Chapter 62 Buying a Shop
Gu Tao had long had the idea of opening a shop and had prepared a lot of funds, but he was hesitant about what to sell. He also wanted to open a restaurant like Lei Hong.
However, Gu Tao was self-aware enough to know that his cooking skills were still somewhat inferior to Lei Hong's. He had come today to learn from Lei Hong and ask for his advice, but Lei Hong kept recommending Song Xinran's cooking to him.
Gu Tao had heard Lei Hong mention this name several times. The last time he came to see Lei Hong, Lei Hong said he would buy oden for them to try, but they were too late and it was sold out. Lei Hong was very sorry and said they were unlucky and missed out on something good.
Gu Tao thought Lei Hong was exaggerating back then, but this time when he came again, Lei Hong said that Song Xinran had started selling braised meat at a stall, and that it tasted so good that people couldn't forget it after just one bite. Gu Tao became curious.
Gu Tao had long harbored the idea of selling braised meat. People in his area loved to eat cold braised meat, especially pig's head meat. There were also several braised meat stalls in Tangjia Town.
However, Gu Tao felt that if his braised meat shop didn't have any unique features, the business would be just average.
Since Song Xinran's braised meat was the best in the world, Gu Tao decided to buy some and try it himself.
When Gu Tao arrived at the braised meat stall, he initially thought the price was a bit expensive. Most of the people who came to the market in town were farmers with low incomes, so he probably wouldn't buy any. But after taking a bite, Gu Tao instantly changed his mind.
Even if the income is not high, you must buy it when you taste something so delicious. Besides, the price is not very high. Twenty yuan worth of braised chicken feet is a lot, enough for two meals.
It's a pity that Song Xinran doesn't release the braising liquid recipe, otherwise Gu Tao would have spent several thousand yuan to buy it. He knows that if he got the recipe and made the same taste, it would be a very profitable business.
Fortunately, Gu Tao and Lei Hong were friends, and Lei Hong was acquainted with Song Xinran. So Gu Tao bought some braised food and went to see Lei Hong, explaining his purpose and asking Lei Hong to help him get to know her.
Gu Tao felt he had shown sincerity, and now as long as Song Xinran nodded, he could take the money.
But Song Xinran shook her head: "Boss Gu, thank you very much for liking our braised meat, but I can't make too much braised meat here, I'm really sorry."
Gu Tao assumed she was dissatisfied with the price and immediately said, "Boss Song, I don't want to buy your braised goods at a low price. Just give me a 10% discount on your retail price. I need a large quantity, at least 20 to 30 catties a day, and I'm buying in bulk. After you sell to me, I'll bear the profit and loss myself. Besides, I'll only sell in Tangjia Town, so I guarantee I won't steal your business!"
Lei Hong nodded in agreement. He knew Gu Tao's character; he was straightforward and his prices were very high. He would give discounts to customers who spent a lot of money at his restaurant, and Gu Tao was a long-term business partner.
Lei Hong said, "Xinran, my friend used to work in another province. He made some money and came back to start a business. You don't need to worry about the funding."
Song Xinran thought to herself that this wasn't what she was worried about. She knew Lei Hong; he wouldn't bring someone to her unless he trusted them.
She shook her head, her tone gentle yet firm: "Boss Gu, I'm not thinking about money or stealing business. I make all these braised dishes myself. Although I have friends helping me, braising takes time and effort, and I can't make too many by myself. On market days, I work from dawn till dusk and can barely make one cartload. It's not enough for me to sell myself, and if I share it with others, I'll have less for myself, and that will offend my regular customers."
Lei Hong was astonished. He knew Song Xinran's business was good, but he didn't know it was this good. Even a whole cartload of braised food wasn't enough to meet demand.
He turned to look at Gu Tao, his eyes filled with sympathy and comfort; it seemed this path was not viable.
Gu Tao was also quite surprised, recalling that when he went to buy braised food this morning, there were indeed several people standing in front of the braised meat stall wanting to buy some.
However, Song Xinran's words did not make him give up his idea; on the contrary, they made him even more determined. This just shows that he has a good eye. If he could really bring Song Xinran's braised food back to Tangjia Town to sell, he would definitely make money.
Gu Tao suggested, "Boss Song, why don't you consider expanding your business and hiring more people to help you? That way, you can not only sell more yourself, but also give some to me."
