Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 277 Come True
It's already mid-July, and the midday sun in Beijing is high, with the highest temperature reaching 34 or 35 degrees Celsius.

There were few pedestrians on the road, and most of them were in a hurry, just wanting to find a shady spot as soon as possible.

On Chongwenmen West Street, the sign of Shuxiangju Restaurant stands out in the heat, while a cool breeze wafts through the glass doors, attracting the attention of passersby.

Four people walked along the sidewalk. The one in front was a middle-aged man wearing a gray short-sleeved shirt. The back of the shirt was already soaked with sweat and clung tightly to his body. Beads of sweat streamed down his face, and he would occasionally raise his hand to wipe them with his sleeve.

The woman beside him was wearing a floral dress, holding a folding fan and fanning herself constantly. Her face was still flushed with heat, and the ends of her hair were stuck to her neck.

The other two male guests, one wearing a white vest with glistening sweat on his arms and the other with sweat stains visible on his chest from his open shirt collar, all walked with hurried steps, clearly suffering from the high temperature.

As soon as they stepped into the Shuxiangju restaurant, the cool air instantly enveloped the four of them. They all breathed a sigh of relief, and their tense bodies relaxed.

A quick glance around revealed that the hall was packed with people, with every table filled with diners, their laughter and the clinking of bowls and chopsticks creating a lively atmosphere.

"Welcome, how many of you are there?" Zhang Hongqi quickly stepped forward with a warm smile on his face.

The middle-aged man at the head of the group wiped the sweat from his brow, frowned, and asked, "Are there any seats left for the four of us?"

"I'm sorry, there are no seats available right now, you'll have to wait a while," Zhang Hongqi replied apologetically.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man frowned even more: "How long do I have to wait?" He was already a bit irritable because of the heat and really didn't want to waste any more time waiting for a table.

Zhang Hongqi pointed to several groups of people sitting against the wall and explained, "There are three more groups of guests ahead of you, all waiting for a table."

The middle-aged man turned to his companion and said, "I can't stand waiting for a table, how about we go somewhere else?"

The female guest in the group quickly waved her hand: "Don't change places, let's wait a bit. This restaurant has air conditioning, it's so cool! When you go to other restaurants, which one is willing to install air conditioning for you? You'll be covered in sweat after just a few bites, how can you have the appetite to eat properly?"

The other two male companions also agreed: "Sister Liu is right. It's so hot, and it's not easy to find a place with air conditioning. It's better to wait than to suffer somewhere else."

Hearing everyone say this, the middle-aged man had no choice but to give up the idea of ​​changing places and found a corner to sit down with his companion to wait.

At this moment, waitress Fang Xiaoli came over with a wooden tray containing four glasses filled with pale yellow herbal tea.

She handed the herbal tea to each of the four guests and said softly, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Please have a cup of herbal tea to cool off."

Tan Jingya stood behind the counter, watching this scene unfold. A slight smile played on her lips as she remained silent. On the counter in front of her were ledgers and a calculator, with a neat stack of menus beside them.

Previously, she was worried that her restaurant, which relied on off-season vegetables to attract customers, would see a decrease in customers now that seasonal vegetables are in season, thus affecting the restaurant's business.

In order to deal with the possible situation, she specifically discussed with the chefs in the kitchen and asked them to develop a batch of new summer dishes, such as refreshing and appetizing cold bitter melon salad and spicy and sour pickled chicken feet, in the hope of retaining customers.

Looking at the full house of customers, and those patiently waiting for tables, I know my efforts haven't been in vain. Of course, even more importantly, my restaurant has air conditioning.

Summer heat can easily reduce appetite, and the heat generated in the kitchen makes many restaurants feel like hot, sweltering stew pots.

Moreover, most restaurants are reluctant to spend money on air conditioning, so customers get sweaty in no time while eating inside, which naturally makes for a poor dining experience.

Unlike her own restaurant, which had installed air conditioning early on, her restaurant was different. Customers could feel the coolness as soon as they came in and eat comfortably, which was the best way to attract customers. Thinking of this, Tan Jingya felt a sense of relief.

