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Mayor Chen forwarded Suning's materials to the relevant departments, and the city held several meetings to discuss the pilot project of the Ming Dynasty Imperial Kitchen.

Some people support this, believing it to be a new path for reform and opening up. The fact that private enterprises are proactively requesting supervision and accepting state-owned capital participation is unprecedented in the province and the country, and is worth trying.

Some people objected, saying that a sole proprietorship is a sole proprietorship, and that trying to implement a shareholding system would be inappropriate and absurd.

Some people are worried that if something goes wrong and the money the government has invested goes down the drain, who will be responsible?
After arguing for several days, Mayor Chen finally made the decision: "It's a pilot program! That's what we need to do. If it succeeds, we can summarize the experience and promote it. If it fails, at worst it's just a matter of a few hundred thousand yuan, which we can afford. Moreover, we can use the store as equity investment, which not only saves us money but also maximizes our profits."

……

Soon, Mayor Chen's secretary called, "President Su, the city has approved the investment of 300,000 yuan, representing a 35% stake. As a pilot enterprise for reform and opening up, Daming Imperial Kitchen will enjoy relevant policy support."

After listening, Su Ning held the microphone and remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "Thank you! The Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty will definitely not let Mayor Chen down."

Standing in the central kitchen workshop, looking at the busy workers on the assembly line, Suning felt an indescribable sense of peace.

Three hundred thousand isn't a lot, but it's not about the money.

With government investment, Daming Imperial Kitchen was no longer just Suning's small restaurant; it became a pilot enterprise in the city and a model of reform and opening up.

Anyone who wants to touch it has to ask the city for permission.

This amulet is worth more than any amount of money.

Following that, Suning registered the Nanjing branch of Daming Imperial Kitchen with the Nanjing Administration for Industry and Commerce.

On the day he received the license, he looked at the words "Daming Imperial Kitchen Catering Culture Co., Ltd. Nanjing Branch" and felt a mix of emotions.

From Su Ji Restaurant to the Shenzhen office, and now to the Nanjing branch, it has been more than two years, but every step has been solid.

With the support of the city, bank loans, and the production capacity guarantee of the central kitchen, Daming Imperial Kitchen has begun a full-scale expansion in Nanjing.

Shops opened one after another in Gulou, Qinhuai, Xuanwu, Jianye, Baixia, and Xiaguan districts, and street after street.

Suning doesn't pursue speed, it only pursues quality.

He personally inspected the location of each store, personally oversaw the decoration plan for each store, and personally interviewed the store manager for each store.

We don't want people who just nod; we want people who dare to speak up, take charge, and treat the store like their own home.

The Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty became a sensation in Nanjing—not just a minor sensation, but an absolute frenzy.

During mealtimes, long queues form in front of every restaurant, stretching from the restaurant entrance to the street, and from the street to the other side of the street, sometimes even turning a corner.

The local residents gradually got used to it, and it wasn't unusual to see the long queue at mealtimes.

Some people travel from other places to Nanjing just to eat this, taking a bus for more than an hour, just for a bite of braised pork.

When someone invites you to dinner, the first thing that comes to mind is the Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty, because it makes you feel prestigious.

When relatives came to visit, some people would take them to the Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty for a meal, as a way of showing hospitality.

The people's opinions are the most reliable.

Which restaurant is delicious, which restaurant is affordable, and which restaurant has good service? No need for advertising, word of mouth spreads throughout Nanjing in just a few days.

The dishes at the Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty are generous in portion, delicious, reasonably priced, and served quickly by friendly waiters. The environment is also clean, and there's nothing to complain about.

Those state-run restaurants used to be arrogant and domineering, with indifferent waiters, terrible food, and outrageously expensive prices.

Now all the customers have flocked to the Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty, leaving their shop deserted. There are more waiters than customers; some are eating melon seeds, others are knitting, and the entrance is practically empty.

A manager of a state-run restaurant, dissatisfied with the situation, secretly ate at the Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty, hoping to find a way to compare the two.

After finishing the meal, he immediately fell silent and went back to tell his subordinates that they couldn't make the same dishes as the other people.

It's not that their skills are lacking, but rather that their approach is flawed.

Others treat cooking as a career, while they treat it as a task.

I can't make ends meet, but I won't starve either. As long as there are no problems, I can keep doing this.

How can they be the same? And how can there be any motivation?

Sometimes, Suning really doesn't understand why state-owned enterprise employees can't be dismissed, artificially turning their jobs into "iron rice bowls" (guaranteed jobs).

The workers in the Ming Dynasty Imperial Kitchen were also proud, after all, their benefits and treatment were among the best in the industry.

When someone mentions that they are from the "Imperial Kitchen of the Ming Dynasty," people will look at them with more respect.

It's not that the salary is high, but that I feel working at this store is respectable, and the benefits are no worse than those in the public sector.

When relatives and friends come to Nanjing, I always take them to the restaurant for a meal. After the meal, I take pictures to show off to others when I get back.

The waiters in the restaurant were all energetic, wearing uniforms, with their hair neatly combed, smiling, and speaking softly. They were a completely different world from the indifferent staff of state-run restaurants.

