Chapter 355: Advertisement Aired, Sales Explode, and Becoming a Grandparent [8,000 Words]

Chapter 355: Advertisement Aired, Sales Explode, and Becoming a Grandparent [8,000 Words]



---

It was noon.

In a state-owned enterprise family apartment complex.

Niu Lijun's family was having lunch. To be precise, it was her in-laws, husband, and children who were eating, while she herself sat there, staring at the large covered bowl in front of her. Inside the bowl was not something else, but the Master Kang Beef and Tomato Noodles she had bought from Yongjia Supermarket that morning.

Her mother-in-law, while eating, said, "Lijun, this instant noodles, just soaking it in boiling water for a few minutes, how good can it really be? I bet it’s not even as good as regular noodles!"

Her father-in-law chimed in, "That's not necessarily true. I heard from people at my workplace about instant noodles, and they say it’s much better than regular noodles."

Niu Lijun smiled and said, "A while ago, I heard from Aunt Li that Hua Feng Sanxian Yimian has the best taste, she said it even has a bit of a seafood flavor. I don’t know if it’s that exaggerated, but I’ve never been interested in non-spicy things, so I never thought about buying it to try.

But this Master Kang Beef and Tomato Noodles is different. It contains chili, which makes it much more appealing to me compared to Hua Feng Sanxian Yimian."

Her husband, the factory manager, said, "I’ve had Hua Feng Sanxian Yimian before, and it really does taste great. I feel it’s better than regular noodles. As for this Master Kang Beef Noodles, the name sounds quite appetizing, but I wonder how it tastes."

"It won’t be long before we find out!"

As she spoke, Niu Lijun checked the time, confirmed that it had soaked long enough, and then lifted the lid off the large bowl.

Instantly, a cloud of hot steam rose, filling the room with a fragrant aroma.

It has to be said, when it comes to spreading fragrance, instant noodles have few rivals. People in the future have long been accustomed to the smell of instant noodles, so much so that they are no longer excited by it and might even start to dislike it.

But for the first time in their lives, the reaction to the smell of instant noodles is not dislike but rather a continuous sniffing, wanting to catch more of the aroma.

This was especially true in the 1980s, when this fragrance was even more irresistible.

Niu Lijun’s son was the first to exclaim, "Wow, it smells so good!"

Her daughter, sniffing the air, said, "Mom, this instant noodles smell so good, I want to eat it too."

Even her in-laws and husband looked at the bowl of instant noodles in front of Niu Lijun, their eyes filled with surprise.

Niu Lijun herself was also stunned by the aroma. She picked up her chopsticks, stirred the noodles, and said, "This is a spicy instant noodles, let me try it first to see how it tastes."

With the attention of the whole family, Niu Lijun took a bite of the aromatic instant noodles and a sip of the broth.

Instantly, the chewy, Q-elastic noodles and the indescribably fresh and spicy broth conquered her taste buds.

"Good heavens, this instant noodles is really delicious!"

Hearing her mother’s praise, the daughter couldn’t sit still and cried out, "Mom, I want to eat it too! I want to eat it too!"

The son, not to be outdone, also shouted, "Mom, I want to eat it too."

Niu Lijun picked up two strands of noodles with her chopsticks and said to her daughter, "Open your mouth, I’ll give you two strands to try and see if you can eat it."

The daughter quickly tilted her head and opened her mouth, and as soon as Niu Lijun put the two strands of noodles in her mouth, she chewed quickly and praised, "It’s delicious, I want more."

After giving the same treatment to her son, he also expressed the same sentiment: it was delicious, and he wanted more.

Seeing the scene, the factory manager husband could no longer hold back and said, "Lijun, let me try it too."

As he reached for the chopsticks, Niu Lijun reminded him, "Eating the noodles with a sip of the broth is the most comfortable."

The factory manager followed her advice, took a bite of the noodles, and then a sip of the broth. Without any surprise, he was immediately conquered by the taste of the instant noodles.

It has to be said, Master Kang Beef and Tomato Noodles is indeed one of the most classic instant noodle products, and from the day it was born, it has consistently dominated the top spot of the best-selling instant noodles in China for over a decade, never once being dethroned.

