Going home for the Chinese New Year with a year-end bonus of 100 million

At 11:30 a.m., everything was ready.

In the kitchen, three large soup pots were filled with a milky white broth that was gently bubbling, and the beans inside were stewed until they were soft and tender.

In the refrigerated display case in the front hall, various washed vegetables are neatly arranged; in the meat section, sliced ​​pork belly, beef rolls, luncheon meat, and other meats are also ready.

At the checkout counter, Li Cuihua reviewed how to use the barcode scanner one last time.

Lin Xiaoyu and Xiaoya did a final check on the tableware and condiment bottles on each table.

Zhou Yao ran to the door and hung up the "Open for Business" sign.

Yang Fan stood in the center of the store, looking at all of this, and felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction welling up in his heart.

This is a real business created by his family with their own hands.

"Time's up!" Xiaoya said excitedly, glancing at her phone.

Yang Jianguo, Yang Jianmin, and Yang Hao also rushed over from the vegetable stall, carrying a string of firecrackers—although they couldn't be set off in the city, it was a ritual.

It's exactly twelve o'clock.

Yang Fan walked to the door, smiled at his family members waiting outside and a few curious neighbors, and then pulled open the glass door.

"Qianweifang Bean and Rice Hot Pot officially opens today!"

There was no grand ribbon-cutting ceremony, no noisy band, only the sincere smiles of family members and the aroma of food filling the air.

But this simple opening felt incredibly real and heartwarming.

The first to enter were several college students who lived nearby; they were attracted by the aroma.

"Boss, what kind of hot pot is this? It smells amazing!"

"Bean and rice hot pot, a Guizhou specialty," Lin Xiaoyu introduced in her gentle voice as she stepped forward.

"The soup base is made from bones and beans, vegetables are free, and meat is ordered separately. It costs about 20 to 30 yuan per person."

"So cheap? I'll have a pot to try!"

The first table of guests sat down.

Hearing the commotion in the front of the kitchen, Lin's mother's hands trembled slightly, but she took a deep breath and, following the procedure she had practiced countless times, scooped up a pot of soup base, put it into a small pot on the induction cooker, prepared the dipping sauce, and had Xiaoya take it out.

Then came the second table, the third table...

Around 12:30, six of the eight tables in the store were already full.

A dozen or so students from Zhou Yao's e-sports club arrived as scheduled, quickly filling up the remaining two tables.

"Yaoyao, this is your shop? It looks nice!"

"It smells delicious! Hurry, hurry, I'm starving!"

Zhou Yao greeted them like a boss lady:

"Don't rush, don't rush! It'll be right there! We're having a grand opening today, so every table gets a free serving of pork belly!"

The store suddenly became lively.

The bubbling of the pot, the laughter of the guests, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks... all blended together, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.

Yang Fan didn't sit idle; he helped serve dishes, add soup, and clear empty tables.

Every time I passed by Lin Xiaoyu, I could always feel her secretly casting glances my way.

When their eyes meet by chance, she will look away hastily like a startled deer, her ears turning red.

Yang Fan felt a mixture of amusement and warmth.

This girl is too easily embarrassed.

But her attentiveness and thoughtfulness are evident in every detail—if she sees a customer's soup is almost gone, she will promptly remind them to add more; if a customer doesn't know how to make the dipping sauce, she will patiently explain; if a child is running around, she will gently remind them to be careful…

At 1:30 p.m., the first wave of guests began to leave.

Xiaoya and Zhou Yao took the initiative to step forward and asked about the dining experience with smiles.

"How's the taste? Is it to your liking?"

"Delicious! Absolutely delicious!" exclaimed a bespectacled boy.

"This soup base is so fragrant! The beans are stewed until they're soft and tender, and it's absolutely amazing when mixed with the dipping sauce! Plus, the vegetables are free, and my roommates and I are so full!"

"Auntie, the houttuynia cordata in this dipping sauce... tastes a bit special, but I'm getting more and more addicted to it!" another girl said with a smile.

"The soup is very flavorful and not greasy at all; it feels much healthier than spicy hot pot!"

Almost all the feedback was positive.

Hearing these comments in the kitchen, Lin's mother finally relaxed her tense shoulders and a relieved smile appeared on her face.

Wang Xiuying and Li Cuihua exchanged a smile, and their movements became even lighter.

However, business slowed down after the peak season.

Between 2 and 3 p.m., only a few tables of guests arrived sporadically.

Around 3 PM, the store was completely empty.

Everyone could finally catch their breath and sit down to rest for a while.

Li Cuihua took a calculator and began calculating today's sales.

"One table, two tables... a total of eight tables were full at noon, plus three more that came later, making a total of eleven tables. Most of them had three or four people per table..."

She pressed the calculator for a while, then looked up: "So far, I've collected... six hundred and twenty yuan."

Upon hearing this number, the expressions of the three elders changed slightly.

Wang Xiuying counted on her fingers: "Six hundred and twenty... the rent is almost seven hundred a day... this... this isn't even enough to cover the rent!"

Lin's mother also became anxious: "Is it...is the taste not good enough? Or is the price too high?"

Yang Fan noticed their worries and immediately offered words of comfort:

"Mom, Third Aunt, Aunt Lin, don't worry."

"Today is only the first day of business, and it's before schools have officially started, so this level of customer traffic is already quite good."

"Yes, Auntie!" Zhou Yao chimed in.

"Just think about it, at least half the students haven't returned to school yet! Once school starts in a few days, business will definitely boom!"

Xiaoya nodded in agreement: "Besides, we only did one lunch session and sold over six hundred. If we do another wave during dinner time, we might break a thousand. Once all the students are back, selling two or three thousand a day won't be a problem!"

