Chapter 83: Mixed Hot Pot (1/2)

The rain had also begun to fall in Bianjing City.

Though it was just a light drizzle, the half-constructed lantern displays along Imperial Street were getting soaked.

Workers hurriedly pulled up tarpaulins for cover, even soldiers being called in to assist.

Firecracker remnants and firework ashes mixed into the muddy ground as lantern peddlers scattered to take shelter under roadside eaves.

The streets that should have been bustling with New Year festivities now carried an unexpected chill in the damp air.

The moist scent of rain drifted indoors as Shen Miao sat behind the counter, her abacus beads clicking rhythmically.

Taking advantage of the lull, she thoroughly reviewed last year’s accounts.

Since opening her shop, the monthly turnover had averaged around 150 strings of cash.

By year’s end, Shen’s establishment had amassed a total turnover of 1,350 strings.

Gross profit accounted for 60% of annual revenue, with net profit around 45%.

Food ingredients and grains made up 30% of costs, seasonings and consumables 3%, oil expenses 2%, while the winter price hikes for firewood and charcoal combined for another 3%.

Wages for her four staff-Youyu, A Tao, Tang Er, and Fu Xing accounted for 12%, with an additional 5% going to taxes.

Including income from catering services (with the Feng family being major clients), Shen Miao had earned over 2,000 strings in the past year.

Compared to modern times, the profit margins here were far more substantial.

Without modern expenses like social security contributions, she’d saved considerable funds.

Shen Miao resolved to give her staff generous bonuses during festivals and year-end.

Now that the fast-food shop was established, she’d work harder to increase their monthly wages.

Her mind automatically began calculating annual salary increases should it be 5% or 10%?

After all, waiting until employees demanded raises was poor management.

Proactively increasing wages marked good leadership.

Though labor was considered cheap in this era, Shen Miao remained determined.

While others saw people as expendable, she valued every individual around her.

As owner, she could clearly see how her treatment of staff directly impacted the shop’s smooth operation.

Closing the account book, she glanced toward the kitchen-

Tang Er, Fu Xing and A Tao were secretly “working overtime.”

Chopping, slicing, washing vegetables-since the seventh day of the new year, they’d been rising early to prepare banquet ingredients, now working with practiced ease.

Though Shen Miao often urged them to go play with the children when business was slow, insisting she could manage the prep work alone.

A Tao quietly sorted vegetables, murmuring, “We’ve played enough time to focus again.”

Tang Er’s knife flashed as he chopped meat, replying, “How could we enjoy leisure while the mistress works alone? That’s no way to live.”

Fu Xing stirred the daily soup, adding, “We’re just lending idle hands to help the mistress work faster.”

Soon even Ji Ge came to assist.

With them around, the burden on Shen Miao’s shoulders had lightened considerably.

Moreover, they had temporarily hired two extra hands to help with deliveries outside, in addition to their own Eleven Lang and a rented donkey cart.

After the Lantern Festival, once they hired a cook, the fast-food shop could operate independently.

Shen Miao had already signed the lease for half of the shop.

Since she didn’t need the residential space at the back, the rent was only twenty strings of cash per month-perfectly within her budget.

Group meals were actually quite profitable.

In her previous life, when Shen Miao had worked with group meals, profits were often split fifty-fifty.

The business didn’t require a large storefront—just a kitchen, two or three cooks, and delivery staff.

The more compartments a lunchbox had, the more refined it looked, but the less food it could actually hold.

The meals were priced affordably because the costs were already low enough.

Even in her past life, when labor costs were several times higher, she had achieved monthly revenues of up to a hundred thousand during peak periods.

Yet, she wasn’t among the best in the business.

Rumor had it that some of her friends, who excelled in food marketing, had even pulled in a hundred and sixty thousand a month.

In reality, many seemingly unremarkable stalls and small shops were quite lucrative.

Back in her hometown, there was a roadside stall selling xiaolongbao that earned twenty to thirty thousand a month.

In that economically modest town, this income surpassed most government employees and corporate workers.

However, such ordinary livelihoods were undeniably hard work-rising before dawn to knead dough and steam buns.

Then again, for ordinary people in this world, what kind of life wasn’t hard?

Across the ocean in the so-called “Lighthouse Country,” many worked two jobs a day and still struggled to keep their homes.

