Chapter Fifty-Four: Second Floor Inspection

Chapter 54: Second Floor Walkthrough

Steward Xu had only learned of this two days prior. With the shop’s renovation nearing completion, he hadn't been stopping by regularly; otherwise, he would have known sooner.

For the Xiao family, this was naturally a joyous occasion—a man back from the grave, a family reunited in harmony and happiness. Yet, for some reason, the second young master had been showing exceptional interest in Lin Qiuran lately. Not only had he offered her favorable business terms, but he had also instructed Steward Xu to oversee the renovation of the second floor of Xiao Family Eatery. He had even taken the time to teach Lin Qiuran how to manage social interactions and had stooped to eating in the humble first-floor area. Being naturally observant, Steward Xu couldn’t help but feel that the second young master harbored ulterior motives.

To be honest, Steward Xu thought Xu Yuanhang had been remarkably kind to Lin Qiuran—a kindness that went beyond what one would typically show a business partner.

But now, what was to be done? Steward Xu didn’t know how to broach the subject with Xu Yuanhang.

Lin Qiuran smiled and nodded. "Yes, he returned a few days ago."

Steward Xu politely offered his congratulations. With Xiao Dashi still present, he couldn’t exactly discuss such matters with his daughter-in-law in front of her father-in-law. He dropped the subject and told Lin Qiuran to inform him if any issues arose with the renovation.

This was as Xu Yuanhang instructed, and Steward Xu was merely following orders.

After seeing him off, Lin Qiuran went back upstairs to inspect the second floor.

Because private rooms had been constructed, the hallway was somewhat dim even during the day. However, if business picked up, lanterns would illuminate the corridor—a thoughtful detail added by the craftsmen.

The lanterns were embedded into the walls, featuring lotus-shaped bases and cloud-shaped stands. On the left wall, the candleholders were adorned with auspicious clouds and sun motifs, while the right wall featured the moon and stars. All ran on oil. The wainscoting depicted mountain scenes, complementing the celestial themes. It was clear that the artisans knew their craft—when the lamps were lit, the atmosphere would be truly enchanting.

Lin Qiuran could have spent ages admiring just the hallway details on the second floor. It was genuinely beautiful.

She reached out and touched the carvings—each one represented money spent, worth a small donkey. Still, it was her own shop, after all. If it were rented, she would never have invested so much in renovations.

Further inside, the left side featured brighter rooms, while the right had darker ones. Lin Qiuran planned to select some décor to place there. After looking around for a while, she headed back downstairs and told Shopkeeper Shi, "If any customers show interest, you can take them upstairs for a tour."

Now that the second floor was fully renovated, it was time to start attracting business as soon as possible to recoup the investment. The first floor was small, and if customers doubted whether the second floor could host banquets, taking them up to see in person would convince them—seeing is believing.

Shopkeeper Shi replied, "Alright, I’ll start informing customers that the second floor is available for banquets and that tables can be reserved in advance. But they’re bound to ask about the prices..."

The shop renovation had cost a considerable amount, and those expenses needed to be factored into the pricing.

If they couldn’t recoup the costs, then in the future, if they decided to sell the shop, they wouldn’t be able to add an extra twenty taels to the price based on the renovations. Of course, if business thrived, the second floor could add significant value if they chose to sell.

The difference between useful and useless investments was plain to see.

Raising prices for dishes already on the first-floor menu wasn’t an option—the prices were set, and they couldn’t charge more just because the food was served upstairs.

Moreover, most diners shopped around before eating out. If the prices were too high, even if the ambiance was appealing, they likely wouldn’t come.

If other customers wanted to dine on the second floor, they might need to be handled with care. Many items were prone to damage—for instance, in the first month since the shop opened, one stool had broken, three table legs had given out, and two chopstick holders had broken after being dropped.

Countless chopsticks had been bent or broken, and plates and bowls had also been damaged. Fortunately, these were inexpensive items. Charging customers for minor damages would seem petty, so the costs were absorbed by the shop.

Tables and stools were repaired whenever possible, but the second-floor furniture was expensive. Even Shopkeeper Shi admired it dearly. If a customer accidentally scratched or broke something, asking for compensation might upset them and give the shop a reputation for being stingy. Not asking for compensation, however, would be hard to swallow.

Lin Qiuran said, "I’d like to create a few banquet menus. They shouldn’t consist entirely of new dishes, but most items should be ones not currently available in the shop."

This would address the issue of not being able to raise prices for second-floor service.

For example, Pagoda Pork wasn’t currently on the menu. It was actually quite delicious—fatty but not greasy, with dried cowpea spread at the bottom. The meat’s flavor would seep into the cowpea, making the top layer rich and the bottom layer savory.