Of course, employees who make mistakes will not be tolerated excessively, and will be punished according to the circumstances. Those who repeatedly fail to correct their mistakes will be dismissed directly.

Suning still rides his motorcycle around Nanjing every day, from Gulou to Qinhuai, from Qinhuai to Xuanwu, from Xuanwu to Jianye, and from Jianye to Xiaguan, visiting each store one by one.

Suning doesn't like sitting in an office, doesn't drink tea, and doesn't boast to others.

I like to visit each branch to check the quality of the dishes, the attitude of the waiters, and the reactions of the customers.

While standardized pre-cooked meals naturally eliminate the issue of saltiness or blandness, the attitude of the service staff is equally crucial, as is ensuring cleanliness and proper fire safety procedures.

Suning could see it at a glance and pointed it out on the spot, insisting that it must be corrected immediately.

Yang Maixiang no longer needs to keep an eye on things at the store.

She was promoted to regional manager, in charge of five stores in Qinhuai.

Every morning, I first go to the central kitchen to check the day's delivery orders, and then I ride my electric bike from store to store to check the hygiene, service, and the quality of the food.

Yang Maixiang has a forthright personality, a loud voice, and a good temper. She speaks her mind on the spot without holding back.

The store managers were afraid of Yang Maixiang, but they also respected her.

I was afraid of Yang Maixiang because she could curse without using any vulgar language, but every word she said was scathing.

I trust Yang Maixiang because she's knowledgeable and not the kind of person who creates trouble just to get attention from her employees.

……

When they got home in the evening, the couple sat on the sofa and chatted about what happened at the store that day.

Yang Maixiang said that the store manager of that particular store was unreliable and that she would go and talk to him tomorrow.

Suning said that the dishes at that restaurant were a bit too salty, and they'll adjust the recipes tomorrow.

The two of them chatted away, talking animatedly.

It was dark outside the window, the streetlights were on, and the room was warm and cozy—this was the most relaxing time of their day.

"Suning, to be honest, I really didn't expect it to be this successful."

"What you want, time will give you. As long as you keep going, becoming the richest person will be a piece of cake."

"Become the richest person? You really dare to dream!"

"I should be able to achieve my goal of becoming the richest person in ten years at most."

"..."

……

That day, Yang Maixiang finished inspecting the hygiene of a branch store in Qinhuai and was about to drive to the next store when suddenly a wave of nausea surged up. She leaned against the wall and dry-heaved a few times, but couldn't vomit anything. Her stomach was churning, and she felt extremely uncomfortable.

The waitress noticed and quickly poured a glass of warm water and brought it over. "Mr. Yang, have you eaten something bad?"

Yang Maixiang took the water, took a sip, and shook her head. "I can't say for sure myself! But I don't think so."

"Could she be pregnant?"

"Huh? No way?"

"Mr. Yang, please observe the situation for a few more days. You absolutely mustn't take any medication haphazardly." "Okay! Thank you! I understand."

Yang Maixiang's vomiting did not improve in the following days.

It's been like this for several days in a row. I feel nauseous when I wake up in the morning, and I feel nauseous when I smell cooking fumes. Sometimes I'm sitting and suddenly feel nauseous.

At first, I thought it was because I was too tired lately, so I didn't take it seriously.

Later, the experienced older woman couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Yang, how long has it been since your period?"

Yang Maixiang paused for a moment, calculated the days, and her heart skipped a beat; it seemed...

It has indeed been quite a while.

The older sister understood from her expression and said with a smile, "Go to the hospital for a checkup! Since you've been observing for so many days, I think it's pretty much a done deal."

Yang Maixiang said she was fine, but inside she was in turmoil.

She quickly drove the Santana that Suning had bought for her to a nearby hospital, registered, waited in line for more than half an hour, and had her blood drawn.

After patiently waiting for another two hours, the results came out.

The doctor looked at the test results, glanced up at her, and said, "Congratulations, you're pregnant, about six weeks along. Go home and take good care of yourself; don't overexert yourself."

Yang Maixiang held the test results, feeling an indescribable joy in her heart.

She looked down at the paper; she couldn't quite understand the data, but she recognized the word "positive."

She touched her flat stomach; there was a little one inside, the fruit of her love with Su Ning.

……

Yang Maixiang did not call Su Ning; she wanted to tell him in person.

I went home early and prepared dinner: four dishes and a soup. I put them on the table and covered them with plates to keep them warm.

When Su Ning returned, it was already dark. Sitting at the dining table, he noticed that Yang Maixiang was acting differently than usual. "What good news is there today? You're all smiles like you've found money."

Yang Maixiang didn't say anything, but instead took out the test report from her bag.

Su Ning glanced down and her face immediately lit up with surprise.

She quickly put down her chopsticks, picked up the test report, and looked up at Yang Maixiang, "Really?"

"Mm." Yang Maixiang nodded; after all, the two had been married for over two years.

