1996: Starting from a bankrupt farmhouse restaurant

Chapter 126 Poor Chen Dongsheng

"Haha, just kidding!" Lu Yuan flicked the ticket with his finger, stood up, and said, "Let's go, everyone's waiting for you."

""

"Why are you waiting for me?" Zhao Yan asked, puzzled, and stood up.

"If you don't come back, none of us will get to eat this duck!" Lu Yuan laughed and led Zhao Yan into the front hall.

Lu Yuan, crouching by the kitchen doorway, called out, "Eldest apprentice, go catch the ducks!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jie immediately ran out and excitedly said to Zhao Yan, "Teacher Zhao, you're finally back!"

A short while later, Lu Jie returned to the front hall carrying the duck, followed by Wei Yinghong who kept calling out, "Slow down, don't let the duck wobble to the ground!"

Lu Yuan had already set up a set of tools for slicing the duck on the dining table in the front hall. The moment Zhao Yan saw the duck, she recognized it: "Peking duck from Beijing?"

At this moment, Wei Yinghong also came to the front hall and said to Zhaoyan, "Yanyan, you've been away from home for a month now. Come and try some food from your hometown!"

"Auntie, we only eat roast duck a few times a year."

Zhao Yan patiently explained to Wei Yinghong that roast duck is not an everyday dish, and people in Beijing sometimes don't eat it for years. But this touched Zhao Yan even more, as the other party had prepared a dish from her hometown to comfort her longing for home. The sentiment was truly rare.

It's like when someone from the northern region goes to another place and the other person prepares a whole roasted lamb to entertain them; how could they not be moved?

Lu Yuan was very fast; in the time it took for them to talk, a plate of duck slices was already full.

"Teacher Xiao Zhao, please demonstrate the correct way to eat it," Lu Yuan said with a smile as he put the knife away.

Zhao Yan did not refuse. She picked up a lotus leaf pancake, then picked up a piece of duck meat, dipped it in sweet bean sauce, and placed it on top.

Shredded scallions and cucumbers were placed on the lotus leaf pancake in turn. Finally, one side was sealed and rolled up, revealing neatly arranged duck meat, shredded scallions, and shredded cucumbers on the other side.

However, after rolling it up, Zhao Yan didn't eat it herself, but handed it to Wei Yinghong, saying, "Auntie, you eat first!"

As an elder present, Wei Yinghong did not refuse and took it, taking a small bite.

This duck pancake is soft, crispy, tender, and refreshing, with the aroma of oil, soy sauce, and fresh fruits and vegetables blended together, and the meat flavor becomes stronger the more you chew.

Lu Jie and the others couldn't help but swallow as they looked at the duck roll in Wei Yinghong's hand.

Zhao Yan didn't stop there; she rolled up another duck pancake and handed it to Lu Jie, saying, "Brother Lu Jie, here you go. You guys have been waiting for me, thank you!"

"Thank you, Teacher Xiao Zhao!" Lu Jie nervously accepted it, stuffed it into his mouth in one gulp, and chewed frantically with his cheeks puffed out.

"You're so shameless! You just eat whatever's offered to you, while Teacher Xiao Zhao hasn't even had any yet!"

Lu Yuan punched Lu Jie, who couldn't speak and just kept jumping up and down.

"It's alright!" Zhao Yan smiled and rolled up a duck pancake for everyone.

He gave one of the last two portions to Lu Yuan and kept the other in his own hand, taking a small bite.

"Wow! This tastes so authentic!" Zhao Yan covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes shining.

"Lu Yuan, you're really amazing! You even make Peking duck like this!"

"You noticed that?" Lu Yuan also took a bite, quite satisfied with his cooking skills.

"Show-off..." Zhao Yan rolled her eyes at him. After spending the past two days together, she knew that Lu Yuan was not a humble person.

. . .

Silent all night.

Today is Sunday, the last day of August.

Tomorrow is the first day of school, and Zhao Yan feels a little nervous and excited.

After breakfast, her second uncle took her to school early to prepare for tomorrow's flag-raising ceremony.

The lunchtime was as bustling as ever, and the kitchen only gradually quieted down after 2 p.m.