It wasn’t until 2008 when Tongyi launched the equally classic Lao Tan Pickled Cabbage Beef Noodles that Master Kang Beef and Tomato Noodles finally faced its true rival.

Therefore, it was only natural that the Master Kang Beef and Tomato Noodles, which caters to the majority of people’s tastes, would conquer the hearts of Niu Lijun’s family.

Next, Niu Lijun and her children finished the bowl of instant noodles, even drinking the last bit of the broth.

Her in-laws, who hadn’t tasted it, heard their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren all praise the instant noodles. The mother-in-law hurriedly finished her meal and said, "Lijun, go to Yongjia Supermarket again this afternoon and buy a few more packs of instant noodles."

Niu Lijun smiled and said, "Mom, these two little ones ate most of my noodles, I’m still not full. I’ll go buy more right away."

"Buy a dozen or twenty packs, and I won’t cook dinner this afternoon. I want to try this instant noodles and see if it’s really that good."

"Okay, Mom."

---

At the same time.

In many families in Nanning, instant noodles were being soaked for lunch.

Some had bought it on a whim while shopping at Yongjia Supermarket, while most had not originally intended to buy it but were attracted by Deng Yunta’s live demonstration of eating instant noodles and ended up buying several packs of Master Kang Beef and Tomato Noodles.

It goes without saying, everyone who tried the Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles was thoroughly convinced by its taste.

Those who had bought it on a whim, after finishing the noodles, immediately rushed back to Yongjia Supermarket to buy a few more packs to keep in stock.

People tend to follow the crowd, and seeing other customers buying Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles in bulk, many couldn’t resist asking about the taste. Customers who had already tried it enthusiastically praised the noodles, describing them in the highest terms.

If the praise came from the company itself, customers might be skeptical, but when it came from other customers, it carried a different weight. As long as they could afford it, everyone wanted to buy a couple of packs to try for themselves and see if the taste was as good as others said.

Thus, the sales of Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles at Yongjia Supermarket began to soar, growing like a snowball rolling downhill.

On the first day, they sold 1,621 packs (cups) of instant noodles.

On the second day, they sold 2,258 packs (cups).

On the third day, they sold 2,887 packs (cups).

Before the advertisement on CCTV was even aired, the total sales of Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles at Yongjia Supermarket in Nanning had surpassed 80,000 packs (cups).

Similarly, the Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles at Yongjia Supermarket in Bobai were also flying off the shelves, with total sales exceeding 60,000 packs (cups).

While Nanning’s high sales were expected, given that it was the capital city, Bobai’s impressive sales were largely due to the contributions of the Naye Deng family.

Despite the Naye Deng family being tight on funds due to their collective investment in the food company, the clan members still had enough small savings to buy a few packs. As the first product from their own food company, they naturally wanted to try it and see how it tasted.

After trying it, they found the taste to be genuinely excellent.

Thus, the clan members started buying in bulk, using the noodles as gifts for relatives and friends, which was a matter of great pride.

Thanks to the significant purchases by the Naye Deng clan, Bobai’s Yongjia Supermarket saw a surge in sales, reaching 60,000 packs (cups).

...

Time quickly passed, and it was now January 29, 1988, a Friday.

Kangshifu Instant Noodles Factory.

In the factory manager's office, Deng Shirong said, "Everyone, our instant noodles advertisement will air on CCTV tomorrow. A surge in sales is guaranteed, so we need to prepare for expanding production by building more factories."

Deng Changyu said, "Old Master, our factory in Wuhan is already under construction. The factory will be completed in two months, and we can start production as soon as the production lines are in place. As for the warehouse and other facilities, we can build them later."

The total investment in the food company was nearly 15 million yuan. The Bobai instant noodles factory, from purchasing land to building the factory and buying production lines and raw materials like wheat, cost over 5 million yuan. Including the advertising expenses of over 1 million yuan, the total expenditure was around 6 million yuan.

The food company still had over 8 million yuan in its account!

