Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 127 Old Lady Chen's Confusion

Manager's office at Donglaishun Restaurant.

Chen Hongying had just finished a busy period and was preparing to take a break.

Ever since they added spinach and cucumbers to the menu, business has been booming. Before, we could at least take a break in the afternoon, but now customers are lining up from morning till night. Yesterday, the restaurant hired another batch of temporary workers to barely keep things going.

She had just sat down and drunk some water when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

The short waiter who had just greeted Li Zhe came in: "Manager Chen, Mr. Li, the supplier of the food, brought his friends to our restaurant for dinner. I took him to private room number 2."

“Well done. How many people are in Mr. Li’s party? Is it a business dinner or a family dinner?” Chen Hongying asked.

"There were five people in total, including elderly people and children. It looked like a family dinner."

"I understand, please treat them well." Watching the waiter leave, she drank her water while making her own plans.

She had heard Li Zhe mention some time ago that a batch of vegetables would be available soon. But so much time has passed and there's still no news.

She also subtly inquired with Wang Jianjun and learned that Li Zhe was now supplying food to restaurants and hotels catering to foreigners, in addition to Quanjude. Although Donglaishun was not bad, she was aware that it couldn't compare to restaurants and hotels catering to foreigners.

She's a little worried now, wondering if Li Zhe has been supplying all the food to hotels catering to foreigners? That's why there hasn't been any news from her side.

Although Donglaishun specializes in beef and mutton, eating too much of these can be greasy and cause internal heat. However, if vegetables are served alongside, it makes a difference. The restaurant's recent booming business is undoubtedly related to the cucumbers and spinach supplied by Li Zhe.

To put it bluntly, hot pot is a simple dish, and without a variety of side dishes, it's not very interesting to eat. The more variety of dishes, the more choices customers have, and the more repeat customers there will be.

Chen Hongying felt that she should take this opportunity to have a good talk with Li Zhe and try to get some new dishes from him.

Vegetables are hard to find this season, and if you don't keep a close eye on them, they might end up being supplied to someone else.

With that thought in mind, she finished the water in her glass, got up and left the office, then knocked on the door of private room number 2.

"Come in!" came the voice of a young man from inside the room.

Chen Hongying pushed open the door and saw Li Zhe flipping the meat with long chopsticks. "Boss Li, why are you doing it yourself? Didn't the waiters help you grill it? We just got a new batch of waiters recently, so please forgive us for not being able to provide adequate service."

"It's alright, it's alright. I insisted on grilling it myself. Grilled meat tastes best when you do it yourself," Li Zhe replied with a smile. "Manager Chen, it's been a while. Your business is getting better and better. The line of customers waiting to eat stretches all the way to Tiananmen Square."

"Hahaha," Manager Chen laughed, "Thanks to you, many customers know that our spinach is the only one of its kind in Beijing, and quite a few people come specifically to try it!"

"Congratulations! Your Donglaishun brand might surpass Quanjude's someday."

"Thank you for your kind words." These words really hit a nerve with Chen Hongying, who asked with a smile, "Mr. Li, are you here for dinner with your family?"

Li Zhe explained, "It's my uncle's birthday today, and my cousin was craving meat, so he brought his family here for a meal."

"Mr. Li, I'd also like to offer you a toast, Uncle." As she spoke, she picked up a beer from the table, poured herself a glass, walked to the head of the table, and bowed slightly. "Uncle Li, this toast is on behalf of the restaurant. May you enjoy boundless happiness and longevity. I'll drink it all, please feel free to drink as you please!"

"Okay, okay, thank you, Manager Chen!" Li Zhenguo was a little flustered, so he quickly stood up, picked up his wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Please enjoy your meal, everyone." After toasting, Chen Hongying said to Li Zhe, who was standing next to her, "Mr. Li, this meal is on me. I hope you and your family enjoy your meal."

Li Zhe said, "Manager Chen, I appreciate your kindness, but I can't let you treat me every time."

"Mr. Li, please don't stand on ceremony with me. We're all friends. Please have your meal first, and we can talk later," Chen Hongying said as she left the private room.

Li Zhe definitely wouldn't let the other party pay for the meal, but there was no need to make a big deal out of it in this situation. He could also tell that Chen Hongying probably had something to talk to him about, so he decided to wait and discuss it later.

After a while, the waiter brought in a plate of boiled sheep's head, four bottles of beer, and a bottle of Beibingyang soda, saying that Manager Chen had added them for them.

"Second brother, come on, let's have a drink!" Li Zhenguo bit open a bottle of beer with his teeth, poured a full glass, clinked glasses with Li Zhe, and drank it all in one gulp.

He had a wonderful birthday today, and the pent-up frustration he had felt for many years was finally gone.

To be fair, the Chen family had treated him well throughout his years in Beijing. There was just one thing that bothered him.

The Chen family looked down on his rural background. Although they didn't show it explicitly, it was still noticeable in their daily interactions.

The Chen family also had an eldest son-in-law. Whenever his brother-in-law came, he would sit in the main seat, while he could only run around serving and be the last to sit down at the table. He never complained, but he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable inside.

His wife also developed some resentment towards the Li family, seemingly afraid that their rural relatives would come knocking on their door to borrow money, leaving him caught in the middle and feeling very uncomfortable. Thinking deeper, while she outwardly looked down on the Li family, she was actually the one who truly despised him.

Just like when Li Zhe first visited the Chen family, it seemed like nothing much happened on the surface. In reality, Li Zhe stayed at the Chen family's house for less than 10 minutes, barely saying a few words before leaving. As the uncle, he felt very upset. The child had come all this way to see him, and he should have treated him well, but he simply didn't have that right.

In fact, it's not just the Chen family; many city dwellers are wary of poor relatives visiting their homes.