After the diners finished eating, they left one after another. After a while, only two tables of guests remained in the front hall.

Suddenly, a customer who had come alone slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Waiter, come here!"

This shout startled all the diners.

The waiters were taken aback and didn't know what to do. Zhenzhen, the receptionist, immediately ran over and bowed slightly, saying, "Is there a problem? Please tell me!"

The troublemaker was a young man with a buzz cut and a small mustache; he looked quite fierce.

But it's not the kind of scoundrel you see in thugs; it's simply vicious.

When Zhenzhen was talking to this person, her heart couldn't help but pound.

The man didn't confront Zhenzhen directly, but instead pointed at the plate and said, "What is this garbage? Making dishes like this shows your boss has terrible manners!"

Zhenzhen was bewildered by the empty plate and the man's inexplicable words.

She was a little confused about what the man wanted to do.

Generally speaking, people who come to restaurants to cause trouble either find hair in their food or complain about the taste and feel cheated.

What's going on with this person criticizing their boss for having poor manners?

"Hey, young man, you've got quite a temper!" A lady in a suit at another table suddenly remarked.

Zhenzhen recognized her; this lady was a regular customer who came for lunch.

The woman was probably in her thirties, with neat short hair and a dashing face. Her suit was impeccably tailored and looked expensive.

She always thought this woman was very cool, with the demeanor of a strong woman.

The young man glared at the woman not far away and said, "What's it to you?"

"What does this have to do with me? Heh!" The woman stood up, walked in front of the young man, and said, "We know all too well what level of food Boss Lu makes. Are you here to cause trouble?" The woman looked down at him with disdain.

The young man also got angry, leaned back in his chair, crossed one leg, tilted his head, and said, "So what if I'm trying to cause trouble?"

Although the woman's face naturally exudes a heroic air, her features are exquisite, her makeup is meticulous, and the bright red of her lips is like a blazing flame.

She picked up a cup from the table and suddenly splashed tea leaves all over the young man's face. She even took a step forward and looked down at him without any fear.

This unexpected turn of events left everyone completely bewildered, and the young man sat there dumbfounded.

He stood there stunned for several seconds before wiping the tea leaves and water stains off his face.

Then he clenched his fist tightly, but after thinking for a moment, he loosened it.

He then slammed his fist on the table a few times, turned around with his back to the woman, and walked towards the front desk while shouting, "Lu Yuan, Lu Yuan, get the hell out here! All your customers are crazy!"

At this moment, Lu Yuan was summoned by the waiter and came to the front hall from the small courtyard.

He took a step back as soon as he entered, exclaiming in surprise, "Dongsheng? You look like a drowned rat!"

"Damn it!" Chen Dongsheng exclaimed, looking both innocent and resentful. "Your customer's gone mad! I just cursed at you once, and they splashed this all over my face!"

Lu Yuan said with a gloating look, "You deserved it! You insulted me on my turf, you're lucky you didn't get beaten up!"

"What? You son of a bitch, you're going too far now! Not only did you talk me to death, but your customer even threw something in my face!" Chen Dongsheng felt more and more aggrieved, his face full of indignation.

Hearing Chen Dongsheng's words, Lu Yuan couldn't help but laugh. He patted Chen Dongsheng on the shoulder and said, "Have a seat first, I'll take care of this!"

Then, as Lu Yuan walked towards the dashing older woman, he instructed Zhenzhen, "Zhenzhen, keep an eye on this guy; he hasn't paid yet!"

Chen Dongsheng grinned and said, "This guy..."

Lu Yuan quickly walked up to the short-haired woman and said apologetically, "I'm so sorry, that was just my friend joking with me. I'm sorry to have disturbed your meal. How about this, I'll give you a free meal today."

The short-haired woman ignored what Lu Yuan said, and instead looked at him with a smile, saying softly, "Boss Lu, I came here specifically to see you today."

"Looking for me?" Lu Yuan asked, somewhat surprised. "What do you need me for?"

The short-haired woman raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm going to Shenzhen soon. I don't like the food there, so I'd like to take you with me."

"You mean, you want me to cook for you?" Lu Yuan asked back.

