Chapter 898: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 898: Wang Dashan's Advice

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Uncle Zhenxing, once I'm back in Guangzhou, I'll help you look into it."

After learning the full story, Wang Dashan said this to Li Zhenxing.

He also said:

"But I can't guarantee I'll be able to find Mei Yi for you."

Li Zhenxing gripped Wang Dashan's hand, tears welling in his old eyes:

"Dashan, as long as you have this kind of heart, I'm deeply grateful!"

To tell the truth, Li Zhenxing knew in his heart that the chance of finding the child back was extremely slim.

Because the police had already told him that Mei Yi might not be from any ordinary family; there was a high probability she was a human trafficker.

"Uncle Zhenxing, you head back first. If there's any news, I'll notify you at the first moment."

Wang Erhai said this to Li Zhenxing at this time.

"Alright then, I won't disturb you all any longer."

Li Zhenxing turned and left.

His back was somewhat hunched.

He looked rather pitiable.

Watching him gradually recede, both Wang Erhai and Wang Dashan couldn't help but sigh.

After Li Zhenxing had walked far off, Wang Erhai only then blurted out:

"Good thing Third Brother didn't end up with Li Yuncui back then, otherwise Third Brother would've been ruined."

Wang Dashan laughed:

"With Third Brother's level of education, how could he possibly fancy Li Yuncui? That time was purely Dad and Mom stirring up trouble!"

Wang Erhai laughed it off:

"Let's not talk about that. Big Brother, since you're back this time, is there something else?"

Wang Erhai thought Wang Dashan had absolutely no need to make a special trip back to their hometown just for some home-pressed peanut oil and home-raised old hens; the gas money plus expressway tolls could buy plenty of peanut oil and plenty of old hens.

Wang Dashan replied with a smile:

"There really is something else — I wanted to come back and see you!"

This was the honest truth.

Wang Erhai had just gone through the two major setbacks of divorce and bankruptcy, and now he had taken over the New Era Restaurant and re-entered business; this made Wang Dashan, to some extent, uneasy.

"What's there to see about me? I'm still the same old me!"

Wang Erhai replied with a smile.

From his smile it could be seen that he had already walked out of his previous failure, sweeping away the gloom of the past.

Seeing him like this, Wang Dashan felt much more at ease.

"How's business at that restaurant in town?"

Wang Dashan asked with concern.

Wang Erhai told him honestly:

"Not too good, but not too bad either. I've only just taken over, and I've discovered that the higher-ups are currently cracking down hard on drinking-culture, so the leaders at the Town Government don't dare come out to drink and dine anymore; even if they come out to eat, they don't dare eat and drink lavishly like before."

Wang Dashan asked:

"Then aren't you running at a loss?"

Wang Erhai said:

"Right now we can barely break even. Luckily labor in town isn't expensive; a few waiters cost just over ten thousand yuan a month, and a chef is only five thousand something a month."

Wang Dashan nodded slowly, then said:

"Going on like this probably isn't a solution. After all, you paid a hefty 250,000 to take it over, and no matter what, you've got to earn that 250,000 back, so you need to think of another way out."

Wang Erhai, however, said:

"The population in town is getting smaller and smaller; what other way out could there be?"

Wang Dashan said:

"Why not go to the county town to attract customers? If there are no diners in town, go find diners in the county town."

Wang Erhai was stunned, felt this was a feasible method, but then immediately shook his head:

"Who would travel all the way out to town just to eat? If people want to eat well, they go to a big restaurant; who would make a special trip to a mountain backwater?"

Wang Dashan, however, said:

"Not necessarily. I see in Guangzhou there are many diners who care about flavor and specially go to rural farmsteads in the suburbs to eat all-natural, feed-free free-range chickens."

Wang Dashan thought of an idea at this moment:

"Mom's great at raising chickens, right? You lease a plot of land in the village and have Mom help raise chickens. When county-town diners come, don't take them straight to the restaurant to eat; instead, bring them here to Shanggou Village first, let them personally pick the ingredients, and also take them around to see the village's pristine scenery."

Wang Erhai was half-believing, half-doubting:

"Can this really work? This godforsaken mountain backwater of Shanggou Village — there's nothing to see."

Wang Dashan, however, said:

"A godforsaken mountain backwater has nothing to see for us rural folk, but for city people, it's a pretty nice scenery."

Wang Dashan also said:

"You just try it first, let Mom help raise a few dozen chickens, then have Uncle Chunsheng bring some customers up. If the taste is good, word of mouth will spread — one tells ten, ten tell a hundred. As for price, as long as it's not ridiculously expensive, there definitely won't be a shortage of buyers."

Wang Erhai felt this was indeed worth a try.

Whether it works or not is another matter.

But in any case, he had to give it a try.

If he didn't try, with the current business situation — half-dead, barely alive — it would only drain him to death.

Wang Erhai actually felt quite depressed inside.

When he originally went to Zhang Zhongtian for this restaurant, he could have bargained the price down.

But his dad Wang Zhanggen insisted on his own initiative, directly offering 250,000, and even thought he'd gotten a bargain.

Later Wang Erhai went to New Era Restaurant a few times, and only learned from the restaurant's employees that previously a Boss surnamed Liu in the catering business had come to find Zhang Zhongtian to discuss transfer fees, and he was only willing to pay 50,000 as a transfer fee.

But things having come to this, he couldn't very well say anything.

Because even if he blamed his own birth father, it was already useless.

He could only learn from the experience, and in future business matters, let that stubborn old man who's missing a screw meddle less.

At noon the two brothers returned home to eat.

Wang Dashan planned to return to Guangzhou after finishing lunch.

Li Xiulan, learning this news, couldn't help feeling a bit lost.

"Leaving this fast? Won't you stay a bit longer?"

Her own eldest son, ever since going to Guangzhou to start a business, rarely returned to their hometown.

Each year he only came back for Spring Festival and holidays.

And the number of times he returned grew fewer year by year.

Li Xiulan knew the children had grown up, they had their own careers, their own families, no time to come back — that was perfectly normal.

Just thinking that from now on they'd meet one time less each time.

Yet she still couldn't help feeling gloomy and heartsick.

"Mom, I still have to go back to work, there's a lot of busy matters at the company. I'll bring Xiao Juan back together with me at Spring Festival."

Wang Dashan at this moment took out a packet of money — this was what he had prepared in advance:

"There's 500,000 here, you take it. Fix up the house nicely. Buy some beautiful furniture, and also install air conditioners, water heaters, and the like."

Li Xiulan hurriedly said:

"So much money, you should keep it yourself. You need money for business. The house renovation, we'll figure something out ourselves."

Wang Dashan forced the money over:

"Mom, I still have money. This is for you! You take the money and hurry up and fix the house nice. Can't have it that when Xiao Juan and I come back at Spring Festival, we're still living in this old house."

Wang Zhanggen at this time spoke:

"If Dashan gives it to you, just take it. He doesn't lack this bit of money now! We'll do as he says, hurry up and get the house renovated, that's it!"

Only then did Li Xiulan accept the money.

As a mother, she had never once proactively asked her three sons for money. Even though the sons had all entered society and become independent, she still had never proactively asked.

All these years, she had always been silently giving.

Instead, she had asked her three sons countless times whether the money was enough. If not, Mom would send some over.

This is perhaps a rural old mother's most simple and unadorned maternal love for her children.