“Starting tomorrow, you can’t keep running around like this. Running from store to store in Qinhuai, Gulou, and Xuanwu, you can handle it, but the kids can’t. You can hand over the regional manager’s work to your subordinates, or I can keep an eye on things myself. You’re better off staying home and resting, or going to the head office and sitting there. Stop running around.”

“I’m not that delicate. My mom was working in a factory when she was pregnant with me. Besides, I just drive around now.”

"Listen to me! Reduce the workload."

"Okay! I'll do as you say."

Yang Maixiang knew Su Ning well. He was easy to talk to in most situations, but when it came to matters of principle, he would never back down.

In the days that followed, Yang Maixiang did indeed reduce her workload.

I no longer have to run to various branches. I sit in the company every day, look at reports, answer the phone, and handle some trivial matters that don't require me to run around.

But Yang Maixiang couldn't sit still at all. It was as if she had nails stuck to her butt. She would stand up and walk around, then sit down again, then stand up again.

Seeing Yang Maixiang's restless state, Su Ning felt both amused and sorry for her.

But Su Ning knew that some things couldn't be indulged; she needed to rest when she needed to. This wasn't just her problem; it was a family problem.

I believe Yang Maixiang will adapt quickly...

……

With branches opening one by one in Nanjing and gradually settling in, Suning's ambitions are rekindling.

Having thoroughly penetrated the Nanjing market, the next step is to expand outwards.

Suning had its finance department compile a large stack of materials—ledgers, tax receipts, loan contracts, and branch operating data—and put them in a large file bag before taking them to the bank.

The head of the credit department, surnamed Zhou, had dealt with Suning several times and was considered an old acquaintance.

Section Chief Zhou flipped through the materials brought by Su Ning, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. It wasn't that he was dissatisfied, but rather that he was too shocked to believe it.

All of the branches of Daming Imperial Kitchen in Nanjing are profitable, have healthy cash flow, and pay taxes in accordance with regulations.

Banks would be desperate to have customers like this.

"Boss Su, where are you planning to open a branch this time?" Section Chief Zhou asked.

Suning said, "We'll take Shanghai and the entire Jiangsu province one step at a time. We'll start with Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou. After we've taken over Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou, we'll move on to Nantong, Yangzhou, and Zhenjiang. We're not in a rush for northern Jiangsu yet; we'll wait until we've thoroughly developed southern Jiangsu."

Section Chief Zhou gasped, then flipped through the documents again. "Boss Su, aren't you overextending yourself? You haven't even fully digested the Nanjing market yet, and you're already going to Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou. Can you handle it?"

Suning smiled and said, "Section Chief Zhou, I have thoroughly understood the Nanjing market. The profit model for each store has been tested and proven. The central kitchen has spare capacity, the supply chain is not a problem, and the management team has been trained. If we don't expand now, when will we? By the time others realize what's happening, the market will have been taken by others."

"Alright! I'll ask my superiors immediately."

Section Chief Zhou hesitated for several days and consulted his superiors before finally approving it.

On the day Suning received the loan, he didn't rush to leave. He sat on the steps in front of the bank, watching people come and go and cars go by on the street, and he couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart.

Nanjing is Suning's starting point, but it is definitely not the end.

He has a long road ahead of him, from Shanghai, Jiangsu, East China to the whole country. He will eventually reach the place he wants to go, step by step.

When Yang Maixiang learned that Suning was going to expand outwards, she neither opposed nor supported it.

Sitting on the sofa, touching her slightly protruding belly, she said, "Go ahead! I'll take care of things at home."

Su Ning looked at Yang Maixiang, wanting to say something, but then swallowed her words.

I know Yang Maixiang is reluctant to part with him.

But Yang Maixiang also knew that Su Ning was a restless person, and the city of Nanjing could not contain him at all.

The only thing a wife can do is to protect this family and ensure that Suning has no worries.

……

In the following period, Suning began to travel frequently for work.

I traveled from city to city, visiting Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou to assess the market, locations, stores, and competitors.

Shanghai is much bigger than Nanjing, with a much larger population and more opportunities, but also many more pitfalls.

Suning spent a month in Shanghai, traveling all over Huangpu, Jing'an, Xuhui and Changning districts. His legs were sore from all the running, but he finally got a clear understanding of the situation.

In Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou, send your subordinates to investigate first, and then report back.

He couldn't handle everything by himself, and he didn't want to do everything himself. He delegated authority where appropriate and trusted others where necessary.

In any case, the Ming Dynasty Imperial Kitchen model is now mature, and with AI robots monitoring key departments, there will be absolutely no problems with delegating power and trust.

Yang Maixiang lives alone at home. During the day, she goes to the company for a while, and when she comes home in the evening, she cooks, eats, watches TV, and goes to sleep.

Life goes on at a leisurely pace, just like before.

But Yang Maixiang knew that things were different now.

With a baby in her belly, Suning's future in Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou, and that of his family, is no longer just Nanjing, but the whole of Jiangsu, Shanghai, and even bigger places.

Yang Maixiang didn't know what those places looked like, but she trusted Su Ning.

Where Suning goes, things will definitely get better.

...(End of this chapter)