Chapter 38 Chapter 38 The shop is the only one that makes money...
The carriage was spacious, with a small table in the middle. The seat and back cushions were made of brocade with intricate patterns. They were better than anything Lin Qiuran was wearing. For a moment, she was even afraid she might damage them.
Manager Xu didn't come along, only sending Lin Qiuran back. This car was more stable and comfortable than the previous one. The rain was incessant outside, but staying inside the car, with the candlelight, made one feel particularly safe.
But he came back a little late today, and Lin Qiuran didn't tell Sun and Xiao Dashi, and they were looking forward to it.
The carriage escorted Lin Qiuran all the way to the alley entrance. Sun came to pick him up and escorted him into the house. She folded her umbrella and stood in the corner. "Why are you back so late? Have some ginger soup. We'll eat soon."
"Mom, you guys eat now. I've already eaten." Lin Qiuran showed them the purse and said, "I discussed something with the Second Young Master Xu at the Xu family and had a bite. I took home quite a bit of money today."
Sun closed the door. The candles were lit in the house. She had already prepared the meal. "Have a few more bites then."
Lin Qiuran said, "I'll eat with you."
Xiao Dashi said, "Ah, just eat until you're full. Eating too much won't help you sleep well."
Sun stopped persuading her and just brought the ginger soup over.
Lin Qiuran smiled and changed the subject, "Mom, Chen Yu went to work at the Jiang family's shop, Wuxiangju. Now Wuxiangju is selling the mung bean cakes we made that night."
Sun was surprised and said, "I was wondering why she wasn't there. But didn't you two do that together? Besides, the Jiang family bullies people so much, and she still..."
The more Sun spoke, the quieter his voice became.
Lin Qiuran said, "The money for that day has already been paid. Besides, Chen Yu already does these things, and our family doesn't make bean cakes, so there's no need to discuss it. But Mr. Xu came to me today to talk about this matter."
In a few words, she briefly explained the relationship between the two shops. The Jiang family owned Wuxiangju, and Lin Qiuran herself couldn't make bean cakes. With the Jiang family's generosity, she had given up on the idea of finding someone else to partner with. Chen Yu was such a person, and others didn't understand her. She was afraid that if she continued to partner with him, he would turn against her and sell the recipe.
In the end, it was all for the Jiang family.
Lin Qiuran still wanted to start a food business, so she couldn't spare the time to sell bean cakes. Now that the Xu family needed her, it would be good to work with Xu Yuanheng. She would take the money, and Xu Yuanheng would take over the business. The more valuable she was, the more Xu Yuanheng valued her.
She could help with some ideas, and there were dim sum chefs there to make them. It was Xu Yuanheng's responsibility to figure out how to sell the food, so he wouldn't be afraid of offending the Jiang family.
She might offend Xu Yuanheng, but today she knew that even though Xu Yuanheng was calculating, he was still very polite when he really needed help. The next time Xu Yuanheng discussed business with her, he definitely wouldn't choose to ask her to cook.
Moreover, Chen Yu's visit to the Jiang family made Lin Qiuran a little afraid. She was afraid that one day the steward would think of her again and remember that she also had a share of the snacks. Then he would use threats and inducements to invite the family to visit the Jiang family again. By then, even if he didn't want to think of a recipe, he would have to think of it. The money he offered was not much.
In Lin Qiuran's opinion, the money that could be earned from the recipe was far more than thirty taels. But Chen Yu sold the recipe for thirty taels.
So if she wanted to make money, she had to do business with Xu Yuanheng. Lin Qiuran cared about Sun, Xiao Dashi, and the child in her belly. She wanted her family to be well.
Sun asked, "I want to discuss this business with you?"
Lin Qiuran said, "Well, the Xu family also has a dim sum shop. Since Wuxiangju's business is not very good, they asked me to help come up with some ideas."
Sun nodded, but couldn't help but complain a few more times, "That's fine, that kid too, he went without saying a word, how could they have thought of it together..."
After Lin Qiuran persuaded her for a while, Sun calmed down a little. "Eat, eat. For a family like that, going to work will only make them suffer more."
Lin Qiuran said, "Maybe she can become a dim sum chef and stand on her own. The Jiang family values her, so it might be a good way out. Forget about her, let's do our own thing. Mom, stop talking and eat."
