"Boss, Brother Liu, let's sit down and chat while we eat!" Wan Hui said.
"Yes, yes, let's sit down and talk. Mr. Liu, please have a seat!" Tan Jiming made a gesture of invitation.
The three then sat down, and soon the waiter brought the dishes. All of them were signature dishes from the hotel, and of course, they included the vegetables grown by Liu Yifeng.
"Mr. Liu, I don't know your taste. There are spicy and non-spicy options. Or if there's anything you like that we don't have, just tell me, and I'll have the kitchen prepare it!" Tan Jiming gestured to the table full of dishes.
Liu Yifeng quickly replied, "This is more than enough. I'm not picky about food, and Director Tan is too kind."
"Manager Wan, pour a full glass for Mr. Liu. Today, I want to drink a few glasses with Mr. Liu!" Tan Jiming said, looking at Wan Hui.
Wan Hui opened a bottle of Maotai, first pouring a glass for the boss, then for Liu Yifeng, and finally for himself.
"I have to drive back later, so I probably can't drink!" Liu Yifeng said apologetically.
"How can you eat without drinking? It's alright, I'll have my driver take you back later. As for your car, I'll have someone drive it behind mine." Tan Jiming finished speaking and raised his wine glass, "Come, Mr. Liu, I'll toast you!"
To be toasted by such a big boss, Liu Yifeng felt flattered. He quickly raised his glass and said, "I wouldn't dare. I should be toasting you!"
After speaking, the three clinked their glasses.
"This hotel of mine has been open for over ten years, and the business has always been mediocre, barely covering daily expenses. But ever since Jing Tian Hotel also entered the city, our business was greatly affected. I was already preparing to close down. However, after the hotel started purchasing your vegetables, business suddenly boomed. Not only are your vegetables selling very well, but our hotel's liquor sales have also increased severalfold. Therefore, this glass should be a toast from me to you." Tan Jiming said after putting down his glass.
"This is actually a form of mutual fulfillment. My vegetables are indeed delicious and nutritious. But if I were to promote them to ordinary hotels, they wouldn't be able to offer me such a good price, as the customers who dine at their restaurants are ordinary people, and no one can afford such high prices. But your hotel is different. Most of the people who come here to eat are wealthy and influential, and they don't care about the price of the dishes as much as they value quality and taste."
"Well said, mutual fulfillment. Mr. Liu's vision is truly beyond ordinary people. To be honest, I've met all sorts of people in my life, but it's rare to find someone like you who is capable yet humble. Let's have another drink!" Tan Jiming raised his glass again.
Liu Yifeng didn't usually drink spirits. Although Maotai was a good wine, it felt fiery in his mouth. After drinking two glasses, he felt dizzy and his face flushed.
Seeing this, Tan Jiming immediately picked up serving chopsticks and placed a piece of beef for Liu Yifeng. "Mr. Liu, please eat!"
"Director Tan, I apologize. I can't hold my liquor very well, so you've seen me in a bad light," Liu Yifeng said somewhat awkwardly.
Tan Jiming smiled dismissively, "It's actually quite good not to drink. Otherwise, being like a drunkard, what kind of image would that be!"
"Brother Liu, my boss dislikes heavy drinkers the most. You're just right. We've had our drinks, let's eat now. Try our hotel's cuisine quickly!" Wan Hui chimed in to smooth things over.
Liu Yifeng picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth, immediately giving a thumbs-up. "As expected of a five-star hotel, the taste is indeed excellent."
"Hahaha, Mr. Liu always knows how to speak pleasingly. But I'm not boasting, our hotel's cuisine is among the best in the entire Haicheng. Our head chef, for example, was hired at a high price and has participated in numerous culinary competitions, winning the top prizes." Tan Jiming's spirits rose as he spoke of this.
"No wonder this braised pork tastes so special. It's truly rich without being greasy, leaving a lingering fragrance, making it irresistible!" Liu Yifeng said, taking another piece.
Tan Jiming observed that Liu Yifeng was unpretentious and not at all reserved due to his status. He knew that this person would surely achieve great things in the future. It was possible to form a deep friendship with such a person, and perhaps they could even help him in the future. This was a merchant's sixth sense, honed over many years, and it was always accurate.
"Brother Liu, try the vegetables you grew yourself. See if our hotel's preparation tastes different from how you usually cook them at home!" Wan Hui said expectantly. Since the vegetables were purchased from Liu Yifeng, he hoped they would satisfy his taste. This would not be in vain for his trust.
Liu Yifeng tasted them, and indeed, they were much more delicious than how he cooked them himself. His vegetables were already delicious when cooked simply, but after being prepared by the chefs at Longteng Grand Hotel, the flavors became even richer and more layered. Not only did they retain the original freshness of the vegetables, but they also had a sweet taste. This sweetness was not cloying; instead, it greatly enhanced the dish. No wonder the hotel's business was so booming.
"It's much tastier than when I cook it. Now I finally understand why your business is so good. It's not just my vegetables, but more importantly, your hotel's chefs have superb culinary skills," Liu Yifeng praised without reservation.
Tan Jiming let out a hearty laugh upon hearing this. "Mr. Liu's words are always so pleasant to hear. Since it's delicious, then eat more. Come and dine with us often in the future. I'll definitely reserve a table for you!"
"Thank you, Director Tan!" Although the food was delicious, Liu Yifeng did not eat greedily. After all, this was a banquet, and etiquette was important. Otherwise, appearing like a starving ghost would damage his image.
"By the way, I heard from Manager Wan that the boss of Jing Tian Hotel approached you?" Tan Jiming changed the subject and finally got down to business.
Liu Yifeng put down his chopsticks and nodded. "Yes, they wanted to acquire my vegetables, but I refused!"
"But I heard from Manager Wan that they offered to buy your vegetables at twice the price of our hotel. With such a high price, why would you refuse?" Tan Jiming asked curiously.
"Because I promised to supply vegetables to your hotel long-term, while they wanted to monopolize at a high price. This way, my vegetables could only be sold to him. Then he could arbitrarily raise the price of the vegetables. Therefore, I cannot do that!" Liu Yifeng said very seriously and sincerely.
During this time, Tan Jiming had been watching his eyes. A person's words can deceive, but their eyes cannot. And through Liu Yifeng's eyes, he saw only openness, without any pretense. In business, this was the quality one sought.
With this thought, he got straight to the point. "I also heard from Manager Wan that your cousin works at Wu Ji Machine Tool Co., Ltd. and is the manager of our region. To achieve such success at such a young age shows he is also a very capable person!"
Liu Yifeng nodded. "He was just promoted, but he doesn't have many connections here. It's not easy to get started, and he still needs to work hard." He didn't mention wanting to facilitate cooperation between them. If Director Tan had such intentions, he would have brought it up himself even if Liu Yifeng hadn't. Otherwise, if Liu Yifeng were to open his mouth, it would put Director Tan in a difficult position.
Tan Jiming had expected that after he brought it up, Liu Yifeng would recommend his cousin and facilitate their cooperation. He hadn't expected that not only would Liu Yifeng not mention it, but he would also directly point out some of his cousin's shortcomings. If anyone else heard this, even if they were considering cooperation, they might give up the idea.