Reborn as Tycoon's Wife in the Countryside
Chapter 117 This is cutting off my financial means.

Chapter 117: 117 This is cutting off my financial means.

"Auntie Zhao, hello, please come in and take a seat." When guests arrive, one must greet them with a smile, "Of course, if Auntie Zhao is interested in making regular purchases from me, that’s definitely possible."

Zhao Yanhong glanced at Wu Ershun and noticed the foolish lad behaving as if he were at home ever since he’d entered the room, which made her wonder if Ershun might have taken a liking to the girl. Otherwise, why would he be so enthusiastic?

"Xiaofeng," Zhao Yanhong began with a smile, "it was somewhat abrupt of me to visit today. As you know, running a restaurant requires delicious food as well as cost management. Although your chili sauce is tasty, it is a bit expensive. For instance, the cost of a fish head for the chopped chili fish head dish is only one yuan, but the seasonings for preparing the fish head nearly costs another yuan, plus the wages of the staff, it doesn’t leave us with much profit."

Zhao Yanhong was a businesswoman, and she was clearly here to discuss business matters: "Xiaofeng, since you and Ershun are friends, I’ll speak frankly. I’m considering buying the recipe from you. Name your price, what do you say?"

Before coming over, she had her head chef try to replicate the sauce, but the flavor just wasn’t the same, which was why she had come to Ershun.

After all, a chopped chili recipe—if one could master it themselves—was ideal, as it would significantly reduce costs.

Xiaofeng understood what the visitor intended by now; it seemed like she was interested not in truly buying the goods, but in obtaining the secret recipe.

She smiled, "Auntie Zhao, there are rules in every trade. Right now, I’m relying on selling this chili sauce for income, but you’re talking about buying my recipe. You’re trying to cut off my financial lifeline."

This recipe was a result of hard work and collaboration during her past endeavors. It was only put into production after confirming the taste was good and that it could not be easily duplicated by others.

If she gave it away so readily, how could she continue doing business?

A look of discomfort flashed across Zhao Yanhong’s face, "I didn’t mean to cut off your finances. You can name a price, whatever you think is fair, and let’s see if I can accept it, right?"

"Sorry, Auntie Zhao," Xiaofeng offered a glass of water to the other party, "I won’t sell the recipe at this time. Of course, if you find the goods expensive, you can get a discount for future purchases from me." Making some allowance for Eastern City’s big restaurant, her first major client, was not out of the question.

"Xiaofeng," Zhao Yanhong looked around the room at the family members, who were few in number, "this is what I’m thinking—why don’t you send someone directly to work at my restaurant? I can pay them a salary, and they won’t have to do anything else but be responsible for supplying the chili sauce required daily. I assure you, the salary will be more than fair. This way, you retain your recipe, and our restaurant reduces its costs."

In her view, this was a perfect solution—she could offer a decent job and help retain the recipe, while significantly cutting down the restaurant’s costs.

Xiaofeng smiled and turned to He Ximei and Su Peng, "Auntie, big brother, Eastern City is offering you jobs. What do you think—interested?"

Su Peng chuckled, "Does it come with pig trotters to eat daily?"

He Ximei gave him a disdainful look, "I’m just a simple guy, what do I know about working in a restaurant? I’d rather stay at home and be your helper."

Zhao Yanhong had thought the tall man sitting across from her was normal, but after hearing him speak, she realized he was a bit simple-minded.

What would she do with a fool?

"Auntie Zhao, as you’ve heard, both my big brother and aunt are not willing to go," Xiaofeng said.

Zhao Yanhong looked at Xiaofeng, thinking to herself that despite her youth, she acted with a maturity beyond her years.

"Aunt," Wu Ershun, who had been quiet so far, now appeared displeased, "if you’re here to poach, I wouldn’t have accompanied you."

"I was just asking casually. What can I do if Xiaofeng doesn’t agree?" Since Ershun had introduced this business, Zhao Yanhong couldn’t afford to cross the line, "Xiaofeng, I will likely need to purchase around five to six hundred bottles per month from you. Can you give me a quote on that?"

She smiled, "Perhaps even more. We are currently developing new dishes based on your chili sauce, so the demand will only increase. Of course, you could also consider delivering in larger bottles, which would be convenient for both of us."

The most important point was, without the packaging, rivals wouldn’t know where their chili sauce came from.

"I can consider your idea, Auntie," Xiaofeng nodded, "It’s possible to switch to larger bottles."

