After several days of preparation, Zhang Guodong's business was about to open, and the shop's name was changed to "Green Treasure Pavilion." This name meant that the shop sold only organic food, whether vegetables or seafood, and that the quality was exceptional. Of course, if someone didn't know better, they might mistake it for an antique shop at first glance.
The fat man expressed his opinion that the name was particularly vulgar and inappropriate. Why? Firstly, it was easy for people to misunderstand it. Secondly, it was not easy for aquatic products or vegetables to sell for a good price; appearance was the key.
What drove the fat man even crazier was that, upon entering, there was a shelf to the left with only seven or eight kinds of vegetables: tomatoes, large green peppers, garlic sprouts, leafy greens, potatoes, scallions, and celery. However, the prices varied wildly. The tomatoes and large green peppers on the outermost shelf were priced at a staggering 25 yuan per jin and 35 yuan per jin, respectively. The other vegetables were priced at their normal rates.
The fat man said, "Either you're out of your mind, or I am. Who sells tomatoes and big green peppers for such high prices?"
On the right, most of the original dozens of water tanks have been moved to the back, leaving only eight water tanks in front, but only four types of aquatic products: grass carp, common carp, river shrimp, and crab. Even so, the eight water tanks have been divided into two parts, and the prices are significantly different.
The grass carp and common carp at the front are priced the same at 100 yuan per jin, while the river shrimp and crabs are 150 yuan per jin. The ones at the back are 10 yuan and 15 yuan per jin respectively, which is more than ten times the price!
The fat man was speechless after seeing this, and gave a thumbs up, saying, "You're ruthless!"
Zhang Guodong smiled but didn't explain. He then put the promotional sign outside and led the fat man upstairs.
The fat man, somewhat puzzled by Zhang Guodong's mysterious manner, asked, "Damn, why did you bring me up here? Is the place closed downstairs?"
Fatty was still free today. He sat in the office for two hours in the morning and then left. It's really frustrating that he's not the boss's full-time secretary, but he's also stuck with the position of deputy head of the secretariat.
The fat guy is doing alright.
After arriving here, he brought two flower baskets and a long string of firecrackers, which were the flower baskets that the fat man had given him.
After all this was done, 'Green Treasure Pavilion' was officially open for business. But Fatty was worried. His best friend was determined to do this, but the rent here was very expensive. If the vegetable and aquatic product business didn't go well, it would be hard to make money. If he lost money, it wouldn't be much, but it would be very discouraging.
Zhang Guodong, unaware of the fat man's concern, simply told him to sit at the dining table. The living room was quite large, with a corner specifically for the dining table, which was sufficient.
Upon seeing that they were about to serve dinner, the fat man exclaimed in surprise, "Guodong, are you planning to eat? It's only a little past ten in the morning, isn't that a bit early? Besides, your cooking skills are terrible, if you don't like it, you don't have to eat!"
"We're lucky to have anything to eat!"
Zhang Guodong didn't even turn his head as he started bringing out dishes from the kitchen. The fact that he placed the rice cooker directly on the dining table left the fat man speechless, but also excited. It felt so casual.
Then there was scrambled eggs with tomatoes, shredded pork with green peppers, and a boiled fish. The soup was shrimp and cilantro soup! Three dishes and a soup plus rice!
It's really simple. To be honest, Zhang Guodong's cooking skills are just average. The food doesn't look very good, but it's barely edible. As soon as the dishes were served, Fatty could smell a faint aroma that whetted his appetite.
After taking a bite of tomato, the fat man couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Not bad, even though it doesn't look very appetizing! The taste is passable!" the fat man praised. The tomatoes were of excellent quality, and the juice soaked into the eggs, making them taste much better than usual, which whetted the fat man's appetite.
Zhang Guodong chuckled twice before saying, "The eggs are just ordinary feed eggs, but the tomatoes are the high-priced kind from below!"
Unfortunately, there's no comparison, and the fat man didn't pay much attention to it; he just thought the scrambled eggs with tomatoes were delicious and made him very hungry.
