The next day, Main World.
At Zhiyuan Trading Company, Lin Ze was reviewing the company's accounts for the past month.
Although he had already decided to open a gold mine in Main World and officially launch his gold-and-silver trade between the two worlds, Lin Ze needed a large amount of startup capital first.
Of course, the money would come from the Large Yellow Croaker and matsutake mushrooms he was steadily selling in Main World.
Over the past while, Lin Ze had been busy with all sorts of things, but he had never forgotten to send the Large Yellow Croaker that Dan Xuliang supplied him from the other world back to Main World.
And because the restaurant group he was setting up with Ji Shuqing had yet to officially open, all that Large Yellow Croaker had been sold on the market as premium ingredients, just like the matsutake.
"Boss, thanks to my tireless efforts, we've now sold thirty-seven tons of matsutake and forty-five tons of Large Yellow Croaker."
"Our total revenue comes to 985.2 million."
In the office, Zhao Wenrou reported to Lin Ze with a hint of pride.
She hadn't slacked off for a moment over the past month. She'd worked overtime every day of her own accord and contacted distributors across various channels, which was how she'd managed to sell such large quantities of matsutake and croaker.
The small hall connected two buildings that stood in the same direction.
"Good work. Keep it up."
After finishing the bank transactions, he expected to complete the transfer through the international bank the next day, converting the 624 million Qixia Coins in proceeds into Starlight Coins, the currency of the world's largest economy, Star Country, and depositing it into his shell company's account.
"Don't worry. It'll come."
Lin Ze had come to Tiannan City today to visit the Delicious Forest restaurant with Ji Shuqing and offer his suggestions.
Even if the restaurant became a popular photo spot online, and some repeat customers decided Delicious Forest wasn't fashionable enough for them and stopped coming, it wouldn't matter much.
The two of them had switched places: Lin Ze, the young man dressed in ancient style, used modern etiquette, while Ji Shuqing performed an old-fashioned greeting.
After leaving the company building, Lin Ze saw Ji Shuqing standing by the car, elegant and poised.
Once he had the trade contracts, Lin Ze successfully completed the transfer, sending a total of 624 million in proceeds to the accounts of his four shell companies.
At that moment, Ni Anhe received the list of supplies Lin Ze had sent over. He glanced through it and saw that it was mostly rice, flour, candy, cheap clothes, and common medicines. Each item was inexpensive, but there were quite a few different kinds, and the requested quantities were substantial.
"Mr. Shi, I'll need you to help me purchase some supplies next. I've just sent you the list."
"Sure, it's been a while."
"Then you go ahead and get busy. I'll be off."
Lin Ze went to the bank. First, he transferred fifty million for Delicious Forest's upcoming expansion, then he began arranging a transfer to his shell company.
One word: perfect!
The entrance to the garden complex had been decorated to resemble a conspicuous restaurant, with the three large characters "Delicious Forest" written on the plaque above the middle.
Lin Ze asked with a smile.
Lin Ze said with a smile.
"Shuqing, it's been a while. You look lovely today."
"Mr. Zhao, I'd like you to purchase some supplies for me next. I've just sent you the list."
"Work hard, and I'll give you a bonus at the end of the year."
With its quality control in place, if the other Delicious Forest branches could maintain the same standards as this flagship restaurant, it would be hard for them not to succeed.
Lin Ze was quickly reviewing the accounts. Every item sold had been recorded in detail.
"Next, let's have Zi Yi try some of Ji Family Cuisine's signature dishes."
A high-end restaurant needed two things to attract enough customers.
First, it needed welcoming service and exceptional cooking. Second, it needed a strong reputation and effective publicity.
If this model worked, the Delicious Forest restaurant group could rapidly open branches across the country.
When it came to running a restaurant, everything else was secondary. The food came first.
On the way, Ji Shuqing told Lin Ze how preparations for Delicious Forest had gone over the past while.
Even if each person in the country ate several hundred or more than a thousand yuan's worth of Large Yellow Croaker dishes every day, most people couldn't afford it. But they could still afford a meal while traveling. It could become a place they'd take pictures of, remember fondly, and tell their friends about.