Song Xinran said, "Boss Gu, you should know about the catering industry. To expand your business, you need not only capital but also the right people. It's hard to find a chef who can make the same taste as me. I can't lose the original flavor just to make more braised dishes. That would be a loss."
Gu Tao thought about it carefully and realized that it made sense. He felt a little heavy-hearted and unwilling. He had finally found a good business opportunity, but it ended before it even started.
“However, Mr. Gu, I have other ideas. Would you like to hear them?” Song Xinran’s lips curled slightly, and her voice was very gentle.
Gu Tao hurriedly asked, "What method?"
Song Xinran said, "I can't give you the recipe for the braising spices, but I can give you the braising liquid that I've made. You can take it home and make your own braising dishes. The taste will be similar to what I sell. I'll pay you per batch. I'll give you one bucket each time. If you take good care of it, one bucket of braising liquid can be used for several batches."
Gu Tao's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected such a method. He wanted to nod, but hesitated. "Boss Song, are you sure the taste of your braised food is similar to what you sell? I've been eyeing yours."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Don't worry, I used this braising liquid, but the braising time and the heat during the process will affect the quality of the braised meat. I can't help you with that."
Gu Tao said, "I understand that. As long as the taste isn't bad, it's fine. I used to be a chef too."
However, Gu Tao had eaten Song Xinran's braised food today and knew that Song Xinran's mastery of braising time and heat was superb, which was why she could make the food tender yet not mushy, and savory and delicious.
Gu Tao admitted that he couldn't braise meat to such a perfect degree, but this flavor was attractive enough. He had tried all the braised meat stalls in Tangjia Town, and none of them had a particularly outstanding taste.
"How much did it cost that time?" Gu Tao asked.
Song Xinran had already gone through this in her mind, and now her voice was clear and crisp: "One hundred and twenty a time. The braising liquid I give you is enough for at least ten catties of fresh goods at a time. If the braising liquid is well maintained, it can be used for at least five or six days."
The price was set by Song Xinran after careful consideration. Although 120 yuan per batch sounds like a lot, if she braised more than ten kilograms of chicken feet, the gross profit would be about 100 yuan. That means she could break even as long as she sold out the first batch of goods, and all the braised goods after that would be profitable.
At this moment, Gu Tao was also frantically calculating in his mind. Since he came to find Song Xinran, he must have considered all aspects and also learned about the prices of fresh and finished braised meat. On the street, most people sell pig's head meat with braised chicken feet, but the profit of pig's head meat is much lower.
If he also braised chicken feet and sold them, he could quickly recoup his 120 yuan investment. Although it sounds a bit painful, since it's just a pot of braising liquid, if you think about it carefully, he could actually make a profit.
He looked at Song Xinran, and his gaze changed. The price was just right, as if it had hit the mark he was looking for. Boss Song looked young, but she had a very accurate grasp of people's psychology and was also very good at calculation.
Although he had only talked with Song Xinran for a short while, he already knew that she was the kind of person who would rather earn less money than compromise on quality. Working with someone like that, he wasn't worried that she would deliberately lower the quality of the braising sauce.
Gu Tao nodded: "Okay! Boss Song, we'll do it your way! When can you give me the braising liquid, Boss Song? To be honest, my family has a shop in town. It used to be rented out, but the owner quit and we took it back. We can use the space for the renovations and everything. As long as you give me the braising liquid, Boss Song, I can open for business tomorrow!"
While the two of them were discussing, Lei Hong listened without saying a word. Now that everything was settled, Lei Hong finally spoke up: "Taozi, don't rush things. Opening a shop can't be rushed. We still need to find an auspicious day after everything is ready!"
Gu Tao laughed heartily: "Brother Lei, I think today is an auspicious day. I came to see you and just happened to get to eat the braised food sold by Boss Song. I even made a verbal agreement with Boss Song. Today is in my favor!"
Lei Hong knew he had always wanted to open a shop, and today he had finally found a suitable product category and his wish had come true. The braising sauce made by Song Xinran would definitely taste good, so he smiled and said, "If you think it's good, then it's good!"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "In that case, I'll give Boss Gu a bucket of braising liquid today. All the braised dishes we sell today are cooked in that pot of braising liquid. I'll give it to Boss Gu for the first time, and I wish Boss Gu a prosperous business."
Since we're partners now, we need to have a successful start.
