Traveling back to 1966, starting by living in a cowshed.

Chapter 193 Lou Xiao'e Invites Lin Zhou to Open a Restaurant

Lin Zhou remained noncommittal to Lou Xiao'e's words, his gaze fixed on Lou Xiao'e, a faint smile playing on his lips, while he pondered her true intentions in returning to Beijing.

Ever since Lou Xiao'e returned from Hong Kong, and since she had also watched the TV series as a person from a later generation, Lin Zhou knew exactly what was going on.

Lou Xiao'e is nostalgic. If it weren't for Xu Damao's dirty deeds back then, her family wouldn't have left their hometown for Hong Kong. And she has clearly remembered the kindness that Sha Zhu showed her back then for so many years.

However, this time when she returned, things were different from before. Lou Xiao'e now had a family and two children in Hong Kong.

Although he didn't get much property from Loubancheng, he has accumulated a considerable fortune through years of running restaurants!

If one wants to repay a debt of gratitude, it certainly won't be done through physical means like in the original drama.

Lin Zhou and Lou Xiao'e walked slowly forward, turning their heads to look at Lou Xiao'e as they went, and said bluntly:

"Sister Lou, besides visiting old friends, you probably mainly came back to Beijing to thank Sha Zhu, right?"

Lou Xiao'e's hand holding the handbag trembled slightly. When she looked up, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but then she smiled again.

Her eyes and brows carried the air of a seasoned businesswoman honed in the Hong Kong business world, yet also hinted at the straightforwardness of someone from Beijing:

"Lin Zhou, you have a really sharp eye. Nothing can be hidden from you. No wonder you have achieved so much."

She turned to look ahead, and said with a touch of emotion:

"You left with us back then, and you left in such a hurry that I didn't even have a chance to thank Shazhu."

"Back then, Xu Damao and Liu Haizhong were causing such a ruckus that everyone in the courtyard either laughed at them or avoided them like the plague!"

"Only Sha Zhu, kind-hearted, secretly brought me food and cooked for me, and even helped me get my parents out of trouble by using his connections with a high-ranking official."

"I've remembered this kindness for so many years, and now that I finally have the ability, I naturally want to repay it properly."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhou chuckled, kicked a small pebble away with his toe, and said calmly:

"I'm curious, Sister Lou, how do you plan to repay this favor?"

"After you left back then, Sha Zhu's situation was not simple. Now he has become family with Qin Huairu. Their life seems peaceful, but it's actually a mess."

In the original storyline, it was during this period that they found Sha Zhu under the pretext of having a child, so that the child could be recognized by his ancestors and given Sha Zhu a descendant, and also give him something to look forward to.

But now that you've come back, you haven't given him a son. Without the bond of a child, if you want to repay his kindness, all you can do is satisfy his demands financially.

Lin Zhou continued:

"And even if you want to repay the favor, Sha Zhu might not necessarily agree. Sha Zhu is stubborn and cares a lot about his reputation. If you offer him money directly, he might not accept it."

"So, are you planning to open a restaurant in Beijing and have Sha Zhu be the head chef?"

Lin Zhou's words struck a chord with Lou Xiao'e. Upon hearing this, her surprise deepened, even showing a hint of bewilderment.

She looked Lin Zhou up and down, as if she were seeing him for the first time, and said:

"Lin Zhou, what you said really hit the nail on the head. But I'm just wondering, I only finalized this plan in the last couple of days, and I haven't even told anyone close to me, so how did you know?"

Her question was genuine. After all, upon returning, she first found out about Sha Zhu's current situation and learned that he was still running the steel mill's canteen and his cooking skills were still superb.

He only worked as a chef at Yu Li's small restaurant on his days off and in the evenings. Because Qin Huairu controlled the money tightly, they lived a very frugal life. He had Yi Zhonghai to support and Qin Huairu to take care of three children and their families. He had no money left at all.

She was thinking about repaying the favor, but if she gave him money directly, given Sha Zhu's personality, he would definitely think it was charity and would absolutely refuse to accept it.

But if you send him something, it won't end up in his hands, and it would seem too perfunctory, not worthy of the affection from back then.

After much thought, she finally came up with a solution that would satisfy both sides, but before she could put it into action, Lin Zhou saw through it in a single sentence, which surprised her greatly.

Seeing her like this, Lin Zhou smiled faintly and said, "Sister Lou, you don't need to make a fuss! I don't have the ability to predict the future, but everything has its clues."

"After you came back this time, did you investigate Sha Zhu's affairs over the years, his cooking skills, his income, his family situation, and not anything else?"

"Shazhu's greatest skill is cooking, and his biggest problem is lack of money. You want to repay his kindness but don't want to hurt his pride. Besides using his skills to find him a decent job, what other way is there?"

He added:

"With your abilities, you could open a restaurant in Beijing and hire Sha Zhu as the head chef. This would allow him to earn money through his own skills without having to depend on others, give you a legitimate way to repay your debt of gratitude, and also help the restaurant profit from Sha Zhu's excellent cooking skills. Isn't this the most cost-effective way to achieve three goals at once?"

Lou Xiao'e was completely convinced when she heard this. She clapped her hands with a smile and said:

"Fine, Lin Zhou, I give up. That's right, that's exactly what I'm planning!"

"I'm thinking of finding a good location in Beijing and opening a decent restaurant. It doesn't need to be too big, but the decor and ingredients have to be top-notch!"

"Then we'll hire Sha Zhu to be the head chef, pay him a high salary, several times more than he earns in the steel mill canteen, so he can live a good life."

"In this way, we can repay his kindness and do business at the same time, which is indeed a win-win situation."

At this point, a hint of eagerness flashed in Lou Xiao'e's eyes. She looked at Lin Zhou and asked sincerely:

"Lin Zhou, to be honest, you're quick-witted and have a keen eye. You've also built up a lot of connections in Beijing. My restaurant is just starting out, and there are still many things I don't understand."

"Do you want to join us? If you're willing to join, we can expand the scale, choose the best location, and decorate it in the most impressive way. With Sha Zhu's cooking skills, plus your abilities, this restaurant will definitely become a hit throughout Beijing. We'll make even more money then."

The proposal might be somewhat tempting to others, but it held no appeal for Lin Zhou whatsoever!

Lin Zhou hurriedly waved his hand, politely declining:

"Sister Lou, I appreciate your kindness, but I really can't get involved in this restaurant's business."

"As you know, I have too many things to do right now. I have business to manage in Hong Kong, and a big project is under construction in Beijing. I'm too busy to open a new restaurant."

Today, his business empire has expanded to include entertainment, factories, and real estate in Hong Kong, as well as buildings in mainland China and industrial parks in Guangdong Province. He needs to make decisions and grasp the overall direction in all aspects.

If he were to take over Lou Xiao'e's restaurant again, he would inevitably have to manage one thing at a time, so it would be better to simply refuse and have some peace and quiet.

Lou Xiao'e's face flashed with regret upon hearing this, but she didn't insist. After all, she knew that Lin Zhou's current status meant he wouldn't be interested in a small restaurant. She nodded and said:

"Fine, I know you're busy. Since you're unwilling, I won't force you. I'll just put in more effort and take my time to manage it."