Chapter 354: Customer: Holy Cow, This Instant Noodles Are So Fragrant!

Chapter 354: Customer: Holy Cow, This Instant Noodles Are So Fragrant!

Midday.

Yulin Restaurant.

A routine blind date was taking place.

On the male side were Deng Shirong, Zhang Xiuping, and the main man, Zhang Shoujun. On the female side were Tan Mother, Tan Yalan, and the main lady, Tan Yafei.

On the table were the restaurant's signature dishes: Atractylodes-stewed dog meat, Yulin beef jerky, wok-fried dishes, braised duck, dry-fried fish, and more. The dishes were extremely varied, especially the Atractylodes-stewed dog meat, which was so fragrant that it made everyone's appetite soar.

Deng Shirong praised while eating, "As expected of Yulin's famous dish, this Atractylodes-stewed dog meat is really quite good."

Tan Mother laughed, "The taste is good, but it's a bit spicy. Eating it can easily cause heatiness."

"Just drink some herbal tea when you get home."

Deng Shirong and Tan Mother chatted while eating. They were not too far apart in age, and their generation had experienced an incredibly rich and diverse range of events.

They had lived through the Anti-Japanese War as children, then the Civil War as they grew older, followed by the founding of the People's Republic of China, and soon after, the Korean War. By the time they started taking charge of their lives, they faced the Three Years of Natural Disasters, then the successful detonation of China's first atomic bomb, and finally, the Reform and Opening-up period.

In just a few decades, there was so much to talk about.

Looking back at China's five-thousand-year history, no generation had experienced as much as theirs.

Thus, when the two sat together, any topic they brought up could lead to a long conversation.

Beside them, Zhang Xiuping also chatted with Tan Yalan. Their sons were classmates, so they had plenty to talk about.

After all, once mothers start talking about their children, even the most introverted person would have endless things to say.

As for Zhang Shoujun and Tan Yafei, the main characters, they were a bit restrained at first, speaking with a polite tone. However, once they started talking about their jobs, the restraint disappeared, and they became more and more engaged in the conversation.

Since Tan Yafei had to go to work in the afternoon, the meal only lasted a little over an hour.

Before they left, Zhang Xiuping, as the elder sister, followed the custom and gave three red envelopes to the Tan family mother and daughter.

After some polite exchanges, the Tan family mother and daughter accepted the red envelopes.

Seeing this, Deng Shirong said, "Sister Ping, you and Xiao Jun go and settle the bill. I'll have a few words with Tan Mother."

Zhang Xiuping naturally understood that her father-in-law wanted to gauge the other party's thoughts, so she smiled and said, "Sure, Xiao Jun, come with me."

After the elder son and his sister-in-law left to settle the bill, Deng Shirong looked at the Tan family mother and daughter and smiled, "Tan Mother, you've seen Xiao Jun. He's a good-looking young man, and he has a good personality and is quite clever. His family's conditions are also good. Are you satisfied with him?"

"Indeed, he is a very good young man. I am quite satisfied."

In front of the matchmaker, Tan Mother did not hide her thoughts and looked at her daughter, asking, "Yafei, what do you think?"

Tan Yafei blushed slightly but knew this was a matter of her life, so she couldn't be vague. She said, "Mom, you decide. I'll follow your lead."

Hearing this, Deng Shirong had a good sense of the situation and directly asked, "Tan Mother, regarding the dowry, do you have any specific requirements?"

Tan Mother clearly had this in mind and replied, "Regarding the dowry, we don't have any major requirements. Just follow the standard. The only thing is that Yafei currently works at a paper box factory. If this marriage goes through, what will happen to her job?"

Deng Shirong smiled, "Tan Mother, these are all small issues. Xiao Jun's family has a factory. If she wants to work, she can work at their factory. If she wants to start her own business, his family can provide financial support. These are all negotiable."

Tan Mother nodded, "If that's the case, then there's no problem."

"Tan Mother, then let's settle this. I'll arrange a time to visit your home. Is that okay?"

"Sure, that's fine."

...

With both the couple and their families satisfied, such a match quickly leading to marriage was a very normal occurrence.

Under Deng Shirong's arrangement, the marriage between Zhang Shoujun and Tan Yafei progressed at an astonishing speed. On the third day after their first meeting, the female side went to the male side's home for a visit. Within less than half a month, they registered their marriage and set a date for the wedding banquet. The speed could be considered a whirlwind marriage.