The reason it wasn’t offered yet was that it required good knife skills and was time-consuming to prepare, making it unsuitable for multiple tables ordering at once. Another example was fish dishes—currently, the eatery only offered braised fish and pickled fish.

Lin Qiuran had many signature dishes up her sleeve, such as Squirrel Mandarin Fish. For banquets, its presentation would undoubtedly surpass that of braised fish.

Lin Qiuran doubted that wedding banquets or funeral feasts would be held here—the second floor couldn’t accommodate large crowds. For one or two tables, families would likely handle the events themselves or hire outside help.

So, the focus would be on smaller banquets—month-old celebrations, homecoming meals, or gatherings of friends discussing business. A few menu ideas could be created, with flexibility to swap dishes based on customer preferences.

After reviewing the menu drafts, Shopkeeper Shi noted that some dish names sounded appealing but didn’t reveal what they actually were. He asked, "What if customers insist on ordering from the first-floor menu?"

Lin Qiuran replied, "Then you and Lu Fan will need to persuade them. If they’re adamant, we can’t stop them, but the first-floor dishes are meant to be cheap and filling—they’re not really suited for banquets."

The new menu would also include braised pork, but an upgraded version called Braised Pork with Abalone, enhanced with fancy dried goods. The flavor and quality would be distinctly different. Lin Qiuran had once come across dried abalone while out and about.

Moreover, the menu could be customized to taste. Not all wealthy patrons in Yu'an were locals—aside from the Xu and Jiang families, though the Jiang family had declined. Cooking in big batches couldn’t accommodate such customization.

You get what you pay for. While profit was a motive, customers would notice the difference once they tasted the dishes.

Shopkeeper Shi nodded. "I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll handle it."

He thought it was a good idea to create new banquet menus—delicious food, elegant presentation, and the renovation costs could be quietly baked into the price. Directly charging customers extra for dining upstairs might put them off, even if it was just a small fee.

But by incorporating the cost into the dishes, customers would be none the wiser. The menu prices would be clearly listed—those willing to pay would come, others would simply give it a miss. There was no need to complain about the prices.

In business, one couldn’t always be upfront. The food could be trusted to Lin Qiuran—Shopkeeper Shi didn’t need to ask if it would taste good. Even if it were beef, rabbit, or turtle, he was confident Lin Qiuran would make it delicious.

The first-floor dishes were reasonably priced—anyone craving them could come on any day. If a group of three or five wanted to dine upstairs, Shopkeeper Shi could explain that the private rooms were reserved for larger parties.

If twelve or thirteen people packed in and ordered extensively, even if they insisted on first-floor dishes, it might still be manageable.

With flexibility and being reasonable, things could work out.

In the evening, while taking orders, Shopkeeper Shi and Lu Fan informed customers, "The second floor is now renovated, with four private rooms. If you’d like to book a banquet, you can do so upstairs. Set menus are available, and dishes can be swapped if needed."

Some customers came in just for a quick meal or a drink with friends and showed little interest.

"What’s the point? Private rooms lack the lively atmosphere of the first floor."

But others were intrigued. "What dishes are available?" one asked.

Shopkeeper Shi listed a few: "Squirrel Mandarin Fish, Pagoda Pork, fish head with chopped peppers, twice-cooked pork, Braised Pork with Abalone, braised lion’s head meatballs…"

The customer paused, eyes lighting up. "But your eatery doesn’t usually have these, does it?"

He glanced at his friends. The four of them had ordered five dishes—though the portions were generous, they wanted to sample more variety.

Those new dishes sounded delicious.

Shopkeeper Shi smiled. "No, we don’t. These are new dishes our chef designed for the second floor. The first floor focuses on homestyle cooking—hearty, tasty, and filling. The second floor is for banquets—month-old celebrations, homecoming meals for travelers... While the first-floor dishes are delicious, we should also showcase Yu'an’s culinary delights to visitors."

Shopkeeper Shi chuckled. "You can trust our chef’s skills completely."

"Ah, that makes sense. But even locals haven’t tried these—why let outsiders have all the fun? Do we need to book in advance?"

Shopkeeper Shi, reading their interest, replied, "Naturally. The tables upstairs are large, seating eleven or twelve. The renovation was quite involved, so reservations depend not only on timing but also on party size. If you only order five or six dishes, larger groups may take priority. We’re a business, after all—we have to make money. It can’t be helped."

Eventually, they might need to hire more waitstaff.

The group hesitated, discussing quietly among themselves.

Another customer entered, and Shopkeeper Shi said, "Take your time deciding," before turning to attend to the new arrival.