Lin Ze had hired a professional manager to back her up, and he'd done a great job of handling all the miscellaneous details.
"We're not officially open yet. I plan to station twenty or thirty pretty young women here as greeters. When customers arrive, one of them will be assigned to welcome them and show them around."
Even if each tourist ate just a few ounces' worth of croaker dishes, Lin Ze's annual supply of ten thousand tons could be used up by a hundred million tourist visits. Last year, the country saw more than three billion domestic trips.
Over the past month, she'd been busy. With access to premium ingredients, she'd been courted by all sorts of people. They'd sent her gifts, hosted banquets for her, invited her to have fun and to travel, and made her the center of attention.
"Mr. Shi, you'll be busy over the next few days. Start scouting locations in every first-tier and new first-tier city across the country, using this flagship restaurant as the model, and get the branch openings underway."
Lin Ze had sampled each dish and felt his eyes light up.
After the food was served came steamed croaker, croaker noodles, croaker spring rolls, matsutake chicken soup...
Ji Shuqing pointed to the building on the right and explained, "Building One is for regular customers. It has ordinary seats, semi-private booths, and private rooms. We'll serve Ji Family Cuisine's signature dishes there, along with premium ingredients you can supply, such as our specialty croaker dishes."
"This area is mainly for clients' meals and banquets. To protect their privacy, we've also set up a VIP entrance on the quiet side, separate from the main hall we came through. That way, no passersby will be able to take pictures and expose their privacy."
Lin Ze praised them without holding back.
"Starting today, you're our company's CEO. Your salary is doubled."
At this moment, Lin Ze's praise was the greatest recognition of their efforts over the past month.
"Recently, I'm planning to invite some friends over and get ready to open our doors to customers. We'll probably open in about a week. If you're free, Zi Yi, remember to come by and take a look."
Ji Chun nodded solemnly.
Ji Shuqing pointed to the entrance and introduced it.
"Starting this month, you'll get a three-month salary bonus. The whole company will get a one-month salary bonus. These bonuses won't count toward your year-end bonus; you'll get an additional bonus at the end of the year."
By the time Ji Shuqing had finished showing Lin Ze around, it was almost mealtime. Ji Chun, the head chef, said with a smile,
"Looks like I'm in for a treat today."
"Uncle Ji, you'll be responsible for quality control. Make sure to hire good chefs and keep standards high. Whether we make money depends on this."
Lin Ze and Ji Shuqing's families had opened the Delicious Forest restaurant together here. After nearly a month of preparation—from choosing and leasing the site to decorating it and training the staff—it was all ready to open.
"Don't worry. The company making money means I make money too. I'll definitely give it my all."
"From today on, you're our company's CEO. Your salary is doubled."
At the moment, the situation was like holding two kings and four aces—a winning hand that seemed impossible to lose. But someone might still split the bombs and play them one card at a time.
Lin Ze gave Zhao Wenrou another serious instruction.
"Sure thing."
For Lin Ze, buying these supplies was preparation for opening a gold mine in Golden Continent. He wasn't in a hurry to use them yet, but he still needed to get them ready.
Ji Shuqing drove toward Cloud Color Manor, on the outskirts of Tiannan City.
"Your idea?"
Lin Ze followed Ji Shuqing through Buildings One and Two but couldn't find anything wrong with them.
After checking the accounts, Lin Ze assigned Shi Hongxue a task.
This was the high-end residential area recently developed in a traditional garden style.
Lin Ze smiled and waved goodbye.
This was the advanced pleasure of seeing one's worth realized, and it was Lin Ze who had given her this opportunity.
"Thank you, boss."
This month, she'd sell most of the matsutake for the rest of the year, and a large part of the proceeds would have to go toward taxes.
Lin Ze nodded with a smile.
"Sure."
He and Ji Shuqing had agreed to come here with their families to open Delicious Forest, and after almost a month of preparation, the restaurant had completed the whole process, from selecting and leasing the site to decorating and training servers. It was about to open.
"Come on."
The early shipments sold in greater quantities. Sales peaked about twenty days ago, then dropped off recently. It seemed they had reached the current limit of the market.
After discussing business, they left Delicious Forest.
