Christmas and New Year are linked to each other, and business at Fangdi hot pot restaurant is gradually improving, partly because the festive season is approaching, most Hong Kong people are on holiday, and partly because the small advertising stickers posted in newspapers such as Ming Pao, Ta Kung Pao, Wen Wei Po and other newspapers and sent on the street have played a role.

From 11 o'clock in the afternoon, there began to be an endless stream of customers seated in the store, a huge hot pot was served on the table, the conveyor belt was buzzing, many customers still saw the way of doing business for the first time, they all thought it was very interesting, whether they could eat it or not, they grabbed a few plates and put them in front of them, and cooked them with boiling water.

All the guests who came were received by Lu Li, Gu Zhong and Li Xueqing, Lu Li naturally did not need to mention it, but Gu Zhong was a native of Hong Kong, and his fluency in speech was his advantage; As for Li Xueqing, he was the only one among the few remaining people with a kind face, and Xu Yunjian was dark-faced; Li Tiehan has a fierce face; A cat is an obvious gangster's virtue, such a guy greets the door, and it is strange not to scare the guests away!

"Welcome, you...... It's Mr. Zhu, right? Lu Li's acquaintance greeted the man who came in the door, "You've come, you've been here, hehe, Xu Yunjian, pour incense tablets for Mr. Zhu!" It is Mr. and Mrs. Zhu who like to drink. Come, please take a seat, still in the old position, can you? ”

Mr. Zhu is a family living in Kowloon City, and once ate here, I don't think he can actually remember himself, and remember that he likes to drink fragrant tablets? "Lu Sheng, it's really not easy, I've only been here once, and you remember? Looks like I'm going to be more patronized in the future. ”

"You are willing to come to my place, in addition to raising my hands to welcome, I will serve you as well as possible, so that you and Mrs. Zhu are satisfied. Come, you sit. Lu Li had a smile on his face, and he wiped the table for their father and mother with his hands and feet, "You also know the way I eat here, you can do whatever you like, and you don't need me to say anything." The only thing I need to do is to make sure you enjoy it. Oh, it's tea, you try it? ”

Mrs. Zhu looked up at him with amusement and said, "I didn't know that Lu Sheng was from the north, and you were from Hong Kong." ”

"Whether it is a mainlander or a Hong Kong person, fundamentally speaking, they are all Chinese, don't you say?"

"You, a young child, it's really unreasonable not to get rich." Mr. Zhu said with a smile: "Okay, we two mothers-in-law don't need you to greet us, let's take care of others." ”

"Call me if you have something. The store is not big, and I can see it if you beckon. Luli smiled and agreed, turning to the door. It was already past eleven thirty o'clock, and the guests were coming, and every time someone came, one of the three had to welcome them to the place, arrange some refreshments, and then walk away. The result of this is that every guest feels very happy and comfortable, but the problem is that the person who greets them is not enough at all, and the three of them are like a marquee, and they don't even have time to stop and drink water!

Lu Li took a breath, watching more customers led by Li Xueqing into the door of the store, arranged to sit down in the position, he suddenly thought of a very serious problem: although the business is better now, but after all, it is only busy on the first floor, if there are more people later, the second and third floors are busy at the same time, the problem of scarcity in the store will be highlighted, we have to hurry up and find a way to solve this problem!

But before he could sit down with his companions to discuss a solution, another, more serious problem arose. That is, there is not much beef and mutton left from the mainland.

Green vegetables, seafood and other products are not remarkable, these things are bought locally in Hong Kong, as long as there is money, dial a phone call, a lot of things can be called, but beef and mutton is different, 18 said that the consumption of these things transported is very large, Lu Li at the beginning of the business is good, beef and mutton sales are also the proper meaning of the question, but gradually he found that the situation is a little unexpected.

The quality of meat products from mainland China is much better than that of Hong Kong! When the tray on the conveyor belt arrived, a burst of air rushed straight to the nose tube, which was not at the same level as the meat that could be seen on the market. Just for the stimulation of this special taste of beef and mutton, there are as many as fifteen or sixteen plates of mutton that are digested on each table!

When Lu Li heard Li Tiehan tell him that there were only three mutton and five mutton left in the freezer, he was very surprised, "There is so little left?" Why didn't you tell me earlier? ”

"I didn't pay attention at first, I didn't expect this thing to go down so quickly, huh?"

