Chapter 119: The Culinary Tycoon

Countermeasures

Flour prices have increased? And it’s doubled!

Chang Le and Jiabao looked at Yu Qingze, waiting for his response.

This situation was too serious, and both of them didn’t know what to do.

The shortage of two seafood dishes in the restaurant could be managed by replacing them with other new dishes. However, in the snack shop, flour was the most essential ingredient. If the price of flour doubled, their costs would undoubtedly increase significantly, and they wouldn’t be able to earn much profit.

Yu Qingze furrowed his brow and asked Brother Chang, “How much flour is left in the shop? How long can we sustain with it?”

Brother Chang thought for a moment and replied, “We have enough for approximately three days.”

“Three days…” Yu Qingze paced back and forth in the room, his mind racing.

The owner of the flour shop had been in long-term cooperation with him and wouldn’t arbitrarily double the prices. He must have been threatened by someone, just like the seafood stall owners. Fortunately, he had sent someone to inform them in advance instead of waiting until they were about to deliver in two days and canceling the order directly. Otherwise, they would be in an even more disadvantaged position.

Brother Chang was very anxious, but when he saw Chang Le and Jiabao remaining silent, he asked in confusion, “Why aren’t you surprised at all?”

Chang Le sighed.

Jiabao said to Brother Chang, “Brother Chang, the prices of prawns and clams have also doubled in the restaurants. Moreover, all the seafood vendors in the market are offering a fixed price, doubling the prices of the seafood they sell to us. Others are selling at normal prices.”

“Seafood has doubled in price? All the vendors are doing the same?” Brother Chang widened his eyes, asking incredulously.

There isn’t a plentiful supply of seafood in Tongshan City, and seafood prices were already high. Now, they have doubled, and it’s clearly someone intentionally causing trouble.

Jiabao nodded with frustration, “There weren’t many places in the city that sold seafood to begin with, and now we won’t be able to buy any.”

“Damn it, who the hell is trying to mess with us?!” Brother Chang was furious and started cursing.

Chang Le shook his head, indicating that they still didn’t know for sure. He didn’t tell Brother Chang about his own speculations, fearing that Brother Chang would directly confront someone in anger.

But even without Chang Le saying anything, Brother Chang figured it out on his own. He glanced at Chang Le and said, “Is it Xiang Man Yuan?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “Brother Chang, it’s fine to have suspicions behind closed doors, but without evidence, we can’t go around making accusations. Understand?”

Upon hearing this, Brother Chang nodded and said, “I know what’s important. Don’t worry, Boss Yu.”

Yu Qingze nodded and then said, “Here’s what we’ll do, Brother Chang. Let Tiezhu, Er Niu, and Uncle Mo go to the flour shop to buy flour. One person goes each day, taking turns. They should enter and exit through the back door. Since they work in the kitchen, regular customers don’t know them, and the shop owner is even less familiar. After they buy the flour, they should directly bring it to the house where Jiabao and the others live in the West City. We’ll transport it to the shop in the evening.”

“Okay.” Brother Chang immediately nodded, but then expressed his concern, “But what if someone recognizes them?”

Yu Qingze said, “Then we’ll send someone else. Let Tiezhu go to the flour shop this afternoon. I’ll go there later to check the situation.”

“Alright. And what about the restaurant?” Brother Chang asked again.

Yu Qingze replied, “We’ll let other people in the kitchen go and buy. It should last us a few days. During these days, I’ll come up with another solution. Worst case scenario, we’ll remove these two dishes. It won’t have a big impact on the restaurant. Don’t worry, focus on taking care of the snack shop first. Apart from the kitchen staff, don’t tell anyone else about this to avoid causing panic.”

“Okay, I understand. Then I’ll go back now.” After saying that, Brother Chang hurriedly left.

Once Brother Chang left, Yu Qingze said to Jiabao, “Jiabao, go and bring Dasong and Dazhi in.”

“Okay.” Jiabao went out to fetch them and came back with the two of them.

Yu Qingze explained the situation to them and then instructed, “Later, Dasong, you go to the market first. After about half an hour, Dazhi will go. Dasong, buy fifteen kilograms of prawns and clams each, and Dazhi, buy ten kilograms. In addition to the prawns and clams, buy some other fish as well. Pick a couple of cheap ones and bring a bucket with you. Fill it with water from the boss’s basin. They have seawater there. After you’re done shopping, take the items to the house where you live and then come back to the restaurant.”

