Chapter 183

Su Xiaoxiao and Xiao Zhuzi exchanged a glance: Is Xiao Roubao welcoming guests? No way.

As they walked into the room, Su Xiaoxiao and Xiao Zhuzizi were stopped by someone: “Classmates, please queue up behind; we’re all queuing here.”

Fantuan saw them with his sharp eyes and quickly shouted, “Mom, Zhuzi, come over and help us. We can’t handle it all.”

The embarrassed classmate said, “Sorry, I didn’t know you guys were also from this shop.”

“It’s okay.” Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and led Zhuzi inside.

“Why are there suddenly so many people?” Su Xiaoxiao asked Fantuan.

Inside, every seat was taken. Everyone was very interested in the wall paintings, commenting on them, and even more interested in the “mascot,” Xiao Roubao, unable to resist teasing him.

Xiao Roubao was not shy, to begin with. Holding a menu, he kept promoting the sour and spicy dumplings. Even after people had ordered, he was still talking about how delicious it was and couldn’t help but chatter.

Fantuan was at the cash register, Xiao Doubao was helping in the kitchen, and another mascot, Xiao Tangyuan, sat beside Fantuan, holding a small blackboard to write and draw. Many people were also looking in their direction.

Fantuan complained, “One classmate brought a flyer and brought along all his dorm mates. Isn’t this too much?”

The mascot Xiao Roubao, who was “welcoming” guests, heard his mom’s voice and ran over, his little legs thudding: “Mom, why did you just come back? Xiao Roubao has already sold ten portions of sour and spicy dumplings.” Xiao Roubao wasn’t good at counting yet, but “ten” was the biggest number in his concept.

Su Xiaoxiao pinched the cub’s small face and said, “Xiao Roubao is very impressive. Go sit at Xiao Tangyuan’s place and take care of your sister.”

Xiao Roubao blinked his big eyes. “But everyone is busy; I need to welcome the guests. Otherwise, how will they know the sour and spicy dumplings are delicious?”

Su Xiaoxiao said: “Then don’t cause trouble. Don’t disturb others when they’re eating, don’t go to them without being called, and don’t leave the yard.”

Xiao Roubao: “I know, Mom, I wouldn’t let anyone deceive me with a dumpling. We have endless dumplings in our house.”

Su Xiaoxiao: “There are not enough dumplings to sell after a certain cub ate them all.

Su Xiaoxiao asked Bai Lan, “Sister Lan, how many dumplings do we still have left?”

Bai Lan was so busy that she was sweaty all over: “If we count the large portions, we’ve only made twenty portions. I didn’t expect so many people to come all at once. There are almost twenty people sitting in the room, and there are still many people waiting outside. It’s not enough at all. Should we ask them if they want noodles?”

The dumplings came in two sizes: small portions with twelve dumplings and large portions with twenty dumplings, all handmade with thin skins and generous fillings. Girls ate the small portions; boys ate the large portions, with some greens underneath and a bit of dumpling soup. As long as they weren’t like Xiao Roubao in terms of appetite, they could all be satisfied.

“It’s okay, I’ll handle it,” Su Xiaoxiao said.

Su Xiaoxiao took the list from Fantuan and saw that four hundred dumplings had been ordered, fifteen portions in total, ten large and five small. This meant that there were only one hundred and forty dumplings left, which could accommodate at most eight to ten more people. There were still many people in the room who hadn’t eaten, and it was cold outside as well.

Su Xiaoxiao instructed Zhuzi, “Zhuzi, go write a sign for today’s sale and hang it at the gate.”

“Okay.” Zhuzi received the task and immediately went to do it.

Su Xiaoxiao walked out with a list and shouted, “I’m sorry, classmates. Today is our first day of trial operation, and I didn’t expect everyone to be so enthusiastic and really can’t handle it. There are only less than ten portions of dumplings left now. Those at the front of the line can place their orders first, but we can only sell until they’re gone. For those who didn’t get to eat today, I’ll give you an 80% discount card. Come back tomorrow with the card for an 80% discount.”

A student in front said, “Then I won’t eat today. Can I still get an 80% discount if I come tomorrow?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Of course it’s possible. It’s too cold outside, and I don’t recommend waiting; there really isn’t any space inside. Those who are in line can take the 80% discount card I wrote and come back at any time.”

Most students who can afford to dine out come from well-off families. Many of them don’t mind if there’s a 20% discount or not, especially when they catch a whiff of the tantalizing blend of spicy oil and aged vinegar. Plus, with Xiao Roubao’s non-stop talk about how many dumplings to devour, the rumbling hunger pangs in their stomachs become unbearable. Most can’t hold back any longer—why wait until tomorrow?

A male classmate behind me said, “I’m not afraid of the cold when there’s sun outside. I can wait; sell me a portion.”

“I can also wait.”

“I can also wait.”

Most students were willing to wait. Su Xiaoxiao had no choice but to sell the last ten portions, but those at the very back of the line couldn’t be served. They asked if they could come in the evening.

Su Xiaoxiao said it was a trial operation today, only open for lunch, and she was sorry, but they could only come back tomorrow.

Su Xiaoxiao isn’t intentionally engaging in scarce marketing. Rather, the store’s capacity is genuinely limited, and she doesn’t intend for children to help for extended periods of time. If they assist daily after school, it detracts from their play and study time. Occasionally, they can help out casually, but they mustn’t be treated as long-term workers. Su Xiaoxiao has discussed this with Bai Lan and Uncle Yang, who understand. However, today’s situation is exceptional.

