The next day, Zhou Xiaomei and Wang Shulan returned to Hohhot. They rested for one night and then went to Baotou. After seeing the decoration of the two stores, they returned to Hohhot in the evening.
Although I was very tired after three consecutive days of driving and horseback riding, I was in good spirits.
Wang Shulan suggested going to her house for a drink.
This is a two-bedroom and one-living house with modern decoration. Although it is not high-end, it is unconventional and very refined like its owner.
The two of them put the food they brought back from the restaurant on the table. Wang Shulan went to the wine cabinet to get some wine and filled the glasses.
We were too familiar with each other, so we didn’t have to be too modest, so we chatted while eating.
"Don't you see Zhang Yu?" Wang Shulan asked.
Zhou Xiaomei laughed when she mentioned Zhang Yu and said, "He is retired now."
"Retire?" Wang Shulan was a little puzzled and asked: "Why retire?"
Things went like this. After the new year, Zhang Yu and Yanzi worked together, and the restaurant was now good. During the period of growth, it made a lot of money every year. At the beginning, Yanzi’s investment was small, and Yanhua didn’t care. They are good sisters.
Now the couple has plenty to eat and enjoy, and they get a share every year, so they have entered a well-off society.
In addition, Yanhua has always been in charge of the hotel and Lao Tan is in charge, so the couple has nothing to do with it. Yanzi told Zhang Yu that they have formed a group and Lao Tan is taking care of it very well, so we, the couple, should not get involved and save the money.
They also take us into consideration when making decisions.
Zhang Yu also meant this, so Yanzi told Yanhua about it. At first Yanhua disagreed, but after the matter at the Jinqiao store was settled, Zhang Yu proposed again. Yanhua talked to Lao Tan, and Lao Tan thought about it.
So I acquiesced.
He knew what Zhang Yu was thinking, and what Yan Zi meant. The couple did not want to have some leisure time, but they did not want the management to take care of them, and it was also for the sake of the group.
To be honest, the couple came to an understanding and retreated from the rapids. Making such a decision requires wisdom, magnanimity, and full trust.
Don't underestimate this matter. Many people can't do it. Maybe the person involved didn't think of this, but it's admirable.
After listening to Zhou Xiaomei's words, Wang Shulan thought deeply for a moment and said, "I am a sensible person."
"Yes, I do understand." Zhou Xiaomei agreed,
When Lao Tan informed her that Zhang Yu would no longer participate in management and that she was solely responsible for Inner Mongolia, the first thing she thought of was whether she had done something wrong somewhere, which caused Zhang Yu to have an opinion.
I was embarrassed to say that I proposed not to participate in management.
After Lao Tan explained to her, although he understood and accepted it, he still had a grudge in his heart. So he found a suitable time to go to Yanzi's house and had a frank talk with the couple.
Through the conversation, I found out that the couple really didn’t want to participate in the management. They just wanted to live quietly and be happy as a family of three.
"Xiaomei, don't think too much. Zhang Yu and I have no other intentions and have no objections to you. We just feel that we can't do much. You still care about us. It's a bit ------ How should I put it? I speak straightforwardly.
, will not turn around, just think it will delay things.
Also, I haven’t been in good health since I gave birth to Jiaqi. It may be due to confinement disease and I haven’t taken a good look at it. So I asked Zhang Yu to accompany me to check up and take care of myself.”
Speaking of this, Yanzi smiled with a happy expression, "Let's go out for a walk, go around, travel, and enjoy it as a family of three."
Zhou Xiaomei felt relieved after hearing what Yan Zi said, and her heart became much brighter.
Wang Shulan said: "It's a little early for these two couples to enjoy it now."
"Brother Zhang is fifty-three and Sister Yan is fifty. It's time to enjoy it," Zhou Xiaomei said.
When it comes to age, Wang Shulan feels a little sad. She is forty-nine this year and will be fifty soon. It is also a waste of time.
"I'm doing pretty well."
"You don't look old either." Zhou Xiaomei felt that it was inappropriate to tell Zhang Yu and Yan Zi's ages, so she immediately made up for it.
Wang Shulan smiled and said: "Why don't you look old? The age is there - by the way, your cousin doesn't look old. He looks only thirty-seven or eight."
"What? Did you fall in love?" Zhou Xiaomei joked.
"It's not that I fell in love with you, it's that your cousin is attractive and a killer of middle-aged and elderly women." Wang Shulan said with a smile.
Zhou Xiaomei laughed and said: "I don't know much about him now. I remember that when he was a child, he loved to fight and was not good at studies, but he was smart. Because he fought, he often got beaten by my second uncle. When he was beaten, he would run to my house for several days.
not going back.
He joined the army before graduating from high school. He went to a military academy in the army and later heard that he received second-class merit. He changed his career in Chifeng. My sister-in-law's family is powerful and my father is the old leader."