Lu Li was secretly annoyed, they don't have their own refrigerated cars, if they want to use them, they have to rent them, but the number of such cars in Hong Kong is limited, and they are all in a seller's market. "That, Ah Zhong? When will the matter that your second uncle promised me be resolved? ”

Gu Zhong has also been very busy this week, and he was stunned when he heard this, "I'm sorry, Brother Li, I haven't had time to ask recently." But I don't think it's been solved yet, otherwise, my uncle would have called me. ”

Luli stomped his foot in hatred! There were still customers dining in the store, and seeing that he looked bad, he thought something bad had happened, so he stopped eating one by one, and looked over with surprised eyes. Lu Li hurriedly put on a smile on his face again, pretending to be casual and walked aside, secretly thinking in his heart: many of the guests are familiar faces, most of them are repeat customers, these people are used to eating meat from the mainland, and then eat local products in Hong Kong, don't wait for the entrance, just smell the taste to know the difference, don't want to deceive people at all! But now that the materials are not complete, can we still close down? It's really unwilling to think about it.

"Xiaoxiao, if you can't do it, let's find a car quickly, you can't just sit like this?"

"Yes, yes," Lu Li turned around and said, "Ah Zhong, you call the car rental company, let's add money and rush forward as soon as possible." ”

"Brother Li, it's the New Year, and many places use cars, even if you want to add money, you can't."

"Why? Then just watch and do nothing? ”

"Don't worry, it's actually not as bad as you think, now the weather is cold after all, things just don't need to be transported by refrigerated trucks, and they won't be bad in a day or two. Let's use a regular container truck. Gu Zhong explained: "In addition, I think we might as well buy a little beef and mutton from Hong Kong and sell it with ours, can it alleviate the temporary need?" ”

Luli was moved, but then forced himself to give up the idea, "No! I'd rather close the door without something. This kind of thing can't be done, and if others know about it, this sign that was finally erected will fall. Ah Zhong, I know you're thinking about business, but I have to warn you, don't do it, understand? ”

"I know it's not going to be good, but ...... Do you really have to wait? ”

Lu Li didn't answer anymore, turned his head to the back of the kitchen in a huff, opened the freezer and saw that it was empty, "**, you ......, forget it!" I'll go back tomorrow. The affairs of the store will be handed over to Liang Wei for the time being. Xu Yunjian, you go with me. ”

"Okay."

"Then, Brother Li, if you go this time, if there is really nothing here, what will we do?"

"There's really nothing left, so I'll close the door for the time being. There's no way, just put up a notice. ”

Ah Zhong and Ah Mao looked at each other speechlessly, and felt really sorry in their hearts, in the past week, the business has been so hot that it is scary, and it is really a day to make money, but it is only for a moment of negligence, why do you have to close the door? Although it won't be too long, it's a regrettable thing after all!

They have been following Lu Li for a few days, and they know very well what this person's surname is, and they can't think about it at the moment, it seems that the nest worker can't hide, "Ah Zhong, you wait a while to hire a car first, and Xu Yunjian and I will set off early tomorrow morning." ”

"Yes."

"One more thing, we have to think about bringing in some new employees. Fourth, you help me think about it, is it more appropriate to start from ** people? ”

"I think it's very simple, just look for it in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, where there are people smuggled from the mainland, and these people either can't find work, beg all day long, or work under the hands of Hong Kong people - you also told us last time, and the news from Zhang Dadong said that these people have no security at all. It's all miserable, the boss said that if you don't pay the salary, you won't pay the salary, and if you say that you will deduct it, it's not counting, when you meet the black-hearted grandson, not only don't give money, but also call the police, and finally work for a month, and you will be arrested by the immigration bureau, and even repatriated to the mainland. I think if you want to get some people over and let them work here, you will be very obedient. ”

Lu Li thought for a while, and then asked Gu Zhong, "Ah Zhong, what do you think about this?" ”

"I think, of course, mainlanders are very cheap, and here in Hong Kong, there are indeed black-hearted bastards like the fourth brother said. But that's a side story, after all. What's more, can mainlanders get used to and do business in our store? This kind of thing is not to go into the factory to make shirts and shoes, as long as you train for a few days, you can do it with your hands and feet. This is the catering industry, and the people who want it must not only be able to speak well, but also have a certain skill in receiving people and things. After all, we are dealing with people, and mainlanders - I don't mean mainlanders are bad, just just talking about things - many mainlanders who smuggle in are ordinary people who have no education, and these people smuggled here just to hear that they can get a full meal here, so they ran over with dark eyes. In the end, he couldn't find a suitable job, let alone a skill, so he had to beg on the street and become the lowest level of society. ”

"Okay, you don't have to comment, now I ask you what your opinion is on inviting mainlanders to work in the store?"

