Chapter 380: Uncle Deng, How Do You Know Everything?

Chapter 380: Uncle Deng, How Do You Know Everything?

On the bus heading from Guangzhou to Nanning, Yan Shuwen sighed, marveling at how small the world really was.

A few years ago, she had first met the middle-aged man sitting in front of her on a train from Nanning to the capital. At that time, she had boarded the train in Guilin, and by coincidence, they had ended up sitting in the same row.

Their second meeting took place at a spicy girl hot pot restaurant in Nanning, which was a few years later.

Originally, the chances of meeting someone they had only briefly encountered once before were already rare. But before long, they had a third encounter.

And this third meeting had taken place in a different city, shifting from Nanning to Guangzhou.

Meeting three times in different cities, it was truly a remarkable coincidence.

Since they had such a strong connection, it was necessary to get to know each other better. After sitting down, Yan Shuwen took the initiative to greet him and asked, "Uncle, what is your surname?"

"Spared the honor, my surname is Deng."

Deng Shirong smiled slightly and then said meaningfully, "If I remember correctly, you should be surnamed Yan, right? I just don't know if that surname is real or made up."

Yan Shuwen's eyes flickered, and she admired, "Uncle Deng, you are really impressive. Back on the train, you even managed to fool me. As you guessed, the story I told on the train was made up, but the surname is real."

Deng Shirong asked, "The couple you were chatting with, were they criminals?"

Yan Shuwen looked even more surprised, "Uncle Deng, how do you know everything?"

Deng Shirong laughed, "I just figured it out. Although both of you performed very convincingly, I've been out in the world for a long time and have a good eye for people. If the identity you were playing was real, they were being too enthusiastic towards you.

The ancients have long said, 'When someone comes forward to help without reason, it's either a trick or a scam.' I firmly believe this. Who would go out of their way to help a stranger they just met?"

"True!"

Yan Shuwen nodded in agreement and then asked curiously, "Uncle Deng, how did you figure out that I was acting? Which part of my performance gave me away?"

Deng Shirong smiled, "Compared to the couple's acting, yours was indeed better. You made the identity you created seem real, and most people wouldn't have noticed anything amiss. But as an old hand, I have a way of reading people. Your performance could fool others, but it was hard to fool me.

If I were to analyze it specifically, I couldn't pinpoint it, but I had a gut feeling that you weren't a simple girl, not the type who would be tricked and sold without even knowing it. So, from start to finish, I never thought of warning you.

If it had been another naive girl, I wouldn't have let you go with those criminals.

And it turned out I was right. After you left with the couple, I observed and noticed two people quietly following you. They must have been your partners, right?"

Yan Shuwen was greatly impressed, "Uncle Deng, you are really impressive. Your observational skills are terrifying. Luckily, I didn't encounter someone like you back then, or I would have been sold without even knowing it."

Deng Shirong said, "So, what is your identity?"

Yan Shuwen replied, "I was a railway police officer, but that was in the past. I resigned and now do other things."

Hearing this, Deng Shirong wasn't surprised. He had suspected this before, and now it was confirmed: "That's a good profession. Why did you resign?"

Yan Shuwen sighed, "I didn't want to resign, but my parents, seeing me dealing with dangerous people all the time, were worried about my safety and kept persuading me to quit. I couldn't resist them, so I had to resign."

Deng Shirong understood and sighed, "Parents' love is truly boundless!"

Yan Shuwen asked, "Uncle Deng, where are you from?"

Deng Shirong replied, "I'm from Yulin. How about you?"

Yan Shuwen said, "I'm from Guilin."

Deng Shirong said, "Guilin is a beautiful place, famous for its stunning mountains and waters. I've always wanted to visit, but I've passed through Guilin countless times without stopping to explore. It's a real regret."

Yan Shuwen laughed, "Maybe because I grew up in Guilin, I don't find the scenery particularly beautiful."

Deng Shirong smiled, "I believe that. Some say that travel is about going from a place you're tired of to a place others are tired of. You grew up in Guilin, so even the most beautiful scenery can become mundane to you. But for those who haven't seen it, it remains very attractive."

Yan Shuwen's eyes lit up, "That's a great summary. It's exactly like that."

Deng Shirong said, "Maybe one day when I have the time, I'll visit Guilin. What are some of the must-see attractions there?"

Yan Shuwen immediately introduced, "If you're talking about scenery, the Li River is a must-see. It runs through the city, with picturesque landscapes along the way, including famous sites like Elephant Trunk Hill, Yellow Cloth Reflection, and Nine-Horse Painting Hill.