Being able to earn more through hard work was already fortunate, and Shen Miao was quite content.

She loved her current life.

The fast-food shop’s current rush was simply due to a lack of staff.

But the first month of the year was a great opportunity to establish a market presence with other eateries closed, it was the perfect time for Shen Miao to make her move.

She already had orders for about fifty meals from the local garrison and thirty from the Kaifeng government office.

She had also visited the entertainment district with the well-connected broker to discuss group meals.

Though the exact numbers hadn’t been confirmed yet, she expected at least several dozen orders.

While the daily count might fluctuate—some customers might skip a day-the overall demand would likely stabilize around seventy to eighty meals.

Once the fast-food shop was fully staffed and running smoothly, Shen Miao believed its profits wouldn’t fall short of the noodle shop.

She had also asked Tang Er to visit Nian Shenniang near the outer city’s water gate and arranged for her to handle deliveries to the entertainment district.

This way, Nian Shenniang wouldn’t have to endure the grueling work of sewing and washing clothes, nor suffer the cold by soaking her hands in icy water during winter.

The delivery job was relatively easier, and Shen Miao even offered her five more coins per day than what she had earned in the entertainment district.

Nian Shenniang had already agreed.

If not for the fact that the fast-food shop’s kitchen wasn’t yet ready, she would have started working with Tang Er that very day.

The new shop needed a rebuilt stove, and Shen Miao had also commissioned two massive iron pans from the blacksmith-each 2.2 feet (70 cm) in diameter, like those used in rural banquet kitchens in her past life.

These could cook enough for fifty to seventy people at once, with matching spatulas over four feet (1.5 meters) long.

However… she still had to…

The cook they were looking for would probably have to be an exceptionally strong man—an ordinary person would truly struggle to wield that spatula.

At the time, the dwarf Ya Bao had been lounging at home with his legs crossed, idly teasing his bird, when Shen Miao unexpectedly dragged him out to discuss business.

Upon hearing her requirements for hiring a chef, he exclaimed it would be the death of him yet he readily agreed to help her find someone after the Lantern Festival.

Meanwhile, Shen Miao also pasted the words “Help Wanted” on the door of her shop using glue.

After finishing the accounts, Shen Miao headed into the kitchen to work.

Outside, the rain pattered softly, leaving Xiangjie and the cats and dogs with no chance to play outdoors.

But the courtyard was eerily quiet, which made Shen Miao suspicious.

She peeked out cautiously.

When children are quiet, mischief is surely afoot.

Sure enough, beneath the old osmanthus tree, which had lost much of its foliage in winter, rainwater had pooled into puddles.

The gentle drizzle, almost like mist, didn’t stop the children-wearing bamboo hats and holding umbrellas from leading the two dogs into a muddy mess.

At first, it seemed harmless enough, but then, someone started smearing mud on each other, giggling in secret delight.

By the time Shen Miao discovered them, Chen Xun, Xiangjie, and the two dogs were all splattered with mud, looking like beggars straight out of a folktale.

The sight nearly made her faint.

Fortunately, there was no shortage of hot water in the kitchen.

Hands on her hips, she called them all over, then fetched a basin of water for them to clean themselves.

Gale and Leiting, knowing they’d misbehaved, kept darting guilty glances at Shen Miao, their tails tucked between their legs.

Xiangjie, holding Chen Xun’s hand, didn’t dare make a sound as they stood obediently before Shen Miao, wiping their faces and hands with cloths.

Their hair was so tangled with mud it had clumped together.

“Xiangjie, was this your idea again? It’s already cold enough-how could you play in the mud in this weather?”

Shen Miao scolded, wringing out a cloth to wipe down the dogs while shooting Xiangjie a glare.

“Chen Xun is supposed to start learning law with Lawyer Deng tomorrow. Do you think it’s proper for him to show up filthy? And now he can’t even take a proper bath.”

When Shen Miao had invited Lawyer Deng to discuss business at the yamen, she had casually mentioned Chen Xun’s talent for law.

She had praised him enthusiastically, though Lawyer Deng hadn’t said much at the time.

Later, however, he had deliberately visited to test Chen Xun on a few legal statutes.

Impressed by how fluently the boy recited them and after reviewing the characters Chen Xun had taught himself, Lawyer Deng agreed to take him on as an apprentice after the New Year, starting at Xingguo Temple.

