"Xiao Mo, the biggest fear in business cooperation is unreliable partners. If they only want to take advantage of us, taking our money and technology and then destroying the bridge after crossing the river, or if they have chaotic internal management and complicated interpersonal relationships, then even if the food is delicious, it will be difficult to do business. What they see now is only what they want us to see."

Everyone in Beijing knows my father, but here, he doesn’t have so many connections.

Shen Moxiao calmed down and nodded: "You are right, I think it is simple, so what should we do next?"

"No rush, let's go back first." Lu Qingyang smiled meaningfully and didn't say much.

Back in the guesthouse room, Lu Qingyang used the excuse of thinking about the cooperation plan alone and asked Shen Mo to rest first.

The mind moved slightly, and consciousness sank into space.

The location of the "Weimin Restaurant" and the general image of Manager Liu were conveyed to the birds in the space, and they were given a simple task to keep an eye on the restaurant and its surroundings.

Pay special attention to the words and actions of Manager Liu who wears glasses, and the small talk between regular customers and waiters entering and leaving the store.

The little birds flapped their wings and silently merged into the sky of Sui City, flying towards their target location.

For the next two days, Lu Qingyang continued to be busy with factory affairs.

The released birds bring some news from time to time.

During the low peak of customer flow in Xiaji, several old masters in the store gathered together to drink tea and sigh, worrying that they would be fired by the new "capitalists" after the joint venture and lose their iron rice bowls.

In the evening, Manager Liu and a man in cadre uniform were talking in low voices in the corner of the store. His expression was somewhat flattering, as if he was trying to gain the support of his superiors for the joint venture plan.

A sparrow perched on the electric wires at the back window of a restaurant and heard the idle chatter of two vegetable washers inside:

"Oh, I heard that Lao Liu is determined to form a joint venture this time. If we don't find a way, the store won't be able to pay salaries next month."

"Of course I did. I failed the last district inspection and was fined. How can I have any money left in my account?"

"But tell me, if we really become partners, will we all be replaced?"

"Who knows... But Lao Liu, although he's a bit cunning sometimes and likes to take advantage of others, he's generally honest and treats us old employees well. I hope he can find a reliable partner."

"I heard that my brother-in-law wanted to get involved, but was scolded back, saying he didn't want to engage in nepotism..."

Fragmentary information continued to gather, and Lu Qingyang's consciousness space was rapidly screening and analyzing it.

Two days later, I had a more comprehensive understanding of the "Weimin Restaurant" and Manager Liu.

The store is indeed facing serious operational difficulties and management deadlocks, and there is an urgent and real need to seek cooperation.

Old employees have concerns, but there are young people who are eager for change.

Manager Liu has a certain sense of professionalism and willingness to reform, and is working hard to promote it.

He has some minor flaws, but he has certain principles. He seems to handle internal relationships appropriately and is not a mean person.

At least the superiors don't object, and may even tacitly approve of the attempt.

Overall, although this store and Manager Liu are not perfect, they are indeed a cooperation partner worthy of serious consideration.

Most of the existing problems are common to state-owned enterprises in this era, but the characteristics displayed by Manager Liu are the type that can be dealt with and have a basis for cooperation.

Lu Qingyang exited the space, having already made a decision in his mind.

"So, do you mean, can we negotiate with this store?" Shen Mo asked.

"We can discuss this in depth." Lu Qingyang nodded affirmatively. "There are problems, but they are all within an acceptable range. They even provide us with room to strive for better conditions for cooperation. As long as our plan is appropriate and we can show them tangible benefits and changes, the success rate of cooperation is very high."

Without anyone knowing, Lu Qingyang had completed the first round of "due diligence".

After several conversations, Lu Qingyang finally reached a detailed public-private partnership agreement with the superior management of the "Weimin Restaurant" and Manager Liu.

Lu Qingyang holds shares in technology, part of the funds and new dish recipes, and has the dominant power over kitchen management and dish updates.

Manager Liu is responsible for coordinating inter-bank relations and daily administrative affairs, and the profits are divided according to the agreed ratio.

Lu Qingyang was not in a hurry to launch a new menu, but decided to start with internal reorganization.

Pulling the extremely reluctant Manager Liu, he organized all the store employees to stop work for half a day and carry out a thorough cleaning.

We ask everyone to move all tables, chairs, cabinets and cupboards, clean up years of grease, scrub the floors and walls, wash all kitchen utensils and tableware repeatedly with boiling water, and remove the cockroach and rat nests in the corners.

"Comrade Lu, this... this isn't too much of a fuss, is it? Our restaurant has been running like this for years, and we've never seen anyone get sick from eating there."

Manager Liu looked at the dirty water and old dirt all over the floor, feeling ashamed and thinking that Lu Qingyang was making a big deal out of nothing.

Lu Qingyang did not back down and pointed at a dark stain in the corner of the wall:

"Manager Liu, if we want to revitalize our restaurant, word of mouth is paramount. Where does word of mouth come from? First, the taste, and second, the hygiene! When customers walk in and see the environment and smell the food, even the most delicious dishes will be discounted! We must ensure that our customers can eat with peace of mind! This is no small matter; it's a top priority!"

Seeing this, the waiters had no choice but to follow suit.

At the end of the day, although everyone was exhausted and had back pain, looking at the brand new kitchen and restaurant, their hearts inexplicably brightened.

Lu Qingyang found that the previous procurement process was chaotic and there was a lack of supervision on price and quality.

A simple record keeping system was introduced, requiring that daily purchases must record the type, quantity, unit price, and supplier, and be signed by both the manager and the inspector.

"Isn't it too troublesome to keep accounts for buying groceries? The people from the front and back kitchens can go there themselves and just quote the total price..." Manager Liu felt that this increased the workload.

Lu Qingyang shook his head seriously: "Manager Liu, if you want to grow your business, you must stop being so muddle-headed. Keeping your accounts clear will reduce costs and prevent loopholes. This will be responsible to you and the public. We will conduct random checks on future purchase prices and quality."