But then she thought again and felt a little disappointed: "It's a pity that he hasn't been to the restaurant for a while, otherwise, I could have shared this joy with him."

The "person" Tan Jingya was referring to was Li Zhe.

Li Zhe hadn't been back to Beijing for a while. She had heard that there had been heavy rain in Langfang, and she was worried that the vegetable greenhouses would be affected, as well as Li Zhe's safety. She was quite concerned, but she couldn't contact him immediately, so she could only keep her worries to herself.

At this moment, a group of guests finished their meal and got up to go to the counter to pay their bill.

Tan Jingya immediately gathered her thoughts, perked up, and put on a warm smile. She skillfully picked up the calculator to do the accounting while chatting with the customer: "Are you satisfied with your meal today?"

The customer smiled and nodded: "It's pretty good. Your food is authentic and the environment is cool. I'll come again next time."

"Thank you for your patronage, and welcome back!" Tan Jingya handed the change to the customer and watched him leave.

After that, two or three more tables of customers finished their meals, paid their bills, and left. The customers who had been waiting for a table finally got a seat, and their faces showed anticipation as they followed the waiter to the empty table.

Tan Jingya glanced at her watch; the hands were already pointing to almost one o'clock. Before she knew it, the lunch rush was more than halfway over.

Just then, the sound of a car engine turning off came from the restaurant entrance.

Tan Jingya subconsciously looked towards the entrance and saw a white Volga sedan parked by the roadside. Seeing the familiar car, Tan Jingya's eyes lit up instantly, a delighted smile spreading across her face, and she quickly went out to greet it.

As soon as she reached the door, she saw Li Zhe get out of the driver's seat. Li Zhe was wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt and dark trousers. He was tall and handsome, still with a straight posture, but his face seemed a little tired.

"Boss, you're here!" Tan Jingya walked up quickly, her voice filled with undisguised joy.

When Li Zhe saw Tan Jingya, a smile appeared on his face. He walked over and said, "I just drove here this morning. How have you been lately?"

His relationship with Tan Jingya is no longer what it used to be. They are very close in private, but they can't be too intimate in public. They can only convey their concern for each other with their eyes.

"Everything's fine," Tan Jingya replied, her gaze fixed on Li Zhe. She asked tenderly, "I heard there was a heavy rain in Langfang. Were the greenhouses unaffected? I've been worried about them these past few days."

"It's alright, it won't have much of an impact." Li Zhe shook his head with a smile, his tone relaxed, which instantly put Tan Jingya's mind at ease. "I had someone remove the greenhouse film in advance, and the drainage measures were also in place, so there were no problems."

Tan Jingya nodded and gestured to Li Zhe, saying, "Come in quickly, it's hot outside." With that, she ushered Li Zhe into the restaurant.

As soon as Li Zhe entered the restaurant, he quickly scanned the room and saw that all the tables in the hall were already full of customers, many of whom were still enjoying their meals. He couldn't help but smile and say, "Business is good."

Tan Jingya followed beside him, smiling as she said, "A lot of the customers have already left. If you had come earlier, you probably wouldn't have even been able to get a chair while waiting." There was a hint of pride in her tone; the restaurant's current success was inseparable from her meticulous management.

The two walked to the counter, and Tan Jingya picked up the teapot on the counter, poured a cup of warm tea and handed it to Li Zhe: "Boss, you haven't had lunch yet, have you?"

"I haven't eaten yet." Li Zhe took the teacup, took a sip, and relieved his thirst a little. "Are there any private rooms available upstairs?"

Tan Jingya shook her head slightly: "No, the private rooms upstairs are all booked upstairs today. Why don't you wait a bit and go upstairs to eat when a room becomes available?"

Li Zhe glanced at his watch and frowned slightly: "I can't wait any longer. The air conditioner is being installed at home soon, and I have to go back and keep an eye on it."

