Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 140 Loss

Chen Hui pondered and said, "Actually, we could do the same thing in Fengtian, but we didn't understand it back then and didn't think about these things. My dad still has some connections, so we can just get it linked to the Labor Bureau."

Xiao Wei shook his head and said, "Don't bite off more than you can chew. Let's get this started first. Can't we take it one step at a time? There are many ways to make money. Do you want to try them all at once? Besides, this is a small place, one of the more underdeveloped areas in the province, which is why it seems so easy. Why don't you go back to Fengtian and try it out? You have plenty of connections. Just honestly discuss with Chen Xiao how to run this restaurant well. Let's get this stable first, and then think about other things after we make some money."

Chen Hui thought about it for a moment, then nodded and said, "That makes sense. How do you know so much?"

Xiao Wei said, "You have to think carefully before you start doing this kind of thing. You read the newspapers, hear what others say, and look for yourself. Look at how many different classes there are in Fengtian now, and all the guys are playing around with their technical skills. The Labor Bureau is practically a stamping office. It's just that the city is big and there are more officials. So I never even dared to think about doing that. Opening a restaurant is different. It's best if you have connections, but if you don't, you can still make a living with your skills. You can do big or small jobs. I'll call Yi Cai over to take a look. I think it's doable."

Chen Hui stretched his neck and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you. This isn't really my strong suit. Chen Xiao also told me to listen to you. Why? Because she hasn't known you as long as I have."

Xiao Wei glanced at Chen Hui and said, "The key is that your dad spoils you too much. You always seem like you'll never grow up and are unpredictable."

Chen Hui curled his lip and said, "Come on, I've been beaten so many times since I was a kid, and you still spoil me. You've spoiled me rotten. Hey, what do you think about me taking a leave of absence without pay? I just want to work for you wholeheartedly. It's a bit awkward to have to go to work instead."

Xiao Wei shook his head and said, "Everything's set up here. Old Xia would rather get a smaller share of the money than not go back to work. Your job is different from ordinary people's; you can't give it up, understand? No matter what, money isn't as useful as power. I've really figured it out these past few days in Longcheng. Without connections, nothing matters. These days, it's not very likely for ordinary people to get anything done. It would take a whole city of this size falling from the sky and making a fortune for everyone. Where do connections come from? Your dad, Old Xia's aunt—how did they get their connections? If you ever get to your dad's position, will you still need to think about who to turn to for help like you do now? At that point, you'll be the connection yourself."

Chen Hui bit his lip, pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It's unlikely. I feel like this is even more uncertain than making money."

Xiao Wei raised his leg and gave Chen Hui a fake kick, saying, "If your dad were here, he'd slap you across the face."

Chen Hui grinned and said, "Chen Xiao has already been boiled once, damn it, how did you guys even grow your heads? They must be full of holes!"

After showing Chen Hui the house up and down the stairs, the carpenter finished nailing the bed together. The two of them went over to check it out; it was sturdy and looked durable. The space next to the bed wasn't empty either; a false wall was made of boards, which looked quite thick, about 60 or 70 centimeters, with a row of rectangular holes.

Xiao Wei looked into the hole and asked, "What's this for? Is it for ventilation? No, it's completely blocked inside, what's the point?"

The two carpenters laughed. Master Gong said, "I've made a place for you to store things. I'll make a few drawers for you to put things in before I make the windows."

Xiao Wei suddenly realized that this arrangement was indeed convenient; these large drawers could hold a lot of things, and it was a thoughtful design.

The carpenter packed up his tools, piling the remaining planks in the corner outside. Master Gong said, "We'll head back now. We'll bring the materials first thing tomorrow morning to work on the upstairs windows and doors. Any other requests from them?"

Xiao Wei shook his head and said, "No, as long as it's well-ventilated, that'll be fine. That area will also be a factory in the future."

Carpenter Gong nodded and said, "That's fine then, I understand. This is delicate work, so we'll need to get the tools separately. The timeframe is uncertain; such a big house can't be finished in just a day or two. Don't worry, we'll try to be as fast as possible."

