A song from Chengdu revived a closed-down pub.

Even at the very beginning, everyone was unconsciously immersed in it.

Su Fan's voice continued to sing at a leisurely pace.

A figure calmly and busily went about her business.

A pair of hands brings warmth to this moment.

……

When she said that, Yuan Shanshan finally couldn't hold back her tears.

She remembered Aunt Liu's hands when she was a child.

Those hands were as rough as old tree bark, cracked in winter, but they would wrap them with tape and continue working.

Those were the same hands that had braided her hair, sewed her schoolbag, and washed countless pieces of her clothing.

On the morning she left home to work in another city, those hands stuffed a thousand yuan into her pocket and said, "Call me if you need more."

Zhao Jie sat there, holding his wine glass in his right hand, motionless.

He recalled leaving the orphanage when he was sixteen to work.

On the morning he left, Aunt Liu put a pair of new cloth shoes in his bag.

The soles are made of layers of fabric, with every stitch meticulously placed.

She said, "The roads outside are difficult to walk on, so these won't rub my feet."

He wore those shoes for over a year, and even when the soles were worn through, he couldn't bear to throw them away.

Everyone remembered Aunt Liu's past.

At this moment, Su Fan's voice sounded like he was singing a lullaby.

"People who are too young are never satisfied."

Stubbornly unwilling to stop, the journey continues.

……

This lyric is like a dull knife, slowly, bit by bit, cutting into everyone's heart.

Fang Cheng lowered his head, recalling how he had insisted on leaving Qin Province to venture into Sichuan Province.

Aunt Liu saw him off to the car and said, "Take good care of yourself out there, and come back if things don't go well."

He left without looking back, determined to make something of himself.

and after?

He fell and got bruised and battered in Sichuan Province, almost losing his small tavern.

He didn't dare tell Aunt Liu, and every time he called, he would say that everything was fine.

Su Fan's voice rose slightly, as if someone had finally mustered the courage to say what had been hidden in their heart for a long time.

Looking up at the high sky, I walked a long road.

I forgot to look back and see if she was crying.

……

As these words were uttered, Aunt Liu's tears quietly fell.

She quickly wiped it with the back of her hand.

She lost her husband early in life and had no children of her own.

She gave all her love to these children who were not related to her by blood.

She never felt wronged or indebted.

As the chorus began, Su Fan's voice became even softer, as if he were coaxing a child to sleep.

The moon is bright, the wind is gentle.

But you're knocking on my window.

Don't worry after hearing this.

Actually, I'm doing alright.

……

This is the tune of a folk song from Northeast China, a lullaby that mothers sing to lull their children to sleep.

It was incorporated into this song, and it doesn't feel out of place; it only evokes heartbreak.

When he sang "The Moon Is Bright," Aunt Liu's shoulders trembled slightly.

She remembered how many nights she had sat like this by her children's beds.

Patting their backs and humming tunes until they fall asleep peacefully.

After Su Fan's last note faded, the room remained silent for a long time.

Everyone started wiping away tears.

Su Fan said, "Aunt Liu, this song is called 'One Meat, One Vegetable,' and it was written especially for you."

"You silly child," Aunt Liu's voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, but she was laughing. "When did you learn this skill?"

Xiang Hong raised her head, wiped away her tears, glared at Su Fan, and said in a nasal voice, "Xiao Fan, did you do this on purpose? It's the New Year, and you made everyone cry."

Su Fan said, "Let me remind you, someone just said that if she sings a song that everyone agrees on, she'll cover all her meals for the entire holiday."

Yuan Shanshan was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, and as she laughed, tears started streaming down her face again.

She pointed at Su Fan and said, "You wait, I'll make you pickled vegetables and steamed buns tomorrow."

The atmosphere in the room began to liven up.

At this moment, Su Fan said, "Brother Jie, don't go out after the New Year."

Zhao Jie replied, "My construction site is very busy; we have to start work on the eighth day of the new year."

Aunt Liu put her chopsticks down on the table and said somewhat displeasedly, "Don't go. Just stay at home. It's not like we don't have a livelihood here."

Zhao Jie opened his mouth, as if to say something.

But seeing Aunt Liu's still red eyes, he swallowed his words back.

Su Fan chimed in, "Brother Jie, the village is developing tourism now, there are plenty of opportunities. You don't need to go out, you can do it right here at home."

Fang Cheng chimed in, "Brother Jie, why don't you come work for me? My little tavern is doing pretty well these days, it's packed with people every day. If you come, you can help me manage the place, I trust you."

Before Zhao Jie could answer, Su Fan suddenly asked, "Brother Cheng, have you ever thought about opening a branch of your little tavern in the village?"

Fang Cheng paused for a moment, then scratched his head: "The village? Is that okay? Taverns like this might work in the city, but I'm afraid no one will come to the village."

Su Fan smiled and assured him, "Don't worry, it'll definitely work. I'll find you a good spot, and I guarantee you won't have to worry about business."

Fang Cheng chose to believe Su Fan's words.

Because, in Fangcheng's view, everything Su Fan had said recently had come true.

"Okay, if you say it's okay, then let's do it! I'll pay for it, Brother Jie will take care of it, and Brother Jie, you, Xiao Fan, and I will split the shares equally."

Zhao Jie waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no! You guys take the risks, and I get all the benefits. We can't do that."

Fang Cheng advised, "Why be so formal between brothers?"

Zhao Jie shook his head again: "That won't work either, I absolutely disagree."

……

The two of them pushed and shoved each other, neither willing to give in.

Su Fan didn't rush to persuade him, but instead asked, "Brother Cheng, have you thought about which path your little tavern will take in the future?"

Fang Cheng was taken aback by the sudden question. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I was just about to talk to you about this. Before I came back, several groups of people approached me, some wanting to invest, some wanting to franchise, but I didn't agree to any of them. I was thinking of coming back to discuss it with you and hear your opinion."

Su Fan asked, "So, do you want to expand rapidly, or do you want to focus on quality?"

Fang Cheng replied almost without hesitation: "Quality takes precedence, of course."

"That makes things easier. From now on, you can operate on a direct-sales model and not franchise. As for shares, I suggest you adopt a quasi-equity structure."

This was the second time Fang Cheng had heard the term "quasi-equity" from Su Fan.

So, Fang Cheng asked, "What is equity-like shares?"

Su Fan explained, "In simple terms, quasi-equity means that employees don't have to pay money to buy shares, but they can enjoy dividends based on their position, length of service, and contributions. The better the employee performs, the more they receive. This is not real equity; it cannot be transferred, inherited, or bought or sold. However, every day an employee works here, they receive a dividend."

Fang Cheng asked, "Then what's the difference between this and directly giving out shares?"

Su Fan said, "Of course there is a difference. This model is more practical than giving out shares. Shares are given away for free, and employees feel that since it doesn't cost them any money, they might as well accept it. But equity is different. You have to perform well to get more shares. People who perform well stay, and people who don't perform well can't stay. Over time, the store will be full of capable people."

Fang Cheng pondered for a moment: "Indeed, I've always felt that I alone can't manage such a large operation, but if the store manager and key personnel were all turned into partners in the way you suggested, then it would be a different story."

Su Fan nodded and brought the topic back: "So, back to the matter of investing in the small tavern in the village, Brother Cheng will invest here, and Brother Jie will be in charge of everything. The equity will be handled in a similar way. Brother Cheng will provide the money and take the majority, while Brother Jie will provide the labor and receive dividends. If the store hires people in the future, the manager and employees will be divided according to their positions. In this way, there will be no question of who benefits and who suffers losses."