In Song Xinran's previous life, when someone wanted to open a franchise store, the headquarters had to send someone down to help with site selection and decoration. All she gave away was a bucket of braising sauce.
Gu Tao smiled broadly: "Great! I'll take the braising liquid back with me now and try making it myself. If it turns out well, we can open for business tomorrow!"
He exclaimed, "Boss Song is not only a great cook, but also a shrewd businessman!"
She speaks and acts with composure and tact, is decisive when setting prices, and is very generous after reaching an agreement. Her ideas for selling braised sauce are also very sophisticated. You would never guess that she is a girl in her early twenties.
After Song Xinran gave the braising liquid to Gu Tao, Gu Tao didn't linger. He seemed impatient and said he wanted to go back immediately to test the results of his own braising.
Song Xinran did the math at home. One batch of braising liquid could last for several days. If it were a long-term business, Gu Tao would come to pick it up six or seven times a month, and she could earn seven or eight hundred yuan a month.
Compared to selling braised food, selling braising sauce is much easier, and since she also makes the braising sauce herself, it's like she's making it on the side.
This business is viable.
Gu Tao is an impatient person. He thought the braising liquid he brought home that day would make the braised food taste good. Gu Tao even called Lei Hong and asked him to tell Song Xinran that if she had time the next day, she could go to Tangjia Town to visit and try his braised food.
Song Xinran declined, as tomorrow was market day in Lingde Town, and she needed to prepare a lot of ingredients. Besides, Tangjia Town was quite far from Lingde Town.
Lei Hong and Lin Hexiang did go, but didn't return until the afternoon. Lin Hexiang even went to Song Xinran to say, "Taozi told me to come and thank you. He said the braising sauce you made for him tasted especially good, and the business was very good during the trial opening today. He wants to promote it well in the future!"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "I'm relieved that business is good. I've been thinking about Boss Gu's place all day. To be honest, this is my first time selling braising sauce. I wonder how well it will go."
Lin Hexiang said, "Don't worry about it. Taozi is a good businessman. He's not just opening a braised meat shop today, he's also selling braised vegetables and braised meat platters. Lei Hong and I tried a braised meat and rice dish, and it was really delicious. Xinran, you could also consider selling these; the profit margin isn't low."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinran thought to herself that this was just like the braised pork rice she used to order from takeout in her previous life. It was simple, quick, and cheap. The white rice was topped with a layer of sauce, the braised pork was chopped and sprinkled on top, and it was served with half a braised egg and a few green vegetables. If it was made well, it tasted pretty good and was always a regular on the takeout menu.
Song Xinran smiled and casually said, "Then we can add a braised pork noodle dish to the menu. It's a standard combination for fast food restaurants."
Lin Hexiang thought about it and realized it made some sense. Song Xinran was now selling braised meat outside the noodle shop, which had helped the shop attract a lot of business: "I'll talk to Taozi about it when I get back."
Knowing that Gu Tao had opened a shop and that business was good, Song Xinran felt relieved; this extra income was now secure.
Lin Hexiang came to tell Song Xinran a couple of days later that she had told Gu Tao about her suggestion to add braised pork noodles. Gu Tao thought it was a great idea and readily made the arrangements, and had already ordered a pot for cooking the noodles.
Since Gu Tao and Song Xinran reached an agreement, Lin Hexiang and Song Xinran have been seeing each other much more frequently.
"Xinran, how come you have so many ideas? You can even think of selling the braising liquid and adding it to braised pork noodles," Lin Hexiang exclaimed. "Taozi told me that he's coming to pick up a bucket of braising liquid tomorrow and asked me to tell you about it."
Song Xinran nodded: "I will prepare in advance."
She humbly replied, "I didn't think about it much; I just learned it from seeing others do it."
Lin Hexiang said, "You have so many ideas, why don't you open your own shop? Opening a shop is much better than setting up a stall. You can do business no matter the weather, and it will be more convenient for you. You won't have to push your cart back and forth. Now that the weather is cold, I feel okay wearing thick clothes and gloves. But if it's hot, I'll be sweating profusely even standing under an umbrella."
Song Xinran had actually considered opening a shop, but while she had a lot of money on hand, it wouldn't be enough for large-scale transactions, and there was also...
"Sister Xiang, I haven't seen a suitable shop yet. I'm definitely not going to transfer my shop now that my business is doing well, and the shops that are going to be transferred are in bad locations."
