TATSD Chapter 107

With outsiders present, the person beside him, Liu Yimian, was a bit reserved and only picked at the small dishes in front of him. Ji Wei noticed this, picked up a slice of roast duck, and gently placed it on Liu Yimian’s plate, saying warmly, “This tastes good—you should try it.”

Liu Yimian nodded and tasted the roast duck delicately. Since even someone as picky as Ji Wei said it was good, he was delighted by the flavor, his eyes lighting up, even squinting slightly in enjoyment.

Lin Yaozu, a sharp businessman, had already picked up on the dynamic. Seeing that Ji Wei cared about Liu Yimian, he kept encouraging him to eat more, asking if he had enough or if there was anything else he wanted.

“No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Lin. I don’t need anything else,” Liu Yimian said, feeling a bit flattered, though he knew Lin Yaozu’s attentiveness was likely due to Ji Wei.

If Ji Wei didn’t speak up, Liu Yimian felt it wasn’t his place to accept such treatment.

Though they didn’t speak, their tacit understanding was clear, and Lin Yaozu, unable to find an opening to interject, couldn’t help but sigh.

Seeing that the shop on North Street was about to open, he and Chen Mingsheng were both feeling the pressure. That’s why he had Lin Tai invite Ji Wei over—hoping for a last-ditch effort.

“Congratulations on the upcoming opening of your new shop, Mr. Ji! Here’s to a prosperous business!” Lin Yaozu raised his freshly filled wine glass.

Ji Wei poured himself some wine, clinked glasses with him, and smiled politely. “Then I’ll take you up on that, Manager Lin.” He drank it down and tipped the cup over to show it was empty.

Lin Yaozu’s hand lingered on his cup, rubbing it absentmindedly. His mind was elsewhere, and the table full of dishes held little appeal. This contrasted sharply with Lin Tai, who was enthusiastically devouring his meal beside him.

After taking another bite of the Eight Treasures Duck, Ji Wei spoke casually, “Manager Lin, if you have something to say, feel free. We’re well acquainted; there’s no need to hold back.”

Lin Yaozu forced a smile. “Mr. Ji, you’re as perceptive as ever. I did have something I wanted to discuss with you today.”

Ji Wei stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

Sitting across from Ji Wei, Lin Yaozu couldn’t read his mood, so he hesitated but then decided to be direct. “Mr. Ji, I’m not looking for great wealth, just enough to make a living. We worked well together before, and I see a bright future for your new shop on Yong’an Street. Might I be fortunate enough to work with you again?”

Ji Wei made a small sound of surprise, clearly not expecting Lin Yaozu to be so forthright. He looked at him with mild astonishment and sighed. “It’s just that I’ve already agreed with Old Master Zhang. I’ll be in charge of making the pastries, and he’ll handle the sales. If you’re truly interested, you’ll have to discuss it with him.”

“It’d be much easier if you were present, Mr. Ji,” Lin Yaozu said, his gaze intense, making Ji Wei frown slightly.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling—his previous partnership with Lin Yaozu had been brief but pleasant. If an opportunity arose, he wouldn’t mind working together again. But how could he get past Old Master Zhang?

Ji Wei didn’t respond right away, and Lin Yaozu didn’t push him, actually feeling a bit relieved.

If Ji Wei had flatly refused, there’d be no room for further discussion. But his willingness to consider it indicated there was still a sliver of hope.

He knocked on Lin Tai’s head, scolding, “Don’t just think about yourself. There’s a friend beside you—shouldn’t you look after him?”

Lin Tai licked his lips, glistening with oil, then glanced at Liu Yimian’s empty plate and, slightly exasperated, said, “Look at you—so skinny you might blow away in the wind. Here, take a drumstick; it’s big and juicy, so enjoy it. And try some of this duck soup; it’s quite good.”

“Lin Tai, I can manage. No need, really,” Liu Yimian said, slightly embarrassed, gently pushing Lin Tai away. Lin Tai glanced at Ji Wei beside him and stopped. “Alright then, but make sure you eat more—don’t let it go to waste.”

“Ji-ge, why don’t you have some soup, too?” Liu Yimian served him a bowl of fragrant golden duck soup, looking hopeful. Ji Wei took it without hesitation and drank, his mind racing, a new idea forming.

The solution came from his past life.

With Ji Wei’s simple assembly line now in place, large-scale production of Western pastries was possible. By steadily expanding his workforce, he could supply multiple towns.

The main obstacles were the limited supply of ingredients and the challenges of promotion. For now, both issues were resolved by the Zhang family, but Ji Wei knew this was only a temporary fix.

The Zhang family made its fortune with rice shops, mainly scattered throughout various towns. The pastry shop was a recent expansion, meant to grow their business but not strong enough to compete with established bakeries in the area.

With few shops, no brand recognition, limited customers, and weak competitiveness, these were issues the Zhang family had even before partnering with Ji Wei. Take Daxi Town, for example: besides Chen Mingsheng, there were smaller merchants like Lin Tai, and the bakery business wasn’t easy.

For now, Ji Wei could rely on the Zhang family’s foundation to sell his pastries. But their reach was only so wide, and once they saturated the current market, it would feel limited and insufficient.

