BDSMST -Chapter 30 First Cooperation with Yuelaiju

Jiang Suisui had already heard about the reputation of Yuelaiju on the way to town, from Li Si. It was said to be the only restaurant in town capable of serving authentic Beijing-style cuisine, with an impressive background, high-end clientele, and very expensive meals, frequented by officials and the elite.

The reason she had dared to set such high prices for her vegetables today—and to allow free tasting—was precisely to attract a major client like Yuelaiju.

Ordinary customers, no matter how much they bought, could not keep up with the steadily increasing output of the estate. Only by linking up with a top-tier restaurant and establishing a long-term, stable supply relationship could she ensure sustainable revenue.

“Manager Liu, you are too polite,” Jiang Suisui said calmly, showing no trace of awe at his status. “I wonder, how exactly does your owner plan to ‘purchase everything’?”

Manager Liu, surprised that such a small woman could remain so composed in front of Yuelaiju’s reputation, raised his estimation of her.

“Here’s the situation,” he said respectfully. “Our owner would like to invite you, madam, to our restaurant for a detailed discussion. There are too many people here to speak properly.”

Jiang Suisui glanced at the now-empty cart and nodded. “Very well.”

She asked Li Si to wait outside and, taking Gu Xuan with her, followed Manager Liu toward Yuelaiju.

It was Gu Xuan’s first time entering such an elegant restaurant, and he was both curious and nervous. He stayed close behind Jiang Suisui, clutching her clothing with his small hand, quietly observing everything around him with his dark, bright eyes.

The interior of Yuelaiju was truly extraordinary. Carved beams and painted rafters, redwood tables and chairs, and all the staff in neat, uniform attire—everything conveyed prestige and refinement.

Manager Liu led them to a tasteful private room, where a man in his forties, dressed in a brocade long robe with a sharp, astute expression, was already waiting.

“I presume this must be the madam who grew those exceptional cucumbers,” the man said with a smile as he stood and cupped his hands in greeting. “I am Zhou, the proprietor of Yuelaiju.”

“Manager Zhou,” Jiang Suisui nodded slightly in return, then got straight to the point. “You called me here—is it to buy vegetables?”

“Exactly, though not entirely,” Zhou said, gesturing for them to sit as he personally poured tea. “Madam, let me speak frankly. In my twenty-plus years of doing business, I have never seen vegetables of this quality. The cucumbers’ sweetness, the cabbage’s crispness—these are extraordinary. What I need to know is, can your produce meet our demand? And can you supply it long-term?”

This was his main concern.

Even the finest ingredients are meaningless if they appear only briefly—they might be a novelty, at most. But if supply is stable, they could become a signature, a core strength of the restaurant.

“Production is enough to meet your restaurant’s needs,” Jiang Suisui said, taking a delicate sip of tea, her manner calm and measured. “As for long-term supply, that depends on the sincerity you are willing to offer, Manager Zhou.”

She threw the question back to him.

Manager Zhou smiled. He liked dealing with smart people.

“Excellent! Straight to the point!” He raised three fingers. “Price—we’ll pay 30% above today’s market rate! Cucumbers, seven wen per jin; cabbage, four wen per jin. From now on, all vegetables from your estate, as long as quality remains at today’s level, we at Yuelaiju will take them all! Whatever quantity, we will buy!”

This price was already high, even outrageous. And this was only the purchase price—once turned into dishes for customers, the price would multiply many times over.

Beside her, Gu Xuan’s heart was racing. He quickly did the math in his head: the estate could produce several hundred jin of vegetables per day. That meant a daily profit of several taels of silver, and over a month, over a hundred taels!

He felt as if this enormous number might knock him over.

Yet Jiang Suisui merely shook her head slightly.

“Manager Zhou, this price still doesn’t fully reflect my sincerity.”

Zhou’s smile faltered slightly. “Oh? Madam, what do you mean?”

“You know the quality of my vegetables. You also know better than I do what such produce could sell for as dishes at Yuelaiju. I do not want a fixed purchase price,” she said, placing her tea cup down and meeting his gaze directly.

“Then what do you want, madam?” Zhou’s eyes sharpened.

“I want profit sharing,” Jiang Suisui said, her words clear and deliberate.

“Profit sharing?!” Zhou and Manager Liu were both taken aback.

“That’s right,” Jiang Suisui nodded. “For any dishes made using vegetables from my estate, I want thirty percent of the profits.”

This request was not just bold—it was downright fantastical.

Since ancient times, it had always been the restaurant paying the farmers. Who had ever heard of a farmer demanding a share of the restaurant’s profits?

Zhou Fu’s expression darkened.

“Madam, isn’t your request… a bit excessive?” His tone turned colder. “You are merely providing raw ingredients, while our restaurant bears the costs of labor, rent, and various losses. Asking for thirty percent of the profits right off the bat is… rather audacious.”

“Manager Zhou, business doesn’t work that way,” Jiang Suisui remained unmoved. “Without my one-of-a-kind vegetables, your restaurant’s business would remain the same as before—mediocre. But with my vegetables, you could create a few ‘signature dishes’ that would draw wealthy customers from all over the city. Then the profits wouldn’t be these small amounts anymore—they could be huge.”

She paused, then added, “I can even provide a few exclusive recipes for free, dishes that can only achieve their extraordinary flavor with my vegetables.”

Zhou Fu’s pupils contracted slightly—almost imperceptibly.

Exclusive recipes?

That hit his soft spot even harder. A good chef is rare, but a unique, exclusive recipe? That is truly priceless.

He studied the seemingly delicate woman in front of him, who yet refused to yield an inch in business talks, and began reassessing her.

The private room fell silent.

Gu Xuan’s palms were sweating from nervousness. He thought Jiang Suisui was taking too much of a risk—if the deal fell through, that day’s potential earnings of several taels of silver would vanish.

After what seemed like an eternity, Zhou Fu finally exhaled.

“Thirty percent is too much,” he said, relaxing slightly. “At most, twenty percent. And only for specialty dishes made using your estate’s vegetables. That is my bottom line.”

“Deal.”

Jiang Suisui agreed instantly, as if her insistence on thirty percent was just a bargaining tactic.

Zhou Fu shook his head wryly. He knew he had met a worthy opponent today. But he wasn’t losing out—he had a feeling that this woman and her vegetables would completely transform Yuelaiju.

Both sides quickly signed a contract. Jiang Suisui required Zhou Fu to pay a one-hundred-tael silver deposit upfront.

As she stepped out of Yuelaiju holding the heavy silver note, Gu Xuan was still dazed.

One hundred taels!

Just like that, they had earned a hundred taels of silver!

“Are… are we rich now?” he whispered, tugging at Jiang Suisui’s sleeve.

“This is just the beginning,” she said, carefully tucking the silver note away and ruffling his hair. “Come on, I’ll take you somewhere.”

Instead of heading home, she led Gu Xuan to the town’s largest livestock market.

With Gu Xuan watching in awe, she used part of the silver to buy a strong, healthy cow and two lively little lambs.

“From today, our livestock team has some new members.”

On the way back, the cart carried these new companions. The cow and lambs trotted leisurely behind it.

Gu Xuan looked at them, then at the silver note in his hand. He felt that the days ahead… were going to become increasingly exciting.