1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 59 The Number One Dish of Sichuan Cuisine (4k)

When asking for help, one should not arrive empty-handed. A pack of Yuxi cigarettes was the way to go. Zhou Yan asked Comrade Xiao Wu on duty to pass on a message and help find Lin Zhiqiang.

Uncle Lin is his strongest connection at the textile factory; they have a good relationship and yesterday they established a deep friendship.

Asking him for help is reliable.

It wasn't hard to tell from the finance manager's words that her director wanted to open Zhou Erwa's restaurant because she was after him.

Sun Meili, this glamorous, plump woman, left a deep impression on Xiao Zhou.

The office director, who is in charge of the canteen's accounts, is also responsible for renting out more than a dozen shops in the textile factory.

Her husband is the deputy director of the silk reeling workshop in the factory. He's an honest man, but he's being cheated on.

The ambiguous relationship between Sun Meili and Wang Defa was no secret in the kitchen.

Some apprentices said they had heard unspeakable sounds coming from the office.

Of course, there is no evidence to support this claim.

One was in charge of canteen affairs, and the other was in charge of canteen finances. When these two worked together, they really had absolute power in the factory canteen.

Zhou Yan stole customers from the factory canteen's stir-fry business and ousted Huang Fusheng from his position. It's understandable that Sun Meili would try every means to get rid of him; raising the rent is indeed a ruthless tactic.

At 100 yuan a month, the rent is equivalent to almost three months' wages for an average textile factory worker.

This was in 1984, and it cost 1200 yuan a year.

Let alone Suji, even the best location in Jiaozhou wouldn't cost this exorbitant price.

Sun Meili and Wang Defa wanted to kick him out, forcing him to close down because he couldn't afford the rent.

But they ultimately lacked imagination.

Tuesday, the gross profit of the restaurant was enough to pay a month's rent, so 100 yuan is not a big burden for him.

Based on his current business, he can conservatively estimate that he can earn 20,000 a year, so 1200 in rent is nothing.

Comrade Xiao Zhou invested nearly a thousand yuan in this restaurant. The tables and chairs can be moved, but the stove, which he paid a lot of money to have built by a mason, cannot be moved. If it is moved, someone will have to be found to rebuild it.

The restaurant is currently in a growth phase and cannot afford to waste this time.

Besides, how can a restaurant be the same no matter where it is located?
Even the best wine needs advertising.

If this shop had been moved just ten meters to the side, Zhou Yan would still be struggling with how to make a breakthrough.

Guarding the gate of the most profitable state-owned factory in Chiayi, there are nearly 3,000 workers with stable wages and incomes in the top tier of Chiayi. Even shops in downtown Chiayi are not necessarily better than this.

As a food blogger, Zhou Yan has met many restaurant owners. When discussing site selection, they all consider it the most important task in the early stages of opening a store. If there is no suitable location, they will not invest money recklessly.

Those who believe that as long as the food is good, customers will naturally come to them, and who open their shops in remote locations, are either novices in the catering industry or those who can attract customers online.

Zhou Yan's restaurant is just starting to gain a reputation and needs a period of stable output to truly win people's hearts.

If you fail to make customers feel that you are irreplaceable, then even walking an extra 100 meters will become a reason for them to give up.

Zhou Yan is determined to protect this shop.

But he doesn't accept this kind of rent increase and wants to get justice from Lin Zhiqiang.

Outsiders are not allowed to enter and leave the textile factory at will. Not long after Xiao Wu notified him, Lin Zhiqiang came out.

"Xiao Zhou, Xiao Wu said you need to see me urgently?" Lin Zhiqiang had inspected the workshop in the morning and was free right now.

"Uncle Lin..." Zhou Yan briefly explained the situation to Lin Zhiqiang.

"A sudden rent increase? And we still have to pay this month's rent?" Lin Zhiqiang frowned. "Your shop is in a good location, but it's still less than 100 yuan a month. The way the finance department is doing this is too frivolous and definitely not right!"

“If the factory raises rent uniformly and equally, and other merchants agree, then I will definitely cooperate.” Zhou Yan said seriously, “But I think this is deliberately targeting individual merchants, and I am not convinced.”

Lin Zhiqiang nodded: "Okay, I'll go see the factory manager. After all, the finance department isn't under my jurisdiction, so I can't directly interfere in this matter."

Zhou Yan added, "By the way, Uncle Lin, there's an accountant in the finance department named Wang Wei. Because she refused to raise my rent, Sun Meili retaliated against her and is going to transfer her to guard the warehouse and move goods. What do you think..."

"Wang Wei?" Lin Zhiqiang smiled and waved his hand, saying, "You don't need to worry about her. Sun Meili doesn't have the ability to transfer her to guard the warehouse."

After saying that, he turned and walked into the factory.

"Huh?" Zhou Yan was taken aback. What did that mean?
……

Outside the factory manager's office.

