Chapter 548: Competitors Are Enemies

He slept.

He slept until noon.

Wu An washed up, hearing Gu Anran lament that a lot of his hair had been crushed.

Finished washing up.

He glanced at the trash can, hearing that losing that hair was nothing compared to his own loss.

Gu Anran complained, but before heading out, he reminded him to drink the first cup of water in the morning.

Wu An couldn't be bothered to argue about whether the morning's first cup of water had scientific basis, and drank it all in one gulp.

The two of them went out.

It was still raining outside.

The two drove to the fast-food restaurant; it was still raining. Wu An had thought business wouldn't be great, but he saw that basically all the seats were already taken.

Besides the Mei Wen couple, they had hired several helpers, all busy as could be.

Business really looked good.

He didn't greet Mei Wen, but pulled Gu Anran to find an empty seat and sat down.

The table was for four, and a man was already eating there.

Wu An greeted the man.

At first the man didn't pay attention; the restaurant was doing well, so sharing a table was normal. But when he looked up and saw Gu Anran across from him, he froze.

Gu Anran nodded at the man and gave a polite smile.

The next moment.

The man's face turned red at a visible speed; he left half his meal uneaten and got up to leave.

Gu Anran was bewildered.

"What's wrong? Am I that scary?"

"He's scary, beautiful like a fairy; who wouldn't be frightened seeing such a troublemaker?"

"You're all smooth talk—why aren't you afraid?"

"Because I'm not human."

"You even know that."

"......"

He got up to get his food; when settling the bill, Mei Wen saw him and called out, "A An, when did you arrive?"

"I just got here a moment ago; business is good."

"It's quite good, similar to those first few days after opening."

Wu An looked around, noticed a few people who seemed different, and asked, "Are those people competitors?"

Mei Wen nodded, lowering her voice: "More or less, they all run small eateries like this."

"They've been coming often these days."

"They don't cause trouble; they just order, eat slowly, then leave—but I'm still worried."

Wu An smiled: "You're right to worry."

"They're still just gathering intelligence; we need to prepare for competition from rivals."

"We'll give each a bottle of drink; since they're peers eating here, we should treat them well and let them offer suggestions for the shop."

Mei Wen frowned: "They have ill intentions; why are we still greeting them with smiles?"

Wu An said: "Courtesy before force."

Mei Wen suddenly understood.

Wu An paid the bill, picked up his dish, and walked away.

Gu Anran tasted it, nodded, and said: "The taste is not bad, and the price is reasonable."

"The environment is also clean; even the cleaning staff wear masks."

"Is that your idea?"

Wu An and they were actually sitting not far from those competitors, speaking softly: "That's all I've got."

The fast-food restaurant actually has little technical content; it's easy to copy.

Now the fast-food restaurant's business is booming, already attracting much attention.

There will surely be imitators.

Wu An isn't worried about that; if it comes to a showdown, as long as we act quickly now and maintain the status quo, we can definitely survive—and even thrive.

Because once a showdown starts, it's a reshuffle; the first to be affected are actually those merchants who haven't even gotten a seat at the table.

That's the reasoning behind "the big shots fight, the little guys suffer."

He worries that some rivals lack martial virtue and use underhanded tactics.

Although Gao Qiangqi had already said hello in advance, the fast-food restaurant's business is so good now, having taken many people's livelihoods, so for profit someone will surely take risks.

Moreover, Gao Qiangqi isn't an all-powerful protector; he can't cover the sky with one hand in this town.

He had Mei Wen express goodwill; if those rivals still don't get it, then any unpleasant fallout wouldn't be his fault.

Wu An ate his meal, but his thoughts were on those rivals; they hadn't realized that the handsome young man bringing a pretty girl to eat here is one of the restaurant's behind-the-scenes owners.

These people are led by Bald Brother Huang; Huang Brother, not far from Zhendayuan, runs a small eatery that's been operating for over ten years.

Because he has a relative, he contracted the cafeteria services of Zhendayuan.

Occasionally he opens a small stove or such, and it's always at his small restaurant.

So, Brother Huang's life is still quite prosperous.

Of course, although he has that familial connection, he hasn't neglected the dues he owes.

In short, relying on Zhendayuan's business, he really hasn't made little money these years.

He has two sons; the eldest got into university, and he bought him a house, and he has already taken root in a big city.

He has also saved some money for the younger son; it just depends on how the younger son develops in the future.

The result.

Just a few days ago, while drinking with relatives, a relative complained to him, telling him to properly run the canteen; now Zhendayuan has considerable opinions, saying that a new fast-food restaurant has opened in town, offering many dishes that are cheap, tasty, and clean.

Brother Huang didn't believe it: "How could that be? What money could you possibly make from that?"

As a result, over the past few days he has been given a stern lesson.

Turns out, doing it well can actually make a lot of money.

He brought people to observe for several days; although his canteen business at Zhendayuan was affected, the impact wasn't big, but other small eateries were different.

Leaving the fast-food restaurant, while listening to everyone chat, he occasionally interjected, steering the conversation and making some sarcastic remarks, which stirred up a few people's tempers.

"Recently I often hear the leadership emphasizing food safety, food safety."

"Yes, yes, yes, food safety is a red line—whoever touches it dies."

"Can such framing work?"

"The simpler, the more effective—do you understand?"

"Alright."

Brother Huang fell silent; he had no intention of acting, after all there's always someone hot-headed and impatient charging ahead.

……

Wu An and Gu Anran left the fast-food restaurant, drove to Zhenzhongcun to check on the progress of the homestay project.

The homestay has already taken shape; the basic structure is complete. If they push the schedule, it can be finished within three months and open for business after the new year.

Although the sky was overcast and it was drizzling, the small courtyard already had a hint of homestay charm.

Gu Anran looked at it and praised: "Really not bad."

"Just looking at this little courtyard makes one want to stay."

"This, this swing is nice; sitting here swaying, gazing at the distant sea, just thinking about it feels great."

Wu An nodded.

For a homestay, that's exactly the feeling you want.

As they walked and toured, Gu Anran repeatedly exclaimed: "Did you come up with all of this?"

"This is too beautiful."

"Sitting here drinking and chatting, the evening will surely have a great atmosphere."

"There's even a pool…"

Wu An listened to Gu Anran's words, feeling more assured in his heart.