The short-haired woman took a step closer and said, "Just being a cook isn't enough to catch my eye. You're also very much my type."

.

Lu Yuan felt increasingly uneasy as he listened, a chill running down his spine. He took a step back and said, "Wait a minute, we don't know each other, do we?"

"To be precise, you don't know me, but I've already set my sights on you." A hint of allure appeared on the short-haired woman's otherwise strong and capable face.

Lu Yuan gasped and decisively refused, "I'm sorry, I have no such intention."

"Don't rush to refuse. A man as outstanding as you shouldn't waste his youth in the kitchen." The short-haired woman tossed his hair, exuding confidence: "I'll give you 2 a month. Think about it."

Lu Yuan shook his head again and refused, saying, "I won't consider it. I have to go now."

After saying that, Lu Yuan turned and left, but the short-haired woman's voice rang out behind him: "I'll come again!"

This scene stunned everyone else present. Chen Dongsheng pointed at Lu Yuan, who had walked over, his mouth agape but no sound came out.

He never dreamed that the dream everyone had as children would actually be realized by that bastard Lu Yuan!

He originally came to Lu Yuan to demand an explanation, but unexpectedly a beautiful woman appeared and mistook him for the villain, leading to a heroic rescue.

This is outrageous!

As Lu Yuan passed by Chen Dongsheng, he grabbed him and pulled him toward the backyard, casually instructing Zhenzhen, "Remember to give that lady a free meal."

In the backyard, Lu Yuan sat in a chair without saying a word. He couldn't understand why someone would suddenly appear and offer to take care of him.

Was it her looks or her cooking skills that won her over?

Chen Dongsheng was even more bewildered than Lu Yuan. He hadn't avenged his great grudge yet, and now he was being force-fed dog food of unknown flavor!

This is so frustrating!

Chen Dongsheng circled Lu Yuan a few times, then pulled out a chair and sat down opposite him, saying, "Lu Yuan, stop playing dead. Explain yourself one thing at a time. First, what's with the way you cursed me to death for no reason?"

Lu Yuan shrugged and spread his hands, saying, "It's a white lie, isn't it? Since you already know, you should have met Doctor Huang and the others, right?"

Chen Dongsheng glared at Lu Yuan and said irritably, "Never seen him! Dr. Huang sent you a thank-you letter through the Jiangnan charity organization. In the letter, he specifically mentioned a young man named Chen Dongsheng, whose unfortunate passing prompted Boss Lu's charitable act!"

Cough!

Lu Yuan suddenly felt discomfort in his lungs and started coughing!

Being stared at by the person involved was indeed a bit awkward. Lu Yuan thought to himself, "What's wrong with this Lao Huang?"

If you're going to write a thank-you note, just write it. Why go through all the details?

Kindness is ingrained in our bones; it doesn't necessarily arise from provocation!

It seems that Dr. Huang's understanding of charity is somewhat one-sided!

"Dongsheng!" Lu Yuan sat up, staring at the other person with a serious expression, and said, "Was the lamb good? If you're still not full, how about I cook you something else?"

"Don't interrupt!" Chen Dongsheng finally said with a serious expression, "The boss contacted me. When you go to collect the award, you absolutely have to explain this to me clearly!"

"Sure, sure!" Lu Yuan readily agreed, then, catching the key point in Chen Dongsheng's words, asked, "What prize?"

Chen Dongsheng snorted and said, "You're lucky, kid. A provincial-level advanced individual business owner!"

"What's the use?" Lu Yuan really didn't know.

Chen Dongsheng counted on his fingers: "Special loan approval, special site approval, tax and fee reductions, upward rating..."

Chen Dongsheng went on and on, leaving Lu Yuan speechless. He suddenly sighed and said, "Dongsheng, if you had come a day earlier, I wouldn't have taken a woman's money!"

The mention of women and money ignited Chen Dongsheng's anger even more. He stood up, grabbed Lu Yuan's arm, and demanded, "So, besides this short-haired beauty today, another woman gave you money yesterday?"

Lu Yuan thought for a moment, then nodded: "That seems to be the idea."

"Ah!" Chen Dongsheng erupted in rage, grabbing Lu Yuan's shoulders and shaking him violently. "I'm going to kill you! What the hell gives you the right?!"