In the future, examples of whirlwind marriages were not uncommon, both in the news and in real life.

Especially in rural areas, there were many such whirlwind marriages.

However, the reasons for whirlwind marriages among those with poor conditions in rural areas were fundamentally different from those with better conditions in the cities.

City dwellers might marry quickly for thrills, at first sight (a momentary heat of passion), or to defy their families...

In contrast, the reasons for rural people to marry quickly were not due to rebellion or love at first sight, nor did they have the conditions to seek thrills. They simply knew their own circumstances and had no high expectations for marriage. As long as someone was willing to marry (or be married), the rest didn't matter.

After making this match, Deng Shirong set out for Beijing once again.

This time, he was not going to sell fruits but to find a spokesperson for Master Kang Instant Noodles.

Deng Shirong had his eyes set on a specific target, none other than the famous comedian Chen Peisi, who had become well-known to audiences through his skit "Eating Noodles" on the Spring Festival Gala.

The detailed process is not worth elaborating on, but in short, Deng Shirong spent nearly a month finalizing the promotional advertisement for Master Kang Instant Noodles.

By the time Deng Shirong returned to Bobai, 1987 had officially come to an end.

Upon his return, Deng Shirong called a meeting and said, "I have finalized the promotional advertisement. It will air on CCTV on the 30th of this month, and it cost over a million yuan. However, this investment is definitely worth it."

With that, he handed the contract to Deng Changyu, saying, "This is the contract. Please review it after the meeting."

Deng Changyu took the contract and replied, "Sure, Uncle Jiugong."

Deng Shirong then asked, "Did you manage to rent temporary warehouses in Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, and Chengdu as I instructed?"

Deng Changyu nodded and said, "Yes, Uncle Jiugong, they are all rented and ready."

Deng Shirong continued, "Since the warehouses are ready, the next step is to quickly distribute the goods. We must ensure that the instant noodles stored in our warehouses are transported to the temporary warehouses in these cities before the advertisement airs.

"When merchants see the advertisement and call our factory to place orders, we can immediately send them the goods. This will maximize the effectiveness of our advertisement. Otherwise, if customers can't buy our instant noodles for half a month or even a month after the advertisement airs, we will miss a great opportunity for development."

Deng Changpei responded, "Understood, Uncle Jiugong. We will start distributing the goods tomorrow."

...

Ever since the construction of the Master Kang Instant Noodles factory began, it had been operating non-stop, naturally drawing attention from the local residents and county officials alike.

The residents were simply curious, but the officials had a vested interest as well.

After all, businesses pay taxes, and the larger the business, the more taxes they pay. The instant noodle factory was now producing 150,000 packs (cups) of instant noodles daily, which was a significant output. If this production rate could be maintained and the noodles could be sold smoothly, it would bring a substantial amount of tax revenue to the county each year.

However, the factory's operations left the county officials puzzled.

Since the factory started production, nearly three months had passed, and it had produced at least 12 million packs (cups) of instant noodles. Yet, not a single pack had been sold, not even in the local county.

If it had been just a few days, it would have been understandable, but nearly three months without selling a single pack was indeed cause for concern.

Of course, the county officials understood that the factory must have its own sales plan and was not simply producing the noodles to let them gather dust and expire in the warehouse.

So, they patiently waited for the factory to make its move.

Finally, after the New Year, the factory started to show activity. The 12 million packs (cups) of instant noodles began to be transported out in truckloads, and the county officials breathed a sigh of relief. If the factory had not taken action, they would have been compelled to visit the factory for an "inspection" to get a sense of the situation.

The transportation job for the factory was naturally taken on by Deng Shirong's nephew, Bu Zhongshi. With his uncle's support, he had developed a business with 30 trucks, making him a truly wealthy boss.

These instant noodles were to be transported to the railway station.

At the time, Bobai County did not have a railway station. It wasn't until 2016 that the Bobai Station began operations.

However, the absence of a railway station in the county did not mean that there were no stations within the broader region of Bobai County.

The Wendi Town, under the jurisdiction of Bobai, began construction on the first railway station in Bobai in September 1954. The station was designed by the Nanning Railway Bureau's Design Institute, and the main construction was carried out by a railway engineering battalion and a railway maintenance team, with local government support and the mobilization of civilian workers. The station opened for business on July 1, 1955.

