Starting from a Bankrupt Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

"That’s great." Zhou Yan smiled as well.

"I actually came today to ask if you need help selling your braised meat," Zhou Jie said. "Now that our wives help out during the lunch and dinner rushes, I’m the one who’s pretty free.

I can come over every day, pick up a few pounds of braised meat, and sell it for you. The foot traffic at the pier is pretty good, and our customers aren’t afraid to spend money on food."

"Of course, don’t get the wrong idea. I’d just be selling it for you. Whatever I sell, all the money goes to you."

Zhou Yan’s eyes lit up. He immediately said, "That’s a great idea. If you can handle it, I’ll give you some braised pig head to sell every day. Just selling the pig head is easy to slice and calculate. Sell it for two-fifty a pound, and I’ll charge you two. If you sell a lot, you can make some extra income."

"No way! Just charge me the full two-fifty." Zhou Jie shook his head firmly. "You got us into the Kneeling Beef business and helped us make money. It’s only right that we help you sell some braised meat on the side. I can’t take your money for it."

"Then I won’t let you sell it," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Why not?" Zhou Jie’s eyes went wide.

Zhou Yan’s smile faded, and he said with a serious expression, "If you earn fifty cents a pound, I can earn fifty cents too. That way, you’ll be motivated to sell, and you’ll put more energy into your sales cries. The more you sell, the more you earn.

If you don’t take a cut, you’re just wasting your labor selling braised pig head for me. Your wives will feel a bit unhappy about that, and I can’t have that.

Jie, I think your idea is excellent. The pier is far enough from my restaurant that their customers likely won’t come over to my place to buy braised meat. If you sell well, it’s also free advertising for my restaurant.

Business has to be mutually beneficial to last. Even with close brothers, accounts must be settled clearly. If you think this is okay, come pick up the braised meat tomorrow at ten in the morning."

Zhou Jie stopped walking. Seeing Zhou Yan’s serious expression, he thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, I’ll listen to you. I’ll come tomorrow and start with five pounds of braised pig head."

"Alright, it’s settled then." Zhou Yan nodded, and the two went their separate ways.

"Dad, let’s go." Zhou Yan walked over to Zhang the Third’s meat stall, called out to Comrade Zhou, got on his bike, and rode back toward the restaurant.

The little incident this morning had caused a bit of a delay. He had to hurry back and get busy stir-frying the toppings.

However, the outcome was pretty good.

With Zhou Jie and Zhou Hai backing him up, no one would dare bully Lai Fu while he sold tofu at Stone Bridge Head anymore. That was one less thing to worry about.

There was no shortage of such nasty business among small-time vendors.

’No wonder they say that people in the same trade are bitter rivals.’

’If you show weakness and take a step back, they’ll dare to climb on your head and take a shit.’

Back then, Zhao Minghui had almost been driven out of business by his competitors. It was his sweet-skinned duck that let him get back on his feet.

That kick Zhou Yan delivered today was meant to blow things up.

’For a little mute boy to avoid being bullied, everyone has to know that he’s not to be trifled with, that he has people backing him up.’

’The Great Man was right: land one solid punch to prevent a hundred more from coming your way.’

"Old Man, you were there just now too?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at Comrade Zhou riding alongside him.

"I saw I wasn’t needed, so I went back," Comrade Zhou said with a nod.

Zhou Yan smiled. ’Comrade Zhou has the air of a reclusive master.’

Back at the restaurant, Zhou Yan first rinsed the soaking seaweed, then put it back to soak in fresh, clean water.

Salt-cured seaweed not only needs to be rehydrated, but the water also has to be changed constantly to remove the saltiness. Otherwise, it would be too salty to eat after being braised.

Then he put the dried tofu skin sticks to soak in cold water. He soaked three pounds at once, which should expand to around eight pounds after rehydrating.

He had also bought twenty pounds of lotus root. The uncle selling it had said that the lotus root season was ending and he’d only be selling it for about ten more days.

’That’s terrible. It seems there’s no overwintering lotus root in this era.’

He also bought twenty pounds of potatoes. The things kept well; if his back basket could have held more, he would have brought a hundred pounds back to store.

After the morning rush, Zhou Yan was in the middle of braising the meat when a message suddenly popped up before his eyes:

[Side Quest: The Battle to Defend the West Bank Tofu Legacy! Progress: 30%]