Chapter 70 Fang Che Opens a Branch Store
Three days later, the branch store began to take shape.
That very night, something happened.
At one o'clock in the morning, Fang Che had just lain down when his mobile phone rang.
It was foreman Chen, his voice trembling: "Boss Fang, something terrible has happened! The newly laid floor tiles... they've all cracked!"
Fang Che sat up: "What happened?"
"I don't know! It was fine when I finished work last night. I just came to check, and when I opened the door, there were cracks all over the floor!"
Fang Che put on his clothes and rushed outside.
Li Hanzhou had already woken up and followed him downstairs.
Across the street, the lights were on at the entrance of the branch store.
Old Chen and several workers stood outside the door, their faces grim.
Inside the shop, the brand-new floor tiles are riddled with cracks, the widest of which can fit a finger inside.
Fang Che squatted down and touched the edge of the crack: "This was smashed by someone."
It's not a quality issue; it's vandalism.
Li Hanzhou's eyes turned cold: "Agui, check the surveillance footage."
“I’ve checked.” Ah Gui came in from outside. “The video footage from midnight to 1 a.m. is all static.”
They came prepared.
Fang Che stood up: "Old Chen, I'll cover the cost of relaiding the floor tiles. I'll still pay the labor costs, and everyone who works overtime tonight will get an extra two hundred."
Old Chen nodded: "Don't worry, Boss Fang, we'll work through the night."
Once the workers had resumed work, Fang Che went outside and lit a cigarette…
He doesn't usually smoke, but he's feeling upset right now.
Li Hanzhou walked over, took his cigarette, and stubbed it out: "Smoke less."
“Brother Li, this is the first warning,” Fang Che’s voice was deep. “The floor tiles can be re-laid, but what about next time? What if they tamper with the gas pipes…”
He didn't finish his sentence.
Li Hanzhou grasped his hand: "Scared?"
"I'm afraid," Fang Che honestly admitted. "I'm afraid of implicating the children. Jiang Tianqi is cunning; it's impossible to guard against him."
"Then let him not have his way." Li Hanzhou looked across at the other side. "A-Che, have you thought about why he chose to attack on the floor tiles?"
Fang Che was taken aback.
“Re-laying the floor tiles is simple and doesn’t cause much damage, but it can scare you,” Li Hanzhou said. “If he really wanted to ruin you, he would have done something structurally wrong, or even set a fire. But he didn’t. Why?”
A thought flashed through Fang Che's mind: "He's testing us! Testing our reaction, testing He Hongsheng's attitude!"
“Yes.” Li Hanzhou nodded. “With He Shirong here, he wouldn’t dare to go all out. But he’ll keep making small moves, trying to force you to make a mistake, to force you to break off relations. Then he can tell He Hongsheng that you didn’t know what was good for you.”
"Then what should we do?" Fang Che frowned. "We can't keep getting beaten up."
Li Hanzhou was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Do you remember the third point He Hongsheng mentioned?"
“Let his grandson learn how to do things…” Fang Che paused, his eyes lighting up, “Brother Li, you mean—”
“Isn’t He Shirong a protective charm?” Li Hanzhou’s lips curled up slightly. “Then let the protective charm move.”
The next morning, the branch was renovated as usual.
Fang Che called He Shirong to the backyard.
"Shirong, I'm giving you a task." Fang Che's expression was serious.
He Shirong was squatting on the ground teasing a stray cat when he heard this and looked up: "What task? Washing dishes is fine, but moving bricks is out of the question."
“I won’t make you do manual labor.” Fang Che squatted down to look him in the eye. “From today onwards, you’ll be the branch’s ‘safety director’.”
"Safety Director?" He Shirong raised an eyebrow.
"I'm responsible for the security of the branch stores," Fang Che said. "I patrol every day, check the water, electricity, and gas, and keep an eye on the workers to make sure they don't cut corners. Most importantly... I'm preventing anyone from sabotaging the stores."
He Shirong laughed: "You want me to be a security guard?"
"Not a security guard, but a director," Fang Che corrected. "His monthly salary is two thousand."
He Shirong could no longer laugh.
Two thousand? His watch alone costs more than that.
But looking at Fang Che's serious expression, he suddenly understood.
"You want me to use the He family's name to intimidate those who want to cause trouble?"
Fang Che nodded: "More than that. Shi Rong, your grandfather sent you here to learn real skills. What are real skills? It's not about being good at business, it's about being able to judge people, being able to guard against people, and being able to protect yourself and your people before others try to harm you."
He Shirong remained silent.
He remembered what his grandfather had said when he saw him off at the train station.
“Okay.” He Shirong stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, “I’ll take this job. But Brother Fang, let me make this clear: if anyone tries to cause trouble, I won’t be polite.”
"Don't mention it," Fang Che smiled. "If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."
From that day on, Ho Sai-wing was like a different person.
He stopped complaining all day and started inspecting the premises daily. He even paid for several hidden cameras himself and installed them around the shop.
The workers initially saw him as a young master and were not very obedient, but He Shirong had a way with him!
He gives bonuses to those who work diligently, in cash, on the spot.
