Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Expansion of the second floor...
Lin Qiuran said, "Chen Yu, it's late today. It will be even later if I drag you back alone. You should go back first. We can talk about it tomorrow if there's anything."
She didn't know how long Chen Yu had been waiting here, and Lin Qiuran wouldn't agree to anything she wanted. Chen Yu seemed desperate, and if she refused outright now, with the rain falling outside, Lin Qiuran was afraid she would do something stupid.
Chen Yu's emotions were calmed down. He thanked her twice and left with an umbrella.
Sun was still confused, "Why is she here?"
If it weren't for Wufangzhai behind her, Sun would have been furious at the sight of her. Without a word, she sold the recipe.
Lin Qiuran said, "Wuxiangju's business doesn't seem to be doing well right now."
This was just the county town; Lin Qiuran didn't know about other places for now, but judging by Chen Yu's appearance, things weren't much better. She had sold the recipe, and Wu Fang Zhai's business was booming. The higher-ups were definitely going to ask Chen Yu to make new bean cakes.
Lin Qiuran didn’t think that she couldn’t make it without Chen Yu, but there was only so much bean cake filling, and it was not easy to think of other things.
Sun moved the box into the house, and Xiao Dashi went to pick up eggs to feed the chickens. It rained today, so there were only two eggs.
Lin Qiuran also came into the house. She took some firewood and boiled some hot water so she could soak her feet.
Sun didn't let Lin Qiuran move. She took the firewood herself and said, "Business is bad. What's the point of looking for you?"
Lin Qiuran smiled, either because he regretted it or wanted to ask her for some more help.
But she couldn't help with either of these two things. Now she was in partnership with Xu Yuanheng. Even if Xu Yuanheng wasn't there, she wouldn't help Chen Yu.
Lin Qiuran said, "That's what I mean. What's the point of looking for me? It's too late tonight. Let her go back first. I'll say a few words to her tomorrow and send her off."
Let Chen Yu go back first. After one night, maybe he will think it through and not come. Even if he comes, he will probably be too embarrassed to speak up after thinking about what he has done all night.
If she spoke again, she would feel comfortable speaking up, so why would Lin Qiuran be embarrassed to refuse?
Sun nodded, and Lin Qiuran went into the house to change his clothes. Although they were not wet, they were a little damp due to the rain.
After the hot water was ready, Sun mixed the water and brought it into the house. Lin Qiuran soaked his feet, washed up, and then went to bed.
The next morning, the sky cleared up, but the autumn wind blew and it was even colder than yesterday.
Xiao Dashi got up early, as he was used to it. He woke up even earlier and felt bored lying down, so he got up to fetch water, feed the chickens, clean the chicken coop, and then went to the shop early to buy the fish and meat.
After cleaning, Xiao Dashi opened the door and went out. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Chen Yu, which scared him.
But Shen Yu showed a happy expression, “Uncle Xiao!”
There's a saying that goes, "Don't hit someone who smiles." Xiao Dashi said, "You're looking for Qiu Ran, right? I'll go call him. You wait a moment."
Lin Qiuran hadn't gotten up yet, and Sun followed Xiao Dashi out. "Come in and wait."
Chen Yu nodded and followed Sun in. She said, "I'm not in a hurry. Let Sister Qiuran sleep first."
Sun didn't want to shout, so if Chen Yu wanted to wait, then let him wait.
Chen Yu came early because she was afraid that the Xiao family would leave early and she would not be able to catch up, so she was not in a hurry.
Inside the house, Lin Qiuran heard the noise outside. It was like this every day, and she was used to it. She changed her clothes and washed up briefly before coming over to talk to Shen Yu.
Chen Yu had a lot to say last night. She wanted to ask Lin Qiuran for help, wanted Lin Qiuran to help her find a solution, and wanted to tell her about the pain she had suffered these days. But after a night, when she saw Lin Qiuran again, she didn't know how to start.
Lin Qiuran was kind. She said, "What happened? It rained so hard last night. Is there something urgent? Don't worry. You helped my parents-in-law a lot in the past. If there is really an emergency, I will do my best to help."
But Lin Qiuran couldn't help with anything else.