"That’s settled then," having reached a satisfactory conclusion in the discussion, "then have Ershun give me a quote later—how much for the small bottles and how much for the large ones, so I have an idea."

"All right."

After leaving Xiaofeng’s house, Zhao Yanhong’s gaze at Wu Ershun had changed, "Ershun, tell your auntie honestly, do you fancy her?"

"Auntie, what are you thinking?" Ershun shook his head, "Su Xiaofeng was previously introduced to my big brother by the Luo Family, but neither of them agreed, so that matter came to nothing. It was by chance that she and I became friends. It’s only right to help each other out among friends, isn’t it?"

"I find her articulate and capable. It’s strange your brother wouldn’t take a liking to her."

"With my brother’s condition, he wouldn’t want to burden her," said Wu Ershun before leaving Zhao Yanhong back at the restaurant.

Watching Wu Ershun’s retreating figure, Zhao Yanhong pursed her lips and shook her head.

The eldest was steady, but in poor health.

Ershun, however, was restless, always busy with something or other, day and night.

But according to big sister, the eldest’s condition seemed to have improved.

When Ershun got home, there was a loud noise from upstairs.

"Mom, what’s wrong with my brother again?"

"That little dish you brought back the other day, your brother is looking for it. I told him the doctor said not to eat it, but he wouldn’t listen and is losing his temper with me now," Zhang Jiaojiao said helplessly, listening to the noise from upstairs.

Yifan’s appetite had finally improved these past few days. She carefully looked at Wu Ershun, "Ershun, maybe we should give your brother a little, huh? If he throws a tantrum and refuses to eat, that won’t be good either, right?"

Wu Ershun looked up at the ceiling and raised his voice, "The doctor said family members must cooperate for there to be hope of a cure."

There was a loud bang from upstairs, the sound of a door being shut.

"Mom, try taking it up again. If the doctor said no, then it’s a no. That’s for my brother’s own good."

"Alright, I got it." The way to the eldest’s room was thoroughly sealed, with only a small opening for passing meals through.

...

"Xiaofeng, this Eastern City Restaurant needs about six hundred bottles of chili sauce a month. Even if we make just fifty cents per bottle, that’s a tidy sum of nearly three hundred," Guaizi said. An entire month of odd jobs earned him how much? A little over a hundred at best, and on slow days, maybe just eighty or ninety.

Now, with just the Eastern City Restaurant as a client, one could earn several hundred a month, which was far better than what Guaizi made laboring outside.

"Auntie, we’re just getting started, look how happy you are. If our business really takes off, a few hundred a month will be nothing; we could be making thousands," Xiaofeng encouraged He Ximei as she painted her a big picture.

When people have motivation, they do things with vigor.

"Thousands a month?" He Ximei’s voice rose uncontrollably with excitement, "I never even dreamed of that."

Earning thousands a month would mean tens of thousands a year. By that measure, their family could become well-off.

No, that wasn’t quite right; their family was already well-off.

"From now on you can start dreaming," Su Xiaofeng said, a smile tugging at her lips as she watched her happiness.

"Hehe," He Ximei laughed joyfully, thinking about taking Su Peng out for a walk, and then realized Su Peng wasn’t in the house: "Eh, where’s your big brother?"

"Did he go out?"

"Oh no," He Ximei slapped her thigh, "He must have gone out."

Pengzi had a sweet tooth, and he could’ve been tempted by something again.

Upon leaving the yard, there was no sign of Su Peng.

"Xiaofeng, I don’t know where your big brother might have gone, I’ll go out and look," said He Ximei, her eyelid twitching at not seeing Su Peng.

"I’ll come look too," Xiaofeng emerged from inside, "Auntie, you go that way, I’ll go this way."

The two split up, one heading east and the other west, to search.

Passing through a deserted alley, Xiaofeng heard some noises and went to investigate.

In the alley, two men with iron rods in their hands and menacing stares cornered a tall and strong man: "Hand over all the money you have, or we’ll beat you to death."

Su Peng held his head, only daring to peek out with his eyes, then fished out a five-yuan note from his pocket: "This is all I have on me, please don’t hit me."

One of them snatched the five yuan from Su Peng’s hand: "Idiot, from now on you’re to bring us five yuan every day, or we’ll kill you."

"I don’t have any money," Su Peng tried to stand up, but one of the men barked, "Don’t move! Keep your head down and squat."

Su Peng crouched in the corner, hugging his head, afraid the iron rod would really come crashing down on him.