Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Asking the Father-in-law to Come Out of Retirement
 

“Mmm, this is delicious,” Zhao Yuqing couldn’t help but praise as she ate. “Uncle, your cooking is really different. If I don’t get to have a meal you’ve made every once in a while, I feel like something’s missing.”

Zhao Hai laughed and said, “Look at how much you crave it. Just come over whenever you want to eat.”

Zhao Yuxin asked, “Dad, what do you think about Xu Yang wanting to buy the Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot restaurant?”

Zhao Hai pondered and said, “The decisions Xu Yang makes, I do not interfere with. Many times, you young people have a better vision than we of the older generation. Our suggestions may not always be right. I don’t offer any advice to Xu Yang. As long as he wants to do it and has thought it through, that’s enough.”

Zhao Yuxin rolled her eyes, somewhat speechlessly saying, “Dad, aren’t you being too nice to Xu Yang? If it were me, you would probably do everything in your power to stop me.”

Zhao Hai shook his head with a smile, “You and Xu Yang are different. The things Xu Yang does, I can’t always understand. When Xu Yang invests in futures, scavenges in the antique street, these things, perhaps no one thought he could make money before he started. Even now, some people say Xu Yang is just a blind cat that ran into a dead mouse, but I don’t think so. On the contrary, I think Xu Yang has ample capability. And the impression he gives me is of a very reliable person. He surely has thought it out well before acting. In any case, I trust him.”

Zhao Yuxin was resigned and said helplessly, “Fine.”

Xu Yang said, “Dad, if I do buy the Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot restaurant, I’ll still need your help.”

Zhao Hai was taken aback, “What can I help you with?”

Zhao Yuxin and Zhao Yuqing were also looking at Xu Yang.

Xu Yang said, “Dad, although I want to run a hot pot business, I lack management experience. And with such a big company, I’m not at ease leaving it in someone else’s hands, I hope you can help me manage it.”

Zhao Hai was surprised, then said, “Xu Yang, you’ve got the wrong person. I’ve been running this small restaurant for over a decade. I don’t even know what the job market is like anymore. Me managing your Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot restaurant is not a good idea.”

Xu Yang said, “Dad, I trust you. Yu Xin said that you were a powerhouse in the workplace before. Besides, running this restaurant also requires management, you haven’t really left the workplace.”

Zhao Yuxin’s eyes lit up, “Dad, I think this could work for you. You can switch to a different kind of life, something less stressful.”

Running a small restaurant means worrying about everything and having to cook oneself.

Honestly, Zhao Yuxin did feel very sorry for her dad.

But she was powerless to change anything.

If her dad could manage Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot, though he would have many things to worry about, it could at least be less stressful.

Plus, she could see that her dad still had regrets about leaving the professional field back then.

He opened this little restaurant because of her.

Her dad had the chance to return to the professional world, and to take charge of a dining group no less.

Her dad’s spirit would undoubtedly be better, and he could surely enjoy a second spring.

Now, she hoped Xu Yang could succeed in buying the Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot restaurant.

Zhao Hai still shook his head, “I’m already getting on in years. I’ll just stick with this small restaurant. You’d better hire a professional manager to run Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot.”

Xu Yang said, “Dad, you’re still young, not even fifty yet. How can you say you’re old? In today’s age, at your age, you are strong and energetic. Besides, I’ve heard about what happened between you and Yang Tiancheng from Yu Xin. In the past, because of Yang Tiancheng’s scheming, you were forced to leave Meiwei Group and the workplace. Since Yang Tiancheng is planning to establish a chain of hot pot restaurants, if I buy Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot and start a hot pot business, and you manage Yuhuo Renjia Hot Pot, you can defeat him squarely, to avenge the past. How great would that be.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hai fell silent.

Back then, he was framed by Yang Tiancheng and had to leave Meiwei Group. Moreover, no company in the industry was willing to hire him.

He then used the family shop to open this restaurant.

And that went on for over a decade.

The incident from years ago, he thought he had let go, but hearing Xu Yang say this still stirred waves in his heart.

Being able to manage a restaurant group and defeat Yang Tiancheng squarely would undoubtedly be the best outcome.

Yang Tiancheng’s hotpot chain plan was definitely a key investment of the Meiwei Group’s owner. If it failed, Yang Tiancheng’s days would probably not be easy.

In this way, it would be avenging the past.

Zhao Yuxin echoed Xu Yang, “That’s right, Dad, please agree to it.”

Xu Yang continued, “Dad, this restaurant of yours can be turned into one of the franchises for the ‘Yuhuo Homeland’ Hotpot restaurants. The income from this franchise can be calculated separately, and you can take a certain percentage of the revenue. In this way, you not only keep your store from others but also make money from it. It’s killing two birds with one stone, what do you say?”

Zhao Hai was silent for a long time, then said, “The income from the store doesn’t really matter to me, but what you said about squarely defeating Yang Tiancheng, that really tempts me.”

Xu Yang was overjoyed, “Dad, then that’s settled. I’ll go with Yuqing tomorrow to acquire the ‘Yuhuo Homeland’ Hotpot restaurants, and when we do, you’ll manage it.”

Zhao Hai smiled bitterly, “We haven’t even acquired it yet, and here we are discussing it enthusiastically. Isn’t it a bit premature?”

Xu Yang said, “Don’t worry, we will definitely succeed in acquiring it.”

He looked at Zhao Yuqing, “Yuqing, why don’t you give the owner of ‘Yuhuo Homeland’ Hotpot a call right now? Set up a time to meet. Otherwise, someone might beat us to it, or what if your client changes their mind and is willing to spend twenty-eight million to acquire it? That wouldn’t be good.”

Zhao Yuqing said, “My client is not willing to spend that much money, but making a call to the owner of ‘Yuhuo Homeland’ Hotpot to arrange a meeting time is no problem. When would you like to meet?”

Xu Yang said, “Anytime is fine.”

Zhao Yuqing nodded, set down her utensils, grabbed her purse, took out her cell phone, and dialed the owner of ‘Yuhuo Homeland’ Hotpot’s number.

After a few words, she hung up and said, “It’s arranged, tomorrow at ten o’clock, we’ll meet at his office.”

Xu Yang nodded, “Good.”

He looked at Zhao Hai again, “Dad, let’s make it clear, once I acquire ‘Yuhuo Homeland’ Hotpot, you can’t back out, okay?”

Zhao Hai nodded, “Okay.”

At a time like this, he naturally wouldn’t back out.

He even felt a tinge of excitement, a sense of anticipation, to manage ‘Yuhuo Homeland’ Hotpot well and defeat Yang Tiancheng.

…

Zhao Yulu and Liu Yujuan had dinner outside before returning to the Yang residence.

Seeing that Liu Yujuan’s face looked upset, Yang Tiancheng couldn’t help frowning, “What’s the matter? Zhao Hai didn’t agree?”

Liu Yujuan shook her head, “He didn’t agree. I’ve already raised the offer to three hundred and fifty thousand, but he said he would never rent the store to us no matter what.”

Yang Tiancheng glanced at Zhao Yulu and frowned, “Did Yu Lu try to persuade him?”

Before Zhao Yulu could speak, Liu Yujuan said, “She did. She tried to persuade him as a daughter, but he no longer considers Zhao Yulu as his daughter and coldly refused.”

She still had to defend Zhao Yulu; otherwise, if Yang Tiancheng found out that Zhao Yulu hadn’t spoken a word, he would certainly blame her.

Hearing Liu Yujuan say this, Zhao Yulu remained silent.