Chen Yu smiled bitterly in her heart. She was just helping to carry some things, and Sun Shi had given her a lot of food. She felt that Lin Qiuran's words were pointing at her, and she couldn't help but think of the day in the teahouse when Lin Qiuran asked her if she wanted to come and do business together.
At that time, Lin Qiuran wanted to do business together, but Chen Yu agreed to the Jiang family, and now she asked for it back.
Chen Yu felt embarrassed, but she had to say it, she gritted her teeth and said: "Sister Lin, Wuxiangju's business is not very good now."
It’s not just because Wufangzhai also sells bean cakes, but also because no one believes the miraculous story that the Jiang family came up with to sell the cakes anymore.
Bean cakes are sold at such a high price that people always feel that these rich people are trying to make money from them. They say they are filial, but in the final analysis, they are just trying to make money, so they are no longer willing to buy them.
A lot of troubles were brought out by the incident. The Jiang family took away many dim sum chefs, robbed people on the street, and even the beating of Brother Dong was talked about by people.
It was said that the Jiang family was related to the Xuzhou Jiang family, who had produced many officials from the imperial court. The officials colluded with businessmen and exploited the people. The people despised them because the bean cake business, which had been doing well, was now in decline.
The manager of Wuxiangju is too busy now and can only try his best to save the situation. He also knows that he is not to blame Chen Yu, but there must be a way to vent his anger.
As Chen Yu spoke, she began to cry. She took out a silk handkerchief embroidered with butterflies and wiped it. "When I first started working there, they were very kind to me. But then business got bad, and they started forcing me to come up with something. They even said... if I couldn't come up with something, they'd kick me out."
Chen Yu raised his eyes and looked at Lin Qiuran, "Sister Qiuran, I really have no other choice, so I came to you. I really can't think of any ideas. If this goes on, I will definitely be kicked out..."
Lin Qiuran was wondering yesterday why Xu Yuanheng had returned less than a month after leaving. This must have been the reason. Someone like him would definitely take advantage of the opportunity to take over the Jiang family's assets. How could he let go of such a good opportunity?
Lin Qiuran sighed inwardly and said, "If I knew how to make snacks, I would definitely help you come up with an idea. But you know what happened that day. I came up with that idea by accident because we had fermented rice wine buns at home."
The light in Chen Yu's eyes gradually faded. Lin Qiuran said, "Chen Yu, you can make dim sum. Even if you leave Wuxiangju, you'll still have a way to make a living. Besides, I gave you thirty taels for selling the dim sum recipe. Now that Wuxiangju's business is not doing well, why bother?"
Chen Yu bit her lower lip. Why did she want to stay? Because it was a respectable job for her. She didn't have to make bean cakes at home alone, then push them out to the street to be sold in public, without being exposed to the wind and sun. Even the marriage... Dong's family had been reluctant before, but now a matchmaker had introduced her to someone better.
Chen Yu looked down at her embroidered shoes. She had bought them herself and loved them. Three taels a month, where else could she earn such a salary?
Besides, there were other people in the shop, so she wasn't too tired.
Chen Yu felt more and more uncomfortable when he looked at Lin Qiuran. "If I am kicked out by the Jiang family, my parents will definitely be gossiped about. Sister Qiuran, do you still mean what you said at that time?"
Sun was heating up the food in the kitchen. She felt nervous when she heard this. Qiu Ran must not agree just because she complained.
Lin Qiuran shook his head. Chen Yu’s original choice could not be said to be wrong. Everyone knew that it was good to lean against a big tree for shade, but big trees had the risk of collapsing. If he chose this tree, he would have to bear the consequences.
Chen Yu had been to Wuxiangju for so many days, so learning to make the dim sum there shouldn't be difficult. Setting up a stall would definitely be easier in the future. With more capital, he could open a shop in no time.
"I'm just a woman. I was too naive at first. Maybe you agreed, and now someone is coming to our door to force us to hand over the prescription... Anyway, you still have thirty taels of silver, which is better than nothing."
Chen Yu knew that half of the thirty taels was not wanted by Lin Qiuran. If she asked further, it would be inappropriate. "Sister Lin is right."