Lin Hexiang's eyes lit up and she immediately said, "Since you have this idea, I'll tell you. There's a shop for sale on the street near the rural credit cooperative. It used to sell cigarettes, alcohol, and groceries."
Song Xinran asked in surprise, "Why are you suddenly selling? That shop is doing quite well, and you don't have to worry about renting it out."
Song Xinran knew that grocery store. It wasn't far from the Third Middle School and the Central Primary School. Students liked to buy snacks there, and residents on both sides often went there to buy daily necessities. Although the location wasn't the best in town, it was still pretty good.
Lin Hexiang said, "It's all because of debts owed to his descendants! Grandpa Zhang's son was working in another city, and when he heard about gambling, he borrowed a lot of money! Now he can't pay it back, and debt collectors have even called the house, saying they'll cut off Grandpa Zhang's son's legs if he doesn't pay! Grandpa Zhang was so scared that he immediately tried to raise the money. His whole family borrowed from everywhere, and even asked our family. But Lei Hong said that in this situation, his family probably wouldn't be able to pay it back. Gambling is a bottomless pit. But since we've known Grandpa Zhang for so long, we gave him two hundred yuan. Consider it a gift. Grandpa Zhang's family can't raise the money no matter how much they borrow, and now they have no choice but to sell their shop."
Lin Hexiang changed the subject: "But his shop is pretty good. He used to rent it out to people who opened restaurants, and the rent was 150 yuan a month. Later, the restaurant owners moved, so Grandpa Zhang took it back and ran it himself. If you buy it, you can not only open a shop yourself, but you can also rent it out to others when you don't want to run it anymore. The money will keep coming in."
Song Xinran's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "Sister Xiang, how much is Grandpa Zhang planning to sell that shop for?"
Lin Hexiang said, "He said he wanted to sell it for 20,000."
Song Xinran's heart immediately froze. Twenty thousand yuan—she couldn't come up with that amount.
I originally had 15,000 yuan on me, but business has been good these past few days since the Lunar New Year, and I've earned almost 2,000 yuan more. Even if I search through all the money I can find at home, I estimate I can only come up with 17,000 or 18,000 yuan in cash.
Seeing Song Xinran's expression, Lin Hexiang understood. She said, "Grandpa Zhang asked for 20,000, but we can still negotiate. I estimate we can get it for 10,000. The main problem is that his family is short of money right now. His son is being held captive in another city. There aren't many families in town who can come up with 20,000 at once."
“You’ve probably bought things from Grandpa Zhang’s shop before. There’s a shop downstairs and a room in the attic where people can live. It used to be a restaurant, and there’s even a kitchen stove. It would be convenient for you to start a catering business and save you money on renovations.”
Song Xinran did some mental calculations. Grandpa Zhang's shop wasn't very big, about 40 or 50 square meters, but the location was good. Renting it for 150 yuan a month would be about right. Even if the shop sold for 20,000 yuan, the rent-to-sale ratio would be very strong. It would be a good investment or a business for her own use.
You should know that in her previous life, Song Xinran owned many properties with terrible rent-to-sale ratios.
All of this is good, the bad thing is her, she doesn't have enough money.
Song Xinran frowned slightly and said to Lin Hexiang, "Sister-in-law Xiang, thank you for telling me this news. I'll think about it."
Lin Hexiang said, "Okay, think it over carefully. If you're going to make a move, do it as soon as possible."
Song Xinran nodded. In the evening, she took Song Yu out for a walk and they came to the entrance of Grandpa Zhang's grocery store. The store had been cleared out quite a bit, and there was a sign on the door that read "Shop for Sale." As soon as she entered, an old woman who looked to be in her fifties or sixties came up to her. Her eyes were slightly red and swollen, but she still smiled and asked, "What would you like to buy?"
Song Xinran asked, "Auntie, is your shop for sale?"
The old woman nodded eagerly: "Yes, yes, young lady, let me show you around!"
The old lady quickly showed Song Xinran around the shop, pulled back the curtain to reveal a kitchen behind it, and said, "My shop is great! We can sell anything here. It's spacious and in a good location, with lots of people around. There's even an attic upstairs where people can live, enough for a whole family!"
As she spoke, the old lady took Song Xinran upstairs for a look. The attic was not high, only about two meters high. It looked a bit cramped, but people could walk on it without having to bend over.
