a representative of Sichuan cuisine. Drinking is incomplete without braised dishes, so let's also order some braised pig's ears."

"Okay, I'll go make it for you right away," Zhou Yan replied, turning and going into the kitchen.

Zhuang Huayu talked about Meng Hanwen, Yao Licheng talked about the current development of the silk industry in Jiaozhou, and Lin Zhiqiang chimed in here and there, and the conversation was quite lively.

The braised dishes were served first, then the wine was poured. After a couple of drinks, the conversation flowed even more freely.

Zhou Yan peeked out between cooking two dishes and couldn't help but smile.

He originally thought that Uncle Lin was a pure science and engineering guy, specializing in technology and not good at socializing.

In retrospect, we completely underestimated him.

Facing two Hong Kong tycoons, Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng, Uncle Lin was not intimidated at all, and he was very accommodating, as if they were old friends.

The factory's closing bell rang, and Xia Yao, who hadn't had much to do in the afternoon, was the first to enter the store. Smiling, she called out in a clear voice, "Zhou Yan..."

Her light steps soon came to a halt, and the smile on her face froze. There was only one table of customers in the shop, and all eyes immediately fell on her.

"Director Lin, Mr. Yao, Mr. Zhuang." Xia Yao stood straight and nodded to the three men.

She pursed her lips, wanting to escape.

There's that awkward feeling of being the first one off work, only to turn around and bump into your boss.

"I'm off work." Zhou Yan came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of twice-cooked pork. The dish blocked the three of them from seeing, and he looked at her with a smile. "What would you like to eat tonight? Shredded pork with garlic sauce?"

"Yes, I'll have shredded pork with garlic sauce." Xia Yao nodded, a smile returning to her face, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at him.

Why do I feel like I'm being protected? I'm so happy!
Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng were sensible enough to say no more after exchanging greetings.

The men's eyes met, and they all exchanged knowing smiles, raising their glasses for a toast.

It’s great to be young.

As the crowd surged into the restaurant, Xia Yao chose a table near the kitchen, covered her mouth with her hand, and whispered to Zhou Yan, "Are we going for a run tonight?"

"Wait for me." Zhou Yan nodded.

"Mmm." Xia Yao nodded, a hint of excitement in her eyes.

Zhou Yan looked at its slightly flushed face, which was more adorable than its usual intellectual appearance.

"Sister Yao Yao! Do you want some roasted sweet potato? I hid some for you!" Zhou Momo ran over, took out a dark roasted sweet potato from her pocket, and presented it to Xia Yao like a treasure.

"Wow, that's great! Did Momo bake it?" Xia Yao reached out and took the warm sweet potato from Momo's hand. Not minding that it was dark, she grabbed it with both hands and broke it in two, revealing the golden sweet potato inside. She said happily, "It looks so sweet, it's already oozing syrup."

"I didn't bake it, Guoguo did! Guoguo baked it!" Zhou Momo shook her head and said.

Xia Yao picked up a sweet potato, took a bite, and smiled at Zhou Yan: "So sweet~"

　Asking for monthly ticket
　　
　
(End of this chapter)