Chen Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief after securing so many orders.
Starting is always the hardest part. Such great success on his first day in Hong Kong could stabilize the panicked hearts of Zhang Weiyang and the others.
Not to mention Zhang Weiyang and the rest, even Chen Yang himself was anxious. If he came to Hong Kong without exchanging US dollars or selling any canned goods, it would have been a wasted trip.
Not only would he have to answer to Zou Chenguang, but Chen Yang also wouldn't be able to face the Third Radio Factory in Shanghai. After all, he had confidently declared that foreign exchange was his responsibility.
"Weiyang, Baoguo, let's find a restaurant to eat. We've been busy all day. After dinner, we'll find a hotel, take a shower, and rest well. We'll continue tomorrow."
He had met his expectations for the day. With this breakthrough, he had at least secured a fallback with Zou Chenguang, even if nothing else went according to plan afterwards.
Exchanging the Renminbi he brought into Hong Kong dollars and then into US dollars would be enough for one production line. At worst, his own factory's production line could wait for another trip to Hong Kong.
This was his confidence. With a guaranteed objective achieved, the pressure in his heart immediately lessened, allowing him to go all out.
Many businessmen always tread on thin ice, no matter the time. If they slipped up once, they could lose everything, and all their previous earnings would vanish.
"Brother, what should we eat?"
"I feel like these restaurants in Hong Kong don't have any spicy flavor. Everything is steamed or boiled. Even when they manage to stir-fry a couple of dishes, you can't smell any oiliness, and you can't even see a single chili pepper."
Zhang Weiyang wore a crestfallen face. In Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, eating was a daily struggle for him. He couldn't get used to sweet dishes.
"That's because you don't know how to eat. Come, brother will take you to eat seafood."
"In ancient times, emperors ate delicacies from the mountains and seas. Today, I'll let you taste the delicacies of the sea."
Chen Yang waved his hand and led them directly to the seafood stalls in Tsim Sha Tsui.
The food stalls were just beginning to emerge at this time. Fishermen would return from sea, and their families would eagerly await them at the pier, coincidentally starting small businesses.
With people buying and selling fish constantly, even enjoying a meal here presented a good business opportunity. Over time, this is how Hong Kong's food stalls came to be.
The ingredients were fresh from the sea, and the cooking methods were passed down through generations by the local fishermen. As fishermen, they naturally understood the best ways to cook the seafood they caught.
What started as a hot dish to welcome their family members back safely from the sea unexpectedly attracted other customers as it developed.
Chen Yang knew about this food stall area from his first entrepreneurial trip to Hong Kong in the 1990s. He was brought there by a foodie from Shenzhen who worked under him.
That guy often traveled between Shenzhen and Hong Kong for business. His business wasn't particularly successful, but he made many connections and knew all the nooks and crannies of Hong Kong like the back of his hand. Chen Yang valued this trait in him.
He took Chen Yang around Hong Kong, explaining everything from how magnate Li made his fortune to the taboos fishermen observed when praying before heading out to sea.
Indeed, these seemingly useless observations brought Chen Yang some unexpected gains.
Some tycoons from humble beginnings, despite often frequenting high-end clubs and venues, still retained a fondness for the bustling street food stalls.
To them, some small stalls even offered a taste of their youth, evoking fond memories.
Chen Yang himself once signed a multi-billion dollar project after sharing a meal at a roadside stall with a Hong Kong businessman, accompanied by two crates of beer.
He had to admit, the food stalls were quite fragrant. Following the aroma, Chen Yang found a stall called Shuhua Seafood Stalls.
"Boss, steam ten mantis shrimp, stir-fry two plates of clams, and grill some scallops. Remember to add plenty of minced garlic, chopped scallions, and vermicelli."
Chen Yang ordered efficiently. He was also a regular at food stalls in his later life, enjoying seafood and a drink, ideally with some grilled skewers and roasted eggplants. The taste was absolutely divine.
"Sir, what do you mean by grilled scallops with vermicelli? We don't have that dish here."
The proprietress, a plump middle-aged woman with a protruding belly, wiped her hands with her apron, took out a carbon copy book, and unhooked a pen from around her neck.
"We don't have it?"
Chen Yang was taken aback by her words. The delicious garlic and vermicelli scallops weren't available yet?
Chen Yang didn't know when this dish originated, but in the future, every time he visited a food stall, he would order a pot of oysters with garlic and vermicelli, along with some grilled lamb skewers and kidneys.
"Then never mind. Get me some razor clams, and a vinegar dipping sauce."
"Okay, sir. Please wait a moment, the food will be served soon."
Chen Yang was disappointed, unable to get what he wanted to eat. However, he suddenly had a thought. He recalled how popular barbecue had become nationwide in his previous life. It was undeniably delicious.
So many people wanted to have some barbecue and skewers in the evening, accompanied by an ice-cold beer.
After the proprietress finished taking his order, Chen Yang suddenly slapped his thigh.
"Brother, what's wrong?"
Zhang Weiyang looked at Chen Yang, who had suddenly slapped his thigh, with some confusion.
"Your brother has found a way to make money."
Chen Yang, having lived two lifetimes, had never ventured into the catering business. However, in terms of prospects, as long as the food was good, there would never be a shortage of customers in the catering industry.
Food is the paramount necessity of the people.
In an economic downturn, you might forgo buying good clothes, cars, houses, or jewelry, but you still have to eat and entertain.
In his previous life, there were all sorts of chain restaurants, but chains specializing in seafood stalls and late-night barbecue diners were not common.
Why not start one himself?
"Brother, what's the money-making idea?"
Zhang Weiyang looked at Chen Yang, his eyes filled with admiration.
His elder brother was truly remarkable. He could discover business opportunities just by ordering food at a roadside stall. He had initially thought he had learned a few tricks from his elder brother, but now he realized he was far behind.
"You'll know later. When we get back, we'll go to your factory and find some chefs. We'll research some things."
Chen Yang and his group couldn't stay in Hong Kong for long. If they were to open a barbecue and seafood stall in the style of his previous life, they would definitely need to find locals to manage it.
It probably wouldn't be possible to open one immediately, as teaching them how to barbecue and developing the barbecue seasoning wouldn't be something that could be accomplished overnight.
Therefore, it would be better to test it out in the mainland first. Next time they visited Hong Kong, they could directly recruit people, find masters to train them, and then appoint managers. At that point, they could open branches not only in Hong Kong but also in Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Anhui Province.