Shredded pork with green peppers—the large green peppers aren't spicy, but their flavor is exceptional—and when stir-fried with the marbled pork, the result is a vibrant green without being burnt, and a fragrant, crispy treat where the meaty aroma permeates the entire dish. This naturally earned the fat man much praise, who remarked that Zhang Guodong's cooking skills were truly superb.
When the boiled fish was served, the fat man was stunned.
This tastes even better than the previous two. The fish is delicate and smooth, melting in your mouth with a lingering, tender flavor. It's very different from ordinary boiled fish that relies on seasonings. It has an unforgettable aftertaste. If a professional chef were to make it, the taste might be even better.
Actually, Zhang Guodong didn't add much. He added some salt and Sichuan peppercorns, but omitted other seasonings and herbs like star anise and cloves. Even so, the boiled fish he made was incredibly tender and flavorful. The water played a significant role, drastically changing the fish's texture in a very short time.
Zhang Guodong had already tried it once before, and that's when he discovered this.
"Delicious! Delicious!" The fat man savored the food with his chopsticks, then exclaimed "Delicious!" twice, and even picked up the food faster with his chopsticks.
With such a voracious appetite, he ate twice as much as usual, devouring the entire fish and finishing off most of the other dishes.
Zhang Guodong didn't explain. The two of them divided the shrimp soup in half, and the fat man ate it with his belly full.
"Wow, I didn't realize that those big kitchens are so bad. Guodong, where did you learn such good skills? I wish you were a woman!" the fat man exclaimed exaggeratedly.
Zhang Guodong laughed and scolded, then said, "My cooking skills are too average. Next time I'll use ordinary ingredients for you and you'll be able to tell the difference!"
Half-believing, half-doubting, about an hour later, I finally heard a sound from downstairs.
Zhang Guodong hurriedly went downstairs, leaving the bowls and chopsticks to Fatty to clean up. Fatty cursed under his breath, as he was always waited on hand and foot at his sister's house, but here he had to wash the dishes himself.
First floor.
A customer arrived, a curious, sophisticated young woman entered the store, staring intently at the tomatoes and large green peppers for a while before finally looking away. Then, she was taken aback by the high prices of the seafood. The seafood section had eight tanks on both sides, indistinguishable in appearance; the fish and shrimp inside swam leisurely, thanks to the water.
After Zhang Guodong went downstairs, the pretty woman took a bag and went straight to the expensive tomatoes. She didn't get many, only about two or three, which weighed about a pound.
Zhang Guodong didn't say much; the price was already marked, and there was no room for negotiation.
The person couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "Why are these tomatoes so expensive? They're more than ten times more expensive than in the city, right?"
Zhang Guodong glanced at her. Her attire was very appropriate and elegant, her hair was beautifully styled, and her makeup was light. He guessed she worked for the provincial TV station. His first impression was that she did indeed have a certain air of nobility, very naturally so. Only a woman who had lived a pampered and high-quality life would have such an air.
"Because it tastes good!" Zhang Guodong said. But feeling that his statement sounded somewhat forced, he added, "You can buy tomatoes at the market to compare!"
The pretty woman glanced at Zhang Guodong with surprise, then simply paid the money, picked up her bag, and left.
This is indeed from the provincial TV station; it's a directing job. Many people in this area have some connection to working for the provincial TV station. After washing the dishes, the fat man complained to Zhang Guodong for a while before saying, "Hey, you'll get used to it eventually. The women at the provincial TV station are very well-dressed and have very elegant manners! Plus, there are many beautiful women!"
Indeed, most of the cars passing by the store are nice cars, including quite a few high-end sports cars, and occasionally you can even see TV program hosts from the provincial TV station.
Zhang Guodong is an ordinary person and never dared to hope to know any celebrities, especially famous women. However, he does have a bit of a fan mentality. No wonder the fat guy keeps coming in there and no one stops his Bentley; clearly, he's become familiar with the place and knows quite a few people.
