nycdaug Chapter 180: Starting Over
Chapter 180: Starting Over
Before Chen Xi could respond, Mrs. Su threw herself into Chen Ping'an's arms excitedly.
"Boss, I knew you could do it! I will follow you throughout my life, no matter what the weather is." Her face was filled with a happy smile. She held her husband's hand tightly, her eyes full of tenderness.
Seeing this, Chen Xi suddenly felt that his presence was somewhat redundant. He was about to find an excuse to leave quietly, but his thoughts were interrupted by Su Ersao's sudden reaction.
"Ahem, that—" Only then did Mrs. Su realize that Chen Xi was still there, and she quickly broke free from Chen Ping'an's arms, her cheeks flushed with shyness.
Seeing this, Chen Pingan couldn't help but laugh out loud and was in a good mood.
"It's okay. My sister is not an outsider. Maybe her relationship with her brother-in-law is better than ours."
As soon as these words came out, it seemed that neither side would be pleased, as Chen Xi and Mrs. Su cast reproachful glances at the same time.
Brother Chen touched his nose, looking confused. He didn't understand what he had said wrong that made the two women so dissatisfied.
"Okay, brother and sister-in-law, as long as you don't give up, everything will turn around. We will live in the inn first. In the next few days, we will go out together to find a suitable restaurant to rent, and start over in one go." Chen Xi changed the subject at the right time.
"Okay, sister, I will make 'Fugui Restaurant' a thing of the past and create a more glorious future." Chen Pingan promised solemnly.
"By the way, sister, did you really take the contract to the county government to get it stamped? How come I didn't know anything about it?" Chen Pingan asked curiously.
Chen Xi smiled slyly: "I'm not a god. I just wanted to scare the restaurant owner at that time. The contract has always been with me. How can there be a county government seal?"
Chen Pingan took the contract that Chen Xi had placed on the table and took a closer look. Sure enough, it was still the same as before. Apart from the black handwriting, there was no official mark.
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but sigh, thinking back to when he had believed his sister's words and thought the contract had been legally recognized, only to find out that it was just a ploy by his sister.
This helplessness and self-mockery made him more determined to stand up again by his own strength.
Chen Xi keenly caught the flash of worry in Chen Ping'an's eyes, and then looked at him with an innocent and harmless look, trying to use this innocence to ease the uneasiness in the other's heart.
During this period of time, the rhythm of their lives seemed to be set into a specific pattern: when night fell, they would rest in the quaint inn, and when the dawn broke, they would set foot on the streets and alleys, searching tirelessly for the ideal restaurant to rent.
Even Zhang Da and Zhang Er, the waiters hired by Chen Pingan earlier, were infected by his persistence and volunteered to become an indispensable member of the search team.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, two days have passed quietly.
Under the dim and warm light of the inn, Chen Pingan said softly to Chen Xi: "Sister, it is not easy to find a suitable restaurant to rent nowadays. You should go home first. After all, you have been away from home for several days. Xiaoyang, Xiaochen and brother-in-law must be at home eagerly waiting for your return."
Indeed, Chen Xi couldn't help but miss his two children at home deeply.
As for Xie Tianyi, she didn't worry too much about him, perhaps because she knew that he could always handle everything properly.
Chen Xi hesitated for a moment, and finally compromised: "Okay, if there is still no result today, I will set off to go home tomorrow."
Just as the brother and sister were talking, a hurried knock on the door broke the silence in the room.
"Come in." Chen Pingan replied.
The door opened slightly, and Zhang Da stepped in, looking a little excited: "Boss Chen, Erzi and I found a restaurant that is willing to rent out, but they put forward a condition, that is, the lease must be for at least five years, otherwise the deal is off."
Chen Pingan and Chen Xi exchanged a meaningful look, and the latter nodded slightly, reaching a certain consensus in silence.
"Then let's go for a field investigation." Chen Pingan said.
Five years may sound like a long time, but it is just the beginning for their upcoming restaurant business.
The only thing that makes people hesitate is that paying five years' rent in one go will greatly reduce their funds for purchasing raw materials, making the initial operation particularly tight.
Su Ersao decided to stay in the inn to look after the luggage, while Fang Wenfu wandered alone in the streets of the county town, enjoying his rare leisure time.
Chen Pingan, Chen Xi, Zhang Da and Zhang Er set out on the journey to the restaurant.
The location of this restaurant is unexpectedly advantageous, as it is opposite the famous Fugui Restaurant. However, they had never searched this area before, and they had never imagined that not far from the Fugui Restaurant, there was such a precious land waiting to be rented out.
When I stepped into the restaurant, the lobby seemed extremely deserted except for a few tables of guests.
Suddenly, the crisp sound of abacus beads colliding broke the silence. A middle-aged man who was buried in the account book raised his head and was about to ask, but when he saw Zhang Da and Zhang Er, he suddenly realized. Obviously, he had guessed that these two regular customers came with their tenants.
"Dear guests, please come in and let's talk in detail." He greeted them warmly, leading Chen Xi, Chen Ping'an, Zhang Da and Zhang Er through an exquisite screen to a relatively secluded private seat.
"Hello, my name is Jin Deman, and I am both the owner and manager of this restaurant."
Jin Deman introduced himself and then went straight to the point, "I think you two must be here for the leasing matter. Zhang Da and Zhang Er have already told me in advance that the lease will take at least five years. Do you have any objections to this?"
Chen Ping'an nodded slightly, confirming that Zhang Da and Zhang Er had indeed mentioned this matter before.
"I'm glad you understand. The annual rent here is one hundred taels of silver, which means five hundred taels in five years," Jin Deman continued.
Chen Pingan quickly calculated in his mind that after deducting the five hundred taels of rent, they only had sixty taels left. Although it was not enough, it was barely enough for the initial operating expenses.
Facing Chen Ping'an's question, Jin Deman sighed and slowly explained the reason behind it: "Since the opening of the Fugui Restaurant across the street, our customer base has been diverted in large numbers. Recently, the number of customers has been low, and it is difficult to continue business."
After he finished speaking, Jin Deman's face was filled with helplessness and sorrow.
This restaurant, which carries the family's glory and heritage, is facing an unprecedented survival crisis in his generation.
"Alas, the poor business is not entirely due to Fugui Restaurant. We have been barely making ends meet these years. Now our customer base has dried up and we are burdened with debt. I really have no other choice but to start with a five-year lease." Jin Deman's words revealed a deep sense of powerlessness.