Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Cooperation

In the afternoon, Kang He went for a walk in Xiaohuai Street that Zhang Shili mentioned, and it was really just as he described.

During these summer months, the business of cold-braised meat shops is good. Not every shop is doing booming business, but you can see people buying meat in every cold-braised meat stall.

He looked for a few cold-braised meat shops that had good business, bought some meat from one of them, took it home, and tasted it with everyone in the evening.

After hearing Kang He say that it was braised meat from several stalls, the whole family tasted it carefully.

After eating, everyone felt that the cold stew from Xiong's family at Yuanjing was the best, followed by Xiangxian's family, which had the most outstanding taste. Fan Jing felt that the stew from Xiangxian's family was the best to his taste.

Kanghe tried it and found that Xiangxianjia's taste was indeed good. Unlike Xiongjia's salty and spicy taste, Xiangxianjia's taste was a bit sweet and fresh, probably because sugar was added to the marinade.

The food in the other two or three restaurants is just average. You can only say that the taste is not strange. They have been in business for a long time and have regular customers, so some people still buy their food.

This delicious braised food is really mouth-watering. The duck feet and pig's trotters clearly don't have much meat, just a thin layer of skin and tendons wrapped around the big bones. But they are so fragrant when you chew them. Although not as enjoyable as eating big mouthfuls of meat, the taste is incomparable to meat.

In the past, my family was poor and we wanted to eat meat. We would never think of these braised dishes with more bones and less meat. Our first choice was to buy fresh pork and roast it. Of course, we never had the chance to taste this delicious food.

I don't understand why some people like to eat bone skin.

My family started a pork business, and we had meat on the table every other day. We had tried it in all kinds of ways, roasted, stewed, and fried. It was full of oil and fat, and I started to like some less greasy flavors.

This cold stew is rich but not greasy, and it is very tasty. How can one not love it?

I thought that because my family was poor, I couldn't afford the best food, but now that my life is better, my taste has changed.

Chen Sanfang wiped his greasy lips and said, "If you ask me, there are so many food stalls in the market, but there are really only two that are really delicious and well-known."

"There's nothing to say about the Xiong family and the Xianxiang family. I think their cooking skills are not as good as Sanlang's. The wild boar meat they braised earlier was so delicious!"

Father Fan also nodded in agreement and said, "I'm thinking about the taste of the braised goose that Sanlang and Dajing brought home earlier."

Kang Heyan said: "The key to good braised meat is twofold: the quality of the meat and the braising liquid. Wild boars are so delicious because they roam the mountains year-round. Their meat is firm and not fat, unlike pen-raised pigs that have to fatten up all day. The braising liquid removes the fishy smell, giving them a fragrant flavor."

"The taste of each of these restaurants varies greatly, and the key lies in the different preparations of the marinade. A pot of marinade uses dozens of ingredients, which is a real test of the chef's skill. If one ingredient is slightly more abundant, the taste will be completely different. Even if others want to learn from them, it will be difficult."

Chen nodded, because many of these cooking recipes were used to cause hatred between brothers and sisters.

Kang He said, "With summer here, there's bound to be leftover meat on the stalls. Pickling and smoking it is good, but we can't always pickle and smoke it. Rich people don't like bacon, while poor people smoke it themselves. Only those traveling far away buy it."

It's not a good idea to have too much bacon in stock, so the right thing to do is to try to sell more fresh meat."

"I thought about starting a braised food business and selling pork braised in cold water. Firstly, it would add variety and help me use up some pork, and secondly, it would attract some customers.

It's hard to say whether this business is a blessing or a curse. If I continue to work on the braised food business, I might make more money, but it might also cause more trouble. For example, if I can't sell all the pork, I'll only have some fresh pork left, but after reselling it, I'll have braised meat left over."

After hearing this, Chen Sanfang and Fan Shoulin also understood the reason.

This is not the first time that my family has run a business, so I understand all of this.

Chen Sanfang felt that the family had come to this point because Kang He was leading everyone forward. No one could predict whether something would succeed or not, but one had to be willing to think and work hard. Doing something was better than what others said.

She said, "Just go ahead and do it. Run a business and don't be afraid of the hassles. Even tilling the land in the village, loosening the soil, hoeing the ground, planting seeds and raising seedlings—everything is troublesome. It's tiring work, and you don't make much money. If there's a disaster, you'll lose everything."

