Lu Yuanshi nodded in satisfaction, then called out, "Someone come here!" A servant pushed open the door and entered, standing respectfully to one side. Lu Yuanshi instructed, "Take the things away and prepare some good dishes." The servant responded and left.
Then he turned to Meng Zhao and asked, "Would Madam Meng be willing to stay for a simple meal?"
With the business deal settled, Meng Zhao readily agreed, nodding with a smile, "Then I shall respectfully comply."
While waiting, the two discussed and signed a supply contract. In addition to the straw mushrooms, Lu Yuanshi was also quite satisfied with the premium pork brought by Meng Zhao and decided to purchase it as well.
The ingredients were fresh, the chef's skills were superb, and everyone enjoyed the meal.
By the time they returned to Hongnong County, it was already dark. Meng Zhao didn't have time to rest and immediately arranged for people to pick fifty catties of fresh straw mushrooms, load them onto the truck that supplied the braised pork shop, and prepare to transport them to Yongsheng Restaurant overnight.
We depart at night and the goods arrive before dawn the next day. The food will be on the table within twelve hours, guaranteeing freshness.
After arranging the first supply of straw mushrooms, Meng Zhao rushed to check on her greenhouse vegetables. The greenhouse had already been built and stretched as far as the eye could see, a truly magnificent sight.
Inside the greenhouse, Meng Zhao had divided it into neat sections by heated walls, each planted with different vegetables in an orderly fashion.
With the weather getting colder recently, insulation of the greenhouse has become a top priority. In addition to putting a lot of thought into the construction to ensure that the double-layered tarpaulin and straw on the roof can effectively prevent the cold, the daily charcoal consumption has also become a big problem. Fortunately, she knows the technique of charcoal burning, which has managed to reduce some costs.
She personally checks the temperature and humidity of the greenhouse every day, afraid that the delicate vegetables might get frostbite if she's not careful.
Meng Zhao was so busy that she almost forgot about the time until Shen Yun came to ask her when she was going home for the New Year, and she suddenly realized it.
"Oh? It's almost Chinese New Year!"
"Yes, the New Year is just twelve days away. I heard there are snow signs these days. If we want to go back, we need to set off as soon as possible."
Meng Zhao couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. She had promised herself she would go home before the New Year, but looking at the newly sprouting vegetables in front of her, she really couldn't bear to leave. Besides, the weather was getting colder and colder. If something happened to her after traveling back and forth for half a month, she would be so upset.
After much deliberation, Meng Zhao finally decided to stay. She went back to her room and wrote a long letter, clearly explaining all her concerns and adding her deepest apologies. She also prepared some gifts and had them sent home along with the letter.
At the same time, she asked the three girls who came with her to write letters home to let them know she was safe. In the letters to her parents, in addition to explaining her situation, she also asked them to help prepare some New Year's gifts to send to Huang Cui, Yin Chun, and Shen Yun's families.
The thought that she not only couldn't go home, but also had to make her parents do things for her made Meng Zhao feel extremely sad. However, when she saw the vegetables that had already sprouted in the greenhouse, her heart was filled with excitement.
That day, it was snowing lightly outside, with fine snowflakes falling gently. Meng Zhao was inside listening to the information that Shen Yun had gathered.
Zhao San Niang's braised pork shop is located in Hongnong County, where there are more poor people than rich people. Although the business is not bad, it is far worse than the shop of Boss Qin in Huian County next door.
However, Shen Yun found out that the salaries and benefits of the employees in the two shops were almost the same. No wonder Meng Zhao found that when he went to check on Boss Qin's shop last time, all the indicators were in compliance, but the employees looked a bit listless. If this continued, it would inevitably affect the business.
However, when the franchise agreement was signed, no requirements were made regarding the wages of the employees, taking into account the different situations in various regions. Now that he was interfering, it seemed a bit like overstepping his bounds, and Meng Zhao couldn't help but start to worry.
After the two finished their discussion, Yin Chun came in to report that a young master surnamed Xiao wanted to see her. Meng Zhao immediately realized it was Xiao Youzhi and asked her to invite him in.
As soon as the cotton curtain was lifted, a wisp of cold air blew in, and then Xiao Youzhi, wearing a black cloak, walked in with an air of nobility.
Meng Zhao noticed that he had lost a lot of weight since the last time they met. After entering the house, he took off his cloak without being asked to, and draped it over the rack by the door. Then he looked at Meng Zhao and said with a hint of teasing, "It's really hard to see you these days. I've been waiting outside for so long in this cold weather."
Meng Zhao was overjoyed. In the past, she was always the one waiting for him, so what was wrong with asking him to wait for her this time? Although she gave Yin Chun a thumbs up in her heart, she still said aloud, "I'm really sorry, Young Master Xiao. My two maids have never met you before, so they inevitably had to ask a few questions. I'll tell them later that if they encounter anything involving Young Master Xiao next time, they will definitely report it to me in time."
Seeing the vivid expression on the person's face, Xiao Youzhi was naturally not angry. Instead, he asked, "Where did you pick this person from? They seem quite dedicated."
“As you know, my shop is full of women. I was originally afraid that someone would cause trouble, so I chose these two for the shop. But after they got used to it, I always have them accompany me when I go out.” Meng Zhao said, taking a pot of hot tea from the stove and pouring it for Xiao Youzhi, gesturing for him to warm his hands.
"I heard you went to Lu Yuanshi's place?" Xiao Youzhi asked.
"Yes, I've been trying to grow some mushrooms and vegetables, and I'm looking for ways to sell them." After saying that, she added, "It's just the beginning, the quantity isn't large, and the delivery channels aren't yet established, so I haven't tried to find a way to contact Chunfenglou yet."
Xiao Youzhi nodded after hearing this. These fresh dishes had to be sold locally, unlike starch and spice packets, which could be transported over long distances. Although Chunfenglou was powerful, it was no match for Yongsheng Restaurant, which dominated the area.
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