Knowing that the instant noodles would sell like hotcakes, and having implemented a strategy of stockpiling for sales, it was crucial not to let this money sit idle. Building more factories to increase production capacity was an urgent priority.

Deng Shirong chose Wuhan, a city with convenient transportation, for the first branch factory.

Building a factory in Wuhan was different from Bobai. This was a crucial branch factory, and Deng Shirong required its production capacity to be at least ten times that of Bobai. Therefore, the land area needed to be much larger, and the investment would be significantly higher.

To be honest, the 8 million yuan was only enough for purchasing land and building the factory. Additional funds would be required for other buildings, production lines, and raw materials like wheat.

Deng Shirong said, "Once the factory in Wuhan is completed, our stockpiled instant noodles will have been sold out. We can then immediately start production. Our next task is to prepare for the second branch factory."

Deng Changpei couldn’t help but ask, "Old Master, the production capacity of the Wuhan factory will be at least ten times that of Bobai, with a daily output of at least 1.5 million packs (cups). Adding Bobai’s production, the total daily capacity will be at least 1.65 million packs. With such a high capacity, do we really need to rush for a second branch factory?"

Deng Shirong said, "Of course, a daily output of 1.65 million packs sounds impressive, but that’s only about 600 million packs per year. This number is definitely not enough. Once our instant noodles become popular nationwide, you’ll understand why I’m saying this."

No one understood the size of the instant noodles market better than he did.

In the future, China’s peak sales of instant noodles reached several billion packs (cups) per year, which was truly astounding.

In the current era, it couldn’t compare to the future, but with the combat power of the classic product, Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles, selling a few hundred million packs (cups) a year would be a breeze, with no pressure at all. Therefore, preparing for a third branch factory was necessary.

After all, building a branch factory also takes a considerable amount of time.

Hearing this, Deng Changyu was incredibly excited and asked, "Old Master, can our instant noodles really sell a few hundred million packs a year?"

Deng Shirong nodded confidently, "Selling a few hundred million packs a year is just the beginning."

Hearing this response, the clan members were all flushed with excitement.

A few hundred million packs a year, what does that mean?

Even if they only made a dime per pack, that would still be tens of millions of yuan in profit per year. Moreover, they certainly made more than just a dime per pack.

Doesn't that mean their instant noodle factory could potentially make over a hundred million yuan a year?

Thinking of this, including the General Manager Deng Changyu, everyone clutched their chests.

Too exciting!

It was truly too exciting!

Even in the future, a company that could make over a hundred million yuan a year would be considered extremely impressive at the county level.

In this era, let alone at the county level, such a company would be considered extremely impressive even at the provincial level. Even on a national scale, it would be a well-known company, which is why Deng Changyu and the others were so overwhelmed with excitement.

Deng Changyu took deep breaths to calm his excitement and asked, "Grandpa, where do you think the third branch factory should be established?"

Deng Shirong said without hesitation, "Tianjin."

...

January 30, 1988, Saturday.

In Wuchang, at a small store selling miscellaneous goods, the owner Jiang Chuanfu was chatting with his neighbors while watching the news broadcast, a daily routine for them.

The 30-minute news broadcast quickly ended, and just as Jiang Chuanfu was about to get up to change the channel to find something more interesting, a familiar figure appeared, making him sit back down.

Jiang Chuanfu immediately recognized him as the famous comedian Chen Peisi.

Ever since Chen Peisi first appeared on the Spring Festival Gala a few years ago with the skit "Eating Noodles," he became a household name.

There was no denying that the skit was incredibly funny.

It was said that during the review of "Eating Noodles," the judges laughed so hard that their buttons popped off. During the official performance on the Spring Festival Gala stage, the skit was so hilarious that the audience couldn't stop laughing, with many of them even sitting on the floor because they couldn't stand up.

In this era, unless someone had an unusually high sense of humor, it was nearly impossible not to laugh the first time they saw "Eating Noodles."

The commercial was simple: Chen Peisi appeared and started preparing instant noodles, while the voiceover introduced the product, emphasizing the unique rich and aromatic sauce packet of Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles. After the voiceover finished, the camera cut to Chen Peisi eating the noodles.