"Starting today, you're our company's CEO. Your salary is doubled."
The restaurant's first building mainly catered to repeat customers. It offered a quiet environment and a full menu, ensuring that no random people would bother the customers dining there.
"Let's go."
Up front, they would hire some celebrities and online influencers to visit Delicious Forest, take pictures, and post videos. They'd generate a trend, drawing tourists visiting Tiannan City to come try the croaker noodles and other dishes.
Shi Hongxue agreed, deciding to take care of it for Lin Ze as soon as he could.
He was a professional manager and had his own way of judging whether a company could make money. The venture he was working on now clearly had great potential.
After checking the accounts, Lin Ze smiled and praised her.
The proceeds from selling the matsutake would probably be used mostly to pay taxes by the end of the year.
"Thanks, boss."
Her efforts of the past month had paid off. With a premium supply of ingredients in hand, she'd been courted by all sorts of people, who'd sent gifts and hosted banquets for her, invited her out for fun and on trips, and made her the center of attention.
But all those rewards combined couldn't compare to Lin Ze's approval now. A simple compliment from him was worth a thousand words.
"Just keep working hard. At the end of the year, you'll get a bonus."
"From today on, you're our company's CEO. Your salary is doubled."
"With the way things are going, we'll need to open up new sales channels and build new connections to keep selling in bulk. That'll be up to you, Shi Hongxue."
Lin Ze had gone over the accounts, and every transaction had a detailed record of what had been sold.
"You've done well. Keep it up."
Over the past month, Zhao Wenrou hadn't slacked off for a moment. She'd worked overtime every day of her own accord and reached out to distributors through all sorts of channels. That was how she'd sold such large quantities of matsutake and croaker.
"The two of us have the same goal. The company's success is my success, too."
"Sounds good."
"Starting this month, you'll get a three-month salary bonus. The entire company will get a one-month salary bonus. Those bonuses won't count toward the year-end bonus; you'll receive an additional bonus at the end of the year."
In the future, their Large Yellow Croaker might not be enough to sell, and Lin Ze might need to increase the amount he purchased in the other world.
"Sure."
Lin Ze told him with a smile.
After the meal, Lin Ze instructed Zhao Wenrou.
He wasn't relying on the two-trillion-yuan gold-and-silver trade between the two worlds just yet. First, he needed to be able to sell all the matsutake and Large Yellow Croaker he brought into Main World every year.
"Sounds good."
"Come on."
"Take care."
With the trade contracts in hand, Lin Ze completed the transfer, sending a total of 624 million in proceeds to the accounts of his four shell companies.
"Don't worry. It'll come."
The money deposited in overseas accounts would become funding for Lin Ze's next steps in Main World.
The Zhiyuan Trading Company had sold 104 tons of matsutake. On paper, they had imported it from five countries in the East Continent Archipelago at a price of three thousand yuan per half-kilo.
Lin Ze came to Tiannan City today to visit the Delicious Forest restaurant with Ji Shuqing and offer his suggestions.
A high-end restaurant needed two things to attract enough customers.
First, it needed welcoming service and exceptional cooking. Second, it needed a strong reputation and effective publicity.
The two of them had switched places: Lin Ze, the young man dressed in ancient style, used modern etiquette, while Ji Shuqing performed an old-fashioned greeting.
At the entrance to the garden complex, the building had been made to look like a conspicuous restaurant, and the plaque above the middle bore the three large characters "Delicious Forest."
Lin Ze laughed and asked.
Lin Ze smiled.
"Shuqing, it's been a while. You look lovely today."
The two entered as they spoke.
"Today I'm treating some friends to a meal, and then I'll get ready to open. We'll probably open in a week or so. Zi Yi, if you're free, remember to come by and take a look."
Ji Shuqing bent into a formal bow and responded with a reserved smile. She had a refined air that made her seem like a young lady from ancient times.
That was three thousand words. Please subscribe, and support us with monthly tickets.
I've simply been in a bad state these last few days. After serializing for so long, I felt completely drained, as though my energy and spirit had been hollowed out. It wasn't that I had no idea what to write. I took a break, and I'm feeling much better now. I'll get back to eight thousand words tomorrow.
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