Upon hearing this, Tan Jingya quickly replied, "Alright, I'll go to the kitchen right now and have the chefs prepare two of your favorite dishes for you. You can eat here in the main hall once there are empty tables."

“Okay.” Li Zhe nodded. He wasn’t one to care about formalities. Even if there weren’t any empty tables, he could find a place to eat at the counter or in the kitchen.

Tan Jingya immediately turned around and walked towards the kitchen, her steps light and quick.

Before long, a group of guests finished their meal and left the hall. The waitress, Fang Xiaoli, was quick-witted and nimble. She quickly grabbed a rag and a tray and went over to clear the table of dishes and wipe it clean. Then she walked quickly to Li Zhe's side and said with a smile, "Boss, there's an empty table here. Please have a seat."

Li Zhe followed Fang Xiaoli to the table and sat down. Fang Xiaoli thoughtfully poured him a cup of tea before turning around to attend to other matters.

About ten minutes later, Guo Yongjiu, the kitchen helper, came out with two dishes, still steaming. He placed the dishes on Li Zhe's table and said with a smile, "Boss, your twice-cooked pork and double-pepper fish head are here. Please enjoy."

Li Zhe looked at the two dishes on the table. The twice-cooked pork was bright red, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and exuded a rich aroma of soy sauce. The double-pepper fish head was covered with green and red peppers, and smelled delicious.

He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of twice-cooked pork, and put it in his mouth. The pork was tender and flavorful, just as good as before. He then tasted a piece of fish. The fish was delicate and had a fresh, spicy aroma, with no fishy smell at all.

Both dishes tasted great and the quality was excellent; Li Zhe ate with great relish.

In public, Tan Jingya, mindful of the impact, did not go over to dine with Li Zhe. Instead, she would occasionally glance at him from behind the counter, her eyes full of concern.

Halfway through his meal, Li Zhe's pager on the table suddenly started beeping.

He put down his chopsticks, picked up his pager and glanced at it; it displayed Li Guoqing's number. He wasn't in a hurry to call back, and picked up his chopsticks again to continue eating.

After finishing his meal, Li Zhe wiped his mouth with a tissue, got up, and walked to the counter. He picked up the red phone on the counter, pressed the number displayed on the pager, and dialed Li Guoqing's number.

After the phone rang a few times, it was answered. Li Zhe asked, "Hello, is Li Guoqing there?"

"I am Li Guoqing, and who are you?"

"Brother Qing, this is Li Zhe."

"Hey, it's Brother Li Zhe! No wonder that voice sounded so familiar." Li Guoqing's voice was filled with surprise. "It's been a while since we last met. Let's get together sometime, my treat." Li Zhe laughed and said, "Brother Qing, you're such a busy person, how come you suddenly have time to treat me to a meal?"

Li Guoqing explained with a smile: "I've finished writing my book on rural policies and reforms, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief now. I have plenty of time."

Speaking of which, the successful completion of this book is largely thanks to the information you provided me about vegetable greenhouses; it was a huge help.

So I absolutely have to treat you to a nice meal to express my gratitude.

Li Zhe said, "Then how about tomorrow at noon? I happen to have opened a Sichuan restaurant called 'Shuxiangju' on Chongwenmen West Street. I'll give you the address, you can just come here and give us your feedback."

“Don’t be shy. I said I’d treat you, so I’ll treat you. I can’t let you spend money at your restaurant.” Li Guoqing insisted. “How about this, let’s go to Tongchun Garden for lunch tomorrow. I’ll treat you to Huaiyang cuisine. That restaurant makes authentic Huaiyang dishes. I wouldn’t even treat anyone else.”

Li Zhe didn't eat much Huaiyang cuisine, but when he heard Li Guoqing say that, he immediately became interested and agreed with a smile: "Okay! I'll be there on time tomorrow at noon!"

The two chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up.

Afterwards, Li Zhe walked over to Tan Jingya, and the two chatted quietly. Li Zhe told her about the situation of the vegetable greenhouses in Langfang and asked about the recent situation of the restaurant, to which Tan Jingya answered in detail.

