When I pushed open the back door, the autumn breeze blew in the aroma of fried food, but it was mixed with a pungent smell of paint – the newly opened light food shop opposite was painting its exterior walls dark green.

“What gives you the right to say that we use unenvironmentally friendly ingredients?” Xiao Li confronted the protesters with a red face. On the tray in her hand, the plastic lunch box printed with the restaurant’s logo shone with a cheap luster in the sun.

This girl who just turned 20 may not know that Wang Jianye smiled bitterly in his heart, those lunch boxes are indeed made of the cheapest non-degradable material.

“Calm down.”

Wang Jianye took a step forward, and the splashes of water from his leather shoes in the puddle wet his trouser legs.

He noticed that the bespectacled college student in the lead was holding the “Green Dining Guide” sponsored by Shiyunlou.

This discovery made his temples throb – after the lawsuit half a year ago, Sun Fu actually made a comeback in this way.

Back in the office, Wang Jianye loosened his tie, and the fabric made a slight rustling sound.

The report spread out on the table showed that the customer group aged 25-35 years old lost 42% last month.

Hearing the laughter from the restaurant across the street drifting in through the window, he somehow dialed the number of his college classmate Professor Zhou, his fingers leaving sweaty marks on the keys.

“Organic transformation?” Professor Zhou pushed up his glasses on the other end of the phone. The sound of the reflection from the lenses seemed to come through the microphone. “I happen to know Director Xu of Qingshan Farm. They don’t use any chemical pesticides to grow vegetables.”

The rustling of papers could be heard in the background. “But the price is 30% higher than the market price.”

When I hung up the phone, the sunset had already dyed the office orange.

Wang Jianye stood at the junction of light and shadow, and his shadow was stretched very long.

He suddenly remembered that when he started his business 20 years ago, his father gave him a painting with the words “Integrity Wins the World” which was still hanging in the reception hall. Now it seems that the word “integrity” should also include responsibility for the environment.

The transformation meeting was held the next morning.

When Wang Jianye proposed to switch to organic ingredients, Master Li’s wok fell to the ground with a bang.

“The vegetables are full of holes bitten by bugs. The vegetable washers must be exhausted!” The old chef’s voice echoed between the tiled walls of the kitchen, causing the dust on the chandelier to fall.

The young chef Xiao Zhang’s eyes lit up: “I learned the special processing of organic vegetables in culinary school!” On his fair wrist there was still a fresh Band-Aid from yesterday’s cut.

During the argument, Mr. Chen from the purchasing department ran in breathlessly: “Mr. Wang, we have just contacted five organic farms, and they all said that we must sign at least a three-year contract.” The traces of pen ink on the contract he handed over showed that his hands were shaking with anxiety.

When Wang Jianye took over the contract, he smelled the lingering smell of cigarette smoke on Lao Chen – this old fellow who had been working for the restaurant for 20 years still had fish scales in his fingernails from yesterday’s trip to the seafood market.

The most intense opposition came from the finance department.

Liu Ming clicked on his calculator: “Based on this cost, the price of clay pot chicken will have to increase by at least 38%!” His sparse hair was blown up by the air-conditioning, revealing his greasy forehead.

Wang Jianye noticed that the fountain pen in his hand was the one given to him as a commemoration of the company’s opening ten years ago, and the gold plating on the pen cap had long since become mottled.

“Do a pilot first.”

Wang Jianye finally made the decision, and the sound of his palm slapping on the solid wood conference table silenced everyone.

The sycamore tree outside the window suddenly rustled, and a yellow leaf floated in, falling right on the financial statement in front of him, covering up the glaring deficit.

The first week of trial operation was a complete disaster.

The organic spinach had wilted because it was not refrigerated in time, and Master Li was so angry that he kicked the vegetable basket with a clanging sound; the newly bought bamboo tableware was deformed in the sterilizer, and the waiter Xiao Liu scratched his hand while cleaning up, and the blood drops on the off-white environmentally friendly napkins were particularly glaring.

The worst part is that when Professor Zhang, an old customer, saw the new word “organic” and the price behind it on the menu, his eyes behind his glasses widened instantly: “Old Wang, are you trying to kick us old guys out?”

The turning point occurred on the rainy night of the third day.

When Wang Jianye was inspecting the kitchen, he discovered that Master Li had secretly carved a peony flower out of a newly purchased organic radish, which looked crystal clear under the energy-saving lamp.

When the old chef was discovered, he hurriedly wiped his hands with his apron, but he couldn’t hide the pride in his eyes: “This radish is really firm.”

There was still radish juice on the lenses of his reading glasses, which glowed faintly under the light.

The next morning, an unexpected visitor pushed open the hotel door.

Reporter Lin, wearing a dark green suit and carrying a camera, claimed that he wanted to do a special feature on “Transformation of Traditional Catering”.

