After resolving the human trafficking issue, Su Zhou remained quite busy for a while. Since she had to take over family matters, she needed to find extra time in addition to managing the zoo.
In order to supply ingredients to several chain stores in the capital, Su Zhou immediately started farming. Growing wheat was the most cost-effective option. After planting, she would harvest it immediately and sell it to buy NPCs. This way, she could free up her hands and have more time to do other things.
The shop was already there, and many of the dishes were also there from the beginning; only the ingredients were changed. Using higher-grade ingredients, even if the cooking methods are the same, makes the taste feel better.
The selected shops all have good customer traffic, located in chain shopping malls or bustling commercial streets, and have many customers at all times.
For this trial run, the menu underwent slight modifications. The prices were determined after comprehensive consideration. To gain a more direct understanding of diners' opinions on the improved dishes, Su Zhou specifically chose lunchtime to visit her own stores.
She wore a mask and looked much like any other staff member. Around lunchtime, the place was packed; besides dine-in customers, there were tons of takeout orders.
"Lychee shrimp balls... This is next. By the way, why is the rice so expensive? Other rice dishes are five yuan a serving, but this one is thirty-five. What kind of rice is so precious?" The customer pointed to the menu, which had many dishes with similar names but significantly higher prices. He wasn't questioning the menu, but simply puzzled.
"Hello sir, the rice is of a different quality. The more expensive vegetables are made from ingredients sourced from organic farms, and are new varieties that you can't find on the market right now. They also taste better." The waiter smiled slightly and explained patiently.
"Let me try it and see if it's good or not." The customer who ordered the food ordered a lot of new dishes in one go. He was not short of money. He only needed to collect rent every day. He was the kind of person who had both money and leisure.
Once the dishes were served, I realized something was off when I took a bite. The taste of the dishes seemed to have improved significantly. Although the cooking method was the same as before, the flavors were completely different. The new variety of rice was distinct, with each grain resembling a piece of white jade. Even the vegetables were tender and juicy, with a subtle sweetness that made them very appetizing.
The customer ordered dishes that go well with rice today. The food was already delicious, but it tasted even better. He ate his rice even faster. Although he didn't say anything, you could tell from how fast he ate that he was really satisfied with the dishes.
Su Zhou took in the guests' reactions. Many people were willing to try new things, and by the end of the lunch break, many tables had ordered new dishes or rice, and the ingredients were quickly running out.
That's settled then. It seems that launching a dedicated brand will be well-received by diners. The price and taste are indeed excellent value for money.
After the busy lunch break, the number of customers gradually decreased.
Su Zhoumao called Su Yunhai from the kitchen: "The turnover is exceptionally good, much higher than usual, and... there's little controversy about the prices. I think we can start preparing to open a new store."
What are you planning to name the new store?
Su Yunhai didn't know what to call him for a moment, so he simply delegated the responsibility: "Since you're in charge, it's up to you what to call him."
“Fox tracks…” Su Zhou murmured to herself. Many years ago, she was lost in the mountains and fields, not knowing how many nine-tailed foxes still existed in the world. But at that time, there were no fox tracks left on the vast white snow. The soft warmth and furry touch were deeply imprinted in her heart.
So much so that many years later, she still remembered that incident vividly.
"It seems you really like foxes, daughter. Is it because of that incident when you were little?" Su Yunhai and Wang Xingyue are different from other parents. If other parents heard their child say that they had seen a nine-tailed fox, they would definitely think that the child was lying. But no matter what Su Zhou said, they would believe her.
They believed their daughter wouldn't lie; if she said she had seen a nine-tailed fox with her own eyes, then she must have.
Su Zhou nodded slightly, wondering if the nine-tailed fox she had seen was Xie Chi.
The system helped determine the packaging, and a dedicated production line was created to package new products in the future.
At the same time, Su Zhou also arranged for people to conduct market research to see where it would be more suitable to open a store.
After becoming wealthy, Lao Su bought many storefronts, saying he would save them up to collect rent for Su Zhouhua.
However, the zoo now brings in a good income, allowing Su Zhou to save some money each day. Whether it's for her parents or other elderly relatives, Su Zhou has no shortage of money. Having satisfied her material needs, Su Zhou is now pursuing more.
After selecting a good location, the renovation began. Since it was a mythological theme, Su Zhou specially selected some well-known illustrators to design the interior.
"Xie Chi... I want to ask you something." Su Zhou eats and lives with Xie Chi every day, even sleeping in the same bed, but their relationship hasn't progressed any further. She sits cross-legged on the bed, smiling at Xie Chi in front of her. "You're a nine-tailed fox, how long have you actually lived?"
"The Classic of Mountains and Seas says that the nine-tailed fox has nine tails, a voice like a baby, and eats people... Have you ever eaten people? Would you eat me?"
Xie Chi fell silent for a long time before saying, "I won't eat people, but I'll eat you."
"How old are you? Is the relationship between you and me like a pear tree in full bloom pressing down on a crabapple tree?" Su Zhou was indeed curious about Xie Chi's past. It is said that no one can become a spirit after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Xie Chi must have become a spirit before the founding of the People's Republic of China. I wonder how many years he has lived through and what the world was like back then.
Alone, he traversed the long years, watching the sun and moon rise and set, witnessing the changing of the world, and seeing the fragmented world gradually transform.
“I can’t remember… I’ve been sleeping on and off, and when I wake up, the world is completely different. My lifespan is long and boundless, but very boring.” Xie Chi’s voice was as cold as raindrops tapping on the eaves. He looked at Su Zhou’s curious, kitten-like expression. “But after meeting you, the gray world gradually gained color.”
Su Zhou's heart stirred slightly. She climbed into Xie Chi's arms, cupped his beautiful face, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Then tell me, I want to open a restaurant with a mountain and sea theme. Do you have any suggestions for the decoration? What did the cave you used to live in look like?"
"I don't live in caves..." Xie Chi looked at Su Zhou, "I live..."
"Where?" Su Zhou poked his Adam's apple.
"I live in a palace."
Xie Chi turned his face and took Su Zhou's fingers. "A hundred years in the human world is a short lifespan. I'm thinking, what kind of ritual can allow us to share a lifespan together?"
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