What’s more, competitors wouldn’t sit back and allow them to grow unchecked; they would likely retaliate, making it tough to move forward.

It would be better to find a win-win solution, letting competitors share in the profits for mutual benefit.

This brought to mind the franchise model from his past life that spanned the entire country.

He could encourage others to adopt the Ji Wei brand by paying a franchise fee, with training and goods provided from his end. Profits and losses would be managed by the franchisees, and if the model worked, Ji Wei would avoid the hassle of opening new stores while the franchisees could profit, just like in his previous partnership with Lin Yaozu.

Of course, business has its ups and downs; no one can guarantee everything will go smoothly. If the business ends up losing money, Ji Wei wouldn’t be responsible, and he would still collect a franchise fee. Why not?

The more Ji Wei thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed, but he still needed to discuss it with Old Master Zhang. So, he didn’t go into detail with Lin Yaozu, only hinting that there might still be room for negotiation.

“Just hearing that from you is the best news,” Lin Yaozu said happily. He hadn’t expected much, so the outcome was a pleasant surprise.

However, once he calmed down, he was a bit puzzled and couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Chen also approached you before—why did you turn him down?”

Ji Wei recalled his first meeting with Chen Mingsheng and chuckled. “First, the Chen family is the Zhang family’s main competitor, and now that I’m working with the Zhangs, I can’t just turn around and get friendly with the Chens. Second, I simply don’t like him.”

While the first reason was serious, the second, subjective reason caught Lin Yaozu off guard.

With half a duck leg still in his mouth, Lin Tai unexpectedly chimed in, “I don’t like him either—he’s very shallow.” Due to the bakery opening, Chen Mingsheng visited the Lin family several times, and his petty behavior was annoying.

Lin Yaozu scolded him quietly, “You’re a scholar; you should know better than to speak poorly of your elders. Show some respect!”

Lin Tai didn’t take it to heart, pulling a face instead, which made Liu Yimian stifle a laugh, his shoulders shaking as he tried to keep Lin Yaozu from noticing.

“Well, let’s set that aside. The new shop on Yong’an Street opens in three days; I trust you’ll come to show support, Manager Lin,” Ji Wei said, raising his cup to clink glasses with Lin Yaozu, who readily agreed and promised to be there on time.

After discussing the matter that weighed on Lin Yaozu’s mind, Ji Wei asked a few questions about the Chen family. With a better understanding in mind, he finally relaxed and enjoyed the food and drinks.

With Lin Yaozu continuously urging him to drink, Ji Wei had quite a few cups. By the time Lin Yaozu made his way downstairs, his eyes were unfocused, and his steps were wobbly.

Compared to him, Ji Wei looked perfectly fine. Apart from slightly rosy cheeks and brightened eyes, he seemed unaffected.

After all, the strength of this wine didn’t even match beer, let alone spirits. He’d downed half a jar, which felt no stronger than a bottle of beer.

Feeling energized despite the slight fullness in his stomach, he watched as Lin Yaozu tilted sideways, nearly falling. Lin Tai quickly steadied him. “Brother Liu, you two can head back first. I’ll take my dad home so we won’t disturb you two.”

Liu Yimian’s face turned red at this, and he glared at Lin Tai. “Don’t say such things! Get home safely, and don’t fall.”

“I got it.” Lin Tai waved as he supported Lin Yaozu, leading him away.

Once they were alone, Liu Yimian asked, “Brother Ji, is that lady going to be alright?”

“Probably not very well. The doctor said it was a stroke, which is difficult to treat and just needs to be managed.” Then, recalling the silver she’d given him, he teased, “I didn’t realize Daxi Town was so wealthy—people here casually give out six or seven taels.”

“Six or seven taels?” Liu Yimian was shocked. Although he didn’t live on that side of town, he knew enough to be surprised. Giving away six or seven taels casually was unusual, even for middle-class families.

Such generosity couldn’t be from an ordinary family.

After thinking for a moment, he glanced at Ji Wei. But seeing that he wasn’t too concerned, Liu Yimian thought to himself, If I thought of it, Brother Ji certainly has too, so there’s no need to bring it up.

He stayed quiet, then, after walking a few more steps, gently took Ji Wei’s large, warm hand. Ji Wei noticed but didn’t pull away. Instead, he held the boy’s soft hand tightly, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Liu Yimian lowered his head slightly, a smile creeping onto his face.

“Is she alright?” Sun Hong rushed into the house, touching his mother’s forehead as she slept peacefully after taking her medicine. He sighed in relief and pulled Sun E outside.

“Did you ask his name?”

“The benefactor wouldn’t say.”

“And did you offer him a reward?”

“I tried, but he refused.” Sun E shook her head, looking helpless.

“What a kindhearted person; it’s such a pity I can’t befriend him!” If not for the trouble that happened within the gang today, he would have been there for his mother and not needed someone else’s help to take her to the doctor.

He was truly grateful to this unknown benefactor.

Sun E thought for a moment, then clapped her hands excitedly. “I remember! Someone who came with him urged him to go to Fuxing Tower!”

“Fuxing Tower? That’s just across the street! I’ll go check it out!” His mother was already asleep, and restless, Sun Hong dashed out like the wind.