"It's the same with business. There are good times when you make money, and there are bad times when you lose money. Whether it's good or bad, we support you in doing it. If you lose money, our whole family will cover it."

Father Fan also said, "That's the truth."

Seeing that his family agreed and knowing the risks involved, Kang He felt more at ease.

At night, Kang He told Fan Jing what was in his mind.

"I remembered that this braised meat business is not something we do at home, but we actually want to do it together with the He family."

Fan Jing washed up and lay on the bed. The room was very hot. Kang He was also afraid of the heat, so he fetched two buckets of well water and poured them into the basin. It was not known whether it was the effect of his mind or if it really had some cooling effect.

The room didn't seem so hot anymore.

He heard Kang He's words and asked, "What should I do with the He family?"

"I've said before that the quality of braised food depends largely on the marinade. The He family's braised goose is so delicious, and the marinade must be a rare skill."

"I tried some braised food from a few places tonight, and to be honest, I don't think any of them are as good as He's. I could make my own cold braised food, but with my limited skills, while it's edible, I wouldn't be able to gain any advantage in the market."

Kang He was indeed a man who thought a lot. Although the success of a business could not be entirely controlled by himself, if he put in more thought and did things thoughtfully and well, he could always increase the chances of a prosperous business.

If you dive into the water headfirst and do whatever you want without thinking anything through, then no matter how motivated you are, it will be difficult to do well.

"If we had the He family's craftsmanship, the braised food would definitely sell much better than if we made it ourselves."

"Besides, Father He is ill, his wife is mute, and you know He Xiaoqiu's temper. This family won't be able to come to the city to do business for a while. Joining forces with us can also help them out of their immediate difficulties."

Fan Jing also calmed down and thought about it. During the day, he asked He Xiaoqiu if his family had enough money. Although he said that they could still make a living, it seemed difficult.

His family had been very poor before, so he knew how difficult it was.

The most difficult time for the family was when he was injured while hunting a bear and had to stay at home for six months. He couldn't go into the mountains to make money, and his injuries required medication to heal. When the family was angry, they couldn't even afford to eat.

There was no other choice but to sell an acre of good land to make ends meet.

If the He family continues to waste time like this without any income, I'm afraid that day will come.

If the two families do business together, they can make money and help the He family at the same time, which would be perfect.

He said to Kang He, "If the He family is willing, that's fine."

Kang He smiled and said, "Since you think it's a good idea and He Xiaoqiu is also friendly to you, you can go and talk to him about it."

Fan Jing's eyebrows moved when he heard this: "I can't explain such a long-winded thing, you go and tell it."

Kang He shook his head: "No, you go."

Fan Jing frowned. He wanted to open his mouth, but he was accused of doing bad things even with good intentions. How could he talk to others about this?

Seeing his sullen face, Kang He burst into laughter and hugged Fan Jing. The two rolled into a ball. "Look how anxious you are! Teaching you to negotiate a business deal is as difficult as teaching me archery."

Two days later, Kang He and Fan Jing bought a basket of fruits, packed two bags of snacks, and went to the He family together.

When they went there, He Xiaoqiu was feeding geese in the field. She was very happy to see the two of them coming.

Hearing that the person had come specifically to look for him, he came up and led the person into the house to sit down.

It was very hot in the afternoon.

He's father was taking a nap at noon, and He's mother, Ye, was doing needlework in the house. She had a piece of cloth wrapped around her index finger and had made a lot of handkerchiefs, which seemed to be some odd jobs.

Seeing Kang and Fan Jing coming, she quickly packed up her sewing basket and made two gestures to He Xiaoqiu, and the mother and son brought tea and fruit.

He's father might not have slept soundly, and when he heard the noise he came out from the inner room. He saw Kang and Fan Jing, and they looked so friendly.

Kang He asked about He's father's health. He didn't beat around the bush and came to the house specially. The He family also knew that he must have come to visit for something.

He then told He Dad and He Xiaoqiu the purpose of his visit.

"And trade?"

He's father was a little surprised. Kang He and Fan Jing were in the pig slaughtering business, so why would they think of doing business with them?

"How can this be done?"

Kang He then patiently expressed his thoughts.