While eating, he recreated the classic scenes from "Eating Noodles," with the same expressions and movements, making anyone who had seen the skit smile in recognition.

The camera then cut to Chen Peisi finishing the noodles, saying, "Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles, it's this flavor," and the commercial ended with the manufacturer's order hotline.

Jiang Chuanfu, being a businessman, and having instant noodles in his store, was immediately moved to action. He quickly took out a pen and paper to note down the manufacturer's order phone number.

At this point, the neighbors started discussing the instant noodles.

"These instant noodles look really delicious!"

"Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles, what a great name. I want to buy a pack and try it."

"Have you seen these instant noodles before? I have no memory of them. They must be a new product, right?"

"Probably a new product. I've never seen them before either. I wonder where I can buy them..."

Having already noted down the manufacturer's phone number, Jiang Chuanfu smiled and said, "I'll probably have these instant noodles in stock in a few days. If anyone wants to try Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles, come by then."

...

Suzhou, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing...

At this moment, similar scenes were playing out across the country.

Any merchants who saw the advertisement at that time, with their business instincts, immediately noted down the manufacturer's phone number. They all had a vague sense that if they could get this product to sell, it would do well.

Some merchants who already had phones called the manufacturer's order number right away.

...

Bobai County.

Kangshifu Instant Noodles Factory.

As soon as the advertisement on CCTV ended, the phone started ringing less than a minute later.

Deng Changpei, the factory manager, had been told by Grandpa that the factory's phones would be flooded with calls from merchants after the advertisement aired. He had volunteered to sit by the phone to personally answer calls from merchants across the country.

"Hello, this is Kangshifu Instant Noodles Factory."

"Hello, I would like to know where your Kangshifu Instant Noodles Factory is located. I want to buy some instant noodles to sell. Where can I find you?"

"Our factory is in Bobai County, Yulin, Guangxi, but we have temporary warehouses in several major cities across the country, storing a significant amount of instant noodles. May I ask which city you are in?"

"I am in Guangzhou. Do you have a temporary warehouse here?"

"Indeed, we have a temporary warehouse in Guangzhou. I can give you a pager number. Please contact the warehouse directly to discuss how much you need. Is that okay?"

"That's great, I have my pen and paper ready. Please go ahead and give me the number!"

"The number is... Do you have any other questions?"

---

“Goodbye!”

“Goodbye!”

Just as he hung up the phone, it rang again. Deng Changpei eagerly picked it up again: “Hello, this is Kangshifu Instant Noodles Factory.”

“Hello, I saw your instant noodles advertisement. I would like to buy some to sell. Could you tell me the wholesale price per pack?”

“Our Kangshifu Braised Beef Noodles wholesale price is 38 cents per pack, and 78 cents for the cup version.”

“Could you tell me where your factory is located?”

“It’s in Bobai County, Yulin, Guangxi. However, we have temporary warehouses in Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Shanghai, storing a significant amount of instant noodles. If you are close to any of these cities, you can purchase from there as well.”

“I see, I am closer to Shanghai. How do I find you if I go to Shanghai?”

“I can give you a pager number. You can contact the warehouse manager in Shanghai directly.”

“Alright, please give me the number.”

“The number is... Do you have any other questions?”

“Thank you, no more questions. Goodbye!”

“You're welcome. Goodbye!”

Just as Deng Changpei hung up, the phone rang again. Before he even picked it up, he had one thought: It looks like Grandpa was right; our instant noodles sales are really going to explode.

The factory's phone didn't stop ringing. As soon as one call ended, another came in.

After answering over twenty calls, Deng Changpei, who was now hoarse, couldn't take it anymore. He quickly handed over the phone to a clan member responsible for answering calls from merchants across the country.

Although he no longer answered the calls himself, Deng Changpei didn't leave the phone.

Similarly, Deng Changyu, the general manager of the food company, stayed there to get the first-hand information on instant noodle sales.

Other management members of the instant noodle factory also crowded in, as they were all clan members with shares in the company. They naturally hoped that the Braised Beef Noodles would be a huge success.

