As he can feel he the scent of success linger in the air, Third Uncle Xu, ever the strategist between all of his brothers , knew precisely where to find the right opportunity . And with a new plan he confidently stride forward , leading his small sales team towards the state-owned hotel, his arms now laden with the fragrant packets of braised duck and a generous bag filled with fried delights.
“Boss , what in the world are you planing to do?” the older sales employee whispered seeing the package in his hands , with a mix of curiosity and bewilderment on his face.
Third Uncle Xu merely winked at him acting all mysterious . “You’ll see when we get there !” he said , while pushing open the hotel doors with an air of theatricality grand action . He chose a central table with a mass attitude , settling in with a casual flourish. And announced “Waiter, come here and tell us what do you have in menu today !”
The waiters, notoriously famous for being haughty in state-owned establishments, cast a disdainful glance at Uncle Xu’s flamboyant deameanor . “We have pork, fried potato shreds, fried radish, cabbage stewed with vermicelli… what do you want from it ?” one waiter snapped at him , rattling off the menu as if it were a heavy chore.
“Bring us a piece of braised pork, a plate of shredded potatoes, and the braised vermicelli with cabbage,” Third Uncle Xu orderd arrogantly , then added, “, along with three bowls of rice.” With a flourish, he produced his own bag of fried goods. He eyed the waiter, and with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “asked Girl, have you ever encountered these exquisite fried delicacies before ?”
The waiter paused hearing the question , a flicker of confusion crossing her face. “What… what is that?” she stammered.
Third Uncle Xu feigneing disgust at her ignorant behaviour , deliberately raised his voice to ensure all within earshot could hear. “You mean you don’t know about these fried goods?It’s truly astonishing!”
Due to the commotion many heads turned towards them . The quiet hum of the restaurant was replaced by a chorus of whispers. And those with a penchant for gossip leaned even closer. “What is it?” they murmured among them .
“Fried goods, my dear comarades, are a tasteful sensation!” Third Uncle Xu proclaimed, with a theatrical sneer playing on his lips. “These very items are flying off the shelves in department stores in other cities; people are practically fighting over them! And you, in this establishment, are so unaware? Well , these very morsels are destined for the grand Capital City soon. It seems you’re quite behind the times if you haven’t even heard of them!”
The waiter, with her face flushed with indignation, retorted, “Stop your bragging! How can a mere bag of snacks be so extraordinary?”
“Ah, your retort is quite true but as you know one never truly knows until one tastes the goods right , ?” Third Uncle Xu countered her with a sly smile.
Listening to this confident tone of third uncle Xu, A ripple of agreement spread through the dining room. “He’s right!” a voices chimed in from the crowd . “You won’t know the true potential until you taste it yourself !”
“Very well said my dear comrade ,” Third Uncle Xu acknowledge , as if granting a great favor, “I shall bestow upon you a taste of this marvel. But only a small portion, mind you. Each of you may have but half a piece of it .” He then dramatically produced the braised duck products also from his bag.
Curiosity, ever a powerful force, drew the onlookers in. The promise of free, delicious meat was too tempting to resist in this scarce time . Like moths to a flame, they converged, eagerly snatching up the offered portions.
“Ssssh! What is this?” a man gasped, savoring a bite. “It’s unbelievably delicious! And it tastes like… duck meat?”
“Ooh, this has a bit of a kick, but it’s wonderfully tantalizing !” another exclaimed. “The more you eat, the better it gets!”
“Why aren’t these goods sold here?” inquired a third person , utterly captivated by the flavor. “This is incredible!”
“Exactly!” a woman chimed in. “No wonder people are clamoring for these in other cities . They’re utterly addictive!”
Third Uncle Xu’s chest swelled with immense satisfaction hearing the praise from the crowd . As His plan was unfolding beautifully in front of him .
But the older sales employee beside him was practically tearing his hair out. “Jianshe, we need to sell these things! Why are you just giving them away? We should be saving them for ourselves! This is pure waste of resources !”
Third Uncle Xu merely shook his head while ignoring all of his complaints , and with a knowing smile still playing on his lips. He seized the opportune moment, turning to the waiter with his bag of fried goods. “Waiter, would you be so kind as to take this bag of fried goods to the kitchen and fry them up for everyone to try?”
The waiter, still nursing her bruised pride, hesitated. But the crowd, now fully invested in the flavour , roared with encouragement. “Waiter, just fry them! We’ll pay for them if we have to!”
