Chapter 8: Seeking a Path

Fang Bin's snack stall quickly got on track, thanks to Fang Mingyuan's guidance from behind the scenes. Grandpa Fang ordered Fang Bin to wear a white coat and a white hat when selling baozi, and these items had to be washed daily to remain spotless. He also specially prepared tongs for handling money, requiring that during the sale of baozi, whether receiving money or giving change, hands must not touch the money! When giving baozi to customers, he had to either wear plastic gloves or use special tongs, and was not allowed to touch the baozi directly. Moreover, the cart, tables, chairs, and utensils used for selling baozi had to be thoroughly cleaned every day. In the first few days, Fang Bin was not used to it and often forgot Grandpa Fang's instructions. Later, Grandpa Fang personally supervised, and for each mistake Fang Bin made, he was fined one yuan. After two days, the poor Fang Bin was fined twelve yuan, which made him take the cleanliness seriously.

Such high hygiene standards in 1983's Hai Zhuang were a refreshing sight. Compared to the hygiene standards of other nearby snack stalls, Fang Bin, dressed in a clean "chef" outfit, stood out like a crane among chickens at the factory gate. Clean and hygienic, cheap and delicious—these conditions combined made the Fang family's snack stall increasingly popular. The baozi were in high demand, often selling out within an hour, and the quantity of baozi produced increased daily. In just half a month, the profit matched the previous month's, which made Fang Bin smile from ear to ear every day. His enthusiasm for running a restaurant grew even more.

Fang Mingyuan secretly suggested to Grandpa Fang that opening a restaurant at the factory gate was not yet the right time. Although the factory canteen did not pay much attention to breakfast, it was quite serious about lunch and dinner. The logistics department in large state-owned enterprises like Qinxi Pressing Equipment Factory was always a lucrative position, and those who held it had strong backing in the factory. The Fang family's business was just starting, and if someone jealous or envious stirred up trouble, making the canteen management think they were taking food from the tiger's mouth and competing with the canteen, it could affect the Fang family's other jobs in the factory, which would be counterproductive. However, not being able to open a restaurant at the factory gate did not mean that the Fang family's baozi could not supply lunch to the factory.

After some preparation, Grandpa Fang, accompanied by Fang Mingyuan, brought two bottles of premium Xifeng liquor and two cartons of Hongtashan cigarettes to the home of Zhao Jianguo, the canteen manager.

The door was opened by a woman in her thirties, quite pretty. Judging by her age, she was likely Zhao Jianguo's daughter-in-law. After Grandpa Fang introduced himself, the woman looked at Fang Mingyuan standing behind him and immediately smiled. "Oh, it's Grandpa Fang! This must be your grandson, Fang Mingyuan. Please come in, please come in. My father went for a walk after eating, but he'll be back soon. Xiao Ya, come out, your classmate Fang Mingyuan is here!" With her words, the curtain in the inner room was lifted, and a little girl ran out, jumping and laughing, and immediately called out happily upon seeing Fang Mingyuan.

It was a coincidence that Zhao Jianguo's granddaughter, Zhao Ya, also attended the factory's primary school and was in the same class as Fang Mingyuan. Although Fang Mingyuan was not very sociable in class, children naturally had a special fondness for good students. Especially someone like Fang Mingyuan, who could daydream and sleep in class without being scolded and still get the top grade in the final exams, was highly admired. Zhao Ya's mother had heard her daughter talk about this unique classmate many times, so she was well aware of Fang Mingyuan's name. She was also very curious about him. Therefore, when she heard that Fang Mingyuan's grandfather had come to visit, she was particularly enthusiastic. This was actually part of Fang Mingyuan's plan. Before coming, he had already learned that Zhao Jianguo's granddaughter was his classmate, which increased his chances of success.

When Zhao Jianguo returned home, his wife was chatting with Grandpa Fang, and Zhao Ya and her mother were playing checkers with Fang Mingyuan. However, the mother and daughter were clearly no match for Fang Mingyuan, who was far ahead on the board.

After some polite exchanges, they sat down. Zhao Jianguo noticed that Fang Mingyuan did not continue playing checkers with Zhao Ya and her mother but sat next to Grandpa Fang, as if he intended to listen in. Grandpa Fang did not seem to mind, which made Zhao Jianguo feel a bit curious. He was also more curious about this Fang Mingyuan, whom his granddaughter often mentioned.

Grandpa Fang then explained his purpose. The Fang family planned to supply baozi to the canteen and would pay ten percent of their monthly income as management fees. Zhao Jianguo pondered for a moment. The Fang family's baozi had recently gained a good reputation in the factory, and he had tried them a few times. They were indeed delicious, and what impressed him most was the cleanliness of the Fang family's baozi. After seeing Fang Bin's meticulous actions, the behavior of the canteen staff seemed less satisfactory.

"Grandpa Zhao, according to what my dad and others say, the canteen doesn't often supply baozi, and sometimes due to the large number of people eating in the canteen, there isn't enough food, leaving some uncles and aunts hungry. Is that true?" Fang Mingyuan asked innocently. Being young had its advantages; even if he said something out of line, adults wouldn't take it seriously.

Zhao Jianguo nodded. This was not something to hide. Qinxi Pressing Equipment Factory had two sites, one on the mountain and one below, with over 3,000 employees at the lower site. Including retirees and their families, there were nearly 10,000 people. The number of people entering the canteen each day varied greatly. It was summer, and refrigerators and freezers were precious items that the factory canteen did not have. Therefore, they preferred to have less rather than more, to avoid waste. So, it was not unusual for some people to go without food. Baozi, which required many steps to make, were not often supplied due to the lack of manpower.

"This means that our baozi and Grandpa Zhao's canteen do not conflict. You rarely make baozi, and we only sell baozi. This way, your canteen menu can have one more option, making it more convenient for the uncles and aunts who come to buy food. And Grandpa Zhao, you only need to provide a window, without increasing management costs, and can collect management fees. Isn't this a win-win situation for everyone?" Fang Mingyuan asked, blinking his bright eyes.

This speech left Zhao Jianguo quite impressed. Although he had heard from his daughter and granddaughter that there was a very smart boy in the class who could daydream and sleep in class but still get top grades, hearing it from Fang Mingyuan himself was a different experience. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, who would believe that such a speech could come from a six- or seven-year-old boy? Even some young workers in the factory might not be able to explain things so clearly and concisely, and he had hit the key points—indeed, this was beneficial for Zhao Jianguo, and it would even earn him a good reputation for taking care of the factory employees and their families. Why not do it?

Zhao Jianguo glanced at Grandpa Fang, who was sitting steadily with a smile. It seemed he was used to his grandson's exceptional words. Otherwise, why would he let him speak freely? "Fang Mingyuan, Grandpa Zhao has heard that you are very smart. If you can answer a few of Grandpa Zhao's questions, then Grandpa Zhao will agree to your family's request. What do you say?"