"Pork is hard to store in the summer, so we butchers are trying all sorts of ways to get rid of the meat.

I think, besides smoking and storing it, cold brine is easy to sell this month. Since we have meat at home, we don't have to buy it outside to brine it, and we can also sell some pork in another way."

"There are many cold-braised food stalls in the city, and the taste of each one is quite good. Our Fan family doesn't have the same good skills in making braising. After thinking about it, I realized that your family's braised goose is excellent, so I wanted to ask if we would like to do business together."

After hearing what Kang He said, He Dad and He Xiaoqiu understood what he meant.

He didn't rush to say yes or no, but just asked Kang He how he wanted to work together.

Kang Heyan: "We can provide braised pork, set up stalls in the shop, and also be responsible for selling it."

He Dad asked, "Master, do you want our family to make this braised food? Using our cooking skills?"

Kang He nodded, that's what he meant.

He Dad didn't say anything, he just glanced at He Xiaoqiu.

He Xiaoqiu remained silent and didn't say anything.

Kang He saw that the atmosphere in the room was somewhat dull, so he didn't rush to get a result. He said, "Da Jing and I came here presumptuously, so we just told Old Man He about this in advance. I'm not in a hurry to get a reply."

"If you think that Father He has the same idea, we can discuss it in detail. If Father He has other plans, just pretend that you didn't hear anything. We will continue to deal with each other as usual and not let the unsuccessful business deal ruin our relationship."

Seeing Kang He's measured behavior, the He family felt relieved.

Their cooking skills have caused a lot of trouble. Whenever others mention the recipe, the family is inevitably a little nervous.

He Lao said, "Thank you, Master Xiaokang, for thinking of our family and coming all the way here. Although this business isn't a big one, it's just for a small family, so we have to be careful and attentive. We've given this matter some thought."

Kang He nodded. "That's right. Even if the business is small, it's important to be cautious and prudent. Our Fan family is just a poor family with little business, and we are glad that Father He takes the business so seriously."

After talking, Kang He and Fan Jing did not stay long and got up to say goodbye.

He Xiaoqiu walked him out, holding a cold melon that had been fresh from the well and giving it to Fan Jing.

Fan Jing didn't want his. He Xiaoqiu thought he was unhappy because the business deal hadn't been finalized, so he said coaxingly, "We need to discuss the business first. Dad still makes the decisions at home."

"I know."

Fan Jing said: "It doesn't matter whether it succeeds or not."

"Then why don't you want the melon?"

He Xiaoqiu said, "I grow them on my own sandy soil. The skin is thick and the flesh isn't very red. They're not as sweet as the winter melons grown by farmers, but at least they don't cost money."

After hearing this, Fan Jing accepted the melon.

Kang He finished driving and turned to call Fan Jing: "Let's go."

Fan Jing nodded to He Xiaoqiu, then got into the car and left.

He's father saw his brother standing in the yard at the door. Even after the car went away, the man was still standing in the yard.

It was sunny outside, so he called people into the house.

"Dad knows you like Brother Fan. Although he looks aloof and doesn't talk much, he's not very likable. But this kind of person is actually the purest and kindest."

He Dad said to He Xiaoqiu, "We haven't known the young couple from the Fan family for long, but judging from our current interactions, they seem to be kind people."

"He told us where Doctor Zhu was and always brought us medicine. We gave them things, but they never took advantage of us. We always brought back more than what we had."

It is because of these that Old Man He feels at ease allowing He Xiaoqiu to interact with them.

"But we can't just agree to something just because things are going well now. Business is no small matter and we need to think carefully."

He Xiaoqiu said, "Dad, I know."

It's hard to tell what people are like. In the past, his family was close to the Lei family, and he grew up with Lei Xiaoan. When he was old enough, the Lei family invited a matchmaker to come to his house, and he married Lei Xiaoan early.

My family thought it was a good marriage, and we had indeed lived comfortably for a few years, but who knew people's hearts would change?

In the third year after their marriage, he and Lei Xiaoan finally had a child, and both families were very happy.

He's father also told him that after the baby was born, he would take the recipe for braised goose to the Lei family to make it.

But who would have thought that this year, Lei Xiaoan, who said he wanted to earn some money for his child, would meet such a gambler and actually become addicted to gambling.

