"Several regular customers have complained that putting Sichuan cuisine restaurants together with Tan Family Cuisine has lowered the quality of Tan Family Cuisine. My father-in-law is currently looking for a new location."

"I have a place."

"Huh? Where?"

Qianmen Street

"Uh... Brother Chu, are you talking about the place before the Qianmen Hotel?"

"Looks like you know that place too."

“How could we not know? We noticed that shop a few months ago when the Qianmen Hotel moved out. However, the landlord only wanted to sell, not rent, and he only wanted US dollars, not even foreign exchange certificates. We simply couldn’t raise that many US dollars for him.”

Xu Damao paused for a moment, realizing something, and asked in surprise, "Brother Chu, no way, you bought that shop?"

"That's right, otherwise why would I ask you?"

"How much did you buy it for? Oh, I was just asking casually. If it's inconvenient to say, then never mind."

"Nothing inconvenient, just one thousand."

"US dollars?"

"Of course, the landlord only wants US dollars."

"Sigh, we just couldn't raise that much money back then. We asked around and tried to find more people, but we just couldn't get it. In the end, we offered the landlord 20,000 RMB. You could tell he was tempted, but he still insisted on only accepting US dollars."

"The landlord wants to send his wife abroad, so he'll definitely only want US dollars."

"No wonder, I was wondering why he was biting so tightly." Xu Damao had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Let's not talk about him anymore, Brother Chu. How do you plan to rent this house? I'll rent it. Of course, if you're willing to sell it to me, that would be even better."

"Forget about selling it. You know me. When have you ever seen me sell any of my family property in all this time?"

These words made Xu Damao smile bitterly. Knowing that the house was in Li Chu's hands, he understood that there was no other way to deal with this shop except to rent it out. But he still asked one more question, unwilling to give up.

Download Book Bar

"Sigh, I knew it. So, Brother Chu, how do you plan to rent it?"

"Putting the price aside for now, let me ask you, if you were to rent it, what are your plans?"

This time, Xu Damao didn't rush to answer. He thought for a while before saying, "If it's this side, the place is bigger, so we'll definitely move the Sichuan restaurant here. The Tan family cuisine will stay over there."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "In that case, the investment needs to be recalculated. If Jia Dong and the other two are willing to continue investing, then we will calculate how much each of them needs to invest proportionally."

"You mean you're including Sichuan restaurants and Tan Family Cuisine together?"

"Of course! What, Brother Chu, you don't mean I'm going to kick all three of them out of the picture, do you?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Li Chu waved his hand.

"You guys can decide how to calculate the shares yourselves; I won't get involved. Just make sure you pay my rent on time."

"Hey, you're guaranteed a good income no matter the weather!"

Li Chu smiled and said, "I'll give you an idea to make money."

"Brother Chu, what are you saying?" Xu Damao's eyes lit up when it came to making money.

Do you know what Sichuan-style hot pot is?

"I know, the kind with a base sauce, our Sichuan chef knows how to cook it."

"Slap!" Xu Damao slapped his thigh: "Brother Chu, you mean we should bring the Sichuan hot pot too?"

At this point, he frowned and said, "But if that's the case, isn't it a bit inappropriate to put people who eat hot pot together with people who eat Sichuan cuisine?"

"Who told you to put them all together? The first floor is a large hall where you can have hot pot, the second and third floors are for stir-fries. On the second floor, we can combine a few rooms to make a slightly smaller hall, and use the remaining rooms as private rooms. The third floor is all private rooms."

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao suddenly understood.

"Let me teach you another trick: when eating hot pot, use only single-burner gas stoves. That way, you won't have to worry about charcoal. Make the table like this, I'll draw it for you."

"Make a hole in the table, put the gas stove underneath, and then put the gas cylinder in the bottom cabinet. Isn't that much more convenient and cleaner? There won't be so much charcoal ash floating around the house."

"Hey, Brother Chu, what's wrong with your brain? How did you come up with something like this?"

"That's all just idle talk. You really need to be careful with the gas cylinders, especially the hoses. You must check them frequently and don't be lazy. If one of these things is damaged and leaks gas, it will be a big problem."

"Don't worry, we'll definitely be careful."

Xu Damao picked up the simple drawing of the table that Li Chu had given him, looked at it again and again, shook his head and said, "Sigh, I have to go beg those old men at the furniture factory again."

"Why bother asking them? Go to Xianghe and find someone to make it. There are plenty of furniture makers there."

"That far? How are you going to get back?" Xu Damao was a little dumbfounded.

"No way, you've been running this restaurant for so long, you're not telling me you don't even know a truck driver from a company? Just give them some money."

"Oh dear, I was so stupid. Why did I have to ask someone else? I could have just asked Jianguo to help me find someone."

"That's your business, I don't care. As for my rent, you should go back and discuss it with your father-in-law first, and see if you can decide whether to rent it. You shareholders should also discuss it, after all, this investment is much larger than the last one."

"We definitely need to discuss this first; I can't make this decision on my own."

"Brother Chu, let's put this matter aside for now. I'll come back to you after we've discussed it. I have something else I'd like you to help me with."

"Oh? What is it? Tell me."

"It's about the second son inheriting the family business."

"Hmm, what's wrong with him? Is he dating someone?"

"No, it's not about my boyfriend. It's my father-in-law who wants to send Jiye to study in the United States, and we'll pay for it ourselves."

Are you worried that Xu Yang will be unhappy?

"Of course."

"How did things get to the point where Xu Yang and his classmate are talking now?"

"This is also what's giving me a headache. To be honest, if we disregard their family's financial situation, I would be a hundred or a thousand times satisfied with this girl, but their family..."

Xu Damao said, rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache.

“But this can’t go on forever. Hasn’t Xiao’e talked to that girl? Let’s see what her family has to say.”

"Not yet, Xiao'e doesn't know how to tell that girl."

Li Chu thought for a moment and said, "How about this, Da Mao? Yangyang is a child we've watched grow up. Find some time in the next couple of days for you two to bring the two children over, and let Qiu Nan ask around for you."

"Oh, thank you so much, Brother Chu. You're really too kind."

"No need to thank me, Yangyang at least calls us uncle and aunt. As for what you said about your father-in-law wanting to send Jiye to study abroad, here's what I think: you should talk to Jiye first and see what he thinks. Not everyone wants to go abroad."