Time Travel: A Fisherwoman Goes to the Sea to Raise a Baby

Chapter 494 Iced Mandarin Orange Juice

At the same time, the dark clouds were gradually broken up and dispersed by the sea breeze, and one ray of sunlight after another broke free from its restraints, instantly washing the sky clear.

The restaurant also started to see a steady stream of customers.

The mandarin oranges in the pot were cooked, and Xu Yiyi used a large strainer to scoop them out and set them aside to drain.

After rinsing the mandarin oranges once, most of the astringency has been removed, and the flesh has softened slightly.

Then she set up a clean pot, put in the processed mandarin oranges, added fresh well water, brought it to a boil over high heat, then turned to low heat and let the mandarin oranges simmer slowly.

Half an hour later, the mandarin oranges became soft and mushy, and the broth changed from clear to amber.

"Alright, you can turn it off now."

As Xu Yiyi spoke excitedly, Xu Anyang quickly moved the firewood from the stove to the side.

The juice of the mandarin oranges was left to cool in the pot.

She then took a piece of cotton gauze and covered the mouth of a clean, large earthenware jar.

As he poured the thick liquid into the earthenware jar with a spoon, Sihai came running in again, all excited.

"Big sister, that Mrs. Wen wants to come see you again!" the child said weakly. "She won't leave after she's finished eating. She's been chatting away with me, but I can't understand what she's saying."

Xu Yiyi squeezed the gauze pack with her hand, and when she heard this, she looked up at Sihai.

Before she could speak, Fu Wanying casually lifted the curtain and walked in.

"Boss Xu!" Fu Wanying smiled and was very happy to see Xu Yiyi.

Old Lu glanced at her and moved the pottery urn under the eaves.

"What are you doing? Let me tell you... the food at your restaurant is really delicious, it's just right for my taste..."

Fu Wanying kept rambling on and on.

Xu Yiyi pursed her lips and patiently listened to her one-sided monologue.

After everyone left, Xu Yiyi hurriedly grabbed a spoon to taste the freshly brewed orange juice.

"Do you think she's out of her mind? She doesn't do anything productive, but she has to come in and tell you how delicious the hot pot is," Lao Lu said dismissively.

Xu Yiyi snorted, "I'll change the curtain at the door later and write 'No Trespassing' on it, so she won't keep coming in."

Old Lu gave her a thumbs up when he heard this, "That's a good idea."

After saying that, he became curious about the taste of the mandarin orange juice: "How is it? Is it good?"

"Slightly sour, but the astringency is almost undetectable." Xu Yi's eyes lit up with delight.

Old Lu's interest was piqued by her reaction. "What? You're just going to mix it with water and drink it?"

"Hmm... let me adjust the seasoning first."

As she spoke, Xu Yi took out the jar containing the sugar cubes, broke them into small pieces, added them in batches to the warm mandarin orange juice, and slowly stirred them with a long-handled wooden spoon until the rock sugar was completely melted.

She tasted it again and felt that the sweetness was about right, but for a richer flavor, she added a few drops of wild honey that she had found by chance while at sea.

"Bring me two jars, and I'll make you some mandarin orange juice."

Xu Yiyi said happily as she poured the seasoned mandarin orange juice into the jars.

One can contained ice and brewed tea, while another can contained freshly cut sour fruit.

"Come on, everyone, have a taste!"

Old Lu was the first to pick it up, took a sip with suspicion, and his eyes widened instantly: "Hey! Amazing! This... is this still that tooth-sour rotten fruit? It's actually quite delicious and refreshing. If you have a bowl of this while eating hot pot, I'm sure a lot of people will like it."

The others tasted it, and all of them showed expressions of surprise and admiration.

Xu Anyang smacked his lips, seemingly savoring the memory.

"It's perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, and it really tastes great. It's not the same as eating the fruit directly."

The juice of Indian gooseberry is perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, with a unique fruity aroma and a subtle tea flavor. After swallowing, it leaves a refreshing and sweet aftertaste, making it an absolute perfect match for hot pot.

Seeing everyone's reactions, Xu Yiyi felt much more at ease.

It seems the mandarin orange juice is ready.

Old Lu felt a little unsatisfied after drinking the sour mandarin orange juice, so he quickly made another cup of mandarin orange juice mixed with tea leaves.

"This one is more refreshing. The sourness is crisp and refreshing. After swallowing, a long-lasting sweetness will rise on the back of your tongue. It's not cloying at all."

Seeing his reaction, Sihai's little hand instantly reached for the can of mandarin orange juice with ice.

Before anything could happen, Xu Yiyi slapped his hand.