Lin Qiuran advised again, "I have something to do at home, so you should go back early and stop thinking about it."
She couldn't possibly ask Xu Yuanheng to send Chen Yu to Wufangzhai, and it was even more impossible for her to do anything else. Lin Qiuran wasn't the type to repay kindness with grievance. She let Chen Yu in because she wanted to know what Wuxiangju was like now, and she didn't want Chen Yu to wait at the door all the time and be gossiped about by others.
And how could he have the nerve to ask if what she said before still counted? Even if she didn't partner with Xu Yuanheng, Lin Qiuran would never look for Chen Yu again. The most dreaded thing about running into such a person in business is that you never know, maybe you'll be the one getting backstabbed next time.
Chen Yu left the Xiao family with red eyes. Sun sighed in her heart and brought breakfast to Lin Qiuran. Today was steamed egg custard and the leftover fermented rice steamed buns from yesterday, served with pickles.
Always eat meat at noon, just eat something simple in the morning.
Sun said, "Well, her family has many children. I gave her thirty taels of silver, so I'm afraid I won't get much. I guess she's still discussing marriage. It would be easier to find a decent job, otherwise she wouldn't be so anxious. Well, the guy named Dong got beaten up and is still selling sesame cakes on South Street..."
In the past, the two of them helped each other. At that time, Brother Dong was depressed for a while, but later he was happily selling pancakes again.
Lin Qiuran glanced at the door and nodded slightly. She was not in a position to judge this matter. It wasn't an engagement or a breakup. She said, "It's her family's business. We have no right to interfere."
After Lin Qiuran finished her meal, she planned to go to the shop later.
Business was not very good last night. I only made one tael and six cents a day. I have been open for six days. In the past few days, I could make more than two taels of silver a day. The bad weather immediately reduced my income, but it is still better than setting up a stall.
Xiao Dashi had some money in his hand, and Lin Qiuran had eleven taels and five cents, of which three taels and five cents were saved in the past.
If the family has some money saved up, they can consider hiring someone. As expected, the greater the investment, the greater the return. The food also has to taste good, otherwise no one will buy it. More people means more dishes, and Lin Qiuran can be more relaxed.
Sun also packed up her things, and the two of them went to the shop together.
Soon Wan Niang also came. There was a kitchen and two big pots outside, and everyone was busy with their own things.
By noon, business was booming. Perhaps because of the rain yesterday, some customers stopped in their tracks and came straight over without waiting. However, two groups of customers arrived late and the lobby was full, so they had to wait.
Shopkeeper Shi brought out chairs for them to sit on while they waited; it was more comfortable than standing. Lunch was quick, taking only two and a half hours at most to finish. And since the first table had arrived early, they probably only had to wait another quarter of an hour before they could eat.
First come, first served, there's nothing you can do about it, but the customer couldn't help but ask, "Boss, is there no room upstairs?"
There are two floors here, why are you eating on the first floor?
Shopkeeper Shi groaned, "It's unfortunate. The shop has just opened, and the upstairs is full of miscellaneous items. It's really hard to eat. I'll give you a pot of rice wine later. Come inside and sit a little. It's very windy at the door."
Normally, both floors should be used for business, but now, as long as the Xiao Family Restaurant isn't particularly busy, one floor is basically enough. There are tables and chairs upstairs, but you can't just invite customers up there and serve them food. You need a waiter, right? Otherwise, if you want to order more food, there's no one there, and the customers won't feel neglected.
You have to add charcoal to the stove in winter, otherwise you will complain when it’s cold. Besides, the second floor is not needed most of the time, so the wages for the waiters and the additional items you have to buy all cost money, and you also have to find someone to clean and tidy up, which is troublesome.
However, Manager Shi has also worked as a manager in many restaurants. The restaurant business is good. It has just opened, and it is October. When the weather gets warmer and more people come to eat, it is only a matter of time before the second floor is opened.
But we can't wait until we need it, that would delay business.
Shopkeeper Shi hesitated whether to tell Lin Qiuran that he was just a worker, but the Xiao family members were all good-natured, and Lin Qiuran was the one in charge of the family. After all, it was for the sake of the shop, so they shouldn't think that he was meddling too much.
