Chapter 80

The next day, Xie Yuan arrived late, with a satisfied and contented look on his face. Compared to him, Cheng Duo, who had been nudged by Yong Ge all night, looked a little pale.

"Brother Cheng, what's wrong with you…?" It couldn't be, they got along so well, why does Brother Cheng seem to have a dissatisfied expression?

Cheng Duo gave him a cold look and replied, "It's nothing. I was drunk by a drunkard last night, so I have a headache."

"…"

Xie Yuan awkwardly took his seat and was about to ask Yong Ge when he saw Yong Ge coming in with a tray of porridge, side dishes, buns, and steamed buns.

"Cheng Duo, breakfast is ready." When he saw Xie Yuan, Yong Ge hesitated for a moment and continued, "Uh, Xie Shao is here too, have you eaten?"

(T/N: Shao is used to refer to someone of high status. Kind of pinyin for young master.)

Upon hearing this, Xie Yuan felt proud and said with delight, "Yes, I ate. My dear An Ge personally arranged a sour soup with dumplings for me. It's perfect for whetting the appetite, and I had two large bowls!"

"Oh, I made porridge and assorted buns for Cheng Duo, and I also pickled some small salted vegetables myself. Since Xie Shao has already eaten, then we'll just have our own meal." Yong Ge didn't doubt him and used a spoon to stir the steaming porridge before serving Cheng Duo and himself a bowl.

"…Didn't the restaurant kitchen have someone making breakfast? Why did you go by yourself?" Yong Ge couldn't bear to say it out loud. He had spent a long time with Cheng Ge last night, and after sobering up from the alcohol, he felt too embarrassed to show his face, so he hid in the kitchen.

Cheng Duo understood this very well. Seeing that Yong Ge couldn't explain, he reached out and picked up a bun for him, saying, "Eat up. Later, we'll go to the restaurant together."

"Okay." Yong Ge happily bit into the bun and turned around, only to find that Cheng Ge and Xie Shao were discussing the business of the hot pot restaurant.

"With the opening of the hot pot restaurant, we can have a grand opening promotion. If the consumption reaches 88 wen, we can give a vegetarian platter as a gift. If it reaches 188 wen, we can give a meat platter, and so on… In addition, we can also issue a stamp with each meal and use the number of stamps to upgrade the VIP card. The lowest level VIP card can have a discount, and the higher levels can have benefits such as direct access to private rooms or limited dishes. In short, the higher the VIP card level, the more face the customers will get."

Xie Yuan listened attentively and nodded repeatedly. At the end, he showed a thoughtful expression and said, "According to Brother Cheng's plan, we can privately distribute some VIP cards for each level. But the highest level should not exceed twenty cards; otherwise, it will devalue them…"

"That's the idea. You can decide on the specific quantity and whom to give to; I don't mind." Cheng Duo liked dealing with such clever people; they understood everything at once.

After finishing breakfast, the three of them went to the Street again. The person in charge of the hot pot restaurant and some workers were already waiting there. In addition to that, there were also carpenters and other assistants.

The shopfront on Pipa Street was a two-story building. Since it was a collaboration with Cheng Duo, they only used polished yellow wood with a mirror-like surface to write the words "Hot Pot" on it. With a yellow background and black letters, the words were vivid and impressive. Besides, hot pot was a unique food in Daxia, and with just two words, they had basically "snatched" the name.

Cheng Duo had already given some suggestions yesterday, such as having a separate vegetable cabinet for each table, and the workers who added charcoal could only use designated paths to avoid scalding people. Additionally, they had to ensure sufficient windows for ventilation, and so on.

Although Xie's family ran a restaurant, they were indeed unfamiliar with the concept of a hot pot restaurant. Therefore, Cheng Duo explained the reason behind these measures, and Xie Yuan listened attentively and gave directions to the workers on-site for adjustments.

They worked hard for three days, and on the fourth day at noon, the hot pot restaurant finally opened!

Since morning, the entire Pipa Street, including the nearby main road, has been filled with the fragrance of fried chili peppers. The aroma became stronger and spicier, lingering in the air for a long time.

"Achoo! Which restaurant is using so much chili in their cooking? I don't want to eat anything with such a spicy taste in my mouth."

"But honestly, this smell is really delicious. The scorching weather during this autumn heatwave had taken away my appetite, but now I feel hungry again after smelling this."

