Chapter 92 Crisis at the Brine Workshop
The young salesman reacted quickly, immediately smiling and saying, "Boss, the most high-end residential property in the city is of course the one I'm introducing now, the South City Garden you're holding in your hand. It's a newly renovated, ready-to-move-in apartment with elevator access to each unit, and it's frequented by celebrities from all walks of life."
Song Xinran glanced at him lightly and shook her head slightly.
The young salesman's heart skipped a beat. He had the unsettling feeling that he was giving a report to his boss, and that his boss wasn't satisfied with what he was saying. This made him a little nervous.
He thought to himself that this person was indeed the one he had chosen; one look at his demeanor and bearing and he was clearly no ordinary person.
"So, in your opinion, which area in the city has the most upscale residential properties?" the salesperson asked in a different phrasing.
Song Xinran raised an eyebrow slightly: "You're a real estate agent. This is a question I'm asking you to see if your knowledge is broad enough and your understanding is objective enough."
If you want to imitate a typical middle-aged man, you should add, "I asked you a question, and you're asking me one instead. You still need to improve your professional skills. There's a lot for young people to learn."
But that was too intense. If Song Xinran were to act it out, she'd probably have to eat more vegetables tonight to cut through the grease, so she'd only need to act out about five or six points of it.
The young real estate agent probably rarely saw someone so sophisticated among his peers, and was immediately taken aback, but also a little annoyed and unconvinced. He then suggested another neighborhood name: "To be more objective, it's Chengjian Yazhu. There's also a villa area over there."
The agent said the environment there was good and private, and that it was frequented not only by wealthy locals but also by wealthy businessmen and investors from outside the area.
Song Xinran listened attentively, took notes of everything the agent said, and thought about going to Chengjian Yazhu to take a look tomorrow.
In this era when internet information was not yet fully developed, those in the industry had the deepest understanding.
However, Song Xinran didn't intend to only look at information from one agency. She noticed another young female agent promoting a house and then looking for new customers, so she called out to her and brought her over.
The female agent was overjoyed, thinking that business had come knocking on her door. She rushed up to Song Xinran and said, "Boss, how about checking out Nancheng Garden, the most upscale residence in Yongyan?"
"Some people say that the most upscale residence in Yongyan is Chengjian Yazhu. Do you agree?" Song Xinran didn't reply to the question, but asked directly and crisply.
The female agent was stunned by the question. She was clearly out promoting her products, but suddenly she felt like she was being questioned by a trainer during a company training session.
The female real estate agent hurriedly said, "Of course not. In terms of the surrounding environment and scenery, Chengjian Yazhu can rank in the top three, but in terms of location and price, Lijing Kangcheng is number one. If you value villas and prefer to be close to the city center, you can consider No. 8 Tongyin Road..."
The female real estate agent spoke eloquently, and Song Xinran looked at her with great admiration and nodded: "You have a wealth of knowledge and a thorough understanding of all aspects of housing in the city. Your professional competence is very high."
The female real estate agent was slightly taken aback, thinking to herself how this man could speak so eloquently, but she was pleased to be praised. She then carefully examined Song Xinran, noticing that although she was dressed simply, her demeanor set her apart from others, giving the impression that she was an official. She smiled and said, "Boss, you flatter me. Would you like to consider our Nancheng Garden? Both the location and the price are..."
Before she could finish speaking, the male real estate agent next to her interrupted her: "The most upscale residences are definitely in the southern part of the city. The city's development is all going in that direction, so they hold their value!"
Song Xinran's scathing remarks infuriated the male real estate agent. He could barely accept it if she only criticized his lack of professional knowledge, but her praise of his female colleague aroused his competitive spirit, which included both the competitive spirit between colleagues and the competitive spirit between men and women.
Those of them who work as intermediaries rely heavily on individual ability, and there's a lot of competition for clients, so there's always a lot of competition among colleagues.
After hearing the male agent's rebuttal, the female agent was also unhappy. The client clearly favored her, so why did you have to interfere?
He immediately retorted.
After this exchange, the two agents became quite blunt, practically engaging in a verbal battle. They talked about this neighborhood and that residential area, clearly explaining its advantages and disadvantages.
Song Xinran listened from the side, sometimes taking out her notebook to doodle when she couldn't remember something, nodding to the female agent from time to time to show her agreement, and occasionally giving the male agent a look to indicate that he had also made progress.
Finally, having essentially secured all the high-end residential properties in Yongyan, Song Xinran closed her notebook with satisfaction and gave her final assessment: "I didn't expect you two to have such rich and profound professional knowledge. Given the current development of the real estate market, you will definitely become top salespeople in the future!"