When she tasted the improved version of clay pot chicken made with organic ingredients, the moment the red light of the camera came on, Wang Jianye saw that her eyes were slightly moist: “This reminds me of the taste of my grandmother’s house when I was a child.” Her slender fingers unconsciously stroked the edge of the bamboo tableware, and the broken diamonds on her nails sparkled in the sun.

After the report was broadcast, many unfamiliar faces suddenly flocked to the hotel.

Wang Jianye noticed that most of them carried canvas bags with environmental protection slogans printed on them, and would specifically ask about the source of the ingredients when ordering food.

There was a girl with a ponytail who even brought a portable water quality testing pen. When she saw the test results, her surprised cheers attracted the attention of other customers.

But the crisis also followed.

One day at noon, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie deliberately knocked over an organic vegetable salad, and his greasy tie was covered with sesame paste: “What crappy organic vegetables, they are not even as delicious as ordinary cabbage hearts!” His Rolex watch was scratched when he dropped the plate.

Later I found out that this was someone sent by Sun Fu.

Price is always the biggest obstacle.

Wang Jianye stood at the cashier counter for the whole day and the most common complaint he heard was “too expensive.”

Auntie Ma, a retired teacher, said the most heartbreaking words: “Those of us who rely on pensions to make a living will only be able to smell the fragrance of your home in the future.”

Her hands, covered with age spots, repeatedly stroked the price column on the menu, and finally she only ordered a bowl of the cheapest plain noodles.

The turning point came during a long late-night conversation with Director Xu of Qingshan Farm.

The honest man in the straw hat took out his homemade mulberry wine, and the two middle-aged men drank it in the courtyard under the moonlight.

“We can have a membership system.” Director Xu drew circles on the stone table with his muddy fingers. “Prepaid annual fees get 20% off.” The sound of wine bottles colliding startled the nightingale in the locust tree.

On the day the membership system was launched, Wang Jianye personally designed a membership card in the shape of a green leaf.

To his surprise, the first person to apply was Aunt Ma.

“My grandson said that we should support environmental protection.”

A smile broke out on the old man’s wrinkled face, and the eco-friendly bag he handed over contained that day’s “Senior Health Newspaper”.

The entire store was closed on the day the kitchen was remodeled.

The workers’ banging sounds when dismantling the old stove were deafening, but Master Li squatted in front of the newly installed energy-saving stove like a curious child.

“The fire is strong enough!” He tried to flip the pot, and the water in the pot drew a beautiful arc. The sun shone in through the newly replaced energy-saving glass windows, making his chef’s uniform, which had been yellowed by oil smoke for many years, look snow-white.

The hardest thing to change is the habits of old customers.

When Professor Zhang visited again, Wang Jianye personally served the special “nostalgia set menu” – an old-fashioned cooking method restored with organic ingredients.

When the old professor picked up a piece of braised pork, the tip of his chopsticks trembled slightly: “This fatty but not greasy taste is the taste of thirty years ago!” His old pocket watch chain hung on the edge of the bowl, swaying gently with his excited breathing.

The crisis suddenly struck on a rainy night in late autumn.

Shiyunlou bribed a certain self-media outlet to publish a report titled “Exposing the “Organic” Scam”, and the undercover video edited out of context the clip where Director Xu said “the price is high”.

Wang Jianye convened an emergency meeting overnight, and everyone’s face looked particularly tired under the blue light of the projector.

Just when everyone was at a loss, reporter Lin suddenly called, with the unique noisy background sound of a TV station in her microphone: “We have a complete video of Sun Fu’s people bribing farm employees.”

The counterattack began the next day.

Wang Jianye and all the employees set up a “transparent kitchen” display stand at the entrance of the store and live-broadcast the entire cooking process.

When Master Li carved the word “integrity” with organic ingredients, the crowd burst into applause.

A little girl wearing a red scarf stood on tiptoe and handed over a green leaf sticker she had drawn, and stuck it on the collar of Wang Jianye’s suit.

At the celebration party after the storm subsided, Manager Xu brought freshly picked organic strawberries.

Professor Zhou, holding up a wine glass made of recycled glass, suddenly suggested: “It’s time to give the new kitchen a name.”

As everyone was talking, Wang Jianye caught a glimpse of the cedar tree outside the window that had weathered the wind and rain but was still growing taller, and blurted out, “Let’s call it ‘Songfeng Kitchen’.”

His voice was soft, but it made everyone quiet down.

Master Li’s rough big hand suddenly patted him on the shoulder, and the calluses from years of holding the spoon made him feel painful.

When the first snow of winter fell, Wang Jianye stood in front of the newly hung bronze plaque of “XZ City Green Catering Demonstration Unit”.

The bronze medal shone with a warm luster in the snow, reflecting the newly grown white hair on his temples.

Behind me I could hear the laughter of the young employees – they were using their newly learned environmental knowledge to debate waste sorting.