The results were very encouraging. Calls from merchants across the country continued until nearly midnight.

---

The next morning.

After eating breakfast, Deng Shirong arrived at the instant noodle factory.

Seeing the clan head, Deng Changpei, the factory manager, couldn't contain his excitement and said, “Grandpa, you were absolutely right. Our instant noodles are really going to sell like hotcakes. Ever since the CCTV advertisement yesterday, the factory's phone hasn't stopped ringing, and it only quieted down around midnight.

This morning, the phone started ringing again. All the calls are from merchants across the country asking about purchasing.”

Deng Shirong nodded to show he understood and asked, “You have dark circles under your eyes. Didn't you sleep well last night?”

Deng Changpei laughed, “With such a big event happening at the factory, how could I sleep? I only managed to doze off just before dawn.”

Deng Shirong said, “You need to adjust your mindset. Go back and get some rest. You need to be well-rested to work effectively.”

“It’s just one night without sleep, no big deal. Besides, even if I went back, I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

Deng Changpei then said with admiration, “You are truly remarkable, Grandpa. Just like in the books, you remain calm even when the world is falling apart. During such a critical moment for the instant noodle factory, you stayed calm and didn’t come to the factory. That’s really impressive.”

Deng Shirong laughed, “It’s all as expected. Once you have a clear plan, you can remain calm.”

At 96 years old mentally, he had even experienced death. What could possibly trouble him?

Deng Changpei, of course, didn’t know about the clan head's experiences, but he genuinely admired him.

“Grandpa, this morning, the clan members in Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shanghai reported back. Last night, they reached verbal agreements with merchants to sell several hundred thousand packs (cups). The merchants will bring the money to pick up the goods today.”

“These are large sums of money. You need to remind the clan members to be vigilant. When they go to the bank to deposit the money, they should be cautious and have at least five or six people go together. It’s a chaotic time, and robbers are extremely dangerous. If they get targeted, it could be trouble.”

Deng Changpei nodded, “You’ve already mentioned this, and I’ve taken note. We’ve assigned enough people to the warehouses in the four major cities. I’ve instructed them to go to the bank with at least five or six people.”

“Good, as long as they are cautious.”

Deng Shirong didn’t stay at the factory for long. Knowing that the CCTV advertisement had achieved the expected results, he left the factory and went to Sufeng Restaurant.

“Dad!” Deng Yunzhen, who was walking slowly with her large belly at the entrance of Sufeng Restaurant, greeted him.

Deng Shirong said, “Yunzhen, your due date is approaching. Your sister-in-law said she will come back today with your brother and Aizhu to keep you company. Your third aunt also said she would come up.”

Deng Yunzhen replied, “Having my sister-in-law here is enough. Aizhu’s business is just starting, and she can’t leave. As for my third aunt, she has to take care of her grandson. There’s no need to trouble her.”

“Don’t worry. Aizhu’s absence won’t affect the business. The hotpot restaurant has clear divisions of labor, and there’s a manager in charge. She only needs to check the accounts monthly and doesn’t have to be there all the time.”

Deng Shirong said, "As for your third aunt, I also told her not to come, but she was worried. She said your mother left early, and she, as your aunt, couldn't be at ease if she didn't come to take care of you."

Deng Yunzhen felt a warm glow in her heart. Regardless of the era, a woman's first childbirth was always a tense and anxious time. Having many family members by her side was a source of great happiness for any expectant mother.

After finishing this conversation, Deng Yunzhen asked, "Dad, the advertisement for our instant noodles aired last night. How did it go?"

Deng Shirong replied, "It went extremely well. The phone didn't stop ringing last night, all the way until midnight. This morning, the calls started up again and haven't stopped. If everything goes as expected, our factory's instant noodles are going to sell like hotcakes."

Deng Yunzhen was not surprised by this. She knew how popular the instant noodles were in her brother and sister-in-law's supermarket. Now that the advertisement had aired on CCTV, it was only natural that they would sell extremely well. It seemed that the entire clan's path to wealth was just around the corner.