By the time his family found out, he had already owed more than fifty strings of cash to the gambling house. It was only when the people from the gambling house came to his door that his family learned about it.

If the money was not returned, they threatened to chop off their hands and legs as compensation. The family was scared to death. Lei Xiaoan also cried and sweared that he would never gamble again. The two families had no choice but to collect the money and use it to pay back the gambling house.

Who would have thought that he had lived in peace for less than two months before he went out to gamble again. This time, he gambled away all his house and land.

It's such a big hole that it can't be filled no matter how hard you try.

Unable to come up with the money, the Lei family became cruel and asked He Xiaoqiu to sell the recipe for braised goose to save Lei Xiaoan's life.

He Xiaoqiu was pregnant, but Lei Xiaoan went out to gamble again and again, and the oaths he made were like a joke. He was already a little disappointed, so he was not willing to sell the secret recipe to save a gambler.

He was determined to teach Lei Xiaoan a lesson, but who would have thought that Lei Xiaoan was so afraid of the tricks used by the gamblers that when he saw that He Xiaoqiu was unwilling to sell his son to save his life, he actually beat them up.

The child was gone, and He Xiaoqiu almost lost half her life.

When He's father found out about this, he was so angry that he took to his bed and remained ill for a long time.

For fear that someone might die again, the village head and several elders from the village came forward to mediate the matter.

Although the two families later separated, it took a lot of effort and cost a lot of money to get out of the Lei family.

As fate would have it, Lei Xiaoan did not change his gambling habit and eventually lost his life in a gambling house. Even so, the suffering that the He family suffered because of this marriage could not be compensated.

He's father is in poor health. Relatives are concerned about him, but most of them come for the braised goose. How can this not make people feel heartbroken?

When He Xiaoqiu thought of these past events, she always tossed and turned and couldn't sleep at night, even though it had been almost two years since the incident.

The fist landed on his body, and even today he has never forgotten the feeling of being isolated and helpless, even though Lei Dad was clearly at home.

"Dad, I know you're afraid of misjudging people like you did before and causing more trouble."

He Xiaoqiu wiped his eyes gently and said, "But people can't always live in the past. We can't be afraid of the sight of a well rope just because we were bitten by a snake once. We can't lose trust in others and stop having close relationships with them just because we made a mistake and met someone like the Lei family.

Life must go on, and there are still decades to come, and our family will continue to live happily as before."

"Dad is in poor health and can't go to the city to do business. Mom can only do some needlework to supplement the income. We can't have no income forever. The Fan family wants to do business with us. First, they want to make a profit for themselves, and second, they want to help our family."

When Old Man He heard what He Xiaoqiu said, his old eyes turned red. He felt that his brother had suffered too much.

I am not in good health and cannot provide protection for my children. Instead, I am a burden to others.

"Dad knows what you're thinking. But let's not rush this matter. Let's calm down and find out more about the Fan family. If they're good, we'll go all out and do a business with them. If they're not good enough..."

He Xiaoqiu took over He Dad's words: "I'm not a willful child. If the Fan family is not good, I know their strengths and weaknesses and will not do this business with them."

After all, Old Man He used to do small business in the city, so he still has some connections.

He spent some money and asked someone to investigate the Fan family in detail.

After getting the money, he got things done quickly and within a few days he had replied to Old Man He's words.

You may not know the private details, but you can still find out what your family background is.

It is known that there are three sisters in the Fan family. Their parents are honest farmers. In the past, the family was poor, and it was mainly the eldest brother Fan Jing who supported the family by hunting in the mountains.

Later, she married a capable son-in-law. Within two years, her life improved and she came out of the mountains and learned the skill of butchering pigs.

At home, there had never been any lawsuits with anyone. The eldest brother even opened a private school to teach and educate people.

The Fan family didn't have any outstanding abilities in the past, but they also didn't do such dirty things.

He Dad was particularly concerned about one thing: is there anyone betting?

According to the people who inquired, after a detailed investigation, no one had ever seen the Fan family in the gambling house.

After hearing this, Old Man He breathed a sigh of relief. After some thought, he felt that the Fan family was a decent family.

Another thing is that they are teachers, and they care more about their reputation than ordinary people, and their moral character is also restrained.

All in all, I'm willing to have a detailed discussion with Kang He.

That day, I went to the county town with He Xiaoqiu.