"Work hard, and if you do a good job, I'll treat you to drinks in Lan Kwai Fong!" He said this with great enthusiasm, which motivated the workers.
Jiang Tianqi's side calmed down for a few days.
But Fang Che knew that this peace would not last long.
Sure enough, a week later, when the branch renovation was almost finished, the second wave arrived.
This time it's not about sabotage, it's about public opinion.
First, several tabloids published articles implying that the meat used at "Northeast Tiger Barbecue" was not fresh.
Then, some neighbors told everyone they met at the market that they had gotten diarrhea after eating barbecue.
Rumors spread very quickly.
Although there is no evidence, rumors can spread like wildfire.
During the days leading up to the branch's opening, several neighbors who had originally planned to come and support the store made excuses to cancel.
Xi Rong was so anxious that blisters appeared on her lips: "Brother Che, what if no one comes on opening day?"
Cheng Tieniu was so angry that he wanted to smash up the newspaper office: "If I find out who is spreading rumors, I'll break their legs!"
Fang Che remained calm.
He called the children together.
“The more you explain a rumor, the more believable it becomes,” Fang Che said. “So let’s not explain.”
"What should we do then?" Amin asked.
"Let the facts speak for themselves," Fang Che said. "On the day the branch opens, we'll have an 'open kitchen day.' Neighbors can come in and see where the meat comes from, how it's processed, and how it's grilled. It'll be completely transparent."
Xi Rong's eyes lit up: "But what if someone really finds fault with it?"
“Then let him choose.” Fang Che smiled. “We’re upright and have nothing to fear. Besides…”
He looked at Ho Sai-wing: "Sai-wing, I need to trouble you with something."
"explain."
"On the opening day, invite your grandfather to cut the ribbon," Fang Che said. "He doesn't need to say anything, just showing his face is enough."
He Shirong understood: "Using my grandfather's influence to maintain order?"
“Yes.” Fang Che nodded. “If Mr. He is willing to come, those rumors will fall apart on their own.”
He Shirong thought for a moment and said, "I'll give it a try. But my grandfather might not be available."
"Just do your best."
That evening, He Shirong called his grandfather.
Unexpectedly, Ho Hung-sang agreed.
"It's my grandson's first project 'in charge' opening, of course I have to go and see." He Hongsheng's voice was tinged with laughter on the phone. "That kid Fang Che is quite interesting."
The opening date is set for three days from now.
For the past three days, Fang Che has been extremely busy.
Besides preparing for the opening, he is also doing something else... integrating resources.
He connected three originally separate projects: a barbecue restaurant, Chefeng Express, and a community school.
“From now on, the children from the school can come to the express delivery service after school and be paid by the hour. The express delivery service’s customers can get discounts at the barbecue restaurant with their points. The children of the barbecue restaurant’s customers can have priority to enroll in the school.” Fang Che drew on the blueprint, “We want to weave a net on Portland Street, a net that no one can tear.”
Li Hanzhou looked at his focused profile with gentle eyes.
This piece of wood has started to glow.
The night before the opening, Fang Che collapsed in his office on the second floor of the branch, exhausted.
Li Hanzhou pushed open the door and came in, carrying a bowl of hot noodle soup.
"Eat something."
Fang Che took it and wolfed it down.
Halfway through the meal, he looked up and asked, "Brother Li, about the tattoo... is it still valid?"
Li Hanzhou paused for a moment: "It counts. We'll wait until you're done with this."
"What design will you get? Can you tell us?"
Li Hanzhou looked at him, reached out, and gently brushed his left shoulder with his fingertips...
That's where the wound was; now only a pale pink scar remains.
"Get a little tiger tattoo," Li Hanzhou said. "Just get it here."
Fang Che was stunned: "Why a little tiger? A dragon tattoo would be so much more imposing!"
“Because you are a ‘Siberian tiger’,” Li Hanzhou said in a low voice, “and also because… tigers protect their food.”
He spoke the last four words very softly.
Food guarding...
Who are they protecting?
Fang Che's face flushed, and he lowered his head to continue eating his noodles without saying a word.
Li Hanzhou didn't say anything more and just watched him eat.
Outside the window, the lights on Portland Street gradually came on.
The calm before the storm is always precious.
But what's meant to come will come.
On the opening day, the sky was clear and blue.
A red carpet was laid out in front of the branch store, and flower baskets lined up from one end of the street to the other.
Although Stanley Ho did not come in person, he sent a congratulatory plaque, which was hung up by Ho Sai-wing himself.
Neighbors gradually arrived, many with curiosity...
Open kitchen day – what a novel idea!
Fang Che, dressed in a new dark gray suit, stood at the door to greet guests.
Jiang Tianqi and Li Ruoxue also arrived.
This time, Jiang Tianqi didn't drive the Ferrari; he drove a black Bentley instead.
As he got out of the car, he was carrying a gift box and smiled politely: "Congratulations, Mr. Fang."
"It's an honor to have Young Master Jiang here." Fang Che took the gift box and handed it to Xi Rong.
Li Ruoxue, dressed in a plain cheongsam, stood beside Jiang Tianqi, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
She glanced at Fang Che, then at Li Hanzhou, and finally said nothing, silently entering the room.
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