Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Making a Hot Pot Brand
 

In the small private room of the restaurant.

Zhao Yuxin said, “Dad, Liu Yujuan is really too shameless, I really don’t know how she has the nerve to ask you to rent out the store.”

“No matter what she says, I’m not going to rent it out,” Zhao Hai said, shaking his head in bitterness before changing the subject, “Let’s not talk about her. It’s getting late. How come Yuqing hasn’t arrived yet?”

Zhao Yuxin replied, “My cousin said she’s entertaining a client and will be a bit late.”

Zhao Hai got ready to leave the private room, “Alright, let me know when she gets here, and I’ll start cooking.”

Zhao Yuxin said, “Dad, you’ve been working hard.”

Zhao Hai laughed, “Silly girl, it’s not hard at all.”

Zhao Yuxin added, “By the way, Dad, even though you don’t want to rent the store to Liu Yujuan, why not rent it to someone else? You’re working too hard. We’re not short on money now; you could totally retire and enjoy life.”

Xu Yang also chimed in with persuasion, “Yeah, Dad, you’re working too hard. My parents run a small supermarket at home and it’s nowhere near as tiring as running a restaurant. You might as well retire, or if not, at least do something less stressful.”

Zhao Yuxin nodded repeatedly, “Yeah, Dad, please listen to us.”

Zhao Hai laughed again, “You two really, don’t worry, I’m not old yet and I don’t know anything else. Running this restaurant isn’t as tiring as you think. I only cook when it’s busy or when some acquaintances come by. Otherwise, it’s Old Zhang and Old Wu who do the cooking. You don’t need to worry about me. It’s you guys who should worry. If you have kids and need me to help take care of them, I might actually retire early to help you out with the children.”

Zhao Yuxin blushed slightly, “Dad, how did the conversation turn to us all of a sudden?”

At that moment, the door to the private room was opened, and Zhao Yuqing walked in.

“Uncle Hai!” Zhao Yuqing greeted Zhao Hai as soon as she entered.

“You’re here, what would you like to eat? Order now, and I’ll go cook for you,” Zhao Hai said.

The three of them placed their order, and Zhao Hai went to cook.

Zhao Yuqing sat down, took a sip of tea poured by Zhao Yuxin, and then said, “Sorry to keep you waiting, I had a client looking to acquire a hot pot brand who came to me. I had to review the financials of that hot pot brand immediately, which delayed me.”

Zhao Yuxin casually asked, “Sis, which hot pot brand?”

Liu Yujuan said, “A brand called ‘Fisherman’s House’. You should know it, there are twenty stores in Jiangcheng.”

Zhao Yuxin nodded, “I know it. There’s one in the university town where my classmates and I often go. The taste is quite good.”

Xu Yang also nodded; he and his classmates often chose to dine at Fisherman’s House for their gatherings, and indeed, the taste was good.

Xu Yang asked curiously, “The business of this hot pot restaurant must be good, why are they selling it?”

Zhao Yuqing said, “The owner lost money gambling in Las Vegas recently and racked up a lot of debt. Forced to repay, he can only sell the hot pot restaurants to settle his debts.”

Xu Yang shook his head, “Gambling is really harmful. No one who gets involved ends up living a good life.”

At that moment, a notification sounded in his mind.

[Ding! A year later, the Jiang Di Lao Hotpot brand is born. With its ultimate service, it becomes explosively popular nationwide and, within just five years, grows into a hundred-billion group!]

[The secret to the success of Jiang Di Lao Hotpot brand has been sent to host’s email. Please check!]

Xu Yang’s eyes lit up.

“With the secret to success, this means he could create a brand like Haidilao Hot Pot ahead of time.”

For Xu Yang to start from scratch was unrealistic.

Xu Yang wouldn’t and didn’t want to spend that much time and effort.

That left only one path to take, which was to acquire an established hot pot brand, and then transform and operate it according to the secrets of Haidilao Hot Pot’s success.

Immediately, Xu Yang asked, “Yuqing, you helped a client audit Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot restaurant. Did your client acquire Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot?”

Zhao Yuqing shook her head, “No, the owner of Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot was asking for a bit too much, my client didn’t agree.”

Xu Yang asked, “How much were they asking for?”

Zhao Yuqing sensed something was off and questioned, “Xu Yang, why are you asking in such detail? What are you planning to do?”

Xu Yang smiled slightly, “I’ve been thinking about this for some time, but haven’t found the right opportunity. If Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot is suitable, then I would consider acquiring it.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuqing was shocked, and Zhao Yuxin was also taken aback.

Zhao Yuxin quickly said, “Husband, you want to run a hot pot restaurant?”

Running a hot pot restaurant required a large investment of manpower and resources, and continued follow-up afterward.

This was much more complex than creating short videos, acquiring live broadcast agencies.

Xu Yang nodded, “Yes, I’ve been contemplating this issue for a while.”

Zhao Yuqing frowned slightly, “Xu Yang, I know you’ve made money, but you can’t just invest rashly. Although I think Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot’s financial situation is not bad, if you really intend to do hot pot, acquiring Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot is a good choice. But you must be cautious with such an investment.”

Xu Yang laughed, “Don’t worry, I’ve given this thorough thought. Yuqing, you also said that Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot’s financial situation is good. The owner is selling only because he needs to pay off debts, which is a good base. As long as it’s managed well, it can still make money.”

Zhao Yuqing pondered and said, “Xu Yang, that may be true, but there are still risks in the future. If you do decide to acquire, you need to think it over carefully.”

Xu Yang said, “I’m aware of that. Just tell me, how much is Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot asking for, and do you think it’s worth it?”

Zhao Yuqing replied, “The owner of Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot has set the price at thirty million. My client thought that was too high, only willing to offer twenty-five million. But the owner of Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot wouldn’t budge, stating the lowest he could go was twenty-eight million. They didn’t reach an agreement. At twenty-eight million, if you’re really willing to enter the hot pot business, I think it’s still feasible.”

Xu Yang nodded, “Then it’s settled. I’ll go with you tomorrow to meet the owner of Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot and acquire the restaurant.”

At this moment, Zhao Hai came in, pushing a cart with the dishes he had cooked, along with a dry pot.

Gathered together for a rarity, with both his son-in-law and daughter present, he wanted to join them for a meal as well.

Just as he opened the door, he overheard Xu Yang talking about an acquisition, and asked, “Xu Yang, what company are you planning to acquire now?”

Before Xu Yang could reply, Zhao Yuxin said, “Dad, Xu Yang is thinking of acquiring Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hai’s face showed surprise, “Xu Yang, why the sudden desire to acquire Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot?”

Xu Yang replied, “Dad, I just heard from Yuqing that Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot is for sale, and its financial situation is quite good. I think there’s no issue. I’ve been considering this area for a while, and I plan to try doing a different kind of hot pot restaurant. With Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot available, I believe it’s worth acquiring to officially enter the catering field.”

Zhao Yuqing then outlined Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot’s financial situation for him.

Zhao Hai served the meals on the table, and everyone began to eat.