When Shopkeeper Shi came over to serve dishes again, the group called him over, "Tomorrow evening then. There are ten of us, we'll have a meal on the second floor. We'll go with this menu, but can we swap the Poached Chicken for this Braised Chicken with Mushrooms?"

Poached Chicken sounds pretty bland; a stew would be better.

This menu had twelve dishes in total, with a spicy and savory profile. It included a marinated meat platter, black fungus salad, and sliced pork with garlic sauce. For hot dishes, there was fish head with chopped chili, twice-cooked pork, and others. The Poached Chicken was added by Lin Qiuran, thinking it would provide a light, refreshing contrast to cut through the richness and spice.

This set of sixteen dishes was priced at an auspicious number: 1,288 coins—auspicious indeed, but averaging out to about 80 coins per dish.

Of course, there were more expensive options too, like the Braised Pork with Abalone set at 1,688 coins.

Shopkeeper Shi said, "Sure thing! The second floor has just started operations, so for the first three days, we're offering 100 coins off. You'll need to pay a deposit, sir."

The customers were agreeable about it. They ate at the eatery often and weren't worried about the place taking their money and running, so they paid half upfront.

That evening, two tables were booked. The other table was for a banquet, and the customer chose the most expensive Braised Pork with Abalone set, which featured plenty of river and seafood, including a dish Lin Qiuran particularly liked—steamed egg custard with scallops.

It was incredibly tender and smooth, much tastier than regular steamed egg custard. Lin Qiuran often ate the version Sun Shi made, but since it was usually prepared in advance, it often lost its freshness.

As for why a deposit was required, it was naturally to prevent customers from not showing up.

Items like abalone and dried scallops are dried goods that need to be soaked ahead of time, and many dishes require advance preparation. If the customers didn't come, what would happen to all that food? Who would cover the cost?

With a deposit, it was different. Lin Qiuran could use many high-quality ingredients. The beef stock she had made previously was frozen and could now be used with some dried shrimp and seafood.

For this round of cooking, Lin Qiuran planned to use that stock. Since the second floor was just starting to take orders, they had to make a name for themselves.

That evening, they collected a deposit of one tael of silver. Both banquets were scheduled for the evening, so Xiao Dashi had to go buy the ingredients the next morning and do it quickly. This time, they couldn't use carp; they had to use bighead carp, which was available at the fish stall and not too expensive.

Dried abalone, dried scallops, and other dried goods also needed to be purchased. For meat, besides pork belly, they needed pork leg... Fortunately, the shop had enough staff, so Xiao Dashi could go out shopping without worry, but he had to finish before noon.

To make it easier for Lin Qiuran to prepare, whatever he bought had to be delivered back as soon as possible—he couldn't spend half the day running around outside.

For the time being, Xiao Dashi and Sun Shi could cover the serving duties on the second floor. If it got busy, Lin Xia could help too. In these times, if you wanted to eat, you had to work—child labor wasn't a concern.

Lin Qiuran gave Lin Xia a few instructions: "Be sharp. The second floor is far, and I can't keep an eye on things there. After delivering the dishes, come out right away, and leave the door open when delivering. If anything happens, run downstairs. Plates and bowls aren't as important as people."

She added that last part because once, when Lin Xia was helping serve dishes, she slipped. Instead of dropping the plate to steady herself, she tried to keep holding it and ended up falling, bruising her leg badly.

Most customers at the eatery were polite, but there were also those who drank too much and caused trouble. Though they were usually dragged away by family and didn’t damage anything, Lin Xia was young and a girl, so she had to be careful.

Lin Xia agreed twice, her eyes lighting up with excitement. To be honest, Lin Dong could already stir-fry shredded potatoes and was learning to make hand-torn cabbage—he could even cook for customers now. Meanwhile, she was still doing odd jobs with Shopkeeper Shi and Sun Shi. She was anxious to contribute, and now she finally could.

After giving instructions, once the day's work was done, Lin Qiuran took the donkey cart home with the family.

Having the donkey cart made things much easier for her, but it meant Xiao Dashi had another task: cleaning the donkey shed and feeding the donkey daily, and he had to wait for Lin Qiuran morning and evening. However, tasks like collecting eggs, cleaning, and laundry were now handled by Lin Xia and Lin Dong, making life much simpler.

During their bedtime routine, Lin Qiuran mentioned to Sun Shi about asking Zhao Guangcai to look at a new house. Sun Shi nodded, the wrinkles on her forehead smoothing out, "The house is a bit small now; moving might be a good idea."

Aunt Yu was also planning to look for a new house. She came by in the afternoon, straight to the eatery, to deliver these days' share of profits—four taels of silver in total.

The sauce pancake business was doing well. Though they had only been in the county town for a little over two months, they had already made quite a bit. Her family was large and hardworking. These days, Aunt Yu worked more, splitting into two groups and selling in other places too.

