With the help of the Yang family, the church quickly and efficiently created a gold-rimmed plaque, which was then presented to Uncle Yang's restaurant three days later with a grand display of trumpets.
The neighbors, who love a good show, got excited and listened to the priests recount the "glorious deeds" of Yang Guohua's family, which made Uncle Yang's restaurant a hit!
The exquisite new signboard added a touch of joy to the restaurant. Yang Guohua was delighted and served all the diners a radish pancake to celebrate.
This delighted the regular customers, as Sylvia Chang's radish cakes were a famous snack in the market! In the 1980s and 90s, they sold for one dollar each, which was considered a luxury for customers of small restaurants!
...
New Year's Day had just passed, and the restaurant hadn't even opened yet when the auntie at the public telephone called out to Zhang Aijia to answer the phone.
Confused, Sylvia Chang put on her cotton-padded coat and prepared to answer the phone.
Yang Yajing immediately grabbed her coat, wanting to catch up.
"Why are you out here? It's cold outside!" Sylvia Chang laughed at Yang Yajing's expression.
"Let my little short legs get some fresh air!" Yang Yajing took Zhang Aijia's arm.
Actually, Yang Yajing wasn't just spreading rumors; she had a general idea of what was going on on the other end of the phone.
I remember it was around this time in my previous life, shortly after Zhou Youcheng ate his mother's mung bean paste, when the phone rang.
However, she was already 18 at that time, and her family had a telephone installed, so she no longer needed to use a public telephone.
Sure enough, it was Zhou Youcheng on the other end of the phone.
"Zhang Meizi! Happy New Year! Please give my regards to Brother Yang too!" It was Zhou Youcheng's deep voice on the other end.
"Uncle Zhou, Happy New Year!" Yang Yajing shouted into the microphone.
"Ya Jing is here too! Happy New Year!" Zhou Youcheng greeted her after hearing Yang Ya Jing's voice.
"Brother Zhou, is there something you need from me?"
"Sigh! I really do need your help, Zhang!" Yang Guohua said with a self-deprecating laugh. "Didn't Ya Jing bring me some mung bean paste last time? I let my colleagues try it, and they all loved it! Even our principal raved about it! That's why I asked you to let me know if we could customize our year-end gifts from you?"
"Year-end gift? That means it has to be packed in a big gift box? Ours are all loose, they don't look good, do they?" Zhang Aijia was happy but also a little embarrassed.
"Let me speak, let me speak!" Yang Yajing shook Zhang Aijia's arm, urging her to hand her the microphone.
"What are you doing, little one? Mommy's talking about serious business!" Sylvia Chang was both amused and exasperated. What was this kid talking about?
"Mom! Listen to me as you make your decision?" Yang Yajing asked earnestly.
Taking the microphone, Yang Yajing first greeted Yang Guohua, and then said, "Hehe! Uncle Zhou, the gift box is no problem, but we need Zhou Pengfei's help. Also, we can't do charity pricing anymore!"
"She really is a capitalist!" Zhou Pengfei's voice came through the receiver. "Dad! I told you she's a little money-grubber!"
"No problem, no problem!" Yang Guohua ignored Zhou Pengfei's words.
"Uncle Zhou, what is your budget for one box?" Yang Yajing asked again.
"Wow! This young lady is quite knowledgeable! She even knows the word 'budget'?" Zhou Youcheng was surprised.
Yang Yajing was also startled. She remembered that she was only ten years old. Was it inappropriate for her to ask such adult questions? But she did not back down: "Zhou Pengfei said that I am a capitalist, so of course I need to know what capitalists need to know, right, Uncle?"
"Hahaha! Yes, yes, yes! I wish you, little capitalist, a future where you do big business and make a fortune!" Zhou Youcheng laughed before answering Yang Yajing's question, "The principal said that anything under ten yuan is no problem!"
"How many boxes does Uncle want?"
"Around a hundred boxes, right? Will this quantity be a problem?" Zhou Youcheng knew that the quantity was an issue when making handmade pastries in a small restaurant.
"When does Uncle want it?" Yang Yajing did not give a direct answer.
"As long as I can get it before school breaks, that's fine."
"No problem! I've got this covered!" Yang Yajing readily agreed. "It's just that we'll need Uncle Zhou to bring Zhou Pengfei over to help us get started!"
"No problem!" After saying that, Zhou Youcheng turned to Zhou Pengfei beside him and said, "You brat, get ready. Ya Jing told you not to laze around at home. Get to work!"
"Hahahaha!" Yang Yajing laughed on the other end of the phone. Zhou Pengfei shouted from the other end, "Yang Yajing! You wait, I'll eat you out of house and home! The noodle soup is ready, just wait!"
"Zhou Pengfei! Speak properly!" That was the sound of Zhou Youcheng slapping his head, along with Wang Xiufen's laughter in the distance.
After hanging up the phone, Sylvia Chang asked blankly, "What exactly did you promise them? Where are we going to get the gift boxes? This little girl really knows how to give me a hard time!"
"Mom! Don't worry at all! I have a great plan! You just focus on making your mung bean paste and wait to collect the money!"
"Little myna bird! So mischievous!" Zhang Aijia shook her head, amused and exasperated, as Yang Yajing took her arm and led her home.
"Who called?" Yang Guohua asked when he saw the mother and daughter return.
"Money is beckoning to us!" Yang Yajing made a face.
Sylvia Chang laughed and slapped away the grinning Yang Yajing, then recounted what had just happened.
"You little rascal, you really have a way with things? We're in honest business, don't try anything weird or underhanded!" Yang Guohua shook his head, giving Yang Yajing a heads-up.
"It's absolutely the right way!" Yang Yajing declared confidently, "But I need my mother's good friend to help me out..."
"You little brat! Didn't you just say that all I had to do was make the desserts properly?"
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