Chapter 19: Why don't you give it a try too?
The next day, Yu Man got up early and carefully loaded the several large jars of mushroom sauce that he had made a few days earlier onto a mule cart he had rented from a friend in the village. He sealed the jars tightly with oil paper to ensure that they would not spill even on the bumpy road.
Upon arriving in the county, she went first to "Yuelai Restaurant," the earliest business she had ever worked with, located in the south of the city. The restaurant was small, but clean and tidy. It wasn't lunchtime yet, and only a few early risers were eating soup noodles.
The shopkeeper was a woman in her early thirties surnamed Sun, whom everyone called Madam Sun. Upon seeing Yu Man arrive, Madam Sun immediately broke into a genuine smile and personally greeted her: "Aman, we've been waiting for you! Did you bring the sauce this time? The shop is almost out of stock; many regular customers come specifically for it!"
While asking the shop assistant to help with the inventory and unloading, she warmly pulled Yu Man to the counter to talk, and poured her a bowl of warm coarse tea.
"Was the journey smooth?" Madam Sun asked, then lowered her voice, her face showing a hint of excitement from having heard something. She gestured towards the city center, "Aman, have you heard? There looks like there's going to be some excitement in our county!"
Yu Man held the rough earthenware bowl, blew on it to warm it up, and glanced in the direction she was pointing: "What's all the commotion about?"
"What else could it be? The Chen family, the Chen family of 'Fengyu Grain Store'!" Madam Sun's voice was even lower, full of amusement. "I heard they've taken over that big shop opposite 'Zuixianlou' and are going to open a restaurant there too!"
Zuixianlou was the largest and most prestigious restaurant in the county, catering to an elegant clientele of scholars, literati, and wealthy individuals of some standing. Yuelai Restaurant, on the other hand, as Sun Niangzi herself stated, relied on large portions, affordable prices, and hearty flavors, targeting ordinary people and traveling merchants. The two restaurants had originally kept to themselves.
"Right across from Zuixianlou?" Yu Man raised an eyebrow slightly. "Aunt Sun, what do you think they're after?"
"Who knows!" Madam Sun pouted, with a hint of confusion and barely perceptible worry. "The Chen family's grain business is doing so well, why would they suddenly want to get involved in this business? This job isn't so easy! Look at my restaurant, if it weren't for some regular customers and the sauces you bring that add a unique flavor to the dishes, I'm afraid it would have gone out of business long ago."
Yu Man knew in his heart that there was an element of modesty in Sun Niangzi's words. The fact that Yuelai Restaurant was able to gain a foothold in the county was largely due to Sun Niangzi's business acumen and solid dishes.
She knew that Madam Sun's feelings were genuine. Yuelai and Zuixianlou had different positioning and customer bases, so in theory there shouldn't be much conflict. But the Chen family's sudden decision to open a restaurant directly opposite Zuixianlou made the implications all too clear; at the very least, the two families were going to directly compete with each other.
Madam Sun sighed, as if remembering something, and turned to look at Yu Man, her tone becoming serious: "Ah Man, let me tell you the truth. I've tried all the sauces you sent, and the fresh dishes you occasionally make, like the wild mushroom soup and the special dried tofu before. They taste really good, and there's a lot of skill involved."
She patted Yu Man's hand and said sincerely, "You're a clever girl, and your hands are very skillful. If you really have one or two special skills, relying on selling to restaurants piecemeal like this won't last. While you're young and energetic, why not plan ahead, save some capital, and open your own small shop! Even a small eatery, or a shop specializing in sauces and specialty snacks, will do! You'll be in charge, and whatever you earn, it's all yours. You can also save more money for yourself. In this world, a woman can only stand tall if she has money in her hands!"
Madam Sun spoke earnestly. She had personally witnessed Yu Man gradually improve her family's situation through these homemade sauces and snacks, and she genuinely felt that the girl's skills should not be buried, and that she should not just be a supplier behind the scenes. As someone who runs a restaurant herself, she knew how difficult it was, but she also understood that people with a skill should ultimately go further.
Of course, she also had her own selfish motives. If Yu Manru really came here to make a living, not only would she not steal business, but the two of them might even be able to help each other out.
Yu Man listened to Madam Sun's sincere advice, and her heart stirred slightly. She had considered opening her own shop before, but due to insufficient capital and family matters, she had put it on hold. Now… perhaps it was truly time to give it a serious consideration. Looking at Madam Sun's concerned eyes, she nodded and said softly, "Thank you for your advice, Aunt Sun. I will think about it carefully."
The payment for this order was settled, and it was more than usual, clearly thanks to Madam Sun's thoughtful consideration. Yu Man carefully put away the copper coins, then drove the empty mule cart away from the Yuelai Restaurant.
Leaving the Yuelai Restaurant, Yu Man didn't rush home. Instead, she deliberately took a detour to the place Sun Niangzi had pointed out. Sure enough, directly opposite the imposing Zuixianlou Restaurant, a two-story shop that had been closed for a long time was under construction. Craftsmen were shouting and carrying brand-new timber in and out, the clanging and hammering sounds filling the air. The old frame of the facade had been dismantled, and one could vaguely see that a wider entrance was being built, seemingly to overshadow the one opposite. Several men who looked like overseers stood on the street, pointing and gesturing, their faces filled with a sense of self-satisfaction. It seemed that the Chen family's new restaurant was determined to compete with Zuixianlou.