It’s okay to mention it.
The two groups of guests were instantly relieved because they were given a pot of rice wine. After waiting for more than a quarter of an hour, they sat down and ordered food.
Shopkeeper Shi counted that there were twenty-eight tables of guests at noon today, and the total turnover at noon was 3,310 coins, which naturally included drinks.
There are three kinds of liquor in the shop. One is the rice wine brewed by Lin Qiuran himself, which costs 15 cents per catty. There is also a cheaper liquor, which costs 25 cents per catty, and a more expensive one, which costs 65 cents per catty. If they order a few more expensive liquors, the sales will increase.
There were fewer dishes left over when there were more people. Several kinds of meat were put on a plate. Lin Qiuran also fried shredded potatoes and made a dish of minced meat, fried egg and tofu. It had a salty and spicy taste and was especially delicious when mixed with rice.
This dish is minced meat and tofu in the shop, and it sells well. At lunch, Lin Qiuran saw that there were still too many eggs, so he added two eggs, which was also delicious.
There was also bacon brought from home, which was originally bought from Zhao Shi. Now that he runs a shop and doesn't eat at home, Lin Qiuran was afraid that it would not taste good if it was left out for a long time, so he simply brought it back to eat.
Stir-fried with tofu, the fat was translucent and the lean meat was a little tough, but not salty. The tofu was also flavorful. Even such a simple dish was so delicious that even Shopkeeper Shi thought it was delicious. He asked, "How did you make this? My wife's fried bacon is so salty."
Lin Qiuran said, "You can soak it in advance and cook it. Just don't add salt if you're adding bacon. Choose side dishes that absorb the flavor. Otherwise, the bacon will be salty and the side dishes will be bland, which won't taste good."
The rest depends on the knife skills and the cooking time. If the bacon is cut thinner, it will naturally release more oil. If the cooking time is right, it will definitely not be unpalatable.
Manager Shi nodded and decided to go back and tell his wife that he had eaten two bowls of rice and Lu Fan had eaten three bowls. Since they came, there were no leftovers in the kitchen every day.
After dinner, Lu Fan continued to work. He went to empty the slops while Aunt Liu came to wash the dishes. Just as Lin Qiuran was about to go back to the house, Shopkeeper Shi called her, "Mrs. Lin."
Lin Qiuran: "Is there something wrong, boss?"
Shopkeeper Shi said, "It's not a big deal. It's just that there were a lot of people at noon, and a customer asked if they could eat on the second floor."
Lin Qiuran nodded. "The first floor can be used now. Even if the second floor is used, it is empty most of the time."
Lin Qiuran was spending money to do business, so naturally she had to consider the profit. She felt that it was not worthwhile to open a second floor.
Shopkeeper Shi hesitated to speak, and Lin Qiuran said, "Shopkeeper, if you have anything to say, please feel free to speak up."
Shopkeeper Shi said thoughtfully, "Madam Lin, this restaurant has just opened. There are so many people in the county, and many people still don't know about the Xiao Family Restaurant. It would be a pity if they knew the food here was good but couldn't come."
Lin Qiuran didn't quite understand, so Shopkeeper Shi explained it more clearly, "The first floor can seat five people, and six can squeeze in. Madam Lin, you've probably considered that if there are more, there won't be enough space. Even if there are, they might find it too noisy. Besides, other guests only come for a small gathering of two, and too many people will affect their appetite."
Who wants to come out to eat? It's so noisy.
Some people want to have a banquet to discuss business, but naturally it is impossible to do it on the first floor.
Lin Qiuran thought about the scene of Xu Yuanheng eating on the first floor yesterday. It was indeed out of place. She said, "The shopkeeper said that we should turn the second floor into a private room?"
Lin Qiuran thought this was fine. She had been busy with the shop business these days and no one asked her to prepare a banquet. Maybe they thought it was too expensive, or maybe there was no need, so she might ask someone else.
In fact, she now found it tiring to make banquet noodles. She could earn over two taels of silver a day from running a shop, but she only earned one tael of silver for making banquet noodles for others. If the price were raised further, no one would hire her. Occasionally, Lin Qiuran would suspect that the price was too high and that it was not worth hiring her.
