Chapter Thirty-Six: A New Idea

Chen Huajiang came over to mock Wu De and his group with his own motives. As long as Wu De’s snack bar couldn’t keep running and eventually closed, he could rent their place at a low price and expand his own business. Wouldn’t that make his operations even bigger?

“Wu De, you guys just can’t make it here. I suggest you find another place,” Chen Huajiang continued to provoke Wu De.

“Whether we make it or not is none of your business. If this business doesn’t work out, we’ll just switch to another. Either way, we’re not leaving, so you can give up that idea,” Wu De replied without much thought.

Chen Huajiang shook his head and returned to his own snack bar.

At first, Daguang had worried that Wu De would affect their business, but now it was clear there was no impact at all.

“Brother Jiang, I bet they’ll be out of business in a couple of days.”

“They won’t last a week—just wait and see.” Chen Huajiang was confident. The food Wu De and his group were serving was simply inedible.

When he got home that night, Lin Jiayin and Huanhuan were already asleep. Chen Huajiang realized this couldn’t continue; his late returns disturbed their rest. He planned to find a two-bedroom apartment so at least they wouldn’t be affected.

Moreover, he returned home late every night, which was not what he wanted. His goal was to expand his business so that he wouldn’t have to work so hard, only needing to oversee the general direction.

But now, the only thing he lacked was money. Even though the snack bar was profitable, it was not enough for him to open a large restaurant.

He could still open another small shop like this one, though.

With that in mind, Chen Huajiang took out a notebook and pen. He decided to recruit a few apprentices and first teach them how to grill lamb skewers. Then he would find another location and hire a manager to help out.

But whom should he hire as manager? He wasn’t sure yet.

He decided to recruit the apprentices first. If it didn’t work out, he would just juggle both places himself.

The next day, Chen Huajiang posted a large notice at the entrance of the snack bar, announcing he was hiring apprentices.

He wanted to turn his barbecue business into a chain, with both franchises and his own direct-operated stores. Each had its advantages and disadvantages: the direct stores were harder to manage but more profitable.

As for the franchises, while the profits weren’t as high, he wouldn’t have to worry about them.

Chen Huajiang’s goal was simple: to make money. Only with enough money could he open a big restaurant and move into more upscale ventures.

At the time, many people were laid off. After seeing his recruitment notice, several came in to ask about the pay.

Apprentices, of course, couldn’t expect the same wages as Daguang—ten or twenty yuan a month at most. Still, three people applied for the job.

When Liang Long came over, he asked, puzzled, “Huajiang, why are you hiring so many apprentices?”

The thought of a manager crossed Chen Huajiang’s mind. If he opened a branch, he could let Liang Long manage it. Although Liang Long hadn’t invested much before, he’d definitely talk him into investing in the next shop.

Since he’d already tasted the profits and received a decent share, he’d probably be quite willing.

“Let me ask you, is our snack bar making money or not?” Chen Huajiang asked.

“Of course it’s making money! But we don’t need that many apprentices—you just hired three at once.” Liang Long didn’t understand Chen Huajiang’s intentions.

“Because I’m planning to open a branch. Since this snack bar is profitable, why not open another? With two shops, we’ll make even more. Let me be direct—do you want to invest in the second branch or not?”

Chen Huajiang was straightforward; they’d known each other for so long, there was no need to beat around the bush. Though Liang Long used to be a bit of a loafer, lately he’d been acting much better—mainly because Chen Huajiang had helped him make money.

“Of course I want in. Just tell me what to do,” Liang Long replied without hesitation.

“Five hundred yuan for a twenty percent share. If you’re in, we’ll do it that way. If not, I’ll find someone else.” The price was a bit steep, but Liang Long was tempted. The current snack bar made a hundred or two a day in profit; in a month or two, his dividends would more than cover the five hundred yuan. And for him, it wasn’t a huge sum.

“Five hundred yuan is fine. When are you opening, and where?” Liang Long, ever shrewd, pressed for details.

Chen Huajiang had thought about locations; he finally decided on the textile factory’s entrance. There were plenty of workers and the factory was sizable. He just didn’t know if there was a space for rent at the entrance, but if there was, it would be ideal.

“What do you think about the textile factory? There are lots of people there,” Chen Huajiang shared his thoughts.

“I’ve been there—there’s no space for rent, but there’s an open lot out front where we could build something. The only question is whether they’d let us.”

In the 1980s, there were no commercial properties for rent. Places were either city-owned or private. Factories like the textile mill usually owned their own real estate.

“Do you know anyone there?”

“I know someone distantly, not very well, but I could get in touch. We just need to offer a little finder’s fee, right?”

Liang Long had a knack for these things and the ability to get them done.

“Then I’ll leave finding the spot to you. I won’t get involved. Remember, we can just do evenings—no need to make braised pork for lunch.”

Chen Huajiang didn’t want the hassle; after all, Daguang was his only chef, and he was stubborn and wouldn’t teach anyone else his recipes.

“I’ll ask around tonight and see if I can sort it out,” Liang Long said. After he left, Chen Huajiang set up a large pot and started simmering bone broth.

Since he’d returned, he hadn’t gotten around to this task. He’d been thinking about what to add to the soup for the best flavor. After several attempts, he finally found a recipe he liked.

The tricky part about making lamb soup was cooking the meat, then slicing it thinly. Chen Huajiang did all this himself. Daguang had his own responsibilities, so each man focused on his own work.

Though they had a few waiters now, they were busy skewering meat.

After working all afternoon, Chen Huajiang gathered all the staff together, preparing to serve each of them a bowl of lamb soup.