NOVEL WEB Chapter 40: the boutique
Li Yao, someone is here looking for you."
Li Yao was just about to make lunch when a villager brought Zou manager over.
Seeing Li Yao's home was so dilapidated, Zou manager was also very surprised. He felt that someone who could make something as amazing as the herbal paste must have some savings at least.
However, he was not disgusted like Hong Shan. Instead, he walked generously into the yard.
"Mrs. Li, pardon my intrusion." Zou manager smiled and handed over two boxes of osmanthus cakes, as well as a fresh lamb leg, "This is a little token."
Having just given beef last time, and now lamb again, along with osmanthus cakes, this Zou manager was really courteous.
"My home is small. Let's just sit in the yard," Li Yao said. "Xiao Hui, bring the stool."
"Coming."
Du Xiao Hui carried over an old long bench. Zou manager did not decline and sat down on it generously.
"Mother," He Xiaoya called out from the incubation room just after he sat down, "I'm ready."
As time went by, eggs that failed to hatch goslings could be selected out again. They also had to be selected out. Otherwise, the goose eggs would rot in the incubator over time.
Selecting goose eggs was important. Li Yao could only say, "Zou manager, please wait a moment."
"No problem, no problem, you go ahead."
Seeing her turn and leave, Zou manager was not annoyed either. Instead, he began to look around.
It had to be said that Li Yao's house was really shabby. It looked like a shed for stacking firewood by the roadside. The roof even had a few big holes.
But there was a bamboo shed in the yard, and a teacher was teaching a child to read.
In this day and age, those who could afford to hire a private tutor must be either rich or noble.
So he was a little confused. Was this Mrs. Li so poor that she was penniless, or so rich that she was dripping with oil?
After waiting for half a shichen, Li Yao finally finished selecting the goose eggs.
The first time she selected 50, this time she selected another 20, leaving 130 still in the incubator. Not all of those may hatch goslings either.
When they hatched, she may have to cull another batch.
"Mother, what should we do with these goose eggs?"
"Boil them and feed them to the pigs."
After being incubated for twenty days, they must have gone bad. People definitely could not eat them. They could only be fed to pigs.
Hearing that she was going to take 20 goose eggs to feed the pigs, Zou manager felt bad.
His rouge shop made a lot of money. He was quite a prominent family in Baichuan Market. But he would definitely not feed goose eggs to pigs!
"Mrs. Li," Zou manager steadied himself and explained his purpose, "I came today also for the matter of the herbal paste."
"I know," Li Yao said. "Someone from Yizhou Prefecture also came to find me before."
Zou manager's heart sank. He quickly asked, "So Mrs. Li, do you mean... you intend to sell it to him?"
After all, Hong Shan was rich and arrogant. He would definitely not be petty when buying it.
And in this world, who would turn down money?
It was a pity that he did not have Hong Shan's wealth!
"Actually it doesn't matter," Zou manager went on. "Let the highest bidder have it. This is only fair. I only hope Mrs. Li still keeps Baichuan Market's share for me. I will match whatever price Hong Shan offers."
"Manager Zou, you misunderstood," Li Yao said. "I never intended to sell the herbal paste to anyone else."
"Ah?"
Zou manager thought he had misheard. It took him a long time to recover.
Not selling to others meant selling everything exclusively to him? Letting him earn all this money alone?
Was there still such a windfall in this world that would fall on his head?
"You don't need to be surprised either," Li Yao said. "I'm a rather lazy person. I don't want to run a shop, so I thought about finding a reliable person to cooperate with."
"Mrs. Li jests. How can a lazy person make the herbal paste? I just don't know what kind of cooperation Mrs. Li is referring to?"
"Let's adopt a shareholding system."
Zou manager: ...
To be honest, in all his years doing business, he had never heard of this novel term "shareholding system".
But he was a smart man. He could guess the meaning from the words.
Li Yao meant that she and Zou manager would partner to open a shop specifically for selling the herbal paste. She would supply the goods, then Zou manager would be fully responsible for operations.
She would just be a hands-off shareholder, not getting involved in any business matters.