"Who's complaining about being cold?" she said sternly.

Sihai's mouth twisted into a smirk, a displeased expression on his face. He glanced at his eldest sister with a roguish look, then continued drinking the mandarin orange juice in his hands.

"I also think it tastes better with ice. After eating hot pot, taking a sip of this makes me feel refreshed and relaxed." Xu Anyang breathed a sigh of relief.

Old Lu shook the empty jar; only a few scattered ice cubes were colliding and making crackling sounds.

He smacked his lips, still savoring the memory, then remembered something else and asked Xu Yiyi with a puzzled look.

“I’d say you’re pretty quick-witted. You can even make a drink out of these sour Indian gooseberries. But I just don’t understand. In the summer, when it’s so hot, the cargo ships at the docks are piled up with melons, grapes, and peaches. Wouldn’t it be more timely and easier to sell these fruit drinks then? Why do you have to wait until this chilly winter to mess with these sour Indian gooseberries?”

Xu Yiyi was pouring the remaining juice from the mandarin oranges into an empty bowl, her tone somewhat indifferent: "Summer? Which of those seasonal fruits isn't expensive in the summer? Melons and grapes are rare and pricey. I run a restaurant, not a beverage shop."

If we used those precious fruits to make the drinks, the cost would be high, and the price would be expensive. We have many merchants coming and going, but there are also quite a few ordinary diners who might not be willing to order them with their meals. Even if we did make them, the profit margin would be thin. Besides, the business was just starting out then, and I was afraid of losing money!

She patted the water off her hands and continued, "But these Indian gooseberries are different. They're everywhere in the local mountains and fields during the winter. Farmers can't eat them all, and they can't get a good price to sell them. That's when they're cheapest."

Looking at the thick juice of the mandarin oranges in the jar, Xu Yiyi estimated that the mandarin oranges she bought for fifty coins could be sold for at least a whole day.

“I can collect two large baskets of them for a small amount of money. Although it’s a bit troublesome to process, as long as the method is right and the flavor comes out, the cost can be kept very low. We can sell them at a reasonable price of twenty coins a pot. The customers can enjoy the refreshing taste, and we can also make a profit. It’s a win-win situation.”

She chuckled and put the lid on the earthenware jar filled with mandarin orange juice.

"By the way, there's something I need to tell you."

The four waiters, led by Xu Anshu, immediately put down their bowls and looked over.

Xu Anyang also quickly moved to the end.

Xu Yiyi spoke clearly and calmly: "From today onwards, all the alcoholic beverages you handle and sell, including our homemade rice wine, yellow wine, the newly made oil orange juice, and other drinks that may be added in the future, will be subject to commission based on the number of pots sold."

Her gaze swept over the several young faces: "For every pot sold, we'll take two coins from the profit and give it to you when we settle your wages at the end of the month."

These words were like a pebble thrown into calm water; the eyes of the little kids lit up.

They all received fixed wages. When the restaurant was doing well, Xu Yiyi was generous and often gave them bonuses. But this was the first time she had ever received a commission that was directly linked to sales.

Xu Anyang instantly understood the reasoning behind it.

This means that if they greet guests more warmly and recommend more drinks, they can get more benefits themselves.

For no other reason than the commission, they have to work even harder.

"Sister Yi, is that really true?" Xu Anshu asked excitedly.

“Of course it is true.” Xu Yi nodded. “However, there are two points I need to clarify: First, no forced sales or pushing customers to buy are allowed. If you damage the restaurant’s reputation, I will hold you accountable. Second, the accounts must be clear and accurate. You and the counter staff must keep a record of how many pots were sold, and they must match up.”

The young men spoke in unison, their faces beaming with excitement and enthusiasm.

Old Lu clicked his tongue. "You can call me 'sister' in private, but 'boss' at the restaurant."

As soon as he finished speaking, several young men shouted in unison.

"Understood, boss!"

Xu Yi nodded. "Everyone, disperse! Let's get to work."

……

She always acts decisively and efficiently.

With the trial production of Indian gooseberry juice a success and the commission system announced, he immediately found a clean wooden board and a pen and ink.

After a moment's thought, she picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote a few neat and eye-catching lines on the wooden board:

New Recommendation: Wufu Restaurant - Tangerine Drink

It has a slightly sour taste at first, but a sweet aftertaste after a few sips. It can relieve greasiness, aid digestion, clear heat, and promote the production of body fluids.

A perfect match for hot pot in winter, 20 coins per pot.

After writing the promotional text, she personally placed the small wooden sign in the most conspicuous position at the entrance, right next to the hot pot banquet sign.