Lin Zhiqiang knocked on the door.

"Come in," Wang Hongliang's voice rang out.

Lin Zhiqiang pushed open the door and went in. Wang Hongliang was sitting behind his desk, and a short-haired girl was standing beside him with slightly red eyes, as if she had just been crying.

"Zhiqiang, did you need something?" Wang Hongliang asked Lin Zhiqiang.

"Factory manager, I'm here for Xiao Zhou," Lin Zhiqiang nodded.

"Xiao Zhou, Zhou Yan?" Wang Hongliang laughed upon hearing this. "Why are you all here for Zhou Yan today? Are you here because of the rent increase at his restaurant?"

Wang Wei, who was standing to the side, looked at Lin Zhiqiang with some surprise upon hearing this.

"Sit down, let's talk slowly," Wang Hongliang invited.

Lin Zhiqiang walked to the table and sat down, smiling as he said, "It seems Wang Wei has already told you about this situation. I find it a bit strange that the rent was increased so drastically at the last minute."

"See? Deputy Factory Director Lin and I think the same thing, sir. Sun Meili is deliberately causing trouble to make Zhou Yan's restaurant go out of business!" Wang Wei added.

"Okay, okay, I understand. You look so anxious. Anyone who didn't know better would think it was your shop that was being targeted," Wang Hongliang said with a smile, getting up to hand Wang Wei the glass of water on the table.

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiqiang glanced at Wang Wei, a growing sense of wariness creeping into his heart.

"Thank you, sir." Wang Wei took the water and took a sip to calm herself down. "I believe there should be justice in the world. Zhou Yan finally managed to revive the restaurant and gained everyone's recognition through his cooking skills. The restaurant's business is slowly getting better."

"Aunt Zhao is such a good person. She accompanied Zhou Yan in opening the shop, busy with everything. Her voice was hoarse from shouting all day, but she always kept a smile on her face to the customers."

"Why would anyone think they're making a lot of money and want to target them? They were losing money in the first three months of their business."

"If we're talking about the loss of state assets, I think the factory canteen's accounts are a mess. The factory allocates so much money to subsidize the canteen every year so that the workers can eat well and have peace of mind."

"The workers are complaining a lot and cursing the canteen every day. You should send someone to investigate this properly!"

Wang Hongliang nodded slightly upon hearing this and fell into thought.

Looking at Wang Wei's stubborn face, Lin Zhiqiang felt a bit of admiration for her.

This young girl is surprisingly a passionate young woman who cannot tolerate injustice and unfairness.

"You mentioned problems with the cafeteria's accounts, do you have any evidence?" Wang Hongliang asked, looking at her.

“Yes!” Wang Wei opened the cloth bag she was carrying and pulled out a red notebook. “This is all the accounts I think are problematic that I’ve copied down this year. Many of the accounts don’t match up. Sun Meili will try to balance them at the end of the month. It’s like this every month.”

"The canteen's suppliers also have problems. Their vegetable prices are about 20% higher than the daily prices at the supply and marketing cooperative. Moreover, when I went to the finance department to submit my accounts, they made me reconcile the accounts with the supply and marketing cooperative, and the accounts were also problematic."

"Factory manager, today I am filing a formal complaint against Sun Meili for falsifying accounts. I originally wanted to gather more evidence and conduct a more in-depth investigation, but I have to file this complaint today."

Wang Hongliang's expression turned serious. He stood up, took the notebook with both hands, and began to examine it.

Lin Zhiqiang also came over to watch for a while.

Wang Wei, a vocational school graduate majoring in accounting, meticulously marked out the dates and questions, making her work very organized and easy to understand.

"Comrade Wang Wei, you did a great job." Wang Hongliang said to Wang Wei with a serious expression, "This matter is very serious. I will immediately have the security department take control of the canteen's accounts and detain the relevant personnel for investigation. We will definitely get to the bottom of this."

This matter is no longer just about the 100 yuan rent for Zhou Erwa's restaurant.

Lin Zhiqiang didn't speak, but he knew Sun Meili was about to be in trouble. Or rather, not only Sun Meili, but others might also suffer along with her.

……

Sun Meili was still signing and stamping the notice, while Wu Lili stood to the side with a fawning expression.

Just then, the security officers, led by Luo Weidong, filed in.

"Section Chief Luo, what's going on here..." Sun Meili looked at Luo Weidong with some confusion.

“Sun Meili, someone has filed a formal complaint against you for falsifying accounts, embezzling funds, and misappropriating cafeteria subsidies. Please come with us to the security department for investigation.” Luo Weidong interrupted her.

"Who...who reported me! Nonsense, how could I do such a thing..." Sun Meili's face changed drastically as she argued.

Luo Weidong waved for the staff to take Sun Meili away and tell them to seal up the office ledgers and take them back with them.

Wu Lili was so frightened that she trembled and stood by the table, too scared to move.