Lu Yuan was so dizzy from being shaken by Chen Dongsheng that he suddenly felt his vision go blank. Chen Dongsheng cried out in pain and rolled to the side.

On the other side, Zhao Yan was striking a pose with her legs raised high, looking incredibly cool.

"Lu Yuan, are you alright?" Zhao Yan helped Lu Yuan up and asked, "Why did this person run into the backyard and say he was going to kill you? Why didn't Lu Jie and the others stop him?"

Chen Dongsheng has gone mad. He grew up with Lu Yuan and thought he knew Lu Yuan very well.

The two were mischievous and troublesome since childhood, and no girl ever liked them.

But today, two women actually hit him for Lu Yuan's sake, which is tantamount to Lu Yuan's blatant betrayal!

Lu Yuan could tell that Zhao Yan's kick was no ordinary move, so he asked her curiously, "How come you know some martial arts?"

Zhao Yan brandished her small fist again and said, "Didn't I tell you before that I can hit really hard? I've practiced!"

"By the way, who is this? Should we call the police?" Zhao Yan asked, pointing to Chen Dongsheng, who was lying on the ground with his buttocks sticking out.

Lu Yuan then noticed that Chen Dongsheng was still sticking out on the ground, and immediately helped him up, asking, "Dongsheng, you still haven't told me what brought you here today?"

Lu Yuancai didn't believe what Zhao Tong said. Could it be that someone was really so bored as to come all the way from the provincial capital to Luwangtan Village to mess with him?

Chen Dongsheng said innocently, "I'm notifying you of the award collection time. Your spot was added later. September 16th, don't forget!"

Lu Yuandao said, "Look at you, you could have just made a phone call, why did you have to come all the way here in person!"

Chen Dongsheng spat and said speechlessly, "I was just passing by. You think you're so great? You think I'd come all this way just to tell you? I'm leaving, I'm not coming back!"

Zhao Yan understood what was going on and realized that she had been somewhat rash, so she immediately apologized to Chen Dongsheng.

Chen Dongsheng wasn't that petty; he did have other things to do, so he left first.

There was a private banquet scheduled for the afternoon, and Lu Yuan had already wasted a lot of time, so he quickly went to prepare the dishes.

Both tables today were occupied by new customers. One table was introduced by Zhang Yuwen's chef, and the other by Mr. Ding's wife.

Neither of these were business banquets that involved drinking and ostentation, so most of the dishes could be repeated, making the food preparation relatively easy.

Although the meal was quite expensive, Lu Yuan ordered more than 20 different dishes, including platters and drinks, and each dish was uniquely prepared.

Both tables of guests were very satisfied with their meal and came to exchange phone numbers with Lu Yuan, but unfortunately, the landline had not yet been installed.

After seeing the guests off, Lu Yuan sat on the steps by the door and took out the remittance slip that Zhao Yan had given him.

While cooking, he thought for a moment and decided that he still needed to use Zhaoyan's money first.

After all, taking out a loan after receiving the prize would take a long time, ultimately delaying the planting progress.

In the morning, Lu Yuan had already arranged for Lu Hua to find workers to build the greenhouse.

In the afternoon, Lu Hualai explained the situation, saying that if some manpower were also provided in Lujia Village, the structure could be completed within a month.

This time is barely enough; any later and it will be too late to sow the seeds.

Lu Wen has already contacted people in the village who can help, and they will be paid 20 yuan per day.

During this period, although only a few dozen members of the Lu family came to work at the restaurant, the number of Lu family members involved in the restaurant's supply chain was countless.

Simply put, Lu Yuan bought all the vegetables and grains that everyone grew, and the chickens, ducks, and geese that they raised, and sold them at the restaurant.

As for Lu Yuan, he knew that the villagers raised their livestock with great care and the quality was relatively high.

For the villagers, selling to Lu Yuan would save them a lot of trouble; they wouldn't have to go to the market or worry about not being able to sell their produce.

Lu Yuan felt it was necessary to have another serious talk with Lu Wen, since he hadn't given a clear answer after refusing to accept his salary last time.

Lu Wen's importance in integrating village resources is self-evident.