The attic must have been uninhabited for a long time; it was covered in cobwebs and dust, and there was a wooden bed against the wall, with sawdust scattered around it.
Song Yu held Song Xinran's hand, opened his round eyes, looked around, and then sneezed without realizing it.
Upon seeing this, the old woman quickly said, "This used to be where the restaurant owners lived. My husband and I don't live here anymore. Just clean up the dust a bit more. This place is spacious enough for a family to live in!"
Song Xinran frowned slightly, feigning dissatisfaction, and asked, "How much are you planning to sell this shop for?"
The old lady said, "Twenty-two thousand. My shop is big and in a good location."
Song Xinran felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and took a step downstairs: "I'll think about it some more."
The old lady nodded: "Okay, young lady, come and buy it once you've thought it through. My shop is in high demand."
Song Xinran walked out of the shop, thinking that the price Lin Hexiang told her today should be the owner's selling price. If she wanted to bargain, she could get a discount of a thousand or so yuan, but that was still more than she could afford.
However, the shop is indeed nice. Although it is a bit messy inside now, you can tell that it is quite large. The kitchen is also usable. If you want to run a restaurant, you can save money on renovations. The attic upstairs can also be used for living if you tidy it up.
Song Yu looked up and asked her, "Mom, are we going to buy a house?"
Song Xinran asked, "Does Xiao Yu want a home of her own?"
Song Yu thought for a moment and said in a childish voice, "If there were a shop, Mom wouldn't have to go out to set up a stall. It's so cold outside, and there are no houses or windows to keep out the wind and rain."
Setting up a stall inevitably involves encountering bad weather. Often, Song Xinran would set up her stall at a different time or take a day off if she saw that the weather was not good. However, there were also times when it suddenly rained while she was setting up her stall, and her clothes were wet when she came back.
Song Yu had seen such scenes before. He would always pick up a dry towel to help his mother dry her hair, thinking that when he grew up, he would buy his mother a big house so that she wouldn't have to go out to set up a stall anymore.
Song Xinran squeezed the child's hand, her expression thoughtful.
After returning home, Song Xinran counted all the money she had on her, totaling 17,865.
Song Yu ran back to her room, took out her piggy bank, and placed it in front of Song Xinran: "Mom, I have money too, for Mom to use."
His eyes were round and blinking. Song Xinran knew that he liked to save money. He rarely used the pocket money she gave Song Yu. Every time, he would solemnly put it into the piggy bank, pick it up with both hands and shake it, and listen to the sound by his ear, with a smile on his lips.
Song Xinran stroked his soft, black hair: "If we give it to Mom, Xiao Yu won't have any money left to save."
Song Yu's voice was still childish: "I'll save up money later to buy a house for my mom."
He opened the piggy bank and poured out all the money inside. Song Xinran was surprised to find that Song Yu actually had quite a lot of money, including a fifty-yuan note.
Song Yu picked up the fifty-yuan note: "This is the New Year's money Aunt Deng gave me."
He picked up two more twenty-yuan bills: "These are New Year's money given to me by my aunt and uncle."
This year is the year Song Yu received the most New Year's money. In previous years, his aunt would give him ten yuan, but this year not only did the amount increase, but even his uncle gave him some.
He can now recognize almost all the coins. He picked up a relatively large denomination and counted it, and he was a little incredulous, his eyes sparkling with surprise: "Mom, there are 130 yuan!"
He was counting bills over ten yuan, plus many more small coins of one or two yuan, two or five mao, which made it seem like he had saved quite a lot.
Song Xinran counted them with Song Yu.
216.5. Song Yu's eyes widened, and she exclaimed softly, "I'm so rich."
The most he ever saved before was only a dozen yuan, but now it's over two hundred!
Her little hands carefully ran over the banknotes, and finally pushed them all in front of Song Xinran: "Mom, take these to buy a house."
Song Xinran was speechless: "Xiao Yu, just keep your money. Mom will figure something out."
Song Yu shook her head, her little face showing a particularly serious expression: "Mom said that saving money means you can spend it whenever you want in the future. I want to buy Mom a house now."
His voice was childish, but his tone was so firm. These two hundred yuan might not be much to an adult, and they seemed like a drop in the ocean when it came to buying a house. But it was money that Song Yu had saved up little by little over a long period of time, including his New Year's money for the whole year.
