Reborn in 79, the educated youth wife regretted her divorce.

Chapter 148 Yuebinlou

"Dazhuang, what you said makes a lot of sense." Jiang Yang nodded and affirmed, "You have a good eye."

Da Zhuang grinned when he was praised.

He was overjoyed to have gained Yang's approval.

The following afternoon, Dazhuang drove Jiangyang around the Second Ring Road in Beijing.

They didn't return to Yenching University until it was almost time for school to let out.

Dazhuang parked the car at the school gate, waiting for Jiang Yang to pick up Zhou Limin.

Not long after, Jiang Yang came out with Zhou Limin.

"Dazhuang, let's go to Yuebinlou." Zhou Limin said to Dazhuang as soon as he got into the car.

"okay!"

Da Zhuang responded and stepped on the gas, and the Citroën drove towards Yuebinlou.

Sitting in the back seat, Zhou Limin said to Jiang Yang, "This Yuebinlou restaurant is a well-established brand in Beijing. Their dishes are absolutely authentic. Especially Chef Yu, his skills are top-notch. He has participated in the preparation of state banquets several times! He has worked there for more than 20 years, and he has countless repeat customers."

After hearing what she said, Jiang Yang also became very interested in the restaurant.

The car quickly stopped in front of Yuebinlou.

Jiang Yang got out of the car and was about to invite Da Zhuang to go in for a meal.

Da Zhuang spoke first, saying, "Brother Yang, you guys go inside and eat. I'll just wait in the car."

He rubbed his hands together, looking somewhat uneasy.

Jiang Yang smiled slightly: "Dazhuang, come in and eat with us."

"This...this isn't appropriate. I'm just a driver, how can I eat with you guys?" Da Zhuang waved his hands repeatedly, indicating his refusal.

"Dazhuang, why are you being so polite with me?"

Jiang Yang put his arm around his shoulder and insisted.

"We're not only superior and subordinate, but also friends! It's only natural for friends to have a meal together, isn't it? Besides, it's not a formal occasion today, so there aren't many formalities. Come on, let's go inside!"

Without saying a word, he grabbed Dazhuang and headed into the restaurant.

Da Zhuang couldn't refuse Jiang Yang, so he had no choice but to follow him into Yuebinlou.

Seeing that Jiang Yang was sincerely inviting Da Zhuang, Zhou Limin smiled and chimed in, "Yes, Master Da Zhuang, let's go in and eat together. You've worked hard all afternoon, so we should treat you properly."

"Then...then I shall respectfully accept your offer."

Da Zhuang scratched his head, smiled憨厚ly, and followed Jiang Yang and Zhou Limin into Yuebinlou.

As soon as I entered, a slightly plump middle-aged woman in a dark blue uniform came to greet me.

She recognized Zhou Limin at a glance, and her face immediately lit up with a smile: "Oh, Limin, it's been a while since you've come! What brings you here today?"

"Manager Shen, I was just craving Master Yu's cooking, so I came here to satisfy my craving."

Zhou Limin greeted her with a smile, then pointed to Jiang Yang and introduced him: "This is my friend, Jiang Yang. Jiang Yang, this is Shen Qing, the lobby manager of Yuebinlou."

Upon hearing that Jiang Yang was Zhou Limin's friend, Shen Qing immediately put on an even warmer smile.

These days, being able to be friends with someone like Zhou Limin means you must be someone of extraordinary status.

Having greeted and seen off so many people here, she had long since developed a keen eye for detail.

"Hello Mr. Jiang, welcome to Yuebinlou!"

Shen Qing greeted them warmly, leading the three of them inside as she spoke.

"I'll arrange a private room for you, the best private room in our restaurant!"

Soon, she led the three of them into a spacious and bright private room.

"Limin, what would you like to eat today?" Shen Qing asked with a smile.

"Manager Shen, could you please tell Chef Yu that I've brought distinguished guests tonight and ask him to prepare some of his best Sichuan dishes? Don't embarrass me!" Zhou Limin instructed with a smile.

She has a particular fondness for the Sichuan cuisine at this restaurant.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qing's smile froze for a moment, and then she sighed.

"Li Min, this matter... I'm afraid it won't work." She hesitated before continuing.

Zhou Limin was taken aback and asked with some confusion, "What's wrong? Is Master Yu feeling unwell today? Did he take the day off?"

In her memory, Master Yu was the pillar of this shop and rarely took leave.

"It's not that I'm feeling unwell." Shen Qing shook her head, a hint of helplessness on her face. "Master Yu... he's not working here anymore."

"Gone?" Zhou Limin was even more surprised. "Was he transferred? Your boss must be devastated if such a good mentor is transferred away."

Shen Qing shook his head with a wry smile: "It wasn't that I was transferred, it's that... it's that I was poached."

"They dug them up?" Zhou Limin and Jiang Yang were both somewhat surprised.

Shen Qing sighed and slowly recounted the whole story: "Hey! Now that we've had reform and opening up, all those private restaurants are springing up like mushrooms after rain. Especially those run by big families, they're rich and powerful, and they pay ridiculously high wages! How can our state-run restaurants compare? Chef Yu has worked here for over twenty years, and his monthly salary is only a few dollars? These private restaurants pay him double! Tell me, who wouldn't be tempted?"

"It's not just Chef Yu; several of our skilled chefs have been poached by those private restaurants. These days, which mid-range restaurant with even a little reputation in Beijing isn't like this? They've practically emptied out all their good chefs!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Limin frowned.

She asked with concern, "Since Master Yu left, has your business here been affected?"

Shen Qing gave a bitter laugh, his voice much lower: "It's more than just being affected! This month's income is 30% less than last month's! The higher-ups have already said that if this continues, our Yuebinlou restaurant will probably have to close down! This is an old restaurant that has been open since not long after the founding of the People's Republic of China. If it really closes down, I... I really won't feel good about it!"

Jiang Yang sat there silently, without saying a word.

He wasn't surprised by this.

With the deepening of reform and opening up, all state-owned enterprises are facing enormous survival pressure in the market.

In a few years, state-owned enterprises will undergo in-depth reforms, and many sectors, including state-run hotels, will gradually be privatized.

This is an irreversible trend.

After Shen Qing left, Zhou Limin sighed and said with some regret, "This shop used to be incredibly popular, always packed with customers. It would be such a shame if it really closed down."

Soon, one Sichuan dish after another was brought out by the waiters.

Zhou Limin picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, put it in her mouth, chewed it a few times, but her brows furrowed slightly.

"This taste...isn't right." She put down her chopsticks and shook her head in disappointment.

"Master Yu's cooking is still the most authentic. Nowadays, chefs can't really make it taste the same."

Jiang Yang also tried a few bites, and the taste was indeed just average, far from authentic Sichuan cuisine.