After saying that, he casually left the two of them and walked into the city center square.
The remaining two agents stood there, looking at each other, as if something was amiss...
Aren't they all here to sell new houses?
Song Xinran was very satisfied with the information she had gathered and began to stroll around the central square, which was similar to a large department store with everything available. Today, Song Xinran planned to look at some small home furnishing items.
She strolled around the mall and found that everything inside was more expensive than in the small shops outside, but the styles were more modern and looked better under the lights.
After making comparisons and calculations in her mind, Song Xinran decided to explore other places.
But before he could even step out the door, he received a call from Wei Dong. The ringtone was sudden, and Wei Dong's voice was urgent: "Chef Song, where are you? Come to the shop quickly! Someone said that our braising liquid is not fresh and has caused health problems for the customers!"
Song Xinran's first reaction upon hearing this was whether this person was here to cause trouble. Generally speaking, the braising liquid in braised meat shops is rarely completely changed. It is usually recycled by adding more braising liquid, which is called old braising liquid in the industry and is considered by the general public to be the best thing.
The brine should only be completely discarded if it deteriorates.
Making a good pot of braising liquid is not easy. Even experienced chefs cannot guarantee that the taste will be good every time. Continuing to make more braising liquid becomes an excellent method. However, Song Xinran did not have such concerns. Since Fang Jianmin paid her a high salary, she should do the corresponding work.
Although this job may seem easy and short, the technical skill involved is immeasurable.
"I'm in the city, I'll be right there in about ten minutes." After hanging up the phone, Song Xinran immediately hailed a taxi and went over.
On the other side, Shi Hui anxiously asked Wei Dong, "Manager, what did Chef Song say?"
Wei Dong said, "She'll be here right away."
After hanging up the phone, Wei Dong hurriedly went to deal with the middle-aged man causing trouble in the store.
The middle-aged man, dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt, was tall and burly, with fierce eyebrows and a menacing look. He sat in the shop with a loud, rough voice: "My wife ate your braised food and ended up in the hospital! How dare you open this shop and harm people like this!"
The customers who were originally in the shop all ran away when the man appeared. Some customers who wanted to buy braised meat also didn't want to come in. They all gathered at the door to watch, worried that there might be something wrong with the braised food and that they would get sick if they ate it. They also wanted to see what would happen.
Wei Dong had encountered similar people before when he was a supervisor at a restaurant, and he had experience in dealing with them. He would either settle the matter with money or call security to take them out.
But how could a fresh braised food stall possibly have security guards? The man was also unyielding, insisting that they close the shop.
Wei Dong was also a little unsure, since he wasn't always in the kitchen and didn't know if there was a problem with the braising liquid or ingredients. So he threatened to call the police, but the man wasn't afraid at all. He said, "My wife felt unwell after eating your food. You're a harmful restaurant, and you dare to turn around and blame us!"
As he spoke, many onlookers believed the man's words and began pointing and whispering among themselves at the shop entrance.
Wei Dong felt that the situation was very tricky, and since it involved the brine, he simply called Song Xinran over as well. After all, Song Xinran was a chef specially invited by Chairman Fang, and with her there, it would be easier to explain to Chairman Fang.
Shi Hui stood aside watching the scene, feeling extremely uneasy. He had encountered similar situations when he was an apprentice kitchen helper in a restaurant. In business, you inevitably encounter all sorts of strange and unsavory characters.
Some people who like to take advantage of others will say there are bugs in the food, but they don't even know where the bugs came from. For these people, waiving the food fee is basically enough to get rid of them. Doing business is all about being kind to people.
But this was the first time Shi Hui had encountered such a tough attitude. They actually wanted them to close the shop and kept saying that the food inside was not fresh at all.
Shi Hui panicked when he saw the fire burning him. He was basically the one working in the kitchen, and all the vegetables were delivered daily to ensure freshness. He also cleaned the kitchen himself, so he should have kept it pretty clean...
Shi Hui was initially confident, but when he heard that someone had come to make trouble at his door, he lost his composure. He was young and easily flustered.
Seeing Wei Dong contact Song Xinran, he felt a strange sense of relief. Chef Song was trusted by the big boss, so her arrival should make things easier.
But no one expected that Song Xinran did not come alone; she was accompanied by two people from the Industry and Commerce Bureau and two police officers.
As soon as Song Xinran received the call, she took a taxi to the Industry and Commerce Bureau and the police station to explain the situation, though she did embellish the story.
She overheard Wei Dong's noisy phone conversation. He told the Industry and Commerce Bureau and the police station that someone was extorting money and trying to vandalize his shop. The staff from both bureaus came over after hearing her story.