"Brother Ligo, you're going to let me say, I don't agree. It's better to hire a Hong Kong local. ”

"You Hong Kong people are good people, right? If others don't say it, just say you're Zhong, right? Last time I went to Jardine's with Xiaoxiao, didn't I almost fight with you? You forgot? ”

When Xu Yunjian mentioned the old things, Gu Zhong was dumbfounded, but he knew very well that the relationship between Xu Yunjian and Lu Li was really not something he could afford to provoke, "Xu Yunjian, what are you talking about?" Lu Li glanced at him and asked, "Ah Zhong, don't pay attention to him, and continue." ”

Gu Zhong continued: "Here in Hong Kong, the school is divided into three classes, the third class is called vocational high school, graduates from here, aged about 18 or 9 years old, most of them will enter various factories, office buildings, do OL, be a younger brother, they are considered to have received a more systematic education, if they can recruit our store, a little training can be a formal job." ”

"I understand what you said, but have you thought about it, restaurants are mainly for serving people, I don't know what your Hong Kong people's employment philosophy is, will it cause others to be uninterested in this kind of work because of this kind of work?"

"This won't. As far as my friends are concerned, no one has thought this way yet. ”

"Then, according to what you said, the staff of the store are mainly Hong Kong people. I will return to the mainland with Xu Yunjian tomorrow, and it may take a few days to get back. You, together with Ah Mao and Lao Si, are responsible for the preliminary selection of personnel. I'll wait until I get back. ”

"No problem. So, how many people are tentatively determined? ”

"Let's choose thirty people first, and when we come back, we may have to cut some more."

Gu Zhong nodded, and Xu Yunjian suddenly interjected: "Xiaoxiao, this trip back to the mainland, why don't you let your sister-in-law go back?" It's past the Gregorian year. ”

Luli was reminded by him, wasn't he? At the beginning, I said that I would let Liang Wei go back before New Year's Day at the latest, she is still a student after all, and she came out on temporary leave, and she also said to her family that she would go home before the solar calendar year at the latest, but it has recently opened, and many things, especially some things on the accounts, must be taken care of by a delicate and serious person like her, and unconsciously, she dragged the time down, "Yes, take her with me this time, and then buy her a ticket and let her go home." ”

"What about you?"

"Me? What's wrong with me? ”

"You don't want to go back with her and see Auntie?"

"Do you think I don't want to? My aunt and I originally scheduled to go back for the Spring Festival, and the Spring Festival will have to be a few days away, and now it seems that even so, I can't leave! There are so many things! ”

"Hey, Xiaoxiao, look at how good this is, what about me, I went to Brother Rong with you last time, and I heard him talk about it once, and now there is a plane from Beijing (Beijing) to Yangcheng, but it is not for ordinary people to sit. You, write a letter to Brother Hua, ask him about the plane ticket, if you can do it, let your sister-in-law accompany your aunt, if you can't bring the eldest sister and the second sister together, let's spend the Spring Festival in Hong Kong, how about it? ”

Luli thought about it for a while, and asked a little unsurely, "Do you think this will work?" ”

"I'm just thinking about it right now, but what if it works?"

Lu Li nodded, and suddenly said: "I think so, when this import is done, I will go home and talk to my aunt about this matter, if she agrees, I will go to Brother Hua and ask him to help find a way." ”

"You're going back? So what about this side of the matter? ”

"I won't go back for a long time, this trip home, in addition to asking about the thing you just said, there is another thing, that is, the dividend that I promised our brothers - this kind of thing, although we have each other's affection, but it must not be delayed for the New Year. It's better to deal with it before the year, and it's the right thing to do. ”

"It's okay, little one, you're thinking too much. Let's ......"

Luli waved his hand and stopped him, "That's it, let's leave early tomorrow morning." Ah Zhong, I've been working hard for you a lot these past few days. (To be continued.) )