Starting from a Bankrupt Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

How perceptive.

"I saw his business was good, and since we’re in the same trade, I wanted to see what his braised meat tasted like. If I decide to expand in Jiazhou in the future, at least I’ll know what I’m up against," Zhou Yan said with a straight face. "Miss Duan is absolutely right. It’s truly terrible. His business is booming because of the location, not the flavor."

"You want to resolve what’s weighing on Mrs. Qiu’s heart and take her to Xiangjiang to enjoy her retirement. I want to buy the Qiu Family’s Old Mansion and move my entire family into the city. Our goals are aligned, which makes us friends."

Duan Yu Yan considered his words. He was being remarkably frank.

"You were the one who sought me out today, Miss Duan. I didn’t expect such a coincidence. But since you’ve been so direct, I’ll lay my cards on the table." Zhou Yan looked at her and said, "If you can give me your word—that if I help you convince Mrs. Qiu to go to Xiangjiang, you’ll see to it that the Qiu Family’s Old Mansion is sold to me at a fair price—then I will certainly do everything I can to help."

"You really have a plan?" Duan Yu Yan asked, looking at him.

"Jiazhou is only so big. You’re not from around here, Miss Duan, so some things might be hard for you to ask about. But I’m a Jiazhou native, born and bred, and I’m shameless enough to ask. With my help, I think the problem will be much simpler," Zhou Yan said confidently. "What’s more, you came here for Zhang’s braised beef, and I just so happen to be the heir to Zhang’s Braised Shop. We might be able to get some useful information from my grandmother."

Duan Yu Yan thought for a moment, then nodded. "It’s a deal. If you can truly resolve what’s troubling my grandmother’s heart, I’ll make sure the Qiu Family’s Old Mansion is sold to you. For ten thousand yuan."

Her father had already settled this with her before he returned to Xiangjiang. If Mrs. Qiu resolved the matter weighing on her heart and went to Xiangjiang, they would stay at the Duan Family’s Old Mansion for any future short visits to Jiazhou. The Qiu Family’s Old Mansion would be sold off immediately, lest it fall into disrepair and cause problems.

If Mrs. Qiu didn’t come back, they might not return to Jiazhou again for a decade.

The area around the Qiu Family’s Old Mansion was a little noisy, but it was undeniably a prime location for a business.

Zhou Yan most likely wanted to buy the house and move his restaurant there in the future.

Duan Yu Yan was no stranger to a transactional relationship. In fact, she preferred it this way—everyone laying their terms on the table, clear and open.

A win-win, where each party gets what they want.

She hated owing people favors. A debt of gratitude was much harder to repay than a simple transaction. It was better to negotiate terms directly.

"Here’s to a successful partnership." Zhou Yan smiled and extended his hand. Ten thousand yuan was right within his expected price range.

"To a successful partnership." Duan Yu Yan reached out and shook his hand lightly.

At the restaurant’s entrance, Yan Fei’s eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Zhou Yan like a leopard.

’This guy’s even shaking her hand now?!’

’Looks like it’s not just the blond I have to watch out for; I have to keep an eye on the buzz cut, too.’

Zhou Yan asked Duan Yu Yan for more details about Mrs. Qiu.

Duan Yu Yan’s grandmother, Mrs. Qiu, was named Qiu Qi and was seventy years old. Her grandfather, Duan Xingbang, had been a missile engineer before he retired. The specifics of his work were classified.

Her father’s generation consisted of two brothers and one sister. They had gone to Xiangjiang in the 1950s and had only returned this year to reconnect with their relatives.

She had given him plenty of information, but Zhou Yan’s heart sank a little as he listened.

Their circle was too high-end. He felt that an old woman who sold braised dishes was unlikely to have run in the same social circles.

But that didn’t matter!

’Secure the project first; it wasn’t too late to figure out the rest later.’

’If he didn’t seize this opportunity, how else would he get to meet a wealthy heiress like Duan Yu Yan?’

’Get the Qiu Family’s Old Mansion for ten thousand, then slowly save up to tear it down and rebuild. It faces Jiazhou Port and would command all the tourist traffic from the Jiazhou Giant Buddha. Moving the restaurant into the city would be just a matter of time.’

"If you have any news, you can come find me at the Qiu Family’s Old Mansion. I’m generally not awake before ten in the morning. If I’m not home in the afternoon, I’m usually at the riverside teahouse about five hundred meters downstream from Jiazhou Port, reading and soaking up some sun," Duan Yu Yan said to Zhou Yan.

"Okay. See you later." Zhou Yan smiled and nodded, then added, "Your makeup looks beautiful today."

"Thank you." Duan Yu Yan nodded, the corner of her mouth turning up slightly as she turned away.

’He knows about makeup?’

Still, it was pleasant communicating with Zhou Yan. His Mandarin was perfect, and he was very straightforward.

She didn’t have the patience to waste time haggling with people over petty gains.

For example, some distant relatives from the Duan and Qiu families had spent the first few months showing up with various excuses to make small talk, but their goal was always simple: they wanted money.

They never asked for much—a few dozen yuan here, a hundred there.

At first, she wanted to just pay them to go away, but her grandmother stopped her, forbidding her from giving them a single penny.

When her father had returned at the beginning of the year, he had already given each branch of the family a red envelope with five hundred yuan—equivalent to a factory worker’s yearly salary.

Mrs. Qiu had told her, "A little help is a kindness; too much help breeds resentment." Give them any more money, and their relatives would all become their enemies.

Later, Mrs. Qiu called the clan elders for a meeting. Her stance was perfectly clear: if anyone had a genuine hardship, they could come to her. But if anyone bothered the younger generation again, they’d be chased out with a stick.

Only then was Duan Yu Yan left in peace.

Mrs. Qiu might look elegant and dignified in public, but all those relatives were terrified of her.

She hadn’t managed to buy any braised beef, but the trip wasn’t a complete waste. At the very least, she had found a partner.

Yan Fei quickened his pace to catch up, falling into step two paces behind her without uttering a single question.

...

"What were you two talking about?" Mrs. Zhao asked as Zhou Yan returned, unable to restrain her curiosity.

’That girl looked so refined, and her accent was a bit strange. Not a local. Another college girl?’

’How does Zhou Yan know her?’

"We were just talking about the preservation of Sichuan Cuisine Cooking techniques," Zhou Yan replied casually. "Mom, I have to go back to the village for something." He went into the back kitchen, sliced a pig’s ear, wrapped up a pig’s trotter, and left with his bicycle.