She enjoyed catering, and while preparing and cooking dishes was rewarding, she also had to consider how much money she could make. If she had a private room, she could hire some banquets, such as welcoming banquets, teacher appreciation banquets, and full-moon banquets.
Whether you are gathering with a few good friends to chat, or just looking for a quiet place for two to eat and talk, it is better to have a private room.
Shopkeeper Shi said, "I just said it casually."
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "The shopkeeper's casual remark has already helped me a lot."
I happened to have some money, so I built a few private rooms upstairs and let individual customers dine in downstairs. This also counts as a full table of dishes, and you can order dishes in advance according to the guests' requirements, so it also counts as a banquet.
Even if the price is a little higher, it is acceptable.
The tables and chairs must be different from the ones downstairs. They must be round tables, and the chairs cannot be long benches. They all have to be custom-made, but I don’t know when they can be made, and I don’t know if the money is enough.
Take it slow. You're still making money every day anyway. Just wait for the share, it will definitely be enough.
Lin Qiuran was very grateful to Manager Shi, but he had just arrived and it was not easy to ask for money. Lu Fan, Aunt Liu and Wan Niang were all very dedicated in their work, so he decided to wait a few days before making any decisions.
Manager Shi was also very happy. The food in the restaurant tasted good, and he wanted to work there for a long time. Otherwise, the shop would not be able to continue, and he would have to find another job.
The Xiao Family Restaurant was open for a few more days. Lin Qiuran had asked Xiao Dashi to find someone to renovate the second floor and negotiate the cost, aiming for a lower price. There were also tables and chairs to order, so Xiao Dashi had been running around for the past few days.
On the 24th, Xu Yuanheng came to deliver this month's share and also mentioned Wuxiangju.
Xu Yuanheng said calmly, "Wuxiangju in the county town is closed."
Lin Qiuran couldn't help but ask, "Is it just from the county town?"
Xu Yuanheng smiled. "Of course it's not just the county town. Wuxiangju in Xuzhou has also closed down. It's only a matter of time before other places close down."
Several of the Jiang family's businesses in the county town have been taken over by Xu Yuanheng. He has been busy with these things these days. To be honest, the partnership with Lin Qiuran is just a small business.
There was no pride in Xu Yuanheng's eyes. To him, it was just an ordinary thing and nothing to worry about.
Lin Qiuran originally wanted to ask what happened to the shop's chef and owner, but he knew without asking that the shops were closed. If those people were servants in the mansion, they would have gone back. If they were hired from outside, they would definitely have no work to do.
Some had families to support but no income, but what did these things have to do with Xu Yuanheng? It had nothing to do with Lin Qiuran either, but just thinking about it made him terrified.
Lin Qiuran: "Congratulations to the Second Young Master."
Xu Yuanheng smiled and said, "I brought this month's share over to you. Take a look at the account book. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me."
This month's profit was the same as last month's, still 45 taels. The whole amount was easier to divide, and the rest would definitely be invested in the spice business. Since they were just starting out, the investment was large and the profit was small, but Lin Qiuran felt that 45 taels was already a lot.
Lin Qiuran nodded slightly, "Of course I trust the Second Young Master."
If it was Manager Xu, he could have checked it out in person, but as for Xu Yuanheng, forget it, it’s not that he’s short of money.
Xu Yuanheng looked at Lin Qiuran. "If you trust me, I won't let you down. Manager Xu will deliver the share of Wufangzhai's profits at the beginning of next month. Oh, there's one more thing I want to ask..."
Lin Qiuran: "Second Young Master, please speak."
Xu Yuanheng looked into Lin Qiuran's eyes and couldn't help but recall many things. When they first met at the Xu family, Lin Qiuran lowered his head, then pretended to be calm when talking about business, and later he negotiated terms and dealt with him calmly.
He swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and asked, "Do you like that set of china?"
Xu Yuanheng originally wanted to ask Lin Qiuran what kind of person her husband was.
Lin Qiuran was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Of course I like it, but I can't use it now, so I put it away."
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The author has something to say: I worked hard at the end of the month and there are a lot of words today!
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