Sun and Xiao Dashi buried their heads in their food.
Lin Qiuran didn't know when Manager Xu would come again. It was already October, and every day of delay meant a day of business lost.
The next time Xu Yuanheng came over, she would take the opportunity to bring up the matter of buying a shop. She had asked Zhao Guangcai to find a shop for her. She had looked at two shops in the past two days. The price was fifty or sixty taels, but the location was average. Lin Qiuran wanted to look for more.
In order to better discuss business with Xu Yuanheng, Lin Qiuran also bought mung beans and tried to make it. If Chen Yu could do it, then she could do it too. If she wanted Xu Yuanheng to give in, she had to show something. Otherwise, who would believe her empty words?
On the fourth day of October, Manager Xu came to invite Lin Qiuran to a restaurant in the county town, saying that Xu Yuanheng had something to discuss with him.
In the private room on the second floor of the restaurant, there was a table of food and the best tea. Xu Yuanheng was standing and waiting. When Lin Qiuran came, he pulled out a chair and sat down before he sat down.
Xu Yuanheng said, "Let's eat first. We can talk about things after dinner."
Lin Qiuran said, "Let's talk while we eat. I've thought of a few ideas, but it depends on the Second Young Master's sincerity."
The dishes were delicious, with eight dishes on the table, all of which were the restaurant's signature dishes. Lin Qiuran couldn't stand being hungry, so he ate two bites of cold dishes to fill his stomach.
Xu Yuanheng poured her tea and water. He said, "I am sincere, but I don't know if Madam Lin's idea will work."
If a promise is made but the method is of no use at all, then that is a losing business. Xu Yuanheng is a businessman and never does business at a loss.
Lin Qiuran said, "But if I'm not sincere, how can I serve the Second Young Master wholeheartedly?"
It had always been Xu Yuanheng who proposed the conditions, and Lin Qiuran had chosen to agree to them passively and actively, but things were different now. Xu Yuanheng knew she was there that day, and that the recipe was related to her, so he only trusted her.
Xu Yuanheng took a deep breath, looking calm and composed. "I heard from Manager Xu that you're looking to buy a shop to start a business. I happen to have a suitable one here, and I'll sell it to you at a 30% discount. According to your idea, we can sign a document and split the profits 50-50. What do you think, Madam Lin?"
Good shops are hard to come by and are also cheap, which is an immediate benefit. The profit sharing is a future benefit.
Lin Qiuran shook his head, then nodded, "I have no objection to the shop. Thank you for your help, Second Young Master, but I won't agree to the rest."
Xu Yuanheng thought Lin Qiuran thought it was too little, so he said, "I'll give you fifty-fifty at most. Madam Lin, you know how much you can get for providing the prescription. I've already made a concession on this."
Lin Qiuran said, "I want all the Wufangzhais, even if they open in the future and change their names. As long as the dim sum is sold by the method I came up with, I want 50% of the profit."
Xu Yuanheng said that Wuxiangju in several county towns and prefectures had all started selling the new mung bean cakes, and their business had improved, squeezing out Wufangzhai. Since there were so many Wuxiangju locations, it was impossible for Wufangzhai to only have one in the county.
Lin Qiuran was not greedy for the profits from Xu Yuanheng's shop, but she would not give up a single cent of what she deserved.
Xu Yuanheng didn't say which one. If he only gave it to the county, how could that monthly salary be enough? Or what if the business grew bigger and bigger, and he opened another shop? And if he changed the name of Wufangzhai, who would she turn to for justice?
Xu Yuanheng looked at Lin Qiuran quietly for a while, but did not say that Lin Qiuran was greedy. He only said, "Madam Lin is very thoughtful. I admire you."
Lin Qiuran said, "Life forces me to think more. Please don't take it to heart, Second Young Master."
Xu Yuanheng was quite straightforward. "I can agree to the conditions, but I have to see what Madam Lin has in mind."
Lin Qiuran always carried a cloth bag with her and a knife. Today she also brought a few more bean cakes. Without a mold, she made them with her bare hands. They were not as beautiful as those made by Shen Yu. Moreover, she did not pick out all the bean skins for the filling, so the taste was definitely not as good as those sold outside.