Luo Weidong glanced at the notice on the table, frowned slightly, looked at Wu Lili, and ordered, "Take her back for questioning as well."

Stacks of accounts were moved from Sun Meili's office.

The two remaining junior accountants in the cafeteria's finance office were a little frightened as they watched this scene unfold.

"Don't be afraid, this has nothing to do with us." Wang Wei returned and comforted the two with a smile.

She felt so good watching Sun Meili being carried away!
The canteen's finance office was next to the factory canteen. When the person was taken away, the canteen's chefs all came out to watch the commotion.

When the news reached Wang Defa, he immediately slumped into his chair, his face deathly pale, completely disoriented.

The security department arrested Sun Meili.

And they even audited the accounts!
That must mean they have evidence of them taking kickbacks.

What should we do? What are we going to do?

It was just a matter of adding 100 yuan to Zhou Yan's rent, how did things turn out like this?

Tuk Tuk.

There was a knock on the office door.

Wang Defa was startled and looked up to see Luo Weidong and two security officers walking in.

"Director Wang, there's something I need your cooperation in investigating. Please come with me to the security department," Luo Weidong said, looking at him.

"Wh...what is it?" Wang Defa stood up and asked as calmly as possible.

"It's about the factory canteen's accounts. As the canteen manager, you should know the situation better. Please cooperate with our work," Luo Weidong said, his attitude fairly polite.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Wang Defa nodded and followed him out the door, his steps somewhat heavy.

Who exactly reported it?
He can only hope that Sun Meili can keep her mouth shut.

……

Sun Meili and Wang Defa were both taken away, and the news quickly spread like wildfire throughout the textile factory.

Rumors about the two of them also began to circulate, and they were quite detailed and seemingly credible.

Xu Rui, deputy director of the silk reeling workshop, squatted by the flower bed next to the wall, smoking one cigarette after another, leaving cigarette butts scattered all over the ground at his feet.

"Old Xu, forget it, life goes on," Zhao Dong patted his shoulder to comfort him.

Xu Rui looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and gave a bitter smile: "Three kids, what else can we do?"

Zhao Dong offered him a red plum blossom, but the words he was about to say remained unspoken; he still didn't know if the child was his.

This place has definitely fallen apart.

……

Zhou Yan didn't receive a notification from Wu Lili. Instead, he was met by Xiao Wu, an officer from the security department, who told him about Sun Meili's arrest and Wang Defa being called in to cooperate with the investigation.

(｀Д)!!
"Huh? A hundred yuan, and you've made such a big fuss?"

Zhou Yan was shocked after hearing this.

He never even dared to think of sending Sun Meili and Wang De to jail!

Uncle Lin really is his uncle!
He's really concerned about what's going on with him.

Zhou Yan felt it was necessary to write a letter to Xia Yao tonight, even if it was only because of their dear uncle.

Aunt Zhao was also quite surprised after hearing this, and she didn't expect that something as trivial as a hundred yuan could lead to the arrest of two directors.

It was lunchtime, and the workers who came to eat were all talking about this.

Women make up 80% of the textile factory workers, and they love to gossip.

The authenticity of this news has been confirmed from multiple perspectives.

The melons were so big that every badger in the melon patch was happily eating them.

Zhou Yan's feelings were somewhat complicated.

Comrade Xiao Zhou's grand ambition may not be fulfilled.

The factory canteen didn't collapse, but Wang Defa is about to fall from grace.

I felt a little bit of pleasure and happiness.

Rumors circulated that Zhou Yan was the catalyst for this incident, stemming from an additional 100 yuan in rent imposed on Zhou Erwa's restaurant.

Because of this, many onlookers came to the restaurant specifically to eat and get the latest gossip.

The booming business continued until the work bell rang.

"These women are crazy!" Zhou Jie lay down on the bench and let out a long sigh.

Zhou Yan shook his aching hands, picked up the enamel mug next to him and gulped down several mouthfuls of herbal tea. The spatula had even sparked from the wok at noon today.

[Ding! Side Quest: Inheritance of Qiaojiao Beef - Completed. Zhou Jie, Learning Progress: 3/3]

[Reward Awarded: Sichuan Cuisine's Number One Dish - Twice-Cooked Pork]

Two notifications suddenly popped up in the system.

……

　A long chapter of four thousand words.

　　I wrote the second chapter overnight, so that everyone wouldn't be unhappy with it.

　　In fact, Whisper's handling of the villains was very quick and without excessive stretching; it was all written in a lighthearted and humorous direction.

　　Characters need to be established through conflict; a monotonous daily routine will make the characters too flat and the plot bland and uninteresting.

　　I understand everyone's aversion to this kind of plot, so I've created plots that are anti-cliché.

　　Next, I will focus on the food theme, writing about the heartwarming interactions between food and diners.

　　Twice-cooked pork, the number one Sichuan dish is here!
　　That's all!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)