Song Xinran felt a wave of tenderness wash over her, like a gentle, bittersweet feeling rising in her heart. She nodded and said, "Okay, thank you, Xiao Yu. Mom will cherish the money you give me."
Song Yu cheered, revealing a row of white teeth. He closed the piggy bank lid and said, "When I grow up, I'll save up even more money for Mom to spend, and she can buy whatever she wants!"
Song Xinran smiled and felt a lump in her throat: "Thank you, Xiao Yu."
With Song Yu's money added, their family now has over 18,000 yuan in cash, bringing them one step closer to buying a house.
The next morning, when Gu Tao came to pick up the braising liquid, he gave Song Xinran 840 yuan. Gu Tao said, "Boss Song, I plan to come to pick up the braising liquid seven times this month. It's too much trouble to pay each time, and I'm afraid of losing the money if I bring it with me. I'll just give you this month's worth first."
After giving the money, Gu Tao picked up the braising liquid, put it on his tricycle, and drove off. He remembered what Lin and Xiang had said during their casual conversation yesterday: Boss Song was interested in buying a shop but might be short of money.
Gu Tao is now in a business relationship with Song Xinran. He has just received a favor from Song Xinran for sending him braising sauce, so he wants to settle the braising sauce fee for the month in advance. No matter how much it can help, every little bit helps.
His business is doing very well, and he's already planning to make this partnership last longer.
Song Xinran looked at the money in her hand, her expression thoughtful. Finally, she smiled gently. Most of the people she had met since coming to Lingde Town were good people.
Song Xinran prepared more braised food ingredients that day. Chen Jingfang, being an experienced street vendor, noticed the increase in quantity at a glance and asked curiously, "Xinran, is there some kind of event in town today?"
Song Xinran said, "There's nothing special about it, I just want to earn more money."
Chen Jingfang advised, "Your health is the most important thing. School will start in a few days, and you'll be very busy then. Rest as much as you can now."
He then reached out and pushed the cart himself, telling Song Xinran not to move.
Song Xinran didn't tell anyone about her desire to buy the shop. She was still a little conflicted. If she bought it, she wouldn't have any savings left, and without savings, she wouldn't feel secure.
Unlike a house, a shop is not a place to live. It might be okay for her to move to the attic for a short period of time, but she wouldn't be used to it in the long run.
Moreover, the shop is only in the town. Song Xinran knows that with the acceleration of urbanization, the town will suffer a serious loss of population in more than 20 years. Now there are many young people in the town when they go to the market, but then they will be mostly elderly, and the value of the shop will be greatly reduced.
This is a common problem faced by many towns lacking resources.
However, for now, as soon as she pushed the braised meat stall in front of the wonton shop, people came to buy braised meat, so Song Xinran temporarily suppressed all her thoughts.
"Hello, what would you like to buy?" Song Xinran asked.
The people who usually wait to buy braised meat are regular customers. Song Xinran is quite familiar with the regular customers, but the man in front of her, who is in his forties, is a bit unfamiliar.
"Two of each, I want to try them," the man said.
Song Xinran packed the food and handed it to the man, who then started eating. When he tasted it, he was clearly excited, but he didn't show it. He tried everything before finally asking, "Boss, are your braised dishes hygienic?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jingfang's heart skipped a beat, thinking that another troublemaker had come to cause trouble. She immediately said, "These are all things we bought from the market, washed and cooked by hand. We eat them ourselves, so the hygiene is absolutely guaranteed!"
After saying that, Chen Jingfang deliberately brought up the incident of a mother and son trying to extort money before the Lunar New Year: "It caused quite a stir back then. Everyone in the area knew about it, and even the police came. The mother and son went to the police station together. Everyone said that our braised meat stall is clean, hygienic, and of good quality! We are not afraid of anyone trying to extort money from us!"
The man immediately understood the implication and hurriedly said, "You've misunderstood. I'm not here to extort money. I work at the town's guesthouse. My surname is Zhou. I heard that your braised food is delicious, so I came here specifically to try it."
Upon hearing this, Chen Jingfang immediately blushed deeply. The town guesthouse was a town government unit and not open to the public. People would usually say a few words when they passed by, wondering how nice the conditions inside must be. Today, the people from the guesthouse had come specifically to buy braised meat and had been misunderstood.