As long as you had skill and were willing to work, making money wasn’t a worry.

These past couple of days, Aunt Yu had even added hot soup to the stall because the weather was too cold. It was her idea, and after making it, she asked Lin Qiuran for advice. Lin Qiuran taught her how to make hot and sour soup, which could bring in a bit more income.

As for the share, Lin Qiuran decided not to take it. Aunt Yu's family was large and life wasn’t easy, and the Xiao family didn’t need the money. From now on, they would only take a share from the sauce pancakes. Though there was no written agreement, Aunt Yu was trustworthy and had good character.

Aunt Yu even thought about letting Da Hu see—if they hadn’t agreed to share profits back then, they would have limited their options. Now, they had all this! It wasn’t the Li family helping but the Xiao family doing well and giving them a hand!

Now the Li family had over twenty taels saved. Besides asking about house prices, Aunt Yu also inquired about Sun Shi and Xiao Xun. Sun Shi didn’t hold back and told her everything.

Aunt Yu was stunned after hearing it. "No wonder Li Cuihua came to the stall looking for me once—she was setting this up!"

She didn’t go back to the village often and was shocked to learn that Li Cuihua and Xiao Wei had been caned. She wondered what they were thinking, but Li Cuihua had always been jealous of Sun Shi for over a decade. Well, now not only were they beaten, but they also had to sell land to raise money.

What goes around comes around—the land they sold was bought by the Xiao family.

They were beaten and would need time to recover. The family had to come up with a lot of money, and given Li Cuihua’s favoritism, she would likely stir up trouble at home.

The county government had been sending people updates on the case. The embezzled five taels had been returned, but there was still a fine to pay. They couldn’t leave until it was paid.

With a little over a month until New Year, the family probably didn’t want to stay in jail, which was why they were in such a hurry to sell the land. Now that Xiao Xun had an official position, they could finally relax.

They had already cut ties with the old house when they moved, so even if they came back, there would be no connection.

Aunt Yu exclaimed, "What were they thinking!"

Sun Shi only found out then that falsely accusing an official and embezzling money both carried fines. She said, "I heard from the county government that the money collected by the authorities would be partly given as rewards, along with commendations. There were quite a few benefits."

If they had succeeded, the Xiao family’s shop would likely be gone, and Li Cuihua’s family would have gotten a lot of money.

No wonder—otherwise, who would bother with such a thankless task? Xiao Wei had spent all five taels and probably thought that by accusing the Xiao family, he would get plenty of reward money and not lack for silver.

Aunt Yu sighed deeply, "Thank goodness Xiao Xun is capable, and Qiu Ran is clever too."

Sun Shi nodded, "It’s just that with Xiao Xun back, the place is a bit cramped. We’re thinking of moving to a bigger house."

Aunt Yu didn’t ask how much the eatery made but nodded in agreement, "With Xiao Xun back, there are more people, and once the baby comes, it’ll be even tighter."

In the village, if you got married, you could claim more land and build your own house. Village houses were also bigger and could be divided. But in the county town, it wasn’t possible. Aunt Yu suddenly remembered why she had come—to ask about houses!

She had two sons and a daughter, and now Da Hu wanted to get married. Renting a house wouldn’t appeal to potential brides, and buying one too small wouldn’t work either.

She asked Sun Shi, "How much did your current house cost?"

Sun Shi said, "This one? It was 37 taels initially, and with everything included, it came to 39 taels."

A bigger house in a better location would definitely be more expensive. Aunt Yu said, "Then we’ll have to wait a bit longer. It’s fine—men should establish their careers before starting families."

They hadn’t saved enough yet and needed to save more.

Sun Shi could tell Aunt Yu was short on money. Though they were on good terms, the money was with Lin Qiuran, and lending over ten taels wouldn’t be easy for the family, so she didn’t offer. Instead, she just told her to find Zhao Guangcai, who was reliable.

Aunt Yu wouldn’t ask either. She had just been taught how to make the hot soup—asking to borrow money on top of that was too much. The Xiao family was kind, but they had their own lives to live. You help others in emergencies, not with poverty. The Li family was short by half for buying a house. If it were just three or five taels, Aunt Yu might have asked, but since it was more, it was better to earn it slowly. Borrowing money would just weigh on her mind.

After seeing Aunt Yu off, Sun Shi packed some steamed buns and braised pork for her. Xiao Xun had said that the other day, they had given three jin of sauce pancakes when they went out.

Having watched them grow up, Sun Shi hoped Tao Zi and the others could eat a little more.

Reciprocity is the way to get along.

After Aunt Yu left, Sun Shi went back to work. With two banquets tomorrow, there was a lot to prepare tonight.