There are also other unique attractions like the Two Rivers and Four Lakes, Longji Rice Terraces, Seven Stars Park, Ten-Mile Gallery, and Reed Flute Cave."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "I haven’t seen how beautiful these places are, but the names are indeed beautiful."

Yan Shuwen couldn't help but laugh, finding Uncle Deng to be quite witty.

The distance from Guangzhou to Nanning is about five to six hundred kilometers. In a later era, with expressways, it would take only six to seven hours, but in this era, it took at least ten hours to get back to Nanning. On such a long journey, chatting was the best way to pass the time.

Thus, Deng Shirong and Yan Shuwen, two people with a strong connection, chatted all the way from Guangzhou back to Nanning.

Through their conversation, Deng Shirong learned about Yan Shuwen's recent situation. She was in Guangzhou with her cousin to buy inventory for their clothing store.

Due to their first encounter, Deng Shirong had always been somewhat wary of this clever and talented young lady, fearing that he might be deceived by her. Therefore, he kept using the system's spatial perspective to observe her facial expressions.

Throughout their conversation, he found that she was quite sincere, and his wariness gradually subsided.

Then he noticed that this Yan girl was quite attractive, and since he had been looking for a match for his young nephew, he began to consider introducing her to him.

Of course, it was just an idea for now. Introducing this Yan girl to his young nephew would require careful consideration.

On one hand, he needed to investigate her background thoroughly.

On the other hand, he had to consider whether his young nephew was a good match for her. Once they got married, Deng Shirong was certain that his young nephew’s intelligence wouldn’t be a match for Yan Shuwen, who had dealt with criminals for a long time. This could lead to him becoming a henpecked husband.

However, relationships are complex, and every couple has their own way of getting along. A man who acts like an emperor at home isn’t necessarily happy, and a man who often kneels on the washboard at home isn’t necessarily unhappy.

In the end, only the person wearing the shoes knows if they fit.

Since his rebirth, Deng Shirong had played matchmaker many times and had some insight into marriage.

He believed that the most important factor in a marriage was compatibility in personality. Whether a couple is happy or not largely depends on whether their personalities match. Couples with incompatible personalities will have minor arguments every three days and major arguments every five. On the other hand, couples with compatible personalities respect each other and move forward together, making life enjoyable regardless of their circumstances.

It’s often said that one’s nature is hard to change, and there’s some truth to this, but it’s not entirely accurate.

For example, some women who are originally quite mild-tempered might marry a lazy man with no ambition and a life where even buying a cup of milk tea requires careful consideration. Over time, their good temper will deteriorate, leading to frequent arguments and family turmoil.

Conversely, some women who are originally quite bad-tempered might marry a powerful man and live a life of luxury, where everything is provided for them. Their bad temper might improve, and they could become model wives and mothers, earning praise from everyone.

Family conditions can indeed change a person’s personality.

Some women act like green tea to losers but are understanding and kind to wealthy men.

In reality, both men and women have multiple faces, and which face they show depends on their partner and their circumstances.

The two chatted along the way and found they had a lot in common.

By the time they reached Nanning, it was already midnight.

As the other passengers hurried to disembark, Deng Shirong asked, "Xiao Yan, it’s the middle of the night, and you have two large bags of clothes. How are you going to get them back?"

Yan Shuwen’s cousin, Qin, replied, "Uncle Deng, there are rickshaws at the station entrance. We can hire two rickshaws to help us carry the clothes back."

Deng Shirong said, "That’s unnecessary. It’s not far, so I’ll have my driver take you to the store."

"Ah?"

Qin and Yan Shuwen both looked surprised.

Deng Shirong directly instructed the driver, "Ahu, wait and drive these two relatives to the store."

Deng Sihu nodded, "Sure, Ninth Ancestor."

Deng Shirong smiled and got off the bus, "Xiao Yan, when I visit Guilin, remember to be my tour guide!"

Yan Shuwen quickly replied, "Sure, Uncle Deng!"

After Deng Shirong walked away, Yan Shuwen curiously asked the driver, "Driver brother, why did you call Uncle Deng ‘Ninth Ancestor’?"

Deng Sihu laughed, "It’s just the literal meaning. He’s my grandfather’s cousin, so it’s normal to call him Ninth Ancestor, right?"

Qin and Yan Shuwen were both shocked. They hadn’t expected this chance encounter with Uncle Deng to reveal such a high seniority in his family. The driver, who looked to be around thirty, still had to call him Ninth Ancestor, which was truly unbelievable.

...

In the tenth month of the lunar calendar.

At a small general store in Wuchang.

A regular customer walked over and asked, "Boss Jiang, do you still have Kangshifu Spicy Beef Noodles?"

