Chapter 10: Setting Up Shop

Wen Yao was amused by him, poked his little face, and chided, "Do you even understand, or are you just nodding along?"

This made Bighead snort and burrow into Wen Xiuyi's arms.

Only then did Wen Yao continue, "So our main business should be with these laborers and ordinary passersby. What do they want? To spend as little as possible—even just enough to fill their stomachs is good enough.

But since we're setting up a stall, we can't just focus on quantity and ignore taste. That’s not my style.

So, our goal is to offer food that's cheap, filling, and delicious."

"Go on," Wen Xiuyi shifted a bit to hold Bighead more securely.

Wen Yao continued, "I asked around at the grain shop. Rice now comes in several grades. The best refined rice sells for over twenty coins a pound, and there’s even more expensive white rice, which ordinary people can't afford. Then there’s regular white rice, which is fifteen or sixteen coins a pound, usually used by restaurants. Finally, there’s brown rice, eight coins a pound, which is what most people eat now.

So I was thinking, given our simple setup, we should make the simplest fried rice. Put a stove on the cart, steam the rice at home in advance and keep it in a bucket, prepare the ingredients, and fry it fresh for each customer. It’s quick and easy, and it’s filling.

One pound of rice, once steamed, is more than enough to make three adult-sized servings of fried rice, especially with some vegetables added. As for pricing, plain fried rice can be ten coins, egg fried rice twelve coins, and if they want minced meat, fifteen coins a portion."

Wen Xiuyi nodded. This sounded like a good plan. This way, he and Wen Jun could manage the work, while Yao Yao could stay at home, take care of her younger brother, and handle supplies.

But the price...

"Can we make a profit at these prices?" Wen Xiuyi asked.

Wen Yao had already done the math; she wouldn't have set these prices otherwise. After wandering the market in the morning, she had a good sense of the general cost of things.

"We’ll definitely make a profit, just not a huge one. The real concern is whether anyone will come at these prices. After all, a whole day’s work might only earn us fifty or sixty coins, and I don’t know how many people are willing to spend ten coins on a meal."

Hearing this, Wen Xiuyi awkwardly rubbed his nose and said, "Well, your father only earns fifty coins a day, but other laborers make at least a hundred. People are willing to spend for a decent meal."

He couldn’t help it. Though he was strong, he was new to this world, unfamiliar with everything, and even less experienced with hard labor. Mistakes were inevitable, so he worked more slowly. He was lucky his employers didn’t mind.

Huh? Wen Yao looked at Wen Xiuyi in surprise. She had thought a day’s hard labor only brought in fifty or sixty coins. If that were true, labor here would be worth nothing. So it was just Old Wen’s own problem all along.

Determined not to be looked down upon by his children, Wen Xiuyi immediately made the decision—they would do this.

Their first family meeting ended on a perfect note.

Just then, a voice suddenly piped up beside them: "Finished discussing? So when are you setting up your stall?"

All three, even the little one, were startled. Looking up, they saw a young man crouching by a nearby tree, eyeing the family of four with curiosity.

Seeing them all staring, the young man scratched his head awkwardly and stood up, pointing to a stall nearby. "That’s my stall. I saw you squatting here whispering, and since I had no customers, I overheard some things. Sorry to have startled you.

But what’s this fried rice you mentioned? Is it tasty? Fried rice? I’ve never heard of frying rice. Isn’t it usually just stir-frying vegetables?"

Wen Yao’s eyes lit up. No one had made fried rice here? This was truly a blessing. She also noticed that the man’s stall sold wooden goods, with several wooden basins and buckets on the ground. Their family needed those anyway, so she might as well take this chance to ask about the rules for setting up a stall at the wharf.

"Hello, big brother. As for fried rice, once we’re open, you can come and try some," Wen Yao replied with a bright smile.

The young man blushed at being called big brother and scratched his head shyly. "My name’s Liuzi. Just call me Liuzi. So when will you set up your stall?"

The family exchanged looks.

"Liuzi, are there any rules for setting up a stall at the wharf? This is our first time here," Wen Yao took the opportunity to ask.

Liuzi took a few small stools from his stall and invited them to sit before replying, "There aren’t really any rules. As long as you don’t block the way, you can set up wherever you like. But the authorities come once a month to collect a management fee—one hundred coins."

One hundred coins a month—so that was the stall fee.

"If we’re setting up a stall, do we need to register with the authorities?" Wen Yao asked.

"If it’s your first time, you need to register. But if you’re taking over an existing stall, just let the officials know at the end of the month when they come to collect the fee," Liuzi explained.

The three exchanged glances. It seemed they’d have to make a trip to the authorities.

But Liuzi's next words delighted them.

"My third uncle has a stall, right next to mine. But last month he hurt his leg while working, and the younger kids at home are too small to help, so he decided to give up the stall. He wants to transfer it," Liuzi said, pointing to a vacant stall beside his.

They glanced over. The stall wasn’t big, but it had a ready-made awning and, best of all, a stove already in place.

Wen Yao had noticed the spot earlier and assumed the stall owner was simply absent today—she hadn’t realized it was up for grabs.

Liuzi continued, "But the spot is a bit far from the wharf. Most food stalls are on the other side, where the laborers usually go, so business here isn’t as good as over there. My third uncle used to run a teahouse here. There are plenty of travelers and passersby, so business was decent."

Liuzi mentioned this after hearing that Wen Yao’s family planned to cater to laborers.

At this, the three thought Liuzi was quite a decent fellow. Besides, what did a less central location matter? Hadn’t they heard the saying?

Good food is worth the walk!

"Liuzi, how does your third uncle want to transfer the stall? How much does he want for it?" Wen Xiuyi asked.

Liuzi knew the answer. "My third uncle said two hundred coins—that includes the awning, stove, two tables, and eight chairs. If that feels too high, one hundred and eighty coins is fine, but no less than that."

The three found this quite reasonable. The spot was nice—not too messy or noisy. Though it was a bit away from the wharf, as long as they built a good reputation, they wouldn’t have to worry about customers.