Zhou Yan hadn’t expected this. He had only intended to use the two factory directors to build some hype for the Twice-Cooked Pork.

The hype for the Twice-Cooked Pork was a success, but he never imagined that Zhou Momo simply eating a rice bowl would generate so much interest from the customers.

Zhou Momo was the restaurant’s true number one influencer!

She had truly earned the title.

While the star influencer dug into her food, Zhou Yan began to mull over the customers’ questions.

The rice bowl category was actually similar to noodles; its main appeal was convenience and speed.

Since it skipped the step of pulling and boiling noodles, it could be served even faster than noodle dishes.

The greatest advantage of a rice bowl was probably that... you could top it with whatever the restaurant had on hand.

Stir-fries, braised dishes—they could all be used as toppings. It didn’t require adding new menu items or costs, making it a derivative product.

’Rice bowls really are delicious. Back when I ate in the cafeteria, the food was nothing special, but as long as the server was willing to ladle some meat broth over my rice, the whole meal instantly became so much more flavorful.’

’But how much should a rice bowl sell for?’

’The dishes all have different costs. If you mix and match toppings, the price variations could get complicated.’

’I’d also have to pair it with a vegetable dish. The meat dishes are too expensive on their own; a high proportion of meat would drive up the price of the rice bowl.’

’A rice bowl is basically fast food, so it has to be a good value for the price.’

’The specific pricing tiers would have to be based on the portion size of the toppings. Different dishes would definitely have to be priced differently.’

After running through the various ideas in his head, Zhou Yan smiled. "We haven’t finalized plans to add rice bowls yet. If we do, the price will be determined by the different toppings. You can probably use our noodle prices as a rough guide."

"You really have to add them! That way, someone can come eat alone. It’d be great if they were a little cheaper, too."

"Yeah, these rice bowls look so convenient, and they must taste amazing."

"I get shy, you know? Sometimes when I’m eating with friends, I don’t dare to take too much from the shared dishes. Then afterward, I always regret not eating my fill. If you start selling rice bowls, I’ll definitely be a regular!"

The customers all chimed in, their eyes filled with anticipation for the rice bowls.

Lin Jingxing even came over, holding his bowl. "Brother Zhou Yan, can you add a ladle of beef broth for me, too?"

"Brother, me too," Lin Bingwen said, trotting over with his bowl in hand.

"Sure, I’ll get you some." Zhou Yan smiled as he took their bowls and went back into the kitchen.

The other customers looked like they wanted to say something, but they ultimately held their tongues.

’Ah, this blasted age!’

The broth-soaked rice was absolutely heavenly.

Wang Hongliang and Lin Zhiqiang chatted casually as they ate, but they both tacitly avoided the topic of Sun Meili and Wang Defa. This disappointed the nearby workers, who had been straining their ears for gossip and were just about ready to ask them directly.

Their party had arrived late, so by the time they finished their meal, only two or three scattered tables of customers remained.

"Comrade, the bill," Wang Hongliang called out to Zhao Tieying as he pulled out his wallet.

"Director, let me, let me." Lin Zhiqiang quickly stood up, pulling out his own wallet.

Wang Hongliang smiled and put a hand on his. "Zhizheng, I enjoy your company because you’re an intellectual, a technician. You don’t have any of those scheming thoughts, so it’s relaxing to be around you, just like a friend. And with friends, there has to be give and take. You paid the day before yesterday, so it’s my turn today. That’s how friendships last."

"But I brought my two sons with me..." Lin Zhiqiang said, a little embarrassed.

"The boys call me Uncle, so of course I should treat them to a meal," Wang Hongliang said with a laugh.

"Alright, I’ll do as the Director says." Hearing this, Lin Zhiqiang stopped trying to pay the bill.

"The total is..." Zhao Tieying began as she came over.

"Three eighty in total," Zhou Yan interjected.

"Isn’t that too little?" Wang Hongliang asked, looking at him. "What about the Twice-Cooked Pork?"

"The Twice-Cooked Pork was for you to sample on the house. How could I charge for it? After the review you just gave, I’m sure it will sell well tomorrow," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"This kid is sharp as a tack." Wang Hongliang laughed, too. He looked at Lin Zhiqiang and said, "No wonder Director Su from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute said he has a knack for advertising. He wasn’t wrong at all."

"He gets his advertising, and we get free Twice-Cooked Pork. It’s a win-win," Lin Zhiqiang said with a laugh.

"Here, for the meal." Wang Hongliang took out his money, counted out three-eighty, and handed it to Zhou Yan. "And Zhou," he added, "I’m aware of what happened this afternoon, with the factory’s finance department trying to raise your rent on short notice. I’ve already handled it, and seriously. You can continue operating this restaurant with peace of mind. Your rent won’t change until the end of the year."

"At the end of the year, the factory will adjust the rent according to economic trends, using the commercial rents in Suji Town as a benchmark. The increase won’t be too drastic."

After listening, Zhou Yan replied solemnly, "With your assurance, I can continue running my restaurant without worry. Thank you for your clear-sightedness and for looking out for the common good."

’Wang Hongliang was the top man at the textile factory. His word was law.’

’This way, he wouldn’t have to worry about the rent anymore.’

Wang Hongliang waved a dismissive hand. "If you’re thanking someone, you should thank Zhizheng and that girl, Wang Wei. Otherwise, I would have never even known about this."

"Wang Wei?" Zhou Yan was a little surprised. He had called on Lin Zhiqiang for help, so it made sense to thank him, but Wang Wei... Wang...

Zhou Yan recalled what Lin Zhiqiang had said that morning, and as he looked at Wang Hongliang, something clicked.

’Comrade Wang Wei is that low-key?’

Zhou Yan couldn’t exactly press for details in front of other customers, so after a few more pleasantries, he saw the group to the door.

"Bye, Momo!" the two Lin brothers waved to Zhou Momo.

"Bye-bye, Brothers," Zhou Momo replied, standing by Zhou Yan’s leg and waving back at them.

Lin Zhiqiang got on his bicycle first, lifting Lin Bingwen to sit on the crossbar, while Lin Jingxing had already taken a running leap onto the rear rack.

"Dad, are you really not going to send my brother to train as a chef? Other people’s older brothers know how to cook."

"Dad, ignore him. Are you and Mom really not going to have a baby sister for us? Other people’s little sisters are so cute." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Their bickering gave Lin Zhiqiang a headache. He put on a stern face. "Get home and do your homework! Your mom isn’t here today, so I’ll be checking it. I’m going for a run, and if you two aren’t finished by the time I get back, you’ll have my ruler to answer to!"

"I bet it doesn’t even hurt that much."

"Not as much as when Mom does it, anyway."

"You little rascals, you’re asking for it, aren’t you!" Lin Zhiqiang reached out to pinch Lin Bingwen’s cheek, unable to suppress a laugh.

’It was no use.’ In their family, only Meng Anhe could keep these two in line.

Then again, this was the parenting strategy they had decided on back when the boys were born: one played good cop, the other bad cop. They had to discipline their children, but they also had to make sure the kids felt the warmth of home and their parents’ love.

Over the years, the boys’ grades had been upper-middle, not top of the class, but they had great personalities and were well-liked by their teachers and classmates.

They were quite content with that. For first-time parents, they had already exceeded their own expectations.

’There’s only one first place, after all, and the other kids have to live, too.’

’If they really tried to force their sons to get first place, they’d probably be the first ones to drop dead from the stress.’

...