Dasong and Dazhi nodded, and Yu Qingze informed them about the seafood prices. He gave them the money and Dasong carried the bucket as he went out through the back door.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

While Dasong went to buy the seafood, Yu Qingze took care of some matters in the shop and then went to the flour shop. On the way, he passed by two other grain and oil shops, and he intentionally went in to inquire. As expected, the owners of the other shops had also doubled their prices.

When he arrived at the shop where they received deliveries, he didn’t see the owner. The shop assistant, who was familiar with him, informed him that the owner was in the storage room at the backyard counting inventory. Yu Qingze went straight to the backyard.

“Boss Kang,” Yu Qingze called out from outside.

Upon hearing his voice, Boss Kang looked out and recognized it was Yu Qingze. He walked out and said, “You’ve come.”

Without wasting any words, Yu Qingze asked directly, “Boss Kang, regarding the price increase, were you threatened by someone?”

Boss Kang sighed and nodded, asking, “Did you offend someone? That’s why they’re targeting you like this.”

Yu Qingze shook his head and smiled bitterly, “I run my business honestly, how could I offend anyone? I have no idea who it could be.”

Boss Kang said, “Perhaps your thriving business has become an obstacle for someone else.”

“I’ve been thinking along those lines too,” Yu Qingze sighed helplessly and then asked, “Boss Kang, I want to know, who is the person who came to talk to you?”

Furrowing his brow, Boss Kang pointed upward and asked, “Do you want to investigate?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “I have to know who my opponent is.”

Boss Kang looked around, walked over to close the door leading to the backyard, and then pulled Yu Qingze into the storage room before speaking, “That person is a worker at the docks, he’s just relaying the message.”

“Then who is his superior?” Yu Qingze asked.

In a low voice, Boss Kang said, “This worker is from Hongyun’s side.”

“Hongyun?” Yu Qingze frowned and asked, “I remember they’re involved in shipping?”

Boss Kang nodded and said, “They used to only do cargo towing for others, but later they started doing it themselves. They specialize in bringing back flour from the north, though I’m not sure where they source their flour from. The quality of the flour they bring back is better than the one brought by the other company.”

“Normally, where do you usually source your goods from?” Yu Qingze asked.

Boss Kang nodded and replied, “Yes, I get my flour from them. For flour of this quality, there are only about six or seven shops in the city, and they all source it from Hongyun.”

“I see,” Yu Qingze pondered.

When he was running the snack stall earlier, he had visited all the flour shops in the city, so he was familiar with it. It was indeed as Boss Kang said, there were a few shops with better quality flour. The two shops he inquired about before coming were also known for their higher quality flour.

The flour they used in his shop was of better quality, resulting in delicate and refined snacks that customers loved.

And now, they couldn’t substitute with slightly inferior flour because the taste was indeed different. Customers could easily notice the difference, and it would affect the reputation of the snacks.

Boss Kang sighed and said, “Otherwise, why don’t you try other shops?”

Yu Qingze was a major customer for him, and losing such a big customer was regrettable. However, he couldn’t risk losing his source of supply for the sake of one customer.

Yu Qingze smiled wryly and replied, “I asked around before coming here, and it’s the same as what you just said.”

Boss Kang opened his mouth wide in surprise and exclaimed, “All of them?”

Yu Qingze nodded and then asked, “Boss Kang, how often do you receive shipments? When do you usually go?”

Boss Kang replied, “Usually, it’s once every five days, in the afternoon around the hour of You. There will be a ship returning tomorrow afternoon. Do you want to go and have a look?”

Yu Qingze nodded, “I don’t know anyone from Hongyun, and they wouldn’t have a reason to target me without cause. I need to investigate.”

“Alright, be careful,” Boss Kang replied.

“I will, thank you, Boss Kang,” Yu Qingze expressed his gratitude and then suddenly remembered another question. He asked, “Boss Kang, do you happen to know if Hongyun is involved in the seafood business apart from flour?”

Boss Kang nodded and replied, “Yes, they are. But it’s not on the same shipment. They have two separate lines—one specializes in flour and other grains, and the other focuses on seafood. It seems like they import both from the north.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze understood and said, “Thank you, Boss Kang.”

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Huh, remember in chapter 106 when Brother Chang asked Chang Le, “Do you think he might seek revenge on us? He said before that he wouldn’t let us off.”?

Chang Le replied this, “I don’t know. In any case, it was his fault in the first place, and we don’t owe him anything. We’re not afraid of him.”

Yeah right, you’re not afraid of him. Look at where you are now. That’s why you never underestimate the enemy no matter how right you are. Naive. Too naive.