"Come on, even when you have no appetite, you can still eat three big bowls of food. Don't pretend otherwise!"

Just as the conversation was ending, there was the sound of gongs and drums at the street corner, and there were dragon dances and acrobatic performances on the road. Curious passersby gathered around to watch the spectacle.

They saw the acrobat at the head of the dragon flip gracefully in the air with the help of his companions' hands, landing lightly, and then playfully winked his eyes.

"Bravo!" The crowd clapped their hands and cheered.

"Oh, isn't that Young Master Xie? So this is the new restaurant of the Xie family!"

"What does the restaurant sign say, 'Hot Pot'? What is a 'Hot Pot'? I've never heard of it."

Some potential customers who were hesitating at the restaurant's entrance heard the enthusiastic welcome from the restaurant's staff. "As part of our opening promotion, new customers will receive a glass of iced water upon entry to cool down and quench their thirst!"

"Hot Pot is a delicacy we specially brought in from outside the border. It was created by the same person as the Shao Guang Wine. Once you try it, we guarantee you won't be disappointed."

"The first ten customers to enter the restaurant will receive a fifty percent discount."

"Fifty percent!" Some customers who were eager for good food couldn't resist any longer. Hearing the promise of a "fifty percent" discount for the first ten customers, they rushed inside.

People tend to follow the crowd, and taking advantage of a discount is human nature, not to mention that they would also receive a glass of iced water upon entry. If they didn't go in, they would be losing out!

After entering, they looked at the menu and initially hesitated about ordering more. However, when they saw the first customers inside enjoying their food and heard the staff saying that orders over 88 wen would receive a vegetarian platter as a gift, they didn't hesitate anymore and enthusiastically placed their orders.

"Wow, it's delicious!"

"Although it's a bit hot, it's really delicious. It's even more flavorful with garlic sauce!"

"Hey, hey, don't snatch my meat!"

Compared to the slightly stuffy first floor, the situation on the second-floor private rooms was much better, with a cool breeze blowing and people sipping chilled Osmanthus Flower Wine while enjoying freshly cooked goose intestines. It was simply heavenly!

Xie Yuan's friends came to support, and in addition to them, there were some business associates invited by Xie's father.

Originally, Xie's father planned to invite some officials from the nearby twenty li slope, but the reputation of the hot pot restaurant had not yet been established. Besides, it would be even better to invite them in a month or two when the weather became cooler. Thus, he wasn't in a hurry.

Unexpectedly, Guo Yizhi, who had spent two thousand taels to buy wine from him, also showed up.

As soon as Guo Yizhi saw Cheng Duo, he frowned. "Well, well, isn't it you, Cheng Duo!"

He had just been downstairs when he heard the staff shouting about the hot pot being created by the same person as the Shao Guang Wine. Unable to resist the temptation, he entered the restaurant and barged into the private room where Cheng Duo and the others were.

"Mr. Guo, why have you come?" Xie's father saw Guo Yizhi and quickly greeted him, feeling a slight sense of unease when he saw him glaring at Cheng Duo.

Could it be because of that bottle of wine? Is Mr. Guo unhappy about it?

Of course, Xie's father did not think that the Shao Guang Wine was unworthy. In their restaurant, it sold for two hundred taels per cup, and some people were willing to pay even more. Besides, anyone who knew their stuff recognized the superb skill involved in brewing this wine.

However good the product may be, it doesn't stop some people from acting like big spenders to save face, regretting their decisions later, and attempting to return the goods. After running his business for so many years, Xie's father knows well that some people make impulsive purchases but then resort to various tactics when they run out of money.

Even though Guo Yizhi comes from a prestigious family, two thousand taels is not a small amount for him. There are many children in the Guo family, and not everyone can spend money lavishly.

"Mr. Guo…" Xie's father was about to say a few words, as Cheng Duo is now in business partnership with his son. Xie Yuan had just introduced Cheng Duo to the customers, and he couldn't just stand by idly.

Moreover, Cheng Duo is not easy to provoke. Xie's father believes that if he joins the military, he will achieve great things sooner or later.

Offending either side is not a good idea, so he can only try to mediate.

Cheng Duo also felt a bit guilty; he swindled Guo Yizhi out of two thousand taels with a bottle of white wine… Shouldn't he compromise a little?