...

In the afternoon, Deng Yunzhen's brother Deng Yunzhai, his wife Zhang Xiuping, and her sister Deng Yunzhu arrived.

After exchanging greetings, Deng Yunzhen looked at her sister, who seemed like a completely different person, and said in surprise, "Aizhu, you've really changed a lot. You're completely different from when you were in school. It seems that doing business outside has really honed you."

Zhang Xiuping chimed in with a smile, "I also feel that Aizhu has changed a lot, but since we see each other every day, it's not as noticeable."

Deng Yunzhu laughed and said, "Sis, as the saying goes, a person who has been away for three days should be viewed with new eyes. I'm now a big boss with assets in the hundreds of thousands, which is quite different from being a student in school."

Deng Yunzhen smiled and said, "If it weren't for my big belly, I would really want to go and see your hotpot restaurant."

Deng Yunzhu replied, "Sis, you should definitely come and see it. The space is much larger than Sufeng Restaurant, and Dad had it beautifully decorated. The customers all praise the dining environment of my hotpot restaurant as the best. After the baby is a month old next year, you can come and visit."

"Sure, I'll make time to come and see it next year."

...

In the afternoon, Deng Shiran also arrived by car, bringing some maple leaves from their hometown.

These maple leaves were used to boil water for the new mother to bathe in.

A few days later, Deng Yunzhen went into labor and was immediately taken to the maternity hospital by her family.

Deng Shirong, Deng Yunzhai, Zhang Xiuping, and Deng Yunzhu were all there, and relatives who received the news also rushed over. Of course, Old Master Zhu and Old Lady Zhu were there, and her husband Zhu Junjie was also present.

Deng Shirong and the others didn't want to make a big fuss, otherwise, if the Naye Deng clan members received the news, they would all have come.

After Deng Yunzhen was taken into the delivery room, Zhu Junjie paced anxiously in front of the door.

Old Lady Zhu began to silently pray to the ancestors of the Zhu family, asking them to protect her young daughter-in-law and ensure a smooth delivery, preferably of a son.

Her youngest son was now a deputy county magistrate, a position that allowed only one child. The gender of the child was therefore extremely important. If it was a son, everything would be fine, but if it was a daughter, it would be a big problem.

Compared to Old Lady Zhu, Deng Shirong was quite calm. He didn't care whether his eldest daughter gave birth to a boy or a girl.

If it was a girl, they could always have another child. After all, his eldest daughter in his previous life had several children.

As for his eldest son-in-law losing his position, that was just a matter of choice. Not being an official meant he could do business instead. The decision would be left to the in-laws, but his daughter could choose to have more children or not.

...

Many first-time mothers are exhausted by the ordeal of childbirth, with some suffering through days of pain before delivering their child. In such cases, even the most patient of mothers can become irritable, and the husband, being the "culprit," often bears the brunt of this anger.

Of course, not all first-time mothers have such a difficult time. Some deliver their babies with relative ease after only a short period of labor.

Deng Yunzhen was undoubtedly lucky. She entered the delivery room and, less than two hours later, delivered a healthy baby boy.

When the nurse announced the good news, Old Lady Zhu's eyes crinkled into a smile. The ancestors had truly blessed them, and her young daughter-in-law had done a great job, adding a grandson to the Zhu family.

"Great!"

Zhu Junjie was also overjoyed. Although he wasn't as fixated on having a son as his parents, living in Bobai made it impossible to be entirely unaffected. Now that his wife had given him a son, he felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Deng Shirong and the others were also very happy, and the relatives were all beaming with joy.

This day was the 17th day of the 12th lunar month of 1987, the beginning of spring.

...

PS: Gentlemen, your fighting spirit is indeed as formidable as ever. As of now, more than 3,100 monthly votes have been cast today, which is truly amazing!

This is like a constant injection of energy for the author. The generous rewards from the QQ Reading group are also fantastic. There's nothing to say but to repay you with more content.

This chapter is 8,000 words. The author is continuing to write. If you still have monthly votes, don't hesitate to cast them. The author is ready to work hard!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end