txolops Chapter 19 Lying is wrong.
Chapter 19 Lying is wrong.
"Squeak—"
The tricycle came to a stop downstairs in front of a rented house in the urban village.
Wang Hai quickly got off the car, picked up an empty stainless steel insulated container in each hand, and headed upstairs.
He rode his bike very fast the whole way, but didn't say a word, his face turning red.
Lin Chen locked the tricycle, picked up Tangtang with one hand, and followed steadily behind.
Back to the rental house.
Wang Hai placed the two large buckets heavily on the kitchen floor, then turned and strode quickly into the living room.
He watched as Lin Chen, who had just put Tangtang down and was about to wash his hands, finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Brother Chen, I've been holding this in all the way here, I'm really feeling terrible!"
Wang Hai paced back and forth in the living room, rubbing his face vigorously with both hands, his tone full of regret and confusion.
"Ten thousand yuan! That's ten thousand yuan! We worked ourselves to the bone in the square this afternoon, cooking over eighty servings, and all we made was less than ten thousand yuan!"
Wang Hai became more and more excited as he spoke. He walked up to Lin Chen and lowered his voice: "That woman threw out 10,000 yuan and only bought one serving of fried rice!"
Even if we run out of rice in the car, there's a large supermarket right next door. I can run over and buy a bag of the most expensive Northeast rice, which will cost at most a hundred yuan.
We'll cook it for her when we get back, and we'll make a net profit of nine thousand nine!
What's the difference between this money and finding it for free?
Lin Chen slowly washed his hands clean by the sink and dried them with a towel.
He didn't answer Wang Hai immediately. Instead, he went to the water dispenser, filled a small cup with warm water, and handed it to Tangtang, who was sitting on a small stool.
"Drink slowly."
Lin Chen gave a word of advice.
"Thank you, Daddy."
Tangtang obediently took the water cup and drank it in small sips.
After settling his daughter in, Lin Chen turned around and sat down at the old folding table.
He pointed to the stool opposite him and looked at Wang Hai, whose face was full of anxiety.
"Sit down and talk."
Lin Chen's tone was calm and composed, without the slightest fluctuation.
Wang Hai sighed, pulled over a stool and plopped down, staring expectantly at Lin Chen, waiting for his explanation.
In the square, out of absolute trust in Lin Chen, he didn't say a word.
But now that he's home, he just can't understand why he should throw away the easy money he's already got.
"You feel it's a pity?"
Lin Chen looked at him and asked calmly.
"How can it not be a pity? I couldn't even save 10,000 yuan after driving for half a year as a food delivery driver."
Wang Hai shook his head with a wry smile, "Brother Chen, I know you value craftsmanship, but this money is too easy to earn."
"At worst, we can just explain to her that freshly bought rice won't taste as good, and she herself said she could accept that. Even if we just stir-fry it casually, she can't renege on her promise."
"Fatty."
Lin Chen calmly interrupted Wang Hai.
"If I had taken that 10,000 yuan today and just bought some rice from the supermarket and cooked it for her, this stall wouldn't have survived for more than half a month."
Wang Hai was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding: "Why?"
"Even if she doesn't come tomorrow, we won't lose money since we've taken the money."
"In business, never just focus on a one-off deal."
Lin Chen leaned forward slightly, his eyes becoming deep and sharp.
"You only saw the ten thousand yuan, but you didn't see through the woman."
Lin Chen patiently explained, "Anyone who can casually take out ten thousand yuan to buy a street food dish must be either rich or noble."
The fact that she was willing to pay such an outrageously high price shows that her desire and anticipation for this fried rice had reached its peak.
Wang Hai nodded, seemingly understanding, "Yes, she must have been starving or craving something."
"Since expectations are at their peak, what she eats must be perfect."
Lin Chen's tone became slightly stern. "The rice I buy fresh has a very high moisture content. No matter how well I control the heat, the fried rice will definitely be sticky. It will never achieve the dry texture of old rice, where each grain is distinct and absorbs the egg liquid."
Lin Chen tapped the table lightly with his fingers.
"When she spends ten thousand yuan but receives a substandard product that tastes drastically worse and is sticky and unpalatable, what do you think she would think?"
Following Lin Chen's train of thought, Wang Hai gasped in shock.
"She'll think we're scammers..."
Wang Hai swallowed hard. "She'll think we're using scarcity marketing, and that this fried rice isn't worth the money at all."
"That's right."
Lin Chen nodded. "People of her social standing, once they feel they've been fooled, can have their reputation at Yintai Building completely destroyed with just one sentence from her or her secretary."
To ruin your reputation for long-term profitability for a short-term gain of ten thousand yuan is the stupidest thing you can do.
Wang Hai fell completely silent.
His previously feverish mind was instantly sobered up by Lin Chen's extremely calm logic, like a bucket of ice water being poured over it.
"There's a second point."
Lin Chen leaned back in his chair, his tone regaining its composure, "Rules."
"Our fried rice sells for 99 yuan a serving. At this price, why should white-collar workers be willing to go downstairs and queue up to buy it every day?"
It relies on absolute quality and absolute fairness.
"Whether you're an ordinary employee or a company executive, once you're sold out at my stall, that's it."
If I make an exception today just because she offered 10,000 yuan and force her to set up her stall with substandard ingredients, it would be tantamount to telling everyone that my rules are a joke and that my skills can be bought with money.
Lin Chen looked into Wang Hai's eyes: "Once you lose your bottom line, even a god-level fried rice becomes a real roadside stall."
Quiet.
In the cramped rented room.
Looking at the man in front of him, wearing an old T-shirt but speaking with an unquestionable tone, Wang Hai's regret and confusion were shattered at that moment.
Instead, there was a profound sense of shock.
"Uncle Fatty, Daddy's right!"
Tangtang, who was sitting to the side, put down her water cup, rested her chin on her two little hands, and spoke in a childish voice.
"Daddy taught Tangtang before that she must keep her promises to others."
We can't try to fool the pretty auntie.
Lying is wrong.
Hearing Tangtang's innocent words, Wang Hai blushed and slapped his thigh hard.
"Brother Chen, I understand! I completely understand!"
Wang Hai suddenly stood up, his previous anxiety vanished, and his eyes became clear.
"I was too short-sighted, I was only focused on that little bit of cash!"
You're right, we're aiming to make big, long-term profits, we absolutely can't ruin our chances for this mere ten thousand yuan!
Wang Hai grinned and couldn't help rubbing his hands together.
"Furthermore, Brother Chen, after your analysis, the fact that that cold woman was willing to spend 10,000 yuan today means that she was definitely tempted."
She didn't get to eat it today, so she'll definitely have to obediently come back to line up and pay that ninety-nine yuan tomorrow!
Lin Chen did not deny it, but calmly stood up and tidied up the things on the table.
"Alright!"
Wang Hai was full of energy. He picked up the two large stainless steel buckets from the ground and strode towards the kitchen sink.
"Brother Chen, go take a break and play with Tangtang for a while!"
I'll scrub all the pots and pans right now!
Soon, the sound of running water and scrubbing stainless steel buckets came from the kitchen.
Lin Chen looked at his daughter, Tangtang, playing with her fingers on a small stool, and smiled slightly. He walked over and gently ruffled Tangtang's soft hair.