She just wanted to give Xu Yuanheng a general idea.
Xu Yuanheng frowned as he looked at the pieces. From the outside, he couldn't tell what they were, but they smelled delicious. Lin Qiuran had shown him these, so they must be snacks. He took one and broke it open. The tofu skin inside hadn't been picked clean yet, and it smelled of the sweet aroma of roses. He looked closely and saw that there were indeed rose petals inside, but they were mixed in with the tofu skin.
He took a bite, and the sweet floral fragrance that melted on his tongue made him look at Lin Qiuran in surprise. He broke open the second one, and found that it was filled with red bean paste mixed with meat floss. The red bean paste was also not delicate enough, and tasted salty and sweet.
The third one had a slightly sticky, soft filling mixed with red bean paste. The fourth one had fermented glutinous rice, but it was different from the one at Wuxiangju. The fifth one had not only pork floss but also salted egg yolk. They were all delicious, too. These were all snacks not available at Wufangzhai, and were all made by Lin Qiuran.
Being able to cook and make dim sum, Xu Yuanheng casually asked, "Has Madam Lin never made dim sum before?"
Lin Qiuran shook his head. "No, but cooking and making snacks are similar."
That day, Chen Yu watched her make it, and she also watched Chen Yu make it. She was able to remember the general steps. Besides, she had eaten a lot of it before, so it was not difficult to make it. She just needed to try a few more times.
Xu Yuanheng didn't know what to say for a moment. "Okay, Manager Xu will tell you about the rest. If you encounter any difficulties, I won't look for him anymore."
Lin Qiuran nodded, not forgetting to eat while she spoke. This time it was not bad. Xu Yuanheng did not hide behind her. She just didn't know the deadline for this promise. She asked, "When will the Second Young Master leave?"
Xu Yuanheng said, "The day after tomorrow, the old lady of the Jiang family will be buried. I want to go there."
Lin Qiuran nodded. Even though the two families were fighting fiercely for every inch of business, they could still get along on the surface.
She would show courtesy when necessary and would smile and talk when meeting someone, and would not be affected at all by the fact that her business was snatched away. Lin Qiuran thought she could learn from this, and next time she saw Chen Yu, she would be able to smile and talk.
After dinner, Lin Qiuran said goodbye.
After Lin Qiuran left, Xu Yuanheng looked at the pastries on the table again. He didn't eat much today, and the dishes tasted average. The pastries made by Lin Qiuran tasted good, but the appearance and taste were average.
Like in the past, Xu Yuanheng would not eat these, but today, he inexplicably asked his servants to take them away. It was tiring to do this, and it would be bad to just throw them away. Besides, they tasted pretty good.
If the chef at Wufangzhai follows Lin Qiuran’s recipe, it will definitely taste better.
Xu Yuanheng sat for a while and then returned home. When they were almost at Xu's house, the two stopped the car and said they had something to discuss.
Xu Yuanheng asked the driver to stop the car. He lifted the curtain and looked over. The man looked familiar, as if he had seen him at the Jiang family.
The Jiang family steward said, "Greetings, Mr. Xu, I am the steward of the Jiang family. My old lady's funeral is tomorrow, and we are short of a pastry chef, so I went to find Madam Lin. But Madam Lin said she wants to cook for you tomorrow, I wonder if that's okay..."
Xu Yuanheng is coming to the Jiang family tomorrow. This sounds fake.
Xu Yuanheng wondered if Lin Qiuran could come up with a better excuse.
He lowered the curtain and his voice came out from the car, "If the mansion is still short of people, the Xu family has a cook. It's nothing to help."
The two were stunned for a moment, "Thank you... Thank you, Second Young Master."
*
Lin Qiuran sent the man away and looked out from the door. Seeing that the man had really left, she felt relieved.
It was ridiculous. The Jiang family had so many chefs, yet they still asked her to prepare the banquet. If some people couldn't get used to the food, it would be fine. Banquets were meant to cater to the tastes of many people. Why would Lin Qiuran do that?