After chatting for about ten minutes, Li Zhe checked the time and said, "I have to go back now. The air conditioner is still waiting to be installed at home."

Tan Jingya nodded, her eyes filled with reluctance: "Then be careful on your way home, I'll head back early."

"Okay," Li Zhe replied, turned around, walked out of the restaurant, started his car, and drove away.

Tan Jingya stood at the door, watching the car disappear at the end of the street, before turning back into the restaurant...

Time flew by and it was already evening.

The number of customers in Shuxiangju Restaurant gradually decreased, but the aroma of food still lingered in the air.

Tan Jingya stood behind the counter, her gaze frequently drifting to the watch on her wrist. The hands on the dial seemed glued to the clock, moving exceptionally slowly. She was thinking that once she finished her work, she would hurry back to Courtyard No. 7 to cook dinner for Li Zhe.

Finally, seven o'clock arrived, and Tan Jingya breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to sort out the accounts, her gaze swept across the lobby and caught sight of Wang Jianjun at the kitchen door.

She was about to beckon him over to arrange the night shift when Wang Jianjun happened to look in her direction and quickly walked to the counter.

"Manager Tan," Wang Jianjun scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed, and spoke first, "I have something to do tonight, could I switch shifts with you?"

Tan Jingya's smile faltered slightly, and the words she was about to say caught in her throat. She had been planning to leave work early, but Wang Jianjun had suddenly pulled this stunt. However, she didn't immediately refuse, but instead tentatively asked, "Manager Wang, what urgent matter do you have today?"

"Um... I made plans to go to the movies with a friend. I bought the tickets a long time ago, so I can't back out now." Wang Jianjun's voice was even lower, his eyes full of expectation, afraid that Tan Jingya would refuse.

Tan Jingya's eyes darted around as she quickly made her calculations. She then gave a gentle smile: "Okay, go ahead then. I'll take care of things at the shop, don't worry."

"Thank you so much, Manager Tan!" Wang Jianjun was overjoyed and thanked him profusely. He then turned around, quickly went to the staff lounge to change his clothes, grabbed his bag, and hurriedly left the restaurant.

Tan Jingya watched his retreating figure, gently touched her chin, and then scanned the restaurant again, finally landing on Lin Qiaomei, the head waitress who was tidying up the tableware.

She raised her voice and called out, "Foreman Lin, come here for a moment."

Hearing the shout, Lin Qiaomei put down what she was doing and quickly walked to the counter.

Although she and Tan Jingya were good friends in private, in the restaurant, they still habitually addressed each other by their titles: "Manager Tan, what can I do for you?"

"Here's the thing, Mr. Li came to the restaurant today and asked about our recent business. He seems quite satisfied with the current situation." Tan Jingya paused, looked into Lin Qiaomei's eyes, and continued.
"However, he also mentioned that he hoped to give employees more opportunities to gain experience."

So I'm thinking, from now on, you'll work with Manager Wang, sharing the evening shift at the restaurant. You can tell me anything you think about, big or small, without any reservations.

Lin Qiaomei's eyes lit up immediately, and her face showed undisguised joy.

She had vaguely heard Tan Jingya mention before that the restaurant might open a branch in the second half of the year, which would be a rare opportunity for them. Now, having her take charge of the night shift alone—wasn't this a signal that she was being promoted?

She nodded quickly, "Thank you for your trust, Mr. Li and Manager Tan! Don't worry, I will definitely arrange the night shift work properly and will live up to your expectations!"

Seeing her excited expression, Tan Jingya couldn't help but smile, and gave her a few more instructions and encouragement.

Afterwards, she asked Lin Qiaomei to keep an eye on the shop while she went to the kitchen to pack two newly developed dishes. Carrying the packing boxes, she rode her bicycle to No. 7 Suzhou Hutong.

Pushing open the back door of the courtyard house, before I could even stand still, two figures came running over.

Jinzi wagged its tail and rubbed its head against her trouser leg, while Flame circled around her, making soft, whining noises.

