bookrandom Chapter 89 Oh no, I forgot to buy a big pot!
Chapter 89 Oh no, I forgot to buy a big pot!
"We've spent almost all the money we had on building the house, buying the mule, and getting things. The money we just received for the braised pig's trotters is only a few hundred coins left. Such a small amount of money, sigh!" He sighed, looking worried.
Liu also said, "Houses in town must be very expensive, how can we afford to rent them?"
Shen Xiaotang thought for a moment and said, "We didn't say we'd rent it now. Let's see how things go and ask in advance so we can be prepared. We're still making money, aren't we? Who knows, we might save enough to rent it someday. Don't worry, there's always a way out."
Shen Qingchuan nodded and said, "Yes, there's always a way out. Our Tang'er is smart, listening to Tang'er is always the right thing to do."
"Dad, Mom, you burn the pig hair first and wash the pig's trotters clean. I'll go cook."
It's all my grandpa and stepmare's fault; they've delayed us for so long, and they haven't even cooked dinner yet.
When she walked into the kitchen and saw the pot, her mind went blank!
"Oh no, Dad, Mom, we went to town today and forgot to buy a big pot. We need to braise three or four pots this time. What are we going to do?"
Shen Qingchuan's hand, which was holding a pig's trotter, suddenly stopped, and the trotter slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.
He slapped his forehead and said, "Look at my memory! Tang'er said yesterday that I should remember to buy a pot, how could I have forgotten today?"
Shen Xiaotang: "..."
This isn't just her father's fault; she's forgotten that too!
I was just saying that everything had gone smoothly these past few days when I went out to run errands, but today all these unpleasant things happened.
Shen Qingchuan discussed with Liu Shi, "Fengniang, we only have one pot now. If we continue like yesterday, we definitely won't be able to finish braising. Why don't we start braising after dinner? We'll braise four pots, and we can take turns going to sleep."
"That's the only way. We'll switch shifts, and one person can braise two pots at a time." Liu had no objections whatsoever.
Shen Xiaotang immediately said, "I'll cook the food now. You two hurry up and clean the pig's trotters. You two take turns braising three batches. I'll eat and go to bed early. I'll get up early tomorrow and braise the last batch. I want to try the five-spice and garlic flavor."
"Alright, let's do as Tang'er says!"
After discussing it as a family, Shen Xiaotang quickly prepared dinner. The family was also very hungry, so they shoveled the food into their mouths very fast.
Shen Xiaotang divided the seasonings, making three pots of spicy braised pig's trotters (seven pieces each), and the last pot of two was for trying five-spice and garlic sauce.
The next day, at the hour of Chou (1 a.m. to 3 a.m. in modern times), Shen Xiaotang got up.
Her father was making the third batch of braised food.
After the third batch of braised meat was ready, she took over the shift and started braising the five-spice garlic meat while her father went to catch up on his sleep.
After finishing their chores, they immediately made breakfast, and the family enjoyed a rare treat: a spicy pig's trotter and a garlic-flavored pig's trotter.
After the meal, Liu threw all the pig feed she had gathered throughout the day into the pigpen, filled it with chicken feed, loaded the braised pig's trotters onto the cart, and added some sweet potatoes and firewood.
We set off for town.
Manager Su and Manager Yao tasted the braised pig's trotters with five-spice and garlic sauce, immediately nodded in approval, and changed the order.
Ten spicy and ten five-spice sticks each day.
After supplying them with braised pig's trotters for five days, they already had two taels of silver in their hands.
Besides supplying the restaurant with six sticks on the first day and twelve sticks on the second day, from the third day onwards, the daily supply stabilized at twenty sticks, earning one tael of silver per day. After deducting costs, the daily profit was approximately five hundred coins.
As they exited through the back door of the restaurant, Shen Qingchuan handed his daughter a small purse containing two taels of silver.
"Tang'er, thanks to you, our family has been able to make money. From now on, we'll entrust all our family's money to you. You're good at accounting. Your father and mother aren't smart enough to keep track of the accounts. Even if we leave it, we won't be able to do it."
Shen Xiaotang was surprised. Her parents actually let her manage the money?
Managing money is like managing a household!
She was only a few years old, yet her parents completely believed in her, which moved her deeply.
"Father, Mother, I'm still young. You should keep it. I handle all the money every day, and I know exactly how much the restaurant charges. There's really no need for me to keep it." She stuffed the money back into her father's hand.
Seeing his daughter's refusal, Shen Qingchuan temporarily abandoned the idea.
"Alright, Dad will keep it. Tang'er will manage the accounts. From now on, whatever our family buys or does will be entirely up to Tang'er to decide!"
……
Yunlai Restaurant had only been selling braised pig's trotters for ten days when, early the next morning, Manager Su immediately ordered Accountant Lu to sort out the restaurant's accounts for the pig's trotters.
The second floor of the restaurant.
Accountant Lu stood respectfully to the side, holding an account book.
"Shopkeeper, as per your request, I have kept detailed records for the past ten days. We have earned more than ten taels just from pig's trotters. In addition, we have served several more tables of wine, meat and other dishes every day than usual."
"These braised pig's trotters are selling very well!"
Manager Su took the ledger, which clearly recorded every single sale of braised pig's trotters each day.
It was exactly the same as what Accountant Lu had said!
He was immediately overjoyed!
In ten days, the restaurant can earn more than ten taels of silver in town, which adds up to more than thirty taels a month. Even if the customers lose interest after a while, the restaurant can still earn less.
However, Dushui County was different. It was located next to the ferry crossing, and merchants from all over the world gathered there, able to take a boat directly to the capital.
Business there is so much better than in Qinghe Town!
Since pig trotters were successfully sold at Yunlai Restaurant, they will surely be a big hit at Wanhe Restaurant in Dushui County as well!
"Good, good, these braised pig's trotters have really helped me a lot. When they come to deliver the trotters later, I must tell them to arrange to increase the quantity as soon as possible. Wanhe Restaurant will supply forty trotters a day, let's do it this way for now. If they sell well, we can increase the quantity as needed!"
If he is the only restaurant in Qinghe Town and Dushui County that sells braised pig's trotters, as long as he sells well, makes a name for himself, and develops a unique style, why should his restaurant not stand out?
Recently, Manager Su has been worried that the restaurants in Dushui County are rather ordinary, and the dishes prepared by the chefs in these restaurants are not much different from those in other restaurants.
This was like handing a pillow to someone who was about to fall asleep; it instantly swept away his worries!
Accountant Lu was also very happy. With more profits from the restaurant, the manager was in a good mood, and those of them who worked there could also benefit.
"Okay, when Qingchuan and Tang arrive, I'll have them come up to you."
The back door of the restaurant.
Shen Qingchuan stopped the mule cart, and before he even entered the door, a worker immediately ran out to help them carry the braised pig's trotters.
"Brother Qingchuan, sister-in-law, please stand still and don't get your clothes wet. Let us do it!"
They were all very respectful and incredibly efficient.
Manager Yao came out of the kitchen and saw the waiter carrying pig trotters inside. Without even looking at them, he waved his hand and wrote a note.
"Qingchuan, this is today's amount, one tael!"
Shen Qingchuan recalled that in the past, when he would bring tofu and eggs on a shoulder pole, he would silently wait for Manager Yao to finish his work before counting them.
Now, his treatment is truly different!
"Manager Yao, although we come every day, this rule cannot be broken. You should continue to count the items as usual. Don't worry about saving face; everyone will understand."
Manager Yao grinned and immediately laughed.
"That's why I say you're an honest child. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. With your and Tang's character, there's no need to count them, there's not a single one wrong. Why would I bother?"