Because he had a lot to do today, Xu An got up unusually early, setting off on his tricycle to Xu's Fast Food Restaurant around 5 a.m. The journey was smooth, and he arrived at the restaurant without incident.
He took out the key, inserted it into the lock, and with a gentle turn, heard a crisp 'click'—the roller shutter door lock was open. Putting the key back in his pocket, Xu An gripped the metal handle at the bottom of the shutter door with both hands and pushed upwards, opening the door about a third of the way. The moment the shutter door opened, a strong aroma of chili peppers wafted out of the shop.
Before his brain could even process it, his nose instinctively inhaled, drawing in a large amount of oxygen carrying capsaicin. This caused Xu An to lose control of his body, sneezing violently several times, tears and snot streaming down his face. Xu An quickly let go and staggered back a few steps, finally feeling a little better when he reached the side of the road.
The smell wasn't this strong when I left yesterday, so why did it become even stronger overnight instead of dissipating?
I stood by the roadside for a while, and the smell outside the shop had mostly dissipated, but the concentration of the odor inside remained unchanged, still almost suffocating. This couldn't go on; the employees would be coming to work soon, and the shop would open later. Before opening, the smell had to be reduced to a level that was acceptable to humans.
Xu An gritted his teeth, pinched his nose, and rushed into the shop, turning all the fans and ventilation equipment on full blast, and then opening all the doors and windows. After this series of actions, the smell in the shop finally began to slowly dissipate.
By the time Zhang Dezhen and Liang Dani arrived at work, the smell in the store had dissipated considerably, but it was still quite pungent. When they emerged from the store, all of them had red eyes and noses, looking as if they had suffered some terrible injustice.
Ouch! This hot pot is even more potent than I imagined. Judging from the current situation, it's impossible for Store No. 1 to open for business today. It seems this 'hellish braised food' can't be offered in all three stores; it would either disrupt the employees' work or affect the stores' operations, neither of which Xu An wants.
For a fleeting moment, Xu An considered giving up on the idea of using hot pot chili peppers to make his hellish braised dishes. Actually, using more bird's eye chilies would probably yield similar results. But if he gave up now, wouldn't all the suffering he endured yesterday have been for nothing? How could he abandon such an exquisitely flavorful dish because of such a small setback? There were still many days until the braised dish shop opened; perhaps he could come up with a solution in the coming days!
After all, one shouldn't suffer this kind of pain alone!
All the portable fans and other equipment from stores No. 2 and No. 3 were moved to store No. 1. Xu An also borrowed all the green plants from some nearby shops, such as pothos, cacti, and lucky bamboo, and placed them all in store No. 1, hoping that they would live up to expectations and play a role in purifying the air.
Finally, Xu An even made a special trip to the supermarket and bought five air fresheners. If the smell really wouldn't go away, then it would be time to use them. Although the smell would be a bit strange when mixed together, it would still be better than this pungent spiciness, and the shop could continue to operate normally.
Thanks to Xu An's efforts, by 10 o'clock, although the smell of chili peppers still lingered in the store, it had returned to normal; at least people entering the store wouldn't instantly have tears in their eyes.
I came to the shop so early today hoping to finish the advertisement shoot quickly, then deal with the loan matters, and if I had time, discuss the menu for the braised food shop with Zhang Dezhen. Unexpectedly, the smell of chili peppers has kept me occupied all morning, and I haven't accomplished a single thing yet.
Let's take it one step at a time, starting with advertising.
Sitting behind the cashier, Xu An took out his phone and dialed the number Lu Shengnan had given him for a local TV station employee in Haishi. The call was answered after only two rings, and a gentle female voice came through the receiver: "Hello, this is Haishi local TV station. How can I help you?"
"Hello, I was introduced by Ms. Lu Shengnan, the person in charge of Shengli Supermarket. I am Xu An, the person in charge of Xu's Fast Food Restaurant. I would like to inquire about information regarding advertising during prime time on local TV stations in Shanghai," Xu An said politely.
"Hello, Mr. Xu. Mr. Lu has mentioned you to us." The voice on the other end of the phone instantly became gentler: "May I ask what stage your store's advertising production is currently at?"
"Yes, we're currently in the stage of communicating with you over the phone," Xu An replied, using a bit of linguistic finesse, "We're currently in the preliminary preparation stage."
"Okay, let me explain the advertising placement process for Shanghai TV station to you first."
After more than half an hour of communication, Xu An gained a full understanding of the correct process and methods for placing advertisements on local TV stations in Hai City. Contrary to Xu An's initial expectation of signing a contract, paying, and having the advertisement broadcast immediately after production, placing an advertisement on a local TV station in Hai City requires a series of lengthy and cumbersome procedures.
First, Xu An needs to compile the general concept of the advertisement into a document and submit it to the local TV station in Hai City for content review. After that, they will contact Xu An to submit the relevant qualification materials of Xu's Fast Food Restaurant for approval. Then, a corresponding contract will be issued. After both parties sign it, the advertisement proposal will be sent to the Hai City Advertising Review Department for a second review. After confirming that the content conforms to the core social values and development concept and does not contain any illegal or disorderly content, Xu An and the local TV station in Hai City can officially sign a cooperation contract. After payment is completed, the advertising schedule will be discussed. After the advertisement is filmed, it will also be reviewed by the Hai City Advertising Review Department to ensure that there is no hidden agenda.
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