Zhou glanced warily at Yu and the others, who hadn't even noticed her, and then headed towards the restaurant owned by her family in Daling County.
The restaurant is called "Ten Miles of Fragrance," and it has branches in the prefectural city and several surrounding counties, making it quite famous.
The restaurant owner had previously taken Zhou to familiarize herself with the route, and Zhou, with her good memory, found it quickly.
"I need to see Manager Zhang! Take me to him right now!"
As soon as she entered, Zhou grabbed a waiter, her expression a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
Because she was in a hurry to get to the county town, Zhou didn't have time to treat the redness and swelling on her face, and now it's becoming more and more obvious.
The waiter didn't recognize Zhou, but seeing that she had been beaten and that the other person was a woman, he immediately suspected that this was because their manager had gotten into some kind of affair.
"What business do you have with my manager?"
After all, she was a woman of unknown origin, so the waiter didn't dare to easily lead her inside. If something happened to her in the restaurant, it wouldn't just damage the manager's reputation, but it could even affect the restaurant's business.
"I have something important to tell him, please let me in!"
Zhou didn't know what was wrong with this waiter, how could he be blocking her path to promotion and a raise?
"You must first tell me what it is, your name, and so I can go in and inform the manager."
Normally, this wouldn't be necessary, but the waiter felt there was something wrong with this woman and didn't dare let her in easily.
"Just tell him my surname is Zhou, and that I'm the one from the prefectural city. Once my matter is settled, he can come to see me!"
Zhou was getting impatient and harbored a grudge against the servant. She thought to herself that once she became the manager, she would definitely get rid of this troublesome servant.
Fortunately, although the servant did not know her personally, he had heard about her, as the manager had specifically mentioned her before.
Upon learning her identity, the servant's attitude changed instantly. He smiled and said, "So it's Aunt Zhou! You've gotten things done in just a few days. You're truly talented. Come on, come on, our manager is inside. I'll take you to see him!"
This servant had been working for Manager Zhang for several years and knew some things about the upper echelons, so he also knew what Zhou meant by "getting things done."
The reputation of Lu Hei Ya (a type of braised duck) soared, and customers who came to the restaurant liked to buy one to take with their drinks, or ask the waiter to run errands for them. He was lucky enough to try it once, and the taste was truly addictive.
His manager had discussed cooperation with the Lu family, but they felt they weren't sincere enough and rejected the idea outright, leaving no room for negotiation.
The shopkeeper mentioned his work report in the prefectural city, hoping the owner could find a solution. Unexpectedly, he met a Zhou family member who was related to the Lu family and offered to get the recipe.
I heard that the manager even brought her to the restaurant, but he happened to be going home that day and didn't see Zhou, so he didn't recognize her just now.
Seeing how quickly his attitude changed, Zhou's vanity was stirred up, and she proudly walked inside with her head held high.
Once she meets Manager Zhang, she can return to the prefectural city and become a steward or manager, living a life of luxury that no one else can compare to.
"Shopkeeper, Aunt Zhou is looking for you!"
The waiter shouted at the top of his lungs as soon as he entered, his excitement evident in his expression.
With Lu Hei Ya's recipe, they no longer need to be subservient to the Lu family, and can even directly steal their business.
The restaurant's revenue also determines the income of these waiters. If business is exceptionally good, they can earn a few extra coins a month, which is enough to tempt them.
Thinking of this, he became even more respectful towards Zhou.
Manager Zhang immediately came forward, smiling broadly, and said, "Young lady, you're here! Let's go upstairs to the private room to talk! Go make a pot of hot tea for your Aunt Zhou; she's a great contributor to our 'Ten Miles of Fragrance' tea!"
The following sentence was spoken to the waiter, who responded and went to do it. Manager Zhang personally led Zhou upstairs.
For a moment, Zhou felt that all the grievances she had suffered in the Lu family during this period were worth it. From now on, she could enjoy such preferential treatment every day and become a person above others!
She reached out and patted the small cloth bag in her arms. The contents inside could change her fate, so she had to keep it safe.
Upon entering the private room, Manager Zhang eagerly asked, "Young lady, what exactly is the recipe? Can you remember the whole process?"
"Remember, it's very simple!"
Zhou was very confident. He Jiuniang took her to see three rooms. She felt that the other two were not very useful. The most important room was the one for storing seasonings. With seasonings, you could just put things in and cook them. It wasn't a big deal.
Seeing her confident demeanor, Manager Zhang became excited and said, "Sister, just tell me what you need. I'll have someone prepare it. Or, you could make one for us right here?"
Suppressing her secret delight, Zhou said, "No rush, let me have a drink of water first before I tell you the details!"
Just then, the waiter brought up tea, and Manager Zhang was very attentive, personally pouring the tea for him. He was willing to do anything to get the recipe for Lu Hei Ya!
Zhou took a sip of tea, pretending to be serious, before clearing his throat and saying, "I thought the process of making Lu Black Duck would be difficult, but I didn't expect that all you have to do is put it in a pot and cook it with the seasonings. They bought the seasonings from the Hu people, and I don't know what's in them. They're sewn into cloth bags, and one bag can cook a whole pot!"
Upon hearing this, Manager Zhang followed her lead and asked, "What about the seasonings..."
"Don't worry, Manager Zhang, how could I possibly have any problems? I'm a relative of theirs, they don't have any reservations about me at all. They even took me to the storeroom. I brought back a cloth bag, let's open it and see what's inside, and then we can just buy the same things as before!"
As she spoke, she reached into her bosom and pulled out a small cloth bag that smelled of spices.
Manager Zhang reached out to take it, but Madam Zhou quickly withdrew her hand.
"Young lady, what do you mean by this?"
Manager Zhang was completely focused on the cloth bag, and seeing Zhou's attitude, he couldn't help but get angry. This woman was much more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.
"Manager Zhang, please don't be in such a hurry! You know I was sent by the boss, and I brought back these seasoning packets myself. I'd appreciate it if Manager Zhang could bear witness to this, otherwise all my efforts would have been in vain."
In some ways, Zhou is quite clever. For example, now that her own interests are involved, she always makes multiple preparations.
Manager Zhang instantly understood her meaning and felt a little disdainful. This woman probably didn't know that she had become a discarded pawn in her employer's eyes.
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