Xiao Wei said, "It's okay, we can use it as soon as this is done. There's no rush over there either, so you can take your time. By the way, the guardhouse in this building is over there at the gate, guarding that courtyard. We'll need to open a door on the back wall later. The main gate here won't be opened unless there's a problem. You can just put the beds over there. That's all."

Master Gong agreed, and the three of them packed up and left.

Master Chang will be here a while. The pipes are laid out, and he's currently threading the metal sheets. A section of pipes is exposed, and he needs to cover them with frost protection cloth. Driver Sun has also brought the roof tiles. Xiao Li and another young man are climbing on the roof, inspecting and replacing them. The electrical wiring inside the house is also faulty, but Chen Hui has already sent someone to fix that, so they don't need to worry about it.

After looking around and finding everything alright, Xiao Wei said to Master Chang, "Master Chang, you guys keep working on it. Just lock the door when you're done. I have something to do here and I'll be going out for a bit. I'll invite you guys over for drinks when I'm almost done."

Old Chang chuckled and waved his hand, saying, "Let's go, everything's fine here. I'll lock the door for you when we're done."

Xiao Wei lit another cigarette for Master Chang before leading Chen Hui out, saying, "I'll take you to that restaurant for a meal. Try it yourself and then decide. Don't go there and start rambling on."

Chen Hui nodded.

The two of them didn't take a car, but walked through the snow on the roadside to An Laowu's bone restaurant.

As Chen Hui walked, he was excited, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and asked Xiao Wei, "Xiao Wei, what do you think I should name my restaurant? I've been thinking about it for ages, and I'm finding it too hard to come up with a cool name. Hey, what do you think of 'Overlord Grand Restaurant'?"

Xiao Wei's face twitched and he said, "Then you might as well call it Qin Palace, that would be much more grand. Or you could call it Weiyang Palace, Liu Bang would be even more awesome."

Chen Hui thought about it seriously and said, "That's not right. Aren't those all in Chang'an? This is Fengtian. If we're going to call it anything, it should be Taihe Palace, right? Or Phoenix Tower? That's good."

Xiao Wei turned to him and said, "You don't need to think about it anymore. You can only have one name: Anji Bone Restaurant, understand?"

Chen Hui was taken aback for a moment and asked, "Why?"

Xiao Wei said, "They're offering their ancestral techniques, and they only want 30% of the shares. What do you think? They won't even leave their name behind!"

Chen Hui bit his lip and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "That makes sense. Ugh, I'm a little unwilling. How about we give him more shares and change the name?"

Xiao Wei looked at him with disdain and said, "Are you stupid? Is your brain filled with water? Can't you tell the difference between fame and shares?"

Chen Hui said hesitantly, "This name is so corny, people will laugh at me if they find out. Besides, how much can 10% of the shares be? Consider it buying a name."

Xiao Wei stopped and looked at Chen Hui, saying, "Xiao Hui, why don't you just go back to work and not get involved in this? Okay?"

Chen Hui was bewildered and asked, "What's wrong?"

Xiao Wei said, "This is a task, not a game. It's not something that can be finished in a week. It will take five, ten, or twenty years. Are you taking it seriously? In your mind, is this just a fun thing to do? Something you can play with for a few days and then throw away?"

Chen Hui said, "No, I'm counting on this to make money, why would I throw it away?"

Xiao Wei frowned and said, "Did you talk to your dad? Are you even acting like you're doing anything right? Have you calculated how much the investment will be, how much money you'll need upfront, how long it will take to break even, and how much you can earn in a year? Have you thought about it?"

Chen Hui said, "I told my dad, otherwise I wouldn't have come. How much money can you really invest in just opening a restaurant? Besides, he owns 30%, so he still has to put in some money, right? I haven't really thought about how much I'll make. Anyway, I'm already doing it, so whether I make a lot or a little, it's all the same, isn't it?"

Xiao Wei shook his head, a sudden sense of loss washing over him, a feeling of disappointment and frustration. His mood instantly plummeted, and he didn't want to talk anymore. After walking a little further, Xiao Wei said, "How about we don't go today? I'll call Chen Xiao or your dad tonight."

Chen Hui asked, "What's wrong? Why?"

Xiao Wei shook his head and looked up at the sky.