"Your cousin has a background." Wang Shulan said.
"To be honest, my cousin did it based on his ability and did not rely on his father-in-law. He is a stubborn, upright and principled person, otherwise he would not be able to change his career." Zhou Xiaomei said.
The face of Zhou Xiaomei's cousin Wan Jun appeared in front of Wang Shulan's eyes, and asked: "Your sister-in-law, the mayor, and your cousin's secretary, both of them are homeless, who takes care of the children?"
"His children are young and have just entered high school. My sister-in-law's parents are in charge of them."
Wang Shulan snorted, then changed the topic at the right time and said: "We now have five stores in Hohhot, one in Jining, two in Xilinhot, one in Ordos, two in Baotou, and one in Chifeng, totaling eleven. I think
Now that we are in the eleventh business, we can go to Beijing for development next.”
"You have always been thinking about Beijing." Zhou Xiaomei smiled.
"What do you mean?" Wang Shulan lit up a cigarette and after the first puff of smoke dissipated, she said with sadness in her emotion: "It's a lie that I don't care about it. It's been almost ten years since I came out. I have to kill him back."
"Understood." Zhou Xiaomei nodded.
Wang Shulan said: "Inner Mongolia is large, scattered, and difficult to manage. Take Ordos and Chifeng as examples, they are more than a thousand miles away. It is also nearly a thousand miles from Hohhot to Xilinhot. If you were in Beijing, you would have to go out of Hebei.
Beijing, the capital city, has a lot of people and a large flow of passengers. When opening a restaurant, you don’t have to worry about the source of customers. As long as the food is good, there will be people. Especially for our dumpling restaurant, it will definitely be no problem. I have thought about it and don’t open it in a prosperous area in Beijing, where the rent is expensive.
It’s not cost-effective. Let’s take the route of surrounding the city from the countryside and serve the people outside the Fifth Ring Road and in the surrounding areas, and we can still make money.”
Zhou Xiaomei thought for a moment and said, "We should investigate it first."
"The inspection is necessary. When the Baotou and Chifeng stores are opened, we can spare some time and let's go there."
"OK."
"It is estimated that it will be after October. We will first investigate and choose a place. If we open it, it will be during the Chinese New Year. There is no rush."
"Have you told my uncle?" Zhou Xiaomei asked.
"No, that's what I thought. We'll talk about it later." Wang Shulan then asked, "Is the Suzhou store opening soon?"
"Well, it's almost mid-June."
"When it opens, we will go there to support Gu Yi."
The fastest thing in the world is time. In June, Ah Qiao first opened its eighth direct-operated store in the provincial capital, and then the Suzhou store officially opened after more than a month of renovation.
When the business opened, Yanhua, Zhang Li, Zhang Yu, Yanzi, Zhou Xiaomei, Wang Shulan, Zhongqing, Qin Lili, Zhang Xiangdong, and partners from the Northeast District and Inner Mongolia District all came, as well as Sister Wang, Qiao Shan, and Qiao from Suzhou.
Brother and sister Gang, Mr. Yan, Boss Zhang, Boss Xu and others.
As usual, we opened the door to welcome customers on the opening day without any fanfare.
Opened in a low-key manner, business is booming.
The reasons are simple. First, it is next to the Humble Administrator's Garden, so there is no need to worry about guests; second, the brochures were sent out early, and many people came here for the Northeast Dumpling Wine.
No matter if it tastes good or not, taste it first and then say. If it tastes good, I’ll come back later; if it doesn’t taste good, goodbye.
How should I put it, to be exaggerated, it exploded on the first day.
I dare not say that the whole city of Suzhou, at least the people around the Humble Administrator's Garden, know about it. The dumplings at Ah Qiao's dumpling house are delicious and authentic; the Northeastern cuisine is well made and full of flavor; especially the health wine, it is so delicious when you drink it.
A comfort.
Customers who enter the store also know the famous Northeastern proverb: Dumplings are like wine, and the more you drink, the better.
Of course, there is also the following sentence: Eating dumplings without drinking alcohol is worse than feeding dogs.
The dumplings are delicious, the dishes are authentic, and the wine is mellow and heart-warming.
The store is simple and has a strong Guandong flavor.
An ear of sorghum, a hanging corn, a bunch of red peppers, and a welcoming smiling face.
The high-hanging red lanterns are full of joy, and the barked birch tree pillars tell the story of the snowy countryside.
A pot of old wine, a story;
A plate of dumplings, a piece of the past.
The earthy "Uncle, Second Aunt, you are here——" feels so cordial, as if you are at home, and if you are a fellow from the Northeast, you can't help but feel a sore root in your nose------
Ah Qiao, the first store in Suzhou, is very popular!