The station covered an area of 165,000 square meters, with a cargo yard of about 26,000 square meters and warehouse space of 1,850 square meters. It had an annual cargo handling capacity of 5 to 7 million tons, which was quite impressive.

As the instant noodle factory began to distribute its products to several key cities, Deng Shirong felt it was also the right time to start selling the noodles in his own supermarket.

Previously, when the Master Kang Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles were produced, to stock up more inventory and maintain secrecy, all the noodles were stored in the warehouse. They were not even sold locally in Bobai, for fear that the noodles might leak out and give competitors a chance to preempt them, which would be a significant loss.

After all, he could guide Master Chen to develop a sauce packet with almost the same taste as the Master Kang Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles, based on his past experiences. If others were to copy their sauce packet and create a similar one, it wouldn't be difficult; they would just need some time.

Even if the Master Kang Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles had registered a patent for the recipe, it wouldn't be very useful. Unlike pharmaceutical formulas, which have specific therapeutic effects and can be life-threatening if the dosage is altered, food recipes can be adjusted for taste preferences. Whether it's a light or heavy flavor, there will always be someone who likes it.

Modifying the recipe is the best way to circumvent a patent.

Thus, food recipe patents are generally ineffective against others, which is why in the past, Master Kang and Uni-President could copy each other without much consequence.

Now, there was no such concern. The promotional advertisement for the instant noodles would air on CCTV in just over twenty days. In such a short time, it would be impossible for competitors to preempt them.

Therefore, Deng Shirong called his eldest son and instructed him to handle the matter.

Just one day later, whether in the Yongjia Supermarket in Bobai or in Nanning, Master Kang instant noodles were available, prominently displayed in the most visible positions.

...

Nanning.

Wuyue Square.

Niu Lizhen, with nothing to do, found herself walking here.

Wuyue Square was now well-known in Nanning, mainly due to the popularity of the Yongjia Supermarket and the Spicy Girl Hotpot located there.

At that moment, on the spacious square, 40 veterans were training. They were all strong and imposing, and their training naturally drew a crowd of onlookers.

Niu Lizhen wasn't particularly interested in the veterans' training. What caught her attention was the Spicy Girl Hotpot on the second floor of Wuyue Square.

Since the Spicy Girl Hotpot opened, Niu Lizhen felt like she had come back to life. Before, unless she went back to her parents' house, eating at her in-laws' place was just about filling her stomach. She had little interest in the bland dishes.

But now, she could improve her diet every ten to fifteen days by visiting the Spicy Girl Hotpot. This expectation had changed her spirit and energy.

A week ago, Niu Lizhen and her family had another meal at the Spicy Girl Hotpot. The taste was addictive, making her unable to stop eating. If she could eat like this every day, it would be wonderful!

Unfortunately, such a good thing could only be a dream. Although her family's conditions were decent, they couldn't afford to eat at a hotpot restaurant every day.

However, even if they couldn't eat hotpot, they could still go to the supermarket to buy some items.

So, with nothing to do, Niu Lizhen walked into the Yongjia Supermarket, planning to buy something to take home.

Since the Yongjia Supermarket opened, whenever Niu Lizhen's family needed something, they would buy it from the supermarket if it was available. If not, they had no choice. But as long as the supermarket had it, they would definitely buy it there, and the other department stores and supply cooperatives could go to hell!

This wasn't just Niu Lizhen's family's thought; many customers felt the same.

The main reason was the service at the department stores and supply cooperatives, which was far inferior to that of the Yongjia Supermarket. In the past, how many customers had been ignored or scolded by the salespeople at the department stores and supply cooperatives?

Back then, there was no choice, so everyone had to endure it.

Now, with the Yongjia Supermarket offering a wide range of products, allowing customers to choose freely, and with excellent service, and most importantly, prices that were not higher than those at the department stores or supply cooperatives, everyone preferred to shop at the Yongjia Supermarket.

Upon entering the supermarket, Niu Lizhen immediately noticed the Master Kang Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles prominently displayed in the most visible position.

The words seemed to have a magical power, capturing her attention and drawing her over. She picked up a pack of Master Kang Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles from the shelf and examined it, as shown in the image below.

After looking at it for about ten seconds, Niu Lizhen's mouth was almost watering.

