Reborn 92's Business Tycoon

Chapter 486: Chapter 486: An Unpromising Patrol

Sanshui City, located in the plains, has a beautiful view, especially the section near the city centre. On both sides of the road are lotus ponds, with green lotus leaves packed closely together, swaying in the wind.

Above the lotus leaves, many pink flower buds have already poked their heads out, so along with the water vapour, there is also a cold, faint fragrance entering the carriage.

On an ordinary day, Feng Zhenchang would have asked Master Tao to stop the cart so they could get off and take some pictures, but today neither he nor Mei Qiuping were in the mood.

They had been on the road for nearly half a month, and they were getting used to life on the road. Coming from hard times, they didn't have many expectations. Besides, everywhere they went, the shopkeepers in the villages were very hospitable, taking good care of them and treating them to good food and accommodation, without charging them a penny.

Compared to when they first opened their shops, the villagers, who have made some money in the past two years, are generally a bit lax.

When they go, there are still customers eating in some of the shops, and the owners are sitting in the dining room, their feet on the stools, their trouser legs rolled up above their knees, smoking and drinking beer.

In one-third of the restaurants, the cooks and waiters play cards at the tables all the time, ignoring the diners and laughing and cursing loudly in their native languages. Even the young girl at the cash register joins in the fun, and won't go to work until a new customer calls out for her.

As for the parents with children, it's perfectly normal for the kids to treat the restaurant like an amusement park and run around inside.

The hygiene aspect, which is repeatedly emphasised, is also lax. A few cooks actually have long hair, and most of the cooks have greasy hair that must not be washed every day. Not only are the chef's hats worn askew, but the stains on the white hats are obvious. When you walk in, the smell of cooking oil on the uniform is very strong, and I'm afraid it hasn't been changed for a week.

The kitchen counters and stoves were also not very clean, and the floor had not been mopped properly. Mei Qiuping almost slipped in the kitchen of one restaurant.

What they found most unacceptable was that they had seen the chef once put the noodles on the pick-up counter. His fingernails were dirty with black dirt, and he poked them directly into the noodle soup.

The person in charge of cleaning the restaurant also saves trouble. Instead of cleaning up the rubbish on the floor as soon as it appears, they wait until there is some and then sweep it up, but they are very precise about it, sweeping only in a few places and leaving the rest alone.

Not to mention other details, when it comes to cleaning tables, the standard way is to wipe in one direction, but most of the girls and boys just wipe back and forth a few times.

As for casually pouring dirty water towards the door, so that the area in front of the door is a lot darker than the surrounding shops, it is very common.

In at least three of the ten shops, flies were already buzzing about at this time of day.

In at least three of the ten shops, the fan blades looked like they hadn't been cleaned for ages.

It was a matter of time before the customers started to find hair in their noodles and maybe even a fly.

They weren't as concerned about other things as they had been before, but they were generally more concerned about costs. After just a cursory glance around the kitchens, they noticed that the raw materials they were buying now were all about cheap prices.

...

What's even more worrying is that not only are they not taking care of business, these young people who have a bit of money have also developed other problems.

Let's say about Xinhua, who used to be down-to-earth and willing to work hard. Feng Zhenchang and Mei Qiuping waited for half a day at his shop before he was dragged away from a mahjong table by his daughter-in-law. Although he said he was just killing time without betting any money, who would believe that?

Feng Zhenchang was rude and took him behind the shop for a firm lecture.

The wife of Feng Zhenchang's younger brother-in-law, when she entertained them for dinner last night, cried and told on him in front of them and her own man, saying that he had a mistress.

...

There were a whole bunch of such messy things.

They should mind their own business and say what they should say, but Feng Zhenchang and the others all knew that although they all promised in front of them that they would pay attention, change, and strengthen, as soon as they left, it would be the same as before in nine cases out of ten.

'Master Tao, stop for a while,' Feng Zhenchang ordered, feeling depressed.

'Okay, Mr Feng,' Master Tao turned the car into a side street by the river and even helped them open the car door.