Song Xinran strode into the room, her gaze sweeping across the surroundings, her voice clear and sharp: "Who said there's something wrong with our shop's braising liquid?"
Four uniformed staff members followed behind her. Because Song Xinran had such a strong aura, the others looked like bodyguards, and her presence was overwhelming.
The onlookers were speechless. It felt a bit like witnessing a crime, except that the perpetrator was backed by impeccably disciplined law enforcement officers…
The man in black, who had been sitting in the shop demanding an explanation, paused for a couple of seconds, then sneered, "I said it! My wife ate your braised food and ended up in the hospital. I'm here to get an explanation!"
Song Xinran immediately said to the four people behind her with a righteous air, "Comrade, this is the one causing trouble!"
The officials from the Industry and Commerce Bureau were used to this kind of thing, but this was the first time they had seen a restaurant owner so confident. They coughed lightly and looked at the man: "What evidence do you have that you ended up in the hospital after eating this braised food?"
The man in black shouted, "My wife being in the hospital is the best proof!"
“Okay!” Song Xinran said, “Then let’s go to the hospital together to see your wife and get her a full checkup. If it turns out the problem was caused by our ingredients, the restaurant will compensate you tenfold! If not, then you’re committing defamation and extortion, and I’ll sue you until you’re bankrupt!”
Upon hearing that she mentioned an inspection, the man in black's arrogance immediately diminished, but he still stubbornly insisted: "If it's found that it's your fault, I'll make sure you shut down your shop and can never open again to harm people!"
Song Xinran was about to agree, but Wei Dong was so frightened by her words that he broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly tugged at Song Xinran's arm, reminding her not to act impulsively!
Generally speaking, extortion is resolved by giving some money. But if it really involves closing the store, Wei Dong's business will be completely ruined. In fact, he was already a little flustered when he saw Song Xinran arrive with people from the Industry and Commerce Bureau and the police station.
The man in black had sharp eyes. As soon as he saw Wei Dong and Song Xinran's little actions, he immediately understood what was going on. He looked at Song Xinran and mocked, "You can't make the decision. Don't let the investigation reveal that the problem lies with your things, and then you'll deny it."
The man in black looked at Wei Dong and said in a threatening tone, "Go check it out. If there's even the slightest problem with your stuff, you'll be shut down immediately and never be allowed to work in this business again!"
Wei Dong broke out in a cold sweat. This was the first time he had encountered such a difficult person. He was also a little resentful that Song Xinran had made such a big deal out of it. He wished he hadn't called her.
Song Xinran glanced at Wei Dong casually, then looked straight at the man in black, her eyes showing no fear: "The store manager called me back, so this matter is entirely in my hands."
She skipped over Wei Dong: "We'll definitely go to the hospital, but before we go, please take a look at our restaurant's kitchen!"
She turned to the staff from the Industry and Commerce Bureau behind her and said, "Please come with me. I will show you our store's cooking process, including raw material procurement, ingredient cleaning, and braising. I can guarantee that there are no problems with the braised dishes in our store."
The staff from the Industry and Commerce Bureau were incredulous when they heard this. In this day and age, there were still restaurants that dared to invite them to visit their kitchens, especially when they were completely unprepared.
The situation here is chaotic; it's obvious that they weren't specifically prepared for an inspection.
Upon hearing this, my trust in Fresh Braised Food Workshop increased from five points to eight points.
Upon hearing this, Wei Dong's eyes widened. He wondered if Song Xinran was stupid. When he was the head waiter at the restaurant, he was most afraid of the people from the Industry and Commerce Bureau and had to work hard to build good relationships with them. But now that he had just arrived at the braised food shop, he hadn't even gotten through to those relationships yet. If the people from the Industry and Commerce Bureau really found out something wrong, the braised food shop would be hard to turn around.
However, Song Xinran didn't care about Wei Dong's thoughts at all and led the people from the Industry and Commerce Bureau directly into the kitchen.
The kitchen was indeed quite clean, although there were some minor issues, such as vegetable stalks remaining in the sink and some oil stains in the corners of the floor. However, the overall situation was fine, and everything was within its expiration date. The ingredients in the freezers and refrigerated display cases were also neatly arranged and were all fresh.
Even a home kitchen can't be spotless, and the two officials from the Industry and Commerce Bureau thought the kitchen of the fresh braised food stall was already quite satisfactory.
Song Xinran also showed purchase invoices, employee health certificates, operation records, etc., which showed that the store was very well-regulated.
