Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 321 Snacks

After a pause, Xiaowei added, "If you feel there's not enough space, we can find more. I just bought six acres of land on the outskirts of the city to raise pigs. You can use it for now, and I'll buy more land later."

Xie Xiaolong said, "Wow, you've got such a big project! What do you do in Longcheng?"

Xiao Wei scratched his head and said, "It's nothing much. I didn't really think that much about it. I just happened to be in the right place and thought it was a good opportunity, so I did it. There's a training school, a food factory, a restaurant, and then there's a billiards hall, a dance hall, a karaoke bar, a cake shop, a steamed bun shop, and so on. Anyway, the house is just sitting idle."

Factory Director Yu said, "Oh dear, this investment isn't small at all, it must be at least several hundred thousand yuan, right? Young people have drive and can do it, but I'm really old, I have no hope anymore, and I don't have the energy to do anything."

Han San said, "These two brothers also have a restaurant in Fengtian. It'll be opening soon, right?" He asked Chen Hui.

Chen Hui nodded and said, "Soon, everything is ready. We'll open as soon as the waiters' training is over, probably around May Day."

Han San said, "That'll be soon, in just a few days. I'll be there when it opens, don't forget to let me know!"

Chen Hui nodded, and Han San said to the factory director, "The restaurant they built is huge, more than 1,500 square meters upstairs and downstairs. The decoration alone cost more than 200,000 yuan. If you have the chance, old man, when you come to Fengtian, I'll invite you to try it. They say it's an old craft that has been passed down for more than 100 years, specializing in bone dishes."

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "I've got it. Four generations, over 130 years. Fifth Brother's family's craftsmanship is truly exceptional."

Factory Director Yu laughed and said, "Alright, alright, I'll remember that. I'll at least go and get a free meal. Haha, Xiao Long, what are you hesitating for? Go back today and tell Xiao Li to get ready and go over there."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, we'll sign the contract over there."

Factory Manager Yu asked, "Do you sign contracts when you hire workers?"

Xiao Wei smiled and said, "Of course we have to sign it. Once it's signed, everyone will feel more at ease and have peace of mind. I used to work as a foreman on one of my uncle's construction sites, and everyone there had a contract. My uncle said that it's not easy for us to come out here, so signing a contract is a piece of cake. It gives everyone peace of mind, and if anything happens, we'll have something to rely on. I think it's a good idea, so I'll learn from him."

After the truck was loaded, Han San said, "Alright, the truck's all loaded. I'm going back with the truck now. Uncle Yu, are you coming with me to install the equipment?"

Factory Manager Yu said, "Okay, I'll go with you. It'll save on travel expenses. Xiao Wei, aren't you guys going back together?"

Xiao Wei said, "I'm not in a hurry. This is my girlfriend, and this is Xiao Hui's wife. We plan to stay here for a few days."

Factory Director Yu said, "Xiaolong, you should go back too. These next couple of days you can show them around and get to know each other. After that, just take their car and go directly there. I'm fine here, so you don't need to worry about me. Xiao Sun, Xiao Sun."

As soon as the door opened, a woman in her thirties poked her head in and asked, "Factory manager, did you call me?"

Factory Director Yu pointed at Xie Xiaolong and said, "Give him five hundred yuan." Xiao Sun agreed and went out. Xie Xiaolong blushed and said, "Uncle Yu, forget it. I haven't worked many days this month."

Factory Director Yu waved his hand and said, "It's already the 20th, that's about enough. Go get your money and get out of here."

After everyone left the factory manager's office, Han San climbed into the cab of the truck and said to Xiao Wei, "I'm going to just take it over and install it on the second floor, right? Is there any explanation?"

Xiao Wei said, "Just try to put it inside as close to the wall as possible, so it doesn't take up too much space and causes trouble later. Thank you for your help then, I'll thank you again when I get back."

Han San waved his hand and said, "Alright, it's nothing. Call me when you get home. Goodbye, Uncle Yu." He raised the mobile phone he had been holding all along, not minding its weight. Factory Director Yu waved back.

The two young men who were installing the equipment climbed onto another truck with their tools on their backs, and the two trucks roared out of the factory and drove away.

Xiao Wei asked Chen Hui, "What should we do?"

Chen Hui said, "Let's go to the Electric Power Guesthouse and get settled first, then we can stroll around at our leisure. Uncle Yu, do you know where the Antong Electric Power Guesthouse is?" Director Yu thought for a moment and said, "It's at the end of Erwei Road, heading into the city towards the station, right next to Jinjiang Park. Xiaolong, you go with us and give me directions."

Several people got into the car. Xiao Hong, Chen Xiao, and Chen Hui sat in the back, while Xie Xiaolong sat in the passenger seat. Xiao Wei started the car and left the food factory. They followed the dirt road in front of the factory onto the highway. The highway at this time was an asphalt road, the kind that softens in the summer sun and leaves asphalt everywhere when a car drives over it.

Follow Jiudao Street, cross Jiudao Bridge, go through Shanshang Street and enter Jiujiang Street, then turn right onto Jinshan Avenue, pass by the side of the municipal government, turn right onto Erwei Road and cross Shijing Street to reach the Andong City Electric Power Guesthouse. The reason I wrote this route in such detail is to show you how few roads are called "lu" in Andong. Apart from a few roads around the train station in the city center, almost all the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal roads are called "jie" (street). I don't know why.

This is very inconsistent with the naming rules of cities and roads in Northeast China, where roads are generally located east-west and streets are located north-south.

Upon arriving at the guesthouse, Chen Hui registered two rooms with his work ID. Xie Xiaolong didn't come in; he told Xiao Wei to come back at eight o'clock the next morning and then went straight home. He still needed to talk to his wife about things and make some preparations.

After parking the car in the backyard and carrying our things, it was already dark, and all four of us were a bit tired, so we decided to go straight back to the house to sleep.

The next morning, Xiao Wei got up at 7:30 as usual. He couldn't sleep and it was uncomfortable to lie down. Xiao Hong was still asleep, and the other two were fine. If they hadn't been called, it wouldn't have been unusual for them to stay up until noon.

Xiao Wei washed up, tidied up, went downstairs, stretched his limbs in the yard, jogged for a while, and then went out to the street to find something to eat.

Opposite the guesthouse is a secondhand market, and next to it is a farmers' market. There are already quite a few people on the street. There is an open space at the entrance of the secondhand market, next to residential buildings.

Xiao Wei took a walk around, ate a bowl of sour soup noodles with cold yellow clam meat, and then bought a serving of braised meat back to the guesthouse.

This place makes excellent braised pork belly; it doesn't stick or break, and it's fried to a golden brown. Paired with sesame shrimp oil and a touch of white vinegar, one serving was surprisingly satisfying. However, the sour soup noodles weren't to Xiaowei's taste. It seemed the dough wasn't cooked properly; it was a bit crumbly and lacked chewiness. Good sour soup noodles are thin and shiny, a golden-yellow shimmer, and have a chewy yet springy texture.

Xiao Wei said, "I ate a bowl of soup, which was just so-so, but the braised meat was pretty good. I looked around but didn't see anything particularly special."

While tying her hair, Xiao Hong said, "The local specialties are rice noodles and braised meat, right? What else? Noodle fish? Korean cold noodles? Dog meat? Kimchi?"

(End of this chapter)