Li Zhenguo could understand, but he wasn't willing to accept it. Now things are much better; Li Zhe is making money growing winter-warm vegetables in greenhouses, and the whole Li family's life has improved as a result.

He knew that from this day forward, neither his wife nor his mother-in-law would look down on the Li family anymore. From now on, when his nephew visited, they would treat him warmly without him even having to ask.

It doesn't matter whether he celebrates his birthday or where he celebrates it; that's what truly makes him happy.

The chubby boy was equally happy; he had a wonderful day, enjoying all sorts of grilled meats, braised pork strips, and boiled sheep's head—everything was delicious. He even ate three sesame seed cakes, his stomach was completely round.

After finishing his meal, Li Zhe called the waiter to settle the bill, but the waiter said that Manager Chen had already paid.

Li Zhe escorted his second uncle and his group to the restaurant entrance. Manager Chen, having heard the news, also rushed out to see them off.

Chen Hongying said in a low voice, "Mr. Li, if you're not in a hurry to leave, why don't you come to my office for a cup of tea later?"

Although Li Zhe didn't know why the other party wanted to see him, a batch of mushrooms had just come into season, perfect for hot pot. He could take this opportunity to promote them to Donglaishun.

He said to Li Zhenguo, "Second Uncle, you guys go back first. Manager Chen and I have some more to discuss."

"Alright, alright, you go ahead with your work." Li Zhenguo greeted Manager Chen, then rode off on his bicycle with the chubby boy on the back.

The bicycle had gone quite a distance, but the chubby boy was still waving from the back seat. After the meal, the weight of "Second Brother" in his mind had skyrocketed.

Chen Shuping carried the old lady on her back, both mother and daughter remaining silent for a long time. After a long while, the old lady suddenly asked, "How did the Li family suddenly rise to prominence?"

After today's meal, Old Mrs. Chen felt a mix of emotions. The meat was fragrant, but it didn't taste right. Her poor in-laws, whom she used to look down on, were now showing off their wealth in front of her.

She wanted to get her revenge, but her means didn't allow it. Thinking of the prices on the menu, the old lady gasped. What kind of decent family would dare to eat like that?
Oh right, they didn't pay at all; the manager of Donglaishun treated them. This made her even more confused. The manager of Donglaishun was a respectable person, so why would he fawn over a guy from a rural area?

Is this world becoming increasingly incomprehensible?

Chen Shuping didn't reply, her questions no less than those of Old Mrs. Chen. She was originally a sent-down youth, and her marriage to Li Zhenguo was somewhat reluctant. However, Li Zhenguo was hardworking and kind to her, and their life was alright. Later, they had a child, and their relationship was considered harmonious.

However, things were different once they returned to Beijing. She didn't consider herself a snob, otherwise she wouldn't have brought her husband back to the city. But sometimes, the facts were staring her in the face, and she wasn't a saint. Seeing other men who were rich and capable, she would wonder why her husband came from a rural background. If she had married someone from Beijing, would her life have been completely different?

As for her relationship with the Li family, it was originally quite good. The two sisters-in-law had lived together for many years without any major conflicts. It wasn't until she came to the capital and was influenced by some factors that she gradually became estranged from the Li family.

Another thing is that two years ago, when Li Weidong got married, her husband knew that his older brother's family was struggling financially and wanted to help raise some money...

From then on, she began to be wary of the Li family.

She remembered her husband saying something like, "We're all family. If any of us brothers are in trouble, we'll help each other out. When my eldest brother's family has money, they'll definitely help our family too."

At the time, she was somewhat dismissive, thinking that the Li family, being from a rural background, would never amount to anything and would only result in one-sided sacrifices from her family.

Looking back, it really does prove the old saying, "Ten years east of the river, ten years west of the river."

……

In the morning, at No. 7 Suzhou Hutong, in the front courtyard.

Li Zhe was sitting in the living room studying a pager. He had never used one in his previous life; initially, he couldn't afford it, and there was no need for it. Later, when he had saved up some money, the thing had fallen out of fashion.

He looked at the instruction manual; the device wasn't complicated to use and was easy to get the hang of.

"Knock knock." There was a knock on the door. Li Zhe clipped the pager to his belt, walked over and opened the south door of the washroom. He saw a girl standing outside, grinning at him with her two big front teeth.

"Qinghe? Come in and have a seat."

Li Zhe poured the other person a cup of tea: "What brings you here today? Are you planning to take a car to Daying Village?"

“I’m not going today. I’m planning to stay in Beijing with my mother for two days, otherwise the old lady will get upset.” Zhou Qinghe sat down at the coffee table, picked up a teacup to warm her hands, and said, “I have something else I need your help with today.”

Li Zhe added some hot water to the teapot: "What is it?"

Afterwards, Zhou Qinghe told Li Zhe about her trip to school yesterday.

Li Zhe was both amused and exasperated: "You really love to show off, girl. You went back to school and now everyone knows?"

“Hey, why would I be afraid of people knowing that I grew these mushrooms myself? Besides, I only told Teacher Chen. Those girls at school don’t know anything. I didn’t tell them.” Zhou Qinghe paused, then continued, “Teacher Chen wants to arrange a meeting with you through me.”

Li Zhe countered, "What was your teacher's purpose in inviting me?"

“Professor Chen didn’t go into details, but I guess he wants to borrow your space to do vegetable breeding experiments.” Seeing Li Zhe remain silent, Zhou Qinghe continued, “Our teacher is a very nice person. He’s the kind of person who is single-mindedly focused on research. I think you two should be able to get along.”

Li Zhe thought for a moment and said, "Alright, since you've put it that way, I'll meet you. You can help me set a time."

(End of this chapter)