Song Xinran was also very satisfied with this. Although she only regarded working at the braised food workshop as a temporary job, she absolutely did not want food safety issues to exist in her workplace. This is the bottom line for every conscientious restaurateur.
Therefore, after receiving the call, she showed absolutely no mercy. If it really was the braised food shop's fault, then close the shop and quit her job. If it was the man in black's fault, then see him at the police station or in court.
The two staff members nodded repeatedly, agreeing that the restaurant was indeed clean and that they could eat there themselves without worry.
The men in black waiting outside were startled when they saw Song Xinran's actions. They thought to themselves that this woman was quite audacious. However, since she had already gone this far, his chances of winning were slim. He even tried to sneak away during the inspection inside, but was stopped by two policemen.
After inspecting the kitchen, the group left together. Two officials from the Industry and Commerce Bureau said, "The kitchen is clean, the ingredients are traceable, and the operating procedures are standardized."
Song Xinran looked at the man in black, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Now that I'm fine, let's go to the hospital. A full checkup should only cost around a thousand yuan."
After a pause, he asked the police officer, "Comrade, if the inspection finds that the problem isn't with our ingredients, shouldn't the other party pay for the inspection?"
The two policemen, now fully understanding, nodded and said, "Yes."
Song Xinran crossed her arms and smiled, "Then let's go to the best hospital in the city for a full checkup!"
The man in black was now sweating profusely, his eyes darting around anxiously as he tried to find a way to escape.
Wei Dong now felt more confident. Initially, he was genuinely worried that the problem lay with the shop's ingredients, so he kept his words and actions in check, prioritizing harmony and even considering settling the matter privately. But now that he knew the shop was innocent, his voice was even louder: "Go get them checked! Go right now! We need to clear our name so our braised food shop can eat with peace of mind! Our shop cherishes and cares for every customer, and we will never tolerate anyone slandering our shop. Our mission is to provide everyone with safe and delicious braised food!"
Wei Dong's eloquent and rhythmic speech won several cheers from the onlookers.
He stood up straight, his face resolute, perfectly embodying the upright character who has nothing to fear!
Song Xinran gave him a half-smile, and Wei Dong's previously high spirits immediately waned.
Song Xinran said slowly, "Let's also have our shop's braising liquid and braised dishes tested, so that no one will say there's a problem with the braising liquid."
The man in black, as if grasping at a straw, said, "I didn't say there was a problem with the braising liquid, I said there was a problem with the braised dishes, a problem with the ingredients!"
"Oh, right, I remember now!" The man in black feigned sudden realization. "My wife ate leftover vegetables yesterday, that must be the problem!"
Even someone as thick-skinned as Wei Dong blushed with embarrassment. Others might not understand, but he and Song Xinran certainly did. Song Xinran was subtly pointing fingers at him. She had said on the phone that there was a problem with the brine, but the enemy had exposed her on the spot.
Wei Dong lowered his head, feeling too ashamed to speak. Hearing the man in black back down, he thought the matter was over and wanted to let it go, continuing his business, since he had cleared the name of the braised food shop.
But Song Xinran snorted coldly, "You think you can leave?"
"We urge the industry and commerce authorities and the public security department to investigate and punish this matter seriously, and to protect the rights and interests of law-abiding business operators like us. We will not tolerate such slanderous behavior!"
Upon hearing this, Wei Dong immediately knew that Song Xinran was not going to let this go easily. However, this matter was a waste of time and effort, and it was not worth it at all. He looked up and was about to say something, but when he met Song Xinran's sharp and mocking gaze, he paused and immediately fell silent, then slunk down and lowered his head again.
He thought to himself, how come he never realized Song Xinran was so assertive before?
He used to act like a cold-hearted, indifferent person in the braised food workshop, but seeing this side of him today is truly frightening.
Song Xinran calmly withdrew her gaze and told the two police officers that she would pursue this matter to the end. She said that the man in black was fabricating facts and trying to extort money, and she would seriously investigate his responsibility for false accusation and extortion.
As for who will handle the aftermath of this matter.
Song Xinran said matter-of-factly, "Wei Dong, the store manager, will handle this. As the store manager, it is his duty to protect the store's reputation."
Wei Dong's eyes widened on the spot, staring at Song Xinran in disbelief.
He...he's coming?
Wasn't this task taken on by Song Xinran? Why was he given the messy, troublesome, and tedious follow-up?
Song Xinran smiled faintly, but her eyes were cold: "Does Manager Wei have anything to add?"
Wei Dong immediately chickened out: "No, there isn't any."
"Then go to the police station with them and talk to them," Song Xinran made a direct and decisive decision.