Overwhelmed by the collective demands from the crowd , the waiter grudgingly retreated to the kitchen, seeking for the head chef’s approval. In the end, every last piece of these” fried goods ” was tossed into the hot oil.
What had seemed like an ordinary snack just a moment ago transformed under the heat. A rich, tantalizing aroma start wafting from the kitchen, swirling through the entire restaurant. Which made the noses flared, and stomachs rumbled, and a collective gulp echoed through the room.
Even the frying chef, initially skeptical, found himself unable to resist the temptation . He sampled a few pieces himself as he fried them , and his eyes began to widen with each bite. “Chefs, this stuff is incredible! You have to try it!”
The head chef, a man of discerning taste, cautiously picked up a piece. His face initially contorted in shock,turned into delight in a second as he devoured one peice , then another, before rushing out of the kitchen. “Who made these fried goods?” he boomed, his now voice laced with excitement.
Third Uncle Xu, never being a humble person , merely waved a hand. “It’s done by my niece,” he declared.
The head chef’s face lit up even further. He practically lunged at Third Uncle Xu, seizing his hand with an enthusiastic grip. “Can I meet your niece?” he pleaded, “And could she possibly teach me how to make these incredible fried goods?”
Third Uncle Xu, brimming with pride, maintained his air of mystery. “These fried goods and the braised duck, you see, are the ancestral recipes of our Xu family. They cannot be taught to outsiders.” Then, with a theatrical pause, he added, “However, if your restaurant wishes to sell these marvelous creations, you can acquire them at your department store.”
“They’ll be at the department store for sale ?” the crowd chorused, their eyes wide with anticipation. As If so, they’d certainly stock up it for there home if they ever were avaialble for sale ! As these snacks were perfect as a side dish or a quick bite when you crave something delicious .
Third Uncle Xu puffed out his chest proudly . “We’re finalizing our cooperation with the department store as we speak. If you doubt me, go and ask them yourselves!”
“Boss , Why are you bluffing ?” the older employee whispered urgently.
Third Uncle Xu silenced him with a stern glance. “Furthermore,” he continued, addressing the captivated audience, “when our new products officially launch at the department store, we’ll be holding a special promotion. Those who purchase early will receive a small gift! So, you’d better hurry, or you’ll miss out this great deal !”
A chorus of pledges filled the air. “We’ll be there early, whenever the sale starts we promise!”
With his braised duck and fried goods completely devoured now , Third Uncle Xu, content with his masterful performance, proceeded towards there guesthouse.
The young employee of the entourage , however, was a bundle of nerves. “Brother Jianshe,” he fretted, “aren’t we going to try and secure a cooperation from the deaprtment store ? What if we’ve been out here for days and haven’t closed a single deal?”
Third Uncle Xu, sprawled on the bed with his hands clasped behind his head and a piece of candy dissolving in his mouth, replied with a leisurely tone, “Why the rush? Someone will come to us for cooperation soon.”
The young employee’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Really?”
“You’ll see,” Third Uncle Xu said, his confidence unwavering. As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door.
“Is anyone there? I’m the manager of the department store. I heard from the receipt clerk that you’re here to discuss cooperation?”
The young employee’s jaw dropped hearing the oncomers owrds . He stared at Third Uncle Xu as if seeing a reverend entity , with his face a mask of shock. “Brother Jianshe, you truly are astonishing!”
Third Uncle Xu, with a modest smile, sprang up from the bed. When he flung open the door, his face began radiating a warmth associated to winter sun . “Hello, Comrade We’re from the sales department of the food factory, and you must be the esteemed manager of the department store right . We had quite the trouble getting an audience at your store earlier.”
The department store manager offered an awkward smile. “Ah, that was due to some… unperceptive salespeople. I apologize on their behalf. Now, what business were you hoping to discuss with me before ?” The manager, of course, already knew. He had dismissed the food factory’s initial visit, but then the state-owned restaurant’s frantic call for the fried goods and braised duck had opened his eyes to the remarkable capabilities of this food factory from another county.
Third Uncle Xu, ever the shrewd person he is , chose not to dwell on past slights. He produced his braised duck products from his work bag . “Our factory has recently launched two new products: braised duck and fried goods.” He held up a spicy version of the duck. “This is our braised duck. Perhaps you’d care to try it?” A subtle nuance of “Who dared to embarrass me? Let’s see how you handle this!” lingered in his gesture.
The department store manager’s eyes widened at the sight of the fiery red duck. His appetite surged to the sight , and he eagerly took a piece, placing it in his mouth.