Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

Xu Damao finally persuaded He Yuzhu to open a restaurant serving Beijing and Sichuan cuisine, with Xu Damao investing 5,000 yuan, He Yuzhu investing 2,000 yuan, and the cooking skills investment worth 3,000 yuan. The profit was split 40% and 60% respectively. Yu Li was the main person in charge, and Gu Meifang participated in managing the accounts.

Xu Damao was in a good mood after achieving the purpose of this trip. He went to his room in the backyard to check before locking the door and coming out. He actually saw a young man standing at the door of the deaf old lady in the backyard smoking.

After a closer look, I found out that it was Jia Geng, the grandson of the Jia family in the Central Courtyard.

"Hey, Bang Geng, long time no see."

Jia Geng had a gloomy face. He just looked at Xu Damao without saying anything and continued smoking his cigarette.

Xu Damao didn't mind and went straight to He Yuzhu's house.

"Yu Li, what's going on with Bang Geng? He should have been back for several years, right?"

"What else could it be? He was caught smuggling goods with the brothers from the Yan family in the front yard last month. Not only were their goods confiscated, but they were also fined. Now that the old man doesn't give him the capital, he has to stay at home. What else can he do? But Jia Zhang is really amazing. She can still hold the iron rice bowl of the old man at her old age, and she can give money to her grandson and spend money herself. I really can't believe it."

"It means that the uncle was taken advantage of in this matter."

"That's not the case. Hey, it was the last batch of replacements last year. The old man reached retirement age, so Bang Geng was asked to come to the factory to replace him. Bang Geng disliked the hard work of a fitter and didn't want to go. After he came back, he met a vendor on the street and made money quickly and easily. Now it's good. The cost has been confiscated, the replacement is over, and the old man has retired. The pension is more than 70 yuan, which is not a big problem for food and drink. And there are four rooms in the house. Anyway, it has nothing to do with us, he is living a good life."

"I see. No wonder he ignored me when I greeted him just now. All right, Brother Zhuzi, Yu Li, I'm going back. When you decide to start your own business, let me know. If you're willing to let me get involved, you can expand the restaurant. If you want to start your own business, I have no objection. Please take care of my house in the backyard and make sure no one breaks the lock. There's nothing valuable in the house anyway."

Hey, it’s valuable, but I just can’t talk about it and I can’t let others live in it.

Xu Damao rode his bike directly back to Dongsi and talked to Gu Meifang about opening a restaurant with Yu Li. Although there was no confirmation about this, Xu Damao thought Yu Li would agree.

Anyway, Gu Meifang doesn't need to directly participate in the management, just go over and check the accounts occasionally, and she doesn't need to wait for Yu Li to pay her salary, and An Sicheng can make a profit when the time comes. Now Gu Meifang really has no way out, and she needs to be reassured.

The whole family lived on Xu Damao's 100 yuan, which was ok on the surface, but if they wanted to live better, they still had to have other sources of income. Otherwise, they would be criticized by others.

As expected, Yu Li was really resolute and quick to act. She quickly bought out her years of service at the company and left. He Yuzhu stayed at the Red Star Factory. The couple could not burn their boats and leave no room for retreat. There were three children at home who needed to be fed.

Yu Li accepted Xu Damao's proposal, took 5,000 yuan of funding, and started working right away. She found a storefront in Dongzhimen, decorated it, and hired people. In less than two months, a restaurant called Sichuan Private Kitchen opened for business.

The daytime chef is He Yuzhu’s senior brother, and the dinner chef is He Yuzhu himself and his apprentice Ma Hua.

On that day, Xu Damao invited Wang Weiyi from the Meat Processing Plant, Fan Changlong from the Commerce Bureau, and Zheng Yongjun from the Intermodal Transport Office to come to Sichuan Private Kitchen to show their support.

Within a few days, the Sichuan Private Kitchen became popular because of its delicious taste, good service and reasonable price, and its business was booming.

It’s true. One month’s profit is equivalent to Yu Li’s salary for several years. How can one not feel motivated?

This group of people were the first to take advantage of the reform and opening up.

Kyoto is under construction at full speed, and the speed of expansion is so fast. If you leave for a month and come back, you may not be able to find your home. It's not just talk, bridges are being built everywhere, roads are being repaired, and houses are being demolished. Of course, this is mainly in the periphery.

Xu Damao went to Zhenggezhuang in Changping County, which was even farther away, and bought a large piece of land, and asked local villagers to help build a courtyard house with three entrances.

Based on his own memory, he bought several mud houses in Huilongguan, Changping at a very low price, and also bought several mud houses in Chaoyangwali Township.

That's about it. I don't have to worry about it anymore. I'll be a demolisher. But Xu Damao didn't use up all his luck. It's enough to have these as a foundation. He has a lot of valuable things in his hands.

I have done a lot of things this year and kept myself busy.

Time has quickly come to the new January of the new year. The second day of next month is New Year's Eve.

Xu Damao was busy preparing supplies for the New Year. Thinking that Lou Xiaoe and the children might come back someday, he went to Yandaixie Street himself and spent three days cleaning the place, shaking out the bedding, ventilating the room, and taking care of all the calligraphy and paintings in the basement.

Xu Damao had guessed it right. On January 22, the day after the Great Cold, which happened to be Sunday, Xu Damao's home in Dongsishitiao really welcomed four uninvited guests, two men and two women, including a middle-aged woman dressed as a noble lady and three young people.

"Huohuo, my son, it's been five or six years since you came back."

"Dad, look at the door, who else is there?"

Xu Damao saw three people walking out of the courtyard gate.

'"Mozi, you are finally back. Ningning, is this my daughter Panpan? She is so tall now. Girls really change a lot when they grow up. Panpan is nineteen this year. She has become a big girl. Come in quickly. It's cold outside."

Gu Meifang was waiting at the main door with her five children. It was Xu Zhidi who came back to report that the eldest brother and his family had returned.

Gu Meifang has heard of Lou Xiao'e's name many times over the years. Today, she is finally going to meet her face to face. She is still quite nervous. She is waiting with her five children for her husband's ex-wife and her family to arrive.

At first glance, Lou Xiao'e was really surprised that Xu Damao's face had not changed much over the years. Although she had heard about it from her son Xu Jun and had practiced the Qi Refining Technique given by Xu Damao, no one had succeeded. Now seeing the man she had not seen for nearly 20 years, she still burst into emotions instantly. Although she had known for a long time that Xu Damao was married and had children in China. You know, if Xu Damao had not made a judgment in advance and made reasonable arrangements with his father in advance, the consequences would have been disastrous.

"Da Mao, I didn't let you down. My sons and daughters have all been admitted to university, and Huo Huo has officially applied to go to school in Kyoto."

"Ah? What do you mean? Huo Huo came to Kyoto to study?"

"Well, Dad, I've applied to study for a doctorate at Tsinghua University. I'll probably be in Kyoto after the new year. I'm not young anymore, and it's time for me to start a family and a career."

"Okay, okay, it's good to come back and make some contribution to the country. Come in, let's talk slowly. We have plenty of time."

Xu Damao took Lou Xiao'e's hand and Xu Nian's hand and walked straight through the moon gate into the yard and went into the house. Everyone else entered one after another.

The Xu family has turned a new page...