On the way to the police station, Wei Dong still felt incredulous. How could he have been so easily fooled by Song Xinran? He should be two years older than Song Xinran and had almost ten years of experience working in the restaurant.
Surprisingly...
"Never mind, whatever. It's because Chairman Fang values her," Wei Dong found a suitable reason for his earlier fear.
The police left with the man in black and Wei Dong, and the store returned to its usual state, even more lively than before.
Shi Hui and Fan Qiu's gazes towards Song Xinran changed; their eyes lingered on her, a mixture of admiration, longing, and awe.
Fan Qiu took a moment from her busy schedule to pour Song Xinran a glass of water: "Chef Song, you've worked so hard just now. You must be thirsty after talking so much. Have some water and take a rest."
Then, standing in front of the refrigerated display case, they pack the food for customers and collect payment.
Shi Hui, who should have been in the kitchen, quietly sat down opposite Song Xinran: "Chef Song, thank you for your trust in me. I will definitely do my best to keep the kitchen clean and hygienic in the future!"
Shi Hui was deeply moved. He never expected Song Xinran to trust him so much. Under such great pressure, she actually sent people from the Industry and Commerce Bureau to the kitchen to show him everything, directly defending the reputation of the braised food workshop and his innocence.
When the business administration personnel were inspecting him, he was actually quite unsure of himself, constantly wondering if there might be a problem.
But upon seeing Song Xinran, who exuded righteousness, confidence, spoke clearly, and acted methodically, I immediately felt at ease.
When the officials from the Industry and Commerce Bureau finally told me the result, it seemed to be exactly what I expected.
If Shi Hui used to admire Song Xinran's cooking skills, now he admires her skill, character, and spirit.
Shi Hui felt extremely guilty when he recalled that he had initially been jealous of Song Xinran; he had been judging her with the mind of a petty person.
Song Xinran was stunned by Shi Hui's words and turned to look at him.
What this person was saying was that her thinking was very simple: whoever had a problem should be eliminated. However, Shi Hui passed the test and provided a clean kitchen environment, thus ensuring food safety for diners.
She nodded casually: "Keep it up."
Shi Hui, however, was so excited that his face turned red, and he nodded frantically.
Song Xinran stood up, and Shi Hui immediately followed behind her.
Song Xinran glanced around the braised food shop and said, "Since we're already here, I'll make this week's braising liquid as well."
Shi Hui immediately said, "Okay, Chef Song, what do you need? I'll prepare it for you!"
Song Xinran said, "No need."
All the ingredients for making braising liquid can be found in stores.
However, Song Xinran found it strange today; while she was making the braising liquid, Shi Hui was "serving" her right beside her.
Yes, Song Xinran really needed to be served. The moment she made a move, Shi Hui would hand her the things, showing he was incredibly perceptive.
In addition, he would ask Song Xinran from time to time if she was thirsty or hungry. When Song Xinran refused, he would run out and buy some snacks for her to eat, and he would also wipe the stool she was going to sit on.
The only word to describe Song Xinran is "serving".
However, she did not need such service, so she refused them all.
However, with someone helping out, the time spent simmering the braising liquid was shortened considerably today. In the end, Song Xinran told Shi Hui to keep an eye on the fire: "Keep this heat and simmer for another half hour."
Shi Hui immediately wrote it down: "Okay, I understand!"
Song Xinran glanced at him again, picked up her thermos, and suddenly felt that it was a little heavy.
Shi Hui said, "Chef Song, I've brewed you some chrysanthemum tea to clear away heat and reduce internal fire, as the weather has been quite hot these past few days."
Song Xinran: "...Thank you."
Shi Hui's smile immediately brightened many times over: "It's my duty."
Song Xinran picked up her thermos: "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."
"Please take care!"
Not only Shi Hui, but even Fan Qiu came to see her off, escorting her to the side of the road.
Song Xinran shook her head slightly, feeling that the two people were indeed a bit strange; she had only resolved a small matter.
Forget it, I'm too lazy to think about them. Anyway, she's only here for a year, so I should focus on my own things.
Song Xinran hailed a tricycle: "Driver, to Chengjian Yazhu."
The tricycle driver glanced back at her and said, "Alright, are you going to find someone, young lady? That area is a well-known wealthy neighborhood."
Song Xinran's lips curved slightly. The wealthy area is just right.
She said, "Let's go find a place to eat over there."
The tricycle driver was also puzzled. If you want to eat, you should definitely go to the North City Square area. There are many options there, and the prices are not expensive.
However, we still went to Chengjian Yazhu as requested by the customer.
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