By the time they had finished shopping, all the flyers had been distributed.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Suddenly, the sound of gongs and drums erupted in the streets. A large procession appeared, composed entirely of middle-aged men and women dressed in festive attire and carrying banners. It turned out to be the grand opening of a dry-pot restaurant.

Lin Feng mulled it over, then returned to discuss the matter with Jiang Anmin and Lin Jiajun. Taking advantage of the New Year's crowds was the perfect opportunity for promotion. They could advertise in newspapers, air commercials on television, and even hire a vehicle to publicize the restaurant on the nearby streets. Marketing required money, but the potential value was immeasurable. This was a job for the two of them. Lin Feng would provide the funds; they would contribute the labor.

Back at the restaurant, five new freezers had already been installed. The wiring needed to be redone, which required an electrician, but that was a minor issue. Workers were already on site for the children's area, which was set to be ten square meters. It would be fully equipped with a slide, a ball pit, and a television for kids. The construction crew promised that as long as the funds were available, they could get it all done in two days. During the New Year holiday, labor costs were double the usual rate.

It had cost nine hundred thousand to take over the lease, the annual rent was two hundred thousand, and utilities plus labor amounted to tens of thousands more each month. Now, on top of that, there were renovation costs and marketing expenses. All told, the costs were approaching two million. For now, Lin Feng was fronting all the money, which made Lin Daan and the others even more desperate for the restaurant to start turning a profit.

And so, everyone worked tirelessly from the third to the tenth day of the New Year, and the restaurant truly began to take shape.

Since they were adding barbecue to the menu, the existing hot pot tables had to either be completely replaced or modified. After weighing the costs, they decided to modify the tables, which would take time since there were dozens of them.

"Just buy new ones and sell these," Lin Feng decided. There was a market for such second-hand items, and considering their quality, they could still fetch a good price. Besides, they still needed to hire and train new staff.

After some thought, he called Jiang Anmin and Lin Jiajun over.

"You know the most important part of a hot pot is the base."

"So, I plan on sharing the recipe only with you two."

"In the future, if I'm not in Meicheng, you'll have to make the hot pot base yourselves."

This was a clear demonstration of his trust in them. Lin Feng led them to the kitchen. "You can record this if you want."

The two of them quickly turned on their phones' recording function. As Lin Feng worked, he recited the exact weight of each ingredient.

"Think of this as a kind of soup base for the hot pot. I'll tell you how to adjust the level of spiciness."

Lin Feng was using a massive pot for this batch. Before long, a rich and lingering fragrance wafted through the air. He then picked up a mandarin duck pot to demonstrate.

"Add this much of the base, then Sichuan pepper, chili peppers…"

"After you turn on the heat and it comes to a boil, have the staff add the fish slices. They only need to cook for two minutes before they can be eaten."

When Lin Feng finished his lesson, the fish hot pot was ready.

"Have a taste."

Both men took a bite and couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.

"This is so much better than that other restaurant! It's delicious!"

"This fish is so tender and smooth! Our business is guaranteed to be a hit."

Lin Feng smiled faintly. "I'll write down this secret fish seasoning recipe for you later. You just need to grind the ingredients into a powder."

"For the clear broth, we can make a tomato fish hot pot. That way, even young children can eat it."

"But it must be boneless, so we'll use basa fillets for the fish slices."

"The ingredients for the clear broth are much simpler. I'll write that recipe down for you as well."

"Once you have the recipes, you can batch-make the bases and store them in large, sealed containers."

Next, they discussed pricing. Seniors aged 65 and over would receive a 50% discount, and if it was a customer's birthday, their meal would be free. The price for adults was 88 per person. Children taller than 1.2 meters were half-price, and those shorter were free. If someone celebrated their birthday at the restaurant, the restaurant would provide a complimentary cake. The children's area required a dedicated staff member to supervise, or at the very least, a CCTV feed displayed in the dining area so parents could eat with peace of mind. The menu also had to be diverse and consider young children, with options like congee on standby.

There were only three days left until the official opening. Aside from attending the grand opening itself, Lin Feng planned to spend the next few days at home taking care of the babies. Their attachment to their parents was growing stronger, and Lin Feng didn't want to go half the day without seeing them.

Finally, the opening day was nearly upon them.

Lin Jiajun was so anxious he had trouble sleeping, while Jiang Anmin was handling the pressure a bit better. They talked on the phone for a long time, reassuring each other that the opening day wouldn't be a disaster. After hanging up, Lin Jiajun lay in bed, knowing he had to be at the restaurant by six in the morning to welcome the first day of business.

I hope business is good!

At six in the morning, Lin Jiajun dressed with renewed energy. Lin Daan and the others were buzzing with excitement too.

"Let's go!"

To ensure a good turnout, Lin Daan had invited all his old classmates and comrades. Wang Lu's family was also instructed to bring as many people as possible—they had to fill the seats. Jiang Anmin had also notified every relative and friend he could reach. Su Qiqi's parents would be coming as well. All in all, they couldn't afford to have an empty house on opening day.

Lin Rui and Lin Xiaolan had been nowhere to be seen during the preparations, but they were expected to show up on opening day no matter what.

When Lin Xiaolan and Feng Yong entered the restaurant, they were dumbfounded. They had expected a place of just over a hundred square meters, but were shocked to find a massive, two-story establishment!

Lin Xiaolan pulled her aunt aside and whispered, "Where did Lin Jiajun get so much money?"

"Money, my foot! Your third uncle prepared two hundred thousand for them, but they didn't use a single cent. It's all Lin Feng's money."

A complex expression washed over Lin Xiaolan's face, and she turned to shoot Feng Yong a dirty look.

Lin Rui came over and gave a thumbs-up. "Hey, the renovation is great! Nice design!"

The kitchen staff had already started their prep work.

The closer it got to mealtime, the more apprehensive everyone became. It would be mortifying if the morning passed without a single customer

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