Chapter 224: Make a Good Connection When You Have the Chance
5:30 PM.
In a residential building for county party committee staff, Song Yu was having dinner with her parents, brother, sister-in-law, and younger sister.
Earlier, they had been busy catching up on family matters. Now, as they ate, Song Yu thought of the restaurant owned by her junior classmate Deng Yunheng and couldn't help but ask, "Mom, Dad, Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Xiaoman, do you know about the Suifeng Restaurant across from the People's Cinema?"
Song Man quickly chimed in, "Of course we know! Who in the whole county hasn't heard of that restaurant? Sister, why are you asking about it right after coming back?"
Song Yu was surprised, "Is the restaurant really that famous?"
Song Man continued, "It's mainly because of the grand opening of Suifeng Restaurant the day before yesterday. The fanfare was huge!"
Then, Song Man and her sister-in-law took turns recounting the spectacular scene of Suifeng Restaurant's opening.
After listening, Song Yu couldn't help but praise, "This promotional method is simple yet effective. Just as I expected, Uncle Deng is really something!"
Father Song, intrigued, asked, "Xiaoyu, from what you're saying, do you know the owner of this restaurant?"
Song Yu nodded, "Yes, I do. The owner of Suifeng Restaurant is the father of one of my junior classmates. A few months ago, Uncle Deng came to the school to visit his son. I happened to meet him, and we even had a meal together!"
Song's mother added, "So there's that connection. Old Song, you should take care of Suifeng Restaurant in the future."
Her daughter was a Peking University student, and if her classmate's father could open such a large restaurant in the county, he was clearly no ordinary person. Building a relationship with someone like that could only be beneficial.
Father Song smiled, "The land for Suifeng Restaurant was approved by the No. 2 leader of the county. Yesterday, the leader even mentioned that any important receptions in the future should be held at Suifeng Restaurant. Why would they need my attention?"
Song's mother was surprised, "Is the owner of Suifeng Restaurant connected to the No. 2 leader of the county?"
Father Song shook his head, "Not at all. I found out there's no relationship between them. The No. 2 leader did this purely to support the country's call to promote the development of local businesses."
Song Yu interjected, "Dad, I have a good relationship with this junior. You should help take care of him when you can."
Father Song smiled, "Don't worry about that. Since we have this connection, I'll make sure to build a good relationship if the opportunity arises."
As the third-ranking leader of the county government, he didn't usually pay much attention to restaurant owners. After all, in this era, the status of businessmen was somewhat awkward. While they might earn a lot of money, their social standing couldn't compare to those who held government positions.
For example, a street vendor might earn two to three hundred yuan a month, while a government worker might only earn twenty to thirty yuan. Despite the tenfold difference in income, in the marriage market, nine out of ten people would still choose the government worker over the vendor.
However, since the restaurant owner had a promising son who was also close to his daughter, Father Song saw value in fostering this connection. If the opportunity arose to help and build a good relationship, he would gladly do so.
…
Suifeng Restaurant.
After enjoying a delicious meal filled with hometown flavors, Deng Yunheng sat contentedly, sipping tea. Seeing diners come in from time to time, he felt the business was decent, though he wasn't sure if it was profitable.
He now knew his father had invested over 300,000 yuan in the restaurant. The amount was staggering. Even if they earned 1,000 yuan a month, it would take more than 20 years to recoup the investment. The thought was daunting.
The key issue was that the money had been borrowed from a credit union. While the credit union didn't charge interest, the principal had to be repaid within five years. How could his father possibly repay such a large sum in such a short time?
The thought weighed heavily on Deng Yunheng, but he tried to remain hopeful. His father had always been his role model. If his father had the foresight to invest so much, he must have a plan. Moreover, the restaurant occupied only one floor of the three-story building. His father likely had other plans for the remaining space.
With that in mind, Deng Yunheng felt a bit more at ease.
…
At seven in the evening, most of the diners had left. Everyone helped clean up, then closed the restaurant and headed home.
Back at home, Zhang Xiuping reported the day's earnings to her father-in-law: "Dad, today's turnover was 93.8 yuan, and the profit isn't bad. Starting tomorrow, the restaurant will return to its original prices. If the turnover doesn't drop, the profit will increase further."
Deng Shirong nodded, "Yes, the key is restoring the original prices tomorrow. If we can stabilize the turnover at over 100 yuan in ten days, the business will be a success. If we can start hosting banquets like weddings, full moon celebrations, and birthdays, the profits will be even more substantial."
Deng Yuntai added excitedly, "So far, the diners' feedback has been positive. Our restaurant is clean, the dining environment is good, the food tastes great, and the prices are reasonable. People are willing to eat here."
Deng Yunzhen chimed in, "Like that first customer who came in, he's been eating here for three days straight. I've also noticed other returning customers over the past two days."
Seeing his elder brother, sister-in-law, and sister so full of energy, Deng Yunheng felt reassured. As the saying goes, things will work out when the time comes. The loan had a five-year term, so there was no need to worry about it now.
Next, the whole family, including the cousins, lined up to take baths.
That night, Deng Shirong arranged for his youngest son to sleep with him.
The two-story building had five rooms. Before Deng Yunheng returned, Deng Shirong had been sleeping alone on the first floor. The four rooms on the second floor were occupied by the eldest son and daughter-in-law, the eldest daughter and her niece, Chen Bangguo, Deng Yunsong, Deng Yunhua, and Deng Yunheng (two beds), and Chen Bangli and Chen Bangfeng (two beds).
Now that Deng Yunheng was back, while it was possible for three people to sleep on one bunk bed, but with the hot weather, it would be uncomfortable. So, Deng Shirong arranged for his
(End of this chapter)