She then checked the price: 50 cents per pack. This price wasn't cheap, but in the current era, instant noodles were a luxury for families with better conditions. Families with poorer conditions couldn't afford them.

Niu Lizhen's family could afford to eat at the Spicy Girl Hotpot at least twice a month, so buying a few packs of instant noodles was no problem.

However, this was the first time Niu Lizhen had seen and bought the Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles. She had yet to verify how it tasted, so she didn't buy too many, only one pack to try it out.

If it didn't taste good, she would just forget about it. But if it did taste good, she would come back the next day to buy a few more packs.

Thus, Niu Lizhen took one pack of Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles, bought a few other items, and then paid and left.

Niu Lizhen wasn't the only one who noticed the Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles. The Yongjia Supermarket had placed them in the most prominent position, making them the featured product. Every customer who entered the supermarket would see these instant noodles first.

It's worth mentioning that the name "Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor" was indeed well-chosen, as it immediately made people feel hungry just by looking at it.

Although 50 cents per pack was a bit expensive, it wasn't so expensive that people couldn't afford it.

Therefore, like Niu Lizhen, some customers, after seeing the noodles, also took one pack to try, curious about how they would taste.

However, most customers, though tempted, ultimately decided against it due to the price.

Deng Yuntai and Zhang Xiuping observed all this.

Zhang Xiuping thought for a moment and asked, "Husband, are you hungry?"

Deng Yuntai replied instinctively, "Not yet."

Zhang Xiuping smiled and said, "Husband, I think you should be hungry!"

Deng Yuntai, whose mind worked quickly, guessed what his wife was thinking: "Wife, you want me to eat the instant noodles in front of everyone?"

Zhang Xiuping smiled and nodded, saying, "Exactly. Right now, no one knows what these instant noodles taste like. If you eat a bowl of them right here in front of the customers, I think the effect will be quite good."

"You have a good point. I'll give it a try. I'll go get a thermos to boil the water."

"Okay, you go get the thermos, and I'll help you prepare it."

...

In the supermarket, Meng Xiangmei carefully selected the items she wanted and headed to the checkout to pay and go home.

As she approached the checkout, she suddenly caught a strong, fragrant smell. She sniffed the air and looked around, quickly finding the source of the aroma. She saw a man in his twenties holding a bowl of instant noodles in one hand and a plastic fork in the other, stirring the noodles continuously.

Meng Xiangmei had seen the Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles as soon as she entered the supermarket and had even felt tempted to buy them. However, seeing that a pack cost 50 cents, she, being frugal, decided against it.

Now, smelling the strong, fragrant aroma, Meng Xiangmei was truly amazed.

Many other customers were similarly amazed. The Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles were placed so prominently that everyone saw them upon entering the supermarket. Most had been tempted but ultimately didn't buy them due to uncertainty about the taste and the slightly high price.

However, the strong, fragrant aroma coming from the man's bowl of instant noodles was enough to make everyone in the supermarket drool. They had never smelled such fragrant instant noodles before.

Under the watchful eyes of the customers, Deng Yuntai stirred the noodles with his fork, then picked up a large mouthful and ate it.

"Slurp! Slurp!"

The sound of Deng Yuntai eating, combined with the strong, fragrant aroma, was incredibly enticing to the customers.

To say the least, several customers, including Meng Xiangmei, were swallowing their saliva.

Swallowing several times, Meng Xiangmei, who was usually frugal, couldn't resist anymore. She went over and took five packs of Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles, all in the bagged form, as the bowl form was twice as expensive, and she couldn't afford it.

Many other customers made the same choice, and they didn't just buy one pack but several, even more than ten.

There was no helping it; the instant noodles were just too fragrant.

In an instant, the prominently displayed Kangshifu Red-Braised Beef Flavor instant noodles were snatched up by the customers. Those who didn't get any ran to the back of the supermarket, where there were more instant noodles in the noodle section.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiuping and Deng Yuntai, who was eating the instant noodles, were overjoyed.

Having done business for so many years, they knew exactly what this scene meant.

A glimpse of the future sales of their Kangshifu instant noodles was clear: they were going to explode.

Soon, Deng Yuntai finished the bowl of instant noodles, and the supermarket sold several hundred packs of bagged instant noodles and over twenty bowls. The advertising effect was truly excellent.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end