Moreover, the news that the Chen family was going to open a restaurant had already spread, and many people were talking about it.
As Yu Man walked across the street corner, several women carrying vegetable baskets were huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.
"Have you heard? Mr. Chen, the owner of Fengyu Grain Store, is going to open a big restaurant across from Zuixianlou!"
"Wow, that's a huge investment! That location, that storefront, the rent must be outrageous!"
"Boss Chen has deep pockets, owning the largest grain store in the county. Why would he care about this little bit of rent? I think he's clearly trying to compete with Zuixianlou!"
"That's right! My nephew works at the Chen family grain store. I heard they hire master chefs from the prefecture, and they pay him this much!" A woman mysteriously held up a few fingers, eliciting a chorus of exclamations.
These rumors are undoubtedly building momentum for the opening of Chen's new restaurant, while also putting Zuixianlou in a very difficult position.
Yu Man watched silently for a while, made a mental note, and then turned to go to the famous West Street in the county. The street was full of life, with the aromas of various snacks mingling together, whetting her appetite. There were tofu stalls with large pots of snow-white tofu bubbling over, the vendors skillfully scooping out the tender tofu and topping it with chili oil, pickled mustard greens, and crispy soybeans; there were sizzling lamb skewers grilled over charcoal stoves, their aroma irresistible; there were steamer shops selling translucent dumplings and shumai with generous fillings; and there were vendors hawking golden-brown and crispy fried dough twists, steamed buns, and various sweet and glutinous pastries... The place was bustling with people.
She walked slowly, looking around, occasionally stopping to buy a few things that caught her eye or that interested her. She bought a bowl of cold noodles topped with thick sesame sauce and garlic juice, a freshly baked, piping hot but crispy preserved vegetable pancake, and a few pieces of soft and delicious-looking red bean cake wrapped in oil paper. As she tasted them, she pondered in her mind how these snacks were made, their flavors, and potential for improvement.
Leaving the snack street, she sought out a fellow villager she knew who worked as a broker in the county. At a teahouse, she ordered the cheapest tea and, seemingly casually, inquired about rents and transfer fees for shops in different areas of the county, as well as the general market conditions for buying a small shop. The villager, assuming she was just curious, readily explained the current shortage of shops and rising prices in the county. The broker added at the end, "Man'er, if you really want to buy a shop, you'd better hurry. The market looks lively lately, but it's also murky. With the Chen family's actions, many people are eyeing the food industry, thinking there's profit to be made. Shop prices are likely to rise even further." Yu Man listened silently, her mind racing with calculations.
By the time all this was finished, the sun was already setting. Only then did Yu Man drive the empty mule cart, swaying and staggering, home.
Back in their own courtyard, as soon as they entered, they saw a small mountain of freshly harvested and dried grain piled up in the yard, the golden wheat and millet mingling with the scent of sunshine and earth. Yu Chengfu and Deng Sanniang were squatting beside the grain pile, turning it over with a wooden spade while discussing in hushed tones.
“These good quality wheat grains need to be picked out and sent to the grain store in town; they can fetch a good price.” Yu Chengfu picked up a handful of wheat grains and examined them carefully, letting them drip through his fingers.
"Yes, sell more millet too, just enough for our family to eat until next year's new grain comes in." Deng Sanniang agreed, picking out some shriveled grains and impurities with her hands.
Yu Man placed the snacks she brought back from the county on the small table in the courtyard and called to Xiu Xiu, who was feeding the chickens, to wash her hands and eat. She went to her parents' side, listened to their plans, and looked at the grain they clearly intended to sell most of, and couldn't help but say, "Dad, Aunt Xiang, if we sell so much, what will we eat in the future..."
Yu Chengfu didn't even look up, continuing with his work, having his own plans: "We'll definitely leave you with enough food, you won't go hungry. But... given the current situation, there will be many expenses in the future, so we need to save more."
Upon hearing this, Deng San Niang raised her head, quickly winked at Yu Manfei, and smiled knowingly.
Yu Man was taken aback at first, then saw her father's slightly hunched but unusually serious back, and then looked at the large pile of grain that would be exchanged for copper coins and silver coins. Her heart suddenly ached, and she instantly understood—her father wanted to take advantage of this year's good harvest to sell more money and save up dowries for her and Xiu Xiu! He was afraid that they would be wronged in their husband's family in the future because their maternal family was poor.
A warm feeling mixed with bittersweetness welled up in her heart, making her throat feel a little tight. At the same time, her plan to open a small food stall in the county became even clearer.
Deng Sanniang deftly swept the last bit of impurities aside, dusted off her hands, and as if suddenly remembering something, said to Yu Man, "Oh right, Man, I almost forgot the important matter. The day after tomorrow, Liu Yiyi, the daughter of the carpenter Liu, is getting married. The invitation arrived a few days ago, and our family has to go to pay our respects. Your father will definitely be busy, so I'll take Xiuxiu with me. You should come too; after all, she's from the same village, and she's now settled down and is getting married. It's only proper etiquette for us to see her off."
Liu Yiyi… Yu Man thought of the scene at the village school earlier. She nodded: “Okay, I understand.”
A note from the author:
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