The profits would be split with 40% for Li Yao, and 60% for Zou manager since he was responsible for operations.
It seemed Li Yao earned less, but in fact she earned more. After all, the shop got goods from her, so she profited first.
"Let's first open a shop in Baichuan Market," Li Yao finally said. "If it works out, we can open branches elsewhere."
"It will work, definitely!"
How could Zou manager reject such an exclusive deal?
He had already thought about buying several stores in the Capital City!
"But I think your proposed split is a bit inappropriate."
"Then how do you think it should be split?" Li Yao asked.
"It should be reversed," Zou manager said very seriously. "40% for me, 60% for you. That would be more reasonable."
Li Yao: ...
Wasn't there a saying 'no business without cheating'?
How did this Zou manager seem like a silly honest man, willingly giving up 20% profits?
"Mrs. Li, I have no other intentions," Zou manager said. "Although I'm responsible for operations and contribute effort regularly, I think at critical moments, you still need to oversee things. "
He was convinced by her timed limited-supply sales tactic last time.
"Then let's split it evenly, 50-50. Let's do that," Li Yao also wasn't someone who only thought about taking advantage. She knew uneven splits would lead to conflicts later.
"Then we'll do as Mrs. Li says," Zou manager did not decline further. "For the accounting, Mrs. Li, you still need to find a reliable person."
"No need for now, we'll talk about it later. I trust your character."
Zou manager felt relieved.
Going into business together, yet the other party did not arrange for supervision of accounts. What trust!
"Mrs. Li, rest assured. Zou would never cook the books," Zou manager looked at the overhead sun. "It's getting late. I should hurry back to prepare."
"Since we're partners now, stay for a casual meal," Li Yao said.
"Good, I won't stand on ceremony." Zou manager smiled. "I've long heard your pot-stewed goose is superb. Today I can finally have the pleasure."
"Pot-stewed goose will take too long. But we can do roasted lamb skewers."
No matter what meat, the fresher the better.
So the lamb leg Zou manager brought definitely could not be left until night.
After washing the lamb leg clean, removing the membranes and cutting into small pieces, she marinated it with salt, sesame, pepper powder, fennel, sichuan peppercorn powder, flour.
She built a makeshift grill with bricks in the yard, lit charcoal inside, and had Du Xiao Hui, Wang San and Wang Si skewer the marinated lamb on bamboo sticks. Li Yao was responsible for grilling.
The finely diced lamb cooked quickly. Crispy on the outside, tender inside. Finally, she brushed on a layer of oil and sprinkled with cumin powder. A unique, rich aroma immediately drifted out, making people drool uncontrollably.
Zou manager had seen the world, but never ate such delicious grilled lamb.
Not only was the smell appetizing, the taste was also exceptionally tender.
"Mrs. Li, this should be a northern style dish. How did you learn it?"
"I heard it from someone else," Li Yao said. "Manager Zou, since we're partners now, don't stand on ceremony, eat as you like."
"Alright, I won't be polite." Zou manager beckoned the children. "Come on, all of you. And you, Sir, may I ask your surname?"
"Certainly, I have the humble surname Lv."
"So you are Mr. Lv," Zou manager gave the private tutor sufficient respect, and took the initiative to let him sit in the honorable upper seat, "Please go ahead, Sir."
"No need to be polite, let's eat together."
The family plus two guests ate while grilling.
Soon the entire lamb leg was eaten clean. Zou manager still felt unsatisfied, regretting that he hadn't brought another lamb leg.
After the meal, Zou manager got up to leave.
"Mrs. Li, I will go back immediately to prepare now. It will only take three days for our new shop to be ready," Zou manager said. "But now we should decide on the shop sign, so I can find someone to make it."
"You decide it." Li Yao did not care what the sign was. She only wanted to be a behind-the-scenes shareholder.
"How about 'Li's of Riverside Village'? What do you think?"
Li Yao thought about it. This name did have strong individuality, but still lacked something.
"Li's of Riverside Village Boutique."
"Boutique?" Zou manager's eyes lit up. "Wonderful, marvelous! Anything from Li's of Riverside Village is bound to be a boutique product. I'll go make it now!"