Food Intelligence King

Chapter 67 Soup Dumplings (Real Middle School)

Half past seven in the morning.

A busy little shop, the shop owner taking a break to check information.

[Food News]: Due to rainfall in Guangming District of Haibin City over the next two days, vegetable prices will rise slightly.

Chen Zhou:
If you want to include weather forecasts, please add a separate intelligence report.

However, this intelligence offers him more opportunities to utilize it now.

If it rains while you're setting up your stall, you can just stay home.

Now that Chen Zhou has opened a shop, he should definitely consider more things.

In terms of ingredients, he now buys some vegetables every day in addition to pork. This time, it's really good to prepare some in advance, but I don't know if Lao Zhang's pork will still be delivered on time.

If you open a shop, although you and your customers won't get soaked, business will still be affected to some extent. It's better to prepare less.

Chen Zhou glanced into the store.
The store is now packed with customers, as its small size does indeed have limited capacity.

If it rains, customers opening and closing their umbrellas can cause some chaos.

In the next couple of days, we could consider setting up a small temporary shelter outside, the kind that can be folded up. This would provide customers with temporary shelter from the wind and rain should it rain or snow.

Setting up and closing the umbrella in a spacious area near the entrance won't bother others.

Oh right, Chen Zhou remembered his vehicle. He could first remove the canopy from his electric food cart.

Chen Zhou remembered that there were also disposable raincoats, which he had seen children wearing when they played in the water in the community last time.

You can prepare a few yourself; the cost isn't high, just a few cents, but it can really help people who don't have an umbrella to make do temporarily.

Second piece of intelligence—

[Diner Update (Rare)]: Aunt Zheng Xiufang, 52 years old, from Bianliang, worked at a local soup dumpling shop for ten years and now takes care of her grandson in the Sunshine City residential area. She is skilled in making soup dumplings and has been dining at the shop with her grandson recently. Chat with her; she's happy to share her soup dumpling-making techniques. Aunt Zheng is truly amazing!

That's accurate! And the soup dumplings are accurate too!
Although many of the customers who dine at her shop are from the Sunshine City residential complex, it should be easy to identify them given that she brought her grandson along for the meal and her age.

Moreover, I know the aunt's name is Zheng Xiufang. I can contact her through the community group or the property management.

Aunt Zheng probably won't leave the Sunshine City residential area anytime soon.

Aunt Zheng is happy to share her tips on making soup dumplings, so I can seriously ask her for advice. That way, my little shop can have a new product category.

Chen Zhou was also considering whether there was an opportunity to hire this auntie to work in his shop, so she could help out temporarily or long-term.

As for the waitress position, it seems that my junior colleague is enough on her own. She can help out a little in the kitchen, but she would need more training and practice to take charge of making the steamed buns.

Having a skilled master craftsman is really great.

However, the information also mentioned that this aunt is taking care of her grandson, so she may not have time. Let's chat for now.

In short, +1 to do.

Finally--

[Market News] The owner of the tobacco and liquor store next door is about to buy the shop he is currently renting.

Chen Zhou recalled that a few days ago, when Sister Meng from next door came over to bring him watermelons, she mentioned that everyone should get together sometime.

They should definitely celebrate taking over this new store. This couple has been in the tobacco and alcohol business for over ten years, so they're quite well-off.

When things weren't too busy in the morning, Chen Zhou drove the food cart to the shop.

It was parked in the residential area, not far away, leaving my junior sister to watch the shop temporarily.

When Lao Meng saw Chen Zhou riding over next door, he went up and said a few words. The three of them then set up the small shed in front of the shop.

It's just right to lay it horizontally, and then put it in the stove near the door.

Because Chen Zhou was able to stand inside at the time, the height was sufficient. Now that the four-sided frame has been removed and the structure is placed back on the ground, it is more than enough for an average person.

The bottom will be reinforced with stone blocks to ensure there are no safety hazards, and it will definitely be able to block the rain.

It's rudimentary, definitely a bit rudimentary. But the conditions were limited.

Meng Da said, "Setting up a small stall to provide shade is a good idea. The shops on the ground floor facing the sun are always sunny in the summer."

Old Meng also has a small umbrella and a small table in front of his door, and today I saw that he also put a pot of flowers there.

Chen Zhou then reminded him, "It might rain these next couple of days."

"rain?"

After hearing this, Lao Meng and his junior sister each looked at their phones.

The junior sister started chattering away:
"That's true, it's going to drizzle tomorrow. If I come early, I probably won't make it in time for the rain. If it rains heavily, I'll take the subway, but then I might not have time to cook porridge. I just learned how to make it, and I want to practice more."

Chen Zhou comforted her, saying, "If it rains heavily, you shouldn't come. There probably won't be much business anyway. I can keep an eye on things myself."

But the junior sister thinks she loves going to work.

"Come if you want."

As you grow up, you develop your own ideas.

Old Meng, however, looked puzzled after looking at the phone:

"How do I get 'sunny'?"

Real-world weather forecasts may not be that accurate; changing your phone or the app can yield different results.

People often joke: "Just wait until it starts raining, then we can make some changes later; let's just give a simple forecast for now."

Anyway, be careful, if it rains, it'll be light rain. If it rains, it'll probably be heavy rain.

It all depends on how people interpret it.

The three of them walked back into the shop and chatted.

Chen Zhou smiled and said, "You've decorated the entrance quite nicely. Did you reach an agreement?"

Old Meng was somewhat smug: "I was discussing with the landlord a while ago, trying to buy this shop. They initially asked for a higher price, but this time we've really reached a good deal. 120 million is acceptable to everyone."

As the old saying goes, meeting people means a short life, while encountering goods means more money.

Chen Zhou was happy to share the previous intelligence with Lao Meng.

“The price you paid this time is quite reasonable. When I was renting, I also inquired at the rental and sales center, and it was about the same price. Your place comes with renovations, so you don’t have to move again. It’s a good deal.”

"Hey, I love visiting your place!"

Old Meng laughed: "Let's have another meal after we've completely settled this matter."

"Congratulations in advance, Brother Meng."

Old Meng got up and brought over two more bottles of soda water from his shop.

"New arrivals, have a taste."

Old Meng felt that his tobacco and liquor store business had improved since Chen Zhou's breakfast stall opened.

Ground floor shops, a row of shops, once the foot traffic increases, everyone's business will improve.

He said to Chen Zhou, "I feel that in a year or two, you will be able to buy this shop."

"Lend your auspicious words."

Chen Zhou smiled and gulped down half a bottle, the bubbles playfully hissing in his mouth.

Old Meng emphasized, "This is the truth, not just empty praise."

He genuinely believed that Chen Zhou's breakfast stall had the capability.

(End of this chapter)