Chapter 28 Da Guang’s Worries

Feng Weizhi, upon seeing Lu Cheng arrive, hurriedly and warmly invited him into his office.

Wei Mei Xian occupied two floors in total; the second floor was primarily private rooms, while the first floor was a spacious hall. Seeing how grand the place was, Lu Cheng’s thoughts began to stir.

“Master Lu, have you thought it over? Did you discuss it with your son?” Feng Weizhi asked.

Lu Cheng’s visit meant he had nearly made up his mind. “My son probably won’t be able to come, but I can. I just have a few simple requirements. If you can accept them, I’ll resign from Hongqi Factory and join you. If not, we’ll pretend we never spoke.”

Lu Cheng had spent all night considering what terms to propose. “Go ahead, Master Lu. Tell me your conditions and I’ll see if I can meet them,” Feng Weizhi replied with a broad smile. Unless the requests were outrageous, he could agree to most things.

“First, I want an assistant chef just to help with chopping. Second, when I’m making braised pork, no one is allowed nearby. Third, I will only make three hundred portions a day—never more, even if sometimes less.”

Lu Cheng stated his three demands.

The first two were easy for Feng Weizhi; apprentices could be hired. But the third puzzled him. Why only three hundred portions? Chen Huajiang’s snack stall could sell over a hundred portions a day—and this was a much larger restaurant. Three hundred, even five hundred, would be possible.

“May I ask why you limit it to three hundred portions a day?” Feng Weizhi kept his amiable smile.

“Anything above three hundred is exhausting. One person can’t handle it,” Lu Cheng replied candidly.

Feng Weizhi considered it and found it reasonable. “Master Lu, I sincerely want you here. I agree to all three conditions. Now please tell me, when will you start working for us?”

As a businessman, Feng Weizhi needed to make things clear upfront. He didn’t want this dragging on for a month or two, or the restaurant’s business might suffer.

“I’ll resign from Hongqi Factory tomorrow. There are plenty of chefs, so they won’t miss me. But about the monthly salary you mentioned—one hundred yuan—we must be clear on that,” Lu Cheng said.

Lu Cheng was coming for the money; otherwise, why leave a stable job at Hongqi Factory for Wei Mei Xian?

“Don’t worry. The fixed salary is one hundred, and you’ll get a bonus at the end of the year, though the amount depends on the restaurant’s performance,” Feng Weizhi assured him.

Feng Weizhi truly had a business mind; even in these times, he was already thinking about bonuses.

“That settles it then. I’ll make a few portions for you to taste first, so you won’t say my skills aren’t up to par,” Lu Cheng offered, ready to showcase his abilities.

“Of course. Let me take you to the kitchen,” Feng Weizhi said, leading him there.

Lu Cheng discovered the kitchen was indeed spacious and well-appointed. He wasted no time, swiftly slicing the meat and heating the oil. Everyone waited outside, and after about thirty minutes, his braised pork was ready.

The crowd picked up their chopsticks to sample it. The flavor was truly exquisite, even better than Da Guang’s cooking.

Indeed, the older generation’s experience prevailed. Feng Weizhi’s smile was so wide it nearly closed his eyes. With such skill, he no longer feared losing customers. Even if the snack stall was cheaper and drew some patrons away, it wouldn’t make much difference to them.

“Master Lu, your skills are unmatched!” Feng Weizhi praised him, raising his thumb.

“I told you, even my son hasn’t mastered the essence. How can a son compare to his father?” Lu Cheng said, thoroughly pleased.

He had finally found a well-paying job.

During his shift, Da Guang was distracted, worried his father would really leave for Wei Mei Xian. When it came to culinary skill, he knew he still lagged behind his father.

“Brother Jiang, if my dad really goes to Wei Mei Xian, what should we do?” Da Guang could only talk it over with Chen Huajiang.

“What else? We just keep doing what we do. If your father’s dishes taste better, we’ll have to work harder and research better spices,” Chen Huajiang replied.

He’d seen Da Guang cook many times, always using very basic seasonings. Things like bay leaves, cardamom, and star anise were absent. If these were added, the flavors would be even richer.

But in these times, such spices weren’t sold locally; they’d have to find a way to source them from elsewhere.

Barbecue would benefit as well.

With this in mind, Chen Huajiang decided to close the stall for a few days and go procure some spices.

Relying on his own memory, Chen Huajiang knew most medicinal herbs grew in Yunnan. Traveling from Nanming City to Yunnan by train would take three days and nights.

The transportation of the era was extremely underdeveloped, and train travel was the safest way. If he managed to bring back these herbs, whether for braised pork or barbecue, no one else would be able to compete with him.

“These are the only spices we can use. We can’t get anything else. If my dad goes to Wei Mei Xian, he’ll come back and nag me again,” Da Guang said.

His mother had left him when he was young; he had no memory of her face. Raised by his grandmother, Lu Cheng hadn’t really looked after him. Only after his grandmother passed did he live with Lu Cheng.

“Don’t worry, Da Guang. We’ll solve these problems step by step. Didn’t I tell you? We’re about to make big money,” Chen Huajiang reassured him, patting his shoulder.

Da Guang nodded and returned to his work.

That night, Chen Huajiang deliberately closed up early, intending for Wu De and Gou Weidong to act sooner.

Sure enough, half an hour after Chen Huajiang and his crew left, Wu De, Gou Weidong, and Zhang Qiang arrived.

Actually, Chen Huajiang and Liang Long were waiting outside the factory. As soon as Wu De and his companions made their move, their plan would succeed.

The three reached the snack stall, and Zhang Qiang kicked the door open.

“Get inside and smash the place! What are you waiting for?” Zhang Qiang shouted, entering first with a hammer.

Wu De and Gou Weidong were hesitant at first, but seeing Zhang Qiang so bold, they followed him in.

Seeing the goods inside, Wu De was filled with anger. He and Gou Weidong swung their hammers, smashing things with loud crashes.

Suddenly, several flashlights shone into the room.

“Who’s there? What are you doing inside?” Liang Long shouted, leading his men as they rushed in.