Besides, for something this big, if they really needed someone, they would have already made preparations. There was a funeral banquet tomorrow, and they only invited her today, saying she was just there to help, not even to order the food. So what kind of help could she possibly offer? With so many servants in the mansion, Lin Qiuran didn't think her help would be needed.
The Jiang family promised generous remuneration and easy work, saying that Lin Qiuran had good skills and they had heard of him for a long time.
In the past, it would have been difficult for Lin Qiuran to refuse. Even if she did, they would have found a million reasons to let her go. But, she could use Xu Yuanheng to shirk her responsibility.
As expected, she said she was going to work for Xu Yuanheng, and the two of them left. Maybe they would go to verify it, maybe not, but in any case, Lin Qiuran didn't need to go.
Sun and Xiao Dashi had gone out to sell vegetables and hadn't returned yet. Lin Qiuran went out and told Zhao Guangcai that there was no need to look around at the shops here yet; if there was a cheaper option, he would naturally choose the one that was cheaper.
Zhao Guangcai was a little disappointed. After all, every time he closed a deal, he would earn more money. But if there was really no suitable item, he had no choice. He said, "Next time you buy something, just tell me."
Lin Qiuran: "Well, I also wish Boss Zhao a prosperous business and abundant wealth."
Zhao Guangcai smiled and said, "Mrs. Lin, too."
He couldn't make a fortune from this small profit, but the Xiao family was truly well off. It hadn't been long before Lin Qiuran was ready to buy another shop. Regardless of whether he borrowed or saved, it took skill to scrape together that much money.
In the afternoon, Manager Xu brought people over to deal with the rest of the matters.
He first took Lin Qiuran to see two shops in total, both on South Street, and let Lin Qiuran choose one of them.
The locations are similar, one big and one small. The big shop has two floors and a yard at the back, but the price is expensive, priced at 110 taels. Even if it is 30% cheaper, it is still 77 taels.
The other place was on a street behind, just one floor, and the price was seventy-eight taels, thirty percent cheaper, at fifty-five. The front hall could seat eight tables of guests.
These two places were originally catering businesses. The decoration is okay and there are tables and chairs. The only difference is that there are oil stains in the kitchen, which require some effort to clean. You don't need to worry too much about anything else.
The two rooms Xu Yuanheng gave her were better than the one Zhao Guangcai showed her.
Seeing Lin Qiuran's hesitation, Manager Xu said, "Madam Lin, you can take your time to think about this. You don't have to make a decision today."
Lin Qiuran nodded and signed the document first.
After signing the document, Lin Qiuran carefully read it twice, wrote his name, and pressed his fingerprint. Manager Xu was even more surprised this time. Not only could he read, but he could also write.
The house had not been decided yet, so Manager Xu gave her two keys and said, "Mrs. Lin, you can come and see it anytime. When you have made up your mind, just come to the Xu family to find me. Then we can go to the government office to get the house deed."
It would be a waste of time to make an extra trip, but the shop wouldn't be sold just because Lin Qiuran signed the document.
Lin Qiuran nodded, and since it was still early, she went to Wufangzhai. This time, she didn't intend to keep the bean cake recipe secret anymore, so she taught him everything she could.
Lin Qiuran said, "If you have any questions about Fangzi, you can come to me anytime, but it's best to come in the afternoon. I'm busy at home in the morning."
Manager Xu nodded and said, "Don't worry, I won't disturb you too much."
The sun had already set, and the autumn wind howled, ruffling Lin Qiuran's hair. It was cold, so she hurried home.
Sun had already prepared the meal and was waiting. Before leaving, Lin Qiuran told Sun, "Mom, I've basically decided on two shops. They're both good, one large and one small. I'll take you there to have a look tomorrow."
Sun asked, "How much is it?"
Lin Qiuran said, "One was originally 110 taels, but after a 30% discount, it's now 77 taels. That includes taxes, but not the middleman's interest. The other one is 55 taels after the discount. We made a little money this month, and adding in our previous savings, we have about 80 taels."
Lin Qiuran hadn't decided which one to choose yet, so Xiao Dashi said, "If we buy the expensive one, we won't have much money left at home."
Sun pondered for a moment, "But the expensive ones definitely cost more."
Lin Qiuran nodded. This made sense. "If you buy something expensive, it's equivalent to making an extra ten taels of silver."
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