Jiang Chuanfu smiled and said, "Yes, how many packs do you want?"

The regular customer replied, "Give me five packs of Kangshifu Spicy Beef Noodles and two packs of Braised Beef Noodles."

"Sure."

Jiang Chuanfu responded, went to get the items for the customer, and noticed that the shelf of Kangshifu instant noodles was running low. It was time to restock.

After the customer paid and left, Jiang Chuanfu continued to run the store.

At noon, his wife came to take over so Jiang Chuanfu could go home for lunch.

Jiang Chuanfu said, "Wife, there are only a few packs of Kangshifu instant noodles left. I'll go to the factory to restock after lunch."

The current sales of Kangshifu instant noodles were booming. Even for merchants who ordered in large quantities, it was necessary to go to the factory in person to pick up the goods. It was impossible to have the factory deliver the goods with just a phone call. Even when going to the factory, one had to wait in line for half a day to get the goods!

His wife replied, "Go ahead, be careful while driving."

"Got it!"

...

3:00 PM.

Jiang Chuanfu rode his Fengxing motorcycle to the Kangshifu instant noodles factory.

There, merchants were queuing up 24 hours a day to pick up their goods. Workers were constantly moving in and out, creating a bustling scene.

When Jiang Chuanfu went to pay, he saw a large billboard standing there. The billboard read "Kangshifu Eight Treasure Porridge" in large letters, with smaller text below describing the product.

At the bottom, it listed the wholesale price, the suggested retail price, and a note that stocks were limited, urging customers to purchase quickly.

After reading the billboard, Jiang Chuanfu felt quite interested. This Eight Treasure Porridge would be a good fit for his store. He decided to order some to try out.

Many other merchants shared his thoughts. As businesspeople, they could see that the Eight Treasure Porridge would be a very good product, even if it might not sell as well as instant noodles. Based on their experience, it would definitely be a popular item.

When it was Jiang Chuanfu's turn to pay, he ordered the original amount of instant noodles and an additional four boxes of Kangshifu Eight Treasure Porridge. He planned to try them out at his store and see how they sold. If they were popular, he would order more next time.

After waiting in line for an hour and a half to pick up the goods, Jiang Chuanfu rode his motorcycle back to the store with a full load. By the time he arrived, it was already getting dark. His store was lit up, and the neighbors were gathered, watching TV and chatting.

Hearing the sound of the motorcycle, the neighbors moved their stools to clear the way.

His wife also came over to help unload the goods.

After moving the boxes of instant noodles off the top, the Eight Treasure Porridge boxes were revealed.

His wife asked in surprise, "Husband, what's with these Eight Treasure Porridge cans?"

Jiang Chuanfu smiled and said, "Kangshifu has released Eight Treasure Porridge cans. I thought they looked good, so I ordered a few boxes."

"Eight Treasure Porridge cans?"

"What do these cans look like?"

"Really, Eight Treasure Porridge can be made into cans? That's quite something."

The neighbors, hearing this, gathered around out of curiosity.

Jiang Chuanfu saw an opportunity to promote the product and immediately opened a box of Eight Treasure Porridge. He took out a few cans and handed them to the neighbors, saying, "If you want to see them, take a good look. This Eight Treasure Porridge really looks great."

The neighbors took the cans and examined them curiously.

The canned Eight Treasure Porridge, inspired by modern packaging, featured a picture of the finished product along with the text, making it look very appetizing and tempting to open and taste.

"These Eight Treasure Porridge cans look really beautiful!"

"Indeed, the picture of the Eight Treasure Porridge makes my mouth water."

"Who knew Eight Treasure Porridge could be made into such beautiful cans? This is quite an eye-opener."

"Boss Jiang, how much do these Eight Treasure Porridge cans cost?"

"..."

Jiang Chuanfu smiled and said, "They cost 1.8 yuan per can."

"That's a bit expensive!"

"Indeed, for the price of one can of Eight Treasure Porridge, you could buy two packs of instant noodles and still have some left over!"

"But they are different. Instant noodles are just eaten and nothing is left behind. These Eight Treasure Porridge cans are so beautiful that you can keep them to store things after you eat the porridge. That's pretty good too."

"That's true..."

The price of Kangshifu instant noodles had also increased, now retailing at 0.8 yuan per pack, up from the initial 0.5 yuan.

Hearing the neighbors' comments, Jiang Chuanfu, being a businessman, saw another opportunity to promote the product. He smiled and said to his wife, "Wife, we haven't tried this Eight Treasure Porridge yet. Why don't you open a can and taste it to see if it's good?"

His wife was also curious about the Eight Treasure Porridge and nodded, saying, "Sure, I'll open a can and taste it."

