Reborn in 2006, I met Mr. Zhou from the past.

Upon hearing Zhang Wenhao mention a central kitchen for producing semi-finished products, Su Fengnan fell into deep thought. She had considered this idea before, but she wasn't sure if the timing was right. After a moment's hesitation, her gaze involuntarily drifted to Zhou Chenyu beside her, and she softly asked, "Brother Zhou, if it were you, what good suggestions would you have?"

Seeing Su Fengnan ask him for help, Zhang Wenhao also looked at Zhou Chenyu with a hint of expectation in his eyes, wanting to hear his opinion.

Meeting their probing gazes, Zhou Chenyu didn't answer immediately. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, remained silent for a moment, then looked directly at Zhang Wenhao and asked bluntly, "Before discussing the central kitchen, I'd like to confirm—your initial expansion plan is to open several stores at once?"

Zhang Wenhao's expression turned serious, and he replied earnestly, "We'll start by establishing three branches in the city, and as for the prefectures and cities below, I plan to gradually expand within this year."

Upon hearing Zhang Wenhao's expansion plan, Zhou Chenyu nodded slightly, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then slowly began to speak: "We'll steadily open three stores in the city, and then gradually expand to other cities and prefectures. For a dessert shop, this pace of expansion isn't conservative, but it's certainly not small either. Since you have this ambition, then the idea of ​​a central kitchen can indeed be put on the agenda..."

He put down his teacup, tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, and his tone became serious: "But you have to understand, a central kitchen is not as simple as renting a space and hiring a few aunties to cut fruit. The cold chain logistics and warehousing conditions in the market are limited now. You have to ensure that the whipped cream and fruit freshness are completely consistent in the three stores in the city and the new stores in the prefectures and cities. This puts a huge challenge on temperature control and delivery routes."

Seeing Zhang Wenhao's thoughtful expression, Zhou Chenyu gave his final advice: "My suggestion is, don't start with a large, all-encompassing factory. You can first find a shop in the city with a large storefront and relatively cheap rent, and convert it into a pre-processing center. Centralize the most labor-intensive and taste-affecting processes, such as washing, cutting, sauce making, and baking, and have them delivered to the store by a dedicated person every morning. Once the three stores in the city have a smooth workflow and the profits can cover the delivery costs, then you can consider expanding to other cities and prefectures, where a true central kitchen will be built. Taking it easy will prevent problems during expansion."

Zhou Chenyu's opinions were practical and pertinent, and Su Fengnan and Zhang Wenhao expressed their strong agreement. Subsequently, the three of them had detailed discussions on various matters such as the location of the processing center and the initial investment.

Considering that the original dessert shop was a business jointly owned with Hai Ge and Yan Zi, in order to clarify responsibilities, Su Fengnan ultimately decided to separate the new project and start a new collaboration with Zhang Wenhao in her personal capacity.

Just as the three of them had finalized all the details in the study, they heard Su Fengxia returning with Zhang Xinrui and Zhang Wenbo outside the door.

Dinner was again arranged at Su Fengnan's house, but this time Su Fengnan had no opportunity to speak up. Zhou Chenyu had thoughtfully arranged for his wife to deliver the carefully prepared food. The steaming dishes on the table eased the seriousness of the business discussion, and the table was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.

After a short rest after the meal, the three Zhou siblings got up to head home. Before leaving, Zhang Wenhao smiled and took out three prepared red envelopes from his pocket, handing them to Su Fengnan, Su Fengxia, and Ning Xiaojun respectively.

"Thank you, Brother Zhang. I won't be polite then. Happy New Year!" Su Fengnan generously accepted the red envelope, offering her blessings with a smile.

Su Fengxia accepted the gift with both hands, beaming from ear to ear, and replied crisply, "Thank you, Brother Zhang!"

"Thank you, Brother Zhang, Happy New Year!" Ning Xiaojun blushed almost imperceptibly.

After seeing the Zhang siblings off, Ning Xiaojun also took her leave and went home.

Seeing that Su Fengnan was really tired today, Zhou Chenyu didn't linger. He gently told her to get some rest before turning away with a hint of reluctance.

On her way home, the night breeze brushed against her cheeks, but Ning Xiaojun felt a warm glow in her heart. Her mind was filled with images of her time with Zhang Wenhao that day, and the quietly budding feelings she hadn't even noticed herself.

However, this vivid and exciting feeling was something she had never experienced in Li Hua's body before.

……

Time flies, and it's already the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. After visiting all the relatives they needed to see during the holiday, Su Guoyuan and his wife are preparing to return to Linyang Town.

Early in the morning, the family set off for Zhucheng. They didn't have much luggage this time; the couple each carried a suitcase, making it quite easy. Before leaving, the family made a special detour to Su Fengnan's dessert shop. Looking at the exquisitely decorated and warmly furnished shop, Su Guoyuan and his wife were both surprised and pleased.

"Xiao Nan, the rent in this area must be expensive, right?" Wen Xiaofen looked around and couldn't help but ask tentatively.

"Mom, don't worry, it's alright. The money I earn is more than enough to cover the rent," Su Fengnan said with a smile, trying to reassure her.

Wen Xiaofen nodded, but still couldn't help but remind her, "Now that Xiaohai and Yanzi are keeping an eye on the shop for you, you can finally breathe a little easier. But don't put the cart before the horse; your studies are the most important thing."

Although Su Guoyuan was genuinely proud of his daughter's competence, his traditional values ​​still made him say, "You're about to take the college entrance exam, don't let it interfere with your studies." He looked at his daughter, his tone full of a father's concern and worry, afraid that she would neglect her important business because of opening the shop.

"Mom and Dad, don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing," Su Fengnan quickly reassured them, afraid that they would feel sorry for her again and start nagging her.

"Yes, Mom and Dad, don't you trust my sister to handle things? She definitely won't interfere with my studies," Su Fengxia chimed in obediently.

"Okay, as long as you know what you're doing." Su Guoyuan nodded, his gaze sweeping across the entire shop as usual. Then, as if remembering something, he casually asked, "By the way, you mentioned before that someone wanted to discuss cooperation. Is that a realistic possibility now?"

"Hmm, it seems quite reliable." Su Fengnan nodded and explained clearly, "We plan to officially launch after the New Year, opening two branches first to test the waters. I've already reached an agreement with them; I'll only control the product source, and they'll handle the rest of the operations and funding."

Hearing that his daughter had made such a good arrangement, Su Guoyuan felt completely at ease and didn't ask any more questions.

The family sat in the dessert shop for a while longer. When it was almost time, Su Fengnan and her sister took Su Guoyuan and his wife to the train station.

Only after watching their parents go through the ticket check and enter the station, their backs disappearing from sight, did Su Fengnan and Su Fengxia breathe a sigh of relief, turn around, and take a taxi back to their home in Zhucheng.

With her parents gone, Su Fengnan felt the festive spirit of the New Year vanish. But with the New Year over, life had to move forward. She had many plans and boundless expectations for the new year.