……

In the early spring in Xuzhou city, the air still lingers with the chill of winter.

Wang Jianye stood in front of the glass door of Wang’s Hotel, looking at the newly opened “Jinding Shopping Center” across the street.

On the huge LED screen outside the mall, advertisements of various chain restaurant brands are playing in a loop: Haidilao’s red oil pot bottom is rolling with tempting bubbles, Xibei Youmiancun’s chef is kneading golden dough, Starbucks’ barista is making latte art… The mall entrance is crowded with people, and the customers waiting in line all the way to the side of the road.

Wang Jianye’s fingers unconsciously stroked the teacup, and water droplets on the celadon cup wall slid down and soaked his cuffs.

The coolness seeped into his skin, but it couldn’t extinguish the anxiety in his heart.

“Mr. Wang, this is this month’s passenger flow analysis report.”

Chen Yu, the head of the marketing department, pushed the door open and gently placed a stack of documents on the desk.

As he turned the pages, the red arrow on the line graph pointed glaringly downwards – the downward curve for six consecutive months was like a blunt knife, cutting his nerves bit by bit.

He stared at the bold line in the data details that read “25% loss of customers aged 35-42 years old”, and suddenly, Professor Zhang, an old customer from last week, said apologetically, “Old Wang, the physical examination report shows three highs, and the doctor told me to eat less oil and salt…” At that time, the aroma of the clay pot chicken wafting from the steamer suddenly became heavy, and even the sauce that Master Li had carefully prepared lost its color.

With a “ding” sound, a new video by food blogger “Taste Detective” popped up on the phone: “Tradition vs. Health: A Major Reshuffle of Xuzhou’s Catering Industry.”

In the picture, a young man wearing round-frame glasses was fiddling with their signature braised pork with chopsticks: “The combination of fat and lean meat really melts in your mouth, but the fat content…” The “calorie bomb” flying through the barrage stung his temples like a wasp.

Suddenly, a clear car bell sounded outside the window.

Wang Jianye turned his head and saw Mr. Zhao, the boss of “Si Ji Chun”, getting off his bicycle, with beads of sweat on his gray temples.

How could this stubborn old man come to visit in person? When he quickly opened the office door, he almost bumped into the waiter Xiao Li who was about to knock on the door.

“Yes, I’m sorry, Mr. Wang!” The little girl hurriedly handed over a gold-stamped invitation, “It was sent by Mr. Sun from Mian Shiyunlou…”

The invitation card with black words on a red background felt hot in my palm.

Wang Jianye sneered, thinking of the lawsuit half a year ago.

When he was about to throw the invitation into the wastebasket, Boss Zhao’s hoarse voice sounded at the door: “Jianye, are we old bones really going to be eliminated?” The old man was hunched over, holding the same invitation in his hand, with flour on his cuffs – just like when they first met at the cooking competition 20 years ago.

When the tea fragrance rolled in the purple clay teapot for the third time, the office door was pushed open again.

Chef Li came in with a freshly-cooked improved clay pot chicken, his apron stained with fresh chopped coriander.

“Boss Wang, please try it. I reduced the oil by 30%…” Before he finished speaking, the hot-tempered chef’s eyes turned red when he saw Boss Zhao: “Boss Zhao! Your ‘Four Seasons Fresh’ is also…”

Three pairs of hands simultaneously reached for the teacups on the turntable. Amid the clash of porcelain, Wang Jianye suddenly clenched his fists and said, “We can’t just sit there and wait for death.”

He picked up the phone and dialed a number: “Professor Zhou? Regarding the catering innovation alliance, I want to start it tomorrow.”

The neon lights outside the window happened to be on, casting changing light and shadows on the glass, making flames flicker in his eyes.

At the preparatory meeting the next morning, the copper kettle was bubbling on the induction cooker.

Wang Jianye looked around the table: in addition to Boss Zhao and Master Li, there was also Sister Qian, the chef of “Old Xuzhou”. The sesame cakes she brought were emitting a burnt aroma on the plate.

When Professor Zhou demonstrated the nutritional analysis software, Sister Qian suddenly slammed the table and said, “Can the machine calculate the temperature of my grandmother’s secret recipe?” The silver bracelet on her wrist hit the edge of the table, making a clear sound.

“Everyone, please be patient.”

Professor Zhou pushed up his glasses, and the blue light from the projector reflected on the lenses.

He clicked on a set of data charts: “The wisdom of traditional craftsmanship is precisely the basis of health – for example, using a bamboo steamer to drain the oil from steamed pork, this is an ancient method…” Sister Qian slowly loosened her grip on the sesame seed cake, and sesame seeds fell on the data analysis report.

It was drizzling on the day of our first food trial.

In the R&D kitchen, Master Li’s knife made rapid drumbeats on the chopping board.

When he served the new recipe of clay pot chicken to the table, the sauce was obviously much lighter. (End of this chapter)