"Didn't you tell me that there's only one bottle of Shao Guang Wine? Then, what did you sell to the Xie family?" Guo Yizhi said angrily, feeling that the Xie family was using his reputation to create momentum.

"Brother Cheng," Yong Er quickly held Cheng Duo's hand. He wasn't foolish; Xie's father respectfully addressed Guo Yizhi as "Mr. Guo," and they definitely couldn't afford to offend his identity.

"It's okay," Cheng Duo patted his hand, then looked at Guo Yizhi. "Mr. Guo, when did I say that there's only one bottle of Shao Guang Wine? I initially said, 'To produce this one bottle, we use one hundred times more ordinary materials in the brewing process.' It obviously has two meanings."

Guo Yizhi carefully recalled and realized that Cheng Duo did not indeed say there was only one bottle. He then turned to confirm with Xie's father, who awkwardly nodded.

Xie's father was much shrewder than Guo Yizhi. Although Cheng Duo didn't explicitly say there was only one bottle, he implied it in his words.

Seeing that Guo Yizhi froze, Cheng Duo decided to take the initiative, "Mr. Guo, do you think that the wine is not unique and, therefore, not worth it? Do you want to return it to me?"

"Th-that's not it," Guo Yizhi stammered. The wine was the best he had ever tasted, and he had originally wanted to take it back to the capital to share with friends and family. However, after getting carried away while reading and drinking, he wrote a splendid article and had another drink… By the time there wasn't much left, he told himself that there wouldn't be enough to share anyway, so he might as well drink it all himself. "…"

Now, let alone the wine, he had already used the bottle several times, so what could he return to Cheng Duo?

"Then, is Mr. Guo considering buying more wine from me?" Cheng Duo pretended to be clueless and asked, extending an olive branch before Guo Yizhi could respond. "To be honest, I've sold two more bottles to the Xie family, and now I really don't have any left. But this hot pot is delicious too. You can try it out; why not join us and taste it together?"

Just then, Xie Yuan arrived and chimed in, "Although we don't have the Shao Guang Wine here at the hot pot restaurant, our chilled Osmanthus Flower Wine pairs exceptionally well with hot pot. Mr. Guo, please have a seat, and I'll pour you a drink."

Seeing the offered hospitality, Guo Yizhi had a way out, wine was poured, and a seat was available. What else was there to hesitate about? He sat down and gave it a try.

Xie's father had initially wanted to take Guo Yizhi to their private room, but seeing that Xie Yuan had persuaded him to stay, he didn't insist and gave him a look of "treat him well" before leaving.

Guo Yizhi is an experienced connoisseur of wine and also appreciates good food. Looking at his love for strong liquor, they can tell that his taste is not light.

Naturally, after trying the hot pot, he immediately fell in love with it. He asked Cheng Duo, "Is this hot pot also a recipe you obtained from outside the border?"

"Sort of. This hot pot has gone through many people's improvements to achieve the taste that most people like today."

"I see…" Guo Yizhi slowly chatted with Cheng Duo and was surprised that no matter what he said, Cheng Duo could always hit the nail on the head with meaningful responses.

As they had a few more rounds of drinks, they became more familiar with each other. With Xie Yuan's witty remarks, the atmosphere at the table became quite pleasant.

The only thing that bothered Guo Yizhi was that Cheng Duo, such a bold and unrestrained man, turned out to be someone who revolved around his husband! Look, he was helping him pick dishes and pour water, and he even neglected their conversation.

"Please forgive Cheng Duo, Mr. Guo. That's just how he is. Yong Ge once saved his life," Xie Yuan explained with a smile.

Guo Yizhi nodded at the explanation, thinking that if that was the case, Cheng Duo was indeed a righteous man who knew how to repay kindness.

However, just as he was nodding in agreement, Cheng Duo refuted, "Of course not. My feelings for Yong Ge are mutual. I respect and cherish him not only because he saved my life."

"My experiences may be hard for you to understand, Mr. Guo, but during your travels around the world, have you ever encountered someone who was willing to die with you? Someone who's willing to accompany you through life and death?"

Guo Yizhi, nearly forty and still single: "…"

Cheng Duo held Yong Ge's hand and continued, "Once you've experienced death, nothing else matters. What's face compared to being with Yong Ge? I don't care about face in front of him."

Xie Yuan: Damn it, he lost again!