After the fat man finished his meal and left, Zhang Guodong's shop became quiet for a while. The sign outside was quite effective; although not many people came in, most of those who did enter were curious, and most of them bought something to satisfy their curiosity.
Zhang Guodong wasn't worried.
Although it's a bit pricey, once people have tasted this high-priced product, they'll surely have many repeat customers. Moreover, quite a few customers who couldn't find Zhang Guodong called to inquire, and Zhang Guodong patiently replied to each of them with their addresses.
As a result, the tomatoes and green peppers, weighing over 30 kilograms, sold the fastest, even boosting the sales of the high-priced seafood. This was all thanks to repeat customers. Surprisingly, there was still seafood available, and it was impossible not to try it. This created a unique scene, with many people driving to buy vegetables and seafood. 'Green Treasure Pavilion' finally began to come into the view of some people.
Meanwhile, inside a luxury villa in Quwanlin Garden.
The fat man, who had rushed back, was fawning over a woman. The woman was very beautiful, looked to be in her late twenties, with a hint of charm and maturity between her brows. Her eyes resembled those of the fat man, Wang Kang. However, when this woman scolded the fat man, he dared not argue back.
This woman is Wang Lin, the fat man's older sister. She is a single, unmarried woman and a powerful businesswoman. She built the Qin Hai Group, which has businesses in real estate, construction, pharmaceuticals, hotels, and entertainment, with assets of over one billion yuan.
"You're always neglecting your duties, and you've even learned to pick up girls at the provincial TV station? Well done! Also, I called your secretariat, and you left early again today. Remember what Dad taught you?" Wang Lin grabbed the fat man's ear, and he cried out in pain, but he was willing to let his older sister vent her anger, otherwise things would get worse.
"Sis, I'm innocent! Someone's spreading rumors. I have a classmate at the provincial TV station. You can ask someone to check if you don't believe me!" the fat man immediately defended himself, thinking to himself, "Brother, I have no choice but to drag you into this again." "As for leaving early, your brother here is the deputy section chief of the district government's secretariat, and I haven't even become a full-time secretary. I just read the newspaper all day. I'm afraid I'll turn into an old man if I sit here any longer. Going out to build connections is all about making an impression on the leaders!"
"Really?" Wang Lin wondered if she had really wronged her brother. The fat boy was putting on a very aggrieved act, making it seem genuine. In reality, the force with which she was pulling his ear wasn't that great.
The fat man immediately replied, "Of course it's true. That guy rented a storefront outside the provincial TV station gate called 'Green Treasure Pavilion,' selling vegetables and seafood. He's my best friend from university, and we only recently got in touch!"
Suddenly, the fat man said excitedly, "Sis, your brother ate at my old classmate's place this morning. The food was really delicious. His cooking skills are very average, but the dishes he makes are comparable to those of a professional chef. Isn't that strange!"
As soon as Wang Lin heard her brother mention business, she immediately looked away and released Fatty's ear. This older sister is a real business whiz, Fatty thought to himself, "This hurdle is finally over."
"That guy is really greedy. He sells tomatoes for 25 yuan a pound, peppers for 35 yuan a pound, and even more outrageous, grass carp for 100 yuan a pound, and crabs for 150 yuan a pound!" the fat man said, adding fuel to the fire.
This is also for Zhang Guodong's publicity.
The fat man didn't doubt that Zhang Guodong was lying, so he could only believe that it was due to different types of vegetables; otherwise, the restaurant wouldn't be able to stay in business. Therefore, he wasn't entirely certain of what Zhang Guodong said, but was just offering a heads-up.
However, Wang Lin didn't pay any attention to it.
"If there's really good stuff, and the hotel can supply it—" the fat man continued, seeing that his older sister didn't seem to care at all.
"Alright, let's find a chance to see another day, bro, let's eat first!" Wang Lin interrupted her brother, waving her hand. The fat man was speechless. How could he possibly eat this?
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