Feng Zhenchang didn't even take his camera, walked towards the river with a gloomy face and his arms crossed. Mei Qiuping hurriedly followed him, 'Don't worry too much, fortunately everyone's business is still pretty good,'

'You call this good? When we first opened the shop, all the things that Yiping was worried about have now happened. He was worried that once we had a bit of money, some people would go gambling, and some would abandon their wives and children. Which of those things haven't happened now?'

'Why are you shouting at me? The shop is the only thing that's going well, and I'm afraid that they can't even control those other things, let alone us. We can't control them, and even if we do our best, nothing will change,' Mei Qiuping was also upset, and when she saw Feng Zhenchang getting angry with her, she couldn't help it.

Feng Zhenchang sighed, "It's true that it's reasonable, but if one or two out of ten families would behave like this, would you be happy?" He was talking about things other than business.

Mei Qiuping sighed when she heard this. Yes, gambling away money in a casino is not the same as gambling away money in a village. If Xinhua gambles away small sums of money today, tomorrow, at the instigation of others, he might gamble away his entire fortune.

And there is also Chun Tang's brother-in-law, who looks like he has been bewitched by a woman from outside. But what can they do about it?

The two of them looked out at the vast expanse of the Yangtze River before them and fell silent.

The phone rang. Mei Qiuping answered it. It was Wang Chang'an. 'Auntie, where are you? Stop at the toll station after entering the city. I'll wait here,'

'An'an, we'll be there soon,' she said, taking Feng Zhenchang's hand. 'Let's go. It's no use getting angry now. Don't keep An'an and the others waiting,'

When they saw their car, Wang Chang'an, who was waiting next to the roundabout, smiled and ran over. 'Auntie, uncle, you're in good health? Did you have a smooth journey?'

Wang Chang'an is now a little fatter than before, her complexion is much better, and she is dressed very appropriately. She is already an authentic city girl. Looking at her, Feng Zhenchang and the others finally feel a little better. 'How long have you been waiting? Didn't I tell you that we could find the place ourselves?'

Wang Chang'an smiles and says, "I know, it's just that I didn't want you to take a detour. I knew you were coming, so my parents have been waiting. Driver, please follow my car." This is not the place to talk.

Like Xiao Zhijie's two stores, her family's two stores are also beyond praise, and are absolutely no different from the self-operated stores in the provincial capital. The main reason is that Wang Changning's parents personally set an example in the kitchens of the two stores.

Once inside the store, you can feel in every aspect that it is different from the stores of those slackers in the village. This kind of store is what a restaurant should be like.

In the rented house they had, a table of authentic home-style dishes was already prepared. 'We know you guys eat all over the place every day, so we made these dishes especially for you. Try them and let us know if they're to your liking,' Wang Changning's father said.

The taste of home-cooked food is still the best. Feng Zhenchang and he clinked glasses and sighed, 'If every family was like yours, we'd feel at ease,'

'What's wrong?' Wang Changning's mother asked.

'Forget it,' Mei Qiuping told them about their experiences this year, and Wang Changning's mother also became angry, "How can these people do this? They really don't understand, we didn't take a single penny from them, they should have been more careful when doing things by the book?'

'Exactly, now that there are more and more franchises, we are worried that letting them do this will ruin the brand," Feng Zhenchang said.

'Auntie, you don't need to worry. Didn't every family sign an agreement at the beginning? Yuxuan and Yiping definitely know how to handle these things,' Wang Changning said.

'Exactly, I think if they deal with one or two, they will know the consequences,' said Wang Changning's father. 'Also, don't worry too much about things outside their business. It's enough to do what the elders want. They have to live their own lives. You have all helped them make money, and they are no worse off than the average city people. If they can't make ends meet on their own, who can they blame?'

'Yes, Qiuping, we've done our best, and as long as we can live with ourselves, don't worry. If they really don't want to live a good life, who can stop them? Who can blame them? Who in the village can say anything against you without going against their conscience?' Wang Changning's mother said.

She understood Feng Zhenchang and the others' thoughts. Although they didn't mention it, at their level, they would care a lot about their reputation in their hometown.