Chen Jingfang quickly said, "I'm so sorry, it's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"
Song Xinran smiled, her attitude gentle and not overly enthusiastic: "Mr. Zhou, you flatter me. Our braised meat stall tastes just like the ones we make at home. We are very grateful for the support of our regular customers."
Zhou Jianfeng thought to himself that this was not the taste of home cooking. In order to entertain the people from the Municipal Bureau of Culture after the New Year, he had been looking for special dishes to serve. The leaders said that this reception was very important and related to the future development of Lingde Town. If they could apply for cultural relic protection unit status, they could also apply for the historical and cultural town evaluation in the second half of the year. If they could get both applications approved, then Lingde Town would have money in the future, and with money, it could develop.
Zhou Jianfeng said, "Boss, you're too modest. Your braised meat is really delicious. I heard you can also make braised beef. Could you make some for me to try? If it's good, I'll recommend it for our guesthouse's menu. The reward will be very generous."
Song Xinran's heart stirred slightly. She knew that the town's guesthouse was the only place that could undertake official reception tasks. The person in charge of the guesthouse was the deputy director of the office. Such units generally did not purchase ready-made food from outside, and Mr. Zhou in front of her did not look like a logistics chef or the like.
Perhaps something important happened at the reception. She suddenly remembered the reception task Xu Guolin had mentioned. There might be some connection between the two. If so, it must be a big deal, at least it would have a great impact on Lingde Town.
“Mr. Zhou,” Song Xinran said sincerely and bluntly, “I don’t know much about the guesthouse. I would be overjoyed if my braised meat could be on the guesthouse’s menu, but why would the guesthouse want braised meat from a small stall like mine? Mr. Zhou, please don’t joke with me. If you want to buy braised beef, please come when I have time to make it.”
Zhou Jianfeng never expected to be misunderstood like this, so he immediately lowered his voice and said, "I'm the person in charge of the guesthouse. If you're worried, come with me for a walk around the guesthouse. I genuinely want to try the braised beef."
Song Xinran then temporarily handed over the braised meat stall to Chen Jingfang and left with Zhou Jianfeng. She knew the town very well and could tell which road led where at a glance.
The guesthouse was not open to the public, but the staff at the door greeted Zhou Jianfeng as soon as they saw him: "Director Zhou".
Song Xinran appropriately showed an embarrassed expression: "Director Zhou, I'm sorry, I was overthinking it just now. I've never met anyone from the guesthouse before, so I was being a bit cautious."
Zhou Jianfeng smiled and said, "Of course, come and sit down, have a cup of tea."
Song Xinran said, "Actually, my family's braised meat stall hasn't been open for very long. I didn't expect it to reach Director Zhou's ears. I wonder who recommended it. I should thank them properly."
Zhou Jianfeng waved his hand, remembering his niece's words of advice. His niece had a deep love for braised meat, so he smiled and said, "It's my niece, Jiang Lin. She loves your braised meat."
Song Xinran suddenly realized, and luckily she had a good memory and didn't forget names she had heard before, so she was able to match the name to the person: "Oh, it's Officer Jiang. She just bought some braised meat the day before yesterday..."
She casually mentioned two amusing stories about police officers from the local police station coming to buy braised meat, and Zhou Jianfeng chuckled, instantly bridging the gap between them.
"But Director Zhou, the guesthouse has a chef, and their cooking is sure to be delicious. Why bother searching everywhere for something else?"
Zhou Jianfeng said, "The chefs' cooking was okay, but it wasn't anything special. This time, the task of hosting guests was very demanding."
Song Xinran asked, "Is it the reception duties after the Lantern Festival?"
Zhou Jianfeng didn't expect his niece to tell Song Xinran about this. She probably really liked braised meat. He thought it tasted great today, and it was the most delicious food he had tasted recently.
However, since his niece had already spoken, Zhou Jianfeng added a few more words: "Yes, the leaders from the Municipal Bureau of Culture and the professors from Jiangcheng University will be coming. Since they are from big cities, we have to put more effort into their hospitality."
Municipal Bureau of Culture...
Song Xinran recalled the functions of the Bureau of Culture, which were mainly responsible for cultural arts and cultural relics. Zhou Jianfeng also mentioned university professors, so together they probably dealt with matters related to the protection of cultural heritage.
Something suddenly flashed through her mind—it was something she had read in a book before, though only briefly mentioned. When Song Yu grew up, he wanted to take the injured female protagonist to relax, so he suggested going back to his hometown, which had become a tourist attraction.