Tan Jingya smiled and squatted down, patting their heads. She looked around the yard but didn't see Coal Ball—that lazy cat must have gone out for a stroll again.

"Sister Tan is back?" The door to the north room was pushed open, and Li Zhe came out.

"Well, nothing much happened at the shop, so I came back early." Tan Jingya stood up, her gaze falling on the several air conditioner boxes piled up in the corner of the yard. She asked curiously, "Were the air conditioners installed this afternoon?"

“We installed four units.” Li Zhe walked over and pointed to the outdoor units of the air conditioners. “One in the living room of the north room, one in the west room, one in the west wing, and one in the back room. We won’t install them in the east wing and my study this year, since we don’t use them much anyway, we’ll save them for next year.”

Money depreciates quickly these days, so buying things now and leaving them idle is a waste and not worthwhile.

Tan Jingya nodded, feeling that Li Zhe had considered things very thoroughly. She shook the takeout box in her hand and said with a smile, "I packed two new dishes from Shuxiangju, so you, the big boss, can give me your feedback."

"Okay, you take a break first, I'll go heat up the food." Li Zhe reached out to take the food box, but Tan Jingya pushed him away.

Her eyes were filled with concern: "You've been busy with the greenhouses in Langfang these past few days, and you've lost weight from exhaustion. Go and rest. I can do this work."

Li Zhe couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he had no choice but to go along with her wishes.

Tan Jingya parked her bicycle in the corner, took the takeout box into the kitchen, went back to the west wing to change into some comfortable home clothes, rolled up her sleeves, and got busy.

She was quick and efficient, and soon she had prepared the meal. In addition to the packed pickled chicken feet and boiled beef, she also made two quick dishes: smashed cucumber and scrambled eggs with scallions. The four dishes on the table looked appetizing.

The two sat at the dining table, eating and chatting.

Tan Jingya placed a piece of boiled beef on Li Zhe's plate and introduced it, saying, "This boiled beef is a modified version of the method you mentioned before. The porcelain plate has been replaced with a small iron pot, and an alcohol lamp is placed underneath to keep it warm. The red oil on top won't solidify, making it more flavorful."

And these pickled chicken feet are a creation of Chef Han, Chef Wu, and Chef Yan from the kitchen; they're sour, spicy, and appetizing, and very popular.

Li Zhe took a bite and nodded: "It tastes refreshing and is perfect for summer."

The two chatted back and forth about the restaurant's recent operations, the situation at Langfang Greenhouse, and occasionally shared interesting stories from the village. The atmosphere at the dinner table was warm and lively.

After the meal, Tan Jingya wouldn't let Li Zhe do anything; she took the initiative to clear the dishes and take them to the kitchen to wash.

Li Zhe went to the bathroom to take a shower, and when he came out of the bathroom in his pajamas, Tan Jingya had just finished getting ready.

"Why don't you take a shower too, to relax?" Li Zhe said, reaching out to brush the stray hairs from her forehead.

Tan Jingya blushed slightly, nodded somewhat shyly, and took her change of clothes into the bathroom.

The sound of rushing water came from the bathroom. Li Zhe leaned against the headboard, holding a book in his hand, but his eyes were not on the pages.

For some reason, he suddenly remembered the dream he had that night...

Li Zhe closed the book, took off his pajamas, and got up to walk towards the bathroom.

He gently pushed open the bathroom door, and a wave of steam rushed in. Tan Jingya, who had her back to him, turned around abruptly when she heard the noise. When she saw that it was him, her fair face instantly flushed red: "You... how did you get in?"

“You must be tired after a long day. Let me help you wash.” Li Zhe walked behind her, gently put his arm around her waist from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

His hands slowly rose up, supporting her high breasts, his body pressed tightly against her smooth back, and the moment their skin touched, they both couldn't help but tremble.

The sound of running water continued in the bathroom, and the steam grew thicker, enveloping the two figures entwined in the mist, gradually turning the unfinished dream of that night into reality...

(End of this chapter)