Lin Xiaoyu added softly, "Besides... our costs are actually not high. The vegetables are from our own vegetable stall, so there are almost no costs."

"The main cost of the soup base is beans and bones, which aren't expensive. The real bulk of the cost is the meat, but the meat is ordered separately, and we make a profit based on how much the customer orders."

Her analysis softened the expressions of the elders.

Just then, Zhou Yao glanced at her phone and said to Yang Fan:

"Brother, I need to go back first. I have to go check on my brother. Even though he can be unreliable sometimes, since you've decided to invest in him, I should help him out if I can."

Yang Fan nodded in understanding.

This girl may complain about her brother, but she actually cares about him more than anyone else.

"Go ahead. Contact me anytime if needed."

"Alright!" Zhou Yao waved and left in a hurry.

After resting for about an hour, at 4:30 pm, everyone started preparing for the evening market again.

Lin's mother cooked a new pot of soup base, Wang Xiuying and Li Cuihua added vegetables, and Lin Xiaoyu and Xiaoya wiped the tables and chairs again.

Just after five o'clock, guests arrived.

Most of the people who came this time were local residents, bringing their families, with five or six people at each table.

"I heard there's a new bean and rice hot pot place that just opened here? I'll have to try it!"

"It smells delicious! Boss, give me a pot!"

Business was even better in the evening than in the lunch hour; from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the restaurant was almost always full.

Lin's mother was so busy in the kitchen that she barely had time to breathe, but the smile on her face grew brighter and brighter.

Wang Xiuying and Li Cuihua were serving dishes and clearing tables; although tired, they were full of energy.

Lin Xiaoyu is in charge of greeting customers and handling cashier duties. She has a gentle voice and a patient attitude, and many customers praise her, saying, "This girl is really great."

Xiaoya and Yang Fan became versatile substitutes, going wherever they were needed.

At 8 p.m., the last table of guests left.

Li Cuihua hung up the "Closed" sign, and everyone could finally relax completely.

Although they were tired, everyone had a satisfied smile on their face.

"Come on, let's take stock!" Wang Xiuying said enthusiastically.

Counting cash, verifying QR code payments, calculating total revenue...

"Today's total..." Li Cuihua finished pressing the calculator, looked up, her eyes shining, "One thousand three hundred and eighty yuan!"

"So many?" Lin's mother exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes!" Wang Xiuying laughed, "They sell even better at night than at noon!"

Yang Jianguo patted his wife on the shoulder: "What did I tell you? Our food is delicious, we don't need to worry about not having customers!"

The family gathered together; although they were tired, the atmosphere was exceptionally warm.

Yang Fan felt a surge of warmth in his heart as he watched this scene.

Whether you have a lot of money or a little, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that family is together, working towards a common goal. That sense of security and fulfillment is something money can't buy.

By the time I finished tidying up the shop, it was almost nine o'clock.

Since the shop wasn't far from home, everyone decided to walk back, which would be a good opportunity to enjoy the evening breeze and relax.

Several elders walked ahead, chatting and laughing about the day's interesting events and shortcomings.

Yang Hao followed Xiaoya, listening to her chatter about what she had seen and heard that day.

Xiaoya… her eyes darted around, and she suddenly grabbed Yang Hao:

"Haozi, let's go buy some drinks at that little shop up ahead! Brother, Sister Xiaoyu, take your time!"

After saying that, he grabbed Yang Hao and ran forward without saying another word.

In the blink of an eye, only Yang Fan and Lin Xiaoyu remained walking behind.

As night deepened, the streetlights cast a warm glow on the two of them.

A cool evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs on Lin Xiaoyu's forehead.

The two walked side by side, neither of them speaking for a moment.

The atmosphere was somewhat subtle, and also somewhat...ambiguous.

Yang Fan cleared his throat, breaking the silence: "You must be exhausted today?"

"It's alright," Lin Xiaoyu said softly. "Seeing that the customers enjoy the food makes me not feel tired at all."

She paused, then added, "Mom is especially happy today. She hasn't been this happy in a long time..."

Yang Fan turned his head to look at her.

The girl's profile looked exceptionally soft under the streetlights; she had long eyelashes, a high nose bridge, and slightly pursed lips.

"And what about you?" he asked. "Is there anything you particularly want to do? Not just help out at home."

Lin Xiaoyu was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Yang Fan to ask this.

She thought about it carefully, then shook her head:

"For now... there are no specific details yet."

"I was thinking that once school started, I would focus on finishing my studies. After graduation, I would find a stable job, work hard, and try my best to help my family as much as I could."

A very pragmatic and simple idea.

It suits her personality.

Yang Fan nodded, then asked, "Have you ever thought about starting your own business? Like opening a studio, or doing some small business?"

Lin Xiaoyu smiled a little shyly:

"Brother, I...I've thought about it. But I don't think now is the time."

"I have nothing right now—no experience, no money, no connections. I want to work hard for a few years, accumulate experience, and only consider those things when I'm truly confident."

She looked up at Yang Fan, her eyes clear and firm:

"Besides... I think things are fine as they are now."

"I'm content as long as I can help my mom run the hot pot restaurant well and see our family's life getting better day by day."

Yang Fan's heart skipped a beat.

This girl is really different from many of her peers.

Not impetuous, not vain, knowing what you want and how to achieve it step by step.

"That's good," Yang Fan said. "You have your own plans and you're down-to-earth. If you need any help, just let me know."

"Mmm," Lin Xiaoyu replied softly, feeling a warm glow in her heart.