For Stark, a deal worth a few million dollars was just a trivial matter.
But for Shi Xiaolei and his family, buying a new house was a very important event.
Since it was such an important matter, Stark specifically took time out of his schedule to help, and he played a crucial role in facilitating and guiding the process. It was only right, both emotionally and logically, that they should treat him to a good meal.
And so, to thank Stark, Shi Xiaolei specifically called the neighborhood uncle he had befriended earlier, asking him to prepare a splendid feast. That uncle had originally stayed in China and was a top chef who had once participated in the preparations for state banquets. Because he was getting old and his only son worked for a big company on Wall Street, he couldn't bear to let his son quit such a well-paying job. Thus, the uncle took the initiative to come to the United States and settled in Chinatown, which was very close to Wall Street.
He had saved a lot of money over the years, and his son didn't need any financial support from him. After arriving in Chinatown, the uncle never thought about finding a job. Just like the old men in the village who had nothing to do after eating, the uncle's daily life was full of leisure. He would walk his bird, tease his dog, play chess, and play cards. Aside from occasionally helping to mediate neighborhood disputes, he basically spent every day enjoying himself.
However, having been a chef for so many years, it had become a habit that couldn't be easily given up.
Sometimes, the uncle would invite a few friends over, cook a few dishes, and use the excuse of a gathering to entertain guests, allowing himself to indulge and practice his skills.
As for why Shi Xiaolei knew this uncle, that's a long story.
At that time, Shi Xiaolei was new to the area and not yet familiar with his fellow countrymen.
He had no connections and no money. Well, to be precise, it was before he was introduced to underground boxing. In short, during his first week or two after arriving, Shi Xiaolei was a penniless and connectionless unlucky guy.
His status as a fellow countryman was clearly not enough to make the landlord compromise and rent him that shop. So, to save money, Shi Xiaolei had to take odd jobs first, from washing dishes and scrubbing bowls, to fixing pipes and unclogging drains, and then to moving and installing home appliances. He wouldn't refuse any job that could earn him money.
Regardless of how much money he earned, the key was his willingness to take any job and his enthusiastic attitude... Within just one week, Shi Xiaolei had built up a good reputation among his fellow countrymen, establishing a positive first impression.
It was because of this good impression that the two connected one day when Shi Xiaolei went to the uncle's house to help repair the ceiling. Worried that Shi Xiaolei might fall from the ladder, the uncle stood below, holding the ladder. Feeling a bit bored, the uncle casually struck up a conversation with him. Upon hearing that Shi Xiaolei was saving money to open a small restaurant, the uncle, who had been a chef for decades, immediately became interested... With 'Chinese food' as the common ground, the old man and the young man forged a friendship. After Shi Xiaolei earned some money from underground boxing and opened his small shop, the uncle would occasionally come to the shop to sit. If it was a day when he was in a good mood, he would even go to the back kitchen and give Shi Xiaolei some pointers and show off his skills.
Although the menu at Shi Xiaolei's shop was very simple, with only fried rice and fried noodles, it wasn't enough for the uncle to fully display his abilities, so there was no situation where 'a state banquet chef cooking led to a surge in customer traffic.' But honestly, the uncle's guidance should not be overlooked.
Just because he had worked in a restaurant before crossing over and learned some skills from a construction site chef didn't mean he could smoothly run a restaurant. Some things seem simple, but only when you actually do them do you realize how many difficulties there are.
Pointing out flaws in his cooking skills was secondary. If it weren't for the uncle's help in pointing out some blind spots in business operations that are often overlooked and teaching various small tricks... cheap and large portions were the biggest advantage in attracting customers, laying the foundation for revenue, but the various practical techniques taught by the uncle were an optimization of the entire structure. To be honest, the uncle's contribution was indispensable in ensuring that the 'house' wasn't built crooked or collapsed.
I've strayed a bit too far.
When he called the uncle this time, besides wanting to ask him to prepare an authentic Chinese meal to thank Stark, Shi Xiaolei had another idea.
With the new home chosen, the next step was to consider moving and renovating the shop.
Moving was easy enough; it was just a matter of spending some time choosing new furniture and exerting some effort to move the things he didn't want to throw away.
The key was still the shop.
With the expanded business area and upgraded decor, he couldn't keep selling just fried rice and fried noodles like before, could he?
New dishes were essential. Moreover, the reason Shi Xiaolei thought of upgrading the shop was because of the 'Ark' cheat, which allowed him to obtain various green and natural ingredients in large quantities without capital. If he stuck to the old routine, those ingredients would be useless, and naturally, there would be no talk of 'effective utilization.'
Sure enough, the day after having dinner with Stark, Shi Xiaolei once again arrived at He Yingshui's doorstep: "Uncle He, are you home? It's Xiaolei."
"Wait a moment." The voice approached, and a few seconds later, Uncle He opened the door from inside and welcomed Shi Xiaolei into the entryway: "Didn't you come yesterday? Why are you here again today? Oh, you kid, just come, why bring anything?"
"Isn't it because I want to thank you?" Handing over the two bottles of good wine he brought, Shi Xiaolei smoothly took the slippers Uncle He offered and put them on: "Yesterday, thanks to your help, if it were just me, I wouldn't have been able to make him so satisfied with the meal."
"Now that you mention it, I remember. He was there yesterday, so it wasn't easy to speak." Pointing to the mahogany sofa, signaling Shi Xiaolei to sit anywhere, Old He picked up the cigarette pack on the coffee table and lit a cigarette for himself: "You're quite something, kid. How did you get to know Tony Stark? He's such a big shot, and you're just a small restaurant owner. You're completely out of his league."
"This, this... Uncle He, I don't want to lie to you, but I really can't say."
"..." Knowing that Shi Xiaolei had once fought in underground boxing for a few days to save money, He Yingshui couldn't help but think crookedly when he saw him stammering.
He took a puff of his cigarette, squinted at Shi Xiaolei, and a hint of concern appeared on He Yingshui's face: "Since you can't say, then I won't ask. In short, you need to be steady, kid, live your life well, and don't get involved in those shady things, understand? You've been here long enough, you should have felt it too, we Chinese people are always at a disadvantage here. If you get involved in some trouble, it won't be easy to get out."
The seasoned and earnest admonition warmed Shi Xiaolei's heart.
"Uncle, don't worry." Nodding, indicating that he had taken his words to heart, Shi Xiaolei rubbed his hands: "I will never get involved in those messy things again. Actually, I came to see you today because I want to ask for your guidance. I plan to redecorate my small restaurant and upgrade it a bit. You're an expert, so what should I pay attention to, and also about setting the menu and pricing? In short, can you give me some lessons?"
"Hehe, that's more like it. Earn a living with your skills and live a good life." Tapping off the ash from his cigarette, He Yingshui smiled contentedly: "Alright, since you want to improve, then I, this old man, will give you some advice."