He would teach him calligraphy, arithmetic, drafting contracts, and writing legal petitions.

In time, Chen Xun could even take specialized exams to become a full-fledged lawyer.

Though the profession required careful networking with yamen officials, it was a respectable and lucrative career.

For days, Chen Xun had been overjoyed, his usually stoic face even breaking into smiles.

He had even prepared his clothes for the next day, asking A Tao to iron them with the bottom of a teapot.

His excitement was palpable.

Shen Miao usually didn’t mind their antics, but with the bathhouses closed, washing mud out of their hair would be a hassle.

Xiangjie, studying Shen Miao’s expression and realizing her sister wasn’t truly angry, tugged at her sleeve and whispered defensively, “I just…”

“I was afraid that if Xiao Xun went to study with Lawyer Deng all day, having to memorize texts, he wouldn’t have time to play. That’s why I took him out to have fun. Big sister, don’t punish him by taking his candy-punish me instead.”

After a pause, she added in a soft voice, “Okay?”

In the past, whenever Xiangjie and Chen Xun misbehaved, Shen Miao would confiscate their snacks.

When Chen Xun first arrived, it wasn’t clear what he liked or disliked to eat.

Back then, he was in poor health and as skittish as a startled bird.

But later, perhaps influenced by Xiangjie, he developed a strong liking for candy.

Now, he always carried one or two pieces in his pocket and often fell asleep clutching them.

She was actually worried that the two children might catch a cold from playing too wildly.

In these times, without vaccines, catching a chill was miserable.

You just had to tough it out.

So, she put on a stern face and scolded Xiangjie a bit, just to make sure they knew they should take care of their health while having fun:

“Don’t always try to sweet-talk your way out of trouble with me. Next time, you’re not allowed to play like this again, understand? If you really catch a cold, both of you will have to drink bitter medicine-won’t that be even worse?”

Upon hearing this, Xiangjie suddenly lifted the corner of her sleeve that Shen Miao was holding and pouted in dissatisfaction, “Why is it that when Ninth Brother acts cute with you, you agree, but when I do it, it doesn’t work? You’re playing favorites, big sister.”

Shen Miao’s face instantly flushed hot.

“What? What did you say?”

“Ninth Brother was pulling on your sleeve and acting cute too! I saw it clearly!”

Shen Miao’s eyes widened, her entire face burning.

Normally, when bargaining or promoting goods outside, she could talk nonstop for half an hour without stumbling.

But now, she was so shocked she stuttered, “Y-y-y-you… how could you have seen that? Weren’t you supposed to be out skating then?”

“We were going to, but Liu Douhua said her family had just made a fresh batch of tofu and saved some tofu pudding for us. Her mom even made brown sugar syrup to drizzle on top, and it tasted amazing mixed with a bit of white sugar.”

“She told us to eat first before going out to play. So we went to her place to eat before heading out.”

Xiangjie covered her mouth, giggling.

“After we finished eating, Yanshu tilted his head and said he thought he heard the Ninth Brother’s voice. So we all peeked through the door crack to see.”

So at that time, outside the courtyard gate, one head was stacked on top of another—a line of children with wide, gleaming eyes, secretly watching her and Ninth Brother…

The sky might as well have fallen.

Shen Miao didn’t dare imagine how “beautiful” that scene must have been.

“It’s okay, big sister. I already told them not to spread it around.”

Xiangjie patted her chest with a sense of righteousness.

“I made it clear-no one is allowed to say a word until you and Ninth Brother get married. Li Gou’er and Liu Douhua both swore to me in front of everyone. You don’t have to worry.”

“Get married?! When did I ever say anything about getting married?”

At the peak of her embarrassment, Shen Miao was so flustered she almost laughed.

She reached out to pinch Xiangjie’s chubby cheeks and, for good measure, gave a pinch to Chen Xun, who was snickering beside her.

“Big sister, then why did you agree when he said ‘okay’? You’re acting like the heartless scoundrels in the operas.”

Xiangjie rubbed her cheek and then leaned in closer, speaking in a mischievous whisper, “But… even if you are a heartless scoundrel, you’re still my big sister. So from now on, we just won’t pay any attention to Ninth Brother.”