The yellow background and black lettering made it stand out clearly even in the slightly gloomy weather.

After finishing the dishes, Lao Lu jumped out and exclaimed, "You really sell it for such a low price? Have you ever been to Xiangyuan Drink Shop? They sell a cup of perilla tea for twelve coins, but this pot of yours is only twenty coins."

He looked at Xu Yiyi as if she were an idiot.

"A pot of mandarin orange juice should yield at least four or five cups, right? Selling it for only twenty coins seems a bit of a rip-off, doesn't it? Mandarin oranges may be cheap, but you've put in a lot of effort to remove the astringency from these fruits, boil them, and added tea leaves, rock sugar, honey, labor, and firewood—all of these are costs. Selling it like this is a huge loss."

Old Lu's tone was rather helpless.

In his opinion, the juice of the Indian gooseberry has a unique taste and good effects. It is also a unique and novel product that no one outside has ever tasted before. Even if the price is higher and it is sold with hot pot, there is no worry that no one will try it.

If the price is set so low, the profit margin will be smaller.

After listening to him finish speaking, Xu Yiyi remained expressionless, dusted off her hands, and slowly explained, "That's not how you calculate accounts."

She crossed her arms and explained to Lao Lu, "This is a restaurant, not a beverage shop. When customers come here, the main thing is to eat and fill their stomachs. The beverages are just an extra, meant to accompany the food."

She turned to look at Lao Lu: "At this time, if I set the price of the mandarin orange juice too high, customers might not order it, or they might feel it's not worth it. What I want is for more customers to be willing to try it, to order it, to use it to cut through the richness of the food and to enhance the overall experience and satisfaction of the meal, so that they will be more willing to come back next time."

Only in this way can we ensure a continuous supply.

Old Lu's lips twitched slightly when he heard this.

"What experience? What satisfaction? I don't understand what you're talking about?" He frowned as he looked at the sign in front of him.

An old woman and a young girl stood like door gods at the entrance, and the guests who came in would look at them curiously several times.

After a long pause, Lao Lu finally spoke: "Forget it, you're the boss, so you call the shots."

Seeing his worried expression, Xu Yi quickly comforted him, "You won't earn less. The key is to increase volume! If the pricing is right, customers will order more. Small profits but quick turnover means the total profit might not be small. Besides, there's a commission, isn't there?"

As she spoke, she gestured with her chin toward the front hall.

Inside, the scene was already bustling with activity. With the promise of a commission, the four waiters were as energetic as if they had been injected with chicken blood, each of them moving with lightning speed and quick reflexes.

"With commissions, the more they sell, the more motivated they become, which is also a good thing for restaurants."

……

[This is ingenious!!!]

Old Lu could only give a thumbs up in complete admiration: "No wonder you suddenly brought up the commission issue, you've thought this through carefully!"

Xu Yiyi nodded with a smile.

"But I do get a commission, right?" Old Lu changed the subject. "Let me tell you, I'm a very busy person. I'm busy from morning till night, working in the kitchen and the backyard. I have to do all kinds of work. If... if I sell a few bottles of wine and drinks, wouldn't I... get a tiny bit of commission?"

He rubbed his hands together, his eyes filled with anticipation, as if he could already see the copper coins beckoning to him.

When Xu Yiyi saw him like this, a meaningful smile suddenly appeared on her lips.

"What are you laughing at? Give me a straight answer!" Old Lu was equally confused by her inexplicable laughter.

Xu Yiyi's smile remained unchanged as she uttered two cold words to Lao Lu's expectant gaze: "No."

"Huh? Ah..." The expectation in Lao Lu's eyes came to an abrupt halt, his eyes widening in disbelief.

He immediately jumped up, pointed at himself, then at the front of the restaurant, and angrily shouted, "You're really...so mean! Why do they all have it, but I don't? I'm a worker in the restaurant too, I work, I do a lot of work. I...I can even serve customers! Xu Yiyi, what you're doing is not fair at all."

Seeing his exasperated expression, Xu Yiyi laughed even more smugly.

She casually crossed her arms and slowly reminded him, "Have you forgotten? You said it yourself! You didn't want any wages."

Xu Yiyi shook her head from side to side, her playful smile making one's hands itch to grab her.

Old Lu put his hands on his hips and grumbled, "You're being way too stingy. I... I was just saying it casually, I didn't expect you to actually not pay me..."

Xu Yi smiled and walked past him toward the restaurant when she suddenly caught sight of three familiar figures out of the corner of her eye.

She stepped back.

Grandma Xu walked in front, while Su Rulan followed behind, holding Xu Yizhi's hand.