The female lead refused, and Song Yu never returned to his hometown.
This sentence is hardly noticeable in the vast amount of text in the story, and Song Xinran had never thought of it before. However, memories in the mind do not disappear; they can be triggered by a single opportunity, and Zhou Jianfeng's words at this moment were that opportunity.
The town that Song Yu mentioned as his hometown is Lingde Town, right? Song Xinwen's home is located in the area between Lingde Town and Tangjia Town, but Lingde Town is larger, and people usually go to Lingde Town more often.
Suppressing her excitement, she feigned surprise and said, "That was a very high-level reception, which is very important for Lingde Town. It might even help develop tourism in the future."
Zhou Jianfeng was shocked to hear this. He wondered if Song Xinran had revealed any information. How could she be so accurate? The leaders of Lingde Town also thought the same thing. Since the town had no other resources, they should explore the existing historical relics to develop tourism.
It was probably Jiang Lin who said it. She's still too young and immature. How could she tell outsiders about something like this!
Zhou Jianfeng coughed lightly: "Boss Song, don't let anything that's not yet confirmed get out."
With a huge weight lifted from her heart, Song Xinran smiled and said, "Director Zhou, don't worry, I was just guessing. The leaders of the Cultural Bureau are university professors, so it must be related to cultural relics protection and heritage. I'm also very happy that Lingde Town is developing. I'll go home and make braised beef, and bring it to you when it's ready."
Zhou Jianfeng was stunned. So it wasn't Jiang Lin who said it? Had he revealed too much?
How could a small stall owner be so quick-witted, so clever, and so accurate in his guesses?
But seeing Song Xinran's gentle smile, Zhou Jianfeng knew she was a woman of few words. He nodded, not forgetting to remind her, "Don't let anyone else know about this."
Song Xinran said, "Don't worry!"
After leaving the guesthouse, the first thing Song Xinran did was to find Lin Hexiang: "Sister Xiang, could you talk to Grandpa Zhang at the grocery store for me? I want to buy that shop."
She paused for a moment, then said, "Let's see if we can get a discount. Sister Xiang, could you also help me find out Uncle Zhang's bottom line? I can get 19,000 yuan with all the money I have."
Yesterday, when Song Xinran went to inquire, Aunt Zhang quoted 22,000 yuan, which was 2,000 yuan more expensive than what Lin Hexiang had said. Perhaps only when they were in front of acquaintances could Uncle Zhang and the others give them their bottom line.
Lin Hexiang's expression brightened, and she immediately said, "Okay, I'll go ask for you right now!"
She was also happy. When she told Song Xinran yesterday, Song Xinran was still a little hesitant, but she made a decision readily today.
Lin Hexiang felt that buying this shop was a great deal. If it weren't for the fact that her family already had a shop and they had recently spent almost all their money on house repairs back home, and it would be a bit difficult to come up with another 20,000 yuan, she would have wanted to buy it anyway, even if it was just rented out.
Since I'm not buying it myself, I might as well recommend it to a friend.
After leaving Haoyoulai Restaurant, Song Xinran went to the market and bought two jin of beef shank to braise at home.
Song Xinwen arrived shortly after I got home, carrying half a chicken: "Xinran, are you busy today? Let me help you!"
Song Xinran said, "Sister, why didn't you call me before you came? If I wasn't home, you would have had to wait for me again."
Song Xinwen said, "We killed a chicken at home today, and I was thinking of bringing you half of it. This chicken broke its leg in a fight yesterday, and I don't think it will live much longer, so I'm killing it and eating it quickly."
Song Xinwen kept saying, "You don't even get a few days off during the New Year. You used to say you could only set up your stall at the market and go back to the village to play at other times, but now you're out every day. Xiao Yu isn't in school, how can you manage all this on your own?"
As Song Xinwen spoke, he wiped the cabinet for Song Xinran: "Look, it's all covered in dust."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "I've been quite busy lately and haven't noticed these things. You're so thoughtful, sister."
"You still need to take good care of your health. You're earning a lot of money now, so you should rest when you need to," Song Xinwen advised.
Song Xinran paused, wanting to tell Song Xinwen about her plans to buy a shop, when Lin Hexiang suddenly ran over excitedly and said, "Xinran, I've found out for you! Grandpa Zhang's family has agreed to sell the shop for 19,000 yuan!"
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