Su Xiaotian maintained a constant smile, much to Su Ciliang's surprise.
Did greeting guests require such effort?
"Xiaotian, what are you smiling about?"
Su Xiaotian found it exasperating that her second brother would ask such a foolish question.
"Second Brother, you truly are someone who only reads the classics and pays no mind to worldly affairs!" Su Xiaotian said, shaking her head with feigned seriousness.
"What do you mean by that? It sounds like you're saying I'm physically lazy and ignorant of basic things," Su Ciliang said, gently patting Su Xiaotian's head with a smile.
"What is the requirement for a server at Yiming Pavilion?" Su Xiaotian glared at Su Ciliang. "Isn't it to treat guests warmly? Although Yiming Pavilion is for dine-in and this place is for takeaway, they're essentially the same."
"And we have to keep smiling at customers?" asked Qi Liangying.
Qi Liangying had previously seen people at state-run restaurants and supply and marketing cooperatives who were cold and distant. It was already good if they didn't give customers a frosty reception, let alone smile.
Why did they have to force smiles when doing their own business?
Su Xiaotian patiently explained, "State-run restaurants aren't their own businesses. Even if they're cold, their salaries aren't affected whether customers buy or not. They still get paid the same. But our situation is different. It's our own business. If we have fewer customers, it's a loss!"
After Su Xiaotian explained this, Qi Liangying, Su Lao Er, and Li Zhuzi all nodded repeatedly.
What she said made sense. The servers at state-run restaurants received salaries, while they were working to earn money for themselves.
"I understand, we need to smile at customers!" Li Zhuzi quickly jotted it down.
He would have to tell his wife all this information when they got back. His wife was worried about not knowing how to run a shop, so he needed to learn well these past two days.
"Fourth Uncle, watch how my second father and second mother do things tonight, and then you can teach Fourth Aunt when we get back," Su Xiaotian said.
"Is this easy to learn? I don't think I'm very smart!" Li Zhuzi asked hesitantly.
"It's actually quite simple, you'll learn it as soon as you try," Su Xiaotian said encouragingly to Li Zhuzi.
Li Zhuzi said, "Alright, if I really can't learn it, I'll have your Fourth Aunt come to the provincial capital to learn!"
They had already sold tens of yuan in just one morning. Even after deducting costs, it wasn't bad, much better than his daily work of collecting eggs and mountain goods.
As they were talking, a middle-aged woman entered. Qi Liangying immediately stepped forward to greet the customer.
It had to be said that Qi Liangying had a strong ability to learn when it came to making money.
She had learned Su Xiaotian's way of greeting customers quite well, and even added some of her own gestures and expressions.
This made her seem even more sincere.
Even Su Xiaotian, seeing this, couldn't help but want to give her second mother a thumbs-up.
A talent, truly a talent!
With her second mother around, this shop was sure to be stable.
She hadn't realized it before, but her second mother was someone who could extrapolate and apply knowledge.
Su Xiaotian felt that this point was much stronger than her own mother's.
Her mother was fine helping in the kitchen, but she definitely wouldn't be able to handle greeting customers.
Indeed, the differences between people were quite significant.
Then, several more customers came in, all for the braised meat.
Qi Liangying handled each one, smiling warmly. Not only did she not displease anyone, but she also encouraged them to come back early the next day.
Two of them accepted the eggs and braised dishes that Qi Liangying recommended and left happily.
Qi Liangying watched the vegetables and eggs in the basins gradually decrease, and the smile on her face grew even brighter.
"Second Mother, are you happy?" Su Xiaotian smiled happily.
"Xiaotian, I feel like even the air is sweet now!"
Su Xiaotian was amused. Her second mother could actually say something so poetic!
The air is sweet!
When you're making money, isn't it true that even the air tastes sweet?
"Second Mother, the sweetness is still to come."
Li Zhuzi also said enthusiastically, "Our family's shop will do the same thing in the future."
Thinking about the money earned that day, Qi Liangying was very happy and became even more energetic as she worked.
Li Zhuzi followed behind, learning and taking diligent notes. Later, Su Xiaotian and Su Ciliang found they had very little to do.
The business on the first day wasn't too good, but it wasn't bad either.
All the braised eggs and braised dishes prepared by the shop were sold out before four in the afternoon.
Qi Liangying happily washed the basins, her smile irrepressible.
"Second Mother, why are you so happy?"
"How could I not be happy? I used to earn only thirty to forty yuan a month at the food factory, and even with bonuses and benefits, it was less than sixty yuan. Today's turnover alone is higher than that!"
Qi Liangying felt that she hadn't been clear-headed before. If she had been willing to give up that little salary earlier, she might have earned a lot more money.
Su Xiaotian chuckled, "Second Mother, don't we still need to deduct the costs?"
"Even after deducting costs, it's still a large amount of income, much more worthwhile than working in a factory!"
As mother and daughter were talking, Su Lao Er and Li Zhuzi returned from the market.
When they walked in carrying half a pig, they startled everyone in the room.
"Why so much?" Qi Liangying's mouth was agape in surprise.
"I figured that since we braised thirty jin last night and it wasn't enough today, I might as well buy a bit more."
Su Lao Er, being bold, managed to get half a pig without batting an eye.
"Your father, the front and hind legs are probably unwanted meat!" Qi Liangying said reproachfully.
"They wouldn't sell the pork belly alone, so they bundled it with the front and hind legs, and the price was even five fen cheaper."
A jin of meat was originally eight mao, but with a five fen discount, it became seven mao five, which was considered a bargain.
Qi Liangying looked at the half pig with a look of distress, "The meat on these legs is so lean and tough, probably no one will want it."
Seeing Qi Liangying already looking like she had lost money, Su Xiaotian quickly said, "Some people like fatty meat, and some people like lean meat. Second Mother, let's try it first."
Although it wasn't decades later when many people preferred very fatty meat, the pigs raised now were fed with traditional methods. Even the meat on the pig's legs wasn't pure lean meat; it still had fat.
As long as the flavor was good, she figured some people would be willing to buy it. If not, the leg meat could be sold at a five fen discount.
Qi Liangying couldn't imagine who wouldn't like fatty meat and would prefer lean meat.
However, when she saw Su Xiaotian, who did prefer lean meat, she finally nodded.
"I'll listen to you, Xiaotian!"
Su Lao Er was quite speechless when he heard his wife say this.
Why was it that when he bought pork leg meat and his wife criticized him, Su Xiaotian just said a word and his wife's attitude changed so drastically?
Was his niece truly his own, while his husband was fake?
Su Ciliang couldn't help but laugh at his father's crestfallen expression.
"Xiaotian, let's wash the meat and start braising it," Qi Liangying said, already picking up the cleaver to start butchering the meat.