Su Xiaoxiao wants to give the cubs a carefree childhood and doesn’t want their childhood to be trapped in this small shop.

In fact, in the future, only guests who have made advance reservations will receive them. The shop would prepare everything in advance, and the three of them could manage it smoothly.

While Zhuzi was hanging the sign outside, more people were walking towards them.

A student asked, “Is it true, little brother? Are you sold out so early?”

Zhuzi nodded and said, “Sorry, we’re sold out for today. But you can make a reservation for tomorrow, so you won’t miss out. Otherwise, it’s first come, first served.”

The student asked, “Are your foods really that delicious?”

Zhuzi smiled. “Ask the customers who have eaten.”

At that moment, a student who had just finished eating came out. He hurriedly grabbed him and asked, “How was it? Is it delicious?”

The student patted his belly, burped, and gave a thumbs up, “I highly recommend it. It’s especially delicious. It’s the best dumplings I’ve ever had in my life! The food is delicious, the wall paintings are interesting, and the people in the shop are even more interesting. I’ll come back tomorrow. Anyway, I’ve already made a reservation.”

The student was still skeptical. “Is it really that delicious?”

The satisfied student said, “Why would I lie to you? Go try it yourself.”

One by one, other guests also came out, and the classmate grabbed another and asked, “How about it? Is it delicious?”

The classmate shook his head in disappointment and said, “I don’t know; I came late and didn’t eat today. I made an appointment for tomorrow, but it smells really good.”

Xiao Zhuzi smiled and shook his head as he walked inside. The classmate grabbed him and said, “Little brother, wait a moment. How can I make an appointment if I want to come and eat tomorrow?”

Zhuzi said, “We’ll give you a number tag. Just come with the tag tomorrow.”

The student said, “Write one for me quickly, then.”

Zhuzi quickly wrote one for him, with the shop’s name and his own name on it.

Zhuzi said, “You can come with this tag tomorrow. Only you can come. We can’t accommodate more people.” Zhuzi finished speaking and walked away.

The classmate lowered his head and examined the words on the flyer, feeling a bead of sweat forming. Surprisingly, his handwriting wasn’t as neat as the little brother’s. Then he realized that the little kid in front of him had written the words on the flyer himself. The capital truly is a city where talent gathers.

When Zhuzi went inside, he told Su Xiaoxiao about the reservation he had made outside. Along with those who had already eaten and wanted to come back, it seemed that tomorrow was already fully booked, and they couldn’t accommodate any newer customers.

Everyone was busy for almost an hour again, and we finally sent all the customers away. About a third of them had made reservations to come back tomorrow, so they wouldn’t be able to accommodate new customers tomorrow.

In the cold winter, Bai Lan and Uncle Yang were busy, sweating profusely.

Bai Lan said: “Xiaoxiao, I’ve really gained a lot of experience. I’ve never seen such a lively scene before. We just have to prepare everything; it’s just serving dumplings. If you hadn’t come back in time, I wouldn’t know how to handle it.”

Su Xiaoxiao had anticipated that the business might take some time to pick up. However, she was pleasantly surprised by the successful start on the first day, thanks to the well-drawn promotional flyers created by the kids. “This is why we need to give opening the business a try. Do you now have confidence in yourself? If we do open it, our small shop won’t be able to accommodate the demand. Our brand depends on these individuals to spread the word. Even ten stores wouldn’t be enough to handle the influx.”

Bai Lan nodded repeatedly. “I believe you. Whatever you say, I believe.” Bai Lan admired Su Xiaoxiao from the bottom of her heart.

Su Xiaoxiao said: “Unfortunately, we can’t expand our business yet. Believe me, when the policies loosen, one day I’ll rent or buy a whole floor to open a bigger restaurant, even bigger than a state-owned restaurant. By then, we’ll hire more people. You just need to manage it, but now the policies haven’t been completely relaxed. We can only compromise for now. Let’s make this small shop successful first.”

Su Xiaoxiao’s voice was as gentle as she was, but her words were firm and decisive.

Uncle Yang continued to wave his hand and said, “Don’t rush to conclusions. There’s no such thing as being indomitable. In any case, we’ll stand steadfastly with you and work together.”

Bai Lan nodded and said, “Yes, we will do whatever you say.”

Su Xiaoxiao outlined the plan: “Tomorrow, we will only accommodate guests with appointments. In the afternoon, our focus will be on preparing materials. After that, we will prepare dishes according to the daily menu, prioritize receiving guests who have made appointments in advance, and receive guests according to our maximum reception capacity.  Once capacity is reached, a ‘sold out today’ sign will be displayed, signaling the end of taking customers for the day. Those unable to secure appointments for tomorrow will be scheduled for the day after. This approach ensures reservations can be made for dishes up to a week in advance. Additionally, guests who fail to come to their appointed time three times will be noted and not accommodated in the future. With this strategy, I believe we will soon operate at full capacity throughout the week.”

The cubs listened attentively, gaining a deeper understanding of Su Xiaoxiao. They knew Su Xiaoxiao was very smart and amazing, but they didn’t expect her to be so capable. In front of them, she was a gentle mother, but when it came to work, she was a strategic planner, decisive in her actions.

Xiao Doubao squinted and gave his mom a thumbs up. “Mom is great!”

The other cubs also gave thumbs up, saying in unison, “Mom is great!”