Chapter Forty-One: Partners

Taking out his phone, Fang Yuan glanced at the map and seemed to understand something. There were several other shops around the little restaurant, all about the same size, and none of them were far apart. Considering the temperament of the chubby owner—despite his burly appearance, he was actually rather timid—Fang Yuan thought that if he partnered with this man, the business would surely improve.

Fang Yuan was a man of action. With this thought in mind, he quickly washed up and headed straight to the small restaurant. It was still early; most restaurants hadn’t opened yet, and Fang Yuan was waiting for precisely this moment.

When he arrived, he saw that, sure enough, the other nearby restaurants were still shut. Unhurried, Fang Yuan waited across the street, pretending to read a newspaper with an air of leisure.

Around nine o’clock, he saw the chubby owner arrive alone to open the restaurant, a tricycle trailing behind, loaded with ingredients—mostly seafood. Not long after, the other two restaurants also had people come to open up. Once everything was prepared for the day, their business began in earnest.

The two neighboring owners seemed on very good terms, chatting and laughing together. In contrast, the chubby owner, once inside, didn’t come out again. Fang Yuan noticed that, as the two conversed, they would occasionally gesture toward the chubby owner’s restaurant, obviously talking about him. It was clear they were in cahoots. No wonder business was bad—the two of them were troublemakers, and with the chubby owner’s meekness, it was no surprise the restaurant was struggling.

Though cowardly, the chubby owner hadn’t immediately rejected Fang Yuan’s proposal, which showed he was at least considering it. He knew Fang Yuan was a capable man, and was naturally delighted at the prospect of partnering with him. He’d long wanted a partner, but anyone who saw his pitiful business wanted nothing to do with him. Now, at last, someone was willing—even someone with enemies of his own.

“Don’t worry, those who tried to cause me trouble have already been sorted out. See that tricycle at the door? I took it from them myself. So you don’t need to worry about that. The reason I want to partner with you is because your skills are commendable. I’ve learned quite a bit about your situation—those two restaurants have bullied you often, haven’t they?”

Fang Yuan didn’t spare the owner’s pride; he told him everything he’d seen. At this, the chubby owner became agitated and recounted, detail by detail, the ways those two had bullied him.

“Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, they won’t dare trouble you again. In fact, they might be packing up and leaving before long. All you need to do is agree, and none of this will be a problem.”

Fang Yuan knew exactly what weighed on the owner’s mind: his so-called enemies. For someone as timid as the chubby owner, these were major concerns. He would rather see his business continue to languish than take such risks.

“Are you telling the truth?”

It was clear the owner was tired of running things alone and desperate for help. Even if he didn’t know Fang Yuan well, he didn’t think he was a bad person. After all, Fang Yuan hadn’t retaliated when he’d been wronged before. Besides, Fang Yuan’s request was modest—just a commission based on the increased monthly turnover.

Fang Yuan’s idea of partnership was to use his channels to promote the restaurant and ensure its safety, especially if the neighboring shops tried to cause trouble. That alone was tempting enough for the chubby owner. For either service, he wouldn’t be at a loss.

He knew the restaurant’s turnover by heart—even without looking at the books. If Fang Yuan could raise profits thirty percent above the average, that wasn’t a high bar. The restaurant’s monthly turnover never exceeded sixty thousand at best, and after expenses, not much was left.

Still, the timid owner agreed after much deliberation. He realized he stood to lose nothing, and most importantly, Fang Yuan promised to handle the two troublesome shops.

The two of them drew up a simple contract on a blank sheet of paper, both signing their names. It was a legally binding agreement, and though it was straightforward, Fang Yuan wasn’t worried about the other party reneging.

Promoting a nondescript little restaurant wouldn’t have much effect. To maximize results, Fang Yuan decided to start with the name. To be honest, he’d disliked the name ever since his first visit.

The restaurant was named after the owner’s physique, called “Chubby’s Country Kitchen.” Fang Yuan thought calling it “Meal Time” was much more creative. The opening hours would be from eleven to one for lunch, and five to eight in the evening—a total of five hours per day. They would raise the standard of the dishes a little, but leave the decor as it was, since it looked clean and tidy enough.

With this approach, promotion would be more effective, and people would remember the restaurant instantly.

At first, the owner didn’t agree with Fang Yuan’s suggestions, fearing it would ruin his reputation. However, he did like the proposed new name. “Meal Time”—the time to eat—was clever.

In the end, Fang Yuan convinced him, promising to double the restaurant’s turnover in two months. If the monthly turnover was sixty thousand, doubling it would make it one hundred eighty thousand—a seemingly impossible feat for such a small restaurant.

But the owner, whose real name was Li Dazhuang—a fitting name for his build—was eager to lighten his burden. He’d been working alone for nearly two years without a break except for the New Year. If Fang Yuan could really deliver, life would become much easier.

Fang Yuan took charge of changing the restaurant name and printing promotional flyers, covering the costs himself. This reassured Li Dazhuang; at least Fang Yuan wasn’t a penny-pincher.

When the new sign was being installed, the other two restaurant owners came over to gawk. At first, seeing the sign being removed, they thought Li Dazhuang was closing his business. When they realized it was just a new sign, they were surprised.

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