Chapter 52

Chapter 8: Binding Interests

"Ah?" The three members of the Fang family couldn't help but be startled.

In fact, Zhao Jianguo didn't suddenly come up with this idea today. Over the past few years, he had been closely watching Fang Mingyuan and the Fang family. Although he didn't know about the matters in the capital, he could see that the Fang family was becoming increasingly prosperous right under his nose. Having been close to the Fang family for many years and having roamed the world for so long, he could clearly see that the Fang family was thriving and had a bright future ahead. The core of the Fang family was clearly the young Fang Mingyuan. Although Fang Mingyuan seemed to have become more subdued over the past two years and hadn't done anything to shock the entire factory, Zhao Jianguo didn't think the young man had run out of ideas.

Moreover, his granddaughter's relationship with Fang Mingyuan had grown closer over the years. As someone who had been through it all, he could see that his granddaughter's heart, still somewhat naive, was already attached to Fang Mingyuan. But how much Fang Mingyuan cared for his granddaughter was something only heaven knew. Although he showed concern for Zhao Ya and had a close relationship with the Zhao family, Grandpa Zhao felt that after living for sixty years, he still couldn't fully understand this young man who hadn't yet come of age.

His eldest and second sons had limited abilities; they were good at maintaining the status quo but lacked the drive to expand. At this point, without external assistance, they would stagnate. The third son still had potential, but being in a distant province, he was beyond his reach. For the sake of the Zhao family and his granddaughter, Zhao Jianguo felt it necessary to further strengthen the relationship with the Fang family.

The simplest and most effective way to strengthen the relationship was to create a shared interest, where both parties would benefit or suffer together. If the Zhao family and the Fang family were tied to the same chariot, then even if Fang Mingyuan had other intentions in the future, the Fang family would never agree. Moreover, Zhao Jianguo believed that Fang Mingyuan would surely lead the Fang family to a bright future. When that time came, the Zhao family would naturally rise with them.

With this plan in mind, Zhao Jianguo decided to implement it as soon as possible. The longer it was delayed, the smaller the share they could claim in the future. Adding to a successful venture was not as good as providing timely assistance. Moreover, he was concerned that with the Fang family's development, in a couple of years, their family's savings might not even be considered significant.

Fang Mingyuan's mind raced. The Fish Head Bubble Pancake had already appeared, giving the Fang family restaurant a unique signature dish and the potential to expand beyond Hai Zhuang Town. In fact, he had been considering whether to open a supermarket first or help Fang Bin expand the restaurant business. Fang Bin had long wanted to open a restaurant in Pingchuan County, and Fang Mingyuan understood his intentions. Now that they had money, they naturally had to consider his uncle's ideas. However, both options had their advantages, and neither could be easily abandoned.

If the Zhao family intended to invest in the restaurant, it would be a good choice. At least it would provide some additional funds for the restaurant's expansion. Actually, Fang Mingyuan didn't place much importance on the food industry. In the future, there would be many more opportunities for development, and the food industry was not the best choice for him. However, he had to do this because he knew that in the past few years, policies had been inconsistent, and entering certain industries carried significant risks. The Fang family had no money, no power, and no business talent. Venturing into these industries would be like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth, so Fang Mingyuan was unwilling to take the risk. However, the food industry was not one of them, and the state's regulation was relatively lax. Therefore, Fang Mingyuan decided to start here to accumulate funds and experience.

"Grandpa Zhao, if you plan to invest, we naturally welcome it. But how do you plan to invest, and how much?" In front of Zhao Jianguo, Fang Mingyuan saw no need to hide anything, so he asked directly.

Zhao Jianguo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Fang Mingyuan didn't reject the Zhao family's involvement, which was good. He had been a bit worried that the Fang family might misunderstand his intentions. "Over the years, my wife and I have saved some money, and we can raise more at home. We can probably contribute around three to four ten thousand yuan. How much of the restaurant's shares can we get?"

Fang Mingyuan and Grandpa Fang looked at Fang Bin, as they were not clear about the current assets of the restaurant.

Fang Bin pondered for a moment and then hesitantly said, "I can't remember the exact amount, but I did a tally before New Year's Day. The total assets were around 45,000 yuan."

Zhao Jianguo shook his head. "Fang Bin, you're underestimating the value of the Fish Head Bubble Pancake!"

"Ah? Can the Fish Head Bubble Pancake be counted? How do we calculate it? I don't know," Fang Bin said, spreading his hands.

"Without the Fish Head Bubble Pancake, your Fang family restaurant would be one of the best in Pingchuan. But with it, your restaurant can be considered the best in Pingchuan, with no competition. How much do you think it's worth?" Zhao Jianguo said seriously. Since they were planning to join forces and tie their fates together, it was important not to try to take advantage of the Fang family from the beginning. Even if they didn't mind now or hadn't thought about it, these things could become time bombs, destroying the harmonious relationship between the two families.

"Grandpa Zhao is right. The recipe is like a prescription, a core secret of the restaurant, and its value is hard to estimate," Fang Mingyuan nodded, indicating that Zhao Jianguo was genuinely interested in investing.

"Here's what I propose: Your Fang family will invest with your current assets and the Fish Head Bubble Pancake recipe. My Zhao family will invest 40,000 yuan, taking 40% of the shares. What do you think, Brother Fang?" Zhao Jianguo suggested, "If you have no objections, I'll bring the 40,000 yuan in a week at most."

"That doesn't seem right," Grandpa Fang hesitated. A recipe for the Fish Head Bubble Pancake being valued at 15,000 yuan was quite rare in this era. He looked at Fang Mingyuan, wanting to hear his grandson's opinion.

"I once heard a saying that makes a lot of sense now. In a business deal, you can fight for 100 yuan, or 120 yuan, but if you take only 90 yuan, the business can last long," Fang Mingyuan said, looking at Grandpa Fang and Fang Bin. "I think we should meet each other halfway. Grandpa Zhao invests 40,000 yuan for 45% of the shares, and we invest with our current assets and the Fish Head Bubble Pancake recipe for 55% of the shares. What do you think?"

Zhao Jianguo was about to decline, but Grandpa Fang had already made up his mind. "Alright, let's do it!"

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