The neighbors, hearing this, leaned in to watch as his wife opened the plastic lid of the can, revealing a foldable plastic spoon. She easily removed the spoon and straightened it.

Then, under the expectant gazes of everyone, she gripped the pull tab and opened the can of Eight Treasure Porridge.

Under the illumination of the lights, everyone could clearly see the Eight Treasure Porridge inside. The boss's wife stirred it evenly with a small spoon, then scooped a spoonful and slowly chewed and savored it.

After several spoonfuls, the boss's wife still hadn't given any comments.

The neighbors, unable to contain their curiosity, began to ask:

"Boss's wife, how does it taste?"

"Boss's wife, don't just keep eating, give us a review."

"Boss's wife, what does this Eight Treasure Porridge actually taste like?"

"..."

Finally, the boss's wife smiled and said, "The taste is really quite good. It's soft, sweet, and fragrant, and I don't think I could cook such a delicious Eight Treasure Porridge myself. And kids will definitely love it."

As she spoke, she took several more spoonfuls before handing the can to her husband, saying, "Husband, you should try it too."

Her husband didn't refuse and took the can, tasting a few spoonfuls. He also praised it, saying, "The taste is indeed very good. It seems Kangshifu has come up with another great product. If I had known earlier, I would have ordered more today."

The neighbors, hearing the couple's enthusiastic reviews, were getting a bit envious.

Thus, the neighbors with better living conditions immediately took out money to buy the cans of Eight Treasure Porridge in their hands, and as they opened them, they said, "I want to see if it really tastes as good as they say."

Soon, the neighbor tasted the glutinous, smooth, and fragrant Eight Treasure Porridge, and his eyes lit up as he also praised it.

Then, the other neighbors also joined in.

Despite their varying economic conditions, it was the late 1980s, and they were about to enter the 1990s. Spending 1.8 yuan to buy a can of Eight Treasure Porridge was not a problem; it was just a matter of whether they were willing to spend it.

Now that the other neighbors had bought it, not buying would make them seem too frugal.

People value face. While it might not be worth spending a lot of money to save face, they were willing to spend a couple of yuan for this face.

Because of this mindset, all the neighbors on the scene took out money and each bought a can of Eight Treasure Porridge.

Some opened them on the spot to taste, while others kept them to take home for their children to try.

Jiang Chuanfu had brought four boxes of Eight Treasure Porridge, and he had sold one box just after arriving home, which could be considered a good start.

...

It must be said that brand effect really works.

If the mooncake factory had launched the Eight Treasure Porridge under the name Yinlu, it would have taken a lot of effort to enter the market, perhaps even requiring them to spend money on TV advertisements like they did for instant noodles.

However, by using the Kangshifu brand, and leveraging the distribution channels of Kangshifu instant noodles, they easily sold all the Eight Treasure Porridge that had been stockpiled for a month.

After a survey, it was found that the market response was very positive, so expanding production was a logical next step.

For this, the experienced food company was well-prepared.

This year, Kangshifu instant noodles continued to sell extremely well. Despite not increasing production after the Tianjin branch factory went into operation, under Deng Shirong's guidance, the food company had bought land and built factories in several other major cities, ready to install production lines when needed.

Now that Eight Treasure Porridge had officially entered the market, they could choose one of these factories to install an Eight Treasure Porridge production line, allowing them to expand production immediately and avoid being held back by insufficient capacity.

Once the business of Eight Treasure Porridge was on track, Deng Shirong began to think about the next product for the food company.

With the 1990s about to begin, Deng Shirong felt it was time to bring out the most important product of the food company.

Under Deng Shirong's guidance, Kangshifu instant noodles had become the flagship product of the food company, bringing in significant profits during the initial stages of the company's development.

However, Deng Shirong was very clear that the limit of instant noodles was there. Even if they became a global leader like Kangshifu in the previous life, the profit margin was still limited compared to the beverage industry.

Beverages were the true products that could bring the food company to its peak.

Beverages are a broad category, and any subcategory could easily outperform instant noodles.

For example, mineral water, which is incredibly profitable and doesn't need much explanation.

Carbonated beverages, such as cola and soda.

Tea beverages, such as various black teas, green teas, iced teas, oolong teas, and herbal teas.

Dairy beverages, such as milk and yogurt.

Fruit and vegetable juices, such as various fruit juices, freshly squeezed juices, vegetable juices, and mixed fruit and vegetable juices.

Coffee beverages, which are various drinks containing coffee.

Even various types of alcohol could be considered a type of beverage.

In short, beverages are the most profitable category in the food company, and this is undeniable.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end